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Chapter 04
“아가씨, 별일 없으셨어요? 이 아이는…….”
“Miss, are you alright? And this child…?”
As soon as they stepped out, they were met with Meryl’s worried face.
“우리가 데리고 갈 거야.”
“We’re taking this child with us.”
“……네?”
“…What?”
Meryl looked back and forth between the child and Medeia in surprise.
“얘, 너 이름은?”
“Hey, what’s your name?”
The child held onto Medeia’s hand as if it were a lifeline.
“…….”
The child tried to speak—but stopped.
“이름을 알아야 부를 수 있잖니.”
“I need to know your name to call you.”
The boldness from before was gone.
The child trembled, tears gathering at the edge of their eyes.
Medeia, unfamiliar with showing kindness, simply waited.
“……제 이름은 없어요.”
“…I don’t have a name.”
“이름이라 부를 만한 것도요.”
“Nothing that could be called a name.”
Tears slid down the child’s cheeks.
Medeia’s hand hovered awkwardly in the air.
“아가씨, 이름을 지어 주시는 건 어때요?”
“Miss, how about giving the child a name?”
Medeia nodded slightly.
“그게 좋겠어. 내가 이름을 지어 줄게.”
“That sounds good. I’ll give you a name.”
She gently wiped the child’s tears.
“……이름을요?”
“…A name?”
The child smiled faintly.
“‘루시안’은 어떠니?”
“How about ‘Lucian’?”
“그 책에 나오는 이름이죠?”
“That name… from your favorite book?”
“그래.”
“Yes.”
“이 아일 보면 그 책 속 루시안이 생각나.”
“You remind me of the Lucian from that book.”
“저는 좋아요.”
“I like it.”
“아가씨께서 주시는 거라면 뭐든 좋아요.”
“If it’s from you, I’ll accept anything.”
“좋아, 루시안.”
“Alright, Lucian.”
At that moment, the child finally received a real name.
And behind that shy smile… there was something deeper.
Something no one noticed.
Not even Lucian himself.
* * *
The next morning.
Instead of sunlight, Medeia woke to a strange feeling.
“아가씨.”
“Miss.”
“일어나셨나요?”
“Are you awake?”
Two pairs of eyes greeted her.
Lucian and Sion—the two children she had brought.
Lucian, smaller than others his age.
His past was written all over him.
“너희들이 여길 왜…….”
“Why are you here…?”
“세수하시겠어요?”
“Would you like to wash up?”
They pointed to a silver basin filled with clear water and violet petals.
“Meryl.”
“Meryl.”
“금방 들켰네요.”
“You caught me quickly.”
Meryl appeared, smiling awkwardly.
“왜 아이들이 내 방에 있는 거야?”
“Why are they in my room?”
Medeia had never intended to have them serve her.
She only wanted to save them.
“아이들이 원해서요.”
“They wanted to.”
“저희가 먼저 하고 싶다고 했어요.”
“We were the ones who asked to do it.”
“공작님 귀에 들어가는 것보단 낫잖아요?”
“It’s better than causing trouble and being noticed by the Duke, right?”
Lucian silently nodded.
Medeia looked at them both.
“시온, 루시안.”
“Sion, Lucian.”
“네.”
“Yes.”
“……네, 아가씨.”
“…Yes, Miss.”
Lucian answered slowly, staring at her.
“나는 너희가 내게 뭘 해주길 바래서 데려온 게 아니야.”
“I didn’t bring you here for you to serve me.”
“그저 버티면, 다시 돌려보내 줄 거야.”
“Just endure for now… and I’ll send you back.”
“정말요?”
“Really?”
Sion smiled brightly.
“저는… 돌아가고 싶지 않아요.”
“I… don’t want to go back.”
Lucian’s voice trembled.
Before Medeia could respond—
“아가씨, 물건이 도착했습니다.”
“Miss, the item has arrived.”
Her expression changed.
“이 이야기는 다음에 하자.”
“We’ll talk about this later.”
She left.
Lucian watched her go with empty eyes.
“…하.”
“…Hah…”
A quiet sigh escaped him.
* * *
“야, 못 들었어?”
“Hey, didn’t you hear?”
Sion spoke to Lucian.
“방으로 돌아가라잖아.”
“She told us to go back.”
Lucian didn’t move.
“너나 가.”
“You go.”
“……뭐?”
“…What?”
The gentle child from before was gone.
“너나 방으로 돌아가.”
“You should go back to your room.”
Lucian mocked him lightly.
Then—
He took out a dark green book from a high shelf.
“이 책인가……”
“This is the one…”
“너 뭐야?”
“What are you?”
Sion stared in shock.
“알 필요 없어.”
“You don’t need to know.”
Lucian flipped through the book quickly.
“너 책 읽을 줄 알아?”
“You can read?”
No answer.
Lucian was focused.
“그러는 너는?”
“What about you?”
He stepped closer.
“네 눈, 원래 녹색 아니잖아.”
“Your eyes… they’re not originally green.”
Another step.
“약물로 숨긴 거지?”
“You’re hiding it with drugs, right?”
Sion froze.
“이타룬 출신 기사, 반역자 프레드릭.”
“A knight from Itarun… the traitor Frederick.”
Sion’s eyes shook.
“서로의 과거는 묻지 말자.”
“Let’s not ask about each other’s past.”
“지금도, 앞으로도.”
“Not now… not ever.”
Lucian placed the book back.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Sion stood there, speechless.
Behind him—
The dark green book glowed faintly…
And returned to its place on its own.
