CATBP~53

Chapter 53

The rainy season had just begun — the rain fell, stopped, and fell again.

When the rain let up, we finally talked, and I learned why Lucas had been staying uncomfortably in his office while sick.

“Because it was the best excuse for us to be together,” he’d said.

I had pushed his back, telling him to go rest in the bedroom instead.

On the first night, I stayed by his side the whole time — because I couldn’t stop thinking about how pained he’d looked.

“Hand.”

“…Am I a dog or something?”

Even as he grumbled, I held out my hand. A satisfied smile spread across Lucas’s face.

I shot him a look, then quickly turned away.

‘Guess he liked holding hands more than I thought.’

The thought that I might’ve actually helped him made me secretly happy — and realizing that, my ears burned hot.

‘Why am I like this?’

Honestly… how ridiculous.

At least my hair hid my ears.

The duke held my hand with one hand and his papers with the other.

Thanks to the protective effect of the music box, he seemed well enough to even work again.

‘That’s a relief, but still…’

I pouted slightly.

“You should stop working and rest a little.”

Lucas looked up from his papers.

“You want me to rest?”

“Yes. Very much.”

“If that’s what you want, then.”

He set the papers down beside the bed and lay down.

I blinked rapidly.

‘I didn’t think he’d actually do it just because I said so.’

Why are you acting like such a puppy, Your Grace?
You’re making this awkward.

Barely a few minutes after closing his eyes, he opened them again.

“I should finish a bit while I can…”

“You’ve got the music box now. You’ll be fine.”

“You’re right. Habit, I forgot for a moment.”

Lucas’s gaze drifted toward the corner of the room — to the music box.

The golden hue of his eyes flickered strangely.

“How did you convince Fey to lend it to you?”

“I just… asked to borrow it.”

“She didn’t ask why? What excuse did you give her?”

I rubbed the edge of my skirt between my fingers.

The question that I’d tried to bury — one that had been quietly gnawing at me — returned full force.

“She didn’t ask for any excuse. Fey… didn’t ask anything.”

Her composed face, the way she’d said nothing when I took the music box… why?

When I told her I wanted to borrow it, that faint trembling in her eyes — was that hope?

And that soft “thank you” she’d whispered as I left — what did it mean?

I replayed Fey’s behavior on rainy days in my mind.

I’d thought she just hated thunder. Or maybe the dampness of the rain.

But maybe… it wasn’t something that simple.

‘…Fey, no way.’

My heart thumped with unease.

I prayed that what I was imagining was wrong.

“Helen.”

“…”

“Helen.”

“Y-Yes?”

Startled, I looked at him. Lucas released my hand.

“I’m going to sleep now. You can go.”

A cool draft brushed over my freed hand.

I hesitated.

Part of me wanted to stay by his side — but another part told me I needed to confirm the suspicion that had taken root.

As the heavy sound of rain filled the silence, I stood frozen, torn between the two.

“There’s the music box. I’ll be fine.”

He shrugged lightly and closed his eyes on purpose, as if to show me.

At last, I made up my mind and turned toward the door.

“I’ll come back later… to hold your hand again.”

“Do as you wish.”

His soft, low laugh reached me just before the door closed.

* * *

My steps carried me straight to Fey’s room.

“Auntie?”

The child looked up at me — eyes clear enough to reflect the world, a round face still full of baby fat.

My sweet little one, who I hoped would never know pain, asked softly,

“You’re already back?”

Rain tapped faintly against the curtain behind her.

“…Did you use the music box well?”

She didn’t ask where it was — just whether it had been used.

In the dim room, the golden glow in her eyes shimmered with both anxiety and expectation — or maybe I was imagining it.

“Yes. I did. It helped a lot. Thank you.”

“I’m glad!”

Fey smiled brightly, and I hesitated.

Should I ask her? Would I hurt her by doing so?

A part of me wanted to assume I was wrong — that my suspicion was nonsense.

But if I looked away now, someday I might pay a price I couldn’t bear.

‘So I can’t ignore this.’

I forced myself to look her in the eye.

“Fey, tell me something.”

“Hm?”

“Did you know your uncle was sick?”

“Hic—”

Her golden eyes darted to the floor.

“N-no! I didn’t!”

“…”

“I really didn’t!” she cried desperately.

“I see. Okay, I understand — you didn’t know.”

My dear little protector… you know, when you really want to hide something, you never look me in the eye.

You glance up, checking my expression — just like now.

‘You know everything.’

She knew Lucas was sick — and why he’d gotten that way.

My suspicion didn’t fade. It solidified into certainty.

A wave of emotion surged up in my chest — first heaviness, then sorrow… and finally, anger.

Fey hadn’t even been born when it all happened.

So the only way she could’ve known — was if someone told her.

And not in a kind way.

The guilt flickering across her small face was unmistakable.

‘Who would dare?’

My jaw tightened. My teeth ground audibly.

“Hic… I-I really don’t know…”

Maybe she heard that grinding sound, because her eyes trembled, brimming with tears.

I was about to tell her that I wasn’t angry with her — but before I could, tears spilled down her cheeks, and her small body was suddenly wrapped in light.

In an instant, Fey transformed into her divine beast form and leapt through the window.

Crash! Glass shattered.

“Fey!”

I called her name desperately.

But she was already gone.

Rain splattered my face as I leaned out the window — she was nowhere in sight.

I rushed out of the room.

“Madam, there was a crash from the young master’s room…!”

“What happened?”

Two servants ran up to me.

“Did you see Fey? She changed into her beast form and ran off — did anyone see where she went?”

They looked at each other and shook their heads.

I told them to find anyone who might’ve seen her, then hurried outside.

I searched the garden, the greenhouse — everywhere.

Surely she hadn’t left the estate altogether… but if she had, what then?

My heart dropped.

By the time the rain stopped, my clothes were heavy and my body sluggish — and regret flooded in.

I should’ve been gentler.

Why did I let her see that I’d noticed?

“Hic… I-I really don’t know…”

The fear darkening her eyes replayed vividly in my mind.

I bit down hard on my lip.

A sharp, metallic taste filled my mouth.

Where else could she have gone?

I forced strength back into my weary legs and kept moving.

* * *

After Helen left, some time passed. Then Lucas opened his eyes.

He hadn’t been sleeping — he wasn’t even tired.

Raising himself up, he looked at the hand Helen had been holding.

Her small, delicate hand had clasped his tightly, as if vowing never to let go — as if saying I’ll stay with you.

A faint smile curved his lips.

Then his golden eyes dropped to the music box.

Though the rain had stopped, the music box still spun quietly on its own.

Lucas placed his hand over it, lost in thought.

“She didn’t ask for any excuse. Fey… didn’t ask anything.”

Helen’s pale face when she said that — he remembered it clearly.

He easily guessed that she’d reached the same conclusion as he had.

“Who could have told her…”

His brow furrowed.

Then his sharp hearing caught a commotion outside.

“…happened?”

At first, only fragments reached him — but then he focused.

“What do we do? The young master turned into his beast form and disappeared!”

Lucas’s body shone with light — he transformed into his divine beast form in an instant.

He padded to the window and pushed it open with a paw.

A sliver of sunlight slipped through the clouds and touched his dark fur.

Normally, he’d have flinched from the rainwater brushing against him — but not this time.

Ears pricked, he listened intently, filtering every faint noise.

And then — he found her.

Lucas changed back into human form.