DRRS 03

 Chapter 03

모스퀴스는 쓰러진 아이에게 눈길을 한번 주었다.
Mosquis glanced once at the fallen child.

“여기에서 죽을 날을 기다리는 것보다 훨씬 더 나은 처사란 말입니다.”
“It’s far better than waiting here to die.”

He looked at Medeia proudly, as if he had done something generous.

“저 아이도 내가 데려가지.”
“I’ll take that child too.”

Medeia spoke calmly, without even blinking.

“네? 어째서 두 명이나…….”
“What? Why take two…?”

“저 아인 쓸모도 없을 겁니다.”
“That child will be useless anyway.”

“이렇게 멋대로 결정하시면…….”
“If you decide this on your own…”

Murmurs spread among them.

“메릴, 두 아이 다 내 방으로 데려오도록 해.”
“Meryl, bring both children to my room.”

“네, 아가씨.”
“Yes, Miss.”

Ignoring the whispers, Medeia walked toward the faint light.

Behind her, a small pair of eyes quietly watched her until she disappeared into the darkness.

“아가씨, 아이들을 데리고 왔어요.”
“Miss, we brought the children.”

Meryl came in, holding the hand of the sky-blue-haired child.

Behind her, Sophia carried the unconscious child.

“이 아인 아직도 정신을 못 차렸나?”
“This one still hasn’t woken up?”

Medeia looked at the child.

Black hair like the night sky. Pale, almost lifeless skin.

The child breathed faintly, as if trying to erase their own presence.

“……어째서 두 아이나 데려오라고 하셨는지?”
“…Why did you ask for two?”

Meryl asked carefully.

Until now, Medeia had only ever taken one child.

“그 아이는 하늘색 머리를 가졌어요… 공작님이 알기 전에 데려와야 해요.”
“That child has sky-blue hair… we must take them before the Duke finds out.”

“메릴 네가 말한 이 아이만 남기고 저 아인……”
“We’ll keep this one… and that child…”

Medeia’s gaze shifted to the unconscious child.

“돌려보낼 거야.”
“We’ll send them back.”

“지하 감옥으로요?”
“To the underground prison?”

“그래, 일단은.”
“Yes, for now.”

“그런데 왜 데려오셨어요?”
“Then why bring them here?”

Medeia couldn’t answer clearly.

Maybe… it reminded her of her own childhood.

“…금방이라도 죽을 것 같았으니까.”
“They looked like they would die at any moment.”

“그러니, 회복하는 대로 돌려보내.”
“So once they recover, send them back.”

At that moment, the child’s fingers twitched slightly.

“아이들은 어디에 묵게 할까요?”
“Where should they stay?”

“내 옆방을 내줘.”
“Give them the room next to mine.”

Just then—

“아가씨, 공작님께서 찾으십니다.”
“Miss, the Duke is calling for you.”

* * *

“메데이아.”
“Medeia.”

“네, 아버지.”
“Yes, Father.”

Though their eyes were the same violet color, they felt completely different.

His eyes were empty… filled with something missing.

“내가 왜 널 불렀는지 아느냐?”
“Do you know why I called you?”

“제가 데려간 아이 때문이시겠지요.”
“It’s because of the child I took.”

“모르지는 않는구나.”
“So you do know.”

Behind his gentle smile, there was irritation.

He was waiting for her to apologize.

“제가 데려온 아이인데, 모를 수가 없지요.”
“It’s a child I brought. Of course I know.”

“메데이아, 하나뿐인 내 딸아.”
“Medeia, my only daughter.”

“네.”
“Yes.”

“지난번에 일을 그르쳤잖니.”
“You ruined things last time.”

“아버지께서 실수하셨죠.”
“You made a mistake, Father.”

“그래, 그 쥐새끼 때문에!”
“Yes, because of that rat!”

Madness flickered in his eyes.

“지금 내게는 한 놈 한 놈이 아쉬운 상황이다.”
“Right now, every single one matters to me.”

“…데려간 두 아이 중 하나를 돌려놓으라는 말씀이시군요.”
“So you want one of them returned.”

“그래.”
“Yes.”

“그럼은요. 한 아이는 돌려놓겠습니다.”
“Of course. I will send one back.”

Medeia deliberately spoke vaguely.

It seemed her father didn’t yet know about the sky-blue-haired child.

For now.

“착하구나, 메데이아.”
“Good girl, Medeia.”

Just then—

“아가씨, 들어가면 안 됩니다!”
“Miss, you can’t go in!”

The door suddenly opened.

A small child stood there.

Black hair. Deep blue eyes like a lake.

“저에게 아가씨를 모실 기회를 주세요.”
“Please give me the chance to serve the Miss.”

It was the same child Medeia had just decided to send back.

“무례를 아느냐?”
“Do you know how rude you are?”

The child trembled—but did not look away.

“아버지…….”
“Father…”

Medeia tried to step in—

But the child spoke first.

“제가 할 수 있다면 성심성의껏 아가씨를 모시고 싶습니다.”
“If I can, I want to serve the Miss with all my heart.”

Even with tears about to fall, the child’s will did not break.

“내게 복종하는 게 더 영광스럽지 않겠느냐?”
“Wouldn’t it be more honorable to serve me instead?”

The Duke was trying to drag the child back into darkness.

But—

“이 목숨이 붙어 있는 한 제 결심은 변치 않을 겁니다.”
“As long as I live, my resolve will not change.”

The Duke laughed.

Not mockery—something closer to satisfaction.

“그래. 그럼 어디 해 보아라.”
“Alright. Then show me.”

At that moment, Medeia did not know—

Those few words would change both their lives forever.

And just like that,

The child with blue eyes was allowed to stay by Medeia’s side.