IWSH 12

Chapter 12

The only person the Voltaire siblings could rely on.

But if one thought about it differently, he was also the person who could most easily cut off Theodore’s breathing.

Would he treat Bella the same way he treated me?

Theodore believed it was natural for people to hate him. Since he had hurt and threatened many people, it was only right that they feared and disliked him.

But that child is different.

The servants in the annex were probably no different from those in the main house.

Theodore watched Claire running off in a hurry and came to that conclusion.

His eyes grew hot. He resented his own foolishness for not being able to protect his sister, and it pained him that he had no choice but to rely on Claire.

If Uncle truly has ill intentions, there’s no way to stop him.

Claire’s calm expression flashed through his mind before quickly scattering.

She’s too soft-hearted… a girl who couldn’t even tell me she was being bullied by the head butler.

A single tear finally slipped down his cheek and gathered at his chin.

I have to let her go.

He couldn’t bear the thought of Claire suffering under a mad master like him.

It’s too dangerous for her to remain my maid.

What came next should be something only he had to endure.

Just as he was wiping away his tears and steeling his resolve—

BANG.

“Uwaaah!”

The door swung open violently, sending Theodore—who had been sitting in front of it—rolling across the floor.

“Eh? Why are you here?”

Claire tilted her head, looking down at him in confusion.

“Ha.”

Speechless, Theodore lay flat on the floor and stared up at her in disbelief.

“Where did you throw your sense of knocking?”

At that, Claire flinched slightly and awkwardly knocked on the already-open door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“I’m sorry.”

Her apology was clearly perfunctory, as if the fault lay more with the person sitting in front of the door. So natural was her shamelessness that Theodore was once again left speechless. The tears he had just shed vanished instantly.

“Ah—Bella! What happened to her?”

Snapping back to reality, Theodore asked urgently about Bella. Claire helped him up and guided him to the bed.

“Please calm down. The young lady is safe. I made sure she was asleep before I left.”

Theodore finally let out a breath of relief.

After giving him a moment, Claire asked,

“Lord Gregory has returned. Did you know?”

Theodore’s shoulders tensed violently.

“Uncle…?”

The possibility that his uncle might not be on his side grew stronger after he failed to visit Theodore’s room immediately upon returning.

I really should send Claire away.

But despite his thoughts, the words would not come out.

The idea of returning to a life without Claire felt impossible.

Without her, there would be no one to stop me… no one to walk in the garden with me.

His lips trembled.

Coward.

He cursed himself. Even knowing what was right for her, he couldn’t bring himself to let go.

Watching him tremble in self-loathing, Claire tilted her head.

Is he cold?

He had been sitting on the cold floor for too long. His temperature felt lower than usual.

“Excuse me.”

Without warning, Claire brought a thick blanket and wrapped Theodore up like a cocoon—only his face sticking out.

“Wha—hey! Let go!”

Once again losing his chance to speak, Theodore tried to struggle free. Claire watched him and thought of the man she had just seen—Gregory.

Dangerous for a raccoon like him.

A pack’s loyalty to its alpha was absolute.

Claire was not skilled in social matters, but when it came to survival instincts, she was sharper than anyone.

No matter what Gregory intends, those who follow him won’t tolerate anyone threatening his position.

Judging by the siblings’ situation, it already looked like pressure was being applied to tighten their leash.

What should I do?

The old Claire would have simply left and returned to the forest. But the current Claire did not feel like doing that.

I’ve grown attached to these raccoon siblings.

She could leave if she truly wanted to.

But if I leave like this, I won’t be able to sleep properly all winter.

Claire looked down at Theodore, still trembling.

Unlike when she first saw him—close to death—he now had a faint vitality in his eyes and movements.

Watching that dying light rekindle had been something she enjoyed.

If I leave, those eyes will go dead again.

She had already rekindled that spark. She didn’t want it to go out again.

Winter.

Just as she had originally planned, she decided to stay until winter.

I’ll stay and think about it until then. If I still can’t leave, I can always take the siblings and run like my mother did.

Her decision to leave had not changed. She simply decided not to abandon them halfway.

Feeling lighter after making up her mind, Claire reached for the blanket again—

“Claire.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Leave this place.”

“…Pardon?”

A sudden, thunderous dismissal struck her.

Claire’s eyes wavered violently. Only fifteen seconds had passed since she decided to stay. Yet the raccoon had already reached a conclusion without knowing her thoughts.

This is right. I can’t let an outsider like Claire be endangered any further.

“Is it because of the blanket?”

Claire quickly removed it. But Theodore’s expression only darkened further.

“This isn’t a joke. Leave this estate today.”

His tone was serious.

Claire could tell immediately—he meant it.

Why suddenly? Does this raccoon have no survival instincts?

She couldn’t understand.

A predator far stronger than them had appeared. Normally, survival instinct would demand fleeing or gathering allies.

Isn’t this the moment to beg me not to leave?

But Theodore’s gaze was clearer than ever. Unlike his usual dazed expression caused by madness, there was no haze in his eyes.

Claire looked into those summer-lake-blue eyes and felt something twist inside her.

“…No.”

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t want to leave.”

For the first time, Claire’s expression turned visibly sulky. A childish stubbornness surfaced in her usually calm face.

“I can still work.”

It was her first time experiencing something like this.

Talking with someone who wasn’t Angela, learning and working step by step. All the emotions that came with it.

Even if the person in front of her suffered from madness, Claire found her time with the Voltaire siblings enjoyable.

“I can become a better maid.”

So she wasn’t ready for it to end yet.

“You really…”

Theodore bit his lip, overwhelmed.

“Do you think staying by my side will give you anything? This madness is incurable. I might hurt you someday.”

He’s worrying about unnecessary things again.

Claire looked at him with mild sympathy.

“I can handle it.”

Theodore’s voice grew even shakier.

“I will never become the Count. Staying here won’t benefit you at all. Leave now while you still can.”

He’ll still pay my wages, right?

…Right?

Her eyes wavered for a moment, but she quickly regained composure.

“I don’t care. I have no interest in who becomes the Count. I don’t expect anything from it.”

I’m leaving this winter anyway.

She watched Theodore struggle for breath.

His gaze dropped to the floor.

“I can’t protect anyone like this.”

His weakened voice sounded unusually helpless.

Without realizing it, Claire reached out and awkwardly patted his back.

“I’m strong enough. It’s fine.”

Theodore let out a dry laugh.

Why is she going this far?

An illegitimate Voltaire with no power or influence—and a troublesome one at that.

Why did she trust him this much?

“Why go this far? Running away would be easier.”

At his question, Claire answered simply.

“Because I’m your maid.”

A servant existed to ensure their master’s safety and comfort.

As a competent maid, this level of trial is nothing.

It was a distorted sense of professionalism, but for someone like Claire, who was already far from normal, it didn’t matter.

“Hm?”

Claire watched in fascination as Theodore’s face turned red in an instant. Even his ears flushed as he covered his face with both hands.

“It’s not that simple…”

“It doesn’t need to be complicated.”

“You might regret it!”

“All choices come with some form of regret.”

Claire’s resolve was firm. In the end, Theodore was the first to surrender.

“…Do as you like.”

At those words, Claire’s face brightened.

The dismissal had been revoked.