The carriage, which had been running without rest, arrived at the Baroness’s mansion at dawn the next day.
After passing through the heavy iron gates, a winding path as thin as a thread appeared. Shailo, who was looking out the window with curious eyes, spoke to the Baroness who had just awakened.
“My Lady, this seems to be a wasteland. There’s nothing here.”
“It may look desolate, but it’s not. Rabbits and deer live in this wasteland. Come Spring, surprisingly, heath flower bushes bloom, and colorful Catharanthus flowers blossom.”
The Baroness smiled benevolently, explaining with a dreamy expression as if painting the wasteland of a few months later in her mind.
“And behind the mansion, there’s a small lake. Almond trees bloom there, I think you’ll come to like that place.”
“I’m already starting to like it.”
Shailo rested her chin on her hands pressed against the window, slowly observing the sprawling land. Though it seemed barren and empty, she could feel the dynamic force stirring beneath the ground. Life was hiding under the soil, ready to sprout new buds and raise flower stems at any moment. Her heart swelled with anticipation thinking of the flowers that would bloom after enduring the harsh winter.
The carriage soon arrived at the mansion.
“It can’t compare to the Duke’s residence.”
“No, that’s not true. Though it’s smaller, it has its own charm. It feels like fairies might appear at any moment.”
The Baroness’s mansion was a four-story, classical and beautiful stone building with a simple structure, without separate annexes.
“You certainly have a way with words. Now I remember why you caught my eye at my nephew’s birthday.”
The Baroness chuckled and led her inside. Shailo, who had been gazing in wonder at the ivy cascading down the mansion walls, followed a beat behind.
“You must be tired from the journey. Let’s have you wash up and eat dinner first. We’ll tour the mansion afterward.”
“Yes.”
“Ah, Shailo?”
The Baroness, who had been introducing the butler, maids, and servants and was about to send Shailo upstairs, suddenly stopped. Gripping Shailo’s shoulder, she advised with an abruptly serious expression.
“You may go anywhere else, but until the day after tomorrow, don’t go up to the fourth floor. We have an important guest staying there.”
“An important guest?”
“They’re too distinguished to reveal their name carelessly.”
“Ah…”
“Can you promise?”
“Yes, I promise.”
Though she didn’t know the circumstances, it wasn’t a difficult request. Only after Shailo nodded repeatedly did the Baroness seem relieved and let her go.
*** *** *** *** ***
By the time dinner was over, the mysterious guest had yet to make an appearance. The Baroness assured her not to worry, explaining that the guest usually skipped dinner, but being told not to worry only made Shailo more curious. She couldn’t help but wonder who the guest staying on the fourth floor might be, though she tried her best to push the thought aside.
It had been a long and eventful day. Her mind was restless, and she couldn’t fall asleep, so she got up in the early hours of the morning.
“I can’t sleep…”
Though she had left the Duke’s residence behind, trying to sleep alone in an unfamiliar room made it impossible to drift off. After staring at the unfamiliar ceiling in the dark for what felt like an eternity, she suddenly sat up.
“Now that I think about it, they said there’s a lake, didn’t they?”
Her hesitation was brief. Shailo quickly stepped outside the mansion and headed toward the lake. It was late winter, and the air was cold enough to see her breath. Unlike the barren wasteland in front of the Baroness’s mansion, the back of the estate was a dense forest of coniferous trees.
“Ugh, it’s freezing.”
The winter air was biting, and Shailo, dressed in her nightgown, pulled her thick shawl tightly around her as she dipped her toes into the lake, only to pull them out immediately. The icy water sent a shiver through her body, chasing away any lingering drowsiness, but she didn’t regret it.
The dawn was breaking, and the mist hung in layers like curtains. Between the veils of fog, the pale purple hues of the sunrise painted the transparent lake, giving it an otherworldly glow.
The sight stirred an odd impulse in her—to wash her face in the lake. She suddenly felt an inexplicable belief that the cold water would clear her mind and wash away the cluttered thoughts in her head.
Shailo knelt down, stretched out her arms, and splashed the icy lake water onto her face. The chill was so sharp that it jolted her awake. She leaned further toward the lake, but just as she sensed danger, she lost her balance and tipped forward.
“Ah!”
Before she could even scream, she was about to plunge into the lake when a firm hand grabbed her waist and pulled her back.
Death had brushed past her in an instant. As her vision flipped, the back of her head hit a solid chest.
She was alive.
Her heart pounded so loudly it echoed in her ears. As she tried to calm her trembling body, she felt warm breath near her ear. Regaining her senses, Shailo quickly stood up.
“Th-thank you.”
“I thought you were a nereid, but I see you’re not.”
A deep, low voice, like the echo of a cave, descended over her head. Shailo straightened her back and turned to face her savior.
Her eyes widened in surprise. Platinum blonde hair that seemed to blend into the dawn mist, and eyes the color of a fir forest—his appearance was otherworldly. Though he was a young man who hadn’t yet shed his boyishness, his tone carried the weight of someone much older, exuding an air of mystery.
“Are you, by any chance…”
Shailo, her face frozen in astonishment, blinked and hesitantly parted her lips to speak.
“Are you the Baroness’s guest?”
The man nodded instead of answering and stood up, brushing off his clothes.
“That’s right. It seems the Baroness mentioned me.”
His deep voice lowered slightly, carrying a peculiar tone. Shailo quickly added.
“She didn’t tell me your name. She only said that an important guest was staying and that I shouldn’t go up to the fourth floor. Oh, my name is Shailo.”
“Shailo.”
The man repeated her name as if testing it on his tongue, then continued.
“Since you’ve told me your name, I suppose I should share mine. I am.”
“You don’t have to tell me, sir.”
Shailo interrupted him, not wanting to cause trouble for either the Baroness or the man. She bowed her head again and expressed her gratitude.
“Thank you for saving me earlier.”
“You weren’t trying to end your life, were you?”
The sudden, thunderous question struck her like lightning. Startled, Shailo frantically waved her hands.
“I swear, no! Really, I wasn’t.”
The color of his gaze deepened as he stared at her. Avoiding his eyes, Shailo added in a small voice.
“I was feeling a little down, but I really didn’t mean it. I couldn’t sleep in this unfamiliar place, and I felt stifled, so I just came out for a walk.”
The man shrugged and sat down by the lakeside. Shailo hesitated before sitting down a short distance away, her curiosity prompting her to ask.
“Then why are you out here by the lake at this hour?”
Instead of answering, the man picked up a small stone and tossed it into the lake. The stone skipped across the surface a few times before sinking into the deep water. After a moment of contemplation, he began to speak in a heavy tone.
“I was born the second son of a prestigious family.”
Shailo listened intently as he continued in a calm voice.
“My father is a high-ranking figure in the country. Besides my mother, he also had a concubine. The son of the concubine, my brother, and I all grew up together. Then one day, my brother died in an unexpected accident. Not long after, my mother passed away as well. It was the work of the concubine, who had always been polite and affectionate toward my mother and us.”
For some reason, his story resonated with Shailo, and she found herself staring at his sculpted profile.
“The concubine quickly took my mother’s place and schemed to make her son the heir. She tried to kill me in secret and even caused my father to fall ill.”
“Goodness! How could such a wicked woman exist?”
Shailo exclaimed in shock, almost rising to her feet. The man responded with a bitter smile instead of words.
“I had no choice but to seek refuge with my mother’s family in a foreign country.”
“Then this place is…?”
“The Baroness is an old friend of my mother’s, so I’m staying here temporarily.”
Though his voice was dry and emotionless, Shailo felt a pang in her chest as she empathized with his situation. She sat back down and replied in a comforting tone.
“Then you should gather your strength and return home. You need to reclaim your rightful place and proudly succeed your father.”
“Is there any point? The more I struggle, the more the people around me get hurt. My stepmother only has one goal.”
“That’s!”
Shailo raised her voice without realizing it and countered.
“Would your mother want that? If you gave up your life and met her again, would she be happy to see you like that?”
The man’s blue-green eyes, which had been fixed on the deep lake, slowly turned toward her. Shailo clenched her fists tightly.
“My mother isn’t with me either. She passed away when I was young. She raised me alone, but she fell ill and left this world too soon.”
It was a face she had momentarily forgotten during eight years of fleeting happiness. As the memory surfaced, her chest tightened, and her eyes grew hot with tears.
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