TMC 12

CHAPTER :12

11. It is the Blood of a Beast

They spent a long time gazing at the night sky.

Only after Stella shivered from the chill carried by the night wind did he worry about the wound on her foot and suggest they return to the bedroom.

That was only last night.

“My lady, is something troubling you?”

Jena scurried over and sat beside the deep-in-thought Stella.

Looking at Jena’s bright, lively smile, Stella shook her head.

“It’s nothing.”

“Really?”

“Actually, I was thinking about the future.”

To Stella, her future felt like a drawing paper that had already been painted pitch-black.

No matter what she drew, it would only be black, leaving her at a loss for what to do.

“The more I think about it, the less I know what I should do.”

“Perhaps it’s because you’ve been cooped up inside that you can’t find an answer? A breath of fresh air might clear your head. Why don’t we go outside?”

Jena had to know that Stella couldn’t leave given her status as a fugitive, yet she still suggested going out.

Stella gently declined Jena’s proposal, despite the hopeful sparkle in the girl’s eyes.

“I’d love to, but going out is a bit difficult. As you know, I shouldn’t be seen by others. It would be hard to leave the Duke’s mansion. I want to go out with you, Jena, but I simply can’t.”

It was a situation where she had no idea who might threaten her life, or from where.

Under these circumstances, she couldn’t just wander outside the Castillo estate at will.

“You understand, right, Jena?”

“I suppose so.”

Jena’s face fell.

Since Jena rarely threw tantrums or acted stubborn, Stella looked at her with concern.

‘She’s been cooped up in the mansion just to stay by my side, so it makes sense that she’d feel frustrated.’

After pondering for a moment, Stella spoke as she looked at Jena’s gloomy face.

“Then, how about this?”

A spark of curiosity lit up Jena’s eyes.

At that, Stella lightly shrugged her shoulders.

“We can set the mood right here in the mansion. Since the walls surrounding this estate are very high, no one can peer in from the outside, right? That way, there’s no risk of my identity being discovered.”

As Stella spoke softly, Jena’s nodding grew faster and faster.

Stella couldn’t help but smile, as Jena felt just like a younger sister to her.

“I’d love that!”

Jena’s voice, pitched a key higher than usual, made it clear she was quite pleased.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“It must be hard to prepare all by yourself.”

“I can manage perfectly well on my own. I can ask Anna for a little help, too. So please, leave everything to me and just relax. Alright?”

Jena’s eyes burned with enthusiasm.

Even though it would surely involve a lot of troublesome chores, she seemed genuinely thrilled by the prospect of a picnic.

With her like this, it was hard to refuse.

“Keep it simple, though.”

“Yes, of course!”

Jena replied brightly.

Left alone, Stella looked out the window.

The sky outside was beautifully clear without a single cloud, making it the perfect day for a picnic.

About an hour later, a simple picnic was set up within the Castillo residence.

Having finished the preparations in the blink of an eye, Jena guided Stella to a small forest within the grounds.

Though too small to truly be called a forest, it exuded a cozy atmosphere, with lush trees surrounding a wide-open clearing.

A large cloth was laid out under the trees, creating a comfortable space where one could rest without worrying about the gaze of others, offering a different vibe from the gardens.

Taking her seat in the middle of it all, Stella looked up at the sky.

‘To think there’s a forest like this within the residence…’

Under the clear sky, inhaling the fragrant scent of grass, her mind drifted into a peaceful state.

Stella gestured to Jena.

“Sit down, Jena.”

“Oh, no, I shouldn’t.”

“Sit and enjoy it with me.”

Jena kept looking around.

She seemed to be conscious of any watching eyes.

But what would be the point of spending time like this if she just stood there?

What Stella needed wasn’t simply cookies and tea.

She needed someone to talk to.

Feeling awkward sitting alone on the wide cloth, she looked up at Jena with a pout.

Jena hesitated, clutching her apron.

“An outing is meant to be enjoyed together, isn’t it? It’s lonely sitting all by myself.”

“How could I possibly…”

“The picnic will be over soon anyway.”

Ultimately, after scanning her surroundings one more time, Jena awkwardly took a seat next to Stella.

Stella picked up a cookie and offered it to her.

Wiping her hands roughly on her apron, Jena accepted the cookie and carefully took a bite.

Stella followed suit, tasting a cookie with a gentle smile.

The cookie, simultaneously sweet and salty, had a rich flavor blended with cheese.

Brushing away the cookie crumbs from her mouth, Jena leaned in close to Stella.

“How is the cookie?”

“Mmm… it’s really delicious.”

“I baked it myself.”

Jena puffed out her chest proudly.

The fact that she couldn’t look Stella straight in the eye suggested it wasn’t entirely true, but Stella pretended to be surprised and clapped her hands.

“That’s amazing!”

“Well, actually… Anna helped me.”

Faced with Stella’s slightly exaggerated reaction, Jena covered her flushing cheeks and laughed sheepishly.

Stella watched her affectionately.

She couldn’t help but smile, imagining the girl working hard to prepare, getting cookie dough all over her face.

“It must be even tastier because of your touch, Jena. I will enjoy them.”

“Please try this, too.”

“Oh, this is blueberry pie.”

“Yes, I happened to get some delicious blueberries.”

The blueberry pie, filled with Jena’s sincerity, melted smoothly in Stella’s mouth.

As she was snacking on a few more treats prepared by Jena, she saw a maid approaching from afar carrying a laundry basket.

Jena called out.

“Anna!”

“Jena? What are you doing there?”

Anna quickly rushed over to Jena’s side and tugged at her arm.

Hearing Anna’s frantic words, Jena half-stood and looked around nervously.

“My goodness, what if you get caught by the Young Master! What are you doing out here?”

Though there was no one around besides the three of them, Jena swallowed the mouthful of cookie she had been chewing and nervously fidgeted with her apron.

“Do you think we’ll get scolded after all?”

“Of course we will!”

“What should we do, my lady?”

Jena looked at Stella, on the verge of tears.

“Lord Castillo is a kind person, so surely it will be alright? We’re only out for a picnic.”

‘And he did say I could do whatever I wanted.’

Stella swallowed her last thought.

Anna and Jena, who had no way of knowing the situation, shook their heads as they looked at each other, clearly disagreeing.

Their eyes looked so alike in that moment that she momentarily wondered if they were twins.

Stella gave the flustered Anna a reassuring smile and gestured for her to sit.

“Would you like to join us for our outing, Anna? I was just thinking it was a shame there were only two of us. It will be much more fun together.”

“But…”

Even their hesitation was identical.

“Jena told me that you helped a lot with making the desserts, Anna. It would bring me more joy if we could enjoy them together.”

Nodding in agreement with Stella’s words, Jena gestured for Anna to sit.

After a brief hesitation, Anna set her basket down beside her and plopped onto the cloth.

“Oh, what the heck. If we get scolded, we get scolded.”

“Good choice!”

“Excuse us for a moment, then!”

As the saying goes, friends grow to resemble each other, and the two of them were indeed quite alike.

Stella’s mood lifted at their innocent, lighthearted behavior, and she beamed a bright smile.

Seeing her, Jena and Anna burst into wide smiles of their own.

Their laughter echoed far into the small forest within the Castillo estate.

Thus, the picnic, which could have been a lonely affair, grew lively as passing servants joined in one by one.

Of course, not everyone was friendly.

One maid scowled in secret before slipping away.

* * *

“She is in the forest.”

Adrian raised his head.

He had summoned Owen to confirm whether the two maids from last night had been sent away properly, only to hear something entirely unexpected.

He sprang up from his seat.

“Since it is the forest within the residence, there seems to be no cause for concern. I hear quite a few servants have gathered, so why not simply observe?”

At Owen’s words, Adrian paused in his tracks.

“A moment of complacency can cost someone their life. It is best not to trust what is out of sight.”

“What do you mean by that, sir?”

“I mean, do not be so quick to make assumptions.”

Adrian resumed walking and glanced out the window.

Beyond the windowpane, the small forest of the Castillo residence was visible.

There, Stella, Jena, and several other women were gathered, laughing brightly.

“Owen, am I being too sensitive?”

Even for someone like him, who believed one should never let down their guard for even a single second, the scene before him was perfectly peaceful, devoid of any sense of danger.

“Why is it that only that spot radiates such a happy atmosphere? One must never let their guard down. Do they not know that misfortune always lingers close to happiness?”

“Young Master, you are worrying over no—”

Adrian raised a hand, cutting him off.

He narrowed his eyes, peering past the forest, and let out a dry, short laugh.

Beyond the dense trees, a few ominous shadows were scattered.

To dismiss them as wild beasts was impossible; they clearly held the shape of humans.

It was the moment his hyper-vigilance was proven right.

“Owen, send the knights to the perimeter of the forest immediately. Make sure no one gets close. If anyone dares approach…”

“How should we handle them?”

“Kill them.”

“Understood. I will convey your orders.”

“Feed the corpses to the beasts.”

Adrian’s eyes glinted fiercely as he stared past the forest.

“No, I will go myself. I am curious to see the faces of those who dared trespass so fearlessly.”

With those words, Adrian headed toward the forest where Stella was.

Arriving there, he calmly and dispassionately slit the throats of the assassins from behind.

With a smile devoid of any mercy.

* * *

It was around the time everyone was beginning to feel pleasantly drowsy.

A bizarre, grotesque cry echoed through the forest where birds had been chirping just moments before.

Startled, Stella and the servants turned their eyes toward the shadows of the trees.

From the woods, where they expected some wild beast to emerge, a man with a familiar silhouette walked out.

Shocked by Adrian’s sudden appearance, everyone scrambled to their feet.

“What are you doing here?”

In their frantic rush, some collided with one another, and the beautifully arranged desserts and tea were knocked over, turning into a complete mess.

“Oh my!”

“Ouch!”

“Eek, Young Master.”

As Adrian’s brow furrowed, the maids’ faces turned increasingly pale.

The atmosphere grew instantly heavy upon his arrival.

In fact, the maids bowed their heads in unison, utterly at a loss for what to do.

“We beg your pardon, Young Master.”

“With everyone speaking with one voice like that, it makes me feel like an uninvited guest. Please, raise your heads.”

Adrian offered an awkward, slightly embarrassed smile.

When he, who had always been cold and detached, showed such an expression, whispers broke out among the maids.

Stella smiled brightly at Adrian, hoping to lighten the mood.

“You’ve arrived?”

“Yes.”

“Would you like to join us, my lord?”

“Regrettably, I must decline and take a rain check.”

Stella looked at the ruined picnic spot with disappointment.

Indeed, it was impossible to continue the picnic in such disarray.

“Next time, I will have it properly prepared so we can enjoy it together. Regrettably, I believe we must end things here today, my lady. The weather is fickle, and it seems it will rain soon.”

He pointed to the sky, now overcast with gray clouds.

Seeing how the weather, which had been so clear just moments ago, had suddenly turned gloomy, Stella wondered if that bizarre sound from the forest had been because of this.

“Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

“No.”

“I am glad to hear nothing is amiss.”

She raised her head at his puzzling words.

Looking closely, she noticed a faint smear of red blood on his forehead, which otherwise looked as smooth as fine porcelain.

“Forget about me—are you alright, my lord?”

Stella reached up and touched Adrian’s forehead.

“There is blood here. If you’ve been hurt…”

The red blood rubbed off onto her fingers, yet no wound was visible on him.

Then whose blood was this?

A sudden shiver ran down Stella’s spine.

Adrian caught her hand as she instinctively tried to pull away, holding onto it as he rubbed his cheek against her small palm. He wore a soft smile, like a child seeking praise.

“It is the blood of a beast.”

“A beast?”

“I was hunting just a moment ago.”

Reluctantly, Adrian let go of Stella’s hand and casually wiped the blood away.

She had never heard of anyone going hunting while dressed in formal uniform, but Stella clenched her blood-stained hand into a fist, reasoning he must have had his reasons.

At that, his gaze fell slowly, resting on her gently trembling hand.

“I will send the family physician this evening.”

“I—I’m not hurt.”

“…”

“As you can see, this is your blood, Lord Castillo.”

When Stella opened her palm to show him, Adrian smiled warmly.

“I know. The reason I am sending the physician is because I worry you might have been startled by the sight of blood, and also because I believe we need to check if the injury on your foot from last time has fully healed. Actually…”

Adrian trailed off as he pulled a handkerchief from his jacket.

Then, he stepped closer to Stella.

In that instant, the heavy scent of the forest brushed against her nose.

With gentle movements, he meticulously wiped the blood from her hand.

“Even though you say you are fine, just seeing you look so startled makes me anxious.”

“…”

“I would like you to be examined by the physician.”

Stella’s mind went blank at the mention of the physician, preventing her from answering right away.

She hadn’t expected him to suddenly summon a doctor like this.

Unable to tell him the truth about her foot, she panicked.

“Does that make you uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s not that. I’ll get examined.”

Stella couldn’t bring herself to refuse his goodwill.

Perhaps it was because the parting she had thought so distant now felt so close, but a sad smile brushed Stella’s lips as she looked down at her feet.

Even though she knew it was simply time to part ways with him, she couldn’t help the lingering regret.