Chapter - 8
She - a woman named Robynia, a candidate for Lord Ranancula's wife - said a single word, "Yes," when she was told by Wolf that there were more guests for dinner. She smiled and nodded.
She stayed in the kitchen, wanting to start cooking early because she wasn't familiar with the process, and then called Wolf into the kitchen when it was almost evening.
She offered him a small plate of soup to taste.
It was at just such a moment that I ran into the kitchen of the Duke of Ranancula's residence.
"Wolf!"
I called out his name as loudly as I could, and he looked at me with a dumbfounded look on his face.
"Lycoris...., what's wrong? What's going on?"
Wolf immediately rushed towards me, and I said a single word, "Doctor.
"I'm not feeling well and I need a doctor. Please."
Worf seemed to panic, as my breathing was questionable from running so fast.
"Robynia, this is Licorice. Please take care of her for a little while."
After saying this, he left the kitchen with a hurried step.
Then I confronted the woman who was still standing in front of the soup pot.
Robynia was a pale woman with very slender arms and legs. She was much younger than I had imagined, and although I had heard that she was in her late thirties, it was hard to believe.
The atmosphere she wore was somewhat fragile and innocent.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Licorice Radiata."
My voice was urgent and strident. I had no intention of making small talk with her. I just wanted to make sure of one thing. If I'm wrong and this is all a one-woman show, I'll gladly make it up to her as best I can.
"Excuse me, but have you tasted the soup?"
"............"
"If you haven't, you should definitely taste it for yourself first.
I said, presenting her with a new plate and a shelf of silverware.
"I cook sometimes and I make some unbelievable mistakes. I put salt and sugar in the wrong places. So...."
"How do you know that?"
Her words were in a very flat tone that did not form a conversation with my words. My mind went blank.
How did she know? It's so strange.
It seemed that the woman in front of me was indeed a murderer.
The woman in front of me was indeed a murderer, poisoning her own soup and making him eat it by hand. She had no intention of running away.
She stared at the poisoned soup she had made and made a face like a child at a loss.
And then.
"It's terrible. I've wasted all that soup."
She muttered in a voice that sounded like he was in the depths of a really deep sadness.
"....I tried to be a good mother at first. But you always looked so unhappy and never called me mother."
I followed her eyes to the doorway and felt chills run down my spine when I saw that Wolf was there.
"And I still don't want anyone else in this house to start a new life with the Duke. I want to build a beautiful family with the Duke from a clean slate. He also said that his second wife's children might be bullied by his first wife's children. What if I have an adorable baby and you start to bully him? It's usually....."
She turned her resentful gaze intently to Worf.
It was as open and innocent as a child's complaint, and that's why it was so terrifying.
"So I got this stuff to kill anyone who gets in my way. It may be convenient, but having a poison on hand was really, really scary."
She pulled out a vial and placed it on the table. After all, she had no intention of hiding what she had done.
Robynia was a madwoman. At least that's what I think.
I knew I had to get Wolf away from this horrible woman anyway.
People started to gather in the kitchen, starting with the head of the household who seemed to have brought me some medicinal water.
"I can't blame you," she said to the puzzled crowd. "I'm just deeply in love with you, my lord."
I take turns moving my trembling legs and approaching Wolf.
I tugged at the black tuxedo Wolf was wearing, but he remained stunned as he stared at Robynia. Then, at least, I blocked Wolf's ears with my hands.
And then his blue-violet eyes finally turned to look at me.
There, I saw the face of a child crying with a distorted face.
It was my face.
I was happy that Wolf was safe, and I was horrified and angry that Robinia was dead.
It was a time when I was torn between so many emotions. I couldn't bear the heaviness in my heart, so I could only act as a normal ten year old child.
I continued to cry at the top of my voice.
It wasn't until late in the evening that I realized that it was Wolf who really wanted to cry.
We left everything to Lord Ranancula and my father, who had returned home before dinner, and sat cuddled up together in Wolf's room with the lights on. We both had books open in our hands, but I hadn't heard a single page turn since earlier.
For once in my life, I wouldn't be able to obey the adults if they told me to sleep alone or to turn off the light.
I closed the book with a snap and turned to Worf.
"Cry," I said.
"It's all right," he replied.
I knew it couldn't be, so I tried to push the wet rag I had been holding to his face to cool his eyes.
But Wolf quickly snatched it out of my hand and pushed it back into my still-swollen eyes.
"You've cried enough."
His voice is gentle and indulgent as he says something that makes no sense to me.
My tear glands broke down again, soaking the wet rag even more.
I remembered what Lord Ranuncula had written in his letter.
Wolf has grown up. Perhaps the Lord was right. I wonder if he is trying to grow up. Overcoming painful events. With surprising speed.
".....I'm sure Wolf would be misogynistic after something like this."
He seemed to think my sudden words were a joke.
He laughed in amusement, then stood up and looked down at me.
He looked down at me and said, "That's exactly the kind of thinking that leads you to sit in a man's room in the middle of the night crying like that, defenseless. If you don't feel a little threatened, you'll lose your reputation as a woman."
I'm sure you're not the only one who has a problem with this.
This is what is known as the princess-carry position.
The reason why I made a silly face with my mouth open was because I was surprised. I was surprised by Wolf's strength, but most of all by.....
"Could it be, Wolf, that you really are taller than me?"
"Didn't.... you believe it?"
"It's not that.... But it's only been three months."
"I'm struggling to grow up. My body, and my mind."
He smiled shyly, his face looked mature and strong enough to me.
I could see it clearly this time.
He's going to be an adult.
Maybe even that.
He is trying to create a new Wolfgang Eisenhoot, different from the one I knew in the game.
***