Chapter 5: CH 4

After taking a bath, I put on a robe and tied my wet hair with a towel.

When I called Jane, she dried my hair and asked if I liked the pajamas.

She said she had chosen clothes that were comfortable for activities, but they were useless now.

“I’m going out for a while, so please prepare my outfit and carriage.”

Jane’s hands as she was drying my hair faltered, and a troubled voice could be heard.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to do that. Master told me not to let you go out late at night.”

“Why?”

“Well, I… don’t know the reason.”

Since the master isn’t here, you can just close your eyes and listen to me. And like it or not, I’m Seniel’s wife, so I’m supposed to be on equal footing with Seniel, aren’t I?

Jane looked into my eyes. She looked scared that I would ignore Seniel’s words and force her.

‘Seniel seems worried that I will run into Kid on the way home from a late night out.’

Why didn’t he think I’d stay out all night without coming back?

I’d rather ask Seniel to help me escape, telling him I know who he is and that I’d keep silent.

“No. That’s dangerous.’

If Kid finds out about Seniel’s memories due to the accompanying emotions, I may die as it is. I withdrew the very thought of the creepy assumption.

Jane, who had been drying my hair at a slower pace than before, slowly opened her mouth.

“…The coachman left work early, too. If madam really wants to go out… should I sneak out and get you a carriage?”

It will take about 30 minutes to walk from here to the entrance of the mansion, but I’ll be right back if you wait for me. Jane’s words made me sigh.

Jane’s eyes were a mixture of anxiety and pity.

Jane, who knew nothing, took pity on me who was left alone by her master on my wedding night. She seemed to think that I was going to find her master.

‘It was quite a distance from the village to the mansion, how could anyone go there by foot?’

This mansion, located in a secluded place, only appeared after a long time through the village even by horse-drawn carriage, so it seemed difficult to return before midnight on foot.

Seniel wouldn’t be home today, so it wouldn’t matter if I walked around at night, but it was very uncomfortable. The sense of a person who had once died and had been resurrected urged me not to go out.

‘… In the original story, I survived for about a week. There is no need to act so hastily from the get go.’

Eventually I shook my head. Jane’s expression brightened slightly as she kept looking at me. She did say she would help, but she didn’t seem to want to walk to the village.

“Nevermind then if it takes a long time. You can go home now.

I waved my hands, and Jane took a step back.

“I put a water bottle here because I thought you might be thirsty at night. I’ll leave the kerosene lamp and matches here.”

Jane bowed in greeting.

“Then have a good night, madam. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

I don’t know if I’ll ever have a good night.

The door closed. There was no sound.

There was no white noise like the sound of grasshoppers,the gloomy atmosphere felt more dreary.

After putting on my pajamas quickly, my back shivered, so I crawled close to the bed. There was nothing else I could do now.

***

Luckily, I fell asleep right away because I was so tired.

However, the thought of not being able to relax had taken over my unconscious mind, and I awoke shortly thereafter.

‘What time is it now?’

Because the curtains on the window were closed, I couldn’t see what was in front of me, let alone the clock.

I opened my eyes wide to check the clock, but I still couldn’t see it clearly from the bed.

I had no choice but to check closely and stuttered out of my bed.

However, in this room where there was not even a slight noise, the rustling of the blankets was loud, so I was scared to go out. I thought I would be in big trouble if I made a noise while walking around the room.

It was dark at night, and when I thought that all the servants to help me had left work, I felt sad. I felt my back getting wet with cold sweat.

I held my breath and tried to go back to sleep. I laid down on my back and pulled the blanket up to my nose.

I had an ominous feeling that the tightly closed door was about to open.

If I knew this would happen, I should have let Jane fetch a carriage.

I burst into tears looking for my dead mother.

Creak.

Then, a strange sound came from somewhere..

I clenched my quilt in horror.

‘D-Did I mishear?”

They sometimes exaggerate things in horror movies, so now I also wanted to believe that I heard it wrong because I was too scared.

I wanted to check where the noise was coming from, but I couldn’t concentrate because my heart was beating so loudly.

‘Oh my mother.’

But since then, no other sounds have been heard. It seemed to be the sound of a window swaying in the wind, or an illusion created by my fear.

However, tears flowed down because I was already scared.

Creak.

‘Waaaah! Mom!’

Another strange noise was heard as if telling me it was not an illusion.

As soon as I heard the sound, I jumped up like I was having a fit, but instinctively covered my mouth with my hand to keep myself from screaming.

Then, in this quiet place, I heard the sound of someone walking roughly.

It must be an illusion, it must be an illusion. Like before, I’m too scared to make this…

The door opened.

***

It was the first time I knew that when fear reached its peak, it was impossible to pass out. You’d only become more nervous.

I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. To be honest, I had no choice but to pretend to be asleep. Because…

‘My body is so stiff that I can’t move!’

I wished it was a ghost rather than a human.

However, the sound getting closer was very much the sound of human footsteps.

There was the sound of a swish, like a jackknife swinging. It looked like he was playing with a knife with his hands.

Flick, flick. There was the sound of matches being lit, followed by a click and then the sound of a lamp being turned on.

‘My mo-’

I was sure. This must be Kid.

My hopes of wanting it to be a ghost were shattered mercilessly.

He had a bad habit of showing his face before he did murder. It was to enjoy the reaction of others who had seen his face.

Everyone would be relieved at first.

Thinking that Seniel, the high priest, would not kill them.

However, they’d soon become flustered and confused by his actions that follow. They usually ask Why are you doing this?

Then, when Kid cheers as he sees the part of their body that has been completely cut off, they find out only then that Seniel was the famous Kid, and become completely devastated.

Kid enjoys seeing their faces as hopes fade away.

I could hear footsteps on the ground. I felt that death was close.

‘Was it like this in the original story? Seriously? Isn’t this crazy?’

That’s impossible. In the novel, Vivi died around a week after their first meeting. They never had a previous encounter.

‘Ám I going to die like this…?’

I tried to wriggle my paralyzed body.

But not a single finger budge. Then at one point, I suddenly realized that it was quiet around me.

He had stopped at one point, as if he was checking my reaction.

Crunch.

Suddenly, the sound of a glass shattering horribly was heard. Judging from the location of the sound, it was likely that it was the glass Jane had prepared for me.

And that glass, I remembered, was on the bedside table.

So, in a word, Kid is now…

“Is that what they call pretending to be asleep?”

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Unmute

My body, which had been stiff until the glass was broken, could not bear Kid’s sudden voice and trembled greatly.

There was a mixture of boredom and cruelty in his voice. To speak bluntly, I almost peed.

Since he had found out, I wanted to appeal to him to kill me “gently”.

But even that wasn’t easy. Since Kid came in, my body hadn’t moved at all, except when I had flinched in surprise.

I had only tried to find good pajamas to run away in. My efforts were only to this extent.

“I know you’re not sleeping, but you don’t seem like you’re going to wake up either.”

I couldn’t get up.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over my head.

Even with my eyes closed, I took a deep breath at the presence I felt.

I felt a sharp, soft touch on my cheek. It was blunter than a knife and harder than cotton.

‘Is he poking me with his finger?’

I didn’t know what it was, but every time Kid poked my cheek, my eyebrows twitched on their own.

“Your acting is very good.”

The interval of the poking was shortened.

“If you don’t wake up at the count of three…”

The words miraculously raised my body. They were the best trigger ever.

“Eek, I’m awake!”

An unfamiliar breath touched my nose. What filled my vision was something bloody.

It didn’t take long for her to realize that it was Kid’s eyes.

“Hiiiy!”

I hadn’t known he was going to be this close, so I quickly pulled myself back. Kid didn’t follow me, he just followed me with his eyes.

He was Seniel, but he didn’t look like Seniel at all.

His wavy hair was loose, and his eyes gleamed with madness. Kid skillfully turned the knife and said languidly.

“Instead of feeling sorry for you, I’m very angry right now.”

“…”

“You’re scared, but you don’t even ask who I am?”

Kid’s eyes narrowed. Immediately, his face wrinkled as if he was offended. He seemed like he would crush anyone in front of him.

“Did Seniel tell you about me?”

With a growling voice, his knife came close to my chin. It felt like it was going to scratch my neck if it came a little closer.

“… N-No. I-I don’t know w-who you are.”

He hated it if someone confused himself with Seniel, so it was best to say I didn’t know.

Kid observed me carefully whether I was lying or not.

“Well, if he had told you, he would’ve made you run away instead of making me move.”

Yes, I guess so. You are very smart and reasonable. I don’t know anything.

“Well, that’s enough. Whether you know it or not, you’re gonna die now.”

P-Please don’t kill me. No words came out of my mouth. Tears welled up in my eyes.

Suddenly Kid bent his eyes and smiled.

“Since you stayed quiet without screaming once, I will do you a special favor to let you go without pain. I hate noise the most. Any last words?”

“H-Hold on a second.”

“Is that the last thing you want to say? I’ll pass it on to your husband.”

I closed my eyes tightly.