Collector’s Cage - Chapter 57 - VIII.

`VIII.`

With nowhere proper to sit, she perched on the edge of the bed and waited for Froy.

Beyond the escape-proof window, she watched the sun set. Once again, she was waiting for Froy in this room, doing nothing else. Thinking only of him, waiting only for him.

This wasn’t what she had missed. She was watching the sun fall beyond the window with a complicated expression, wondering how to understand this situation, when—

Click.

The sound of a lock turning. Hermie’s head immediately snapped toward the door.

The door opened, and Froy, the one she had been waiting for, entered. She had waited for him for hours, but she felt neither glad nor happy. Her heart just raced with insane nervousness.

“Marquis.”

Hermie promptly rose, clasped her hands, and stood respectfully.

Without even looking at Hermie, Froy locked the bedroom door. He took off his outer coat and untied the scarf constricting his neck.

Only after completing this routine he always followed upon entering the room did he finally turn to look at Hermie. Then, he twitched an eyebrow as if displeased.

“Hermie.”
“Yes?”
“I told you to return as a fairy.”
“…That, you see, Marquis, please hear me out first—”
“Take off your clothes.”

Hermie’s words caught in her throat. She couldn’t immediately comprehend his demand.

“What do you mean…”
“Hermie wasn’t wearing such clothes. You managed perfectly fine naked, so why the shocked face?”

Live like that again? Really? Hermie stood frozen, unable to move. There was no way she could undress herself by her own hand.
“You cannot do it?”

He was still addressing her as the Pumpkin Flower Guild accountant.

“If you would just listen to me for a moment—!”
“I have nothing to say to you at the moment.”

What did he want from her? She felt the silent pressure: if he wanted conversation, she would have to return to being the Hermie he knew.

Fairy Hermie was worthy of facing him, but ordinary commoner Hermie wasn’t even granted the right to speak with him.

With trembling hands, Hermie removed her clothes.

For now, let’s comply with his demand. Let’s see how far he intends to go. Once he vents his anger enough for it to subside, perhaps a sliver of forgiveness will emerge.

She had to endure his wrath, at least until he was in a mood to listen to her.

After removing her last undergarment, Hermie looked at Froy. Her body shook from tension and shame.

“Marquis, I—”
“Not Marquis. Froy. You called me Froy.”

Hermie squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again. How could it be this hard to utter his name again, the name she had once called so casually? It required firm resolve even to say his name.

After a long hesitation, Hermie called his name in a voice so faint it was almost inaudible.

“Froy……”

She finally called him again. Just like the old Hermie.

And then, as if by magic, the coldness in Froy’s face melted away. The icy, aloof demeanor vanished like a mirage.

“Yes. Hermie.”

He approached with a bright smile. He cupped Hermie’s cheeks with both hands, pressing his forehead against hers and whispering tenderly.

“Where did you go? I looked for you for so long.”

At his tender whisper, something inside Hermie seemed to crumble. Before she could gather her cascading thoughts, Froy pulled her into an embrace.

As if overjoyed and admiring. As if loving her to death. As if so relieved to have found her again.

His overwhelming happiness washed over her, deepening Hermie’s confusion to its utmost limit.

“Froy, I… I mean, I didn’t mean to…”
“Yes. Everything’s fine now. Since you’ve come back, I’ll forgive you.”

Was his forgiveness truly forgiveness? Froy held Hermie so tightly she could barely breathe.

Buried against his chest, Hermie gasped for air. Now she truly didn’t know what to do. She really didn’t.

She was back in the cage. This cage was even more solid, making any thought of escape seem impossible.

***

The night was pitch black, with not a star in sight.

Hermie let out a steady breath from within Froy’s embrace. She was still naked, and Froy, in his sleepwear, held her closely so she wouldn’t feel cold.