Chapter 47
Exion jumped down from the tall horse in one swift motion, patted its mane in praise, and turned around.
The place he had arrived at was Arzeletta’s house, which was no different from a shed.
He hadn’t expected Arzeletta—who was always bustling about, arms full of mountains of laundry—to be at home in broad daylight. If such a place could even be called a home, that is.
…Though he told himself he hadn’t expected it, he didn’t bother to question why he had rushed there in a single stride.
Exion lightly kicked a wooden tub placed on the ground. A hollow thud rang out with surprising weight.
“Hey.”
He knocked on the wooden door with the back of his hand. There was no response. He’d expected that, but still knocked harder once more for no reason.
The expression on Exion’s face, carrying a bundle in his hand, was slightly different from usual. His movements were rougher, more impatient. He seemed angrier than usual, or perhaps more flustered.
He was in a slightly excited state, though even he didn’t recognize his own emotions.
Thump, thump. As he knocked on the wooden door a few more times with growing urgency—
Creeaak.
“…What the.”
The door, which wasn’t even locked, opened anticlimactically. Exion pushed the door open with his foot and stepped inside. The shed, which could hardly be called a house or even a room, came into full view at once.
Arzeletta wasn’t there.
Exion’s gaze stopped at one spot. He walked steadily into the room and picked up a folded piece of clothing from a wooden chair.
It was the red cloak he had left behind while nursing Arzeletta.
“……”
The bundle in his hand was tossed onto the straw heap.
Arzeletta’s room, which had never had much in the way of belongings, felt different today.
The cloak, as if freshly washed in anticipation of his arrival, and the room—emptied as though no one had ever been there—left a strange feeling.
…As if someone was preparing to leave.
“Where did she go?”
Exion furrowed his brow, clutching his cloak.
The new clothes he had made for Arzeletta suddenly seemed shabby. Leaving the bundle tossed on the straw bed, Exion turned away from the wretched shed.
Arzeletta stood in front of the mirror. Her beautiful black hair flowed over the black clothing.
Arzeletta, whose skin was unrealistically pale and translucent, created an even starker contrast by wearing black.
Yoseph mumbled beside her ear as he personally tied the cords across her back and waist like a corset.
“White clothes won’t do. They’ll get stained with blood.”
“Yes.”
“These black clothes will cover all your sins. The blood of animals, the curse you bear.”
After carefully tying her waist, Yoseph placed his hands on both her shoulders and whispered low.
“Your wounds, too. Arzeletta.”
“……”
“This slaughterhouse is my world. Here, no curse or sin is shameful. This place is beyond the sight of the gods.”
Arzeletta nodded. Her eyes remained fixed on her reflection in the mirror.
The new clothes, almost the first she’d ever worn, were strange and fascinating. The fabric, black as night and impossibly vivid, was astonishing.
As Yoseph had said, the dark color of the night seemed as though it would conceal all her shame and sins.
“You’ll be free here. Arzeletta.”
“……”
“I always thought you’d come one day.”
Arzeletta didn’t answer.
They were two people called out only to mock one another. In the children’s songs, the names Arzeletta and Yoseph were uttered only to insult and shame each other.
That cruel mockery was the only relationship that existed between them.
Looking at the eerily perfect fit of the clothes on her body, Arzeletta imagined the time Yoseph must have spent alone here.
This garment was proof of Yoseph’s waiting.
“I didn’t think it would fit this well.”
“……”
“You’re beautiful, Arzeletta.”
Within the lyrics of that song, this man had been waiting for her.
Waiting for a day that might never come, sewing the clothes she would one day wear.
In this darkness filled with blood and death.
“I’ll teach you your tasks slowly. It might be a little difficult at first, but you’ll get used to it quickly.”
“Yes.”
“We get used to everything quickly. Don’t we?”
Yoseph’s eyes, gazing at Arzeletta through the mirror as she nodded calmly, were filled with light.
“I’ll give you meat. You won’t be hungry anymore.”
Yoseph gently stroked Arzeletta’s thin shoulders with pity as he continued.
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