Chapter 194
“What is this…”
Cynthia faltered and backed away from the wall. As the candlelight moved farther away, the light shining on the wall also grew faint, and the letters written on it blurred.
She did not lower her guard. Even this felt like a trap meant to toy with her.
When she thought back on it, the being called Segleninde had always been like that. Even back when they had been in a maid and master relationship, she had believed he was simply a kind being.
But when she learned the truth, what had he done?
He had imprisoned her.
“……”
Cynthia tried to put the candlestick down. Then she tensed, intending to leave this room as quickly as possible and find somewhere safe.
But as if it had read her thoughts, shadows were carved like letters over the faint light once again.
If you plan to keep staying here, I want you to feel at ease I won’t harm you. I’ll absolutely never do that
At the hastily scrawled letters, Cynthia stopped her hand.
After hesitating a little, she brought the candlelight close to the wall again, and the letters carved in shadow became clearer.
Trust me and close your eyes for just a moment I promise I really, absolutely won’t harm you If I don’t keep this promise, I can cut off my own head and place it before you
Even as those chilling words prompted her to curl into herself, if that being went so far as to say that much, she felt she should at least pretend to believe it for now.
She did not know whether that being would actually keep its promise or not, but for now, shouldn’t she go along with its intention so she could see how the situation would unfold?
On the other hand, she was certain this being must be someone other than Segleninde. No matter how much that man acted, he did not know how to say such kind words. Even as empty praise, he could not be called good-natured. Even when he had pretended to be close to her, his original temper had revealed itself here and there.
Of course, considering that, when he had been pretending to be a lover who had fallen for her, he had been quite devoted, but…
‘Ah, what is this? Why am I thinking of that time?’
Cynthia shook her head. In any case, as the shadow had said, she was hungry, and so, without putting down the candlestick, she obediently closed her eyes.
A little while later, she heard something clattering nearby.
It sounded like dishes bumping against each other. Between those very cautious sounds, she also seemed to hear a small grrr, a sound rumbling in a throat. She grew uneasy and almost opened her eyes, but she barely held back and waited while gripping only the candlestick tightly with both hands.
She felt something come close to the area near her hair, then quietly withdraw when she shuddered greatly at the presence. Aside from that, there were several footsteps busily coming and going, and even sounds as if they were conversing among themselves.
After a while, all presences vanished at once.
Cynthia opened her eyes a little. On the wall brightly lit by the flames, as expected, letters in an antique script made of shadow were carved.
Following the direction the shadow indicated, she moved her gaze and was startled. On the long table, where there had been nothing until just now, an appetizing meal had somehow been carefully laid out.
Soup steaming gently, various kinds of bread, butter and jam, potato dishes, a white fish dish, even a plate of steak. The well-polished utensils glittered when touched by the light, and everything, down to the bottle filled with clean water and the water glass, was luxurious.
For some reason, the steak on the plate had been cut into not just bite-sized pieces, but into tiny half-bite pieces like a meal served to a young child, but that did not matter. Until just now, she had only felt a little hungry, but once she smelled the food, her hunger began in earnest.
She had no time to suspect what that food was made of, or whether there was poison in it.
I’ll feed you
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