The Beast of the Albard Mansion - Chapter 4

Unlike my father, the maids, or the attendants, my sister was the only one who understood my feelings. She said she often felt the same way. She explained that because I was still young, my heart was tender, which was why I felt this way. As I grew older, just as my height increased and my body became stronger, my heart would harden like steel, and I would know less sympathy.

She said joy, compassion, philanthropy, warmth, affection, and friendship would fade, giving way to selfishness, greed, desire, and anger. She claimed that selfishness and greed were more helpful for surviving in this world than compassion or affection.

I tried to harden my heart, following my sister’s example, but it seemed I was still far from becoming an adult. In the end, I couldn’t suppress my feelings of pity and spoke to Desi.

“Are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?”

I was startled by my own words and held my breath for five seconds. But everything remained quiet around me.

Until then, I had only watched Desi or brought him food—I never thought of speaking to him. I always felt that if I spoke to Desi, my father would somehow appear with a terrifying face and scold me. My father’s face, shouting not to approach or talk to the beast, was firmly imprinted in my mind.

But nothing happened when I spoke to Desi.

The maids always warned me to be cautious around Desi and not to approach him, making it seem like the world would collapse if I talked to him.

I was amazed and surprised at how quiet everything was.

When my father said, “Do this!” I always obeyed. When my mother said, “Do that!” I always followed her instructions. Otherwise, I believed I would be severely punished.

After seeing my sister get her head shaved and her body bruised for meeting a man our father disapproved of, I became even more determined to obey. My sister cried bitterly and attempted to take her own life, which made me feel incredibly sad and tormented.

But now, I had disobeyed my father, and nothing had happened. I wasn’t beaten like my sister, nor was my head shaved. This was a significant discovery. As long as I did it secretly and didn’t get caught, I could defy my father. A mischievous voice inside whispered that I could get away with it.

Desi was glaring at me with his bright yellow eyes. Although he was staring at me, his expression wasn’t as fierce as the first day. The fact that he had stopped growling was also a significant change.

“Can you not speak?”

I had seen Desi scream or cry out in pain, but I had never heard him speak human words.

Instead of waiting for a response, I reached into my skirt pocket. Desi’s eyes widened as his body tensed.

I pulled out the bread I had hidden in my undergarments. Desi’s eyes sparkled, recognizing me as the one who brought him food while he slept.

“Are you hungry? Do you want some bread?”

To give the bread to Desi, who was tightly bound, I had to get closer. I approached cautiously, scared he might bite me. It was my first time approaching him while he was awake, and my hair stood on end.

Desi watched me closely as I approached, appearing both predatory and cautious. This reaction made me even more nervous.

Should I get closer? What if I get hurt? These thoughts filled my mind. Despite hearing the warnings in my head, I held my breath and took another step closer to Desi.

I was so nervous that I broke out in a cold sweat, even though it was winter. Fortunately, Desi didn’t pounce on me. He sniffed the bread in my hand and swallowed it hungrily.

I sighed in relief as I watched Desi eat the bread. I was glad he didn’t bite me. The large piece of bread disappeared quickly.

I had spoken to Desi, approached him, and even fed him. In one day, I had defied my father’s orders three times. This was a remarkable feat.

As the tension eased, I felt a sense of victory.

“Wait. I’ll filch a bit more food. Okay?”

“…”

“Oh, and my name is Selenia. My family calls me Seli. You can call me Seli too.”

Through his tangled hair, I saw Desi’s jewel-like eyes staring at me. He was looking at me with a surprisingly gentle expression.

I was momentarily stunned by his gaze. The thought of disappointing those loyal yellow eyes filled me with determination.

Desi wasn’t a terrifying presence or a dangerous beast, as the maids claimed. They were simply too scared to see beyond their fears. Without even talking to him, they had run away. But I was brave enough to see Desi’s true nature.

I felt proud of my courage and discovery. The braver I felt, the more special Desi seemed to me.

“Oh, and my visits are our little secret. Got it? Don’t tell anyone.”