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Episode 10
Well, of course he froze—
Because the food pantry was quite bare.
There was only one piece of dried black bread and two eggs.
And in the deepest corner of the pantry sat a single jar of raspberry jam, carefully placed there.
That jam was something my sister only brought out when she was in a particularly good mood.
For reference, that raspberry jam?
My sister made it herself, using wild raspberries she picked behind the estate.
It was only thanks to the recent supply wagon that we had even this much.
Before that, it had truly been empty.
“Whyyy?”
I looked up at Adrian with innocent eyes, pretending not to understand.
Adrian looked at me with an expression full of unspoken thoughts.
But in the end, he just shook his head.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Shrugging, I took out the dried bread and raspberry jam.
Then I hesitated for a moment.
‘Hmm… there’s only one piece of bread.’
Just as I was about to break it in half, he stopped me.
“You eat it all, May.”
“But…”
“It’s fine. I’m not hungry.”
With a gentle smile, he opened the jar and spread a generous amount of jam on the bread.
I let out an involuntary sound of concern.
“Oh no, you can’t use that much…”
“Hm?”
His hand stopped mid-spread.
I slumped my shoulders and muttered weakly.
“That jam… my sister likes it. We try to save it.”
“…You try to save it?”
Adrian’s face stiffened.
Trying to look even more pitiful, I deliberately made my voice sound gloomier.
“She said I could eat it whenever I wanted, but… I still feel bad.”
“…”
Adrian fell silent, his face growing serious.
I glanced up to study his expression.
A short pause followed.
“I see.”
He murmured softly, with a heavy tone.
Then, smiling faintly, he reached out and gently patted my head.
“Still, don’t worry. You won’t have to save it anymore.”
“Really?”
My eyes sparkled.
Nodding, he stood up.
“By the way, May, you can eat your snack on your own, right?”
“Hmm? Are you going somewhere?”
“Well, I left something in the wagon.”
He scratched his cheek with a sheepish expression.
“I think I’d better go get it.”
“Okay! I’ll wait for you!”
I beamed at him.
Adrian smiled back at me, then walked out of the kitchen.
At the same time, I blinked blankly.
‘That’s the first time I’ve seen that face.’
As he walked toward the door—
The always smiling Adrian who laughed around me and my sister—
Now wore an expression frighteningly cold.
Once I was sure I could no longer hear his footsteps, I leapt to my feet.
‘If I want to hide my presence, a human form isn’t ideal…’
I crouched down into a small ball.
A moment later—
Poof!
I transformed into a cat and silently slipped out the door.
—
Meanwhile, Adrian headed behind the mansion, feeling deeply unsettled.
‘Why was the food pantry completely empty?’
And Mabel—she didn’t even react to the pitiful state of it.
That meant she was already used to going without.
He was the one who had brought Sabina from her peaceful life in the forest all the way to the capital.
So he wanted to make sure she was comfortable.
He’d told everyone to treat her well, to make sure she had no inconveniences.
He’d repeated it over and over…
‘Something’s definitely off.’
His green eyes darkened.
Now that he thought about it—
All the times he’d visited Sabina for treatment,
He could barely remember her eating or drinking anything.
He’d assumed she just wasn’t the type to offer even a cup of tea.
‘But what if…’
Then there was what Mabel had said earlier—
> “Oh no, you can’t use that much…”
“My sister likes it. We try to save it.”
To save it?
Was their life really that difficult?
Why?
Adrian clenched his jaw.
‘I need to talk to Sabina.’
He had to hear what was really going on.
Just then, he saw Sabina in the distance.
She had a set of keys in her hand, likely from the supply storage.
But—
‘…She looks down.’
His green eyes narrowed with suspicion.
He called out to her calmly.
“Sabina.”
She flinched and looked up.
Adrian stepped closer.
“Can we talk for a bit…? What’s wrong?”
Adrian furrowed his brows.
Sabina was staring at him with wary eyes.
And instinctively, she hid the keyring behind her back.
‘It’s like she’s trying to hide something.’
And what she was hiding was likely…
Adrian’s gaze shifted toward the storage room.
He spoke in a cool tone.
“Would you mind opening the door?”
“Why?”
Sabina reflexively stepped back.
It was an overly defensive reaction.
Why be so sensitive—unless there was really something to hide?
The image of the empty pantry flashed through Adrian’s mind once again.
And Mabel, already used to that state of lack.
‘No… it can’t be.’
Even as he thought that, Adrian pressed on.
“I want to check the supplies.”
At that, Sabina bit her lower lip.
But only briefly.
She straightened her back defiantly and shot back at him.
“What would be the point of you seeing that?”
“Why are you so defensive, Sabina?”
Adrian asked gently, trying to calm her.
“If there’s really nothing wrong, then you can just show me, right?”
“That’s…!”
Sabina clenched her fists.
The frustration and resentment welled up from deep within her.
Let’s say she did tell Adrian about her situation.
Let’s say he restocked the supplies out of pity.
Then what?
Would the eyes of the duke’s household suddenly see her differently?
She remembered all the cold rejections of her requests,
The cruel jokes from the coachman and the steward—
Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and shouted:
“I haven’t done anything wrong…!”
“I know.”
Adrian’s calm reply contrasted with her rising voice.
“I’m not blaming you for anything.”
“Then why…!”
“I just want to make sure you aren’t being wronged. And…”
He hesitated, then added softly, sincerely—
“…If I failed you in any way, I want to apologize.”
Sabina fell silent.
Her pride had always been the one thing that kept her standing.
It was because of that pride that she’d managed to endure everything until now.
She never wanted Adrian to know the humiliation she’d suffered.
He was a hero, celebrated by all.
She was a witch, shunned by many.
Their positions were worlds apart.
…If even he looked at her with pity, she might truly rather die of shame.
But then—
> “I want to apologize.”
Even someone like Sabina, who had given up on having any hope in humans, was stopped in her track by those words.
Had anyone ever apologized to her before?
‘…Just this once.’
Sabina looked up into Adrian’s steady green eyes.
He was the only one who had ever recognized her abilities when everyone else turned their backs.
So maybe—
‘Just this once… I can try being honest.’
