MTGHLBH 53

Chapter 53

The next day, Adella prepared the medicines she had set aside. They were the same ones she had used when treating Radi back at the mansion.

Before leaving the estate, she went to find Selina.

Yesterday’s incident had turned unpleasant because of Berkley, but strictly speaking, Selina hadn’t done anything wrong.

Having a large dog like Radi tug at her skirt could be frightening for anyone.

So Adella decided she should apologize to Selina for what had happened.

Her feelings had been hurt, but as Berkley had pointed out, Selina was a guest of the ducal house. If such a guest were injured, it could put the family in an awkward position.

Although approaching someone first and starting a conversation was always difficult and uncomfortable for her, she thought she had improved a lot.

With Rio and Gina always at her side, she had grown a little more accustomed to people.

After visiting Selina, she planned to go see Acheron. She told Radi:

“Sir Emmet has been told in advance, so wait by the carriage.”

Radi nodded, took the basket of medicines in his mouth, and went off ahead.

Adella headed straight for the guest room where Selina was staying.

But the room was empty, and after asking a maid, she finally learned that Selina was in the greenhouse.

‘The greenhouse…’

Before Adella had come, even Rio rarely visited the place.

It had been reopened for her because she liked gardens, and Gina had happily mentioned it before.

‘Well, it’s good if more people come by.’

The greenhouse wasn’t reserved for her alone—she had already seen Selina there before.

Entering without much thought, Adella soon spotted Selina. That lovely pink hair was hard to miss.

“Lady Obelli, may I have a moment of your time?”

Everyone in the duke’s household addressed Selina as “Miss.” Likely, it was a habit from when she had lived here before.

But for some reason, Adella found it difficult to call her by name.

“Oh, my lady. Of course, I have time.”

When Selina saw Adella, she smiled at once and nodded.

“I won’t keep you long.”

“Oh no! Time spent with you is delightful.”

Selina looked slightly shy as she said this, which made her appear all the more beautiful to Adella.

Adella felt relieved and began to speak.

“About yesterday… I’m sorry Radi startled you.”

“Oh, no, not at all…”

“The forest is dangerous, so Radi only tried to stop you from entering.”

“I—I see.”

“Still, you must have been frightened, so for now I’ll make sure not to approach when I’m with Radi.”

“Oh, that’s really not necessary…”

Seeing Selina wave her hands, Adella gave her a small smile.

“Well then, I have something to do, so I’ll be going. Please enjoy your time here.”

“Ah, yes…”

Caught off guard, Selina nodded and quietly watched Adella’s departing figure from the greenhouse.

After finishing her visit, Adella immediately took the carriage, leaving with only Radi and Emmet.

Only Gina and Warren knew where she was headed.

Worried about how Acheron was doing, Adella pressed her lips together and stared silently out the window. The silence weighed heavily on Emmet.

He recalled how sharply Adella had reacted to Berkley the day before, and how Rio had sternly warned him about it.

Unable to bear the silence, Emmet finally spoke.

“My lady, yesterday… Berkley was out of line.”

“Hmm? Ah…”

Lost in thought, Adella trailed off and turned her gaze toward Emmet.

“I suppose I overreacted as well. It reminded me of when Radi was injured not long after we came to the mansion…”

Since Emmet had also seen Radi’s state back then, he understood her feelings.

“He wouldn’t have let himself be harmed.”

“Yes. Thank you, Sir Emmet.”

When Adella smiled, Emmet finally looked relieved.

The carriage sped on and soon arrived at the lake they had visited the previous day.

With the basket in hand, Adella entered the forest with Radi, while Emmet stopped at the same spot as yesterday to wait.

Under a large tree, Acheron lay quietly.

[You’ve come.]

“I told you I would. Are you feeling better?”

Adella noticed that the bandages were stained with blood. Her face fell as she quickly sat down at his side.

She carefully applied medicine and replaced the bandages, while Radi and Acheron remained silent and still.

“How did you get hurt?”

[…I was careless.]

After a pause, that was the only reply she got. It sounded like he didn’t want to be pressed further.

As though he had no intention of explaining beyond blaming his own carelessness.

So Adella asked something else instead.

“Before, you were in the forest leading to the borderlands, right? Why were you near the lake this time?”

[I was going to leave.]

“Leave? Go where?”

[I just wanted to see what the world is like these days.]

“You sound like an old man.”

Adella giggled softly, and Acheron, who had been watching her with a sullen face, ended up chuckling as well.

“So you got hurt trying to leave because you were curious about the world? How long were you planning to stay here?”

[I thought I’d move on once the wound healed.]

“Were you just going to leave it to heal on its own? You need treatment for it to heal properly!”

Adella frowned at the wound, her face tightening with sympathy as if she herself were in pain.

[Why are you frowning?]

“Because it looks painful.”

[But you’re not the one injured. Strange human.]

As Acheron gave a small laugh, Adella gazed at him, curiosity brimming, and asked:

“Hey, Acheron, can I ask you something?”

[Go on.]

“Are you… a monster?”

His pitch-black body suggested so—though true monsters also had red eyes.

Acheron’s eyes, however, were a beautiful silvery gray, making him seem different from both monsters and ordinary animals.

He hesitated briefly, then reluctantly answered.

[I am not a monster.]

“Then what are you?”

[As you guessed, I am neither monster nor mere beast. That’s all I can tell you.]

With that, he drew a clear line, leaving her no room to ask more. Adella closed her mouth.

[If you’re done treating me, you should go now.]

Turning his head toward the tree, Acheron curled up and closed his eyes.

Gathering the bloodied cloth, Adella rose to her feet.

“I’ll come again tomorrow.”

[Again?]

As she stepped back, Radi looked at her, surprised.

“Yes. I’ll keep coming until Acheron is fully healed.”

She waved lightly toward Acheron, who had already shut his eyes, and left the forest with Radi.

[…What a peculiar one.]

As she had promised, Adella truly did come every day to see Acheron.

Her visits weren’t long—just long enough to apply medicine and change his bandages.

Sometimes she brought food, unsure what he might eat, though Acheron never touched any of it.

Still, Adella couldn’t shake off his earlier words. His vague reply—that it had been his own carelessness—bothered her.

His appearance alone could easily cause others to mistake him for a monster. It wouldn’t be surprising if he had been attacked.

Especially in the West, where people were far more sensitive about monsters. If someone had found him here, they might well have tried to kill him.

The fact that he hadn’t retaliated but had instead withdrawn was proof enough he wasn’t a monster.

And rather than blame humans, he simply said it was his carelessness—as if he was choosing his words with caution.

“You’ve healed a lot. You recover quickly.”

Applying fresh medicine and bandages, Adella let out a relieved sigh.

Then, looking at Radi and Acheron sitting side by side, she chuckled.

“You two look just like brothers.”

[Who?]

[Who?]

Both replied at once, making her laugh even more. Even their denial made them seem alike.

“Acheron’s a wolf, right? And Radi looks like one too, so when you sit together, you seem like brothers. Black and white.”

[This one isn’t really a wolf. And I, too, am not merely a wolf. I told you—I am no mere beast.]

[The white fur looks nobler.]

Acheron’s lecture-like tone was cut short by Radi’s blunt remark, and he frowned.

[Such arrogance for a mere beast.]

[And who was it that needed a beast’s help?]

[It was Adella who helped me, not you.]

As the two bickered, Adella smiled brightly.

‘So he does know my name.’

It was the first time Acheron had ever called her by name.

Even though the two continued to quarrel, Adella felt completely at ease in that moment.

But then, both Radi and Acheron suddenly turned their heads toward the edge of the forest.

[Humans are coming.]