Chapter 13
“You’ve burned it quite badly.”
Anette shook her head.
“Why didn’t you come to me right away when you burned your hand with that hot water? You sent the young lady immediately, but not yourself.”
“That’s…”
“Come see me at this time every day.”
Before I could make any excuse, Anette cut me off.
“You need to apply fresh medicine and wrap it with clean bandages every day. If not, the wound will get worse and leave a scar.”
She pointed indifferently at the tips of my fingers and then downed the rest of the liquor in her glass.
“Sigh…”
Her previously stern expression melted away in an instant.
“The young lady went back to her room.”
Although she came back soon after.
“One last thing.”
Just before stepping into her room, Anette looked straight at me.
“The maid has been fired. Not only will she not get a recommendation letter, but she’ll also be punished severely. She’s done plenty of dirty things behind the scenes. It’s refreshing, honestly.”
And that was it. Anette disappeared into her room, leaving me alone in the hallway.
…What?
I turned my head to stare at the closed door.
“Was Anette always like this?”
The Anette in the original story was stoic, but not this cold. And more than that—was she really drinking alone in the hallway like this?
“She did like alcohol, but I don’t remember her being this intense.”
“Hmm…”
I scratched my head.
Maybe arriving three years earlier changed a lot more than I expected.
“Well, at least the most important thing shouldn’t have changed.”
The story’s core: familial love, the essence of Vacuum Flower.
That alone, I was sure, would remain unchanged.
“Alright.”
Let’s check on Veloa first!
I quickly moved my feet and headed back to the room.
“You’re back.”
I was met with the lady, lying flat on the floor.
As soon as she saw me enter, Lady Salisbury quickly stood up.
Between her disheveled hair, I glimpsed a scratch on her cheek.
I frowned.
“Um, madam… What happened?”
“Oh…”
Realizing my gaze, the madam quickly tried to fix her messy hair and smiled.
“It’s just that the young lady crawled under there.”
She pointed under the bed. It was too cramped for an adult, but a child could easily fit.
“She was fine after her treatment and even ate a little food… but suddenly, she started acting like I was a stranger.”
“You? But wasn’t it you she first warmed up to?”
It had been Lady Salisbury who Veloa liked from the start. And now she suddenly acted like she didn’t know her?
“Yes, it seemed like she got very startled.”
The lady nodded with a sigh.
“I was going to call someone to help, thinking she needed familiar company, and in the moment I looked away, she crawled under the bed.”
She bowed her head, face dark.
“I’m sorry. You entrusted her to me…”
There was guilt on her face, and a small scratch on her cheek. It looked like she’d been clawed.
“It’s okay, madam. But you have a wound on your face.”
I looked at it with concern, and she smiled as if it were nothing.
“It’s really nothing. I’m more worried about the young lady.”
Her gaze turned again to the bed.
“Why would she suddenly act like that? Did I do something to scare her?”
“I don’t think so.”
I shook my head firmly.
“She was already hurt, and then I disappeared too. That probably frightened her. I’ll try to calm her down, so please go see Anette and get your wound treated.”
“But…”
“It’s okay. I’m just worried because it’s your face.”
I gently pushed her back. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded.
“I’ll return shortly.”
She bowed and left the room. I turned to the bed.
How did she even get in there?
I knelt and peered underneath.
If you force it, a child can squeeze all the way in. An adult might get their shoulders in, but not much more.
So Veloa had to come out on her own.
“Veloa.”
I called softly, and the small curled-up figure flinched.
“It’s your sister, Veloa.”
“Ah…”
Her body twitched, and she slowly raised her head to look at me. Maybe she had desperately crawled in there to escape the maid.
Her hair was a complete mess, and there were scratches on her face and arms.
She looked like she’d been running from something terrifying.
She didn’t recognize me.
Her eyes were unfocused. It didn’t seem like she recognized me—she just looked because she heard a sound.
“Ugh…”
She shrank back. Her gaze dropped, and her small body started trembling.
“Auuuh…”
Her messed-up face twisted in pain. If she could cry, she probably would.
She’s afraid.
She’s scared because she hurt the maid.
Had something like this happened before?
Was she ever so hungry, so lonely, that she reached out for someone’s warmth… only for something terrible to happen?
I can’t know for sure.
But I could guess well enough what those trash excuses for humans had done to her.
Even a child used to abuse would be terrified of that.
That’s why she’s so scared now.
“Veloa.”
I reached my arm in as far as I could, stretching my hand out with all my might.
“It’s your sister. It’s okay now, I’m here.”
“Ughhh…”
She curled up even tighter. The closer I got, the more scared she seemed.
What should I do?
It’s just like the first time I met her.
Back then, she had completely shut down. No reaction to hunger, pain, sadness, or even loneliness.
So how did I get close to her then?
“….”
After a moment of thought, I gently spoke.
“Hi.”
A small greeting, first.
“My name is Ermia Tekins.”
Veloa stopped trembling. Her head, tucked between her knees, slowly lifted.
“I’m sorry I came so late, Veloa.”
I carefully reached out my hand—just like that night under the bright moonlight when we first met.
“I’ll be by your side from now on.”
Veloa fully raised her head. Her big teary eyes reflected me.
“Because we’re family.”
“Au…”
At last, she seemed to recognize me.
“Si…ste…r…”
Veloa crawled toward me and desperately grabbed my hand.
“Aaah!”
She crawled out from under the bed completely and burst into tears. It was the kind of crying full of resentment—Why did you take so long? Why did you leave me alone?
“I’m sorry, Veloa.”
I gently patted her back and tried to calm her.
“You got scared because you were hurt and I wasn’t there, huh?”
“Uuuu!”
Veloa clung to me, burying her face in my clothes. I could feel her sobbing through the fabric.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it through. I’m so sorry I came so late.”
All I could do was apologize. I hugged her tightly and patted her back. Who knows how much time passed.
“Ugh…”
Finally, her sobbing stopped. She lifted her head from my embrace, her face a mess in a different way now.
“Your eyes are going to be so puffy tomorrow.”
I smiled and wiped her face with my sleeve.
“Eeep!”
Her chubby cheeks squished as I moved her face around.
“There we go.”
“Hehe.”
“If I ever have to leave again, I’ll make sure to tell you first. Okay? Promise!”
“Uhh…?”
I held out my pinky, and Veloa just blinked at me.
