Chapter 36 - Unbaptized Black Beast

He couldn't stand his anger after I shouted it all out.

Carlyx turned red with anger and took a step closer.

"Just because you're weak…!"

"Carlyx."

At the moment, Avelle's voice cracked the air cool.

He spat out quietly with a stiff face.

"You'd better do it properly."

It was obviously a warning tone.

Carlyx was still in rage, but he didn't dare ignore his big brother's warning, so he just stared at me with his mouth shut.

Then he soon turned around and opened the door and went outside.

"Where is he going now?…"

"Oh, no! Don't be angry. I'm scared when you're angry. I don't want fights."

When I heard Avelle growl, I spoke urgently, he forced his face to soften and sighed.

"I'm not mad at him. Don't be afraid, will you?"

"Are you all right, Lotty? You're really surprised by that grumpy guy, aren't you?"

Camillean patted my cheek and leaned over to check my face.

I pouted my lips sullenly.

Why is he so feisty? Did I do anything that he wouldn't like?

It doesn't seem like the brothers are usually that close to each other.

'Well, I don't like people who don't like me either.'

As soon as I returned to my room after the healing time, I began to paint to vent my anger.

Ennys told me to draw a lot when I'm in a bad mood.

So I'm drawing.

More wicked, mean-looking Carlyx than the first Henriette.

Is it fun, you son of a bitch. Why do you hate me so much? What did I do wrong?

A cheap guy. A cheap guy. Count Semond's smelly sock-like son…

No, the last one was a bit too much, though.

Cancel, cancel, but really, why did Carlyx get so crooked?

' · · · · Carlyx burst into tears when he saw me.'

I remembered what Henriette said before.

Although Henriette has an atmosphere that causes instinctive fear and sense of crisis, he was quite weak if he was originally enough to burst into tears when he saw him.

Come to think of it, Carlyx said that as soon as he was given the blessing at the awakening ceremony, he was so powerful that he stayed in the tower to learn how to control it.

Did something happen while you were at the tower?

'I don't know if it's my mistake, but it seems like he's trying to be a bit feisty, and ······.'

After a brief thought, I began to fix the painting of Carlyx.

As expected, I think it's the last attempt and I think we should have a conversation.

First of all, isn't this my family?

I painted not only Carlyx, but also Henriette, Avelle and Camillean.

If they find out that I only drew Carlyx, the atmosphere of my family these days will turn for worse.

I headed to the dining room in a solemn manner with the paintings in time for dinner.

"This, a gift!"

First, I gave the painting to Henriette.

He looked as calm as he usually did whenever I gave him a painting.

But when I gave Avelle a painting, he was surprised and his eyes grew as big as they were.

Camillean seemed very excited from the moment he saw Henriette receiving the painting.

When I handed him the picture I drew, he stopped staring blankly at the picture and stood up and shouted.

"Argh! Lotty! Me! Lotty drew it for me!"

Camillean jumped as if he would have hugged me right away and lifted me up and circled if we weren't in the dining room.

Finally, I looked around to give Carlyx a painting, too, but he was not seen.

Just in time, Henriette, who seemed to notice who I was looking for, picked up the remaining picture.

"Carlyx doesn't want to eat because he has no appetite. We're going to send a separate meal later."

Is it because you don't want to see my face at all?

I left the remaining painting to Peina, feeling sorry for her, and today I sat next to Henriette.

I think everyone is just looking at the picture without even starting to eat.

"Wow, Lotty, this is enough to be an imperial artist right now!"

"Really. It's not the skills of a seven-year-old."

I was a little embarrassed by the serious addition of Avelle.

It's my first time drawing them today, so the drawing must be a bit awkward, but they're all flattering me. I'm ashamed.

Behind me, I could see Peina and other exclusive maids nodding their heads hard.

"The colors are still too bold."

Likewise, Henriette, who was staring at the painting without touching the meal, brought it up.

"The description is too exaggerated, and you drew my face like a doll…"

It was still a harsh evaluation.

But as he said so, a smile pervaded Henriette's lips.

He handed the painting over to his aide without fail.

"Leave the new showroom on the opposite side of the Oval Office empty."

He opened his eyes wide at the sudden story, and followed Henriette's order.

"There was no room left in the Oval Office. From now on, I will put the picture there."

"In the exhibition room opposite the office, heirlooms and relics that have been stored since the time of the Joseon Dynasty are under management…"

"There are still a lot of seats left in the warehouse. If you move it there in moderation, it'll be fine."

"…"

"Make sure it's all empty today."

"Yes."

I've been drawing a lot of pictures for Henriette.

I thought you'd just keep it in moderation, but did you put it all on the wall of your office?

And now, you're asking me to draw more pictures of you, right?

Even the aide spoke in a tone that seemed to bring up a very casual story.

"Should we buy the frame again with the gold frame from the last time?"

"This time it's a fancy jeweled one."

"Yes, I see."

"Buy some new paper and crayons for Rosette as well. I'm sure it's not enough. I think she can try the paint now, so buy it as well."

I'm really out of words.

"Oh, get me a frame to use."

"Mine, too! Wow, you did a great job!"

It was not until Avelle and Camillean ordered their individual servants before eating.

After the meal, Henriette informed about his schedule tomorrow.

The Duke of Alpeir was identified, and Henriette said he would set up a search party with his aides to visit him.

Tomorrow, Marquis Alpeir's life will be over.

As soon as I got out of the restaurant, I went to Carlyx's room.

I think I should give him the picture.

So I knocked on his door.

"B, brother, it's me. Rosette, can I go into the room…"

"Don't come in."

A cold voice came out of the room immediately.

I'm a little bit of a pushover

"I've got something for you."

"I don't care."

"… Dad told me to!"

I made up a lie because I was a little emotional.

But Carlyx didn't answer at all this time.

I knock on the door again, but it doesn't even come back.

I had no choice but to go back to my room feeling bad.

"Don't be so upset, miss. I'm sure it's because he's awkward."

Even after I came back to the room, I had a sullen face, so Peina talked to me comfortably.

Isn't his attitude too harsh for being awkward?

Besides, I think he's avoiding me openly now.

"Well, do you want me to deliver the painting for you?"

"…no. I have to do it."

"Why?"

"I want to talk to you."

I'd like to hear about what the hell is wrong with you.

As Peina said, it would be better if it's just because he feel awkward.

"If it doesn't work today, I'll give it to him tomorrow…"

I pout my lips and just put the picture on the table.

I feel bad again. I think it's time to use to crayons again.

What are we drawing this time?

I agonized for a long time, and an idea flashed in my head.

'Oh, right. How about this?'

It wasn't about Carlyx, but it suddenly occurred to me that I should test one last assumption.

I started drawing Kian as soon as the new paper was ready with crayons.

Not the blond boy in the portrait, but the way I see him in real life. I was wondering if I could let everyone know that Kian looked like this.

If I do something wrong, Ennys may have more consultation time.

But at least Henriette didn't notice my "lie" nicely last time.

So won't he find out that I'm not lying?

"Oh, my lady. Who are you drawing this time?"

"Ung. Kian."

"Kian? Who is it?"

"…very bad, suspicious."

"Yes, ····?"

It took a little more time than usual to paint Kian.

His handsome face was as fun as my family.

You have a beautiful face, but I don't know why you're not so pretty when you're doing something.

"Oh, my God!"

"Wow!"

The maids admired me exaggeratingly every time I painted, but this time their reaction was even more intense and intense.

It's because I've been drawing Kian with all my might.

I thought it would be better to draw it more delicately so that what they were looking at was not a lie.

Elegant, bright yet cold face. A pale face that would have been thought to be a saint if he hadn't spoken.

Black eyes shines red when it receives light…

I was so focused that I didn't even know time was passing.

"That's it!"

Finally, Kian is smiling in the finished painting.

I tried to draw it delicately in my own way, but compared to the original, it doesn't compare.

Even that, the maids complimented me in a fuss.

I feel like the boy in the picture is about to talk to me, saying that it is too delicate to paint the snow-like skin.

I got a little scared because I really think so.

I was definitely good at drawing for a seven-year-old, but that didn't mean it was close to real life.

I was sure so, but why does my painting of Kian look so scary?

As the ladies said, I think Kian in the picture will talk to me at any moment.

I was reminded of what he said at the palace.

'I promise I'll always be there, as long as Rossette thinks of me.'

I was thinking about Kian's face while I was painting.

Y, you're not really coming, are you?

"I, I'm going to take a bath now."

"Lady, where should I put the picture? Shall I decorate it in a frame?"

"Just, anywhere ·····. Well, on the table."

Like some gut feeling, I felt chills for no reason.

So I asked the maids to flip the painting upside down.

It was because I imagined that Kian would pop out of the picture if left alone.

The maids seemed to wonder about my sudden reaction, but they followed my words anyway.

And then, right after the bath, until I fell asleep, I was in a mood of agitation all the time.

"Hey, Millie,"

Camillean came to my room with a fairy tale today.

Camillean looked at me with round eyes as I pouted my eyes over the blanket.

"You know the monster, are there any monsters who want to be friends with people?"

"Well, the only monsters your little brother knows are the ones who knows to eat?"

Camillean replied puzzledly, covering a fairy tale book he had read.

The only monster he's talking about would be the "holy spirit" as well.

I decided to use the child's mind for the first time in a while and asked him a little.

"You know, if a monster wants to be friends with a man, do you know why?"

"Well…"

Camillean seemed to be very serious about my question, and quickly answered.

"Maybe he was lonely because he was alone for too long. Whether it's a man or a monster, it's lonely to be alone for too long."

I asked with Kian in mind, but I felt a little strange to hear him.

Maybe it's because Camillean's expression looks bitter when he says that.

But he quickly became a bubbly face.

"My Lotty is still afraid there's a monster under the bed! Do you want me to cut you some slack?"

As I nodded, Camillean pushed his chair out in a playful manner and leaned under the bed.

Then suddenly he stretched his arm up and shouted, swinging hastily.

"Oh, Lo, Lotty! Lotty! Help me! Argh!"

"Oh, oh? What's wrong? Oppa!"

Is Kian here again?

I was so surprised that I pulled myself up over the blanket, and at that moment, Camillean suddenly jumped up and shouted.

"Argh!"

"Aah!"

I was so surprised that I rolled back.

I heard Camillean burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! I scared you! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I think our Lotty is too nervous."

I was absent-minded for a moment, and I was able to grasp the situation quickly.

"Don't do that, tch!"

"I'm sorry. But my sister was so cute that I couldn't help it!"

Camillean burst into laughter and pulled me back up on the bed. Well, you think that's gonna cut me some slack?

I punched him on the shoulder and shouted 'Bad!'

Camillean smiled more and rubbed his cheek on my cheek.

"Oh, you're so cute! If I were a monster, I'd eat our lotty in one bite!"

"No! No!"

"Ah ha! If a monster wants to be friends with Lotty, please tell them. First, come to my little brother as soon as possible!"

Camillean said, letting me go after a long time, very refreshingly.

"That way, I'll be the first to slit his throat!"

It's trustworthy, but I'm still a little unfamiliar with the cruel sounds that sometimes pop out.

Camillean cleared the bed, laid me back, pulled up the covers.

It was time for him to go to bed, too.

"Good night, Lotty. Sweet dreams. When you get scared in your sleep,… visit to Milie, okay?"

Camillean left the room in a playful manner and stepped outside.

I had this thought when I asked him, so why did Kian ask me to be his friend?

I think it's understandable if Camillean is "lonely" or there is such a very humane sensibility exists in monsters as well.

Come to think of it, Kian was strangely friendly to me from the start. Of course, sometimes it was mean.

But he saved me and gave me an apple when we first met in the glass greenhouse.

In the dungeon, he even moved me to the room in an instant.

Just because I'm sad.

Did he really just want to be close to me?

Then, why did he do that in the palace?

What's certain is that when he showed me a portrait of a blonde boy, he was definitely trying to check something out.

Do I look at him and the boy in the portrait differently?

"·······um·."

I'm sure that when I mentioned the color of Kian's eyes, I gave him some clue.

Then what are you going to do with me now?

Assuming that Kian is not actually a human being but a monster covered in the crown prince's shell, what would he do to me in a half-caught state?

"…eat you."

This is the limit of children's imagination.

I shook my head in a hurry because I felt chilly. I think I should stop thinking about him now.

What if Kian really comes to me while I'm thinking about it?

But I couldn't even sleep.

In addition, I kept feeling scared when I thought that the picture of Kian I had drawn earlier was lying on the table.

"·········no·."

I'm going to sleep with Millie today.

I got out of bed hugging a pillow, opened the door, and went out into the hallway.

Camillean's room is one floor above mine.

Avelle's room is also there, and Carlyx's room is not that far from mine.

To get to the destination, I must pass in front of Carlyx's room.

But I don't know why the hallway is so quiet today.

Normally, servants and knights traveling on each floor would have to wander around at dawn.

What's even stranger was that even the ghost servants were quiet when I was out alone out at dawn.

I haven't heard a voice since last time, but I thought they might talk to me because they'll be awake even at dawn.

It's too quiet.

Strange silence has caused unnecessary anxiety.

'…..I'm gonna have to go fast.'

As I tried to swallow my fear, I walked faster, and something was kicked on my toes.

'Ah!'

I stopped walking reflexively in surprise.

Because I forgot about the lantern, it was so dark around me that it was hard to recognize what I had just kicked.

But as soon as I got used to the darkness a little, I could recognize it right away.

"Ah·········· Ugh."

The pillow fell from my arms.

A guard who I remembered seeing his face, is sprawled on the floor covered in blood.