Swamp (4)

Returning to the dining table, Lizzy could no longer even think about eating her food.

Ferzen, too, feeling no need to touch the food that had gone cold, quietly paid for the meal and took Lizzy back to her mansion.

"..."

No matter how many times she saw it, her feelings remained the same — The sight of a garden littered with trash and the stench emanating from it...

It makes one wonder if such a place was truly fit for a human to live in.

"Do you perhaps...Have a hobby of appreciating this pile of filth?" 

Lizzy's voice was entirely caustic as she increased her pace.

In response to this, Ferzen looked down at her with his characteristic red eyes for a moment, then crossed the main gate and entered the mansion.

Stomp-.

Squeak-.

The place was deserted and completely devoid of life.

The sound of both, Ferzen's footsteps and Lizzy's wheelchair echoed around the hollow property.

When they reached the stairs leading to the mansion hall, Ferzen stopped her wheelchair and picked her up in his arms.

Twitch!

He could feel a small and weak resistance.

But Ferzen, knowing it wasn't enough to shake him off, silently climbed the stairs.

Step-.

"..."

Just like the downstairs, the hallway was filled with a desolate atmosphere.

The glowing stones in the chandelier decorating the ceiling seemed to have reached the end of its lifespan and was only emitting a dying light.

When night falls, it must be so dark here that one can hardly see straight.

'But... that might be better.'

The abandoned state of the mansion would keep those dissatisfied with the family who caused a war, from acting on their resentment.

Creak-.

Dismissing his wandering thoughts, Ferzen entered the bedroom where she had been staying and carefully laid Lizzy's frail body on the bed.

Then, reaching into his subspace, he took a heavy pouch and placed it on the table.

Thud-!

Just by hearing the loud echoing sound, it was easy to tell that the bag was filled with a considerable amount of something.

"For the time being, you can use the money you need for living from here."

"..."

Lizzy stared at him with lifeless, dead violet eyes.

With that done, Ferzen turned his back and left the bedroom without hesitation

No, he was about to leave the room when…

Crash!

"..."

With a loud noise, Lizzy rolled off the bed and struggled to sit up with a pitiful look on her face.

"I... want to go to the dressing room."

She could have controlled her own corpse servant, who was still standing in the room to assist her.

But she didn't do that, instead, she asked for his help.

In truth, the simple thought of being left alone in this place with her filled her with dread, but wasn't this another opportunity to show her miserable sight to him? 

"If you don't want to help… You can go."

Rustle-.

Lizzy, with her frail hand, crawled on the floor that hadn't been properly cleaned, moving past Ferzen's own feet.

If the structure of the mansion he had looked around was the same as last time, the dressing room shouldn't exist on this floor.

So, does she intend to climb down the stairs doing this?

…It's a really childish, boring provocation.

But since it was a provocation that he couldn't ignore, Ferzen, bending his waist, picked Lizzy up from the floor where she was crawling with all her might.

Then he stepped quietly into the dressing room downstairs and put her down on the chair in front of the vanity.

"What kind of clothes... do you think I should wear?"

I'm your toy.

I'm just your doll.

I'm dancing on the stage you've set up.

So, of course, your preference should be reflected in the dress, not mine.

Yes, like a man who sold himself to slavery of his own volition.

Lizzy stretched out her finger with a forced smile.

"Shall we go with that one?"

A dress with a very short hemline.

Because it has a slit on the side, her small chest would be exposed every time she moved.

"...Wear this."

So Ferzen chose a comfortable and plain outfit for her and handed it over.

"If that's what you desire of me..."

Lizzy took off the shirt that she was wearing without hesitation and returned it to him.

"..."

She had worn his clothes for only a very brief time.

And yet, she couldn't believe how much his scent had permeated her body.

Once again, she felt nauseous, but Lizzy held it back and took off her uniform pants as well.

Peek-.

Then she lifted her head to look at him, but he was just staring out the window.

Here lies a young, defenseless lamb.

Yet, the wolf didn't even consider hunting such pitiful prey.

"Right now."

"..."

"Right now, in this mansion… there's no one."

"..."

"If the curtains cover the windows, even the rising sun wouldn't dare to peek in here."

"..."

"If you shatter my remaining leg and pour out violence that I can't resist… there's no one to hear my screams and come to my rescue."

Thud-.

After finishing her words, Lizzy put down the uniform pants she had been holding and quietly watched Ferzen.

But no matter how much time passed, looking at his immobile figure, Lizzy let out a desolate chuckle.

Without hesitation, she spoke, but whether it was from realizing the bravado was unnecessary while observing her own trembling body…

"…I, I'm dressed."

In the end, after changing her clothes with shaky hands and calling him with a feeble voice… 

Only then did Ferzen, leaning against the window, move toward her.

Swish-.

Without saying a word, he reached out his large hand and neatly fixed the clumsily arranged hem of her dress.

The amount of care and kindness permeating through his touch was sickening.

It was as if her body was being violated.

With those feelings, she opened her mouth.

"...You seem to have found a new toy."

Otherwise, how could you endure such hideous desires for so long?

Whether that object was a woman from a remote northern border whose name you didn't even know,

Or maybe the daughter of Rosenberg, Laura.

Perhaps it was Yuriel, someone who was once a trusted friend.

Intrigued, Lizzy looked up at Ferzen.

But Ferzen, who did not answer her question, quietly embraced her.

Not having expected a proper answer, Lizzy obediently wrapped her arms around his neck and left the dressing room.

Creak-.

And just like that, they were back in her room.

After Ferzen gently laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket, he left...

Watching his retreating figure, Lizzy stopped him with a small voice.

"Stay… with me…Please."

Stop-.

"Those piles of trash, the continuous curses being shouted beyond the wall...They keep me awake in the night." 

"..."

"It is as if thieves would come and steal the little I have left." 

"..."

"Perhaps they would even forget about their greed, and will try to use me to satisfy their desires and anger." 

Despite what she said,

In fact, she felt the most scared and afraid of Ferzen staying here and spending the night with her.

But thankfully, Ferzen, who had paused for a moment, left the room.

Lizzy, who had been watching his retreating figure with her gloomy eyes, turned her head and looked at the gray ceiling.

Suddenly, she wondered if the fact that he felt even a bit of guilt was a lie.

A cruel way to satisfy his ugly desires, while putting up a kind facade.

And if the truth is really so...

Wouldn't it be much better to take her own life?

"..."

Lizzy, who was grasping her neck with her small and tender hand, put strength into it.

Her face turned pale because her breath was suppressed, but her expressionless face looked as if she felt no pain.

However, not long after, when she remembered that this life was extended by the sacrifice of her brothers...

She weakly released her hands, coughed a hacking cough, and grabbed her quilt.

'Rather...'

That day, that time, that moment.

It would have been better if she had died with her brothers.

Walking through the thorny path was painful.

In the ambiguity of whether he, watching her in this state, would feel pain or pleasure,

Lizzy fell asleep early, using the drowsiness brought on by weakness as a lullaby.

Hoping that, even in her dreams, she could meet her brothers again.