The youngdy clung to me, trembling, for a long time.
I didn’t know what had scared her so much, but she didn’t let go until her ragged breathing eased.
“Ricardo…”
“Yes.”
“Ricardo…”
Her hands wandered.
“Uh uh…”
Unsure where to ce them while hugging the youngdy, I hesitated. Should I pat her back tofort her or wrap my arms around her waist? I was torn.
Simply patting her back felt insufficient, and wrapping my arms around her waist made my heart race too much.Despite thinking of myself as a capable butler, having moments like this made me realize I still had a long way to go.
“It’s alright.”
My hands, having wandered without direction, finally found their way to hug her back firmly.
With a slight smile, I murmured words of reassurance while patting her back.
“It’ll be alright.”
I didn’t know what had happened, but I sought to reassure her everything would be okay, hugging her close.
“No matter what…”
I would be by her side.
“There’s no need to worry, because I’ll always be here for you.”
*****
In thete hours of the night, Olivia clung to the edge of her nket, blinking her eyes.
-Blink blink.
She wasn’t sleepy.
The abrupt appearance of the Blue Window had chased away sleep, and it refused to return. Olivia, whose favorite pastime was sleeping,y wide awake, tossing restlessly.
“I can’t sleep…”
Turning towards the window, she couldn’t sleep. And turning towards the door didn’t help either. Feeling anxious, she clutched the edge of her nket tightly.
One fortunate thing was that she wasn’t alone in the room.
If she had been alone, she’d have been scared, for her to fall asleep.
Feeling guilty, Olivia watched Ricardo sleeping with his legs crossed and head bobbing up and down.
“…”
She had told him he could leave, but Ricardo insisted on staying until she fell asleep. He now dozed off in a chair.
-You can go.
-No, I won’t.
-Why?
-I can’t sleep because I’m bored.
-I’m not bored. Go to your room and sleep.
-It sounds like you’re nning to see a ghost without me. I can’t allow you to enjoy any fun without me.
-No, it’s not that. I hate ghosts because they’re scary.
A butler with too many worries.
One who was a bit odd.
A butler who yed pranks a lot but, ultimately, cared a lot about her.
Olivia understood that Ricardo’s grumbling stemmed from his worry for her.
Even an idiot could see that.
Watching Ricardo dozing in the chair without even covering himself with a nket, Olivia felt a pang of guilt.
“Is Ricardo sleeping…?”
“…”
“He seems to be.”
With trembling hands, Olivia threw off her nket. Crawling towards Ricardo carefully, she wanted to drape the nket over his shoulders without waking him up.
She pulled herself across the bed silently, hoping her stiff legs didn’t make any noise, clutching the sheets to avoid any creaking.
She reached out her hand to cover him with the nket.
“Ricardo, you’ll catch a cold.”
“…”
“Take the nket.”
But her arms were too short.
Hmm…
Holding the nket, Olivia stretched her arms with renewed vigor. Realizing the winter nket felt heavier than usual, she frowned and exerted more effort.
“Ugh…!”
What had she been doing when others grew stronger? Biting her lip and straining to reach Ricardo’s shoulder, Olivia made a face as if she was about to explode.
“Arrrgh!”
Making strange noises, Olivia strained herself, trying not to wake Ricardo while covering him.
“Squeak…!”
With wide eyes, Olivia lifted the nket.
It felt much heavier than usual, as if someone was holding it.
No ma rapidly.
“What…?”
Slowly moving across the floor towards her direction was arge, ck shape. As it moved, the nket shifted.
With a trembling heart, Olivia muttered softly.
“Ghost…?”
Remembering why she had called Ricardo, Olivia finally recalled it. The sudden appearance of the Blue Window had initially made her forget, but the memory returned quickly, and she stared at the darkness in front of the bed with trembling eyes.
-Twitch.
Swallowing hard, Olivia gripped the edge of the nket tightly. Even if it was a ghost, she wasn’t going to give up the nket. She held on stubbornly.
“This is mine…”
-Twitch.
“Eek…!”
Realizing she couldn’t deal with the creature by any means, Olivia decided to let go cleanly. Trying to resist might just make her fall off the bed.
“Ricardo…”
Speaking with a trembling voice, Olivia called out to Ricardo. Her scared, weak voice didn’t wake him, though.
-Twitch…
Slowly, it continued moving.
Onto the bed.
Wihtly.
As therge shape slowly climbed onto the bed, Olivia gulped and tightened her grip on the nket.
-Gomtangi?
Recognizing the familiar form that started to drag the nket with its paws and wag its butt, Olivia cried out angrily.
“You damn bear!”
-Grr?
Realizing it was not a ghost, she felt a mix of relief and irritation. Gomtangi, chewing on the nket, sat there innocently.
With an annoyed voice, Olivia threw a pillow at Gomtangi, who happily started chewing it.
“…Oh?”
Having lost her pillow, Olivia watched with a sullen face as it got shredded.
And then, a voice filled withughter reached her ears.
“Ha ha! What is this!”
“Ha ha… My stomach hurts.”
Ricardo, looking perfectly awake, was watching her. Despite his rxed, unbothered eyes, heid his chin on his palm and spoke with a smile.
“Were you that scared of Gomtangi?”
“Don’t tease me!”
“Ha ha ha! Ghost Gomtangi…!”
With a pouty face, Olivia spoke to Ricardo.
“Why didn’t you sleep?”
“Just because.”
“Why?”
“How could I sleep with the most beautiful person in the world in front of me? I was only pretending.”
“I am quite pretty.”
“I know. Your kindness is alsomendable, trying to cover me with a nket.”
“Yes, I am pretty kind.”
Smiling pleasantly, Olivia looked at Ricardo. As she adjusted her hair fluttering in the wind from the window, she asked.
“Really didn’t sleep?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I told you. I stayed up to watch you.”
Ricardo is indeed strange.
Staying awake just to watch her.
Giving up tasty things.
Not getting irritated even when she whined.
Ricardo was truly peculiar.
Olivia giggled while looking at Ricardo. Furrowing his brow, Ricardo asked, “Why are youughing?”
“Just because you’re ugly, Ricardo.”
“I think I have a pretty handsome face.”
“Ricardo, you are very prideful.”
“It’s not pride. It’s really a handsome face.”
Seeing Ricardo’s smiling face made Olivia a little less scared.
Of ghosts.
And of the stories the Blue Window might show.
With a smile, Olivia scooted closer to Ricardo. Or perhaps it was more urate to say she shifted to make room for him to lie down beside her.
It wasn’t a graceful sight watching her crawl with stiff legs, but Ricardo didn’tugh at her ungainly movements.
Patting the empty spot next to her on the bed, Olivia said.
“Lie down, Ricardo.”
“Pardon?”
“Lie down. I have no pillow.”
“Ah…”
Ricardo’s face briefly reflected embarrassment.
Though it was dark, Olivia could tell he was flustered.
Because Ricardo often got embarrassed.
“Lie down!”
Olivia urged Ricardo. She wanted him to rest after working so hard because of her and also wanted to ward off the fear of ghosts.
Moreover.
-Do you want to read?
Olivia felt having Ricardo beside her would lessen the fear, so she made space especially for him.
With a deep sigh, Ricardo slowly climbed onto the bed andy down.
“It’s been a while since we’veid like this.”
“Indeed.”
“I remember you once said you hated the smell of sweat.”
“It doesn’t smell now.”
With a click, themp at the bedside turned on. Ricardo opened the fairy tale book and smiled.
“Ta-da.”
“Oh…!”
“A fresh new release.”
Leaning on Ricardo’s shoulder, Olivia spoke seriously.
“I can’t read a word.”
“…”
“Is it ancientnguage?”
“…”
Ricardo felt vexed at Olivia.
*****
Thus passed another dark night.
Leaning on Ricardo’s shoulder, Olivia slowly closed her eyes.
She had to face it now.
Ricardo must be tired too.
She couldn’t avoid it forever.
Slowly closing her eyes, Olivia spoke in her mind.
‘I’ll read it.’
And then.
-me me, youngdy.
She saw Ricardo covered in blood. Unlike now, his long hair tied back and his weary eyes looked at her.
-No…! It’s not your fault! So… so…!
She saw herself crying.
With a wry smile, Ricardo looked at her. As always.
Smiling, he said.
-So, youngdy, be a hero.
End of Chapter