Winter Wolf - Chapter 2. Part 2

Chapter 2. Part 2

Lysithea grasped that he was merely a profit-driven broker, but she couldn’t shake the sense of betrayal.

“You’re a coward; last night, I asked for your help, but you locked the door and didn’t open it.”

The casual comment surprised him. His mouth fell open. He had been defensive and let it slip. Although Lysithea understood that he was only interested in making a profit, she still felt betrayed.

Terrence smiled lewdly as he considered her words.

“I thought you came to me in the middle of the night because you were hungry.”

“I was hungry.”

Lysithea focused on her meal. She blushed as she ate, and he watched her with interest.

***

The screaming continued all night.

Lysithea lay in bed, thinking about whether to go to Terrence’s room.

She wondered if he was locking the door again.

Recalling Terrence’s smiling face, she sighed. No man in the world could laugh at her like that—a prince’s fiancée, a marquis’s beloved, and a woman of extraordinary beauty.

‘Until now, that is.’

Lysithea closed her eyes tightly, feeling a surge of strength. Terrence may have been right. She might have been clinging to the most undesirable of noble habits: pride.

“Maybe I should ask him and see if he knows what that sound is.”

With determination, Lysithea pushed herself up.

The screaming suddenly stopped.

She stood there, shocked by the sudden changes, and the ceiling began to tremble slightly, sending shivers down her spine.

It was not an earthquake, but rather a vibration caused by a significant impact within the house.

She had wondered what it was.

Lysithea hesitated before moving towards the door and pressing her ear against it. She heard footsteps coming from far down the hall.

At the sound of the name Phantom, Lysithea looked through the pack she had on the table. She found a small pistol hidden at the bottom of her leather bag, small enough to fit in one hand.

The pistol was loaded with three bullets. Lysithea steadied her breathing, gripped the pistol tightly, and leaned against the door.

The footsteps grew closer. The sound finally stopped in front of Terrence’s room.

Lysithea quickly opened the door at the sound of a suspicious

metallic clank and pointed her gun at the man in the hallway.

Her eyes met the brassy lantern light.

“Te… Terrence?”

Terrence keyed the door while alternately staring at her pajama-clad figure and the gleaming muzzle of the gun.

After a brief silence, he broke into a broad smile—not even a hint of surprise.

“Lysithea, what are you doing? Where did you get that gun?” You should put the gun down.”

“I thought you were an intruder.”

“I was just doing a routine patrol.”

Lysithea lowered the gun. Her face blushed with embarrassment. Terron stared at her face.

“You are a sensitive girl. You can’t sleep because you’re afraid someone might be coming after you.”

“It is always good to be cautious.”

She frowned, avoiding his gaze. Many questions ran through her mind. Does he know about the screams? Should she bring it up?

Then he stepped towards her.

Lysithea looked up and was astonished by the man towering over her. She noticed the slight smile on his face as he smoothly took the pistol from her hand.

Lysithea watched in a daze as he skillfully emptied the pistol with quick fingers.

“If you thought I was an intruder, you wouldn’t have jumped out like that,” he said, returning the unloaded gun and bullets to her.

“You should have waited by the door for me to arrive. Showing yourself first could get you killed.”

He handed her the cold bullet, which brushed against her palm. Lysithea clutched the empty gun and asked, “But I thought he was going to take you out first. I thought you were in your room.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Terrence asserted firmly. “Take care of yourself and save yourself before you help others.”

Lysithea felt somewhat uneasy at the cold and direct words she said. “You can’t even say thank you for what I have done to protect you.

“If he were a true intruder, I wouldn’t be able to express my thanks anyway, because you would be dead.”

Lysithea bit her lip. Terrence was right. 

Lysithea felt drained.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know my way around.”

It was time for her to return to her bedroom, whispering. However, he caught her wrist.

He asked, “Lysithea, are you afraid?”

Lysithea was surprised by the warmth of his hands and the gentleness of his grip. It was similar to their first meeting.

As she looked up, Terrence asked again, “Whether it’s a ghost or anything, is it scary that you can’t sleep?”

“Yes.”

Upon hearing her answer, Terrence made a suggestion: “Then come to my room.”

“…what?”

“I’ll stay with you. Until you fall asleep.”

Lysithea looked at him, her tongue-tied. She was the belle of high society, and it was the first time she had encountered men approaching her with such audacity and ambiguity.

Terrence’s stare was bold and mysterious, and she couldn’t read it. He didn’t seem to want her body or to want to gain her trust, but he radiated a sense of genuine, unintentional kindness. This was reflected in his unpretentious offer of food.

Lysithea hated it.

“I’m fine. Good night, Terrence.”

After gently squeezing his hand, she returned to her room and closed the door.  She expected him to knock again and reveal his intentions, but to her surprise, she heard him turn around and lock the door without hesitation.

‘Well, did he say that just to make me feel better?’

Lysithea smiled, feeling a mixture of amusement and disbelief.

“I believed that purity was a virtue only for gentlemen, far from the virtues of this broker.”

Lysithea went to sleep, convinced that she had declined gracefully. However, a haunting illusion lingered in her mind.

If I went to Terrence’s room, he would be lying in front of me now. His broad shoulders and his stature would have blocked all the windows.

She considered the hypothetical scenario both an advantage and a disadvantage. However, she admitted that it was extremely unlikely to occur.

***

She slept about two hours longer than the first night, and the next day, Lysithea, though still tired, had managed to gather some energy and willpower.

“Let’s explore the house.”

After lunch, Terrence raised an eyebrow at her declaration.

“Do as you please. I don’t believe you will like it.”

“What do you mean? Is it so unkempt?”

“It’s a place that you shouldn’t see.”

“So, what’s the issue?”

“That’s…”

Terrence smiled as he continued eating.

“I will tell you when today’s adventure is over, solely for my entertainment.”

Lysthea asked, her face reflecting shock, “Is there anything—anything dangerous?”

“No, not at all. Except for the two bedrooms, all the rooms are open, and there’s a lot to see, especially on the third floor.”

“I’m presenting it like a tourist attraction.”

“That’s not wrong. Initially, it was a place for fun.

Lysithea was not interested in attending a drug party. Instead, she found it intriguing to explore the history of the mansion.

“Come along.”

Terrence carried his dishes into the kitchen. Lysithea wondered why his meals were becoming more delicious but decided not to express her appreciation. The benefits were, of course, most abundant when they seemed natural.

However, the attitude has not changed.

Lysithea thought as she walked up the stairs on her own.

Terrence supported her without treating her differently.

Lysithea observed Terrence’s reactions and behavior closely while serving breakfast and lunch. He did not show any extra kindness, nor did he seem harmless. A man scarred by his past showed no signs of a smooth facade.

“Is he an open book with nothing to hide? But she can’t rely on him.”

Lysithea finally ascended the central staircase and reached the indoor balcony on the third floor, which was connected to the corner. From the top, she looked down into the party hall that extended from the first to the third floor, leaving her amazed.

The ruined mansion still bore traces of a past era, with pristine marble floors and vibrant mosaics adorning the ceiling. Its architecture would have been unrivaled in the post-Armistice period.

“It seems like I’m in the same place, and I feel old.”

Lysithea entered the three-story hallway with closed doors. She started with the west corridor and found all the doors open, just as Terrence had said.

Countless individuals had entered the neglected mansion, leaving nothing of value in the rooms.

“What is this book for?”

Lysthea held a dusty book she found in a corner. The book appeared to be about herbs, but she couldn’t read the title.

Rolan green flowers can paralyze the nerves within five minutes of ingestion.

After boiling the honeycomb, the resulting tea can help relieve heat.

“Oh, I think that this mansion is owned by a physician, not a drug dealer. “

Despite everything, Lysithea found value in the book. It contained peculiar records about various herbs. Reading it was more worthwhile than being stuck in a mansion with nothing to do.

After inspecting the rooms in the west corridor on the third floor, it was evident that the previous owner, presumably a drug dealer, had used this room. Lysithea analyzed various unreadable books written in a foreign language, fragments of a broken mirror, and unidentifiable tools.

On her first exploration of the eastern corridor, she had low expectations.

“Damn it!”

The door swung open, and Lysthea was startled by the sudden appearance of the face of a woman. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was not a woman’s face but her own reflection in a shattered mirror.

“What’s this”

The room contained broken mirrors. Upon sitting down, she observed a wool carpet covering the floor and numerous golden mirrors decorating the walls.