The Serpent of Paradise - Chapter 17

At the sound of Mikhail’s voice, Anastasia’s heart dropped. Fear piled upon fear. A man was in her room right now. At night, no less. Anastasia couldn’t breathe. On top of that, he had even discovered that she was pretending to be asleep. Just as the unbelievable situation was about to send her into a panic, Mikhail spoke again.

“I know it was extremely discourteous of me to enter as I pleased at this hour. You didn’t answer when I knocked… so I was only going to leave this here.”

This? Anastasia opened her mouth and took a deep breath. His quiet tone, the footsteps that came no closer, and the object he said he intended to leave behind gradually brought her back to her senses.

“What….”

Slowly sitting up, Anastasia quickly climbed down from the bed and hid herself on the other side of it. Anastasia didn’t see it, but Mikhail’s expression stiffened briefly at her behavior. However, he soon returned to his usual expression and placed what he was holding on the table beside him.

“Today, I asked to see Miss Anastasia at dinner, along with the others, so I could apologize for my earlier discourtesy, but you didn’t come.”

She hadn’t heard anything about that. More importantly, an invitation to dinner? She was supposed to dine with the Lauderdales? The mere thought made Anastasia break out in a cold sweat. How could she dare receive such an honor?

“I had no choice but to keep it because I couldn’t give it to you, but something came up and I must leave at dawn tomorrow…. I considered leaving it in the corridor, but I wasn’t sure what might happen to it, so I intended to leave it inside.”

“You’re… going back at dawn?”

The words escaped Anastasia before she realized it. When she answered, Mikhail let out a short breath as though slightly relieved. Even then, his feet remained fixed in place. Anastasia felt reassured by that. Mikhail wasn’t like that. Mikhail… wouldn’t enter as he pleased.

“That’s how things turned out. I apologize for frightening you. Then, good night.”

As though his business was finished, Mikhail turned to leave. Anastasia once again remembered what the maids had said. He would never return to Edenhurst. That made Anastasia sad. She wished this man would remain in one place, just like Edenhurst. How wonderful it would be if he were a rock or a tree. Then she could continue seeing him for as long as she remained here.

Mikhail was already out in the corridor. Anastasia rose to her feet. If this was the last time… she wanted to see him for just a little longer. Anastasia hurriedly tried to think of a way to stop him. Then she remembered something she wanted answered.

“E-Excuse me!”

Her voice came out louder than expected, and Anastasia hurriedly covered her mouth. She cleared her throat with another cough. Since she had barely spoken even after coming to this room, her voice didn’t come out smoothly.

“How did you… know that I hadn’t taken my medicine?”

Anastasia truly was curious about that. The medicine Igor had given her was a powder kept in a bowl. He had told her to scoop out one large spoonful after eating and swallow it with water. How had Mikhail known she hadn’t taken it without even looking inside the bowl?

“Igor’s medicine contains a sleeping drug. I knew you hadn’t taken it because you were awake.”

“What…?”

She knew a sleeping drug was medicine that made a person sleepy. But why had they given something like that to her?

“Please don’t misunderstand. Igor is an excellent doctor. He said that Miss Anastasia was suffering from extreme nervous exhaustion. He judged that in such a condition, sleeping more than usual would aid your recovery better than remaining awake for long periods, so he spoke to the countess and prescribed a rather strong sleeping drug.”

The countess had permitted it because she thought it would be better for Anastasia to remain in bed than wander around needlessly, but Anastasia had no way of knowing that.

After finishing his explanation, Mikhail asked Anastasia, “Why didn’t you take your medicine? Was it too bitter? Or was there something that made you uncomfortable?”

“No…. I hadn’t eaten…. You told me to take it after finishing my meal….”

“You didn’t eat?”

Mikhail’s gaze went to the table. There was food that anyone could see had been partially eaten. Mikhail looked back and forth between the plate and her.

“I really didn’t eat it… that was the maid….”

Anastasia was about to say that the maids who had been in this room had eaten it, but she closed her mouth. Then she wondered why she couldn’t say it.

‘…Because he wouldn’t particularly care even if I told him.’

What would change if she said the maids had eaten it? Everyone at Edenhurst would ask her the same question. What’s wrong with that?

Anastasia thought the same way. What’s wrong with the maid eating the food meant for her first? Aren’t they all rightful members of this land who bear the name Edenhurst?

Anastasia suddenly remembered envying Elizabeth. What would it have been like if Elizabeth had been in this room instead of her? She would have been attended to with the utmost respect. They would never have dared touch Elizabeth’s meal, nor would they have invited another maid inside to sit comfortably, eat, and enjoy themselves as though it were their own room.

Anastasia stood silently for a moment. It was the first time she had ever thought like this. To dare wonder what it would be like if Elizabeth were in her place. It was presumptuous. How could she dare compare herself to a young lady of Lauderdale?

“The maid?”

When Anastasia closed her mouth and remained still, Mikhail picked up on her unfinished words. Anastasia looked at him, still standing motionless. A stranger who wasn’t from Edenhurst. Would this man think differently? Gathering her courage, Anastasia spoke carefully.

“…The maid ate it.”

“Are you saying the maid ate your meal?”

“…Yes.”

What would he say? Would he say there was no way the maids would do such a thing and think she was lying? Or would he summon the maids and question them about their actions? The moment she considered the latter possibility, Anastasia realized what she had done.

What would happen if Mikhail summoned the maids who had been in her room and questioned them about whether her words were true? Naturally, the maids would deny it. And he was leaving at dawn. Then only the maids and Anastasia would remain here. Anastasia’s face turned deathly pale when her thoughts reached that point.

“No, that’s not true. I ate it. I simply didn’t take the medicine….”

She hurriedly tried to take back what she had said, but she didn’t know how, and confused words tumbled from her mouth.

“I’ll take it now. I’m sorry. I lied. I’ll take it now. I….”

“Anastasia.”

At the low voice calling her name, Anastasia closed her mouth. She bitterly regretted the words she’d blurted out in a moment of foolish defiance. She wished God would turn back time just a little. Then she could simply say that she hadn’t taken the medicine. Why had she mentioned the maids….

“Could you wait here for a moment?”

“Yes?”

“I’ll be back soon.”

Before Anastasia could say anything, Mikhail went outside. The room fell silent again, leaving Anastasia alone. The sky was now completely dark, the cries of nocturnal birds drifted in from outside the window, and only the light from the lamp the maids had left behind flickered in the room. With silence descending so suddenly, Anastasia wondered whether she had been dreaming.

Anastasia slowly emerged from where she had hidden beside the bed and approached the table. As though proving that what had just happened wasn’t a dream, the box Mikhail had left behind was there. Anastasia reached out and touched it. The soft velvet layered over the paper showed the trails left by her brushing fingers.

He was giving something so fine to her. As though entranced, Anastasia touched the box again and again.

‘What could be inside?’

Perhaps there was actually nothing inside. Anastasia remembered the tricks Catherine often played on her. Catherine would say that she’d chosen clothes to give her and make her open a bag. Most of the time, it contained grotesque-looking frogs or insects. They were things Anastasia often saw in the basement room where she lived, so they didn’t frighten her, but she deliberately pretended to be startled. Then Catherine would giggle as though she found it amusing. On days like that, perhaps because she was in a good mood, she would usually give Anastasia one more of her belongings. So perhaps Mikhail was playing a similar trick.

While Anastasia hesitated, unable to open the box, footsteps sounded in the corridor again. Knock, knock. Along with the knock came Mikhail’s voice.

“May I come in?”

It was a polite question, unlike before. Anastasia merely found it wondrous that someone was asking her permission.

“…Yes.”

There was probably an elegant way to respond in such situations, but since she didn’t know it, she could only answer briefly. The door quietly opened, and Mikhail entered. He was holding a plate. He placed it on the table. Fresh bread, cheese, and ham were arranged on it.

“Eat. You need to take your medicine afterward.”

“….”

But Anastasia remained still, staring at the food he had brought. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to eat. She was simply grateful that he had listened to her and gone to the trouble for her sake.

‘I don’t want to eat it.’

She didn’t want to eat this meal. This was the first time anyone had brought her food because they were worried about her.

Her eyes grew hot, and her throat tightened. This man was gentle. He was kind. He took care not only of the Lauderdales but even of her like this.

‘Thank goodness.’

Anastasia thanked God. Just as she had prayed, the person who would become Edenhurst’s new master was someone who knew how to show mercy even to her.

When Anastasia remained still, Mikhail moved his hands. He picked up one of the pieces of bread he had brought, tore it into a bite-sized piece, and spread it generously with butter using a butter knife. Then he brought the piece of bread in his hand close to Anastasia’s mouth and said, “Open your mouth.”

Normally, it would have been impossible for her even to stand this close to someone. Anastasia was always afraid of other people. Even more so when they were men. But she wasn’t afraid now. He was someone who cared for her like this. So… this man wasn’t frightening.

Anastasia opened her mouth as he instructed.

“A little wider..”

Mikhail’s voice came again, and once more, Anastasia did as she was told. For a moment, blue flames flashed in the darkness. The next instant, Anastasia’s mouth was filled with what she had wanted.

“…!”

Before she could fully savor the soft piece of bread filling her mouth and the rich aroma of butter, Anastasia realized that something else had entered her mouth along with the bread. Mikhail’s long fingers had slipped inside as well, pushing the piece of bread deep into her mouth. Startled when they reached deep into her throat, Anastasia made choking sounds. Above her head, Mikhail spoke in a pitying voice.

“See? I told you it wouldn’t all fit.”