WTBFCY Chapter 6

"…Did you just say I smell sweet?"

"Hmm? You smell sweet, brother? I don't notice anything. Did you buy dessert?"

Noah wore a faint smile on the surface, but the atmosphere around him shifted completely.

Margaret didn't seem to notice, but Regina—who'd kept every sense trained on Noah from the start—caught the change immediately.

When his gaze turned toward her, her head buzzed and instinct screamed a warning.

Her mouth went dry. She wet her lips and forced words out.

"N-No. I mean, I smell sweet. I brought candy as a gift. The scent must have gotten into my clothes. It was bothering me."

Cold sweat ran down her back. Candy scent soaking into clothes—even she could hear how absurd that sounded. Regina smiled awkwardly as she answered. Noah watched her with an unreadable expression.

Those cool eyes looked like a snake eyeing prey. Regina pressed her trembling lips together. She felt like she was staring down a predator deciding whether she was food.

"Really? You bought candy? You didn't have to! Thank you, Regina."

Margaret linked arms with Regina happily, and Noah's gaze slowly left her. The suffocating tension vanished. Regina could finally breathe past the terror that had nearly made her faint.

"Well, I hope you both enjoy yourselves."

"Oh, yes! See you at dinner, brother."

Noah said he'd head inside first and offered his farewell. Margaret smiled brightly in response. Regina forced strength into her shaking legs and waited for him to leave.

She felt her eyelids trembling but couldn't look away—terrified he might turn back.

Noah strode toward the manor. Behind him, the red sunset faded to blue twilight. It was that time when hazy shadows fell like dawn and blurred the edges of everything.

Regina blinked in the dim light. The moment Noah entered the manor, she saw it—his eyes, ordinary just seconds before, glowed pale blue like a moon ring through clouds.

"……!"

Regina gasped. Goosebumps crawled across her skin. It lasted only an instant, but she'd seen it clearly. A black faerie. No mistake. That thing wasn't human.

The warning hammered in her skull. Run. Now.

"Regina?"

Margaret grabbed Regina's arm, startled by how violently she was shaking. But Regina pulled away and searched frantically for Emma trailing behind them.

"E-Emma, Emma!"

"Yes? What's wrong, miss?"

Emma reached out to steady Regina, who'd rushed over looking ready to collapse.

"Emma, the bottle! Quick, give me the bottle. The—the black faerie…"

"What? The bottle? Oh, just a moment!"

Regina's voice broke like she might cry. Emma fumbled through her bag in a panic, then remembered the bottle was in the bag the maid was carrying. She turned—and froze.

The maid stood right beside her, staring.

"……!"

Emma hadn't heard her approach. She flinched back.

"Emma, hurry! Please!"

Regina's urging snapped Emma out of it. She reached hesitantly toward the maid.

"Um, could I have the bag back? Thank you for carrying it."

"…Of course."

The maid's face was hidden in the shadow of her cap. She handed Emma the bag, bowed properly, and stepped back.

"It's in here, right? Quick!"

Emma pulled out the bottle and handed it to Regina, watching her mistress's pale face with worry.

"What's wrong, miss?"

"Emma, p-put it on again. And never, never go near that man Noah."

Regina's hands shook so badly she fumbled with the bottle several times before getting it open. She whispered as she dripped water from the bottle onto Emma's palm.

"What? Mr. Noah?"

"Yes. Remember what I said! Never go near him. Understand?"

Emma thought Regina was saying something strange, but nodded with a confused expression. Only then did Regina relax slightly. She clutched the bottle tight and returned to Margaret.

"Regina, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Maggie, put this on your hands and eyes first, okay?"

Margaret stared at Regina with surprise—she'd just run to the maid in a panic and come right back. Regina ignored her friend's questioning look, took Margaret's hand, and applied the water herself. Margaret didn't refuse, despite her confusion.

"What is this, Regina?"

"It's water. I prayed over it for you. Please wear it."

"Prayer? Oh, thank you, Regina."

Regina didn't feel confident she could convince Margaret by mentioning fairies, so she gave a vague answer. She tried to calm her racing heart and stay composed.

'I definitely saw his eyes glow. Which means this faerie water I brought actually works!'

"Regina?"

Margaret looked up at Regina, who was gripping her hand with a desperate expression. Regina turned at the sound of her name and met Margaret's face. She crushed the impulse to run.

'…I'll protect Maggie. No matter what.'

She didn't know what to do or how, but one thing was certain. No matter what happened, she wouldn't run and leave her friend behind. Regina squeezed Margaret's hand again, hard.

With Baron Jenkins away from the manor, the Baroness welcomed Regina warmly. A long table beneath a dazzling chandelier held lavish dishes prepared with the guest in mind.

Starting with chowder packed with seafood, roasted duck rubbed thick with spices, sausages glazed with lard, roasted vegetables. Everything was perfect, but Regina couldn't taste any of it.

Noah sat across from her, eating with elegant posture.

"Is the food to your liking?"

Regina watched him secretly. Noah noticed her gaze, smiled faintly, and spoke. Regina startled, composed her expression, and answered. Her heart pounded with tension.

"…Yes, it's excellent."

"Oh, thank you, Miss Regina. It was worth the effort."

"It's delicious! I'm so glad, Regina."

The Baroness and Margaret were the ones who looked pleased by Regina's answer. Both smiled brightly. Regina relaxed her shoulders slightly and answered with a thin smile.

"Thank you so much. Thank you, Maggie."

"Don't mention it."

Margaret looked at Regina warmly, then remembered something and turned to Noah.

"Oh, that reminds me, brother—what did you buy in town today? I saw you carrying a box. Was it a present for me?"

Noah looked surprised by the unexpected question and answered with an apologetic expression.

"No, what I bought today was a revolver. I happened to find the model I'd been looking for. Next time I won't forget to bring you a present."

"A revolver? That thing that's popular in the capital lately? I thought you could only buy those in the capital, but they're selling them here too?"

"Apparently."

Margaret leaned forward with interest. The Baroness frowned slightly and corrected her table manners. Margaret quickly straightened up with a prim expression and continued while eating.

"If you don't mind, could you show it to us? I've never seen a revolver before. You're curious too, right Regina?"

"Hm? Oh, yes."

Margaret looked to Regina for support. Regina hesitated and agreed, and Margaret urged Noah excitedly.

"See? Regina wants to see it too. Brother, please!"

"All right. I'll show you after we finish eating."

"Yes, great!"

While they talked, Regina glanced behind her. Emma, waiting in the back, noticed Regina's look and nodded.

'Emma must have properly poured the faerie water into this.'

Regina looked down at the finger bowl, then stole a glance at Noah.

'What would happen if that man touched the faerie water? What if he reveals his true form and attacks us? But there are a lot of people here. Maybe it'll be okay?'

Regina looked around subtly. Several servants waited in the dining room to serve food and pour water. The sight reassured her a little.

"But brother, how did you know the jewels were buried in the garden?"

Margaret asked about the jewelry found in the garden as they continued eating. The moment she mentioned it, Noah felt the servants' attention focus. He smiled and answered.

"The soil was soft only in that spot. And the flower petals were discolored. The roots weren't absorbing water properly. The gardener wouldn't neglect a tree Mother cares about, so I thought something might be buried underneath."

"That's right! Everyone in this manor knows Mother cherishes that tree!"

Margaret clapped her hands with an excited expression, even though the deduction wasn't that impressive. Then she blinked as if realizing something.

"Huh? But why would they bury the jewels somewhere they'd be found so quickly? If it were me, I'd hide them somewhere more hidden."

"The culprit probably didn't know about that. When I asked the butler, he said one of the coachmen had recently taken a long leave due to poor health. They hired someone from outside temporarily to fill the position. And that newly hired coachman hasn't been seen since last week."

"Then that coachman was the culprit! Goodness, Mother, did you hear?!"

"Margaret, please mind your dining etiquette."

When Margaret got excited and raised her voice, the Baroness frowned slightly. Margaret straightened immediately at her mother's subdued tone.

Even Regina—who'd been watching only Noah instead of following the conversation—flinched and corrected her posture at that cool voice.

Come to think of it, the coachman who stole Regina's jewelry and dress, Hans, had also been hired recently. She'd thought he was working with Lily, but maybe he was connected to the thief at Margaret's manor too.

Clink.

As Regina thought about Hans and Lily, a bowl of dessert appeared right in front of her.

"For dessert we've prepared apple pie and grapes preserved in honey."

Regina looked up, startled. The servant who'd set down the dish explained the dessert, then quietly stepped back. Regina absently dipped her hands in the finger bowl to wash before eating dessert. The cold water's touch snapped her back to attention.

'Oh, right—the finger bowl!'

She'd gotten distracted and forgotten to watch Noah. Regina looked at him quickly. He was just dipping his hands in the finger bowl.

Finally, Noah had touched the faerie water.