The Beast of the Albard Mansion - Chapter 5
Even though I knew Desi couldn’t speak, I continued to talk to him. Even if there was no reply, I just wanted to do it. Desi was a special boy that only I knew.
So, the next day and the day after, I headed to the dark dungeon again. Because I was usually so well-behaved, it was possible for the maids not to have to stick by me all day without any incident. I never caused trouble even if I was left alone for hours. A child who doesn’t cause trouble when left alone often becomes a presence outside the adults’ attention.
When the maids left one by one to do their tasks, I would cautiously leave my room and head to the dungeon. The dungeon, devoid of sunlight, smelled damp and moldy. Only a few flickering torches lit the space. Cobwebs hung everywhere, and dust collected in the corners. The dirty and eerie atmosphere made it all the more appealing, giving me the thrill of doing something grand and secret.
“Desi, Desi.”
Clink, clink—
When I called Desi in a hushed voice, the sound of metal bars clanging echoed. It was the sound of Desi welcoming me.
Desi still couldn’t speak, but he no longer growled at me as he did before.
Standing before Desi, I lifted my skirt and rummaged through my undergarments. Then, I pulled out the bread I had hidden there. Desi always seemed a bit perplexed when he saw me do this.
“Here, eat, Desi.”
As time passed, I witnessed something astonishing. The maids had been right. Desi grew rapidly with every meal. His body seemed to grow bigger day by day, and the wounds that covered him healed quickly.
Fascinated by this, I began visiting the dungeon several times a day. I was driven by a desire to feed Desi well and make him healthy quickly. Desi, who had been only a finger’s width taller than me, now seemed to be a hand’s breadth taller.
“Desi grows really fast.”
I was about to turn 13 in a few days. My sister had promised to take me to see the capital when I turned 14, but being only 13 meant I had to stay in this boring house. If I were as tall as Desi, I might have insisted I was 14. Being short was a frustrating thing.
“Is it tasty, Desi?”
Desi didn’t respond and continued to gobble up the bread I had nabbed. I knew Desi couldn’t speak, but he could at least pretend to answer. It was a bit annoying that Desi ignored me, but what could I do? I had to endure it. They say the one who needs something should be the one to endure.
I would be truly miserable if Desi disliked me and told me not to come here. I couldn’t go back to the days when Desi growled at me every time he saw me. That would mean I couldn’t continue this thrilling adventure, and I’d be stuck with the same boring life as before.
To keep engaging in these exciting challenges, I had to stay on Desi’s good side.
“Desi, what should I bring next time? Is there something you want to eat? Meat is out of the question. It would make my undergarments wet. And if any blood dripped from the undercooked meat, it would be a bigger problem. What if someone thought it was period blood?”
“…”
“And soup is a no-go too. I might get scolded for wetting myself during the day. It’s really embarrassing to get scolded for wetting yourself.”
After finishing the bread, Desi turned his back on me as if he didn’t want to listen to my chatter. I continued talking to Desi’s back for a while.
Even if he pretended not to listen, I could tell from his dog-like ears perking up that he was hearing everything I said.
“Alright. You really want meat, huh? Stealing meat is a tough job. Even if I want to eat a lot, I only get half the size of my palm. But my father eats meat as big as my face.”
I spread out my hand to show him.
“See this? My palm is this small. Even I only get half of this amount.”
Desi glanced at my hand and then quickly turned his head away again.
“This is a really dangerous challenge. But I’ll do it.”
I dusted off my bottom and stood up.
“I’ll come back tonight. Get ready. Once I make a promise, I always keep it.”
I wanted Desi to think highly of me. So, I straightened my shoulders and put on a confident air.
I ran up the dungeon stairs quickly. The sound of clanging metal bars was loud behind me, but I didn’t stop.
My desire for adventure grew stronger every day, and nothing could stop me. No one could stop me except my father and mother.
