26 – 26. Entanglement
Honestly, I don’t understand why he can’t understand me.
Isn’t this basic if you love someone? Always being together, sharing life, experiencing everyday things as a couple?
Being together because the time spent together is enjoyable, and if you’re not satisfied with that and want to stick together longer, isn’t that when you get married?
People who are not bound by blood become a family that cannot be separated by entering into a mutual relationship. How romantic.
That’s what marriage is, and he made constant efforts for it.
Surely – somewhere in my memory – there was a scene where he kissed the back of my hand.
Among the silence of the guests, he was the only one laughing.
In the black and white screens, he was the only one with color.
Now the world looked colorful, but his color seemed so intense to my eyes.
It was all thanks to him. Because he came to me, she was finally able to come out into the world. She was happy about it, and she felt infinite gratitude for it.
For the courage that came to me twice as much as death, she was grateful.
When she was deeply trapped in the swamp of despair, she had no choice but to fall for him who rushed to her.
As much as she loves him, as much as she feels the excitement and irresistible sweetness that covers her whole body,
He believed without a doubt that she would return the favor when she met him again.
…When his expectations were shattered, it felt as if the sky was collapsing.
When he looked at her with those eyes again, it felt as if his whole body was freezing.
Fortunately, he remembered one of the stories the crows had whispered quietly.
The story of a woman who imprisoned her beloved in an underground dungeon, using all means to ensure that only she could see him for the rest of her life.
In the end, the two of them departed from this world, remembering only each other.
If he could erase everyone else from his mind, leaving only me with him,
He would eventually be unable to reject me. If he accepts only me and remembers only me.
It didn’t take long to put his desire into action.
After he lost consciousness, I laid him in his room that I had prepared and tied him up so that no one could see him carelessly.
As I gazed at his vulnerable sleeping face, my heart trembled greatly, and the desire to taste his lips once more surged, but
I decided to suppress it for now.
There will be plenty of opportunities, and above all, I saw it in the stories.
The desperate expression of a man clinging desperately to a woman.
If that were to appear on his face –
“Hmm…”
…That would truly be the best picture he desires.
So, for now… Ah.
I can’t stand it.
The crows must have stopped singing. Even though I had personally confirmed his awakening, his voice still did not reach me.
Well, they had started to fear me now. Even if I desperately shouted and screamed, I had thoroughly explored his lips, skin, scent, warmth, everything.
And some of them –
Caw. Caw. How about trying this?
They were contemplating how to stick by my side, how to make our love even stronger.
For them, my emotions were an irresistible pleasure, and they offered to help me experience it together.
What lay before me now was the blueprint of this mansion. I had plans to convert a few empty rooms into his and my own.
Tear down the walls to make them larger, with spacious beds, bathrooms, and perhaps a room that could connect to the outside.
No windows, but a secluded garden connected to the mansion would be nice, right?
He liked the blueness of the trees and the scent of plants.
Among the whispers of warnings from my crows, one was probably about not destroying him with my desires.
I know that much. I don’t just want his body, I want everything about him to be directed towards me, that’s my wish.
Is there anything I can do for him? Anything except being a woman.
Even if it’s gradually, even if it’s slowly, it’s okay.
It’s okay if he’s scared of me right now.
Just being alive makes me happy, and having him by my side makes me joyful.
Ah, is he hungry?
Peering through the eyes of the crows, he slightly clenched his stomach and tasted his appetite.
In that case, it would be good to prepare some food.
I pulled the handle next to the door, then sat back down and reviewed the blueprint a little more.
And before long, a maid lightly knocked on the door.
“Did you call, sir?”
“Could you prepare breakfast for me and my husband?”
“I will relay that to the kitchen. Where should I bring it?”
“To the room, please.”
“Yes, I will do so.”
While having breakfast together – I should talk to him about our future plans, one by one.
Even if he doesn’t understand right away, he will come to like it as we spend more time together.
The man in that story will become Lepeti,
And the woman in that story will become me.
First, let’s take our time and spend some time together.
*
“Are you inside?”
…Now she’s calling me by a different title.
Seeing that her voice isn’t trembling, it seems like she’s already over the shock or whatever.
When the delicious smell started wafting in through the door, my hungry stomach started growling even louder.
“…”
But I didn’t feel the need to respond to her words.
It was a little stubbornness, a slight protest against her treatment of me like this.
“You…? You’re inside, right?”
Her voice trembled slightly. Despite that, I kept my mouth shut, lying in bed and staring at the ceiling.
Then, a sudden noise struck my ears.
The door slammed against the desk, and she was right in front of me.
“…You’re here. Thank goodness.”
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She held her face in both hands, looking around as if to reassure herself, before closing her eyes and letting out a sigh.
“Seriously… Can you stop worrying me? I really hate this feeling of unease.”
Her tone had changed, as if she were a married wife.
With a composed and gentle voice, she placed a plate of food next to me, showing me the meal.
“It’s steak today. I also prepared some fruits.”
The fragrant smell tickled my nose, and my mouth started watering as if it was ready to eat.
“But… Well, I can’t eat with these hands.”
Emphasizing my posture lying on the bed, I lightly brushed my hand.
Hearing the clinking sound of the chains, she lightly touched the filled handcuffs…
“Yes, that’s why I’m going to feed you.”
She smiled mischievously and picked up the fork.
“…Huh?”
As she sliced the meat, she brought the fork to my mouth with a bright smile on her face.
In the end, I accepted it without a word, brushing against her face.
With an immensely happy expression, she continued to feed me the sliced meat and gently stroked my head.
“Kind. So kind.”
Before I knew it, after emptying the bowl, she quietly put it aside and took a seat next to me.
“You’re here, right? Living with me – what do you think?”
“Living with you? Sounds good, doesn’t it?”
It is indeed good. The deeper the affection, the more predictable married life becomes.
And maybe, if I just go along with it like this, that will be the end of it.
“Sounds good? Well then, how about this? Would you take a look?”
With a rustling sound, she unfolded a blueprint in front of me with an excited expression on her face.
The blueprint of a room. With a large room on the left, and a bathroom… What is all this?
“We’re planning to have our living space in this mansion. It seems that the previous owner of this mansion preferred a thorough personal life, so even the master bedroom is not that spacious or closed off.
A garden that is connected to the outside but hidden from view. After all, you still need to go outside occasionally, right? You should see the clear air and flowers from time to time.
A room that others cannot see, only I can see and touch you.
The crows were talking about it. Sometimes there are crazy bastards who try to steal someone else’s man or woman.
Of course, you wouldn’t turn your eyes away… But still. I need to do something about my anxiety.
This is the study. At least I have to take care of the work here, so it’s a bit bothersome, but I think it’s possible if I’m with you.
We can read books together, and if you accompany me in the car while I work, maybe the job will become a little more interesting.
And the reception room. Sometimes… Father might come to visit, right? I hope you understand… that much.
Live with me here. Just the two of us. Don’t – worry about anything. How about it?”
“So, what you’re saying is… you want us to live together while keeping me locked up in this secret room?”
“It’s not about locking you up. It’s about protecting you from the outside.”
I heard that they’re going to confine me. This is insane. How – how can they even think like this?
Are they going to restrain me in this way? No, is this really the love she’s talking about?
I did all sorts of preparations for myself, saying it was for my sake, but this is just a prison. A luxurious prison.
They should at least compromise. This is not the way…
“So, I can’t go outside at all?”
“Do you really need to go out?”
“But sometimes… I need to see the world and live like a normal person. That’s how it should be. Yeah, like when you and I went on outings in the city.”
“Then I’ll make time for that. We can take a carriage and go around the city. Maybe we can even wear masks. It’ll be fun.”
“But during that time, can I talk to other people…?”
“Of course not.”
“This is – “
“It’s love, you know?”
In her eyes, filled with unwavering certainty,
In her slightly trembling hands,
And in her smiling face.
There was certainty in every part of her.
And I, I could only stay silent.
There seemed to be no way for me to escape.