Extra in a Romance Fantasy

178 – Memory (2)

She did not remember her first meeting with Wade.

It was only natural.

After all, it would not be an exaggeration to say that they had been together since the moment she was born, having been together from such an early age.

From the moment her sense of self began to take shape.

From the moment she could recognize the objects around her.

Wade had been by her side.

Even during meals, while studying, or when playing and running around,

Wade was always there.

It was generally uncommon for an employer, especially one of noble birth, to be so closely associated with the child of an employee, but it was possible because her parents, the Baron and Baroness Blunoir, regarded Wade’s father, Lawrence, as more than just a mere employee.

It was around the time Mary began to read rather difficult books that she noticed Wade, who had always been by her side, was different from the other children her age.

Wade was indeed different.

In a significant way.

He was much more mature than the other children and, unlike kids of that age, he was never swept away by emotions.

When they played together, he mostly stood back like an adult, watching Mary play with the other kids rather than joining in.

Children are pure, whether good or bad, and being different among such children can easily lead to exclusion.

From that perspective, Wade was in quite a precarious position.

However, Wade was never ostracized.

On the contrary, the children followed him rather than rejected him.

This was due to Wade’s character.

Though he always maintained a stance of disinterest, as if he were a step removed from everything, he was the first to step in and help whenever someone faced a problem.

When the children encountered difficulties, when they faced problems too challenging to solve alone, it was always Wade who stepped up to assist and resolve the issues.

Even after helping, he never acted superior or sought recognition, behaving as if nothing had happened, which made it only natural for everyone to follow him.

As time passed, Wade had become like an older brother to everyone.

The boys, in particular, looked at Wade with admiration.

However, the way the girls looked at Wade was somewhat different.

There was admiration, but also other emotions intertwined.

Mary quickly sensed what those emotions were.

And she understood that it was not strange at all.

Though she pretended otherwise, Wade was kind, mature, and his appearance was strikingly handsome for his young age.

With such looks, effortlessly resolving others’ crises without any ulterior motives, it was odd that he wouldn’t be popular.

Unbeknownst to him, Wade was indeed quite popular.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that many of the girls from Lakewood, who were around the same age as Wade, harbored feelings for him.

But there was one exception: Mary.

Mary did not harbor any romantic feelings for Wade.

No, it went beyond that.

She had not even held any human affection for him.

Always together.

Even though they were inseparable wherever they went.

Mary didn’t particularly like Wade.

The reason was none other than his eyes.

Fundamentally, Wade’s eyes didn’t belong to a child of his age.

They were always sunken, and emotions rarely showed.

However, Mary knew.

Especially when he looked at her, Wade’s eyes sank even deeper.

Though Wade seemed to hide this fact, Mary, being perceptive and sensitive to people’s feelings, recognized it.

Wade didn’t want to get close to her.

Wade was wary of her.

When she first realized this, Mary felt a deep sense of confusion.

She couldn’t understand why Wade was wary of her at all.

Though it was hard to say out loud, Mary was a beloved child.

Not to mention her parents, but even the family’s employees and the residents of Lakewood had no one who disliked her.

Rather, anyone from anywhere would smile broadly at the mere sight of her, eager to do something, anything, for her, treating her with genuine kindness.

She was undoubtedly a cherished child.

So why?

Why did Wade look at her with such eyes?

She wondered if she had unknowingly done something to upset him, but no matter how much she thought about it, that didn’t seem to be the case.

There was not a hint of understanding.

Then, why?

Questions kept bubbling up, but no matter how much she pondered, she couldn’t find an answer.

Frustrated to the point of considering asking Wade directly, she quickly dismissed the thought.

It was an instinctive feeling.

If she asked Wade the reason, he might disappear right before her eyes.

Even while they ate normally and played normally.

Wade always had a distant gaze.

As if, the moment he looked away, he would vanish from that very spot, ephemeral and far away.

Though he seemed to be holding on somehow now, to Mary’s eyes, it was precariously close to breaking.

If something were to happen, it seemed that Wade would leave this place at any moment.

To be honest, it wouldn’t matter much if Wade did leave.

In fact, she might even feel happy at the thought of the presence that stirred her mind disappearing right before her eyes.

However, even so.

Mary did not ask Wade the reason.

She knew very well that if Wade were to vanish, Uncle Lawrence would be deeply heartbroken.

Uncle Lawrence, who was always strict with Wade, but Mary understood.

She knew that Uncle Lawrence cared for Wade more than anything.

Once, Mary had heard a story related to this from her parents.

Uncle Lawrence’s wife, Wade’s mother, had never been in good health, and shortly after giving birth to Wade, she had traveled to the heavens.

Because of that, Uncle Lawrence cherished Wade above all else.

Though Wade didn’t like him, Mary liked Uncle Lawrence very much.

Therefore, she didn’t want to see him sad.

It wasn’t just Uncle Lawrence.

Her parents also regarded Wade as if he were their own child.

Naturally, it was clear they would be greatly saddened if Wade suddenly disappeared.

It didn’t stop there; the people in the mansion, the friends from Lakewood, would surely be sad if Wade left this place.

Knowing all this, Mary ultimately decided not to ask Wade about the reason behind that gaze.

Instead, she pretended not to know anything.

She acted as if she hadn’t noticed the way Wade looked at her.

And so, she continued her daily life as usual.

However.

No matter how much time passed, Wade’s gaze did not change, and Mary felt increasingly stressed by that fact.

Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, Mary began to take her frustrations out on Wade.

She would pick fights over trivial matters or make impossible requests to put Wade in a difficult position.

It was truly childish behavior, but there was no helping it.

At that time, Mary was really just a child.

That day was no different.

Wade’s eyes once again disturbed Mary’s mood, and she acted out against him as she usually did.

Wade, as usual, silently endured Mary’s tantrums, but the problem arose elsewhere.

He was caught in the act by his mother.

Understanding the situation, the Countess became furious and, rarely, scolded Mary harshly.

This fact filled Mary with a deep sense of injustice.

It was all Wade’s fault, yet she was the one being reprimanded.

She felt it was so unfair that, while she was holding back for the sake of others, her mother, oblivious to this, chose to scold her instead of Wade.

So, Mary ran out of the mansion in a huff.

As she passed through the town of Lakewood, many people recognized her and tried to greet her, but Mary ignored all their voices and kept running.

How long did she run like that?

When she finally came to her senses, she found herself in the woods.

When she realized this fact, a quiet fear began to grow within her.

It wasn’t her first time in the forest.

She had often come here with family or friends to play.

But this was the first time she had entered the woods alone.

The tranquility of the forest, which she usually found pleasant, now felt strangely frightening.

Perhaps it was just her mood, but she also felt as if the temperature around her had suddenly dropped.

A bad premonition settled in.

So, Mary decided to leave the forest and return to Lakewood.

However, no matter how much she walked, she could not find her way out.

The problem was that she had run without properly observing her surroundings.

Not knowing where she had come from or where Lakewood was, Mary had no choice but to wander aimlessly in the woods.

How much time had passed in that state?

Heavy fatigue grew alongside her fear.

A growing anxiety took root within her—what if she could never return home like this?

It was then that she heard it.

Creak—

A sound of crying reached her ears.

It was a low, unsettling cry.

It was too ominous to be the cry of a beast.

The moment she heard that cry, Mary’s body stiffened.

And the words she had heard not long ago in Lakewood replayed in her mind.

─ “I hear a pack of monsters has appeared nearby?”

─ “That’s what they say. It seems they’re not too close, but… still, it feels unsettling.”

─ “Oh, come on. How far away could they be to come this way? It’s all just unnecessary worry.”

A pack of monsters.

At first, Mary denied it.

There couldn’t possibly be monsters here; she must have misheard, she repeated to herself.

But.

Crrr—

When the cry echoed again, Mary had no choice but to accept it.

That the sound belonged to a monster.

Mary’s body, which had been rigid, began to tremble uncontrollably this time.

She had never seen a monster up close.

But she knew very well that they were incredibly dangerous creatures.

And she also understood that to them, she was nothing more than prey.

As her thoughts reached that point, Mary urged her trembling body to move, pushing through her fear.

She had to find a place to hide.

She had to conceal herself from the monster.

She thought escaping was impossible.

Mary was just an ordinary girl, and she wasn’t particularly fast at running.

Moreover, her body was shaking so uncontrollably now that she couldn’t run as she wished.

Thus, the only thing Mary could do was to hide.

If there was any silver lining, it was that she found a hiding place not long after.

A small burrow.

It was too small for an adult to enter, but Mary, still young and small in stature, could easily fit herself inside.

Mary crawled into the burrow and curled up.

And just as she did.

Crrr—

The cry came again.

Mary curled up and held her breath.

It was terrifying.

So frightening.

She wanted to scream right away.

To ask for help.

To plead for her life.

But she couldn’t do that.

It was clear that if she made such a sound, the monsters would swarm to this place immediately.

“Ugh…”

Tears began to flow.

It felt like she was about to burst into tears.

Yet, with all her might, Mary held back her sobs.

However, despite her efforts,

Grrr—

The cries of the monsters began to grow louder.

In fact, there was not just one cry.

At some point, the sounds that reached her ears had turned into a chorus of vengeance.

And that vengeful cry was getting closer with each passing moment.

The monsters were drawing near.

Death was approaching.

In response, Mary squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears.

Because the cries of the monsters were terrifying.

Because the sound of their approach was frightening.

Mary wished.

That this was all a dream.

That when she opened her eyes again, she would be back in the bed of the mansion.

She desperately, desperately hoped that this situation was just a bad nightmare.

In that state.

How much time had passed with her eyes and ears blocked?

Thud—

Something struck Mary’s body.

In that moment, Mary gasped in surprise and screamed.

She thought she had finally been discovered by the monster.

She believed that soon, terrible pain would pierce her entire being, that’s what she thought.

However, no matter how much time passed, she felt no pain.

Feeling puzzled by this fact, Mary slowly opened her eyes.

And then, she saw.

A familiar face looking back at her.

It was Wade.

For some reason, Wade was standing there.

Seeing that face, before she could even grasp what was happening, Mary gasped.

It was because of what she saw of Wade’s body.

He was covered in blood.

His body was filled with wounds that made her want to look away just from seeing them.

He stood there with injuries that wouldn’t be strange for someone to die from… no, injuries that wouldn’t be strange for someone who was already dead.

Yet, despite those wounds.

Wade showed no signs of pain.

He didn’t even grimace.

Instead, a gentle smile appeared on his face.

In that state, Wade spoke to Mary.

“Let’s go home, Mary.”

With a soft smile and gaze she had never seen before, Wade said that.

“…….”

Mary, quietly gazing at Wade’s smile with trembling eyes.

“…Huh…!”

Soon, she burst into tears.

It wasn’t from relief at having survived.

It was because she realized.

She understood why Wade was there.

Why he had become like that.

It was because she noticed.

Wade was smiling to reassure himself.

Knowing that, Mary burst into tears.

As if the forest would leave, for a long while.

And Wade gently stroked

Mary’s head.

Until she stopped crying.