[TIDK] 63 – Threadworms

♔♔♔

Isaac was in a hurry. 

He paced towards his destination, arriving safely thanks to the many people who helped him on his way. Certainly, if one was hurrying with a cane, passerbyers would be concerned.

Isaac’s destination was the Dumfelt mansion.

Isaac hated Viktor Dumfelt. And yet right now, He needed his help.

At the news of Isaac Crimson’s visit, Viktor Dumfelt came out to the drawing room. He had just left the sauna after finishing his duty at the Air Force Base.

His arrival was announced by the fresh scent of forest spreading into the room. 

Upon Viktor settling into a chair, Isaac spoke quietly.

“My sister is trying to do something dangerous.”

Viktor didn’t reply to his statement. Instead, a lighter could be heard as he lit up his cigarette.

Isaac went on.

“What Scarlett is trying to do is right, but she could be in danger… I’d like your help.”

“...”

“Sir Viktor…You’ll help, right?”Isaac asked.

Viktor remained silent, causing Isaac to feel uneasy.

“I see, sure.”

 “...Ah.”

Contrary to his expectations, Viktor accepted his request with no fuss. Isaac looked rather embarrassed.

Viktor didn’t say more as if to end the conversation.

After a moment of silence, Isaac announced, “Then I’ll be on my way.”

A man approached Isaac naturally, as if summoned. “Hello, I’m Kenley. I’ll take you home.”

Isaac stood up at the greeting and said politely. “I came alone, so I can go back alone too.”

Viktor, quiet all along, laughed. “You both sure are siblings.”

“...”

Isaac turned his head towards Viktor’s voice.

“But you’re Madame’s brother. Please let us at least give you a carriage,” he said amicably.

“Alright…. Then, please.”

Isaac followed Kenley’s footsteps. 

After they left the drawing room, Viktor told Blythe. “Appoint people to tail them. Both the brother and sister.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Report everything to me.” 

“Yes, sir.”

Suddenly, Isaac’s scream was heard in the hallway.

Viktor and Blythe went out to see Isaac covering his eyes with both hands.

“Earl Crimson?” 

“Uh... ah!”

Kenley, worried, asked Isaac. “What- what’s the matter?”

Isaac shook his head.

As he was out of breath and about to collapse, Viktor walked up, grabbed Isaac’s arm, raised him, and told Blythe.

“Call a doctor.” 

“Yes, yes!”

Blythe ran away in surprise.

After a while, the Dumfelt family’s doctor rushed over.

Isaac was lying on the bed in the guest room.

Isaac struggled in pain as the doctor took off the bandages covering his eyes. 

Upon seeing the sight underneath, the doctor screamed in distraught and fell to the ground. 

Viktor, used to gore and blood, also couldn’t hold his expression.
Numerous threadworms were tangled in his eye sockets.

Isaac shook his head so no one could touch his eyes and crouched on the bed, trying to overcome the pain. 

When the doctor prepared painkillers, Viktor had to grab Isaac by force and give him the shot. Fortunately, his body soon sagged, proving that the painkiller worked well. 

The doctor asked Isaac, his voice shaking. “E-earl.... What was that?”

Isaac, with his face buried in the sheet, shook his head and stammered to find a bandage.

Seeing that, Blythe took several deep breaths to calm down, took out a new bandage, and handed them to him, “Here you are.”

Isaac snatched the bandage and wrapped it around his eyes. He was very skilled because he had been doing this on his own for a long time, but it was worrisome that he might overdo it.

It was seen as an act of never letting go. It may have been more painful in his eyes.

When Isaac stopped struggling as the painkiller began to sink in, Blythe said.

“You don’t look well. Why don’t you answer the doctor’s question?” Isaac shook his head. Viktor, seeing him determined not to say anything, clicked his tongue.

“Stay here for a few days. I want to keep my guests leaving whole.” 

“I want to leave the mansion….”

“Then I’ll have people go.”

Viktor said and got out of there.

Isaac soon calmed down in the now empty room. He was sensitive enough to know if there was anyone around him even if he couldn’t see.

Isaac briefly recalled the man with a low voice and the scent of the forest that he had met earlier.

His coldness left him speechless. Did that man really love Scarlett the way she bragged?

Throughout this marriage, Scarlett was in love. She couldn’t help but smile at the mention of her husband’s name.

Scarlett didn’t know how to be loved. But she always gave it. Was she happy in this place?

Isaac felt heartbroken by the cold great mansion.

♔♔♔

It was the next afternoon that Scarlett completed the watch.

Scarlett looked down at the Crimson watch, where the monocles were removed, and complex mechanisms were organically woven.

This was right.

Scarlett used to see these movements as a child and think they were butterflies. Perhaps in practice, some detailed movements resemble the tremors of butterfly wings.

Now she needed to take this watch and negotiate with Abel Crimson. It would have been nice if there was a way for something to work, but unfortunately, her parents, who knew nothing but the genetics of machinery, didn’t tell their daughter how to do it.

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