Chapter 72: A Fleeting Respite

Today, for the first time in a while, it didn’t rain.

The sky was still overcast, but not a single drop fell.

It was a quiet morning.

As I gazed at the peaceful scenery, I let out a low sigh.

It felt like a sign that the monsoon was coming to an end, and for some reason, my heart grew complicated.

After the first two days of heavy rain at the start of the monsoon, only a light drizzle had continued.

What if the rainy season ends too soon?

The more the rain stopped, the more storm clouds seemed to gather in my heart.

I was still staying at Enoch and Amy’s house, helping out with simple cleaning and chores.

Today, too.

Quietly, I opened the door and stepped into the study.

The neatly arranged bookshelves, the comfortable sofa, and the large wall-mounted 1’/ on one side of the wall all caught my eye.

Sometimes, when Amy fell asleep watching tv, I had a chance to change the channel, but not once had I actually touched it.

If I happened to hear the news and suddenly saw Master’s face… I felt like I’d burst into tears.

But today was a little different.

The thought that I might have to leave this place soon made me curious about Master’s well-being.

If I could confirm that Master was still doing well after I left, maybe I could turn off the power without worry.

I reached out my hand cautiously.

But just before my fingers touched the power button, the study door clicked open.

“Didi, there you are.”

Startled, I quickly pulled my hand back.

Meeting Enoch’s gaze as he entered, my eyes darted nervously as if I’d been caught doing something wrong.

Anyone could see I looked suspicious.

Hoping my actions didn’t seem too strange, I opened my mouth.

“W-what is it…?”

“Master and I are planning to go out for a bit. If it’s all right, would you like to come with us?”

Go out?

I blinked at Enoch.

Come to think of it, because it had rained every day since I arrived, I hadn’t set foot outside even once.

The house was spacious and not stifling, but sometimes I wanted to feel the air outside.

The words “I’ll go” rose to my throat, but then I realized—if we went somewhere crowded, I might run into Master.

“I don’t think I can. If I run into Master, it’ll be awkward…”

Enoch looked at me with pity as I shook my head gloomily.

I must have unconsciously let my desire to go out slip into my voice.

“Well… if that’s the case, could you follow me for a moment?”

With that, Enoch suddenly started leading me somewhere.

He soon stopped in front of an ordinary room, told me to wait, and went inside.

After a moment, he came out holding a black hat and a mask.

“If you cover your face with these, no one will recognize you.”

I carefully took the items he handed me—a hat and a mask.

If I bundled up this thoroughly, no one would recognize me.

Maybe because it had been a while since we’d gone out, Amy was cheerfully humming a bright tune, visibly excited.

Once in the car, I fiddled with my hat and checked my reflection in the mirror.

My face was covered, but… would it be all right?

Master probably isn’t even looking for me, anyway.

As I looked out the window, familiar scenery passed by, and soon tall buildings appeared in the distance.

We were heading toward the city.

“Enoch, by the way, where are we going?”

“To the city department store nearby. There’s a limited-edition toy from Master’s favorite children’s program going on sale today.”

As soon as I heard the destination, my anxiety swelled.

It looked like we were going all the way to the city centre.

What if I really ran into Master…?

To make matters worse, the place we arrived at was a department store I’d often visited with Master.

The thought that I might actually see Master made me even more nervous.

But I couldn’t just say, “Let’s go back” after coming all this way.

We were already too far, and I felt sorry for the excited Amy in the back seat.

I quietly bowed my head and looked down at myself.

I was wearing Enoch’s clothes, and my face was hidden under a hat and mask.

Even if someone who knew me passed by, it would be hard to recognize me just from my shadowy appearance.

Just in case, before getting out of the car, I pulled the hat even lower and raised the mask up to just below my eyes, covering my face even more thoroughly.

The department store was especially crowded today.

There were more guests than usual with children around Amy’s age.

When I turned my gaze toward the bustling crowd, I saw the characters from Amy’s favourite children’s program on display at the event booth.

The lines were long, and there were a lot of people.

After calming the excited Amy, Enoch turned to me.

“Didi, I’ll go with Master for a bit. Would you like to rest nearby?”

He must have noticed how anxious I looked, constantly glancing around.

I nodded silently, afraid someone might recognize me if they heard my voice.

I moved to a quiet corner away from the crowds and gazed outside.

After wandering for so long to barely escape to the outskirts, I’d returned here after just a few hours in the car.

To end up back where I started, after all that.

It was so pointless, it almost made me laugh.

Everything around me was familiar.

When I first opened my eyes in the future, it all felt strange and impossible to adapt to.

But after walking these streets so often with Master, this area had become familiar. I could barely recall how things used to be…

This scenery would probably be the last. I didn’t know when the power would be turned on again—maybe never.

I quietly looked around, taking in everything I could.

Suddenly, I spotted a familiar figure in the distance.

Bright, splendid blond hair and a neatly tailored suit.

I froze, thinking it was Master, but the gait was a little different.

It was Master’s Father.

Father stopped as he passed by with his attendants.

He glanced at the event booth where Enoch and Amy had gone, talked with some employees, and then seemed to give instructions.

Was this also one of Father’s businesses?

I remembered he’d said he was trying various ventures.

Suddenly, an old conversation came to mind.

“Didi, if William is making things too difficult for you, won’t you come with me?”

He’d definitely said that.

I wasn’t sure if the offer still stood, but if it was Father, I felt like he’d accept me even if I was no longer useful.

I’d resolved to turn off the power when I left Master’s house, but honestly, turning off the power still frightened me.

If I got a new Master, maybe this time I could serve them faithfully, without harboring any foolish feelings.

I’d been abandoned twice already. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

This time, I’d do a little better…

At that moment, it felt like Father and I made eye contact.

Instinctively, I bowed my head.

Seeing a face so similar to Master’s, I averted my gaze.

The moment our eyes met, my chest throbbed painfully.

Did he recognize me?

My heart pounded as I glanced up.

Thankfully, Father didn’t recognize me and, accompanied by his attendants, slowly walked away.

His familiar figure gradually faded into the distance.

“Haa…”

I let out a long breath of relief.

Following Father… that wouldn’t work either.

Just seeing a face so much like Master’s made my heart ache unbearably.

There’s no way I could stand it.

Turning off the power really is the right choice.

It’s the only way to escape this pain.

I decided not to wonder about Master’s news anymore.

Checking would only make my heart hurt.

When the rain stops, I’ll leave Enoch and Amy’s house right away.

I won’t cause them any more trouble…

Much later, Enoch and Amy returned.

Amy, clutching the doll she wanted, wore a bright smile that filled her whole face.

The car ride home was quiet.

Amy quickly fell asleep hugging her doll, and silence settled between us.

The sky was still cloudy, making the mood even heavier.

I was the first to break the silence.

“When the rain stops… I’m going to leave right away.”

Enoch, who was driving, turned to look at me with worried eyes.

“You don’t have to rush. Master wants to spend more time with you, too.”

“Still, I think it’s time for me to go.”

Enoch didn’t ask any more questions and simply nodded.

He seemed to know I’d already made up my mind.

“Thank you.”

I spoke sincerely.

Thanks to them, I’d managed not to shut down before returning home, found a safe place to weather the storm, and, above all, had time to sort out my thoughts.

Now, my heart was finally at peace.