Chapter 7

 Count Leopold’s sharp gaze hardened further, making him appear even more intimidating.  

The Countess looked at Karina with an expression of hesitation, unsure of how to respond.  

"Please tell Abelia that I'm sorry for causing unnecessary trouble. I'm exhausted, so I'll be skipping dinner and resting."  

At Karina’s clear dismissal, the Count, Countess, and Ferdinand hesitated but eventually left the room as she wished.  

The moment the door clicked shut, Karina's hardened expression crumbled. She buried her face into the pillow.  

I'm not a bad person.

She had only said what she had been holding back for so long.  

That was all. And yet, her heart pounded violently.  

Abelia should be fine.

She was worried about Abelia, but vomiting and dehydration were symptoms she had been experiencing frequently as of late.  

Karina had seen it happen before. She knew it wasn’t anything too serious.  

Trying to console herself, she clenched the bedsheet so tightly that the blood drained from her fingers.  

She had never seen Count Leopold wear such an expression before.  

And it was the first time she had ever responded to him like that.  

Karina repeatedly buried her head into the pillow.  

Even so, she couldn’t fall asleep.  

After lying awake for a long time, lost in thought, she abruptly sat up.  

In the end, with restless hands, she pulled out paper, pencils, and paints, then settled down in the spot where the moonlight shone brightest through the window.

***

Karina spread the drawing paper on the floor and, holding a pencil with practiced ease, drew a line on the blank sheet. Like traces left behind by her touch, black lines formed a path. She poured all her frustration onto the paper.

She had long learned to suppress the words she wanted to say and release them onto the canvas instead.  

The black lines quickly took the shape of the window she was looking at. Countless stars scattered across the night sky appeared on the paper, with the moon peeking out between them.

The cold air of the night brushed against her nose, carrying the distinct scent of grass that could only be noticed in the darkness. The deep blue sky, seldom veiled by faint clouds, was carefully captured on the paper.  

Despite being drawn with just a single pencil, the artwork was breathtakingly detailed and rich.

It was merely a collection of black lines, yet it conveyed so much.  

Oblivious to the numbness in her legs from kneeling for too long and the sweat forming on her skin, Karina focused desperately on her drawing.

Only after a long while did she finally exhale deeply and set the pencil down.  

On the paper, the scenery seen through the window had been faithfully recreated, exactly as she had looked at it from below.

The only difference from reality was the small fairy perched on the window frame.  

With butterfly-like wings, the fairy sat with a slightly aloof gaze, yet looked down at the unseen figure below the window with undeniable warmth.  

Karina squeezed a few colors onto her palette and lightly began to paint.

In an instant, the once static monochrome world was infused with the shimmering stars and deep hues of the night sky.

The fairy, nestled between the cascading moonlight and the twinkling stars, was breathtakingly beautiful.

Setting down her brush and palette, Karina let out a weary sigh. As she lowered her head, her deep blue eyes gradually turned golden.

At the same time, a faint golden light emanated from the paper, and the fairy within it blinked once. Then, with a gentle smile, the fairy slowly raised its hand. Karina leaned forward toward the small hand reaching out to her.  A warm touch then met her cheek.  

The pale blue hued fairy stepped out from the paper, its eyes curving into a crescent moon as it smiled. With its other hand, it softly cupped Karina’s other cheek.  

“Hello, little fairy.” With golden eyes filled with warmth, Karina greeted it with a hazy smile. Though the fairy did not speak, it beamed radiantly.  

Created solely for her, carrying the weight of her wishes, the fairy gently caressed Karina’s cheeks again and again, its face always adorned with tender smile.

Karina clung to the fairy, holding it tightly in her hands as she endlessly received its gentle caresses.

She knew that this ability was what had made her body this way, yet the suffocating weight in her chest made it impossible for her to endure without drawing.  

Art was her life. At the same time, it was her only escape.  

To Karina, drawing was like a drug. She knew it was the cause of her body's deterioration, that she should stop. But with no other outlet for her emotions, she always found herself returning to it, just like an addict unable to resist despite knowing the consequences.  

There was no way she could let it go. Even if it slowly devoured her life.  

The fairy was no longer on the canvas. All that remained was a landscape filled with the vast night sky.  

For a long time, Karina sat on the floor, holding the fairy tightly in her embrace.  

Until, at last, the weakened fairy was enveloped in a golden glow and quietly faded away.

***

Thanks to Nocturne, who had rushed over despite the late hour, Abelia quickly regained her health.  

Later, upon hearing what had happened, Abelia and Ferdinand came together to apologize to Karina.  

Since it hadn’t been their fault, Karina readily accepted their apology.

To be honest, she didn’t want to say much more to them.  

Finally, tomorrow.

The preparations she had meticulously planned over the past week had all gone smoothly, and now the decisive day was approaching.  

Karina pulled out a worn cloth bag she had hidden under the bed. Inside was packed with a change of clothes and other essentials.  

That morning, she had visited the physician, who, after a bout of nagging, handed her two fist sized bottles.  

"Each bottle lasts a month. Take one pill every 24 hours, understand? Never walk for more than five hours a day, and don’t take it on an empty stomach. Make sure to dress warmly so your body temperature doesn’t drop."  

"Yes, I understand. Thank you."  

"By the way, what kind of art caused your so called art disease?"  

"Drawing. I like looking at things and capturing them. Though no one knows about it."  

Karina tucked the medicine deep into the bottom of her bag.

She also received a note listing a few precautions. The physician had thoughtfully written it down so she wouldn’t forget, though his handwriting was terribly messy.  

Today was her last day in the Leopold estate.  

Tomorrow, for the first time in her life, she would step forward toward a place of her own choosing, making a decision solely for herself.  

Because of that, she decided to attend the dinner banquet she had kept delaying with various excuses.  

After once again pushing her bag back under the bed, she headed straight downstairs.  

"Oh my, my lady! You’ll be dining in the dining hall today?"  

"Yes."  

"That’s a relief."  

The maid beamed as she quickly stepped forward to open the dining room door.  

Inside, her family was already seated, just about to begin their meal.  

Even Enrich, who usually hardly attends dinner, was present.  

Karina took her designated seat beside Enrich.  

"You came today. Feeling better now?"  

"Yes."  

As soon as Karina answered and sat down, the meal began.  

Since she couldn’t eat greasy food, her gaze lingered on the lighter dishes placed in front of Abelia, sitting diagonally across from her.

The only food she had in front of her that could be considered easy to eat was just a simple salad.  

"Come to think of it, the day after tomorrow is your birthday, Karina."  

"Oh, I suppose it is."  

Now that it was mentioned, she blinked in realization.  

It was a birthday she hadn’t even remembered herself. She rarely had a proper birthday celebration.  

There were times when Abelia was sick, or when Enrich’s graduation or induction ceremonies happened to fall on the same day.  

Somehow, no matter what, there was always something overlapping. Even on the eve of one of her birthdays, Ferdinand had broken his arm.  

She could count on one hand the number of times her birthday had been properly celebrated.  

Over time, Karina became indifferent to her own birthday. She had worked hard not to expect anything to avoid disappointment.  

"We were thinking of going on a family picnic in two days since Enrich was able to get leave then. Would it be alright to delay your birthday party by a day or two?"  

"…."  

And today was no different.  

It wasn’t as if she disliked her birthday. It was just that she wouldn’t be attending it anyway.  

"Do as you like."  

"Come with us and have fun. Think of it as both a birthday and a picnic. We'll make sure to prepare a great party for you."  

"I won’t be able to attend the picnic. I have something to do."  

Karina, who had already been eating sparingly, put down her fork.  

"Is it so urgent that you can’t even attend a family event?"  

"Yes, I’m sorry. Please enjoy it without me."

She rose from her seat.  

"I’ve finished my meal, so I’ll head upstairs now."  

As Karina turned away, Enrich also stood up.  

"I’ll be retiring for the night as well."  

"Alright, both of you, rest well."  

Although Count Leopold looked slightly puzzled, he nodded without questioning further.  

Karina skipping family events wasn’t unusual, so he didn’t feel the need to ask for an explanation.  

Still, an inexplicable sense of unease lingered, causing his brows to furrow. However, by the time he considered speaking, the two had already left the dining hall.  

Karina walked straight toward the stairs.  

"Karina."  

A low voice called her name from behind.  

It was Enrich who had followed her out.

← Previous Chapter Next Chapter →