C36
As Vincent looked at the candle in Bianca's hand, he quickly understood how things were going.
He had been with Zachary since they left the Huegh territory, and he was with Zachary when they entered Arno Castle. Since then, he had been taking care of Arno Castle for over 13 years.
Vincent asked, alternately looking at Nicholas and the employee with a puzzled expression.
"Does this happen often?"
"Well... I warned him, but..."
The employee nodded continuously and trailed off his words. It was evident that he didn't want to take responsibility. Vincent groaned.
"You are making candles, but these are not yours! Doesn't carving like this decrease the candle's burn time? Why didn't you inform me immediately?"
"I-I thought he would listen if I scolded him in moderation... He's stubborn, so it was difficult for us too. We can't put damaged candles in the castle as decorations then..."
When Vincent shouted, the head supervisor quickly offered more excuses. He seemed afraid to take responsibility and give the wrong response. But that answer turned Vincent's stomach.
Vincent pressed the employee.
"How do you deal with these damaged candles? I have never observed one among the entire supply."
"In the stable or... they're also used in our factory..."
Unbelievable. In other words, were they quietly dealing with this issue among the other subordinates without informing him? He was glad Nicholas wasn't stealing candles... However, this was a problem that needed to be addressed.
No matter how young Nicholas was, Vincent couldn't let this slide as long as he was a servant working on the estate. Vincent looked at Nicholas, who hung his head in front of the employee, with fearful eyes.
"Why the hell-?"
"Did you really do this?"
But Vincent couldn't finish his speech. It was because Bianca intervened before he could speak. As a butler, he couldn't interrupt his lady's words. Vincent's mouth naturally closed, but his eyes were filled with anxiety, disbelief, and dissatisfaction about what Bianca would say.
Nicholas tightly closed his eyes and trembled in fear as everyone surrounded and interrogated him. In particular, Bianca's piercing green eyes that stared at him were chilling, like a venomous snake sticking out its tongue to devour him.
The candle factory where Nicholas worked was also on the outskirts of Arno Castle. He had never met Bianca, who lived in the center of the castle. Of course, rumors about her were all Nicholas knew.
The Bianca that Nicholas knew was a rude and eccentric woman, and she was too cold to the Count, who always went to war for Arno. Recently, a maid who disobeyed her was stripped, beaten, and expelled, and the servants talked about how terrible it was.
As she was such a ruthless lady, she might break Nicholas' finger, claiming that he had recklessly touched the Lord's belongings. Nicholas clenched his fists and involuntarily trembled.
Unaware of Nicholas' fear, Bianca urged him once again to answer. Her green eyes were fixed on the candle she held in her hand.
"Did you really do this?"
But Vincent couldn't finish his speech. It was because Bianca intervened before he could speak. As a butler, he couldn't interrupt his lady's words. Vincent's mouth naturally closed, but his eyes were filled with anxiety, disbelief, and dissatisfaction about what Bianca would say.
Nicholas tightly closed his eyes and trembled in fear as everyone surrounded and interrogated him. In particular, Bianca's piercing green eyes that stared at him were chilling, like a venomous snake sticking out its tongue to devour him.
The candle factory where Nicholas worked was also on the outskirts of Arno Castle. He had never met Bianca, who lived in the center of the castle. Of course, rumors about her were all Nicholas knew.
The Bianca that Nicholas knew was a rude and eccentric woman, and she was too cold to the Count, who always went to war for Arno. Recently, a maid who disobeyed her was stripped, beaten, and expelled, and the servants talked about how terrible it was.
As she was such a ruthless lady, she might break Nicholas' finger, claiming that he had recklessly touched the Lord's belongings. Nicholas clenched his fists and involuntarily trembled.
Unaware of Nicholas' fear, Bianca urged him once again to answer. Her green eyes were fixed on the candle she held in her hand.
"Did you really do this?"
Nicholas, unable to ignore the lady's words twice, nodded carefully. His small shoulders were hunched, and his neck tensed up. His mouth was dry, burning, and itchy. Nicholas moistened his parched mouth with saliva, anxious to know when the scolding would come. His lowered eyes darted around the floor, trying to see who was approaching him.
He used to always buy the pity of the people around him. He was thin like a twig, so he had no strength, and he often got lost in his own world, so he was neither quick nor slow to understand what was said. And then, he touched the supplies, so the angry supervisor laid hands on him.
The supervisor was a slender man, but for young Nicholas, he was a formidable opponent. The supervisor kicked Nicholas in the calf and hit him on the head.
Of course, the supervisor had his own thoughts. If he doesn't break this bad habit from the beginning, it can become a big problem later on. That would be truly dangerous.
As servants, their lives depended on small things, and this candle in his hand could jeopardize his life. Whether it's Nicholas' life or his own.
He was very worried, but in the end, what he feared happened. The supervisor closed his eyes tightly, ashamed. The supervisor hit Nicholas, persuaded him to make bread, and did everything he could, but Nicholas was stubborn. Nicholas didn't give up playing.
Nicholas claims that he is a 'sculptor,' of course, even the supervisor acknowledged that Nicholas had some skills, and maybe there was something called talent. But to sculpt, he had to be the son of a sculptor and get support from aristocrats to afford expensive materials. His father, who died when Nicholas was three years old, was another farmer. Nicholas was a farmer's son, and he had to become a farmer as well, not a sculptor.
Nicholas knew this too. Still, Nicholas couldn't stop carving candles. The supervisor took a step back from his unwavering insistence and said that if he wanted to sculpt, he should do it in wood and pushed a log towards him. But Nicholas shook his head. It was because Nicholas had a reason to do it.
One night, a long time ago, Nicholas had a dream where the goddess* was trapped in a candle. It was a dream in which wax dripped from the goddess' head, while the goddess clasped her hands mercifully and prayed.
Nicholas woke up from the dream, breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. Even though it was just a dream, Nicholas felt overwhelmed by a strong urge to free the goddess from the candle.
It was a revelation.
Nicholas considered his mission to be rescuing the goddess trapped in the candle, and he was devoted and stubbornly clung to the candle, not giving up despite the supervisor's harsh advice.
And in the distant future, Nicholas would place the perfectly carved candle of the goddess in the monastery. The priest in the monastery who would receive the candle would be so moved by the merciful and majestic appearance of the goddess that he would deliver the candle to the Vatican. And the Pope who would receive the candle would also be fascinated by Nicholas' sculpture and appoint him as the official sculptor of the church.
And Nicholas would be entrusted with the glorious task of not only sculpting candles for the altar but also sculpting the statue of the goddess to be placed in the chapel.
He would carve numerous statues of the goddess, and each of them would become a splendid display of the mercy, generosity, sacrifice, and pious dignity of the goddess.
As such, Nicholas would leave his name for posterity as an outstanding sculptor, but now, no one knows. Including himself. Now he was just a servant, trembling in fear of the punishment he would receive from Bianca.
He could endure the anger of the supervisor. At least it was just a kick in the calf or a pat on the back. But if he cuts off his fingers... Nicholas feared that more than anything.
But despite Nicholas' response, Bianca remained silent. As the lady was quiet, the people around her were also quiet. Nicholas, with trembling eyes, seemed to regain his breath in the silence that surrounded him.
What kind of expression is the lady making? Is she thinking about how to scold him? Not knowing Bianca's reaction multiplied the fear. Nicholas couldn't bear it anymore and cautiously lifted his eyelids and looked at Bianca.
But when Nicholas saw Bianca, he was surprised. Isn't Bianca looking at Nicholas' candles? And with a satisfied smile even!
Nicholas' eyes narrowed as if he couldn't believe the curve shining on Bianca's delicate lips.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)