Translator: Elisia
Editor/Proofreader: Wojo
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After sending off the police and the public officials who had come, we gathered again in the reception room.
Naturally, there were no servants around, except for So-hee and Yang Hye-in.
Even though everyone seemed to be watching my every move, I couldn’t trust them.
To be honest, I didn’t trust Yang Hye-in as much as the three friends here either, but since the police’s stiff expressions were probably because of her, I decided to let her stay here with us.
Of course, there was quite a big issue on my end as well.
It seemed that the public official had unnecessarily sharp intuition and noticed the situation Sara was in.
Thanks to that, I became aware of a problem I hadn’t even realized before, so it was helpful in a way.
The problem now was that the police might interfere with Choi Na-kyung, someone I hadn’t touched yet.
This visit won’t be the last.
…And even if my feelings for Choi Na-kyung weren’t that deep, Sara’s feelings toward her were dark and deep.
It wasn’t immediately obvious unless she was near Choi Na-kyung, but deep down, Sara still saw her as “mother.”
That was why Sara didn’t want to meet her.
If this case continues, even if the police try to stop it, Choi Na-kyung might attempt to contact me.
However, this isn’t something that’s happening right now.
I haven’t given a proper response to the public official, and they’re only speculating that something happened.
They haven’t obtained any clear evidence or testimony.
Besides, what I can offer is testimony, not evidence.
Without solid material evidence, it’ll be difficult to punish anyone.
It might only end up provoking Choi Na-kyung.
Someone like her would definitely hire an absurdly expensive lawyer.
Without clear physical evidence, she would slip away like a slippery eel.
“…So, what exactly happened?”
I asked as I sat down.
When I went upstairs with the public official, the police didn’t seem so tense.
They were just a bit surprised by the size of the mansion, but there was no reason for them to be angry.
But when I came back down with the public official, they were sitting there with grim faces, their mouths firmly shut.
They remained like that until they left.
At my question, Ha-neul, So-hee, and Soo-ah silently looked at Yang Hye-in.
It seemed they thought it wasn’t their place to explain.
Following their gaze, I also turned my eyes to Yang Hye-in.
“What happened?”
At my question, Yang Hye-in hesitated, then spoke heavily after a brief silence.
“…I testified about what I had done in this mansion.”
“‘What you had done in this mansion?’”
I furrowed my brow and thought for a moment.
She probably didn’t introduce her position or what she does here.
That wouldn’t make the police so grim.
This isn’t a communist revolution where they’d be outraged at bourgeoisie wealth.
…Rather, it must have been a literal testimony about “what Yang Hye-in had done in this mansion.”
…And what Yang Hye-in had done in this mansion…
“Haa.”
I sighed deeply and ran my hand over my face.
“…So, you’re saying you confessed to the police… about the ‘child abuse’ you committed in this mansion?”
At my words, Yang Hye-in quietly nodded.
She looked unusually tense.
If it weren’t for the current situation, I would’ve been startled by her expression.
I never imagined Yang Hye-in would show such a human expression.
…Right, the ‘image’ I had of her was deeply ingrained because she had been Sara’s personal maid for the past three years.
She was one of the people who, after watching a child slowly deteriorate for three years, took no real action and eventually led her to take her own life.
So why had someone like her suddenly confessed to the police?
…I could more or less guess.
Yang Hye-in had started to change little by little after I came into Sara’s body.
Emotions she hadn’t shown before were slowly being revealed, and her actions were mostly for Sara’s sake.
I don’t know how someone could change so suddenly.
Maybe seeing the far more emotional me instead of the original Sara made her develop ‘empathy.’
Before, she might have thought of Sara as a mere doll.
“Why? Why now?”
“….”
I asked with a bit of irritation in my voice.
It’s only natural to be punished for your wrongdoings.
Whether it’s legal punishment or resolved through personal conversations, having the will to be held accountable is something I can respect.
That’s why I hadn’t driven Yang Hye-in away until now.
If she thought she should be punished according to the law, I could respect that.
But wouldn’t it be right to apologize to the victim first?
Suddenly acting like this…
“Actually, I—”
As I fumed inside, Yang Hye-in spoke up.
“Right after I was dismissed from this mansion, I intended to do something similar.”
“…”
So, after she quit, she went to the police station or something?
Was she trying to ease her conscience?
I bit back the sarcastic remark that almost slipped out.
After all, I wasn’t the person directly involved in this matter.
I had never been personally harmed by Yang Hye-in.
It wasn’t me who had been neglected, it was Sara.
If anyone had the right to resent Yang Hye-in, it was Sara.
If anyone deserved an apology, it was Sara.
And if there were forgiveness to be given, it should be from Sara.
‘….’
Sara had been silent since earlier.
“So, you’re saying this has been on your mind for a long time?”
I asked, as if to confirm.
“….”
Yang Hye-in couldn’t answer.
Right, if it was something she’d been thinking about for a long time, she wouldn’t have acted only now.
These thoughts must have arisen at least after meeting me.
That’s why I was even angrier.
Sara, after all this time, was still being ignored by everyone.
‘….’
Sara said nothing.
No one sitting here said anything either.
*
In the end, the atmosphere became incredibly awkward because I had exploded in frustration over how everything suddenly started spiraling out of control.
Perhaps because it was the first time I’d shown such behavior, Ha-neul, So-hee, and Soo-ah kept tiptoeing around me until nightfall.
I was lost in my thoughts.
On the other hand, Yang Hye-in seemed calm, as if she thought my reaction was only natural, which made me even angrier.
Of course, knowing one’s sins and apologizing is a good thing.
Not many people can reflect on their past and cleanse their wrongs.
But what was the point of doing it all by herself and feeling relieved alone?
I know it.
The fact that I’m not even directly involved, that I don’t have the right to refute her words.
That’s why I’m even angrier.
All I can do is watch from the sidelines.
…Let’s just sleep.
As I lay in bed trying to quell my anger, Sara quietly whispered to me.
‘Let’s talk.’
….
If I fall asleep like this, I’ll have to face Sara.
I didn’t know what to say.
After all, I, too, had been ready to give up on Sara.
I had thought everything would be okay, that I could live an ordinary life now, and had prepared to leave.
I had believed that Sara would happily accept everything I left behind.
I had recklessly built relationships using Sara’s body and frivolously spent her wealth.
…Maybe I was projecting myself onto Yang Hye-in, and that’s why I was so angry.
‘Hey.’
As my thoughts spiraled, Sara eventually spoke in an annoyed voice.
‘Just go to sleep.’
“….”
At her words, I closed my eyes, which had been staring up at the ceiling.
*
“How long are you going to wallow like that?”
How long had I kept my eyes closed like that?
I probably hadn’t fallen asleep easily.
When I finally fell asleep after keeping my eyes closed for a long time, the Sara who greeted me in my dream had an exasperated look as she placed her hands on her hips and looked up at me.
In the dream, I had the same appearance as Sara, but since I was a reflection of Sara’s image, I was slightly taller than her.
Thanks to that, whenever we stood face-to-face, Sara always ended up looking up at me.
The way she glared up at me with her eyes narrowed was cute.
Though the emotions I felt seeing her weren’t as relaxed as that.
“You…”
Sara seemed like she was about to say something but bit her lip and pressed her finger hard against her forehead, trying to hold something back.
“Haa.”
Then she let out a big sigh, as if she wanted me to hear it.
“Stop wallowing in self-pity.”
I thought she might have calmed down a bit, but Sara’s voice was still full of anger.
“So what? You made relationships on your own? You spent my money recklessly?”
At Sara’s words, I nodded.
Seeing me nod, Sara looked like she was about to explode.
She lifted one foot in a fit of rage but then quietly put it down again.
She rubbed her chest with her hand and,
“Wait, Sara, let’s calm down.”
she muttered to herself,
“Huu~”
and took another deep breath.
“You.”
Then, she looked up at me again and said,
“Have I ever complained about the money you’ve spent or the things you’ve done? Have I ever asked why you made friends without my permission, or why you spent so much money?”
“…No.”
“Exactly!”
At my answer, Sara shouted as if in frustration.
“Of course not! Because I have no complaints! Do I seem like the type to keep quiet if I have a problem with you?”
I shook my head.
Even if Sara didn’t say it out loud, she didn’t hide her feelings in our shared consciousness.
When something bothered her, she made it very clear, expressing her displeasure or even anger.
Before I came along, she had almost no emotional expression, which had made me a bit worried, but at least the Sara who talked to me was quite expressive.
“Exactly.”
Sara nodded, satisfied that I finally understood.
“If I didn’t like what you were doing, I wouldn’t have stayed silent. I’m entrusting my body to you because I trust you that much.”
Saying this, Sara poked her finger at my chest.
Then,
“Ugh, uhh?”
She startled herself and jumped back a few steps, looking at the finger she had used to poke me.
…Well, seeing her like this, the things I was agonizing over earlier somehow felt less important.