Linia Took in a Child - Chapter 4: The Pursuer (3)

It was only in the early hours of the morning that Ruin finally left the room.

Linia waited until the sound of his small footsteps faded completely before letting out a shaky breath. Her gasps soon turned into faint sobs. She hadn’t been able to sleep at all while he lay beside her. Fearing that he might be awake, she had pressed her hands over her mouth to stifle any noise, suppressing even her breathing.

Through the night, she clung to the belief that this couldn’t be real. For hours, she convinced herself it was a long, terrible nightmare. But in the end, she had no choice but to confront the awful truth.

Even though she hadn’t told him where she was staying, Ruin had known exactly which room she was in. Without a sound, he had unlocked the door and entered. He climbed onto the bed as if it were a routine he’d followed countless times.

Looking back now, Linia realized that Ruin and the man shared a subtle resemblance—the color of their hair, the shape of their faces. She regretted not suspecting it sooner.

The traces left on her body after those dreadful nights, the man’s uninvited visits—all of it had started after Ruin arrived at the mansion. The timing and circumstances were far too precise to be mere coincidence.

How could the child she had showered with unconditional love be the same person who had inflicted such unspeakable harm on her? It felt as though every shred of trust and affection she had was crumbling to dust.

Linia trembled uncontrollably. Like someone stricken with chills, she clutched the blanket tightly and watched as the night gave way to morning. It wasn’t until the darkness in her room had fully receded that her body and mind, both utterly spent, finally succumbed to sleep.

When Linia woke again, the day had shifted toward evening. Skipping her meals, she went directly to Sophie’s room. Her face was so pale and frail that Sophie, startled, hurriedly invited her inside.

Sophie sat nervously on the edge of her bed, unsure of what to expect. She had avoided Linia out of fear that she might be blamed, even though she had done nothing wrong. Like a guilty party, she had kept her distance, feeling as though she had to. For Linia to seek her out first left Sophie utterly flustered.

Unsure of what Linia might say, Sophie sat tense, bracing herself. Finally, Linia parted her dry, cracked lips to speak.

“About last time… I’m sorry for accusing you so rashly.”

Her apology was sincere, but her gaze remained fixed downward, unable to meet Sophie’s eyes.

“I should have been the one to trust you, no matter what…”

“No, no, my lady,” Sophie quickly interrupted, shaking her head. She reached out and gently clasped Linia’s hands, just as Linia had often done for her before.

“I’m the one who’s grateful—grateful you came to see me first,” Sophie said, her voice wavering with emotion. Her eyes glistened as she began to speak words she had long held back, afraid they would sound like excuses.

“About what happened before… I swear, I wasn’t lying. It was all because of him. He twisted everything against me.”

“I believe you,” Linia replied firmly.

Those three simple words released the flood of sorrow and resentment Sophie had kept bottled up. She didn’t need to plead for Linia’s trust—Linia already believed her.

“You don’t know how scared I was of being abandoned by you…” Sophie muttered, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. Her face was a mixture of tears and laughter as she looked up again. Seeing Linia’s pale and weary expression, Sophie frowned.

“You haven’t been eating properly, have you? You look so unwell… Are you sick again?”

“No, I’m not sick,” Linia replied softly. “It’s probably because I haven’t eaten since yesterday evening.”

“Wait, you haven’t had a single meal all day? That’s not acceptable. You need to eat something right now.”

“Then let’s eat together—with Bessie, too. It’s been such a long time since the three of us had a meal together, hasn’t it?”

Before Ruin arrived at the mansion, the three of them had often spent time together. Reflecting on this, Linia smiled faintly, tinged with regret. She had been so preoccupied with Ruin and his deceptions that she had neglected the people who truly cared about her. She was determined to set things right.

“And… would it be alright if I came to see you every day from now on? I want to talk with you more.”

“My lady, there’s no way I can let you come to me every day when you’re this unwell! I’ll come to you instead. It’s a bit uncomfortable running into him, but… I feel fine when I’m with you.”

“I’m staying in a separate room from him now,” Linia replied softly.

“Really?” Sophie’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes, so you can come by anytime.”

“Then I’ll come first thing in the morning and stay until nightfall. I’ve been neglecting you for too long, and it’s time I made up for that.”

Sophie spoke with cheerful determination, her smile radiant. Watching her, Linia felt the heaviness in her heart lighten, if only for a moment.

*

From that day onward, Sophie visited Linia’s room daily. Occasionally, Bessie would join them, but Linia spent most of her time alone with Sophie. Bessie, feeling guilty about staying in the mansion without contributing, often helped in the kitchen and found tasks to keep herself busy.

Though Linia told her there was no need, Sophie resumed her role as Linia’s personal maid, just as she had been before. She cleaned and organized the room, handled errands, and took care of anything Linia needed. The maid who had previously managed Linia’s room now only brought up meals.

“Let me take these dishes back to the kitchen.”

“Yeah, go ahead. Be careful,” Linia said softly, her face tinged with worry.

Her concern was a constant presence lately, even over trivial things like Sophie stepping out of the room for a moment. Though Sophie found it a bit excessive, she secretly appreciated it. Those small, caring words made her feel valued.

Balancing the tray lightly in her hands, Sophie stepped out into the hallway. She turned the corner with a smile, but her steps faltered when she saw a small figure approaching from the opposite end of the corridor.

“Hey.”

Sophie stopped in her tracks and called out to the child.

“Did you get permission to go to her room?”

She didn’t need to ask where he was heading; it was obvious he was trying to visit Linia again without permission.

“If you just barge in, she’s not going to be happy. Go back to your room and think about what you’ve done.”

Her words, though stern, were meant as advice. Linia clearly didn’t want to see Ruin anymore. Now that she knew the truth, she would never dote on him the way she used to. But instead of responding, the boy simply stared at Sophie in silence, his dark eyes unblinking and inscrutable.

“Suit yourself,” Sophie muttered, brushing past him. “Let her give you the cold shoulder if you don’t want to listen.”

Sophie assumed he would either brazenly enter Linia’s room or sulk back to his own, wounded by Linia’s change in demeanor. But when she returned from the kitchen after leaving the dishes, she found him still standing in the hallway.

Surprised, Sophie walked past him again without a word, wondering what he was doing.

When she entered Linia’s room, she went straight to her and lowered her voice.

“My lady, the boy’s outside your door right now. What should I do?”

“Just ignore him,” Linia replied, her tone shockingly cold compared to how she used to treat Ruin.

“I can tell him to leave again,” Sophie offered. “He probably won’t listen, but—”

“Sophie, don’t speak to him unless absolutely necessary. Even if he tries to come in, just ignore him. If he does enter, I’ll deal with it myself. Understood?”

“…Understood.”

Sophie nodded, though she couldn’t help but notice that Linia referred to Ruin only as “the boy” now. It wasn’t surprising that Linia had distanced herself, but Sophie hadn’t expected her to be so resolute about it. It was as if she was erasing any attachment she’d had to the name she’d lovingly given him.

Sophie didn’t find this heartless. On the contrary, considering all that had happened, she thought it was for the best. To lighten the mood, Sophie quickly changed the subject.

“Oh, while I was in the kitchen, one of the maids mentioned that tomorrow’s the day for clearing out the trash. If there’s anything you’d like to throw away, let me know, and I’ll take care of it.”

At this, Linia stood and began rummaging through her drawers to check if there was anything to discard. Inside were the items she had hastily packed when moving to this room—books, a hairbrush, and a few pieces of clothing.

As she examined the clothes, she spotted a neatly folded handkerchief tucked between them. It was the one she had embroidered but never managed to give away.

For a brief moment, the image of Ruin’s smiling, eager face flashed in her mind—how he’d excitedly ask when it would be finished, his innocent joy at the thought of receiving it.

Linia clenched the handkerchief tightly in her hand before walking to the wooden trash bin and tossing it in without hesitation.

“That’s the handkerchief you were working on, isn’t it?” Sophie’s voice, tinged with curiosity, came from behind her.

Linia turned, her expression calm as she nodded once.

“You finished it? Why throw it away, though?”

“There were too many mistakes,” Linia replied evenly. “I’ll make a new one. I wanted it to be perfect, but it didn’t turn out the way I hoped.”

“But it’s such a waste… You worked so hard on it, even before we came here.”

Sophie vividly remembered how Linia had spent hours with her embroidery hoop, focused on every stitch. Even though Linia spoke lightly, Sophie could tell she must have felt some sadness over it.

“Think of this as practice. I’m sure you’ll make an even better one next time.”

“Thank you for the kind words, Sophie.”

“Is that all you’d like to throw away?”

“Yes, be careful. Do you need help carrying it?” Linia asked with concern.

Sophie smiled and lifted the small wooden bin with ease to show how light it was. Assuring Linia that she would be fine on her own, Sophie stepped out of the room.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw the boy still standing quietly beside it. Pretending not to notice him, Sophie began walking down the hallway. Behind her, she could hear the faint sound of small footsteps as Ruin followed silently.

Sophie was aware of his presence but chose to ignore him, remembering Linia’s instructions. Instead, she quickened her pace. She walked out to the back of the mansion and toward a remote, dilapidated storage shed.

Opening the door, she was greeted by a musty smell. The dark shed was filled with discarded furniture and piles of old trash. Sophie navigated her way past the clutter and overturned the bin, shaking out its contents.

As she turned to leave, she froze. Ruin was standing in the doorway, watching her. His gaze flicked briefly to the now-empty bin in her hands before he began walking toward her. The closer he got, the more uneasy Sophie felt, and she instinctively stepped aside, worried he might do something like stab her hand again, as he had before.

But Ruin simply walked past her and deeper into the shed. Curious and slightly apprehensive, Sophie paused to watch him. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw him crouching down and digging through the piles of trash with his bare hands.

“…What are you doing?” she asked, horrified.

Ruin didn’t answer. Ignoring the grime smearing his arms and face, he kept searching through the rubbish with quiet determination. His behavior was so bizarre that Sophie gave up trying to understand it. Shaking her head, she quickly left the shed.

Even after Sophie left, Ruin remained in the shed. The foul odor didn’t seem to bother him as he methodically sifted through the trash. Finally, his hand found what he was looking for—a white handkerchief buried under a pile of garbage.

Clutching it tightly, Ruin stepped outside into the sunlight. He unfolded the handkerchief to inspect it. It was filthy, covered in dust and dirt to the point that its original color was almost unrecognizable. But in the corner, the name “Ruin,” embroidered in gray thread, was still clearly visible.

A smile spread across his face—an expression of pure, childlike delight as if receiving a treasured gift.

*

The next day, and the day after that, Ruin continued to appear outside Linia’s door. He didn’t knock or make any noise; he simply stood there for hours, unmoving. At first, Sophie assumed he would give up quickly, but his persistence astounded her.

“Doesn’t he eat? It’s so uncomfortable having him just stand there… Why does he keep doing that?” Sophie muttered in frustration.

Linia didn’t respond. She only clenched her hands tightly, her expression tense.

Sophie thought Linia’s anger stemmed from the boy’s lies. Linia didn’t correct her assumption. She didn’t want Sophie to feel uneasy or endangered. It was enough for Linia to bear this growing anxiety on her own.

Ruin seemed to be testing her, gauging whether she had truly discovered his identity—or perhaps silently threatening her. Maybe it was both.

Russell had said it would take at least a week for the people sent by the royal family to arrive. Linia told herself she just needed to endure a few more days, and then she would never have to face that boy again. Peace would return to her life.

But even that thought couldn’t lift her spirits. She hadn’t been able to sleep for the past four nights, terrified that the man would visit her again. Linia gripped her fists tighter to keep herself awake, her exhaustion reaching its limit.

“My lady, are you sure you slept last night? Your eyes are barely staying open,” Sophie said, her concern evident.

Linia nodded reluctantly at Sophie’s suggestion to rest. “Alright. I’ll sleep for a little while.”

“No, you should get a proper rest. Shall I close the curtains for you?”

“No, it’s fine,” Linia replied.

She found comfort in the sunlight filling the room. At least in the brightness of day, she believed the man wouldn’t appear before her. Though she couldn’t ignore the possibility that he might come in the form of the boy.

Her eyelids grew heavy, her exhaustion finally catching up with her. After Sophie left, Linia tried to close her eyes and sleep, but the thought of Ruin standing outside the door kept gnawing at her.

She forced herself to drift into sleep, but almost immediately, she dreamed.

In her dream, she was still in her room. She rose from the bed and began walking. She opened the door and stepped into the hallway, where she saw the boy lying motionless on the floor.

Linia woke with a start, her breath catching in her throat.

“…”

For a moment, Linia couldn’t tell if the vivid scene was a dream or reality. Wiping the faint sheen of sweat from her forehead, she sat up. The room was gradually filling with the reddish hues of the setting sun, signaling the day’s end.

She had slept for over three hours. Was the boy still standing outside the door all this time? The thought nagged at her, making it impossible to ignore.

Finally, Linia did as she had in her dream—she opened the door. Unlike the dream, the boy wasn’t lying on the floor. Instead, he stood there, staring down at the hallway floor with a blank expression. At the sound of the door opening, he immediately lifted his head.

“Linia.”

A bright smile spread across his face as he turned to her, his expression radiating happiness. Without hesitation, he walked toward her, his face brimming with joy, as if the mere sight of her had made his day.

“I’ve been waiting here the whole time until you came to see me first,” he said cheerfully.

He explained that he had stayed quiet so as not to disturb her rest, his tone almost as if he were expecting praise for his thoughtfulness.

Linia struggled to act normal, but the tension constricted her chest, making it hard to breathe. She clenched her trembling hands into fists, hiding her unease, and forced herself to speak calmly.

“You don’t need to come here every day like this.”

“……”

The boy didn’t reply. He merely looked up at her, his large, round eyes wide and questioning, before his gaze shifted downward. His expression grew somber.

“Are you still feeling unwell? You look like you’re in pain,” he said softly.

“…I still need more time to recover,” Linia replied, her voice restrained. “So please, don’t come by like this anymore.”

“Is it because I’m disturbing your rest?” he muttered under his breath, his tone barely audible.

Linia froze, unsure of how to respond.

“I only kept coming because I was worried about you,” he continued, his head hanging low, his eyes fixed on the floor. He looked so forlorn, like a child who had been abandoned.

Linia knew this was all part of his act, a manipulation to deceive her. Yet, despite knowing that, her heart wavered for a moment.

“I know…” she said gently. “I just wanted you to be comfortable in your room, that’s all.”

“Is that so?”

The boy’s face lit up again, his expression instantly shifting to one of delight.

“Then I’ll do as you say and stay in my room. But… will you meet with me for just five minutes a day?”

“……”

“Five minutes isn’t too much, is it? Please?” he asked, his voice hopeful.

Linia hesitated, torn between two options. Letting him wait outside her door all day or agreeing to meet with him briefly each day—neither option felt ideal. Still, she realized which choice would cause her the least trouble.

It didn’t take her long to decide. When Linia gave a small nod, Ruin’s face lit up with a radiant smile. His cheeks puffed slightly as his grin grew wide, the same charming smile she had once told him was beautiful.

But this time, she knew that smile was deliberately crafted for her benefit.