The Night of the Monsters - Chapter 16

It wasn’t a real fight, just harmless bickering. Giselle smiled faintly and looked out at the now brightly lit world outside.

“The sun’s already up,” she remarked softly.

“It is,” Ian agreed.

“I didn’t get a chance to explore yesterday, so I think I’ll take a short walk in the garden.”

Her demeanor was strikingly different from her usual anxious and hesitant self. Both brothers froze as they realized what was happening—Giselle was already returning to her old self. All it had taken was skipping her medicine for less than half a day, from last night to this morning.

Hugo abruptly stood and grabbed her hand. “I’ll go with you.”

“Me too,” Ian added quickly.

“It’s been a while since all three of us went on a walk together. Oh, but… do you think it’s okay to go out dressed like this?” Giselle asked, looking down at herself uncertainly.

“It’s better than what you wore in the forest,” Ian said with a sly smile as he glanced at her from head to toe.

The robes Giselle used to wear in the forest were thinner and clung to her figure more obviously. Although there were no homes nearby, there was a village at the foot of the hill, so the brothers had deliberately replaced her wardrobe with more modest clothing to avoid any potential awkward situations.

Giselle tilted her head, not quite understanding Ian’s comment. Before she could think too hard about it, both brothers took her hands and gently led her outside.

The moment they stepped into the open air, Giselle was overwhelmed by the sheer brightness of the world. It was a stark contrast to the forest’s dim and shadowy environment.

The garden wasn’t well-kept. It was overgrown with weeds, and wildflowers of all kinds had sprung up in chaotic clusters, resembling a colony of untamed blossoms. Yet, the lush greenery and vibrant colors that filled the space made it the most beautiful scene Giselle had ever seen.

In the sunlight, her face—so pale and lifeless in the shadows of the forest—now gleamed like a smooth pearl. Seeing her smile so brightly and genuinely as she marveled at the scenery left the brothers wearing peculiar, conflicted expressions.

As Giselle naturally let go of their hands and wandered off on her own, Hugo quietly muttered as he watched her retreating figure.

“I don’t like it.”

His furrowed brow and irritated tone made it clear he was genuinely annoyed. Ian, already predicting what his brother was thinking and about to say, asked dryly, “What don’t you like this time?”

“Everything. It’s all annoying. Maybe I should just ‘accidentally’ set it on fire.”

“…Please, don’t, Hugo.”

Mistakes they’d made as children could be fixed, but not now. Ian let out a long sigh, wondering when his brother would ever grow up. To think Hugo would even feel jealous of something intangible—it was beyond ridiculous.

Unaware of Hugo’s thoughts, Giselle was lost in pondering how to decorate the garden.

She didn’t know much about flowers, but she did know that some herbs only grew under specific conditions: some required excessive watering, others almost none, and some thrived only in deep shade. Flowers and herbs were all plants at the end of the day, so she was confident she could care for them properly.

The flowers in the Black Forest had always been grotesque in appearance, and some were downright dangerous, releasing poisonous fumes that could melt flesh or even devour anything that ventured too close. The mere thought of lovingly tending to delicate, vibrant, and completely safe flowers made Giselle’s heart flutter with excitement.

Tall walls surrounded the mansion, higher than Hugo and Ian’s heights combined. Even the gate was reinforced with iron bars, making it impossible for Giselle to leave on her own. Though she had no plans to go anywhere, the feeling of being confined was undeniable.

However, any time an uneasy thought crept into her mind, she dismissed it as a misunderstanding, convincing herself that these measures were for her safety.

Giselle spent the morning completely absorbed in exploring the garden. As the sun climbed higher, Hugo, who had been following her quietly, leaned over to grumble to Ian, “I don’t get how she finds walking in circles so entertaining.”

Despite his complaints, Hugo never voiced them to Giselle. He knew how much she longed for a world outside the forest, and that was enough for him to silently trail after her.

Ian, meanwhile, was starting to think about preparing lunch. He gestured to Hugo to follow him back inside.

Seeing Giselle so cheerful after so long was undeniably a relief. But what the brothers truly desired wasn’t just her bright smiles—it was for her to stay with them forever. They didn’t want a bird that could spread its wings and fly away; they preferred a bird that stayed in the safety of their cage, even if it couldn’t fly.

As Ian turned to head back to the mansion, intending to give Giselle a larger dose of medicine to make up for skipping it the night before and that morning, her bright, bird-like voice stopped him.

“Ian, are you going to prepare lunch now?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. I’ll call you when it’s ready. Why don’t you continue your walk with my brother for now…”

“Actually, I’d like to make it this time.”

“…”

Behind Giselle, Hugo was furiously shaking his head. This wasn’t just about giving her the medicine anymore—it was about survival. Ian froze momentarily but quickly composed himself. With a gentle but firm tone, he said, “No, it’s fine. I’ll take care of it. You’ve already been up early and cooked breakfast. Since it’s been a while since you’ve been outside, why not enjoy your walk a bit longer?”

“No, I really want to make it. I’m in such a good mood today, I want to do all the things I couldn’t before. What should we have for lunch? Something hearty, right?”

“…”

Her radiant smile, so genuine it even made her cheeks flush, left Ian unable to bring himself to refuse outright. Hugo felt the same, unable to voice any objections. Ian, his lips twitching as he struggled to maintain composure, finally replied, “…How about sandwiches?”

“Sandwiches?”

“Yes. Breakfast was quite filling, so something light would be perfect for lunch.”

“Alright, then. I’ll—”

“Actually, let’s make them together,” Ian cut in quickly. “It’s been a while, so why not all three of us cook together?”

“Even Hugo?”

“Yes. You’ll help too, right?”

“…Yeah.”

Ian figured that with sandwiches, he could let Giselle handle assembling the ingredients and shaping them, while he worked on preparing the fillings. Calling Hugo in—despite his lack of interest in cooking—was part of Ian’s plan to distract Giselle and sneak the medicine into her portion.

Giselle, smiling as she reminisced about the past, nodded at their agreement.

However, in the end, there was no opportunity to add the medicine. Perhaps due to the long hours she’d spent sleeping and doing nothing for so long, Giselle threw herself into the task. She insisted on making not only the sandwich fillings but also a dessert and tea to accompany the meal.

After lunch, she wanted to take another walk, and by the time evening rolled around, she was already preparing dinner. Ian and Hugo were unable to stop her, and the day faded away in much the same way.

These peaceful days stretched on for several more, becoming a routine.

“Was it really the forest that was the problem…?”

Lying in bed, Giselle stared at the dark ceiling, lost in thought. Thankfully, her health hadn’t worsened, and the desire that had once tormented her seemed to have vanished entirely.

On the other hand, Ian and Hugo seemed to grow more gaunt by the day. Finally, that evening, Giselle was able to broach the subject she’d been mulling over for so long. Predictably, the conversation did not go smoothly.

“Are you bringing that up again, Master?”

“Hugo, Ian, you know I treasure and love you both more than myself.”

“We feel the same about you, Giselle.”

“I know. But one day, you may meet someone you treasure even more than me. You’re both still young. When that time comes, I don’t want my presence to hold you back.”

“…Someone more important?”

“Yes, Hugo. Look at me—I never imagined I’d meet you and Ian when I was cast out and retreated to the forest. And…”

“…?”

“I’ve lived for a very long time, and I’ll live even longer going forward. If we stay together for the rest of your lives, I’ll have to endure the heartbreak of losing you both. Twice. That’s too much sorrow for me to bear.”

Her soft-spoken confession hung in the air. The brothers said nothing, but their faces betrayed a deep sense of hurt, mingled with guilt. If she’d shared her true feelings from the start, perhaps she wouldn’t have made them feel this way twice over.

Giselle regretted acting on her own before, but it was too late to undo her decisions now.

She remembered Ian’s parting words vividly:

“What will you do without us, Giselle?”

“…I’ll be fine on my own. Even if I return to the forest, I’ll manage,” she’d replied with a forced smile, swallowing the words she truly wanted to say—that she hoped they’d visit her sometimes. Both brothers had turned away, retreating to their rooms.

At first, she’d intended to persuade them slowly, over time. But once she’d begun to speak, it felt as though something had pushed her to spill all her thoughts at once. It was an odd sensation.

“Now that I think about it, something felt strange when I was in the herb room too…”

She blinked slowly, letting out a quiet sigh as she pulled the blanket over herself. What mattered now was what choice Hugo and Ian would make. She couldn’t afford to dwell on anything else.

The truth was, she was torn between two desires: to leave for the sake of their futures or to stay, even if it meant risking heartbreak later. No matter how much it hurt, the conversation was inevitable—whether now or later. That was why she had brought it up again.

She had already told them multiple times that it would be better if they left her. Yet, they had always chosen to stay by her side. Their steadfastness had made Giselle want to be honest with herself for once.

If, even now, Hugo and Ian told her they wanted to stay, she resolved never to ask them to leave again. And if they chose the opposite, she wouldn’t mind. She genuinely wanted their happiness, above all else.

‘…Such a simple problem.’

Why had her thoughts been so extreme while she was in the forest? Even she couldn’t understand it. Still, having finally let go of the lingering doubts in her heart, she felt both anxious and relieved as she awaited their answers.

After leaving the forest, Giselle had spent the past few days in genuine joy. She had always thought she longed to live among people, but the truth was subtly different. What she truly wanted was to live with the people she loved.

“I hope they’ll say they want to stay with me.”

If they did, she would finally be able to speak honestly herself—that she would never let them go again.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly closed her eyes.

And that was when it happened.

Suddenly, something gushed from her lower body, accompanied by a sharp pain in her abdomen.

“…!”

The pain was so intense she forgot to breathe for a moment. Instinctively clutching her stomach, Giselle shakily lifted the blanket, and the stench of blood hit her nose. She felt the wetness below her.

“Blood…?”

The room was too dark to see clearly, but there was no doubt about it. Blood was pouring from somewhere unknown. Why? Suddenly? What was happening?

The stabbing pain in her abdomen came in waves, each one more excruciating than the last. Fear of this unfamiliar phenomenon clouded her vision. Curled into herself, she desperately called out, her voice trembling:

“Hugo… Ian…”

If this were the forest, her voice would have immediately reached Hugo and Ian. But here, that faint cry didn’t make it to either of them.

* * *

“I’ll be fine on my own. Even if I return to the forest, I’ll manage,” Giselle whispered, her face looking as if she might cry at any moment.

At that moment, Ian couldn’t hold back any longer.

His expression hardened as he left the herb room. In his hands were bottles containing aphrodisiacs, stimulants, and sedatives—everything they’d been secretly giving Giselle until now.

In the kitchen, Hugo was snapping utensils in half. His large hands, clumsy in their anger, had already broken a dozen knives in two. Without even glancing at Ian as he entered, Hugo spoke, his voice low.

“We’re going to make her take it.”

“I know. I wanted to end this peacefully, but I can’t hold back anymore.”

Ian let out a sharp, bitter laugh and started walking. Hugo, after throwing everything in his hands to the floor with a dry expression, followed behind him.

It was already the dead of night, and the mansion’s hallways were dimly lit by only a few flickering candles. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to reflect the darkness in their hearts.

The past few days, with Giselle behaving like her old self, had been blissful.

Her food still wasn’t delicious, no matter how much effort she put into it. But she had studied recipes, diligently turning to cookbooks for help. She didn’t seem to mind when she got a little wet, but if either of the brothers so much as had damp hair, she would rush to dry it for them. She clapped her hands in delight when they spoke, calling them clever, and even patted their heads like she used to when they were children.