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LOS 34
I could only stare blankly into his dark eyes. Of course, I didn't think he would have boarded without knowing anything, but still...
“You boarded, knowing you would die? Because of me?”
“I had no choice. I thought they might hurt you.”
“No. This train was never for me in the first place. Everything was a plot to get you on board. Everything was prepared to lure you there. All of it...”
“Yes. You were the bait.”
The moment I heard those words, I felt an uncontrollable surge of emotion rise up to my throat. That's right. I am the bait. The Beldam side already knew everything.
They knew that Giles was obsessed with me, and they knew that if I boarded a train of unknown origin, he would follow.
In the end, if it weren't for me, he would never have stepped foot on this train.
Never...
I felt resentful of the emotions weighing me down. Until just the other day, I had clearly hated him. I had prayed for him to die, and I was confident that I could smile in front of his corpse. But I couldn't anymore. Because I, too, had learned the truth.
I should have never spoken with him.
Tears streamed down my cheeks. I felt wronged, angry, and miserable. In the end, I had been dragged into something I never wanted and used as a tool to lure him.
And I had to bear the full weight of that responsibility.
Only then did Giles react as I began to cry. He set down his coffee cup and wiped away my tears. I could see his eyes wavering, ripples of agitation crossing them, from a very close distance.
“Anna, don’t cry.”
“Shut up. I should have never met you. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have had to go through this. I wouldn't have had to take the blame like this. You are the cause of all my misfortune. All of it...”
“It’s alright, Anna.”
He pulled me into an embrace. I tried to stop the tears, but I simply couldn't. Giles patted my back and whispered softly in my ear.
“You did nothing wrong. So don’t worry.”
“You’re the one who’s about to die... worry about yourself. We don’t have time for this, Giles. The train will arrive soon...”
“We’re still in Ipswin territory for now. For now.”
“What does that matter! I dragged you into hell. I don’t even know why I’ve become like this. I... I clearly hated you...”
“It’s okay. Everything will be okay.”
I wiped my tears with my sleeve. I didn't want to be a fool, sobbing in front of him. I am not the kind of person who can stand showing such a side of myself. So, I forced the tears back. I took a deep breath. My heart felt like it was going to burst, but I ignored it. Then, I felt a bit better.
Giles took out a handkerchief and wiped my face. He looked at me as if he were gazing at something precious.
I spoke to him in a voice that barely came out.
“Run away, Giles.”
“Alright. Before I do, could you grant me one wish?”
Before I could even ask, he told me his wish.
“I want to hear you play the piano one more time.”
The piano. There had always been a piano between us. It was that way from the beginning, and perhaps it would be... until the end.
A single piano sat in the dining hall. I wondered how such a massive object had been crammed into the train, but what was more surprising was how naturally it blended into the scenery, as if it had been there from the start.
It wasn't yet time for the passengers to come for their meal. The dining hall, or rather the performance hall, was empty. There was only me and Giles.
I opened the piano lid. The polished keys revealed themselves before me. They were one of the few things I truly cherished. I looked down at the keys and then shook my head.
“I really don’t think this is the time.”
“I’m asking you, Anna.”
I looked up at him. I couldn't bring myself to refuse a request made with a face like that. So, I placed both hands on the keys. And I played the nocturne I had played for him when we first met.
The music overflowed within the narrow confines of the train. Perhaps because it was inside a train, the sound of the piano seemed louder than usual. Because of that, I was able to immerse myself even further in the nocturne.
The lyrical nocturne sounded like the song of someone waiting, knowing exactly how bleak the coming fate would be. Thus, it possessed a tone that was composed rather than depressing. As I played, I calmed my own heart.
I wondered if this was why Giles wanted to hear me play.
The melody flowed down the piano keys like raindrops falling from the eaves. In this moment, neither the chatter of the passengers nor the sound of the massive wheels grinding along the rails could disrupt the music.
I closed my eyes. I imagined the time we first met. How terrified and shrunken I had been while pressing the keys back then. I must have been in a state of instability incomparable to now. My playing must have changed quite a bit since then.
Back then, I was waiting for death, and now, conversely, Giles was standing on the edge of a cliff. And I was fulfilling his final request. Through music.
I lifted my head. My playing faltered for a moment. Giles, who had been standing by my side listening to my music, was gone. Perhaps he had left to seek a way to save himself. He would be able to escape. He was a capable soldier. He was also a survivor.
Instead, I saw a completely different man open the door and stride toward me. It was Albert. He approached with an angry expression and suddenly grabbed my wrist.
I looked him straight in the eye. Albert had never shown such a terrifying face before me. But I wasn't afraid of him at all.
“You, did you tell Giles Hessen?”
“It hurts, Albert.”
“You little rat, you couldn't even wait that long and tried to ruin everything?”
Unable to contain his rage, he raised his hand. A fire ignited in my right cheek. I figured the struck area would be swollen and red.
Albert grabbed my wrist and violently hauled me up. Then, he dragged me somewhere with fast strides.
“Follow me. You have to pay the price for acting on your own.”
The place he dragged me to was the engine room. At least, that seemed to be what people called such a place. It was sweltering because of the massive, glowing red engine. The only light illuminating the area was the engine, burning without cease.
With my hands bound, I sat on the floor and looked up at Albert. He stood towering over me.
I knew one day this bastard would do something like this to me. The kindness he had shown me was a lie. And now that I had blatantly betrayed his kindness, he was paying me back.
“Anna.”
Albert called my name. It was a voice completely different from his usual one. This was probably his real voice. I scoffed inwardly.
“What were you thinking?”
“...”
“You can’t try to screw me over right under my nose, can you? You shouldn't have assumed I wouldn't know what was happening on this train.”
“Why? Were you eavesdropping?”
A kick flew into my abdomen. A scream escaped my lips. But no one would have heard it.
Albert knelt on one knee in front of me and grabbed me by the hair. Then, he slowly scanned my face, which was a mess of sweat.
“Well, I suppose you pulled such a cute stunt because you didn't know who I am.”
He flashed his old smile. But despite his effort, his smile was absolutely not the same as before. The red light illuminated Albert's face. I tried to pull away from him, but the more I did, the tighter Albert gripped my hair, refusing to let go.
“Anna, what's wrong? Hmm? We're both Beldam people. You've probably never stepped foot on Beldam soil, but basically, we're people who share the same soul. You clearly hated him. You wanted Giles Hessen to die. As much as I did! So why did you try to betray me?”
He still seemed unable to contain his anger. The fact that he had been betrayed by someone like me must have bruised his petty pride. Instead, Albert wore a smile twisted with rage.
“I guess his skills in bed were just that killer, huh?”
“Disgusting bastard.”
“Stop introducing yourself. Come on, tell me. How did Hessen satisfy you in bed? What was the decisive reason that made you betray me?”
I didn't speak. His mockery had no effect on me. I simply felt he wasn't worth talking to. Albert did not tolerate my resistance. He slapped me across the face.
“Speak!”
The inside of my mouth burst. I felt my vision grow dizzy. It was too hot here, and it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to breathe.
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