A Butterfly Through the Mist - Chapter 38

What Ilex took out from the inside pocket of his jacket was a small brown bottle.

He casually uncorked it and drank it all at once. Then he tossed the empty bottle behind him and pulled another bottle from his jacket, handing it to Tilia.

“Drink this. It’s an antidote.”

“……”

“I tried to block it as much as I could, but just in case.”

Seeing that she wasn’t drinking it, Ilex tilted the hand holding the bottle as if to say, ‘What are you waiting for?’

“…Oh. Thanks.”

Tilia, trying to hide her embarrassment, took what he offered. She felt her ears, hidden beneath her hair, grow warm.

She had imagined something ridiculous.

Feeling ashamed of her baseless thoughts, Tilia didn’t even mention that she had already taken an antidote. Instead, she followed his lead and drank the antidote.

“……”

Silence fell once more.

The streets of the old town, cloaked in darkness, were filled with people getting drunk and those who were already wasted.

Watching the hedonistic street in silence, Tilia turned her head to look at Ilex.

He was already uncorking a fourth bottle of antidote. He tilted his head back and drank every last drop before tossing the bottle behind him.

Crash.

The new bottle collided with the pile of empty bottles already behind him, shattering on impact. But it seemed even that wasn’t enough. Before long, Ilex was fumbling through his jacket pockets again.

“……”

It appeared he had only brought six bottles. After searching his now-empty jacket several times, he frowned and muttered a small curse.

“……”

Without a word, Tilia lowered her gaze to the crumpled handkerchief in her hand, then glanced at his condition.

Ilex looked uneasy, as if he were being chased. A faint sheen of sweat appeared along the edge of his neat forehead, and despite trying to pretend otherwise, his eyes were visibly clouding.

His hands, repeatedly clenching and unclenching, seemed eager to grab something. His fingers kept fidgeting with his shirt buttons, and his breathing was gradually growing more ragged.

It was a state Tilia knew all too well.

‘The antidote isn’t working.’

Tilia recalled the smoke that had seemed almost alive.

Just how potent had it been for the effects of the holy water to remain despite drinking so much antidote?

Watching Ilex struggle with what appeared to be the same unbearable thirst she had once experienced, Tilia felt a pang of anxiety.

‘…Anxiety?’

Realizing that she wasn’t feeling disgust but concern, Tilia blinked in confusion.

Why should she care? Was she planning to help him or something?

While Tilia was lost in her conflicted thoughts, staring at the ground, the sound of hooves echoed from a distance.

When she looked up, she saw a large carriage rushing toward them. It was a black carriage with the Davenport family crest emblazoned on it.

The carriage, adorned with bright lamps, came to a halt right in front of the bench they were sitting on. Only then did Ilex seem to relax a little, his voice steady as he spoke.

“Get in.”

But as he opened the large door for her, his hand trembled slightly.

‘…It would be best if we leave quickly.’

For the first time, Tilia made a decision not for herself but for Ilex, and she climbed into the carriage.

However, contrary to her expectation that Ilex would join her, he did not.

“To the Ambrose estate.”

He spoke briefly to the coachman and then moved to close the door.

“Wait, what about you?”

Startled, Tilia blocked the door with her hands, her voice urgent.

“Aren’t you coming with me?”

“I’ll take the next carriage.”

“When will that be?”

Looking away from her, Ilex shrugged. “Who knows? Probably after this one leaves.”

“……”

So it could take however long it takes.

Sensing her hesitation, he spoke calmly, as if reading her thoughts, “It won’t take too long. I made arrangements in advance. It should be here within twenty minutes at the latest.”

Twenty minutes. Under normal circumstances, it might not have been much, but to someone intoxicated by holy water, those twenty minutes could feel longer than twenty hours.

If he could even stay conscious, that was. Given the potency of the holy water, there was a high chance he might lose his mind completely.

Tilia’s gaze shifted beyond Ilex to the street.

She saw an old man seemingly haggling with a young boy. The boy grabbed the man, folding one finger down as if lowering the price after the man turned away in refusal.

“……”

The city, steeped in debauchery, had rivers of depravity flowing through every corner. She couldn’t even imagine what might happen if he passed out here.

Tilia, her mind made up, looked at him firmly.

“Just get in.”

Ilex turned to her, his eyes widening at the unexpected words. Tilia continued, her gaze steady.

“If you’re going to collapse, at least do it inside the carriage.”

It was a statement that took considerable courage for her to make. After all, he had saved her. And, anyone could see that his current state was a result of saving her.

“You’re in danger right now.”

Ensuring he got home safely was the least she could do.

At her resolute words, Ilex simply stared at her.

They shared a wordless gaze, and something about the way he looked at her made Tilia feel as though she had said something seductive.

“…What are you staring at?”

Her embarrassment made her tone sharp.

“Just get in.”

At her blunt words, Ilex finally let out a soft laugh, lifting the corners of his lips.

“Someone who knows I’m dangerous…”

He leaned slightly into the carriage, his eyes still unfocused, and spoke, “…is asking me to ride with her?”

“I’m asking because I know you’re dangerous.”

Tilia glared at him as if scolding a child trying to act tough and subtly pointed her chin toward the street behind him.

“Look. You know how filthy it is out there.”

She didn’t want him ending up like Brad Reynolds. At least, not as a result of helping her.

“Just because you’re a man doesn’t mean you’re safe. There were plenty of perverts in the club we just left.”

He followed her gaze toward the men she had pointed at, then turned back to her.

“Don’t worry.”

He smiled smoothly at her displeased face.

“I’m confident I’ll be on top.”

…What?

Tilia’s expression twisted instantly.

Even in this situation, really…?

She was about to snap at him but hesitated, a thought crossing her mind.

Unable to suppress her curiosity, she opened her mouth.

“Um.”

Seeing her hesitate, Ilex cocked his head as if urging her to continue.

“Have you…”

Despite her hesitation, Tilia felt it was a question she had to ask.

“Have you ever been with a man?”

She knew it was rude, but she had to know. If he was that promiscuous, she needed to get herself checked out too.

“Were you… on top then too?”

He froze for a moment, as if needing time to process her question, then burst into laughter.

Leaning against the carriage door frame with one hand and gripping the door handle with the other, he laughed as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

Why aren’t you answering? This is a really important question for me.

Ignoring her serious expression, Ilex eventually exhaled deeply and responded, “I’m confident, but I only sleep with women.”

“……”

“Unfortunately, I haven’t had that experience.”

He let out another small laugh, his eyebrows knitting slightly as he straightened himself.

“Now, just go.”

His face hardened again as he looked at her neck.

“That’s how you can help me.”

His firm tone left Tilia without any words to argue. She pursed her lips tightly.

After a moment, Ilex checked to see if she had accepted his decision, then stepped back.

Clack. The carriage door closed firmly.

“Go.”

He knocked on the door, and the sound of reins being pulled could be heard. And soon, the black carriage left the old town.

***

Now, it’s done.

Ilex pressed his hand against his burning eyelids as he breathed in the dust kicked up by the carriage.

He had safely sent Tilia away. She would be safe now.

Safe from Gregory, and from himself.

Just as the rational part of Ilex’s mind, which he had held onto by biting his lip, began to unravel, he heard the sound of a carriage rapidly approaching.

Raising his head, he caught the familiar scent of dust, which he thought had settled.

Screech. The wheels came to a sudden halt, and a bright light stabbed at his eyes.

And in the midst of that light, he saw the door he had firmly closed suddenly burst open.

“Get in.”

The one who opened the door was the woman he had just sent away.

With her usual composed expression, Tilia spoke in a slightly annoyed voice, “Stop being difficult and just get in. It’s not for you—it’s for me.”