Jacqueline Made a Decision - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

Tail, who had awakened with a start upon learning of Jacqueline’s arrival, suddenly sat up among the soundly sleeping children.

“Nimo!”

She toddled out of the room, following Jacqueline’s voice. Jacqueline, who had been talking with Sheila, gasped when she saw Tail.

“Tail!”

“Nimo! Carry me!”

Jacqueline quickly picked her up. Tail, seemingly having waited only for this moment to have Jacqueline all to herself, nuzzled her face against Jacqueline’s for a long while.

Sheila, perceptive to the situation, pulled out a storybook that Tail loved.

While listening to Sheila’s story in Jacqueline’s arms, Tail began nodding off and soon fell asleep. Only after Jacqueline and Sheila returned Tail to the room where the other children were sleeping could they finally catch their breath.

“Jackie, she must be able to pick out just the sound of your footsteps.”

“No way.”

“I’m certain. It happened last time too. She was playing well with the other children in the playroom when she suddenly went outside. A little while later, you came walking up. That’s how focused she is on you alone.”

It had been two years since Jacqueline, carrying a note left by her deceased friend, came to stay at the orphanage with the child that friend had given birth to.

Both Jacqueline and Sheila had had more than enough time to understand what kind of people they were.

Though Sheila knew Jacqueline was a good person, she maintained boundaries with her for the sake of Tail and the other children.

‘And yet… our strategic alliance has turned into friendship.’

Sheila couldn’t have imagined two years ago that she and Jacqueline would become friends.

“Jackie, remember? When you said you wanted to stay at the orphanage, I opposed it until the very end.”

“Of course I remember. You were really scary then.”

“I still am.”

Hearing Sheila’s sincerity, Jacqueline looked hurt. Sheila didn’t want to hurt Jacqueline, but she had decided to be tough for their sake.

“Give Tail the opportunity to meet good adoptive parents.”

“So I really am in the way.”

“Even if you treat all the children fairly, you can’t help but give Tail a little more attention. Tail probably senses that too.”

“But she’s only two years old.”

“The children here learn instinct before reason. And at two years old, they develop possessiveness over what’s theirs and become aggressive. Tail is developing faster than the other children. She learns quickly and is bright.”

“I see. Come to think of it, Tail did start talking earlier than the other children.”

“Remember how she would cry hysterically or bully other children when you gave them attention? An orphanage can’t provide exclusive love to just one child. Tail’s behavior will definitely affect the other children.”

“What should I do?”

“Keep your distance for now. It would be good for you to live outside the orphanage.”

During her time at the orphanage, Jacqueline had treated all the children fairly.

When Tail was with the other children, she diverted attention through games like tag or cooperative activities, and when that wasn’t possible, she would find other work to do or remove herself from the situation entirely.

She had even started her volunteer work to reduce the time she spent with the children.

Jacqueline complained to Sheila with an aggrieved expression.

“But I didn’t give attention only to Tail…”

“They say when a caretaker gives a child a name, that child later becomes attached to that person. Since caretakers are human too, they naturally feel drawn to the children they’ve named. And children like people who like them. This is statistically proven, so don’t feel too bad.”

“Okay. I’ll think about it.”

Jacqueline had planned to take a break from her volunteer work, but after hearing Sheila’s words, she changed her mind.

While it was important for Tail to be adopted by good parents, she worried that growing more attached would make it harder to let go later.

After finishing her conversation with Sheila, Jacqueline went to her room.

“Well, let’s read it.”

The documents Mrs. Medwin had given her contained information about her next patient and a letter from Percy Friedman. Jacqueline examined the letter first.

The envelope was made of stiff parchment, the kind used for documents meant to be preserved for a long time.

She used a paper knife to remove the red Friedman family seal stamped in the middle of the envelope. Inside was a check along with a letter.

[To my volunteer, Miss Jacqueline Louis Carroll.

I’m finally going to hell where my comrades are. What a tenacious life I’ve led. The journey toward death was so prolonged that I really troubled people.

But you had quite a temper too. Still, I enjoyed my time with you. Thank you for willingly dealing with a man with a foul temperament and an even fouler mouth.

Jackie, thanks to you, my dying time wasn’t boring. You were a tamer who domesticated an angry beast and the best volunteer. I envy the next person to whom you’ll devote yourself.

Jacqueline Louis Carroll’s splendid friend,

Percy Friedman.]

It was a will typical of Percy Friedman. Jacqueline read the brief note several times. Knowing his personality, she could clearly imagine how much thought he had put into writing it.

Then she checked the amount on the check and thought she must have seen it wrong. Jacqueline counted the zeros and clutched her head.

Finally, she grabbed the check and ran out of the room.

* * *

When Heather tried to close the window he had opened for ventilation, Oscar sensed his movement and stopped him.

“Leave it open.”

“Then I’ll leave it open until sunset.”

“Do what you think is best.”

Oscar tilted the glass in his right hand to his mouth while reading confidential documents converted to braille with his left hand. Since losing his eyesight, he hadn’t kept his hands still for a moment.

If he wasn’t doing something productive, intrusive thoughts would enter his mind, and he would find himself engaging in self-destructive behavior.

To prevent such impulses, he kept himself busy, but everyone around him only told him to rest. The more they insisted, the more stubbornly Oscar focused on work.

“How are things going with Rohasch?”

“He says once the Kazis remnants are dealt with, he’ll immediately investigate former aide Terrence. Lawyer Rohasch mentioned there was corruption related to military supplies during the war…”

“He’s already discovered that much. So he’s not just some ordinary criminal lawyer? We should maintain good relations with him. He’s more useful than I thought.”

Despite the public opinion campaign launched by Alain de Lebutin, Michael Rohasch had carried out his assigned tasks flawlessly. Even Oscar, who had hired him, thought the process of obtaining the Wailing Mine as compensation for breaking the engagement was a masterful con.

‘Staking Alain de Lebutin’s political life… what audacity.’

Following Michael’s advice, Oscar had bought up all the yellow birds that detect gas. True to Michael’s words, miners refused to work in the mines without these birds.

As a result, production fell, supply became difficult, and coal prices skyrocketed.

When prices soared due to this effect, criticism of the government and Prime Minister Alain de Lebutin grew louder. Only then did Alain de Lebutin take a step back.

After all, he couldn’t risk his political career just to retain mining rights.

Though Alain de Lebutin had backed down for now, Oscar knew he was still trying to bring him down by any means necessary. So Oscar had to be petty too. In war, one couldn’t win with just principles.

“Have the documents from the Chamber of Commerce arrived yet? How is the paper development coming along?”

“They said they’d send it by express mail, so it should arrive soon. The paper development project is in the final testing phase.”

Despite his busy schedule, Oscar was developing a typewriter for the visually impaired and carbon paper that absorbed ink well. He also managed to complete other unreasonable schedules.

Though Heather wanted to stop his master’s behavior, he knew that if Oscar didn’t immerse himself in work, he would harm himself, so Heather could only watch and endure.

But when Oscar continued working while relying on alcohol, Heather finally intervened. His master needed absolute rest. For quite a long time.

“Master, wouldn’t it be better to rest a bit?”

“I’ll manage.”

Oscar tried to put down his glass to focus on the documents, but misjudging the distance, he dropped it. With a crash, glass fragments scattered messily.

Heather approached Oscar with a startled expression.

“You’ll get hurt. Please stay still.”

“Damn it!”

Without someone’s help, even the simple act of putting down an object was difficult. These minor inconveniences in daily life eroded Oscar’s pride and triggered suicidal impulses.

He knew he needed rest, but sitting still all day made him feel like a stuffed animal, which was unbearable.

Heather called a maid to clean up the glass fragments.

While the mansion’s atmosphere was chaotic, a visitor came looking for Oscar, arriving like salvation.

“What is your master doing?”

It was Mrs. Medwin. Heather welcomed her with an expression suggesting he was seeing a savior.

“Welcome, Mrs. Medwin.”

“Seeing how eagerly you’ve come to greet me, I suppose Lord von Oestenberg is in a foul mood.”

“I apologize.”

“You’ve been through a lot. Is that boy still working all the time?”

“He hasn’t slept for more than three hours at a time.”

“Who could break that stubbornness? Not even his parents could…”

Mrs. Medwin, who had been talking with Heather, gasped when she saw Oscar walking without a cane.