Side Story: The Green Fairy (4)

“What’s that?”

Yvonne asked Liam as she noticed the bouquet and box in his hands. Liam handed her the bouquet, saying, “It reminded me of you.” After hesitating briefly, he opened the box to reveal its contents.

“An organ?”

“It looked beautiful, so I bought it. Do you like it?”

“…It’s lovely. Thank you for the flowers too.”

Yvonne showed a momentary interest but quickly withdrew her gaze. She placed the bouquet on a nearby table and went into the room to check on Claude.

Left alone, Liam placed the organ next to the bouquet on the table.

‘I thought she’d react more enthusiastically.’

In truth, their relationship was always like this. Yvonne would briefly smile at Liam or show a hint of joy, only to suppress those emotions quickly, as if reminding herself that she shouldn’t feel that way.

Though they were together, it felt as though they weren’t truly connected. There was a thin veil between them—something that could be lifted at any moment but never completely removed. And the reason was clear. It was all because of what Liam had done.

This was something Liam had resolved to bear. He had begged Yvonne to stay, even knowing she wouldn’t forgive him. He understood that it was a miracle and a blessing just to talk and live as husband and wife.

Yet human desire was insidious. What had once been heart-wrenching was now unsatisfactory, and he wanted more.

He wished Yvonne could smile freely and for a long time. He wanted to hear her say she loved him. Though he knew it was an unreasonable, excessive desire, he couldn’t stop himself from wanting it.

If only he could go back two years. If only…

Liam slowly wound the organ’s spring.

Creak, creak. He wound it until the spring could no longer turn, then released it. The melody he had heard in the shop began to play.

Tock, tock, tock.

The sculpture of the young girl with angel wings rotated as the clear and vibrant melody filled the air. It was a beautiful tune, but that was all.

No matter how many times Liam wound the spring, nothing happened. Not even the illusion Eris had mentioned.

“Ha…”

After winding the spring about five times and letting the melody fade, Liam stopped turning the organ. What he had seen earlier had surely not been an illusion. The organ was proof of that. Yet even the illusion Eris had promised seemed to be denied him. Setting the organ back on the table, Liam entered the bedroom.

***

His head spun, and his vision blurred. As Liam raised his head, he noticed his friend slumped over the dining table, fast asleep.

Looking straight ahead, he saw another man, his face flushed red, on the verge of losing consciousness.

The man was someone Liam knew. He could never forget him. That man—the one who had once tried to abduct Yvonne.

The moment Liam recognized this fact, he stood abruptly, intending to grab Philip by the collar.

But his body swayed immediately. He barely avoided falling thanks to the chair’s armrest, which he managed to grab.

‘What is this…?’

Finally, he noticed the long dining table piled high with bottles of alcohol and various glasses. Rum, absinthe, wine—not the finest types, but an assortment of liquor bottles filled the space.

It was likely the reason Gabriel and Philip were so out of it.

Drinking with Gabriel alone was one thing, but adding Philip to the mix?

‘This must be a ridiculous dream.’

It wasn’t something he would consider, let alone imagine. There was no way he would willingly drink with the man who had tried to abduct Yvonne.

“Monsieur Conrad? Are you alright?”

As Liam tried to grasp the situation, a servant approached him politely and asked. However, the servant’s words irritated Liam.

“What did you just say?”

“Pardon?”

“What did you call me just now?”

“Did I make a mistake?”

The servant nervously watched Liam’s expression.

“No, it’s not that. Just say it again. What did you call me?”

“Monsieur Conrad…?”

Conrad? How long had it been since I’d left that name behind?

“Ha…”

It’s a dream, after all.

How unpleasant. Of all the dreams I could have, why this one—drinking with such a man?

Should I beat him up? It’s just a dream anyway.

Wait. Is it really a dream?

It was at that moment that Eris’s words suddenly came to mind.

“But it does show you the time you wish to return to. It’s all an illusion, but isn’t it better to have a sweet dream than none at all?”

“We often think about it, don’t we? What would have happened if we’d acted differently or made different choices back then?”

“This organ will show you that.”

If that were the case…

If this was the dream the organ was showing, as the woman had said, and if he had truly returned to the time he so desperately wanted to revisit…

“Is this… Is this Rivette Estate?”

“Huh? Yes, it is.”

After confirming with the servant, Liam immediately left the banquet hall. The startled servant chased after him, asking, “Monsieur? Where are you going?” but stopped when Liam told him not to follow.

‘Where was it? Where did I meet her?’

Liam retraced his memories, albeit clumsily. He was certain it had been outside the mansion. In his recollection, Yvonne had been outside when they met, and Yvonne had said she ran into him while trying to escape Philip’s unwanted attention.

‘But where outside?’

Liam stopped in his tracks as he wandered aimlessly. Even though this was a countryside estate, it was still a noble’s mansion. While smaller and less grand than the Conrad Marquisate’s gardens, it was still too vast to explore alone.

Moreover, the Rivette Estate’s garden lacked lanterns, leaving more dark areas than illuminated ones.

‘Even the Arthus mansion’s garden has more lanterns than this.’

It was truly a countryside garden. Unlike the Marquisate, where lanterns were placed throughout and lit by the servants at dusk, only to be extinguished at dawn, this garden was entirely different.

The outdoors after sunset was pitch dark. At this rate, finding Yvonne alone seemed impossible.

“D*mn.”

He should have asked the servant where the servants’ quarters were.

Was it youthful impatience or the lingering effects of alcohol clouding his mind? Either way, irritation rose easily.

No, he decided to return. He’d go back and ask the servant, or perhaps even request the servant to find Yvonne for him…

Though unfamiliar with the mansion’s layout, returning to the main building wouldn’t be difficult. Despite the late hour, the mansion’s main hall was brightly illuminated.

Just as he resolved to head back and turned around—

Thud!

Someone collided with his chest. To be precise, it was more of a headlong crash than an embrace.

As Liam grimaced from the sharp pain, the person who had bumped into him quickly stepped back.

He wanted to check who it was, but the surroundings were too dark to see clearly. He could only make out a faint silhouette, enough to know someone was there.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.”

The voice offering a mundane and calm apology belonged to a woman. Yet…

‘Why does this voice sound so familiar?’

While Liam replayed the voice in his mind, the woman suddenly bent down. She picked up a handkerchief that had fallen at his feet.

The pristine white handkerchief was clearly visible even in the darkness. So was the small hand that picked it up and handed it to him.

“I’m sorry. Truly sorry.”

Then the woman bowed her head. Her voice, now softer and laced with emotion, allowed Liam to finally recognize the source of his déjà vu.

“Yvonne?”

“Huh?”

Though her response was brief, Liam was certain.

“Yvonne, it’s you, isn’t it?”

“Do you know me…?”

As expected, the woman answered quickly. Liam instinctively grabbed her arm. Startled by the sudden grip, Yvonne cried out sharply.

“What are you doing? Let go of me!”

“Oh, sorry.”

Liam was just as startled. He immediately released her arm, though he quickly added, fearing she might run away.

“I startled you, didn’t I? I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Honestly, I didn’t. Please believe me.”

“It’s fine.”

His desperation made his words tumble out incoherently. Yvonne, seemingly calmed by his repeated apologies, responded briefly without fleeing.

“Then I’ll be on my way…”

“Wait!”

Liam called out urgently. Yvonne flinched and hunched her shoulders. The visibly rounded silhouette of her tensed shoulders made Liam apologize again.

“Sorry. I just… I have something to say to you…”

“Go ahead.”

“Well…”

Though he had stopped her impulsively, he couldn’t think of what to say. Yet he feared she might escape if he didn’t act quickly. There was no guarantee he’d find her again if he let this moment slip.

His alcohol-clouded body felt heavy. Liam clenched his fists, suppressing the urge to reach out and hold her again.

“I want to help you.”