Chapter 17

A week had passed since Johannes came to the lab.

During that time, afraid she might run into Johannes even by chance, Judith had shut herself up in the lab alone. Leaving word that all visitors were to be turned away, she devoted herself only to restoring the dancing figure painting. Her assistant said it was a relief that she had come to her senses at last, but inside, Judith only felt more and more worn away. Her unclear memories were feeding the sickness in her heart. She could not go to Johannes and ask him to confirm what had happened that night either. Since she could not verify whether the swelling fantasies in her head were true or false, she felt as though she were going mad.

Judith took off her glasses, pressed the space between her eyes with her thumb and middle finger, and tilted her head back. Crack. Something in her stiff neck gave off a snapping sound.

“Let’s rest for a moment.”

Judith closed her eyes altogether and spoke in a hoarse voice. The assistant silently nodded and dropped heavily into an empty chair. There was no conversation between them. Only the sound of weary breathing filled the lab.

Knock. Knock.

The sound of knocking shattered their honey-sweet break. The assistant pushed her glasses, which had slid all the way down to the tip of her nose, back into place and rose weakly from her seat. Since the butler and nanny had both been told that visitors were not allowed in the lab, it must be someone from the household. Judith blankly watched the assistant’s steps. When the assistant opened the lab door, a housekeeper handed something over.

“What is it?”

“They said it’s a telegram for you, Professor.”

“A telegram?”

“Yes, it seems someone is urgently looking for you.”

Who would be urgently looking for me? A baseless unease surged up. Judith took the paper the assistant handed her and checked the contents.

Grandmother Louise’s movements are suspicious. She went into a café downtown with a neatly dressed man. If you need help, come to the city square. -Johannes Meyer-

Judith frowned when she saw the name stamped beneath the message. What sort of scheme is this? To begin with, the fact that Johannes claimed he wanted to help her was itself suspicious. Wasn’t he someone who wanted King Pirap’s old book too? Then why did he keep stepping forward to help at every turn? Since it probably looked as though there was no way she could find a man anyway, was he just asking her to entertain him for fun? Since he had already won the fight, perhaps he simply wanted to pretend to be helpful. So irritating.

Judith threw the telegram onto the desk and let out a rough breath. The unresolved sausage incident was already enough of a headache, and now Grandmother would not sit still either. Normally she would have brushed it off with, She’s probably just gone to meet an acquaintance, but after already calling museum officials to the house, she could not leave it alone with peace of mind.

“Ha. I need to step out for a moment. Rest for a bit.”

“If it’s an errand, I’ll go instead.”

“No. It concerns Grandmother. You know, that matter involves King Pirap’s old book.”

“Ah. May God’s protection be with you.”

With one hand, the assistant traced the sign of the cross over her forehead, then bowed her head and raised it again.

“Keep messing around and you’ll get scolded.”

Judith narrowed her eyes as she took off the white gown and draped it carelessly over the back of the chair. Then she picked up the car keys from the desk.

“Professor, surely you’re not planning to go out looking like that?”

At the assistant’s words, Judith lowered her gaze and looked over herself. She lifted and dropped her shoulders, then lightly rubbed the pilled, frayed ends of her brown cardigan with her fingertips. As Christmas drew closer, the weather had turned sharply cold. Even if she drove, a cardigan would not be enough for the walk to the city square. Judith clicked her tongue softly and raised the hand holding her keys.

“I’ll be back.”

“Take care.”

Judith left the lab and went straight to her room. She pulled a winter coat out of the wardrobe and roughly put it on. Then, as she was about to leave the room, she stopped. Her grandmother had been very angry about the newspaper advertisement. If she appeared before her grandmother’s guest looking like this, she might be thrown out before she even had a chance to speak. Left with no choice, Judith rang the chime bell beside the door.

The housekeeper who came at her call tilted her head in confusion. It was rare for Miss to summon a servant unless absolutely necessary. Was she feeling unwell?

“Well, I’m about to go out, and I was wondering if you could help me with my makeup? And if it’s not too much trouble, I’d also like you to choose something to wear that Grandmother might like.”

Judith scratched at her forehead with her index finger and let her words trail off. The housekeeper immediately stepped in through the open door and steeled herself.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make you look lovely.”

She had been waiting for a day like this ever since getting work at the Loewe household. She had been assigned to Judith, but had never really been able to do any proper work. In the end, her assignment to Judith had been changed to taking care of the second-floor rooms. Some said cleaning was better than dealing with people, but she had wanted at least once to serve her master properly.

The housekeeper rushed to the wardrobe and brought back a large box. Judith had never imagined there was a box hidden in her wardrobe that even the owner of the room did not know about.

“These are things Madame Loewe brought and put away, saying that she hoped you would wear them someday, . The fashion is a little past its height, but they should still be fine.”

“Grandmother hid these here?”

“Yes. She said she wished you would dress prettily and appropriately for your age, like other young ladies. She even said that if you would only have the kind of ordinary romance everyone else has and live a normal life, she would want for nothing.”

Ha. Judith stroked the black knit dress and the long coat trimmed with fur and sighed. Black, which had changed in recent years from the color of death to the color of freedom, had been fashionable for some time now. And seeing that the skirt came down to the knees, her grandmother must have deliberately visited a dress shop and picked out something in style.

“You would look pretty with short hair, but I’ll tie it up nicely to match this hat.”

The housekeeper hummed as she held up a cloche hat with a short brim.

“Madame will be so pleased.”

Without a word, Judith moved according to the housekeeper’s instructions. She changed clothes, sat in her vanity, and closed her eyes. As the ticklish touch continued, drowsiness washed over her. She nodded off over and over, and just as her neck had drooped several times.

“It’s all done now.”

Judith’s eyes flew open at the housekeeper’s bright voice. She looked at herself in the mirror. She could have passed for a modern woman. With the housekeeper’s help, Judith even put on the cloche hat and rose from her seat. The housekeeper, however, seemed to think it was not finished yet, for she hung a long necklace around Judith’s neck.

“There are earrings and a ring too.”

“That’s enough. Even this already feels like too much.”

Her face felt stifling, and the shortened skirt felt awkward. If her assistant saw her, she would absolutely make fun of her. Judith gave the housekeeper’s back an affectionate pat, hurriedly opened the door, and darted out. The housekeeper was left standing there holding the ring and earring cases in both hands, looking stunned. Judith waved through the gap in the open door and quickly crossed the corridor.

It had taken over thirty minutes just to change clothes and get all the way to the garage. She had dressed up to make Grandmother look favorably on her, but she was anxious about who Grandmother might be meeting. Once she sat in the car and started the engine, her heart became impatient. Pressing down on the accelerator, Judith tore at the dry skin on her lips. Blood welled up where the skin was still attached to the flesh. Beyond the sting, the pain churned unpleasantly in her stomach, but she did not stop peeling at her lips. If she did not at least keep tearing at them like this, it felt as though she might do something reckless.