Night of Eden 46

 Chapter 46

***

Dana stared blankly at the man's form as it drew closer. The long grass was trampled and crushed with each calm, leisurely step.

"You’re suddenly here... What's going on?"

Edwin couldn't hide his bewilderment.

Theodore didn't answer right away. He stared at Edwin with frosty eyes, then slowly spoke.

"In case you've forgotten, we have an unfinished business, I believe?"

No sooner had he spoken than Tilly walked out from behind him, a large, heavy box in his hand, and Edwin paused, recognizing it as a shotgun case.

"...Clay shooting? You can't... Are you suggesting we do this now?"

"Why not? I thought we were just hanging out with nothing to do."

His gaze, intense as a blue flame, turned to Dana. Dana's nerves jumped as if she were about to have a seizure at the sight of those eyes lazily scanning her from head to toe.

"Your precious servants suffered when the game was called off that day, and you preach that you have a duty to know and respect them."

The sarcasm made Dana's breathing quicken. Her legs were involuntarily dragging behind her.

"Uh... Well... then I'm...."

Edwin glanced away.

Dana forced herself to put on a nonchalant face.

If she let on that she was frightened, Master Edwin would not go quietly.

"I must... I have to go, I have an afternoon job to do...."

Edwin opened his mouth as if to say something. Dana sucked in a breath and curled the corners of her mouth into a bow.

"Well, then, you two... Have a nice ...."

As soon as she bowed her head, a chill ran down her spine, as if someone was following her. Thankfully, Willow rushed over, and Dana scooped the furry mass into her arms.

"Let's go."

The next thing she knew, her strides were unbelievably wide and fast.

She had to get away.

From those lurking shadows that sucked her in like a swamp.

******

Edwin stared after Dana's frantic retreat. He couldn't take his eyes off the hem of her flowing apricot-colored dress as it receded into the distance and disappeared completely behind the barn building.

Meanwhile, Theodore had come to stand directly in front of him.

"Let's settle this, Edwin."

"....."

Edwin turned to face Theodore, trying to gauge his intentions.

He wondered what the man's motive was.

Why bother showing up and pointing a shotgun at him when he could have made an appointment by letter?

But his face, as he pulled out his cigarette, was as black as if he were peering into the darkness.

"What, you not confident?"

"...Okay, let’s do it."

Edwin answered impulsively. There were a lot of things that needed to be done right now, but he didn't want to give Theodore the impression that he was running away.

"Let's get one thing straight, though. In a bet between us, the loser always has to grant the winner's wish. The winner can say what they want, as long as it's not too much to ask."

Theodore nodded for him to continue. Edwin's eyes flashed to the small, white face before him.

Dana had tried so hard to hide it, but the way she'd freaked out at the sight of Theodore was burned into his mind.

"If I win, you will never meddle in Dana's affairs again. Not just you, anyone, including the Duchess, not even after you marry Liana."

The hand that lit the cigarette paused. But only for a moment, and Theodore's mouth twitched into a wry smile.

"Funny. Now you're going to have the audacity to fool around with the maid, is that it?"

"I don't care what you think, I'd rather be misunderstood than work to change your twisted, sick views."

A sudden coldness crept into his easygoing turquoise eyes.

"Now tell me what you want."

Theodore relaxed his frosty gaze for a moment.

He leaned stiffly against the railing, his expression calm again. The way he leisurely pulled out a cigarette and puffed on it was a sign of deliberate pause.

"Come on."

"Well, what do you want me to do? I don't have much I want to take away from you."

After a few more wisps of white tobacco smoke, Theodore's mouth opened again.

"Since you're betting on a maid, I thought I'd do the same."

Edwin stiffened as if struck by a thunderbolt.

"What do you think, Edwin Laner Hastings?"

The voice chewed each word coldly.

Edwin’s unwavering composure suddenly lost its grip and shook violently.

****

Belvida was in a 'frenzy'.

It was strange that the clay shooting, which had been postponed for a long time, should not be excited by the sudden start of the two masters' bet.

Butler Stan was the first to summon the male servants; it was up to him to set up the range and prepare for the match.

Anything to do with food or banquets was the responsibility of the chef and maids. Rosi summoned the maids, and the kitchen was busy preparing the wine and food.

Everyone was working like their behinds were on fire, and no one seemed to mind.

"What the hell? I thought it was completely canceled!"

"Yeah, it was. With all the shit that's been going down in Pemburg, I thought we'd never see the masters with the shotgun this year."

"How else would Master Theodore know that our Master was taking the day off?"

Excitement and anticipation filled the air among the maids.

"But are you really going to bet on Master Theodore, really?"

Leah rolled her eyes, then slowly nodded.

"Wow, are you crazy?"

"Ugh, you traitor."

The maids all chimed in. Leah didn't know what to do, but she didn't erase the line she'd drawn next to Theodore's name on the board.

"Ha! Is he such a handsome man?"

Bessie grumbled, glanced back at Dana, and winced.

The stiffening of her face was enough to make Bessie gasp.

"Dana...are you...are you okay?"

Dana couldn't even answer.

She hadn't been able to focus on anything since she'd seen him. Her heart was pounding. Her blood was rushing too fast.

Bessie shook her head, puzzled.

Just then, she heard the bell of the clock tower chime.

"What? It's already one o'clock!"

"When did it get this late?"

"Come on, let's go. It's late."

The maids scurried out. Silence descended on the empty quarters.

Dana stood at a distance, her eyes unfocused.

The memory of the last time they'd seen each other was too much for her to bear.

"Why, are you so worried about what I'm going to do to him when I catch him?”

"I don't know what kind of bastard you've fallen for, but you can't marry him, not ever.”

No, it's okay.

I'm sure he's forgotten all about it.

He's here to shoot clays.

It has nothing to do with me. Nothing's going to happen.

Dana clasped her hands together, and then, bang, a shot rang out.

***

A clay pigeon flew high into the sky. People's eyes followed.

BANG!

The white porcelain shattered in midair with a loud crack.

"Wow!"

A gasp escaped from the crowd. A servant raised the blue flag for a hit, and immediately flipped the scoreboard.

Sixteen to sixteen. Tied,

A bet of twenty-three shots, now down to the last, two shots.

"Wow, that was a perfect shot!"

Tilly exclaimed, handing Theodore a cup of water as he stepped off the firing line. Theodore took it and leaned  against the railing in the waiting area.

Now it was Edwin's turn. His face was as expressionless as Theodore's as he walked to the firing line.

The onlookers couldn't help but shake their heads.

They might be rivals, but it was just a game they played for fun.

The two men bet with their friends whenever they could, sometimes losing on purpose, sometimes drinking themselves into a stupor rather than winning.

But throughout this entire game, they never made eye contact, let alone a smile.

The lack of playfulness in the game only made it more tense.

"The wind has shifted to the east. Please note. The waves are choppy and the wind is shifting."

The male servant pointed to the weather vane and handed Edwin a loaded gun.

He took it, took a practice shot into the air, and shook his head. Another clay pigeon flew by.

Bang!!

Porcelain dust scattered.

Another gasp went up from the servants watching. Stan flipped the scoreboard, somewhat excited.

Seventeen to sixteen.

His heart leapt with the anticipation that somehow, this time, his master would win.

As Edwin finished his turn and headed back to the waiting area, he suddenly turned and stood in front of Theodore.

"I repeat, if I win, not only you, but no one else in your house will have any say in Dana's affairs. Not even after you marry my sister, not ever."

Theodore turned to face Edwin.

"Of course."

He replied, loading the shotgun himself.

He pushed past Edwin, who was blocking his way, and stood at the firing line.

The beep sounded and the pigeon shot up. Theodore didn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

A hit.

"Yay!"

"Wow!"

The crowd cheered and raised their arms in the air.

Stan flipped the scoreboard and the score was tied again, 17-17.

Now each had one shot left.

It was literally a close call, a bloodbath.

Edwin slowly stepped up to the firing line. He took the gun from the servant and held it up to the air.

He took a deep breath to gather his focus, then gestured to the servant next to him.

The servant wasted no time and gave the signal with another "Ha!" The clay pigeon took off again.

Edwin held his breath and pulled the trigger.

The next moment, something happened that shocked everyone. There was an unmistakable click, the sound of a trigger being pulled, but strangely, no gunshot.

The high-flying china had fallen back to the ground in a heap.

"Huh?"

"What happened?"

Edwin narrowed his eyes and lowered the muzzle of his gun. A servant rushed over and quickly snapped the barrel to check.

A shell slid out of the barrel in a puff of smoke. Through the gap, he could see an unexploded round lodged in the barrel.

"No... this...."

The servant muttered in disbelief.

The servant, Stan, and the officials rushed to the referee's side, gasping and unable to hide their disbelief.

"How...how......."

There was a reason they were all speechless.

The round had misfired, but the shell had been stripped.

In gentlemen's wagering, a round that ejected was considered a single shot.

That was, there was no chance of reloading. The servant looked pained, but he couldn't raise the yellow flag that signaled reloading.

"What?"

"What the hell?"

The spectators shook their heads in confusion. Several were busy explaining the rules to them.

Edwin's face hardened into a hard line.

Theodore strode leisurely to the firing line, ignoring the commotion.

Before the murmuring could die down, a clay pigeon flew up.

Bang!

With a cool thud, the last bullet sliced through the air.

***

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