Canon wasn’t particularly smiley or talkative. He often sat in the tea room sipping tea while reading sociology books, a state rather similar to her father’s now. When Shion went to refill his teapot, she would take the chance to observe him. His features were gentle and refined, nothing like the policemen; his face, especially in profile, was exceedingly handsome. Walking through the village, he would surely cause the village girls to gather, giggling and trying to get his attention, hoping for just a glance from him.
He probably wasn’t nobility. According to him, his parents died of plague when he was very young. Since his uncle had no children, he was taken in and raised as their own son. So, he was essentially the child of an official family. But why was her father so particularly interested in such a boy? Why bring him home so urgently and have her marry him? What exactly had her father seen in him? His uncle’s social status? Surely not just his pretty face?
Shion couldn’t understand at all.
Thus, the new family of three passed another month peacefully.
One evening, when Shion went to her father’s door to say goodnight, she saw him sitting on the bed coughing incessantly. Worried, she asked if he had caught a chill and needed medicine. He didn’t reply, engrossed in a black-bound book in his hands. Without looking up, he waved her away dismissively. Shion didn’t dwell on it, thinking her father, as a mature adult, would take medicine or call a doctor if he felt truly unwell. If seriously ill, he’d surely notify her or Canon to find medicine. Besides, he seemed energetic enough reading there, so it was probably nothing serious.
She left his bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Returning to her own room, she saw Canon sitting on the bed playing a crossword puzzle from the newspaper. She walked over, took off her slippers, and sat on the bed.
“How much longer?” She gently tugged his sleeve.
“Last three clues… not quite sure, but should be done in ten minutes,” Canon replied without looking up.
Shion kept holding his sleeve, staring blankly at his profile, and tugged again.
Only then did Canon shift his gaze from the newspaper to look at her.
“Going to sleep now?” he asked softly.
Since entering this household, whether aware of his lower social status or fearful of displeasing her father, Canon had been meek and obedient, doing whatever Shion or her father said. He felt less like her husband and more like a butler her father had specially picked from outside.
“If I’m disturbing your rest, I’ll stop. We can sleep now.” Saying this, Canon raised his hand to turn off the lamp on his bedside.
“Wait…” Shion called. “That’s not what I meant…” she said, somewhat embarrassed. “You’re not disturbing me. I just wanted… you to put down the newspaper and talk with me a bit before sleeping…”
“Hmm…” Canon looked slightly flustered, slowly withdrawing his hand from the lamp and tossing the newspaper onto the bedside table. “Sure… but what about?”
“Do you know about my mother’s death? It was quite famous around here at the time. I think… your uncle must know some details? But I’m the only one who knows nothing specific, only that she died suddenly of a heart attack in the attic. I never dared ask my father for details; he probably feared it would traumatize me. But I really… can’t understand… What happened that night? My mother caught a chill, told me not to come say goodnight to avoid infecting me, and she never took the medicine the servant prepared. She was already about to sleep. When and why did she get up and go to the attic? What happened to her there? Why did she die of a heart attack? I can’t comprehend it. And I don’t understand why, after this happened, father dismissed all the servants. What did this have to do with them? I can’t understand, yet I dare not ask father. This matter constantly haunts my mind. I’m always afraid…” As she spoke, Shion’s body began to tremble involuntarily.
Canon saw her fear and gently pulled her into his arms, softly stroking her hair. That hair… the same long, wavy red hair as her mother’s.
“I’m sorry, I probably can’t give you more details. I know no more than you do. I can only… try to comfort you, tell you not to dwell on it or panic. Trust that your father and my uncle will resolve this in the best way possible…”
“Canon!” Shion looked up at his face. “Do you know why my father suddenly brought you here, had us marry? Did he tell you anything?”
“I’m not entirely clear either. Honestly, I’m like you. Any decision my uncle makes, I just follow without question. That’s how I was raised. That day, my uncle told me he’d mentioned me while talking with the master of the manor, and the master wanted to meet me. So I met your father. After meeting me, he didn’t say much, just asked my age, background, hobbies, and if I had a sweetheart. I said no, and then he asked if I’d be willing to go to his manor and marry his daughter. I didn’t understand what he meant or why he suddenly chose me. But my uncle was there, saying he and my aunt had no objections, and he looked at me with such expectancy…”
“And you agreed?”
“I said… ‘You decide.’ Then your father told me to pack my things immediately and come with him.”
In the end, Shion still didn’t learn anything useful from Canon. They ended their night talk and went to sleep.
However, Shion, who usually slept soundly and rarely dreamed, had an unexpected nightmare that night.
In the dream, she heard noises outside her door, like someone slowly walking in the hallway. She saw Canon wasn’t beside her, but the footsteps didn’t sound like his. She threw on her robe and stepped out. The corridor was pitch black, empty.
Was I too tired? Always thinking about mother… that’s why I dreamed this.
Shion shook her head. Just as she was about to return to her room, she glimpsed something white drifting eerily past the far end of the hallway!
What was that?
Shion’s heart skipped a beat. Timidly, she tiptoed a few steps towards it. But down that end of the corridor was a wall with a painting and the door of her father’s bedroom!
Then Shion remembered the scene before bed – her father coughing incessantly.
Father is sick too? Could it be… the same illness mother had? Does that illness cause heart attacks leading to sudden death?
Panicked, Shion hurried down the corridor to her father’s bedroom door.
But her father locked his door at night. And no light seeped from the bottom of the door, meaning he must have turned off the light and gone to sleep. Would it be bad to disturb him now?
Just as she thought this, Canon’s voice came from the other end of the corridor, near her bedroom door.
“Shion, what are you doing over there?”
Startled by his voice, Shion turned, meaning to shush him for being loud in the middle of the night. But as she turned, she saw, in the dark corridor, standing near her bedroom door, a figure in a white gown with long, flowing red hair! The figure wasn’t facing her; it stood facing the wall at the corridor’s end, its back to her.
“Mom…” Shion couldn’t help but whisper.
But that couldn’t be! She’d just heard Canon’s voice from that direction! Where was Canon?
Shion looked down the corridor towards the hall below. It was pitch dark everywhere with no trace of anyone.
Had… had Canon gone inside?
Shion cautiously approached the wall-facing woman, whispering, “Mom… did you… did you see a boy about my age? He… he is…”
At that moment, the woman slowly turned around. But she spoke, interrupting Shion in Canon’s exact voice: “Do you mean this boy?” She turned. Her lips were crimson, her face covered in blood, wearing a sinister smile. And in her arms… she was holding a human head! The head was… Canon’s!
“Ah!” Shion woke with a start, bolting upright in bed! She gasped frantically, feeling her heart pounding wildly, ready to leap from her throat! Finally calming down, she looked to her left. Huh?? Canon was indeed not beside her!
Did… did he get up?
Remembering the dream, Shion was frantic with worry. She threw on her robe and went out.
The corridor was still pitch black, empty. No floating white thing. Shion patted her chest, telling herself it was just a dream, nothing to fear! She just needed to find Canon. However, reaching the bathroom door, she saw no sign of him. The bathroom was empty, dark, seemingly unoccupied. Strangely, the bathroom window was wide open. She distinctly remembered closing it before returning to her room last night. Did Canon or father open it?
She left the bathroom.
Where did Canon go? The attic? Please, don’t let me wake up tomorrow to find Canon dead in the attic from a heart attack too!
Thinking this, she anxiously crossed the corridor, deciding to go up to the attic. But just then, a sliver of light seeping under her father’s bedroom door caught her attention!
Huh? Still awake at this hour? He never stays up like this!
Shion tiptoed to her father’s bedroom.
What is he doing? Still reading in bed at this hour? Should I remind him it’s late and he should rest? Just say I happened to see the light while getting up.
Thinking this, Shion lightly knocked. But as her hand touched the door, she found it unlocked. With the slightest pressure, it swung open a crack!
“Huh?” Shion gasped, hearing a sudden loud crash inside, like something heavy hitting the floor! Worried, she pushed the door wide open. “Father, are you alr—”
The word “alright” died on her lips. The sight before her shocked her speechless!
Her father was lying in bed, and Canon, whom she hadn’t seen, was under the same blanket! Canon’s bare shoulders were exposed out of the covers, gripped tightly by her father’s hand! Hearing the noise at the door, both of them turned their heads to look at Shion!
What… what is this? Canon and father… what are they doing?
Shion felt dizzy with her mind blank. She said nothing, but just turned and stumbled back to her bedroom, locking the door behind her.
My god… what on earth…
Shion crawled back into bed, pulling the covers tightly over her head. Was it still a dream? Must be another nightmare! Shion thought desperately. But before she could make sense of it, she felt something tugging at the covers from the foot of the bed! The covers were slipping down! Her head was about to be exposed!
Canon? Impossible! I locked the door! The key is in the room. Since father dismissed all the servants, no one has a spare key to my room! The window? It’s closed! Then… what… what is it?
Shion grew increasingly terrified. She clung tightly to the covers, struggling against whatever was pulling them, determined not to let her head be uncovered! She didn’t know who or what it was, but she was too scared to face it!
Seeing the covers wouldn’t budge, the thing finally stopped. Shion quickly curled into a ball, wrapping the covers tightly around her.
Sleep! Sleep! When dawn comes, it’ll be fine!
Thinking this, she squeezed her eyes shut under the covers. But then, she felt an icy cold touch starting from her feet and creeping upwards! Past her ankles, her knees, her thighs! It felt like hands touching her skin… but… that icy coldness felt nothing like a living person!
Terrified tears welled up, but Shion dared not make a sound or open her eyes. She just kicked frantically with both legs, trying to shake off those icy hands, kick them out from under the covers. After about thirty seconds of kicking, the sensation finally vanished! Shion curled her legs up again, eyes tightly shut, silently praying: If it’s a dream, wake up! If it’s real, fall asleep!
And then, she heard it! Right beside her ear! A familiar woman’s voice!
“It’s Mom.”
