قناع خلف العاصفه

With you until the end

End of Flashback

Arthur

I slowly got up, realizing that evening had fallen without me noticing. I had overthought things once again, to the point that I lost my sense of time—like someone drowning in a shoreless sea.

I headed toward one of the unguarded walls of the mansion and prepared my tools to get in.

My little angel must be worried—I hadn’t come to him last night. I was a bit tired. And perhaps, if I didn’t go to him, he would come to me. And that was something I didn’t want.

I took out several axes, sharp enough to pierce the wall. I fixed them in place with a single strike, very carefully, without making any noticeable noise.

I struck the first, then the second… until I had embedded six axes. I moved toward a street lamp, tied a strong rope to it, then climbed the axes silently until I reached the top of the wall.

I stood there, still… like a predator bird hovering before diving.

A lot had changed in the past two years. The iron spikes had been removed—by Victor’s request, that bastard. I wish I could beat him senseless. Doesn’t he understand that I’ll sneak in regardless?

I held onto the rope tightly, then began descending slowly and steadily. The slightest mistake could cost me everything—I was standing at a height of seven meters, after Victor had ordered the wall to be raised. Not to mention that if I got caught, I wouldn’t be able to leave the mansion. I might be imprisoned. I knew rushing was dangerous, even if my soul was running ahead of me.

I reached the ground and hid the rope among the bushes. It was my only way out.

I quietly approached an open window—left that way by one of Adrian’s loyal servants so I could enter. Thanks to Victor removing my previous entry methods. Damn him.

I entered the mansion.

The atmosphere was calm, darkness filling the place. Exactly what I preferred. I moved toward the stairs leading to the second floor, then I heard footsteps. A light was approaching.

I quickly hid. The footsteps continued until the figure of the old head servant appeared. Adrian had told me before—if anyone discovered me, let it be this man. He trusted him to some extent, and so did I.

He walked calmly, casting suspicious glances around, then headed to the window—the same one I had just entered from—and closed it. Then he walked away as if he hadn’t seen anything. I felt grateful… he seemed like an understanding man.

I waited a few minutes until everything settled completely, then went upstairs toward Adrian’s room. I prayed no one would cross my path—especially Victor. Because I was seriously considering killing him.

I moved in silence, leaving my shoes outside the mansion in fear they might betray me with sound.

I walked quietly over the long red carpet in the wide corridor that led to Adrian’s room.

Finally… I arrived.

I opened the door quietly—only to be met with a somewhat amusing sight.

The room was dark, unlike usual. And Adrian was standing at the edge of the window… preparing to jump.

---

Adrian had grown, but remained the same: calm, shy, as if afraid to make a loud sound. He was thirteen now, about one hundred and fifty centimeters tall. His skin was smooth and pale, his golden hair falling over his angelic face. He looked more like a classical painting than a boy living in a noisy era.

He had used the luxurious bed sheets to create a rope to climb down. It was truly a beautiful sight—like someone descending from the sky on a silk thread. Perhaps it made me realize my worth to him.

"Hmm… what is it? Did you miss me?"

I said as I approached him. Upon seeing me, he stepped away from the window and came toward me like someone returning home after a long absence.

I hugged him gently. I heard him mumble something I couldn’t quite understand.

"Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t come to me unless I stayed away for three days?"

I said reproachfully—I was worried about him.

"I wanted to see you," he said shyly, pulling away from the hug. He turned his face away so our eyes wouldn’t meet, and there was a clear blush on his cheeks, like a rose embarrassed by the dawn.

"Well… there’s nothing we can do about that," I said as I moved to sit on the sofa.

Without saying a word, he sat beside me. We stayed silent for a while. We didn’t really need words—each of us understood the other through glances. It was a comforting silence, like a warm winter night… until he broke it:

"So… how was your day at school?"

"I got bullied by a boy in my class today," he answered.

"And did you do what I taught you?" I asked angrily—not at him, but at the stupidity of others. How could anyone hurt this angel?

"Yes. I punched him in the groin, then grabbed the back of his neck and slammed my knee into his face," he said enthusiastically.

"You sound like you enjoyed it," I said, surprised.

"Yes. One of the most enjoyable moments of my life… watching him scream and beg."

It seems I created a monster.

"Don’t use what I taught you unless it’s for self-defense," I warned.

He nodded, then added: "I have bad news."

He rarely spoke with such a grim expression. I felt uneasy.

"What is it?"

"I told you before… my origins are English, from Britain, right?"

I nodded.

"My father decided we’re returning to London. And unfortunately, I have to go."

It was a short sentence… but enough to shake my entire being. As if the ground beneath me had trembled.

"When?" I asked in shock.

"In a week," he replied, his eyes filled with sadness like a shoreless sea.

"I’ll think of a solution. For now… tell me what happened yesterday," I said reassuringly.

---

We continued talking for hours. Even though I spoke with him daily, I never once felt bored. Talking to him was what gave me the energy to keep going.

"Alright… I think I’ll go now," I said after about two hours and forty minutes.

"Will you come tomorrow?" he asked, standing there, looking at the ground, tense like a bowstring before release.

I walked up to him, hugged him, and patted his head. I whispered in his ear:

"Don’t be afraid. We’ll find a way to keep you here. And if we can’t… I’ll come with you."

His expression changed into a calm smile—like a barren sky suddenly lit by the moon. I kissed his forehead, then moved toward the window—my way out.

I jumped quietly and left without making a sound… like someone leaving a beautiful dream, knowing they would return to it.

And in my mind, only one thought echoed:

What should I do?

---

The sea stretched endlessly before me, a calm gray, like an unwritten page. The ship had begun to move slowly, its long horn fading into the horizon, while the city behind us drifted farther and farther away.

The scent of old wood mixed with sea salt filled my lungs. The ship creaked softly under the weight of the waves, as if breathing with every rise and fall. I looked around and saw only a few passengers scattered across the deck. Some cast brief glances at my new clothes—the dark Italian coat, the pristine white shirt—then looked away with a kind of respect I wasn’t used to. For a moment, I felt like I was wearing a mask rather than clothes.

I gripped the edge of the wooden railing, watching the waves roll beneath us. I didn’t feel the cold despite the strong wind. Perhaps because I had already left everything behind.

Only minutes separated me from the past.

I saw him standing at the other edge, his back to me, his shoulders slightly slumped. He looked small against the vastness of the sea… like a flicker of light about to fade.

I walked toward him slowly.

I stood behind him for a moment, breathing the same air he breathed. Then I whispered:

"The sea seems calm today."

His body froze instantly.

He turned slowly… and when our eyes met, his widened in a way I had never seen before.

He opened his mouth twice before speaking.

"Arthur…?"

I smiled faintly.

"Did you miss me?"

"How… since when…" he stopped, swallowing. "Did I miss you? Of course I did."

He kept staring at me, as if his mind refused to accept what he was seeing. He stepped closer, then stopped, as if afraid I might disappear if he came any nearer.

"But… you said you wouldn’t be able to come."

"I said I wouldn’t be able to come to the harbor… I didn’t say I couldn’t board the ship."

"You made me think you wouldn’t even come to say goodbye." His voice rose slightly, but he wasn’t angry.

"You were supposed to think that."

This time, he stepped forward quickly, his eyes shining.

"You’re really here…"

I nodded.

"I sold my house. Bought a ticket. And brought some clothes so I wouldn’t be thrown out among the nobles."

He looked at my coat in shock, then back at me.

"You… did all that?"

"I told you… if we couldn’t find a way to keep you here, I’d come with you."

"But your house… it was everything you had."

He went silent for a moment. I saw his lips tremble slightly. He looked away toward the sea, then back at me. His voice grew quiet, as if afraid someone else might hear him: "I can’t… I can’t take everything from you. Your home… your memories… everything." He rubbed his eyes quickly with the back of his hand, as if wiping something away he didn’t want me to see. "It’s too much, Arthur."

"And you are everything I want."

He didn’t say a word. Instead, the last of his walls collapsed. He grabbed the edge of my coat tightly, then rested his forehead against my shoulder. He didn’t cry loudly, but I felt his body trembling softly. I stayed still, letting him take his time. Only then did I realize how afraid he had been of facing this day alone.

He held onto my coat shyly, as always, as the ship drifted farther away.

And in that moment… everything came back to me.

---

A week earlier.

I didn’t sleep that night after he told me about the journey. I stared at the ceiling, counting possibilities. Every path was closed… except one.

Leaving with him.

"I can’t let him go without me," I whispered to the silent walls.

I looked around the small house. It was quiet, simple… but it was everything I had.

"I’ll sell it."

The next morning, I went straight to a real estate broker. I wasn’t used to such places, but I didn’t hesitate.

I pushed open the heavy wooden door and entered.

"I want to sell the house. Quickly."

The man raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Are you sure? The price will be low."

"That’s fine."

"Won’t you regret it?"

"Regret is another decision. And I’ve already made mine."

I signed the papers without hesitation.

When I stepped outside, I felt like I had lost something… but I also felt strangely light.

---

After receiving the money two days before Adrian’s departure, I went to a luxury clothing store. Just entering it was enough to draw attention.

I walked toward the clerk confidently.

"I need clothes suitable for travel… and something fit for nobles."

The clerk studied me for a moment, then smiled professionally.

"We have what you need, sir."

He began preparing several outfits.

"This coat is made of Italian wool," he said, presenting it.

"I don’t care where it’s from. What matters is that no one suspects I’m from a lower class."

An elegant dark coat. A fine white shirt. Well-tailored trousers. Polished leather shoes.

When I looked in the mirror… I didn’t recognize myself.

"Who is that?" I whispered.

"You, sir," the clerk replied, thinking I was addressing him.

I took some extra clothes as well, paid, and left.

---

That night, I went to Adrian.

We sat together on the old sofa, silent for a long time. The rain tapped softly against the window.

Then I said, looking at my hands:

"Adrian… I won’t be able to come to the harbor on the day you leave."

He lifted his head quickly.

"Why?"

"I have things I must do… I won’t be able to say goodbye."

"Things more important than me?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing is more important than you. But some things can’t be postponed."

His gaze lowered slowly.

"I understand…"

But he didn’t understand. And I hated myself in that moment—but I wanted to surprise him.

He reached out and touched my hand.

"I’ll wait for you until the very last moment at the harbor."

"Don’t wait for me," I said, my heart bleeding.

"I’ll wait anyway."

---

On the day of departure, I was at the harbor before everyone else.

I bought the ticket from a small window behind the warehouses.

"One ticket to Britain, on the Palladius ship," I said to the clerk—the name I had already learned from Adrian.

"You do realize it’s expensive? And reserved for nobles."

I quietly took out the money and handed it over.

"Have a good trip," he said without looking up.

I waited behind one of the wooden pillars until he boarded.

I saw him searching for me among the crowd… turning his head left and right, standing on his toes.

"I’m here," I whispered to myself. "Just look behind you."

But he didn’t.

Then he lowered his gaze to the ground.

"He didn’t come," he said out loud, as if convincing himself.

Only then… I boarded after him.

---

I slowly returned to the present. The sound of the waves brought me back. I felt Adrian’s hand still gripping my coat, his fingers trembling slightly. I looked at the sea around us, then at him. I wasn’t in the past anymore. I was here. With him. On this ship carrying us toward a future I couldn’t yet see.

I raised my hand and placed it on his head. He didn’t lift his gaze, but his body relaxed a little.

"Are you tired?" I asked.

He nodded silently.

"Come. Let’s find a place for us."

We walked together across the deck. There was a small corner behind the ship’s chimney, away from the other passengers’ eyes. I sat on the wooden floor, placed my coat over my shoulders, and extended my arm. Adrian sat beside me, then leaned in and rested his head on my shoulder. At that moment, I looked at the sky. It wasn’t full of stars, but there was one faint moon… enough to see where to place our feet.

"Do you regret it?" he whispered after a long silence.

"I will never regret anything I did to stay with you."

He lifted his head and looked at me. His eyes were slightly red, but he smiled—a small, shy smile, the kind he always had.

"Me too… I won’t regret it."

I closed my eyes for a moment. The ship moved, the wind played with my hair, and the sound of the sea filled everything.

And for the first time in years… I didn’t feel like I needed to run from anything.

---

The ship carried me farther away. The city behind us was nothing but a fading point of light on the horizon.

This time, I didn’t think about the past.

Only one thing:

Staying by my angel’s side.

Note: The following chapter has a problem that I cannot fix at the moment. Please go to chapter six to continue reading.

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