They say that when someone moves to a new city or when someone else arrives in that city, it marks the beginning of a new story...
After living a life of silence and invisibility for years, I received a letter from my uncle, the only family I had. My uncle, who worked at the Winters Mansion, had learned that I had been fired from my last job and had called for me to come. His words, though harsh, carried an undeniable warmth, filling every line of the letter:
"You've lost your last job. You're no longer a child, Theo. The work in your town wasn't enough, and now your name has spread to the neighboring towns as well. How does a person manage to get fired from forty jobs in twenty-four years? Come to me, to the Winters Mansion. I spoke with the Duke, and I've arranged a job for you. Be here by the end of the month. If you're late, may God grant me patience."
And now, here I was. The Winters Mansion, its blue roof stretching toward the sky, its white walls gleaming like diamonds in the sunlight… This was the very thing that had brought me here.After explaining the situation to one of the soldiers at the door, he nodded and gestured to the soldier beside him. The soldier I had spoken to earlier approached and said,"When you enter, someone will assist you. They'll take you to Steward Jeyan."
The screech of the iron gate as I pushed it open scraped at my ears. I was surprised that such a grand and well-maintained mansion had a rusty gate. As I walked through the long, orderly garden, angel statues lined the path, accompanying me. Most of them appeared frozen, like winged figures holding instruments or in prayer. But one...
It seemed to be watching me...
This angel before me was different from the others. Its gaze was directly fixed on me. As I carefully observed, I noticed that the heads of all the other statues were also turned in the direction that angel was looking. This made a strange sensation stir in my stomach. For a moment, I thought those stone faces might come to life and whisper to me.
Just then, a hand touched my shoulder.
I almost screamed. When I turned, I found myself face to face with a middle-aged woman wearing an apron stained with food. She was looking at me with curiosity.
"Can I help you? Who were you looking for?" she asked.
"Oh, I'm the nephew of Steward Jeyan Vogel. My name is Theo—"
The woman didn't let me finish my sentence. She eagerly grabbed my arm and dragged me into the mansion. Instantly, I felt an explosion of emotions in my mind. Happiness, excitement, and a slight sense of anxiety... I could sense this woman's emotions very clearly.
I had a small secret. I could instantly feel the emotions of any living being that touched my skin. It didn't matter if it was a person, an animal, or a plant. This ability had shaped my life since childhood. My parents had asked me to keep this secret from everyone. They would always make me wear gloves, so I could never touch anyone. But when the woman suddenly grabbed my arm, I realized I had forgotten to wear my gloves. I silently cursed myself.
Now, I could clearly feel the happiness and excitement she was experiencing.
"Yes, yes! The Steward told me about your arrival. Follow me, I'll take you to him," the woman said.
She opened the iron door with both hands. Meanwhile, I quickly put my gloves back on.
"By the way, what's your name, ma'am?" I asked.
"Ma'am? You can call me Lily, young man. But what's your name?"
"Theodore. Theodore Vogel."
Lily smiled. "We found out a few weeks ago that you're the Steward's nephew. So, what wind brought you here, Theo?"
For a moment, I hesitated. "I came for work," I said. I didn't want to tell the truth.
"I see. Good luck, Theo. If you need anything, you can find me in the kitchen," she said.
Finally, we reached the kitchen. Lily opened the door and said something to my uncle, who was eating inside. The moment he noticed me, he quickly stood up. He rushed over and wrapped me in his big arms.
I hadn't expected such a warm welcome. In the warmth of his embrace, I wanted to take off my gloves and feel what he was experiencing. But I paused for a moment. I didn't want to know those emotions. He would never show the emotion he didn't want to. I raised my arms and hugged him back. His embrace tightened. Maybe that was all he wanted.
"How many years has it been since we last saw each other, Theo?" he said, his eyes full of emotion.
"I think it's been a long time," I murmured.
As I slowly pulled away from my uncle's arms, I carefully looked at his face. There was a tear in his brown eyes, but he didn't try to hide it. Still, with his thick brown hair and his height, despite nearing his 40s, he still looked like a young man.
"You've grown, Theo," he said proudly.
At that moment, I noticed the other two people in the room. One was a young boy, and the other was a confident young girl. The girl smiled and waved at me. I lightly nodded in response.
My uncle turned to introduce me to them. "Everyone, this is my nephew Theodore. He'll be working with us from now on."
The boy stepped forward shyly. "I'm Slays Moreau. I'm responsible for the garden."
I shook his hand. Then the girl extended her hand, firm but polite.
"I'm Mary Bergmann," she said.
"I'll do my best," I replied.
As Mary carefully examined the gloves on my hands, she voiced her curiosity.
"Why are you wearing gloves, isn't it pretty warm?"
When her question, along with the gazes of Lily and Slays, focused on my hands, I continued the lie that my family and I had been telling everyone for years.
"I have a small allergy."
As Mary and the others looked at my hands seriously, Slays quickly intervened.
"Is it contagious?"
"No, it's not. Only I feel the pain when I touch something. That's why I prevent it by wearing gloves."
As Lily looked at me sympathetically, she asked, "Is there a cure?" I shook my head and replied, "Doctors don't know what it is. They just tell me I need to wear gloves, that's all." They all nodded and looked back at my hands. I couldn't help but feel like a specimen being examined.Lily, with a motherly gesture, hugged me and didn't forget to wish me well.
"I hope there's a miracle, and you get better."
Slays and Mary also started patting my back to comfort me. Slays, in a brotherly tone, continued speaking.
"Don't push yourself too hard. And don't hesitate to ask for help when you need it. Alright?"
All I had done was nod my head. I feel sorry for deceiving them, but I don't want any action in my life. I have to prove to my uncle here that I wasn't fired because of my incompetence at work. I'll make the most of this opportunity and do everything I can to live here with him, in a regular place with good pay.
Burada amcama, işteki yetersizliğim yüzünden kovulmadığımı kanıtlamam gerekiyor. Bu fırsatı en iyi şekilde değerlendireceğim ve onunla burada, iyi maaşlı, düzenli bir yerde yaşamak için elimden gelen her şeyi yapacağım.
... ... ...
My uncle placed his hands on my shoulders and guided me inside. The interior of Winters Manor was even more impressive than the outside. Grand chandeliers, gleaming wooden floors, and elegant decorations on the walls... With every step, I felt the splendor more deeply. It was honestly a little overwhelming. In a place so dazzling, losing myself seemed inevitable.
When we reached the bottom of the wide staircase, my uncle suddenly stopped. He enjoyed stopping me, but this time I sensed it was something serious.
"Before we go to the Duke, I need to tell you about some rules," he said, his face so serious that he looked almost like someone about to carry out an inspection. My uncle always approached his work as though it were a sacred duty.
His eyes fixed on mine, and for a moment, the atmosphere in the room seemed to change. Beneath his usual stern gaze, I could sense a protective instinct. Yes, he would scold me, but at the same time, it felt as though he was watching over me, as if something could happen to me at any moment.
"In this house, you will focus on your work. Your relationship with the Duke will remain within the bounds of respect. Don't ask too many questions about him. Also, be cautious when wandering the house. Some rooms can only be entered with special permission."
I nodded in agreement. Sometimes, I knew my uncle saw me as a fool because I had never been able to hold onto any other jobs. But even though he thought I would struggle with these rules, following such simple ones didn't seem difficult at all. How hard could it be? I told myself I would just focus on my work. That's all!
"I understand, Uncle," I said, though in that moment, I wasn't entirely convinced I would strictly follow these rules.
"Alright, now I will take you to the Duke. If he accepts, you can start tomorrow."
As I climbed the stairs behind my uncle, I counted the creaks echoing from each step. With every move, it felt as if the entire mansion was watching and listening to us. At the top of the stairs, I came across a large painting that covered the entire wall.
It was a family portrait. There was a man standing, a woman sitting in a chair before him, and a swaddled baby in her arms. The only person alive in the painting was a young man, likely in his twenties, with green eyes, black hair, and a proud posture. His right hand rested on the woman's shoulder, his chest puffed out with pride, his serious gaze focused intently on the person across from him.
In contrast, the woman had a pale complexion, her youthful appearance overshadowed by white hair and pink eyes, wearing an exhausted and sleepy expression. The baby in her arms had the same pale skin as her. I assumed this was the family I would be serving.
I turned my head to look at my uncle as I felt the warmth of his hand on my shoulder. After briefly glancing at the painting, he looked into my eyes."This is your new home, Theo. But a home isn't just a place to stay. You must prove that you belong here."
"Bu senin yeni evin, Theo. Ama bir ev sadece kalınacak bir yer değildir. Buraya ait olduğunu kanıtlamalısın." A strange weight settled inside me. Would this really be my new life?
İçimde garip bir ağırlık hissetti. Bu gerçekten benim yeni hayatım mı olacaktı?