I Woke Up from Hibernation and Found a Husband - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 20
The window shattered, and sharp fragments scattered into the room like deadly projectiles.
‘This is dangerous.’
The floor glittered with glass shards like stars against the night sky. It was almost beautiful, yet Claire’s expression remained grave.
‘I need to restrain the Young Master’s movements.’
Her gaze fixed on Theodore’s feet—bare soles with veins visible beneath the skin. Even the slightest contact with the glass would draw blood.
‘Pinning him to the bed as usual might be best.’
Restraining his limbs with blankets and calming him seemed most appropriate, yet Claire found herself unable to move immediately.
‘Something feels different from usual.’
An unsettling sense of wrongness gnawed at her. Observing Theodore standing there like a specter, Claire finally understood why.
‘It’s too quiet.’
Theodore’s previous episodes had been rather loud. When seized by his madness, he became brutally ferocious—enraged by the smallest things, spewing curses until he could barely breathe, fists clenched and ready to strike at anyone in sight.
But this was different.
He stood motionless and expressionless, muttering incomprehensible sounds as though his language had completely fractured.
‘Could it be because he just met with Isabella?’
His reaction had been subdued immediately after their encounter, so she’d let her guard down. Now, with grim determination, Claire rushed forward to restrain him.
‘Avoid the glass as much as possible.’
In an instant, she dove into his arms, seized both his wrists, and forced him onto the bed with her weight.
Deprived of freedom, Theodore thrashed and shrieked—a horrifying sound more akin to a dying beast than a human cry.
Claire swallowed hard.
‘His physical strength hasn’t increased. But he’s dozens of times more vicious than usual.’
Watching foam gather at the corners of Theodore’s mouth, Claire intensified her restraint. She found herself almost missing his usual curses during normal episodes.
‘Back then, when that pathetic raccoon thrashed about cursing, it almost seemed endearing.’
Seeing Theodore now—eyes rolled back, convulsing wildly—Claire exhaled a weary sigh.
‘Honestly, he looks like a rabid raccoon right now.’
As Theodore began baring his teeth at empty air, Claire watched him with tired, exasperated eyes. His madness finally subsided five hours later than his usual episodes.
‘Dawn is breaking.’
Sunlight filtered across the back of Theodore, who lay sleeping peacefully after reducing the room to ruins. Utterly drained, Claire gazed at the light with a haggard expression.
The animal ears atop her head had vanished.
* * *
A week passed.
Theodore’s episodes returned to normal, and Claire’s abnormal phenomena ceased. Though the servants still cast sharp glances their way, none dared speak up since Gregory raised no objections.
On the surface, these were peaceful days after a long time.
“Miss, are you alright?”
Finding a moment to visit Isabella’s room, Claire examined the child’s expression. Her face was downcast, on the verge of tears. Claire barely suppressed an escaping sigh.
‘This is serious.’
After that abnormal episode, Theodore had suffered for three days and nights. Quick-witted Isabella blamed herself, convinced it was her fault.
‘It’s because I met with him. Because I spoke with him, my brother’s illness worsened and he suffered more than usual.’
The happiness of their reunion weighed as heavily as her guilt. Even when Theodore wrote letters telling her not to blame herself, even when Claire tried to console her, Isabella’s anguish remained unrelieved.
“Miss, would you like some salmon?”
“Won’t you eat something?”
“Hmm, what about milk with honey?”
“I won’t eat that either.”
Claire sensed from Isabella’s rejection of each delicacy that her condition was serious.
‘I want to do something to lift her spirits, but food clearly won’t work. What do children her age usually enjoy?’
For Claire, who had endured an unconventional childhood, handling children had always been a difficult matter. In the end, she resolved to use her own body.
“Young Miss, would you look at me for a moment?”
At her polite words, Isabella’s downcast gaze lifted toward Claire. At that very instant, brown ears sprouted from between Claire’s pink hair with a soft pop.
“Ta-da.”
With a flat sound effect, Claire lowered her posture and extended her head forward.
“Would you like to touch my ears?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Isabella’s hand moved as though enchanted toward Claire’s ears. They remained soft and supple to the touch. As Isabella gently kneaded them, memories of being with Theodore suddenly surfaced, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“Hic…”
“Young Miss…?”
Isabella wept freely without releasing Claire’s ears. The flustered Claire found herself unable to move from her bent position.
“Young Miss? Are you alright?”
‘Are my ears not enough? I suppose I could show her my tail, but that feels a bit much.’
No matter how much I pondered, no answer came. I decided to simply offer my ears for as long as Isabella needed.
“Hic…”
For a time afterward, Isabella’s sobs continued. As her crying gradually subsided, she hesitated before finally speaking.
“Claire.”
“Yes, Young Miss.”
“Could you hold me just once?”
At those words, Claire lifted the head she had been bowing. The hand holding her ears released its grip.
“Just once. I’m sorry if it’s too much. I was wrong to ask.”
Isabella had asked to be held, yet she couldn’t meet Claire’s eyes. The child lowered her gaze like someone who fully expected to be refused, making herself small.
“Bella, Young Miss.”
Claire sat beside Bella and lifted the child onto her lap.
“There’s no need to apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
Large hands enfolded the child’s head and back. Claire recalled her father’s touch from her own childhood and gently stroked the girl’s back with tender pressure.
“Don’t blame yourself. Neither Young Master Theodore nor I—we love your smile most of all.”
Claire’s shoulder grew increasingly damp. Isabella found comfort in Claire’s warmth. In her world that had been only cold, Claire was like sunlight suddenly pouring down one day.
Isabella ultimately surrendered to her emotions and wept openly. Once the child had shed all her sorrow, she soon fell asleep as though collapsing.
‘It seems to have resolved itself, at least for now.’
I released a long breath of relief and carefully laid Isabella on the bed so she wouldn’t wake.
‘I understand why the Young Miss was startled. If she’d witnessed Young Master Theodore in that state, it would have been traumatic.’
Rather, it was admirable that she worried for him instead of fearing him.
‘So the aftereffects can arrive with a time delay. I’ll need to be more careful going forward.’
I carefully tucked the blanket around Isabella. Watching the pristine white quilt envelop her, my thoughts naturally drifted to Theodore.
‘At least in the Bedroom, I can subdue him safely without injury. And there are fewer eyes watching.’
Just as Claire, having confirmed that Isabella had fallen into a deep sleep, quietly placed her hand on the door to slip out of the Room—
“Hm?”
A sudden thought flooded her mind.
‘Has the Young Master ever had an episode outside the Bedroom?’
When his living space had been confined to the Bedroom, she hadn’t thought it particularly strange.
But whether he ventured into the Garden each day or encountered Isabella at the entrance of the Main House, he had always maintained perfect composure.
Claire quickened her pace toward Theodore’s Room.
‘Perhaps I’ve simply been fortunate enough to avoid the Young Master’s episodes by chance. But there’s no harm in checking thoroughly.’
After knocking and entering, Claire didn’t approach Theodore immediately. Instead, she stood by the door and swept her gaze across the entire Room.
“Claire?”
“Pardon the intrusion for a moment.”
Theodore’s Bedroom furniture was frequently damaged and replaced.
‘This time, even the Window was changed.’
In this space where everything broke easily, only the ceiling, walls, and floor remained intact.
‘And the Bedroom.’
Claire approached Theodore, who sat at an angle on the Bedroom, with purposeful strides.
“Young Master, is this Bedroom precious to you?”
Theodore responded with a bewildered expression.
“Hm? It’s familiar, but I wouldn’t say it’s precious.”
“That’s fortunate then. May I examine this Bedroom a bit?”
Theodore still looked puzzled, but he readily consented and rose from the Bedroom.
“Then I’ll take the liberty.”
Once Claire confirmed Theodore had stepped back, she immediately lifted the mattress and moved it to the floor. The frame, crafted from fine wood and adorned with ornate carved details, was now fully exposed.
“Hmm.”
After a moment’s consideration, Claire simply raised her fist.
Crack.
The Bedroom’s top panel shattered like an eggshell. But what scattered wasn’t just dust and wood fragments.
“What is that?”
Dozens of crimson papers tumbled down among the Bedroom’s remains.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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