The Phantom of Vendée(1)

essed like a young noble childe. But wasn''t Comte de La Garnache a single man? Moreover, he hardly ever entertained guests!

"The country girl was curious, so she approached, taking lighter steps. Illuminated by the moonlight, she could tell that it was an incredibly beautiful little boy, with golden curls cascading down his head and a face so pale it was almost translucent. His large eyes sparkled like sapphires in the darkness. In short, he was the kind of child who could instantly enchant people and make it impossible not to love him.

"However, upon closer inspection, she felt goosebumps all over her body, for the child''s face lacked any trace of innocence or childishness. His eyes even glimmered with a cold light, as if the soul of an □□ had been placed inside the body of a child. Do you understand? It''s just that unsettling feeling one gets when encountering a dwarf!

"This fearless girl immediately recoiled, growing more and more uneasy. Even the silhouette of that ancient castle in the night now appeared eerie to her eyes.

"For several consecutive nights, as she passed by, she would see that peculiar boy. It seemed as though he never slept at night, standing there motionless on the terrace like a pensive sculpture.

"Perplexed, she went to inquire with the people around her the following day while working in the fields: ''Has Monsieur the Comte taken in a small child?'' But everyone claimed to have never seen such a child before. Reluctant to reveal her secret love affair, she fabricated a story, saying she had spotted the boy on the terrace during the daytime. Upon hearing her description of the boy, people all believed that she must have been mistaken. If there truly was such a conspicuous young master, it didn''t make sense for him to remain unseen for such a long time.

"That night, as she returned from her rendezvous, she made a conscious effort to avoid glancing towards the direction of the castle. However,