In one of the underground dungeons scattered across the Aidass Manor, inside one of the Thorned Circle crud gloomy rooms, Kal the young spy that has just been caught, was sat on the only chair in the room. across him stood Alfred; his body upright as a shaft, the cordial smile he carried on earlier long gone, replaced with a zombie-like dark expression, you can feel the stiffness in his face just by looking.
"I already said I will fully cooperate with you, so why the stiff look on your face!" said Kal with a helpless smile on his face, this room is scary enough! alright! do you have to make the situation more chill-inducing!
Yet Alfred didn't waste time humoring Kal "what was your mission?" asked Alfred in a slow and creepy tone, the muscles on his face barely moved.
This scene made Kal's scalp numb, his whole body shivered.
shaking the chills of his body, Kal opened his mouth to respond but nothing came out! not that he lost the ability to talk, but hesitation showed on his face.
"What! having second thoughts!" probed Alfred, still showing no emotion on his face despite the exclamation in his tone.
"No!...it's just...i don't think you'll believe me!" stammered Kal.
"You're not in the right spot for you to judge whether I believe you or not! try me!" countered Alfred, in a dull tone.
"Sigh! honestly, even I don't understand the logic behind my mission!" confessed Kal with a deep sigh laced with confusion.
Alfred didn't respond, just kept eyeing him silently.
"Man! relax for a bit! sigh! I was tasked to follow and collect intelligence about the first madam! if that makes any sense to you, please enlighten me" Kal revealed his mission amidst his jesting.
From the moment he entered this underground room, this is the first time he saw the stiff muscles on Alfred's face move, a frown slowly surfaced on his face, and a cold severe gleam flashed in Alfred's eyes.
It was a bit difficult to decipher but Kal understood that Alfred too was confused yet didn't miss the suppressed murderous intent that just flashed on Alfred's face.
'It's true as they say! the first Madam could be likened to a dragon's reversed scale! in the Aidass family' thought Kal fearfully.
Alfred didn't comment on Kal's answer, he just kept his eagle-like eyes on Kal, Kal could even feel the slowly rising savage aura around Alfred, and this put him under immense pressure.
"Look, man! I know what I said seems like a load of nonsense! but it's the truth. if it's another mission or target I would have declined the mission or just run if I am unable to. but the weird thing is, apart from collecting information about the first Madam, I have to assure her safety and well being, that the only reason I dared to take on this mission! since it doesn't require me to do any extra dangerous or suspicious operations" hurriedly explained Kal when he could no longer withstand the pressure.
"Madam's safety? well being?" now Alfred is really lost, all the city know about the first madam, heck there is nothing to investigate or look for regarding the first Madam! due to the Madam's health condition, she doesn't involve herself in any of the family's affairs! ask any random maid and you can basically know all about the Madam.
But for some reason, Alfred felt unsettled, and this ominous feeling what kept Alfred from dismissing what Kal just said as nonsense, and with his experience in this field, Alfred could tell that Kal's not misleading him.
...
It took Marik and the other new servants about ten minutes! to reach the mission hall under the lead of Colton, ten minutes of silence, the fact that they are new and in the presence of a manager nobody wanted to risk their new job despite Colton easy-going personality, it could be an act! who knows?
On the way to the mission hall, they kept treading the gray stoned path, the first architectural structure they came across is the Outer Kitchen, where the servants and guards food is cooked.
and they heard Colton say that this kitchen is one of two outer kitchens, while the noble family food is cooked in the inner kitchen located in between the main villa and the sub-villas.
the kitchen was a one-story building with four chimneys, smoke already bellowing out of them by the time Marik and the lot reached it, size-wise the kitchen occupied an area the size of a basketball field.
And apparently, right behind this kitchen or the other outer kitchen, there is a dining hall, serves the three meals of the day, which came by a pleasant surprise for most of the new servants who used to barely have a meal a day.
Next, they crossed a section of the gray-stoned path, where it is flanked by tall trees from both sides, morning's sun rays seeping through the trees' leaves completed with the melody played by the trees whenever a breeze gently caresses them, it was simply gorgeous and breathtaking.
By the time they arrived at the mission hall, they met guards patrolling, servants, and maids bustling about doing their jobs along the way, they felt an inkling of life sparked in the mansion compared to the silent and isolated new servants' lodgings.
Standing at the steps of a grand villa-like building, Marik studied this white two floors building with red tiles as roof, the front steps of the hall are flanked with two pillars, like the ones you see in old Rome architecture, the words 'mission hall' written in black on a whiteboard above the hall's door.
"For those who can't read yet, this is the mission hall. if you look at the south you will see the main gate of the mansion, so it should be easy to remember this place" said Colton, then turned south to point at the mansion's main gate that could be seen from this place.
Immediately after, Colton ordered the two old servants to lead the new servants to their respective posts, the one who held the list of the new servants took on the task to guide the servants with posts inside the manor, while the other old servant took the rest towards the main gate, in order to deliver them to the different businesses of the family in the city.
"Now! now! those of you who are going to work inside the estate should follow me, I'll be taking you to your new jobs locations!" called the old servants with the list in a loud voice, and in the process, he noticed Marik and remembered his job at the library, he quickly turned toward Colton who is about to leave.
"Mr. Colton! please wait!"
"Hmm?! is there any problem!" inquired Colton.
"No! it's just that Marik here will be working in the library from now on, and you know the library is located in the inner section of the manor, I wonder if sir could show him the way there!" hurridly explained the old servant with the list while pointing at Marik.
"Oh! the library? interesting, hehe it's ok I'll take him there, come! follow me" responded Colton with an elevated brow then asked Marik to follow him.
"thank you! sir" thanked the old servant.
"see you guys later!" Marik waved his hands toward Bob and Acton moving his feet to keep up with Colton who is already a few meters away.
Bob and Acton waved back and promised to meet up later in the dining hall they passed earlier. since they no longer be staying in the same dorm because the library has its own dorms for the servants and managers working there, and besides Marik could always use another dining hall that is near the library add that to their full schedule, a meeting will prove to be a difficult task.
...
A couple of minutes later.
Colton brought Marik through the principal path of the manor for quite a distance but when the silhouette of a huge villa appeared in Marik's field of view, they took a small path to the right of the main path.
In less than a minute, Marik stood in front of an imposing building, the mission hall is nothing compared to it.
It is built in three main stages externally and two stories internally, the upper one containing a gallery. The ground stage is heavily rusticated and has a series of eight pedimented projections alternating with cubbyholes. The central stage is divided into bays by coupled Corinthian columns supporting the continuous entablature. The pedimented windows stand above balcony openings, reflecting the internal design. The top stage is a lanterned dome on an octagonal drum, with a balustraded parapet with vases.
The area around the Library is partly paved, partly cobbled.
"As you can see that circular building is the library. just go in and find manager Edward. yeah, don't forget to show your token and keep it safe, in the mansion the token is your identity papers!" advised Colton, then waved goodbye at Marik and left.
"I'll make sure of that sir!" answered Marik with a short bow.
Turning his head to enjoy the dazzling shape of the library and its classic beauty, Marik couldn't help the smile on his face.
'This is the place that will decide my future, please don't disappoint me!' thought Marik, then closed his eyes.
Looking toward that silent and motionless Avatar Marik thought:
'i'll be counting on you!'.