The past days have been filled with lessons with the tutors and self-studying. Learning was also much more enjoyable than I thought that I'd wondered why I kept avoiding them like the plague earlier in the first place. Lady Elizabeth had already thanked me for heeding her request to provide aether the moment we saw each other again. We've built quite a friendship recently and I'm grateful to have someone I can converse with here in the mansion aside from Anette.
Today was another day of her etiquette lessons and she'd initiated a chat at the end of it, just as we always do.
"I've heard from your father that he plans to send you to the academy." She starts as she leans her face on her right hand while her left is placed on the table, looking at me with much interest. A behavior that shows that she's warming up to me even more.
Between us was the table full of piled books she uses as learning reference. As usual, she has put on her intimidating fitted gowns. Today, she felt wearing a color of dark red paired with a tight up-do braid on her hair. In contrast to my white dress that was ruffled at the ends and my loose hair.
"I'm putting a thought on it." I reply with a shrug as I flip through one of the books in front of me. "Attending a school full of fancy noble kids while covered in bandages seems questionable."
"Questionable, you say? There is a truth in it." Lady Elizabeth chuckles gently then she continues. "But you cannot deny the opportunities it may offer."
"Of course, I can't. That's the very reason why my father wants me to attend the academy." I tell her with a sigh.
"Then what do you want to do?" She asks.
To that, I have no answer. Such a simple question carries a lot of weight. Truly, what do I want to do? Since the day I was reincarnated here I have only been going with the flow and tried my best to live normally - which definitely was an utter fail, given the weird things that's been happening.
Lady Elizabeth must have noticed my being quiet so she continued to speak. "Well if you're worried about how you will look, maybe it will comfort you to know that you will not be the only strange one walking around there." She says in a tranquil tone.
"What do you mean-"
My question was cut off by the sudden opening of the door. Both I and the countess turn to the two people who approached inside. One was the butler, Karl, and with him was a silver-haired lean and tall boy that was about my age - fourteen or fifteen. He was wearing a black doublet that was lined with white on the sleeves paired with black pants and black leather boots. He was also quite pale, or maybe that's just his natural complexion.
The unnamed boy smiled at me playfully which made me raise an eyebrow.
"Take that one for example." Lady Elizabeth says in a low voice. Again, I am confused.
"Forgive me for the intrusion, my lady. The young master, Seinfrede, of the West would like to talk with our young lady." The butler informs Lady Elizabeth.
"It is alright. I was about to leave anyway." The countess stands and so do I. We exchange curtsies as the countess bids farewell. She walks off but stops for a moment beside Seinfrede. She says something without turning her head. "Enjoy your little talk."
Her emphasis on the last word was too obvious for me not to notice.
Seinfrede just did a bow to Lady Elizabeth, she also bows but only slightly and continues to walk through the door.
"Young lady Calla." The silver-haired boy calls out to me as he approaches me, he stops a few inches in front of me and bows. "Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Seinfrede Dianthus, older son of the duke of the West."
In return, I bow and introduce myself as well.
"Please have a seat." I tell him and then I turn to the butler. "Butler, do tell some of the maids to make us some tea."
"Yes, young lady- "
"That won't be necesarry." I look at him but he only gives off a smile. Then he leans on for a whisper, which caught me off guard. "Perhaps the young lady could accompany me to the gardens? I heard that it is very lovely."
What does this guy want? I give him a look of confusion. Then he speaks again.
"Oh no, I'm very aware that you're allergic to flowers. You can just wear bandages again, just like you did during the last times you went out. I'll wait for you here." Again with that smile of his and those slightly raised eyebrows. He's getting on my nerves.
The last times, he said. How did he know that I went out more than once?
"Alright, I will be quick." I tell him, then he nods and finally takes the seat I occupied earlier. I walk out and call out to the butler who's been where he was since earlier. "Please call Anette to my room."
***
As expected, while Anette helped me put on the bandages, she made a fret over the fact that the young master of the West invited me to go to the mansion's garden together. A spoiled brat, she kept calling him. But I am more curious as to why he came here to meet me. Knowing that he is aware that I went out twice is ticking me off. Is he a stalker or something?
Another maid came to my room to inform me that Seinfrede had already made his way to the gardens. Tell the young lady that I will go first and meet her there - he told the maid. Was he that excited to see a bunch of roses in one place?
My personal maid lead the way to the mansion gardens. As we walk along, servants stole glances and shared whispers among themselves, seeing it strange to see me around instead of being cramped up in my room. I cannot blame them in any way.
We arrive in front of a gleaming golden gate that was already half open. There was one guard stationed in front of it. Anette and I were about to take a step inside when the guard blocked the way.
"I apologize but the young master had specifically requested that the young lady should go in alone." He says without batting an eye.
What is this? He acts like he owns the place! I know we owe him and his father for helping the East but don't you think this is a bit too much? Seeing that I have no choice, I can't help but sigh.
"Very well. Anette, you can go back to the mansion."
I can definitely feel that she was about to say something but she only chose to bow and started walking away. I proceed to the gardens and follow the path along the various glowing roses that bloomed under the daylight that shone through.
I don't even know where to start looking for that brat in this massive garden. Even so, I wander around aimlessly hoping to find him. For only a short time, I spot his silver hair at a distance. I approach him in a casual manner. He was just standing there, staring at a rose bush. He lifts his fingers and touches a pink rose. What, has he never seen a rose before in his life?
I laugh at the sudden thought. Yet something has made me stop on my tracks. The pink of the rose was gradually becoming the color of ashes the more his fingertips stayed on the petals. A little moment longer and the poor flower fell lying on the ground - lifelesss, crumpled, dead.
Clearly I am not hallucinating now, am I? It was as vivid as it could be. The moment he touched that pink rose, it just withered and died! In this world of wizards, cities that blow up, voices that invade your thoughts and extracting life force from flowers, nothing is impossible anymore.
His eyes shift to me. He faces his body to me next as he grins innocently, as if he hadn't done what he just did. He puts on a glove that he held in his other gloved-hand - a small detail I had failed to notice earlier.
From grinning, his face turns expressionless and blank. A chill runs down through my spine at what I had just witnessed. He sweeps back the bangs that touched his right eyelid as he spoke,
"Don't worry, I intended for you to see that."