Grassland, Duke Barrington's Manor, 17.00 P.M
Half a year has passed but the incident in Nova Mesto still vividly remains in Isabel's head. It feels like it was just yesterday that everything happened. Isabel looked away the window in her working room. She now lives with Iris at Duke Barrington's Manor. After they made it out of Nova Mesto, Isabel immediately took Iris to Duke Barrington as quickly as possible. Iris's real name is Elizabeth Barrington. Even though it was awkward at first, Iris was finally able to accept her new life. She and Duke Barrington have spent a lot of time together and have looked really happy over the past month; before finally Duke Barington died.
"I succeeded in fulfilling your wish, Dumar ..." Isabel closed her eyes as she imagined while conveying Dumar's message to the Duke. Duke Barrington for a moment was silent and his face hardened. But finally with teary eyes and broken, the Duke said that he should be grateful to meet Dumar.
There was a knock at the door and a maid entered, "Miss Isabel, the dinner is about to start. Miss Isabel's arrival is expected by Lady Elizabeth. "
Isabel nodded, "I'll be down in a bit. Please tell that to Lady Elizabeth, I will soon follow her. ". The maid nodded politely then left.
Isabel looked in the mirror to fix her coat. When she straightened her coat sleeves, her gaze stopped at the secretglaives tattoo. On the secretglaives tattoo there was now on was an X mark. Isabel's memory returned when the Duke called her to speak privately. Duke said that he was the one who founded secretglaives to find Iris. With Iris found, he decided to disperse the secretglaives. Duke Barrington gave Isabel his final orders to take care of it. Isabel decides to put an X on every secretglaives member tattoo. As a sign the secretglaives are no longer there.
Isabel walked out of the room down the stairs. On the lower floor, the guests seemed to be getting crowded. Today is Iris's birthday and for the first time Iris celebrates her birthday as Duke Barrington's daughter. Isabel walked trying to get through the crowd of guests. His steps stopped when he saw someone he knew in the crowd. A person wearing a black robe and a hoody. When the person turned around, Joshua's face appeared. Isabel gasped in disbelief. She rubbed her eyes to confirm her sight but the person suddenly disappeared.
"I must be exhausted." muttered Isabel while rubbing her eyes. Joshua is a name Isabel can't forget. Because of his sacrifice, she and Iris were able to get out of Nova Mesto. Not long after the tragedy that claimed the lives of an entire city, Nova Mesto was enveloped in a dense fog. If anyone dared to try to break through the fog, they would return to where they had come. It was as if some magic was misleading those who tried to enter it. Sometimes when someone stood too close to the fog, they heard terrifying screams and moans.
A maid approached Isabel in a hurry, "Miss, you've been waited for a long time. Lady Elizabeth doesn't want to start her birthday party if her favorite guardian hasn't arrived yet. "
Isabel accelerated her pace. Before dying, Duke Barrington appointed Isabel as one of Iris's guardians. He asked Isabel to accompany and look after Iris. Finally, Isabel arrived on the hall, once again she tidied up her jacket to prepare to meet Iris. Iris greeted Isabel with a gentle smile. For a moment Isabel remembered how Iris burst into tears when she learned what had happened to Joshua. And how she was so sad when she found out that her healing magic had disappeared that she couldn't help her father. Although Iris managed to survive the tragedy in Nova Mesto, as a result, her healing powers disappeared. Since then, Iris has spent her days studying medicine and reading books related to healing magic.
"Don't overwork Isabel. It's my birthday. " Iris pulled Isabel to stand near her.
"It's all right Lady Elizabeth. It's my job. Let's get the party started. " Isabel replied with a smile.
-FIN-