The morning sun was already shining brightly on the eastern horizon even though a small-scale raindrop fell freely that morning, a plate of hash brown and chicken teriyaki that looked delicious and still billowing hot smoke had been served on the nightstand along with a glass of milk and a bar of dark chocolate. Lavelle sighed heavily, then rubbed her forehead, trying to get rid of the annoying strands of hair that covered her face, then stared at the ceiling of the room, hearing mixed feelings.
She was thinking about how she would escape from that place in the near future because she felt so uncomfortable being there. She wants to go home and meet her Mom and persuade her to get a divorce from Martian, the son of a bitch who always hurts them.
Because Lavelle thought at least if her mother was divorced from Martian, they could build a new business in South Kensington, whether it was a food or retail business. They can still live without the intervention of the Martian. But it seems that it is also a thing that is so useless, because surely her mother does not want a divorce from Martian. Lavelle sighed violently and kicked her blanket in annoyance.
Lavelle can only imagine she can get out of here with Daniela and can immediately meet the rangers or forest police who will help her escape from this magnificent kingdom. However, the opportunity to escape from the kingdom was impossible due to a tight guard, and they had to pass through a city called Neo Green Peace.
* Klekk *
The grand door of the room opened, and some maids walked in awkwardly after apologizing to Lavelle, who looked surprised at feeling the maids bothering her on such a morning. Some of the maids who were about to clean the room looked so afraid that Lavelle stared at them with a disgusted look. Even occasionally, the maids bowed their heads, feeling guilty for disturbing the guests of their Master.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Blanc. We do not intend to disturb your sleep, which is so deep, and the Great Master asks us to clean this room without disturbing your sleep. We are sorry if your sleep is disturbed." One of the maids' representatives looked down at Lavelle as if she had done a righteous deed that was not commendable.
"You don't have to look down like that. I've been awake for a long time," Lavelle replied briefly.
"But, Mrs—"
"If you guys want to clean this room, please clean it. I won't get bothered, and I just want to lie here for a while." Lavelle cut off the maid's words.
"Does Mrs. Blanc wants me to prepare warm water with fragrant essences for a soak this morning? If you want that, I'll prepare it for you," repeated the maid.
"No need, I can prepare myself," Lavelle said later.
"Umm..." All right, Mrs. Blanc. But Mr. Theophile also left me a message asking you to see him immediately because he wanted to invite you to go somewhere," said the maid for a second time.
"I won't see him until he takes me back to the cabin," Lavelle replied indifferently.
"But, Mrs—" Blanc. The Great Master wants to take you somewhere he likes," The maid's words quickly sounded, even sounding a little begging.
"Just tell him that I don't want to go with him. I refused his invitation. And if necessary, just ask him to come alone to this room, "said Lavelle.
Mrs. Blanc. The Great Master is busy for now, and he told us he left the message. Please help us, Mrs. Blanc. They came back begging.
"What exactly do you mean, huh? It's only seven o'clock in the morning, and you guys are already busy bothering me like this, isn't your master not content to keep me here?" asked Lavelle aloud.
The maids gasped, then lowered their heads deeper and fuller in fear. They whispered to each other in whatever language Lavelle didn't understand. However, a few moments later, one of the maids sat across from her and clenched her fists to apologize to Lavelle.
"My apologies, Mrs. Blanc, we really didn't mean to bother you. We just want to provide a good service for you. We beg you not to complain anything to Big Master Theophile." One of the maids looked so frightened now. "Please don't snitch on us to Grand Master Theophile like Evil Vanyacia."
Lavelle frowned quickly, and then she glanced at all the maids. "Vanyacia?"
One of the maids looked down. "Excuse me, your highness Mrs. Blanc, let me answer your question. Vanyacia is an Elf who came from a foreign land decades ago. She has a special relationship with Grand Master Theophile. But it has been a long time since Grand Master Theophile expelled her and sent her deep into the Moon Goddess' cursed prison. Grand Master Theophile felt hopeless and disappointed for a long time because he thought that Vanyacia was the right woman to be his life partner. He was so disappointed that he found another girl, you."
"Oh, so before I was locked up here with Daniela, there was an Elf named Vanyacia who became Theophile's girlfriend?" asked Lavelle for reassurance.
"You could put it that way, Mrs. Blanc."
"Well, I have an idea. Tell Theophile I'll see him in thirteen minutes."
One of the maids nodded in understanding. "I'll pass it on, Mrs. Blanc."
After the maid left, Lavelle's presence. Lavelle immediately got up from the bed that was so wide and went to the bathroom and saw a pool of water that smelled so fragrant as five hundred bottles of perfume that were broken and put into the bathtub. Every now and then, she shook her head in disbelief that now her life had become quite unclear and chaotic. She entered a strange and mysterious world, and she also couldn't lie to herself that she felt a little happiness there.
She felt so precious to live in this place, not feeling happy because she was treated like a Queen by Theophile, but, there was a warm feeling in her heart every time the people in the city looked at her with a look of affection she had longed for. I don't know how long it had been since she had received such a stare from her surroundings.
"God, I always wished that this was a beautiful dream. I don't want this dream to stop in a matter of time, and I still want to enjoy it slowly," Lavelle thought.
+++
"You're finally out, sweetie. I thought you would refuse my invitation to accompany me to a beautiful place," said Theophile when he heard Lavelle's footsteps approaching him with exciting steps.
"Fuff … How can you tell without looking?" asked Lavelle in a confused tone.
Theophile chuckled, then turned to face Lavelle. Previously, he was combing the hair of a pony named Napoleon, which he had been using around with Lavelle some time ago. Theophile placed the comb in a wooden box, then waved to a nearby maid to return the box to the stables.
"Did you forget that one fact?" asked Theophile then.
"Oh, yes. I almost forgot that you're a pretty manipulative vampire," Lavelle said later.
"Well, I thought you would decline my invitation since I didn't pick you up in person," Theophile said a second time.
Lavelle shrugged her shoulders, then fiddled with her fingers. "I thought I was following your orders if I didn't want to be sent to the Moon Goddess cursed hell."
"Excuse me ...."
"Why did you send her to the damned hell? Isn't it certain that an Elf has a pretty face?" asked Lavelle, without noticing Theophile's confused expression.
"How did you find out about Vanyacia?" Theophile folded his arms across his chest and looked at Lavelle with a rather sharp gaze.
"Surely you can guess that clearly, right? She is your ex-girlfriend that you sent to a cursed hell for no apparent reason," Lavelle replied with a bit of sharpness.
Theophile sighed, then replied, "How did you know that I sent that woman to a cursed prison for no reason? It seems you have a misunderstanding."
"Maybe so. I don't think it's that important. Because that won't let you free me, will it?" asked Lavelle, then with one eyebrow raised.
"Do you feel cooped up here?" Theophile asked a question in such a gentle tone.
Lavelle was silent for a long time.
"Can you answer me?" Theophile pressed still with the same note.
However, Lavelle was still speechless without answering Theophile's question.
Without a second thought, Theophile smiled faintly and stretched out his hand for Lavelle to quickly take his hand and climb on top of Napoleon. But Lavelle still saw Theophile's hand, which was so cute with his veins showing so clearly even though the hand looked so thin.
"Why are you only looking at my hand? Is there something wrong with my hand?" asked Theophile.
Lavelle was stunned, then shook her head feeling awkward. "Why don't you let me ride on this pony alone? I understand how to ride a horse."
"Napoleon is so sensitive to people he has just met, he will be so aggressive, and you will fall if I don't help you," said Theophile.
"Really? I think horses are always aggressive animals," said Lavelle in disbelief.
Theophile raised one eyebrow, holding back a laugh. "Who did you know that from?"
"Shotaro," Lavelle replied.
Theophile chuckled then glanced at his hand that Lavelle had left for so long. "Do you believe the boy's words?"
"That should be the case. After all, why would I trust a creature who likes to cheat so much," Lavelle snorted later.
"I understand you must still feel resentful towards both Shotaro and Mark, and I hope you can forgive him soon." Theophile licked his lower lip.
Lavelle shifted her gaze to another object in the entrance, then, after ignoring Theophile for a long time, she took Theophile's hand, and Theophile swiftly helped the girl up the pony's body. And without thinking any longer, he immediately untied the pony he gave the pony, leading the horse out of the vast and majestic courtyard.
"Hold on to the rope, so you don't fall. I'll go up when I get to the gate," Theophile said.
"Um… where are you taking me to?" asked Lavelle.
"Somewhere you might like," Theophile replied without turning his head.
A strong wind that greeted them made Theophile's maroon hair sway beautifully, plus the remnants of the raindrops made his hair look like fire in the soft sunlight. Lavelle did not take her eyes off Theophile's hand, guiding Napoleon's ropes. Her mind started imagining something that didn't make sense to her, a crazy thing that she had to get out of her mind right away.
"Do you like roses?" asked Theophile.
"I think so," answered Lavelle.
"What kind?"
"Not so significant. I like all kinds of roses."
Theophile smirked. "Feeling less sure, huh?"
They rode after nearly thirty minutes, and they had now arrived at an area quite far from the Kingdom area. Berk trees, which are so towering and maple trees look glittering, adorn the journey they take so neatly lined up on the right and left of the path.
Theophile descended when they were almost at the front of an old rickety building covered with vines of colorful wildflowers. The building looked like a mansion but was made of glass that looked dusty from long periods of disuse. Lavelle looked at the building intently, feeling astonished and confused.
Theophile didn't say a word, and he just continued to lead the ponies until they stopped in a parking lot already filled with a sea of dried leaves. Theophile tied his pony to a rusty crossbar.
"What is this place?" asked Lavelle curiously.
"This is a place to hold important meetings and gatherings," Theophile replied.
Lavelle stared in disbelief when Tristan referred to the old and uninhabitable building as an important meeting place. But Lavelle's eyes were really captivated when she saw a small pond overgrown with lotus flowers in the middle of the courtyard of the building. Half don't believe that there is an ecosystem in the pond, namely several types of koi fish that live healthily there.
Theophile took a deep breath and then exhaled as if he was getting rid of the boredom he had been experiencing for a while. She looked so radiant when he saw the wildflowers growing chaotically enveloping the building.
"It's been almost three months. I haven't sent a few maids to clean this place due to some business. But maybe in a few days, I'll ask them to come here and clean up the place," Theophile said, then turned to Lavelle. "Do you like this place?"
"Umh… I don't know, and I guess I don't like it because I've only just seen the outward appearance of this building. What's so special about this old building?" Lavelle asked back, then tried to get off the pony. "Or else you will eat me in this ugly place."
Theophile chuckled. "Do I look like a masher?"
"More or less like that," Lavelle sneered.
Meanwhile, Tristan returned a crooked smile when he found Lavelle, who was awkward when she looked right into his eyes. "You think too much negatively about me, sweetie. I don't even have such a dirty mind. Let me help you down, and let's go see a lotus pond and all kinds of roses back there."
Lavelle tried to get down on her own without heeding Theophile's outstretched hand. But, so stupidly, Lavelle didn't notice a rope that wasn't properly tied to the horseshoe, and in the end, she lost her balance and slipped. She almost felt if Theophile hadn't caught the girl's body and hugged her tightly as if holding a prized trophy.
Lavelle was stunned when she saw a strange image that began to fill her brain, and she realized that she was not asleep at that time. She tried to free herself from Theophile's arms, but a small accident only made her heart even more confused when her lips met Tristan's thin lips. Lavelle immediately pushed the man and tried to avoid him even though it was impossible because his leg was sprained now.
"You're the pervert moron!" cursed Lavelle.