We are not in the Mansion, just as Freia had said earlier, because we are in the mini-mansion behind the Hanazono Mansion itself, not that it matters much because the separation between the said Hanazono Mansion and this place is a thick 15-feet wall.
This mansion used to be our playhouse.
Nii-sama and I used to stay here when one of us wanted to be alone or play without the other bothering us, it was mostly just me playing around in the Mansion's kitchen though.
Eomma asked Appa to build this for us so that we could have a house of our own, where we could cook, dress up, mess up, and learn chores, but Appa asked some maids to clean the place so I also didn't learn to do chores, but it worked for Freia and Icey because they learned.
The five of them know how to do chores because in Breakore they only have butlers to order around and you can count the number of maids coming per shift in a day with one hand.
I just took a quick shower because we went to the spa earlier, I should've known that Freia's planning for my birthday, and I shouldn't have set the idea aside just because our youngest is unpredictable.
After I took a quick shower, I came out of the bathroom in my undergarments under my bathrobe, I wore a tube bra because my gown was off-shoulder with a thin strap.
"Sit here," Jess said and seated me in front of a vanity table.
"You're so pretty, onee-chama." I heard Freia say weakly while looking at me so I turned the chair and faced her
I opened my arms and Freia ran to hug me.
"Onee-chama," she sobbed so I smiled
Fuego and Icey called me Onee-chama when they were young, and because of that, I know that the person in front of me is no longer Freia.
I watched them grow up, I was the one who raised them and it's such a shame that I don't know house chores while my little sisters do.
"Don't leave us yet, onee-chama. You can have a boyfriend, just don't get married yet, please…" she said and tears began to fall from her eyes
It made me chuckle a little before I carefully wiped her tears away and kissed her forehead.
"Of course not, little princess," I said and smiled
"A-as t-the future empress, I'm h-hereby o-ordering you, L-lady L-Lavalee Flamelinne, don't leave us yet. Please, don't leave us," she said hiccupping and sobbing as she cried
I looked at Jess and gave her a small smile, she understood what it meant and went out, closing the door behind her. A little later, Icey came in, her eyes showing her unspoken question, but when she saw Ray she understood.
Ray is currently crying in front of me because Samantha is numb to emotions like sadness, envy, and fear while Freia can no longer express emotions, their experience has robbed her of them.
The moment Freia called me onee-chama, I knew that it was Ray who was in front of me.
Ray used to be an imaginary friend for Freia, one of the friends she created after she was kidnapped. That was how it all started, we didn't take notice of it, but then when they once brought a crying Freia home, her eyes had changed to gray, similar to Appa's, and that's when we knew about the condition she developed from the incident.
Samantha was dormant then, only appearing when Freia feels threatened, it was Ray we had more encounters with and we preferred her over Freia's other alter.
Samantha and Ray became more active after Freia got her control back from Samantha, Ray was the alter that took over after Freia saw eomma dead and our mansion flooded with blood.
"Ray, nee-chama, will never leave," I assured her but she shook her head
"I'm scared, onee-chama. You love him. You love him, you might leave us." I smiled when I heard Ray shake
"But Onee-chama loves her siblings more. I love our family more than anyone, Akiramenaide." I said and hugged her
Icey hugged me before taking Ray out of the room. Jess came in after they left, she looked at the door where my sisters went out before looking at me with concern.
"Has she visited the psychiatrist yet? Are you even planning to?" she asked and I leaned on the chair I was sitting on before shaking my head
"I can't. Not yet," I said and she nodded in understanding
"Right, her separation anxiety, she grew up with them after all." She said and I sighed before facing the vanity table
"They're all we have left to keep Freia sane, Jess," I said and she stood behind my chair
"We tried, Nii-sama and I tried bringing her to a psychiatrist… but every time we see the notebook they use to communicate, we can't bear the thought of killing the other two. Even if Akuma makes us worry for our sister's safety, she's also the only thing that assures us that Freia's going to live even when she's alone," I said and Jess tapped my shoulder
Other people would have chosen to send their beloved to the psychiatrist the moment they find out but we didn't.
It's a stupid thing to prolong it but they were the only strings connecting Freia to sanity.
"You're strong, Lavalee," Jess said and hugged me
"Strong because of them, because of you guys. My strength came from you, without you, Irene, Chelsea, my siblings, and our relatives, I would have given up, Jess. It's tiring but I can't get tired. I mustn't," I admitted
"You're too selfish with your worries and burdens. You like keeping it all to yourself." She said and smacked my head lightly
"So what's your plan? You can't let Freia stay like that forever." She said while preparing the make-up kit
"I know, we're just taking things slowly. As of now, Ray is the only one we could hold onto to understand and know how Freia feels, and at the same time, Samantha's the only one keeping us at ease that Freia will be safe," I said and she tapped my shoulder before smiling
"Call us when you need us. We're only one call away," she said and I smiled before holding her hand
"I know," I said
She removed the towel from my head and blow-dried my hair, she then combed it with a hairbrush then started fixing my hair. She tied it up in a simple yet elegant crown braid and curled the tips a bit.
"Close your eyes," She said so I closed my eyes and she began applying make-up on my face when I opened my eyes she made me look sideways to see if it's fixed.
I stood up and she helped me wear the gown.
"Freia's really good at choosing gowns, huh?" she asked and I nodded
"Why are we wearing a gown again? If I remember correctly, apart from my birthday I don't remember any other occasion today." I said
"Still trying to deny it? You know we prepared a surprise debut for you," she said and chuckled
She pulled me out and I noticed that Chelsea, Irene, Autumn, and my sisters are also wearing long gowns.
Even Jess is wearing one and I didn't notice it earlier.
"Happy Birthday, Lavalee," they greeted and hugged me
When we went out of the room, Nii-sama and Fuego are both wearing prince-like suits.
Nii-sama's in his gold and red suit while Fuego's in his gold and black tuxedo.
"Happy Birthday, Flame,/ Flame-chan," They greeted in chorus and I hugged them
"You look tall now." Fuego teased me because whenever I'm standing beside Nii-sama the height difference is noticeable.
Fuego's height already reached my ears when I'm not wearing heels, same with Icey and Freia.
I reached until Nii-sama's ears now that I'm wearing 3-inch wedges and black strap sandals.
"Thank you," I said and hugged Nii-sama
"You've grown up fast, Flame." He said and I chuckled
"You've broken up with your girlfriend," I said and I heard him chuckling lightly and shortly
"You caught up on the news too quickly, ate Lav," Autumn said and I looked at her and smirked
"Right, baby Freia?" I said and she nodded
Freia's back.
I know since her eyes are back to being gold again.
"Right!" she said while clapping
If I know, she's stopping herself from jumping because of her 2-inch gold wedge sandals.
"Let's go?" Nii-sama asked and we went in front of the huge double doors.
When the doors opened, my eyes widened when I saw the set up down the stairs.
Nii-sama and Fuego escorted me down the stairs and at the last step, they gave my hand to Jace.
I looked at them in confusion but Freia just kissed my cheek and smiled before heading to where the tables are set up
"This is what the tuxedo is for," I said and he smiled at me before kissing my cheek which took me off guard.
"Surprise," he said
"Is this Freia's idea too?" I asked him and he nodded
"Their idea, she said Samantha balanced it." He said and escorted me to the side of the stage.
The place looks breathtaking, it was like a fire temple, and now I'm really sure it was Samantha, Ray, and Freia's idea.
They're really meticulous when it comes to preparing and designing a party and they take the theme to a whole different level
"Let's welcome our debutant, Lavalee Flamelinne Ayazaki Hanazono." Butler Jon was the one who was acting as the emcee