Unlike houses that were found in the resent centuries, this mansion looked to be thousands of years old and yet, it was still standing and in good shape.
The car stopped. It was time for her to alight. She reached out to open the door but someone beat her to it.
A good looking young man with pale skin, short silver hair and blue eyes opened her door for her. He was smiling so professionally that she concluded him to be a servant or something.
"Welcome home, my lady!" He greeted and bowed. She was dumbstruck at his action but when she looked behind him, her jaw dropped.
Behind him were two long rows of servants bowing at her. It was truly unbelievable. Where exactly was this?
'I know my soon-to-be husband was wealthy but, this is really over the top' Susan thought as she followed the silver haired servant to her room. 'Compared to this, my family and I are mere ...should I say paupers?'
"This is your room, my lady!" He opened the door to reveal a large bedroom that not only contained a bed and a wardrobe but also a sitting place with three chairs and a table in the middle.
There was a fire place close to the sitting place and a small shelf. It was currently empty.
The room, unlike the rest of the mansion, was painted blue. The curtains and everything else were also blue.
'How did they know I like blue?' she thought. "Um..."
"Please, call me Carlson." He said. She stared at him with amused eyes but then blinked.
Her expression was a bit shameful but she quickly adjusted to the mood.
"Um, okay. Carlson!" Compared to the way he called it, it sounded odd coming from her.
Carlson had an elegant beauty and a very distinguished action. His words were also fluent and elegant.
"You don't have to worry, I'm just the head butler so, feel free to call me as you like." He said with a smiling face.
Susan was shocked. Not only was he outstanding, he was also the head butler.
No! How did such a young man get to be the butler of such a huge place? Wasn't it exhausting?
"Thank you for your concern, Carlson. I just wanted to know if I can have someone tour me." She said and he tilted his head. "I mean, this castle... No, this mansion is so huge, I think I might get lost just trying to find my way downstairs. Could I get a guide to show me around?" She requested and Carlson nodded.
"That shouldn't be a problem. I'll guide you." He said and she violently shook her head.
"No. I mean, you look busy. I don't want to bother you or anything." She felt uncomfortable for some reason.
Carlson understood her restlessness and that was precisely why he insisted on being her guide.
"Don't worry my lady, I insist!" He said and she signed.
"Then, I'll be in your care."
Susan picked her phone and followed Carlson out. Just as the mansion looked huge from the outside, the inside was no joke.
He showed her the main hall, kitchen, dinning hall, guest hall and even the banquet hall which was being decorated in preparation for her engagement ceremony.
Susan was allowed access to those places and could go there without permission. Every other place needed permission before entry.
Carlson showed her the back of the mansion and a very good place to relax; under the apple tree.
After that, he took her to the vineyard and finally, the garden.
The garden was filled with nothing but roses. There were red roses, pink, blue and even white and yellow roses.
There was a part of the garden that seemed off limit and Susan quickly caught on to it so, she didn't insist on going there.
While they were in the garden, she couldn't help but wonder how Carlson was so knowledgeable despite his young appearance.
She unconsciously stared at him while her thoughts drifted.
Carlson noticed Susan staring and turned to her with a smile.
"Is there something on my face?" He asked and she quickly looked away, feeling embarrassed that she was caught staring.
"It's just that, you look really young for a butler." She spoke her mind and he nodded.
"Thank you for the compliment." He said "But don't be fooled by my appearance. I'm older than I look." He said and she nodded. She turned her gaze to the flowers.
"Wow! They're all so pretty." She said "Your master must really love roses for him to plant a variety of them." She reached out to pluck one but just as she was about to touch it, Carlson held her hand.
"Apologies for my rudeness, my lady but..." He let go "...I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize he might get mad at me for plucking his flowers." She said, rubbing her hand.
"Not at all, my lady but, there are thorns." He pointed out with an ever smiling face. "You could get pricked and 'bleed'!"
Susan was surprised. She had completely forgotten that despite the lovely appearance of a rose, it was still dangerous. Under that beauty, was a prickly trap.
"Oh! I seemed to have forgotten that. Thank you." She said and looked at the roses once more. She pushed the strands of hair dangling in front of her eye, behind her ear.
"It's alright!" He walked with her out of the garden. "Now that I've shown you all relevant areas of the mansion and the road that leads to your room, kindly go to the dinning hall and await dinner." He instructed and she nodded.
While they walked in, she wanted to ask if the lord would have dinner with her but brushed the thought aside.
Carlson seemed to have read her and answered.
"The lord will not be joining you for dinner as he is currently busy." He smiled and she blushed with embarrassment. Her thoughts were so easily read. "Don't mind it."
"I...I don't mind at all." She replied and walked away, briskly.
Just as Carslon said, Susan had dinner alone. It made her wonder if he had no siblings living in the house. She missed home already. It felt too lonely in the big mansion with only servants and a butler who looked about the same age as her but was far older. She sighed.
The news about her engagement was already blowing up in the internet with people tagging her as the luckiest girl alive but she...she didn't feel that happiness. That excitement, why couldn't she feel it? She was supposed to be happy yet, she wasn't.
Her family would do well for sure. They would lack nothing as her dowry was very expensive and the agreement that followed was no small deal.
It made her wonder why they would go through so much just to have her? A mere nobody!
There were so many smart, talented and beautiful young girls in the world, why her? She had nothing to offer other than her looks and figure.
She doubted that that was the reason he wanted to marry her, though.
"Sure I'm tagged as one of the country's most beautiful girls but, other than that, I have nothing." She said to herself. "Why not pick someone who was really smart or athletic? Am I really worth it?" She sighed.
"Knock! Knock!" Came the door. "My lady!" It was Carlson. "I have something important I must inform you of." He said and she quickly opened the door. "I hope I'm not disturbing your rest?"
"Not at all!" She said while shaking her head. "What is it?" She asked.