"Hello Kai, my name is Ferris. Now then, let's discuss your contract shall we."
The advisor poured himself a cup of tea, elegantly lifted his cup, took a sip and placed it back on to the table. He cleared his throat and walked towards his desk. I would've loved to say 'elegantly', but the way he was walking on the small gaps in between the papers really made it impossible.
After tremendous difficulty, he reached his desk and managed to find the contract he had written up beforehand. He carefully read the paper and turned around to walk back to the sitting area. Upon his turn, he sighed at having to redo the same circus walk he did earlier.
Much to my surprise, he didn't trip.
He reached the sitting area and fixed himself. The man who danced the 'Swan Lake' to get here instantly disappeared from sight. He elegantly sat down and elegantly took another sip of his tea.
After he placed his cup down for the second time, he passed the contract to me.
"Usually, reassigning employees doesn't need a contract but in your case it's a bit special."
The contract was concise and clear.
This reassignment was only temporary. My task was not only to organise the documents in his office but also to organise the entire document archive of the Duchy. The task at hand would take me two years to complete according to his calculations. Right around the time when I will be eligible for the Alden Academy. I need to find a way to get acknowledged by the Duke for a scholarship entry.
Since Kai is a servant with no status, he needs a noble status to back him up in case of emergencies. Alden Academy is a school for nobles but it also gives the highest noble families a vouch for a special entry. All four kingdoms have 3 families allowed for a special vouch. Duke Carlos is my best option.
But why would he allow a war orphan with no practical magic skills to enter a magic academy… Felix, your plan has too many flaws. (TvT)
"So, what are your thoughts?" asked the man sitting across from me.
The contract doesn't have any extra conditions other than keeping the information confidential. I'm sure it's because they think I can't read too well and wouldn't be able to understand it. Either way it doesn't make a difference to me.
"I'm okay with the contract."
"Perfect, just sign at the end of the paper." He offered a pen for my signature.
No matter how normal this seems, asking a war orphan to sign a contract just doesn't make sense. Exactly what kind of a person is the Duke?
After signing the contract, the advisor took it with him and walked back to his desk.
His dancing skills weren't much to enjoy.
"Is it alright if I begin the work now?" I don't want to keep doing acrobatics for the rest of the day.
"Yes of course."
Alright! Let's begin!
..... Four hours later ....
"Kai, you can take a break. I need to deliver these letters to the Duke."
"Yes Sir."
Thud.
As soon as the doors closed, my legs gave in.
I collapsed onto the floor finally letting my spine return to its original shape. In four hours, I cleaned up 532 pages from fifteen different archives. Honestly, I miss doing laundry. However, now there is not a single paper on the floor, well, on one side of the room at least.
For all future employers, if your secretary enjoys throwing papers everywhere, please don't give them an event hall sized room for their work. Have mercy on their assistants.
The papers I had found each held different kinds of information. Some were letters regarding taxation problems, others involved newsletters on the Carlos Territory. There was one paper that I really wanted to read again.
It was a letter from a servant that worked in the north (haunted) mansion, and his message was quite disturbing.
"Help! I need help! I'm stuck in this mansion with no way out.
There are no doors and no windows, but there's light. And something keeps following me.
I think it's a person, no,
a cat, no,
it's- it's a beast!
Please help! I don't want to die. I'm so scared!
The green- those green eyes are going to kill me!!!"
There was a blood fingerprint on the bottom corner of the paper and it seemed to be quite an old message as well. It was really strange because from all I have heard, the north mansion doesn't have any inhabitants. If so, then this person… is he talking about a ghost!!?
Slap!
"Okay Kai! Ghosts don't exist but your work does, so let's focus on the task at hand."
"Kai, why is your face red?" The advisor holding a file in his arms asked as he opened the door.
"It's nothing Sir." A ghost! Let's just not think about it.
"If you say so."
The evening went by fairly quickly and all the paper from the floor had been cleaned up. I piled all the pages according to their content but it still needed to be properly organised. At least walking has become easier now.
"Sir, I will be off then." The advisor works through most of his nights, but servants are not allowed to roam around the main house after evening hours. Otherwise I too would have stayed to finish the papers.
"Enjoy your night, see you tomorrow."
The advisor seemed like a very strict person who only communicates by status but he opened up to me fairly quickly. He considers me as a genuine assistant and that strangely warmed my heart. Acknowledgement is such a lovely feeling.
After walking my way out of the house, I started heading up the hill. Since I never moved dorms, I had to go back to the northern dormitory. The dormitory is nowhere close to the northern mansion but since the district covers it it's called the northern dormitory.
Walking back into the woods at night time never scared me before but after reading that servant's message, a weird chill went down my back.
Through the trees, I could see a glimpse of the northern mansion. It was shrouded in the mist making it look all the more haunted.
Swoosh!
From in between the trees, a white figure blew past me.
WHAT WAS THAT!?
Step. Step- Tp. Tp. Tp.
The sounds of their steps changed?
I could feel the goosebumps all over my body as the little steps got closer to me.
Tp. Tp. Tp!
BA-THUMP! BA-THUMP! BA-THUMP!
Mom! Save me!
It's here, right behind me, the ghost!
"Meow!"
"..."
A black cat with jewel green eyes stood behind me.
"NERO! YOU LITTLE!"
TBC