Her shoulders sank. The path was dark, and despite her curiosity, she was not willing to take any chances. She hesitantly placed the book back in its place, and the gateway closed. Her fingers trembled, and she walked back to the plush sofa.
"It's scary," she whispered under her breath.
For the rest of the afternoon, she read one of the books recommended by her teacher, Sir Arcaneum. It explored the early origins of magic. The very first beings to be able to use magic were the elves and demons. As time passed, humans began using their mana to form magic.
"Milady!" Delia knocked on the door twice with her index finger.
"Milady! The dinner is ready."
Luiza placed her flower bookmark and closed it. She carried it in her arms and unlocked the door. The lights were on, and they ambled downstairs. On the walls were the extravagant paintings of well-known artists and the generational pictures of the previous dukes and dutchess.
She entered the dining hall and took her place on the left side. The servants started to place the cutlery and the plates. In a while, the duke and dutchess of the mansion, Joseph Von Stein and Adelaide Von Stein, joined the table.
"Luiza, Your teacher, Sir Arcanum, recommended I send you to the Magic Academy in the Kingdom of Eunoia. Was it your choice, which your teacher relaid?" The duke asked.
Her face held a gentle smile, concealing her fright underneath. Although her fingers continued to quiver, she spoke, "It was the teacher's choice. I, myself, was unaware of it just until a few moments."
"I see." The duke had his eyebrows knit.
"Why not send her if her teacher insists, Duke? Luiza has always been a bright child, and traveling far lands brings more wisdom," Lady Adelaide suggested.
"Fair enough. I shall test you next week, and if you are truly up to par, then I shall let you go," the duke concluded.
The servants brought out the main dishes, and Butler Edward first served the Duke, then the Dutchess and Luiza. Although her hands were wrapped, the duke couldn't care less about her injuries, and they continued to have supper in silence.
~
"Why? Why did you kill us?" A man covered in shadow whined.
"It's your fault. Whether your despicable mother died, it had nothing to do with us."
"Give us our lives back."
A thousand such remarks echoed. In a trice, multiple hands in a dark silhouette start to reach every corner of her body. They traced every part of her. A mysterious hand reached for her hair and pulled. "F-Fucking bitch. You should have died that day.".
That man's hand was about to slap her, then suddenly all of them started to burn. She was surrounded by burning silhouettes of men, all pleasing for help. Right before her, she saw the back of her mother.
"Luwy," her voice reverberated. Her curled-up body stayed still while the woman continued, "How could you take so many lives? I am disappointed." The woman was almost about to turn around when, abruptly, she woke up from her slumber.
Her eyes shot awake, and her hands clutched the bedsheets. "Disappointment," she repeated. A bitter taste followed, and she saw the familiar sight of the vault. A portrait of Goddess Diana and wooden carvings surrounding it. Passively, she rose, and Delia entered the room.
The curtains were opened, and a washing basin was brought. While Luiza washed her face, the maid neatly made the bed and made her change into her morning gown. With a slight touch of make-up, she left her chambers.
Every servant in the mansion made their presence almost invisible. Despite the early morning hours, the hallways were cleaned, and barely any servants were visible.
"Good morning, Milady," the butler greeted her.
"Good morning, Sir Edward." She replied. The butler brought only a serving of breakfast.
"Where are the Duke and Dutchess?"
"Milady, The Duke was invited to the palace, so both the Duke and Duchess left early in the morning."
She nodded, took the knife and fork in her right and left hands, and started the meal. The table appeared untenanted, maybe due to the absence of the Duke and Dutchess. Once she was done with her meal, she wiped her lips.
"Sir Edward, do you have any recommendations for any libraries nearby?"
Taken aback by her unusual inquiry, he paused for a moment and answered, "It would depend on the type of book you require, milady."
She pursued her lips. "A Library Regarding History"
"Then, the library at the Grand Crest might be able to indulge you, milady. It has a high selection of books, ranging from historical records to the most contemporary ones. Should I prepare the carriage?"
"Yes," The butler nodded in hesitation and ordered the maid to prepare the lady.
Dalia brought a few sets of dresses to choose from in the chambers of her lady. Luiza chose a simple, high-waisted dress with puffy sleeves and bodices supporting her bosom in lemon yellow. A hat and a pair of gloves, and her dainty figure, descended the spiral stairs.
A simple carriage was brought, and Edward held her hands as she entered the carriage, and off she went. It was early morning, and the sun had barely reached the townscape.
The square of Grand Crest was almost forty minutes away, and when she peered through the window, the bazaar was calm. Only the breakfast stalls and bakeries were opened. The merchants were assembling their carts and stores. The businesses had yet to be started.
The carriage stopped before the library. The entire building was made of bricks, and the tops were semi-circular domes. The gates were opened, and the brick walls were fenced.
She got off the carriage and leisurely stepped on the cobblestones.
The cool breeze brought in the aroma of citrusy oranges. Her nose flushed red from the crisp air. Quietly, she stepped inside the library, which greeted her with humongous racks of bookshelves.
A distinct smell of freshly arrived books hit her nostrils. She gazed from side to side in bewilderment. Some of her favorite authors, as well as less renowned and eminent ones, were thoroughly kept together.
"Wow!" Her eyes glistened in joy, and pinching her hem, she dashed towards the magical history section. Her heels loudly clicked on the marble floor. "Oops!" she uttered, later realizing that her footwear violated the library rules.
Her eyes skimmed through each set of books. Some were journals, while others were critiques. Only a handful of the books were compilations of the past decades. However, at the very top of the rack was the book she was searching for.
She got on her tiptoes and tried to reach it. Her fingertips almost touched it, and gently she pulled out the book, but alas, it all of a sudden fell on her forehead instead.
"Ah!" she said aloud while the book fell to the floor. Her eyes slowly uncapped, and she bent down to get the book when she saw a man on the other side instead. Her hands picked up the book while she peeked at his face.
His eyes were blue like the night sky, deep and mysterious. A sharp, tall nose and slightly full lips. His black hair was tied into a thin ponytail, and although he was covered by clothes, she could tell he was decently muscular.
He had a handsome face, she remarked.
The man, feeling the glance of the maiden, tore his attention from the book he held and met eyes with her. Uh, a pang of reality hit her, and instantly she wished to hide somewhere. Her cheeks were rosy, and her lips were agape. Gathering herself, she slightly bowed and ran downstairs.