Chapter 43: 41. A Dusty Manor

As we began our tour, Mili gave me a quick layout of the house.

The house consisted of three floors and a basement. The basement was for storage, the ground floor was used for work and and events, the second floor was where the household members lived and the third floor was used as a living space for servants along with some storage.

We begun our visit in the lobby. I had been curious about the door just on the side of the main entrance and it turns out that it was a sitting room where guests would be welcomed. It looked very nice and comfortable so I tried to take a seat, but it raised a cloud of dust.

Mili panicked and quickly patted me down from any dust ball that had stuck to my dress. As we left she had talked to some maids so it would get cleaned.

From her messy explanation, I had figured out that the Baron had not been taking guests for a while and messengers were promptly dealt with without time given for them to sit down.

It sounded a bit odd, but I decided not to pry into the issue for now.

Next we continued down the lobby to the left and wound up in front of two large doors. She took a key chain from her apron and unlocked the doors.

Beyond was a large room two floors tall. A gallery was visible above looking down on the venue. I immediately recognised what this was. It was a great hall where celebrations and official events were held, but the place was strangely cluttered and the podium where the master of the household’s seat would usually be placed was empty. When I asked Mili about it, she simply stated that Lionheart had not held celebrations in a year and had permitted the staff to use the space for the knights while their barracks was renovated when winter started.

One thing had led to another and the great hall was now more of a general storage space than anything fanciful.

She smoothed over the place, obviously not too proud of the area herself and walked us through the hall to the side. It was the glass walls I had noticed from the garden. Mili explained that this was a greenhouse where one could sit in any temperature and season and appreciate the sunlight. It was also a perfect place to grow plants in all seasons and the maids had garnished the side of the windows with flowers and herbs.

Mili then led me through a pantry back to the lobby before heading to the opposite side of the great hall.

I was vaguely familiar with the area as this was where the dining room was. The front half was indeed made up of the dining room and an attached tea room while the back was occupied by a variety of rooms used by the staff for different tasks. There were many people running about their business so she avoided some of the more obscure rooms, but we still made a stop by the kitchen. We greeted the head chef who was all smiles when he noticed my presence. He even gave me a cookie before allowing us through toward a staircase heading downward.

It seems he figured children might be curious about this type of place.

It was much cooler and darker here and Mili had brought a lantern. She said it was one of her favourite places in the household since it looked like a castle or dungeon. But I felt slightly scared of going into such a dark and damp space.

She explained that this part of the house was much older than the rest as the house proper had been renovated many times over, but the foundation had remained for generations. We walked past the different cold storage and came to a large reinforced wooden door.

Scared, but curious, I asked what was on the other side, but she said staff weren’t allowed. Only the knights and the lord could go there, but Mili said that there was a rumour amongst the maid that it led to an elaborate network of underground passageways that connected the whole of Evergreen, but that it sounded too far-fetched to her.

We headed back the way we came to my great relief and headed to the second floor through the lobby.

This was the same floor where my room was. We walked down the long hallways and Mili explained that these rooms were interchangeable in their use. Apparently, one of Lionheart’s ancestors had many many children, and had always wished for them to have a place to return to in this household just as much as the one in their homeland.

Curious, I asked her about Lionheart’s homeland since it was the first time I had ever heard anyone bring it up.

She became excited as she told me about it since it was apparently her native land as well. The Ashbrook household came from the Duchy of Norland, far to the north.

My grand-father, Lionheart’s father, was apparently the count of Clotop and resided in its capital of the same name. The estate was built in the centre of the city and looked like a castle. She had never set foot inside, but from what she told me, it appeared to be quite impressive.

We continued down the hallway where she pointed out a few key rooms such as the head maid’s office, Stash’s office, a few studies and libraries. She finally stopped at a door at the end of the corridor.

-This is the Baron’s chamber. Me not allowed inside. You ask later.-

She explained in her broken language.

I made a mental note of its location. My room faced the front of the estate and his the back, so I only had to walk straight down to reach it. It shouldn’t be too difficult to remember.

We headed back up the hallway and she showed me the way to the balcony overlooking the great hall. There were several more chambers here, but she stated that they were currently used for storage.

We finally headed to the third floor. At this level, the space reserved for the lobby was no more and instead, a wide hall filled with paintings, statues, pottery, armor and weapons filled the space beyond two reinforced doors. From what Mili told me, those doors were closed during the night to avoid theft.

I looked around at the paintings and stopped at one that seemed to depict Lionheart. He looked younger and healthier. The dark circles were absent underneath his eyes and he seemed content. There was a portrait next to his, depicting a woman. It was painted in a similar way.

-Who is this beside, Lionheart?-

I asked Mili, but she looked confused.

-Sorry. Who Lionheart?-

I pointed at his painting.

-My father.-

I explained.

Her eyes lit up but then she frowned in confusion.

-You call your dad ‘Lionheart’? Why not dad?-

I shrugged at her question.

It was still unfamiliar to me. The idea that there could be someone else I could call dad other than my own.

Seeing my expression she looked at the painting I had pointed at and carried on with an explanation.

-This Mistress Ĺĺḵ. Master Ashbrook’s wife.-

-His wife?-

I replied surprised to which she only nodded.

I thought he wasn’t married…

I looked at her. She had beautiful silver hair and eyes, a near perfect Seeir lineage and more importantly…

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-She’s so pretty…-

…And looks familiar. As if I had met her before, but never in my life had I met anyone with such striking silver features.

-Where is she now?-

Mili shook her head. A sombre expression on her face.

-She died. Half year ago before winter.-

I felt a pit build itself in my stomach. Something clicked in my mind.

That day we met in the church.

Lionheart’s distraught expression.

The tears he shed as he told me a story I knew nothing about.

He was mourning. He’s probably still mourning.

I bit my lip and distanced myself from the painting. Looking at it made me feel guilty. As if I had somehow taken her place, but at the same time I felt jealous. Was it because of her that Lionheart was so distant? Why else was it that he had not spent that much time with me since I came here?

Suddenly, Mili perked up as if she had just heard something. I looked at her curiously, waiting for an explanation. She turned back to me and smiled.

-Master is arriving. We go greet him?-

Lionheart is back!? My previous thoughts completely vanished form my mind.

I recall Stash said Lionheart wouldn’t come back before evening!

I nodded energetically at her suggestion and, this time, it was my turn to take Mili by the hand and drag her down the stairs two by two.

I got to the lobby and was about to rush for the door, but Mili held me back.

-We wait inside, my lady. When master enter, we greet. It is rules.-

Uh? That sounds boring…

“But maybe Lionheart will be upset if we break the rules? We should listen to her this time.”

Darkie said to me from between my arms.

He was right so I relented and stood by Mili’s side while facing the door. Stash momentarily joined us in the lobby and greeted me with a smile. He headed for the door and opened it.

As soon as I saw Lionheart’s fiery red hair, I couldn’t contain myself anymore.

Seeing me run toward him, Lionheart turned to me.

I was about to wrap my arms around him, but froze.

My muscles refused to respond as my mind registered what my eyes had already seen.

Something…. Something’s wrong.

My mind told me he was angry. That he wanted to hurt me.

A cold chill ran through my scalp and cold sweat immediately formed on my forehead.

[Ahh…]

I could only let a quiet moan escape my lips before I dropped to my knees.

My eyes were locked on Lionheart as tears pooled in my eyes. He slowly approached me.

I tried to back away, but my knees were locked and I fell to my side pathetically.

[I-I’m sorry!]

I said, but it was already too late. Too late. I will be punished.

[I’ll be good! I’ll stand still next time! Please don’t…]

I tried to plead as he continued approaching me, but to no effect.

As he did, all I could do was look at his hand.

There, held tightingly in his palm, was a tool I was all too familiar with.

A tool designed to administer punishment.

To administer pain.

In his hand was a horse crop.

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