"........,"

୨⎯ " Sαnɒяα'ʂ ΡσƲ " ⎯୧

"........,"

I stood among the rest of the maids and servants, each of us lined up with our heads bowed in respect as the Grand Duke made his way out of the Manor, ready to depart.

The air was filled with a quiet reverence, a shared pride in the way we had dressed him.

The maids had outdone themselves with his outfit today, and I couldn't help but feel a swell of delight as I watched him walk away.

Our work had truly paid off; he looked every bit the part of the noble he was.

His presence was imposing, even from a distance, and I took in the way the sunlight caught on his carefully chosen attire.

It was always a source of satisfaction to know we played a part in maintaining the Grand Duke's impeccable appearance.

Especially when our work received such visible approval.

As I stood there, lost in these thoughts, I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

Turning, I saw Hans leaning in close, his face unusually serious, though his eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"I noticed something interesting yesterday,"

"........,"

╔. ■ .═══════╗

╚═══════. ■ .╝

"........,"

He said, cupping his hand around his mouth as if sharing a secret.

"When His Grace was changing, I saw some new scratches on his back. Not his usual scars-but fresh ones. And there were bite marks on his shoulders, too. Do you think he fought a wolf? A bear, maybe?"

I stiffened, my smile faltering slightly as I struggled to keep my composure.

Sweat began to bead on my forehead despite the cool air.

Hans's obliviousness to the gravity of what he was saying was almost comical, but it wasn't the time for laughter.

"How many people have you told this to?"

I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Just you," Hans replied innocently. "Why?"

A wave of relief washed over me, though I had to suppress the urge to wipe my brow.

"Just-just don't mention it to anyone else, alright? Promise me."

Hans nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course. Pinky promise!"

He extended his pinky towards me, and I linked mine with his, sealing the promise.

His innocent curiosity was only heightening my own anxiety.

As he bounded away, I turned back to watch the Grand Duke one last time.

He was climbing into his carriage, and I felt a pang of unease.

Could it be that these new injuries were a sign of something more troubling?

Something worthy of gossip sessions?

"Could it be...?"

I murmured to myself, a sense of foreboding settling over me as the carriage rolled out of sight.

"........,"

୨⎯ " (Ყ/ɳ)'ʂ ΡσƲ " ⎯୧

"........,"

I leaned against the carriage window, staring out at the departing figure of the manor.

The sight of the maids and servants, each of them bowing in respect, filled me with a peculiar sense of unease.

It was as if they enjoyed staring at me just a bit too much.

Their reverent gazes were almost suffocating.

"Enjoying the view, are we?" I murmured to myself, more out of habit than anything else.

The feeling of being observed never quite left me, and it seemed to follow me wherever I went.

Maybe becuase of the fact that I know I'm not alone no more.

I never truly was.

- Because of that Entity.

Nevertheless, today was one of those days where the sense of being a spectacle was heightened.

I was about to meet Roxana again, and the anticipation was more nerve-wracking than I cared to admit.

The thought of a tea party surrounded by women wasn't exactly my idea of a relaxing afternoon.

Roxana herself had given me a strange vibe that I couldn't quite shake off.

What sort of family would she be introducing me to?

As I looked out the window, my mind drifted to the vague recollections of her father.

I'd encountered him in my dreams once or twice, but the details were hazy.

The dreams themselves were a constant puzzle-10 to 17 a night, which isn't an average rate at all, and to top it off, almost none of them coherent enough to be of any practical use.

Were these dreams the system's attempt at helping me, or were they just random occurrences?

It would be simpler if the system could just pump me full of the Grand Duke's memories the moment I woke.

Was it hiding something, or was it simply unable to provide clarity?

I sighed, feeling a twinge of frustration.

The gaps in my memories were like holes in my understanding, and every dream felt like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle I could never quite complete.

But I'd find out eventually, one way or another.

As the carriage began to move, I took one last look at the manor and the people I was leaving behind.

I couldn't shake the feeling that today would be another step into the unknown, and whatever awaited me next, I hoped it wouldn't be as daunting as my nerves were making it out to be.

"........,"

The Black Agriche manor loomed before me, its imposing structure casting long shadows over the desolate landscape.

The air itself felt heavy, almost oppressive, as I followed a maid through the grand, yet eerily silent, halls.

The place was more than just gloomy-it felt dead.

Wholly so.

The walls, adorned with dark hangings and dimly lit sconces, seemed to absorb the light, leaving everything in a constant state of twilight.

The chill in the air wasn't just from the cold stone floors; it was something deeper, something that seeped into your bones and refused to let go.

I couldn't help but wonder why anyone would choose to live in a place like this, let alone build such an isolated fortress.

It was in the middle of nowhere, far from the bustling capital.

The entire atmosphere was enough to send chills down my spine, and I wasn't the type to scare easily.

The servants here were different, too.

They moved with an eerie silence, their expressions blank, as if they were more specters than people.

Or was I just overthinking?

Perhaps this place was starting to mess with my head already.

As I walked, lost in thought, a tall figure suddenly bumped into me, jarring me from my reverie.

I took a step back, ready to give whoever it was a piece of my mind.

"Hey, don't you have something to say?"

I snapped, more out of reflex than actual anger.

The man stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to look at me over his shoulder.

The first thing I noticed were his striking red eyes, sharp and cold beneath locks of obsidian hair.

"........,"

╔. ■ .═══════╗

╚═══════. ■ .╝

"........,"

For a moment, the world seemed to stand still as those eyes bore into mine.

Swallowing me whole.

His gaze was chilling, like a winter wind that cut straight through to the bone.

I felt a shiver run down my spine, freezing me in place.

It was as if he could see right through me, past the façade I was desperately trying to maintain.

The façade of the Grand Duke.

I swallowed hard, my irritation quickly giving way to a sense of unease.

I forced myself to speak, though my voice came out quieter than I intended. "Nevermind, I mistook you for someone else."

'Someone else, my ass. I don't really know anyone here besides Roxana, and not even that well!'

Yet I had a feeling in my guts; that this guy had to be related to Roxana some way or another.

I couldn't help it, when the vibes they gave off weren't that truly different.

The man said nothing, his expression unreadable.

He simply continued to stare at me for a moment longer before turning away, walking off as if nothing had happened.

I watched him go, my heart pounding in my chest.

If that was the first member of the Black Agriche I encountered today, what did that say about the rest of them?

As I resumed following the maid, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking deeper into something I might not come back from.

This place, this family-it was all so different from what I had known.

That guy's gaze had been enough to unsettle me, but what truly disturbed me was the gnawing feeling that I was stepping into a world I could never fully understand or control.

'What am I getting myself into?'

I wondered, but it was too late to turn back now.

- Too late.
.
.
.
╰┈➤ ❝ [Ɒσи'τ fσяɢєτ τσ vστє αиɒ cσммєиτ!]

₊❏❜ ⋮ ⌒(A/N): Thank you so much for reading this chapter! ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ )

"........,"

I know, I know-this chapter is shorter than usual, but trust me, I'm saving the best shit for later >:)

Stay tuned, because things are about to get heavy!

Happy reading! >ᴗ<

ִֶָ๋𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐇་༘࿐