Chapter 2
Lethias's voice carried a peculiar sense of unease as he vehemently objected. Similarly, Benya appeared unusually nervous, although he made a conscious effort to conceal it.
The staircase, nestled in a recessed nook, was dim and narrow. In complete silence, the four of us descended one after the other, refraining from uttering a word.
The lower level resembled the upper level in the structure, albeit with fewer furnishings. It lacked windows, rendering it exceptionally dark, and instead of a kitchen, there was another room.
"What in the world is this?"
"Doesn't it resemble a study? Isn't there a resemblance?"
As Lethias mentioned, I had previously laid eyes on the late Duke's study. Nevertheless, despite the presence of bookshelves, this place bore no semblance of a study.
I would dare to describe it more as a vast warehouse. Through a hazy cloud of white dust, I faintly discerned the shapes of bookshelves stretching into the distance.
The darkness concealed the rest of the room, preventing a clear view. The air felt heavy, carrying the stale odor of decaying paper and moth-ravaged furniture.
Could there possibly be another concealed door?
"Ah!"
Confusion enveloped the room as the old hardwood floors creaked, causing Estelle to startle and emit a brief scream. Startled me, I let out a scream too!
"Pft-hahaha!"
It seemed as though the young masters had anticipated this moment, as their laughter resounded through the room.
Gently, I comforted Estelle, who clung to me while glaring at the two mischievous boys who seemed oblivious to their own ages.
"Are you seriously laughing right now?"
In response, Lethias cleared his throat in his customary manner, but Benya brazenly replied.
"I'm laughing because it's funny. What do you want me to do? Wasn't it you guys who made that squealing sound?"
"This guy!"
My voice reverberated in the mysterious, dimly lit room. It felt rather spacious, despite that. Nevertheless, Benya continued to giggle audaciously. Ah, this troublesome individual.
If it were before, I would have undoubtedly engaged in a childish argument. However, now that I have recovered memories from my previous life, and lived until the age of 20, I decided to let it go.
Forget it, is it really worth quarreling with a 14-year-old child whose mental age matches his physical age?
What on earth is this place, and why have we been brought here?
According to the book, shouldn't I be preparing to depart for Fzeia by now?
Could they have temporarily relocated us here out of concern for the risk of contracting the plague?
I cannot say for certain if it was because of Benya, but regardless, I have no desire to further investigate this gloomy study or storage room.
Instead, I redirected my attention to the bedroom and comforted Estelle. Previously unbeknownst to me, I noticed a large mirror affixed to the wall next to the staircase.
Four children, dressed in their pajamas, stood bewildered and perplexed in the dimly illuminated room, their reflections peering back at us.
I struggled to understand why the scene felt so peculiar for a moment.
Is it unusual to see noble children like us gathered in such a somber and confined space?
Or is it due to my knowledge of the events that will transpire in the future? I cannot pinpoint the exact reason.
However, at that moment, our reflections in the mirror appeared akin to little wandering spirits trapped within an old, abandoned tower.
Benya, who had been exploring and chattering away about something, stealthily approached me.
"They must have brought us here due to the plague. It seems to be a temporary shelter or something of the sort. Perhaps they moved us while we were sleeping to prevent us from getting frightened."
I anticipated him saying something absurd again, but to my surprise, his words carried a reassuring tone. Hesitating for a moment, I cautiously asked,
"What did your relatives say yesterday, exactly?"
In an instant, a somber shadow passed over his once playful azure eyes.
"Since the situation in the Imperial capital is deteriorating, they suggested that we go to Fzeia for a while. All of us... Because my parents have become like that, they said they couldn't bear to lose us too."
I see. That was exactly what I had known.
Lethias, the heir to the Serpente family, was still only fifteen years old.
Given the current circumstances, it was natural and common for him to temporarily entrust his studies abroad (a trend among aristocratic children that had emerged around last year) to his relatives and return.
If that's the case, then this place is...
"Did they mention anything else?"
"What else? What do you mean... Oh, don't worry, we made it clear that you must come with us because of Estelle. Who else can handle that crybaby?"
I was truly grateful for their consideration, but that wasn't what worried me. Something felt off.
I didn't know why it struck me at this moment, but I recalled that all the siblings' relatives here had died a few years later.
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