The West Villa's kitchen hummed with frantic energy. Servants moved like silent, solitary islands in a sea of steam and clattering pans.
Into this orchestrated chaos slipped Tina. She found Head Chef Alistair, a man whose temper matched his furnace.
"Good morning, Alistair."
"What now? Another meal for your lady to ignore?" he snapped, not turning from his stove. "This kitchen is swamped. The Three Pillars are here. The Prince is here. And that finicky commoner. I don't have time for whims."
He doesn't understand, Tina thought, her heart aching for the silent figure locked away upstairs.
"It's been two days since she's eaten anything," Tina said, a sliver of steel entering her voice. "The only thing she's touched was a pastry at the tea party yesterday. If the labor's too much, take it up with Edmund."
Alistair finally turned, his face flushed. "THAT'S THE PROBLEM! SINCE YOUR LADY LOCKED HERSELF AWAY, EDMUND VANISHED! PROBABLY HIDING FROM THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF IT ALL!"
The outburst echoed. Tina flinched but held her ground. He wasn't entirely wrong. A week of angry outbursts had given way to total silence behind a locked door.
"Please, Alistair," she whispered, her composure cracking. "Just something simple. A broth. Something that smells like… safety. Like home. And a dessert. Beautiful, not too sweet. Something that might tempt her to remember what it feels like to not be empty."
She was rambling, grasping at the ghost of her lady's old smile, trying to cook it into existence.
The fight drained from Alistair. He looked at her—really looked—and saw the dark circles, the raw worry. His scowl softened. "Hey. What's really going on with her?"
A single tear escaped Tina's control before she wiped it away. "I don't know. She's changing. Like a ghost. And I'm scared I'm losing her right through that door."
"The dessert was perfect!"
The new voice, bright with worry, cut through the steam. Lilia hovered in the doorway, wringing her hands.
"I heard the maids talking. They said Lady Reise tasted all the pastries at the tea party. Especially the lemon cake. Maybe… maybe something like that could cheer her up?"
Her own eyes held deep concern. She'd been there last night, had heard the unsettling sounds from behind the ornate door. And she remembered the cold hand that had helped her up, the blunt kindness.
"Lilia?" Tina asked, surprised. "Aren't you meant to be with Miss Eliza in the Annex Duo?"
Alistair groaned. "Don't tell me you're her messenger! If my menus are so offensive, let her use her own damn kitchen!"
Lilia shook her head, a small, sympathetic smile appearing. "No, Tair. I was looking for Miss Tina." She turned, gently clutching Tina's hands. "I want to help you prepare Lady Reise's breakfast." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "And… I wasn't needed there."
Alistair rubbed his neck. "Fine. To make something warm and sweet, you two lend a hand." He pinched Lilia's cheek, his gruffness a poor disguise. "And call me Alistair, you brat."
Lilia stuck her tongue out at him, then she and Tina shared a look of solidarity and got to work.
❈.❈.❈
The only sound in the opulent hallway was the rumble of the service cart's wheels. Tina guided it, knuckles white. Lilia walked beside her, hands tucked into her apron.
They moved beneath the gaze of stern portraits. With each step, the dread grew heavier—a cold stone of fear. The memory of last night's sounds—the violent excavation—played on a loop.
Finally, the ornate door. Three steps away.
The cart stopped. Their breath hitched.
Tina closed her eyes. I wouldn't even mind another hairpin at my throat, so long as she's there. Safe.
A shared glance, a silent pact. Tina knocked three times.
Silence.
Her heart plummeted. She turned the knob and pushed the door open, braced for devastation.
It didn't come.
Morning sun streamed in, illuminating an eerily orderly room. Everything was in its precise, polished place. The only hint of chaos was the missing figurines from the shelves.
Tina's eyes flew to the grand bed.
Her face drained of color.
The sheets were thrown back.
The bed was empty.
A silent, cold horror seized her, gluing her to the floor. Her heart hammered a frantic drum of panic. Lilia's words: 'like… she's moving.'
Seeing Tina's paralysis, Lilia darted to the bathroom, then rushed back, eyes welling. She clutched the back of Tina's dress, an anchor in their shared despair.
"What are you doing standing there," a voice drawled from the balcony, laced with familiar, sarcastic amusement, "like you've lost your own fortune?"
Their heads snapped toward the sound.
There she was. Bathed in morning light on the balcony, her white nightdress glowing, breeze playing with her hair. A vision of calm.
With a shared cry of relief, they rushed forward, stopping a few paces away, afraid to break the spell.
"My lady!" Tina's voice was a cracked whisper. "You… you didn't run away."
Behind her, Lilia peered out with awed, relieved glances.
"Run away?" G6 asked, genuine confusion flickering. Then, an understanding 'Ah…' "You're right," she mused, nodding as if adding it to a list of viable options. "I do have that choice."
She caught the raw anxiety in their posture. "I don't know what you're thinking," she stated, stepping back into the room. "But I'm not running away." A ghost of a smirk. "Yet."
"My lady! It's not funny to hear such things…"
G6 sank into the chair at the tea table, propping her chin on her hand. "Didn't I tell you to stop calling me that?" Her gaze sharpened. "And… aren't you forgetting something?"
Tina's mind raced. Something important?
With a dramatic moan, G6 let her head fall back. "You haven't fed me a proper meal for two days. I'm starving. For real." The complaint was blunt, almost childlike.
A wave of pure joy washed over Tina.
"Lilia," she instructed, voice suddenly buoyant, "bring the cart. Our Reise is hungry."
G6 watched the small girl maneuver the heavy cart. A laugh bubbled up—She's three inches taller than the cart itself—disguised as a cough.
Lilia positioned the cart with care, then snapped to ramrod-straight attention.
"Hey, you," G6 called. "Lilia, was it?"
Lilia's eyes widened. The lady knew her name. "Ye…yes, m'lady."
"How old are you? Why are you so small?" The question was blunt, devoid of malice.
Tina watched, stunned. The old Reise's interactions were demands or silence. Never curiosity.
"Uhm… I'm eight…"
G6's eyes widened with theatrical mock surprise. "When I was eight, I was tall," she declared, sitting up straighter.
Tina placed a bowl of fragrant broth before her. "That is… not true," she interjected gently, setting down a lemon cake. "You were just as tall as her."
G6's jaw went slack. Right. I am Reise now. A swift internal correction. Tch.
She grabbed her spoon and dove into the soup, a convenient diversion. "Oh, this is good. I want this if I ever have a hangover."
Tina and Lilia shared a fleeting, triumphant smile.
"With all due respect," Tina ventured, emboldened, "I don't recall you being able to handle alcohol."
This was new. The old Reise would never tolerate a servant's gentle contradiction.
"Ha? Watch me," G6 shot back, a challenge. Her eyes lit up as she bit into the lemon cake. Even better than yesterday's!
Then her senses prickled. A quiet stare. She glanced sideways. Lilia was watching the cake with the desperate focus of a stray kitten.
G6 deliberately set the cake down with a sigh and picked up her broth.
"You, kid. Finish that."
A stunned silence.
"La—Reise… that is highly improper," Tina objected.
"M-Miss Tina is right…" Lilia stammered.
Tch. What's improper is you two watching my every bite like statues.
"Consider it a command," G6 stated, her voice shifting to cold, sharp finality. "I've decided I don't like it. So she eats it. Or would you prefer I throw it out the window?"
Tina's eye twitched. The negative attitude was familiar, but this felt different. Not petulant anger. A general's order.
"Hurry."
Lilia looked to Tina, who gave a single, hesitant nod.
Trembling, Lilia approached. "Sit down," G6 commanded.
The young maid perched on the edge of the vacant chair. G6 slid the plate over.
"Taste it."
Lilia took a small bite. Her face transformed with pure, unguarded delight. "It's so good!"
A look of profound satisfaction—relief—washed over G6's features before she schooled it away.
"Better to taste it than drool from a distance," she remarked, sipping her tea. Her gaze fell on Tina. "You too. Sit down."
"No, my lady, standing is–"
"It's not a request. If you wish to serve me again, you will sit." Take it or leave it.
Heart pounding, Tina sat between Lilia and G6.
Then G6 did the unthinkable. She took a clean cup, poured tea, and pushed it toward Tina.
Tina recoiled as if offered poison. "My lady! What are you doing?!"
"No tea for a child. Water for you," G6 said to Lilia, as if this were normal. She turned her piercing gaze back to Tina. "And you. I want you to treat me like you used to. Even if it's just within these four walls."
Tina's mind spun. Lilia looked equally bewildered. They were sitting with a woman whose beauty was compared to a chilling goddess. Her grace was bewildering. Terrifying.
But, dear spectator, do not be fooled. This kindness was not born of a softened heart. It was a calculated strategy, deployed with a surgeon's precision.
G6 was not just an assassin; she was a Reaper. Her training encompassed the subtle science of manipulation. Every gentle word, every offered cup, every command was a move on a chessboard only she could see.
The reason?
「EARLIER」
G6 woke to sun streaming through the balcony doors. She sat up mechanically, the diary tumbling from her chest. The night's excavation of Reise's soul had left a residue, but her mind was clearing, shifting to analysis.
She had consumed every page. She knew Tina's history: a sister figure, fractured by palace expectation three years ago. She knew Reise's deepest wish was for that unguarded companionship—a single refuge.
With sharp cracks, she rotated her neck. The disorientation had faded, replaced by cold, operational acceptance. She placed the diary in the bedside drawer. No need to hide it. Lady Reise was alive. Piloted by a more dangerous tenant.
She strode onto the balcony, stretching. Her gaze was on the garden's layout—sightlines, potential as battleground and hunting ground.
"I need more information," she said to the empty air. "And allies." The word tasted pragmatic, not compassionate.
She leaned on the railing. People are weak. Emotionally vulnerable. A little kindness, strategically applied, is a more lethal weapon than any poison. It forges chains they willingly wear.
The thought was almost distasteful. How pathetically easy.
I'll find more who are vulnerable, overlooked, hungry for recognition. They will be my eyes, my ears. A network. A faint, cold smile touched her lips. And in return, they get my protection. A fair trade.
Movement below. Eliza, flanked by servants, stood at the Annex-Duo entrance, posture radiating arrogance.
That bitch looks arrogant. I wonder what use she could be… or what fun to break her.
A knock. Her chamber door opened. Footsteps. Tina's anxious rhythm, and… a lighter, unfamiliar tread.
A walking doll?
From her vantage, she watched the scene through the glass door's reflection. Saw the panic bleach Tina's face, the horror at the empty bed. Saw Lilia emerge from the bathroom on the verge of tears.
A slow, wicked smile spread across G6's face. Not joy. Cold, satisfying confirmation.
Perfect.
She waited a beat longer, letting the despair truly set in, before turning and making her presence known, voice dripping with sarcastic amusement.
「END」
❈.❈.❈
Now, back in the sunlit room, G6 watched the two maids squirm, basking in her experiment's first success. The silence was her tool.
She broke it with a dart-like question. "So," she began, eyes locking on Lilia, "why are you glued to Tina?" Light tone, pure interrogation.
Lilia jumped, swallowed by shyness.
Am I that frightening?
"She wasn't needed in the Annex-Duo," Tina interjected smoothly. "So she helped with your breakfast."
Annex-Duo. Eliza's domain.
"How kind of you," G6 purred, leaning forward. "But… is that all?" A minuscule shift in tone—the pressure of an interrogator sensing a half-truth.
Aha. The instinct flared. There was more.
Under that expectant gaze, Lilia faltered. G6 offered a carefully constructed mask of gentle curiosity.
Hesitantly, Lilia spoke. "It was just… Miss Eliza only entertains the two servants offered by the 2nd Prince. The Annex-Duo only has five servants. It wasn't that big, so… the help of a… kid… wasn't really needed." The frown, the quiver, betrayed the hurt.
She was being bullied. Perfect. Exactly what I needed. A cold spike of triumph.
"If you're not comfortable there," G6 announced, her voice ringing with finality, "you can stay here." She let the offer hang. "Now that I have my energy back, I'm too much for Tina to handle alone. You're lucky I find you… adorable." She let the word land like a gift. "Starting now, you are Tina's assistant—my personal maid."
Lilia's face flushed crimson. A…adorable? Her mind short-circuited with terror and elation.
G6's eyes flicked to Tina. "Problem?"
Tina adjusted her glasses, understanding the cue. She'd heard about the girl's treatment. "No, my lady. Another set of hands will be helpful."
"Then it's settled." G6 finished her tea with satisfaction.
"I-... It's a great honor… Thank you…" Lilia breathed, a tremulous smile breaking through.
G6 allowed a small, closed-lipped smile. Not warmth. Pure satisfaction. Target acquired. Ally secured.
Now, to use her.
"Come to think of it," G6 began, tone shifting to casual curiosity. "This villa is huge. Two extensions."
"That's right," Tina confirmed. "Annex-Duo houses Miss Eliza. Annex-Unus, slightly smaller, houses the two Pillars' sons and Prince Dio. A political arrangement."
G6's blood ran cold. Hell. I'm surrounded. Hostiles on both flanks. A gun pointed at each side of my head.
"Why are they all fucking here?" The words erupted in uncensored frustration.
Lilia's lips parted in a silent 'o'. Tina's eye twitched. Ah, there it is, Tina thought. The barbarian queen emerges.
"It was chosen by the Queen. And your language," Tina corrected, weaving the admonishment in. "Her Majesty is responsible for the Three Pillars' well-being. The West Villa is nearest to the Royal Collegium of Sorcery and Steel."
The name hooked G6's soul. Royal Collegium of Sorcery and Steel. Her eyes widened with undisguised, predatory interest.
Whoa. Now that sounds like my kind of place.
"What's the Royal Collegium?" she asked, fascination dripping from her voice.
"It's a compound of four Professional Departments! It's beautiful!" Lilia chimed in, eyes glowing. "The path is at the back. A paved walkway leads right to the ivy-covered walls!"
"The residents of both annexes work there," Tina added. "They began three days ago."
G6 clicked her tongue, a plan solidifying like a thunderclap. I am so going there.
"I WANT TO GO THERE!" The declaration burst from her, brimming with childlike excitement.
"You can't, lady," Tina said, gently dousing the flames. "Even as a Worthon, only those with Professional Cards can pass the ivy wall."
"How do I get one?" G6's voice was steel.
Tina sighed, recognizing the stubborn set of her jaw. "First, register with the Professional Guild—exclusive to the palace. Second, you need the Queen's explicit approval."
Guild? The word sent a jolt. Does that mean…? She lunged forward, grabbing Tina's shoulders. "TINA, IS THERE AN ADVENTURERS' GUILD?"
"Y…yes!" Tina stammered. "But it's in the capital town, not here."
"What do you mean?" G6 demanded.
Tina gently pried herself loose, guiding G6 back to her chair. "Listen. Three major guilds. Merchant and Adventurers' Guild are in the Capital. The Professional Guild is for nobles, housed here in the palace."
G6's shoulders slumped. The dream died before her eyes. "So if I want to be in both… I can't?" Her voice was small, genuinely heartbroken.
"The Professional Card," Tina said, watching G6's head snap up, sensing a loophole, "is a privilege card. An all-access pass. It grants you the rights of a merchant, the license of an adventurer… It records all accomplishments in one place. The highest endorsement for nobles."
G6's world exploded back into technicolor light. She shot to her feet, buzzing. "Tina! Make me presentable! We're going to see the Queen!"
She halted. "Hmm… but Edmund isn't here." Her forehead furrowed. "Who the hell is that?"
"He is the butler of this Villa, assigned by the Queen to oversee your care. However," Tina said, a knowing, smug smirk playing on her lips—oh, she's enjoying this—"since you locked yourself away, Edmund must have felt… discouraged. He vanished. And you cannot request an audience with the Queen without him. It's protocol."
Tina's words were a bucket of ice water. G6's glorious dream shattered on the floor of protocol. She collapsed back into her chair with a defeated thud.
"Don't worry, Lady Reise!" Lilia chirped, her small frame squared with determination. "I'll find Edmund!"
G6 looked up, expression like a sobbing child offered a lifeline. "Really? You'd do that for me?"
Lilia nodded fervently. "Excuse me! I'll find him now! Please, begin your preparations!" She hurried out on her first crucial mission.
After she left, silence descended. G6 drowned in her thoughts.
I was never a fan of fantasy. That was Pisces's obsession. A faint flicker of something—nostalgia? grief?—crossed her face before being buried.
The only concept that ever caught my interest was the Adventurers' Guild. The simplicity. You get a task. You complete it. The target could be a monster, a demon… could be… a person—
WAIT. PAUSE. The last part is rare, That's a completely different, less publicized guild! Ahem.Anyway—-
Her train of thought derailed. Magic. Right. I supposedly have magic. How the hell do I cast it? Wind affinity… Wind Slash. She mimed a slashing motion under the table. Just the sound of the name… makes my heart beat faster. The thrill of a new weapon.
While G6 was absorbed in violent daydreams, Tina observed her. This new Reise was a chaotic pendulum. You never knew what would come next: performance, indifference, or this bizarre, vibrating enthusiasm.
With a resigned sigh, Tina stood. Duty called. She moved toward the large wardrobe to select a gown for the Queen.
She pulled the doors open.
A scene of inexplicable chaos greeted her.
This was not a wardrobe. This was a crime scene.
Elegant gowns were wadded into tight, crumpled balls, as if violently wrestled into submission. Shoes were scattered like fallen soldiers. A knotted bedsheet clinked. Inside, the missing figurines, now shattered.
Horrified, Tina slammed the doors shut and whirled to stare at G6. Her mistress remained oblivious, a faint ambitious smile on her lips as she gazed at the balcony.
Driven by dread, Tina yanked open the vanity drawers. Hairbrushes, jewelry, jammed with ink pots. Another drawer: a mess of sheet music, an inkwell perched precariously on top—miraculously closed.
The bottom cabinet door. A cascade of everything spilled onto the floor—trinkets, slippers, a forgotten book. The noise finally snapped G6 from her reverie.
She turned, looked at the explosion of clutter, and let out a soft, "Ah…" The sound of someone remembering a very destructive secret.
Of course the room was so clean, Tina realized, earlier worry evaporating into pure disbelief. She didn't even hide it properly. She just… shoved it away. This lady…
Tina fixed G6 with a look that screamed, "Really?!"
G6 had the decency to look momentarily chastised, scratching her neck. "That's why I got you an assistant," she declared, arrogant smile returning, as if she'd orchestrated the mess to justify hiring Lilia.
The truth, of course, was she'd forgotten about it. Lilia was for tactical reasons. The chaos was a fortunate coincidence she now claimed as a masterstroke.
"I don't think I can make you presentable," Tina stated flatly. "All your dresses have been… brutally abused."
Panic flashed in G6's eyes. Hell no! You are not crushing my curiosity in magic.
She strode over. "Look, Tina. I'm sorry," she said, words rushed. For G6, it was panic for her 'dream', not remorse. "But we have to do something!"
Tina's stern expression softened. Got you.
"Fine," she relented. "I'll check the adjoining dressing room. Most of your seasonal wear is stored there."
G6's heart did a flip. "There's more?" she asked, genuine astonishment. "Bring me with you!" she demanded, surging forward.
It wasn't excitement for more pastels. It was the desperate, burning hope of finding something that looked less like a confection and more like her.
❈.❈.❈
G6 stood frozen in the center of the dressing room, a stark, dark figure adrift in a sea of pastels and frills. The silk and satin mocked her. Her right hand twitched at her side, fingers spasming in a frantic search for a trigger that wasn't there.
A low, animalistic sound of revulsion rumbled in her throat. Her eyes, wide with horrified panic, scanned the endless racks as if they were a hostile army.
She turned to Tina. Her stare was deadly, filled with broken expectations and utter insults.
"Tina."
Her voice was a deadly, preternatural calm.
"Bring me a match."
She held Tina's gaze, eyes blazing with absolute, unhinged seriousness.
"I will burn all of this."
—To Be Continued…—