-Arc 1-

  Chapter 13

  “The Ordeal at the Village”

  *?*?*?*

  Petra gently pulled the covers higher over Eris, who was fading in and out of consciousness.

  Saying consciousness would be an exaggeration. Eris did not leave her room at the expected time, and skipped breakfast as well. Petra came in to check on her, and Eris was still sleeping. Looking pale and sleeping with a horrible expression on her face, Petra of course woke her up. Eris thrashed about, mumbling something incoherent, and passed back out.

  This was the cycle they were now in. Eris would wake up, stare at Petra and Seraphine, say something while looking terrified and confused, and fade away again.

  Petra: “She doesn't have a fever or anything…”

  Placing the back of her palm over Eris’s forehead for the fifth time, Petra again confirmed that Eris was not burning up. Rather, she seemed colder than she should be.

  Seraphine: “It’d be terrible if she woke up without her memories again…”

  Petra shook her head reassuringly, though an unsure look was across her face as visible as Seraphine’s.

  Petra: “I don't think that would happen. She was completely out cold then, wasn't she?”

  Seraphine: “Then I really hope it’s not about what I said to her…”

  Petra: “From the sounds of it, I don't think you said anything too bad. Besides, you weren't the last to talk to her.”

  Seraphine: “Speaking of… I’m surprised Aqua isn't here.”

  Indeed, the amnesiac Eris had grown very close to Aqua. Eris was close to Aqua before, too, but they did not have as warm of a relationship as they seemed to now. In fact, Eris talked more to Caelia than Aqua before the loss of her memories.

  Petra: “Maybe she has something important that came up? Though, I’m sure Eris would want her here…”

  Seraphine: “Aqua was the last one to speak to her last night…”

  Petra recalled opening the door of the dining hall, and jumping with surprise as she saw Aqua and Eris crouched on the floor. Aqua looked up at Petra and gave her a ‘shh!’ with a finger over her lips. She thought that Eris and Aqua were cuddling, which was fine, but in front of the door was an odd place for it.

  Regardless, Eris seemed to be troubled by something lately, so she was happy Aqua was there for her.

  Petra: “I should talk to her. Actually, you should, Seraphine. You guys are like sisters.”

  Seraphine hesitates. It's true that after Eris woke up with amnesia, Seraphine did seem to sink back into her shell. It was not like she spoke to anyone but Eris and Aqua much in the first place. Just talking with her now was the most words Petra had exchanged with her in a while. Even her relationship with Aqua has thinned lately, and she usually retreats back to her room right after her evening bath.

  That, and Aqua has seemed preoccupied lately.

  Seraphine: “Maybe I will.”

  Seraphine’s conversation with Aqua in the kitchen last night was the first time they had spoken more than a few words in a week.

  Petra: “Anyways, Eris does seem to be troubled lately. Well, aside from the amnesia.”

  Seraphine slides her hands over her face, her orange rune flickering at her wrist like gentle embers.

  Seraphine: “I messed up… On the day she woke up, I snapped on her.”

  Petra: “Seraphine?”

  Petra did not expect to hear such a genuine voice from Seraphine, who usually refrains from opening up to anyone but Aqua or Eris.

  Seraphine: “I thought she was faking it… another one of her plans or something… I guess she wasn't, and I think I really hurt her with what I said.”

  Petra was not so socially inept as to prod into what Seraphine said to Eris exactly, unless she wanted to talk about it. It did not really matter, either.

  Petra: “Hm… that is troublesome…”

  Seraphine: “I didn't tell her I was sorry, either. I kept trying to, but I missed my opportunity, or it never came out, or I was too awkward.”

  Petra looked over to the unconscious Eris, her face far from peaceful in her slumber.

  Petra: “You know Eris way better than anyone else does, Seraphine. I’m sure you understand that she didn't take it like that.”

  Seraphine’s cerulean eyes locked onto Petra’s, and Seraphine shook her head hesitantly.

  Seraphine: “I know Eris. Not ‘Eris.’”

  Petra took another look at Eris. She looked the same, sounded the same, and at times, acted the same as she always had. Though Petra could not fool herself into believing she did not notice that Eris was not the exact same Eris that she knew.

  Petra: “You know, even if she doesn't remember, she's still the same person.”

  Seraphine looked at Eris’s sleeping form on the bed, wincing as if it caused her agony.

  Seraphine: “Aqua told me Eris didn't want to be the same.”

  Petra blinked in response. She understood what Seraphine was trying to say, but right now, with Eris in her current state, she was more focused on keeping Seraphine from having a breakdown as well.

  Petra: “It’s not your fault, anyway.”

  Seraphine: “Yesterday, I had a really bad conversation with her as well, remember? I’m not sure how she took it, but I could tell she was pretty sad. I wasn’t really having a good day either.”

  Petra recalled overhearing a bit of it, as well as the aftermath of it between Seraphine and Aqua, but she wasn't paying close attention.

  Seraphine: “Every day, she seems to get sadder and sadder, starting from when I snapped at her the day she woke up, so what am I supposed to think other than it’s my fault?”

  Petra: “You were just missing Eris. And you know Eris forgives you!”

  Petra’s words come out awkwardly. After all, she was not so good at comforting people like Aqua was.

  Seraphine: “It’s my fault all the way down, Petra…”

  Petra: “——”

  Seraphine: “I was there when Eris lost her memories.”

  —*—

  Like any other trip to the village, Seraphine had gotten a bit distracted and broke out her own money to buy bits and bobs from Velna’s various shops, and they were all put into Eris's arms to be carried back to the manor.

  It wasn't like Seraphine was being selfish or conceited. She would carry her own things, but Eris always offered to carry them, and she never got exhausted from carrying anything. She lifted that wagon with ease, so a few bags were not going to burden her.

  Eris: “What did you buy this time?”

  Peering her head over the edge of the highest bag which balanced atop many others, Eris tried to get a glimpse at Seraphine’s new splurges.

  Seraphine: “Hm… Well, there was this new stall. Some guy named Alexander was selling these wooden jewelry. He said his wife made them.”

  Saying that, Seraphine pointed to her wrist, which was adorned by a well made bracelet made of wood and thread.

  Eris: “You know those people don't even make their merchandise? They just buy it cheap from the cities.”

  Seraphine: “Well yeah, Alexander’s wife made it. He wouldn't shut up about it, actually.”

  Eris: “They just say that to make you buy from them.”

  Seraphine: “For some reason, I’m pretty sure he wasn't lying.”

  Eris was putting on a serious front, but she was still smiling. Seraphine and Eris would smile and laugh at anything they told each other, not because it was funny, but simply enjoyable to be in each other's company.

  Seraphine: “Well, it’s not like I’m the only one wasting time in Velna.”

  Eris squinted, tilting her head as if she had no idea what Seraphine was implying.

  Seraphine: “You know, with the kids? Eitz and Rory and Nellie and… what's her name?”

  Eris: “...Lui.”

  Seraphine: “See? You know what I’m talking about.”

  Eris: “That’s not wasting time, I’m influencing the youth.”

  Seraphine: “Influencing? Like how?”

  Eris hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting around to search for an answer.

  Eris: “Teaching them… kindness…”

  Seraphine: “Eh…”

  Eris's answer was unsure and obviously formed on the nose. That fact was not even hidden, and Eris began to laugh at her own answer. Seraphine began to giggle as well.

  Suddenly, Eris stopped dead in her tracks. Seraphine immediately followed. Eris’s senses were much sharper than her own, so Seraphine immediately trusted Eris. Not that these woods were especially dangerous. If you went deep enough, there were demon-beasts, but even these woods which were infamous for their presence had begun to slowly be freed of their reign.

  Seraphine instinctively dropped her voice to a whisper.

  Seraphine: “Eris? Do you see something?”

  Eris shook her head as she slowly set down the pile of bags in her arms.

  Eris: “I heard it.”

  Seraphine: “Oh.”

  She was not aware of what specifically she had heard, so she could not gauge the danger to have a sufficient response. Though, Eris’s unease immediately supplemented that, causing unease to build in Seraphine as well.

  Seraphine: “If it’s something dangerous, shouldn't we go back to the village or the manor ASAP?”

  Aqua’s colloquialisms had begun to slip into everyone at the manor’s vocabulary. Eris and the others had mostly gotten used to ‘ASAP’ and similar Aqua words, and it had become part of the manor’s own dialect.

  Eris shook her head again.

  Eris: “I don't want to risk leading danger to either.”

  Suddenly, Eris extended out her finger to a bush on the opposite side of the road.

  Seraphine: “I can fight, Eris!”

  Eris: “Mmmh, I know… but, just do it for me, okay?”

  Seraphine glared at Eris. She knew this was not the time for games like this, but it still bothered her when Eris tried to use cheap tactics like that to make Seraphine obey. Unfortunately, they were the exact words that made Seraphine obey, even if she knew what Eris was doing.

  Pushing her way behind the thick brush, still slick with morning dew, Seraphine tried to conceal her vibrant red hair by taking cover behind a rose bush.

  As if waiting for Seraphine to nestle into her spot, the cause of Eris's hesitation revealed itself immediately after Seraphine hid.

  It was a group of men that pushed their way out of the forest. At least, what Seraphine assumed were men. Their faces were hidden by black featureless masks, and they wore baggy robes which hid their figures.

  Eris said nothing to them, only taking cautious steps back, subtle enough to not show any fear.

  ???: “Ohh… Ohhh… Ohh, it’s finally you! It’s really you…”

  The leading man said this. Though his face was concealed by a mask, he was the only one with any sort of personality. He walked sluggishly and his voice made Seraphine's skin crawl, as though his words were slimy and repulsive. His robe, black with red details, was frayed and dingy.

  Eris: “I’m just passing through. I don't want trouble.”

  ???: “Mhh, mhh, mhh!”

  Resorting to using random sounds to communicate, like a child tasting delicious food, the man slowly tore off his black mask. Seraphine still could not see his features, and Eris’s expression did not change upon seeing his face either.

  The man then pulled off his hood, revealing a disheveled man. Maybe mid twenties, with a patchy stubble. His brown hair was scrambled and unkempt, over his ears and hanging down over his face, blocking his eyes.

  Eris: “——”

  ???: “Ahh… of course, introductions are in order.”

  His slithering voice, like a snake, commanded a strange sort of attention.

  Eris: “Like I said, I’m only seeking to go home.”

  ???: “Ahh, that is truly aggravating. I’m only trying to introduce myself…”

  Eris: “My apologies.”

  Though she spoke politely, Eris’s posture was defensive and alert.

  ???: “Good! Mhh, I like it when a person knows when they have lost…”

  Eris: “——”

  The man pulls on the fringes of his frayed robe, before placing a veiny hand over his chest.

  ???: “I am Lethe, A Wrist the Red Right Hand…”

  Seraphine: “Red Right Hand..?”

  That name sounded oddly familiar, but no details came to mind.

  Lethe: “Emissary of the Goddess of Memories, Wrist of ‘the Strings’ Arm…”

  As Lethe made his introductions, the robed men moved into formation behind him. One of them began to approach the edge of the forest where Seraphine was hiding. They moved silently and soullessly, like puppets.

  Eris of course immediately noticed this. Seraphine had frozen up, and receiving no instructions from Eris, did not move despite the approaching robed man.

  Eris: “Red Right Hand?”

  Lethe: “Memories are the most important thing, aren't they? Instructions for the soul…”

  Eris: “I’m actually not too interested in your philosophy. I’m sure being an Emissary is hard work—”

  Lethe: “Urgh… You’re aggravating, like I thought.”

  Lethe reached up, clutching a lock of his loose bangs, revealing a pale eye.

  While the two were conversing, the robed man was getting closer. There was no doubt in Seraphine’s mind that he could clearly see her.

  Lethe: “I really hate selfish people like you. I just can't stand them. If you’re about to lose it all anyways, you should at least know this before you do.”

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  By now, Seraphine’s vision was blocked by the figure of the man, standing only inches away from her, concealed merely by bushes and roses.

  There was a shuffle, and suddenly, a loud crash.

  Eris: “Sera, run back to the manor!”

  Seraphine: “H-Huh?”

  Despite her confusion, Eris’s command made Seraphine shoot up despite the man directly in front of her.

  The man before her, however, did not move. Behind the black mask, she only heard a short breathy moan.

  Seraphine: “Ahh…”

  Blood began to drip from the bottom of his mask, and the robed man fell to the dirt. In his back, a small engraved blade. Eris’s knife, which Seraphine had never seen used like this, though Eris carries it everywhere.

  Eris released a powerful kick into the chest of another robed man as the one who introduced themselves as Lethe retreated behind his men. The kicked man was sent flying sideways, crashing into a tree. As he made contact with it, the thick tree snapped in half, and Seraphine understood that that man was also dead if that much power had been put into the kick.

  Only now correctly processing Eris's command, Seraphine’s legs began to take her down the road away from the scene. She could hear the sounds of Eris fighting behind her, slowly getting quieter.

  Lethe: “You don't know what fate you will suffer! Oh, watching you writhe and beg will be so much fun. Watching your confusion will be even better!”

  Eris: “Enough nonsense!”

  A deranged voice that Seraphine only barely recognized as Lethe’s echoed out behind her.

  A body, clad in black and red robes, slammed into the dirt before her, twisted and limp. Seraphine had to jump over it to avoid tripping.

  Eventually, the sounds of the fight were gone, and she could only hear the gentle breeze between the trees, and the songs of birds and frogs.

  Her legs ached, her lungs burned, and her mouth was dry. There was still a decent distance to the manor. Eris had water and snacks on her, but they were left at the scene of the battle.

  Eris had told her to run to the manor, but Seraphine knew that she could not do that.

  There was the problem of her exhaustion, which rest would remedy. But there was also the issue of Seraphine’s crippling anxiety. She had not seen Eris win or lose the fight, though she appeared to be winning. Either way, it did not satisfy Seraphine.

  Seraphine: “I’ll wait here for an hour, and if Eris doesn't come down this road, I’ll go back for her.”

  But what felt like an hour dragged into what felt like multiple hours. Still without a drop to drink since resting in this spot, her mouth was beginning to beg for the taste of water and her stomach growled for sustenance.

  It had been completely silent for a while, but for whatever reason, Seraphine’s legs would not take her back to Eris, who was yet to return.

  The morning sky turned to afternoon, and eventually, it began to turn to a pale orange.

  Gripped by starvation and thirst, Seraphine only wanted to begin the trek back to the manor. If she stayed motionless for much longer, she risked attracting a demon-beast or bandits. Or worse, the robed men.

  With her legs feeling shaky, Seraphine rose from the ground where she had been sitting. The others were probably getting worried, too.

  She didn't know how far she ran, but it felt like she had been running for hours before taking a rest. Now that she was walking, dreaming of water and fear for Eris, it felt like days.

  She knew she was getting close when she started seeing robed bodies. Still mangled and twisted, it seems that nobody returned for their corpses.

  Seraphine did feel a small ache for them, but they had already proven they were not deserving of sympathy.

  As she got closer to the epicenter, there were more bodies. More than the amount of men that emerged from the woods the first time.

  In the center of the chaos, was a single figure in a black and white frilly dress, white hair pooled out on the ground.

  Seraphine: “Eris!”

  Abandoning all caution, Seraphine rushed to Eris's side. She was slumped over, on her knees with her forehead in the dirt.

  Seraphine gently shook her, but got no reply.

  Seraphine: “No… no…”

  She gently rolled the maid onto her back, lowering her ear near her chest.

  She heard the gentle throb of Eris’s heart, and the hum of her slow breathing. It was as if she was in a deep sleep.

  Seraphine: “Eris, wake up!”

  She looked uninjured, though internal injuries were a possibility. If she had lost the battle, why had she been left here and not killed or captured?

  No, that only brought up more questions.

  Why were they attacked? Who was Lethe? Better yet, who is the Red Right Hand? Meeting an emissary of a god was not a common occurrence. They often became something like celebrities or monks. This one did not seem like either. It could have been a lie, she supposed.

  In any case, Seraphine could not leave Eris here.

  In Seraphine’s current state, there was no way she could carry Eris back to the manor. Even if she was well rested and well fed, she doubted that she could pick up Eris for more than a few seconds.

  Without any other alternatives coming to mind, Seraphine hooked her arms under Eris’s, grunting as she tried dragging her. It would be a long, arduous journey back to the manor.

  She only made it a few feet before she had to rest. Seraphine dropped into a sitting position, letting the unconscious Eris rest her head on her lap.

  Seraphine: “Eris, you’re so troublesome…”

  Seraphine panted out. Despite the hunger, dehydration and exhaustion, Seraphine could not help but smile.

  She knew Eris was alive, though sleeping.

  Seraphine: “I’ll just take a break here for now.”

  Surrounded by robed corpses, all of Seraphine's energy had been burned away as soon as she started dragging Eris.

  Leaning back, Seraphine rested her head on the dirt. Feeling the warm weight of Eris's head on her lap, it wasn't long until she felt her consciousness fade.

  It had only felt like a few seconds since she closed her eyes, but it was suddenly dark when they opened. Illuminating her vision was a warm flickering light from a lantern.

  Shooting up, Seraphine took in the visage of Caelia, her silver hair blowing gently in the breeze.

  Caelia: “I was going to scold you, but considering the amount of corpses…”

  Caelia motioned around to the twisted robed bodies which surrounded them.

  Caelia: “I suppose it’s unnecessary.”

  Seraphine: “I guess Caelia has a heart after all…”

  Caelia: “Enough. Is Eris dead?”

  The silver-rune said that with a monotone voice, but even Caelia could not hide her facial expressions perfectly, and a bit of concern was behind her eyes.

  Seraphine: “Not the last time I checked.”

  She had gotten careless. If Eris suffered internal injuries, falling asleep was the opposite of the correct course of action. It was possible that she could have died during her sloth.

  However, placing her finger onto Eris’s neck, she was still warm and a pulse throbbed under her skin.

  Caelia did the same, and independently understanding that Eris was alive, she wrapped her arms under Eris's legs and back, lifting her unconscious form into a princess carry, even as Seraphine made a weak protest by holding out her arms as if to take her back.

  Caelia: “You are uninjured? Speaking of, I don't see any injuries on Eris, either. Perhaps you are both just lazy.”

  Seraphine slowly stood, her muscles creaking. Brushing off her dress and hair, she shook her head.

  Seraphine: “I’m fine… I don't know what's wrong with Eris, though.”

  Caelia: “How did you let this happen, yet remain unaffected yourself?”

  Seraphine: “These men showed up, and… she told me to run, and I came back and…”

  Caelia replied with a blank stare.

  Seraphine: “I came back and she was like this. She’s still unconscious—”

  Caelia turned her back on Seraphine, interrupting her words, and began to carry Eris back in the direction of the manor.

  Caelia: “We’ll take her to Aqua, then.”

  Aqua was confused too. With Eris in front of her, Aqua only found minor bruises and cuts. No internal injuries, nor a curse to put her to sleep.

  Despite everything they tried, she did not wake.

  Seraphine: “Will she be okay?”

  Aqua: “It may be that she won't wake up… at least for a while.”

  Those words were gut wrenching to Seraphine. She had lost one of only two people who were yet to leave her behind, and she was the cause for their loss.

  She waited by Eris's bedside for a week, and planned to for as long as it took until she woke up.

  Seraphine: “Eris? Can you hear me?”

  She would speak to her in her slumber, telling her about what happened while she was sleeping, or just talking to her to keep her company. It felt silly, since it had only been a week, but Seraphine was predicting Eris would take years to wake up. Maybe never.

  So it surprised her when she took a small bathroom break, only to return to Eris being awake.

  Of course, it was not the Eris she knew.

  —*—

  A face pops through the door. Barely glancing at the sleeping Eris, crimson eyes and short black hair adorn a head of horns, interrupting Seraphine’s reminiscing.

  Petra: “Aíma? Have you come to visit Eris?”

  Seeing Aíma in the first place was a rare occasion, so that she came to Eris by her own volition, it was practically a holiday.

  The demon shook her head, pushing her petite body fully into the room.

  Aíma: “A guest of Carlos is soon to arrive, and Carlos asked Aqua and Seraphine to be there to serve them.”

  Seraphine: “Ah…”

  After reminiscing on her mistakes, Seraphine was eager for an excuse to take her mind off Eris anyway.

  Petra: “He asked for them specifically? That's unusual…”

  Aíma: “Aqua was already there, so he just requested me to get Seraphine to help her.”

  Aíma’s blank face was customary for her. To Petra, the combination of her adorable face and monotone reactions were somewhat relaxing for her.

  Seraphine stood up, giving Petra a smile and a double glance at Eris, before following Aíma out of the room.

  Petra: “But still, it is weird that Aqua didn't come to get Seraphine herself…”

  The Maids of

  Count Schwartzhardt's Manor

  It surprised Seraphine to not see Carlos waiting for his guest in the grand hall. In fact, other than the newly arrived Seraphine, only Aqua was waiting outside the door.

  Seraphine: “It almost seems like we’re waiting for our lover to come through the door.”

  Aqua: “Hmmm… That’s not samethin’ I expected ya to say, Sera…”

  Seraphine: “Oh, that did sound a bit weird, didn't it?”

  Aqua: “I get what’cha mean though. It does feel a bit weird, standin’ here, waiting for this ‘guest.’”

  Aqua always had the ability to relieve any kind of stress or tension by saying the right thing. No wonder amnesiac Eris latched onto her. Seraphine would too, probably.

  Aqua was straightening out her skirt when a firm knock rang out from the door.

  Seraphine and Aqua opened the doors simultaneously, quickly lowering themselves into a bow before even laying eyes on their guest.

  Seraphine & Aqua: “Welcome to Count Schwartzhardt's domain.”

  Their voices synced up, too, and Aqua was even able to hide her dialect for this practiced line.

  ???: “Interesting servants… I suppose you are the blue rune, and you are the orange…”

  It was unlikely that the guest could make such an accurate guess without seeing their runes, so Seraphine wondered how they came across that conclusion. Maybe it was the hair?

  No, Seraphine had red hair, not orange.

  The man spoke studiously with a low voice. He sounded older than he looked. Looking about thirty but with the voice of a well travelled, aging merchant or something. The way he spoke his words, they had an inhuman quality.

  He wasn't an elf, demon, or demihuman. Perhaps he was a half-demon, but it was unknown until asked, which neither of the maids would dare do.

  He was dressed in a black suit and a red tie, with a silky crimson cape over his back and shoulder. His dirty blonde hair went everywhere, but was pushed away from his eyes. His blue eyes squinted, as if sucking every piece of information from the two maids.

  Seraphine: “——”

  Aqua: “Are you here to meet the master? Please, follow us.”

  The man pushed his cape from his shoulder, undoing the buttons of his blazer as he stepped into the regal grand hall.

  ???: “I see Carlos has different tastes than he once did.”

  There was nothing to reply with that was in a maid’s place to say, so they said nothing.

  The man followed the maids without protest, and rarely did he speak in his gruff voice, other than to make a passing comment to himself about the decoration.

  Finally arriving at the door of Carlos’s office, Seraphine gave it a knock.

  Usually, the maids don't knock as Carlos instructed them not to. However, using a knock was a sort of signal that his guest had arrived.

  Opening the door, the two maids bowed, but the guest was already entering the room before they had even finished.

  Carlos: “Ahh, Proteus! My friend, how have you been?”

  Proteus: “I’ve been well, Carlos. I see you haven't aged at all…”

  Carlos: “Me? Age? Uhaha~ you know all about that.”

  Proteus responded with a pause, before taking a seat in the chair before Carlos’s desk.

  Proteus: “I didn't expect you to take residence in a place like this.”

  Carlos: “Oh, me neither! But you have to look the part, don't you?”

  Proteus: “Hm…”

  Proteus glanced back at the two maids, who took position on either side of the door, looking as statue-like and professional as possible, while still trying to seem like they were too simple minded to pay attention or care about their conversation.

  Carlos, too, seemed to notice Proteus’s glance, as he raised his gloved hand to the maids.

  Carlos: “Dear Aqua, dear Seraphine, would you two be so kind as to get me and my friend here some tea and…”

  Looking at Proteus, the guest shook his head.

  Carlos: “I guess biscuits only for me, then! Uhaha~”

  Seraphine & Aqua: “Yes, Master Carlos.”

  Like puppets, they bowed at the same time, and echoed the same words together.

  It was only in front of guests that the Maids of Count Schwartzhardt's Manor truly acted like well organized, rigid servants.

  Aqua: “Strange guests Master Carlos keeps, dont’cha think?”

  Seraphine: “I wonder if that guy is really his friend? He seemed…”

  Aqua: “Nothin’ wrong with beein’ aloof. Or, I’d say…”

  Seraphine: “But...?”

  Aqua: “That guy was really suspicious!”

  The two of them shared a laugh as they made their way to the kitchen, connected to the dining hall.

  Aqua: “But, I do think they at the very least are friends.”

  Seraphine: “You do?”

  Aqua: “Call it a hunch, or girl’s intuition or whateva’, but the way Carlos spoke to ‘em didn't seem like he was pretendin’.”

  Aqua’s intuition had a good reputation so far, so Seraphine did not have a difficult time trusting her.

  Seraphine took a kettle from the cupboard, and poured water in.

  Aqua, surprisingly, was not too useful in the tea making process. She could not create new water, only able to use the water already in her surroundings, and her purification would make the water too pure to turn into tea.

  She could make biscuits, but there was not a stove in the kitchen since Seraphine’s magic covered that. Luckily, they are preprepared anyway.

  Speaking loudly over the screaming of the kettle, Seraphine brought up what continued to nag at her, even with Aqua before her.

  Seraphine: “Aqua, about Eris…”

  Aqua: “Hm?”

  Aqua barely looked up from the tray of biscuits she was meticulously organizing.

  Seraphine: “She’s been acting strange. Like, not because of her amnesia or anything. She hasn't gotten out of bed all day and she’s been speaking nonsense.”

  Aqua: “Oh? That sounds bad! I’ll have to check on ‘er!”

  Seraphine: “So, you didn't know?”

  Aqua: “Nope, but maybe I can use my special charm?”

  Seraphine replied with a smile. Taking out small tea-cups from the cupboards, they gathered everything onto trays, and returned to Carlos’s office.

  Aqua: “That Proteus guy seriously gives some bad vibes.”

  Seraphine: “Vibes…?”

  Another word of Aqua’s dictionary that was yet to spread to the others.

  Aqua: “He makes ma’ intuition flare up, y’know?”

  Though unfamiliar with Aqua's strange words, Seraphine began to understand.

  Seraphine: “Oh… yeah, I also seen his bad vibes.”

  Aqua: “Hm… I’ll have to teach you ‘vibe’ too.”

  Seraphine tilted her head.

  —*—

  Opening the door, used to not knocking, Proteus suddenly spun around to face the maids. By now, the two were standing.

  Carlos: “Ah, lovely! Thank you, dear Seraphine, dear Aqua. Aren't they just the dearest?”

  Proteus did not respond to Carlos’s praise of his maids.

  Aqua began to set the table, and Seraphine poured the tea.

  Proteus: “Your servants do not even knock, Carlos. Are you sure you don’t hire anyone off the street?”

  Carlos: “Off the street, sometimes. Just anyone? Of course not~, Uhaha!”

  Proteus only looked at the maids with a squint, sipping the tea.

  Despite his wary looks, he did not appear to be concerned that his tea may be poisoned or something along those lines.

  Upon taking a single sip, Proteus set the teacup on the plate, taking his seat again.

  Proteus: “It is your home, Carlos, but I’d like to have our conversation in private without your street-servants watching us.”

  Carlos gave him a nod, and a sympathetic glance over to the maids. They bowed in unison, and slipped out of the office into the hall.

  Aqua: “‘Least we have Carlos as our employer and not that guy.”

  Seraphine: “Who does he think he is? I made his tea!”

  Aqua placed a finger over her lips. Indeed, Seraphine was getting a little heated.

  Seraphine: “I wonder how they know each other in the first place.”

  Aqua: “Master Carlos is pretty old, after all…”

  Seraphine started to smile again, and now the two were giggling. Nothing was too funny by itself, but in the presence of each other, they couldn't help it.

  Suddenly, the door swung open and Proteus stopped out of the office. Closely followed by Carlos, who tipped his hat at the maids.

  Carlos: “This may seem quite sudden… it is! But I will be accompanying Proteus on a short little business trip. Please inform the others, I won't be gone for long!”

  Aqua: “How long will you be gone, Master Carlos?”

  Carlos glanced at the unresponsive Proteus, then placed his finger on his chin.

  Carlos: “Probably two or three days. Can you hold the fort from here~?”

  Carlos gave a grin, and Aqua bowed.

  Aqua: “O’ course, Master Carlos.”

  Letting her accent slip in front of Proteus made him raise his eyebrow at Aqua.

  It was a quick goodbye for Carlos, who usually made it an all-day ordeal. The two of them suddenly left, making their way down the hall until they turned the corner to the stairs.

  As soon as they were out of sight, Aqua’s polite face turned aloof.

  Seraphine: “Aqua?”

  Aqua: “Sorry, Sera… Do you mind lettin’ me think for a moment?”

  Seraphine: “Uh? Sure…”

  Aqua did this on occasion, but Seraphine knew she didn't mean it rudely. She understood, too. It was hard to think when people were speaking over her. She just wondered what Aqua was concerned about.

  Aqua paced around for a while, apparently thinking quite hard about something. Seraphine felt awkward just watching her, but also would feel rude if she just left. She didn't want to say her goodbyes and interrupt Aqua’s train of thought.

  It must have been around half an hour of watching Aqua think before she was interrupted without input from Seraphine anyway.

  It was the second time she was surprised by the small, adorable demon maid today. She had appeared two more times than usual.

  Aíma: “There is something important I must speak to you about.”

  She was addressing Aqua mainly, but Aíma had the courtesy to at least glance at Seraphine too.

  Aqua snapped out of her pondering daze, lowering her vision towards the crimson eyed demon.

  Aqua: “Somethin’ important?”

  She didn't seem to be annoyed that her train of thought had been interrupted. Maybe it would have been okay for Seraphine to leave after all?

  Aíma: “I can smell a demon-beast, and it is close.”