Chapter 84

𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖔: 𝕻𝖊𝖆𝖈𝖊 𝖇𝖞 𝕿𝖆𝖞𝖑𝖔𝖗 𝕾𝖜𝖎𝖋𝖙

***

When Duchess Rosand descended on the entrance of the door, I knew that my lips couldn't get more curled up.

By the way, her eyes widened for a moment before coming to have her arms wrapped around where I was, I knew that they were also close.

Since the body that I've transformed into was no other than the best friend of these two, the only lady who decided to live in the countryside estate together with her strange husband.

As of right now, Jer was Count Hervin and I knew for a moment that he had the skill to have Count Hervin's actions since he is someone who was once enveloped by the abyss himself.

After a few while, she talked to me, greeted me, and asked about the countryside. After that, I just talked to what I knew the information about this certain noble from that brown paper that that Key had given me.

I never thought this Countess was also one of the involved people from that decade, including the mysteries from Denteil Henderson, especially the Vellitas household.

Then I laughed afterward enough to make the two move within the household. Count Hervin as they thought was behind us all and looking around as if he had been having his acting so well that his wooden stick was just right after all.

"Oh and by the way, after touring around, you should have some tea, you know we've prepared your favorite one," Duke Hellian spoke and I smiled.

Duchess Rosand chuckled and grabbed me by the hand pulling me closer to her and whispered something within my ears that suddenly made me widen my eyes for a moment before chuckling once more

"You know, he just couldn't remember what tea is that you like since he would always think about himself first, but I guess this was the first time he initiated drinking tea and it's all because of our precious friend," when Duchess Rosand said those words, I felt some chills running down my spine as if something was missing that I still needed to figure out.

There I sighed and shook my head as if I needed to act more convincing than before.

After a few more while, I couldn't help but sprinkle some of the lights within the path enough to keep track of Jer and to find where Anna was.

As we toured around, the Duchess wouldn't even let go of my hands. She would point at things and I would just laugh at things.

When I set my feet right in front of the Vellitas household, I already felt that eerie feeling, a new emotion but at the same time, like an old one wanting me to go back to the place where darkness was.

It was as if it was enough to call me back where I should have stayed forever.

Around the place had these vines, and that even made it seem weirder as if they were alive, the place was vast, I could see some brick walls, and some molasses as if they were clean and it was their style.

From within, I could see these endless shimmering glasses within the place and golden light enveloped with some tint of crimson, and yet, all I managed to feel was heavier and heavier as we kept on descending a place that was never even there when I looked from earlier.

It was becoming weirder and weirder but when we took our seats, something inside me calmed down the moment I took my seat and I didn't know it at first but the moment I laid my eyes in front of a silhouette I remembered it all too well, a figure that I couldn't even forget.

The one that would always give me warmth whenever it was morning with her unparalleled smile, it was like a beaming shine of the sun's golden rays.

I couldn't even see anything right now as if everything had become vague and not able to be clear it was then that I felt this soft fabric being wiped across my face and that was the moment I knew it was Jer who was doing the deed.

I could see how the two nobles of this household widened their eyes but I just assured them that I just missed someone from our countryside. After that, I excused myself and made them nod their heads and chuckle for a few more seconds before finally letting me go.

At that moment, I followed the tiny sprinkles of light until it led me to a wooden door right in front but as I was about to knock, it was Anna who came out while having this wet cloth in her hands.

I saw how her eyes widened and immediately, I grabbed her by the hands and led her within. As I sprinkled some lights within the wooden door, I made it invisible to the naked eye so that I could have a proper moment with Anna once more.

That's when I saw that I was already choking her I immediately claimed my hands from her warm lips.

"Anna, I'm sorry I didn't mean to——"

Then again, I saw her eyes widen with her eyebrows knitted. That's when I realized I made a big mistake.

I should have transformed back to my original appearance before letting her see me like this but I would also be full of interrogation.

With my breath controlled over my hands trying to loosen their way to clenching again, I looked into her soul and exuded the last breath of air I knew before words came out from my mouth.

"Anna, I know you wouldn't believe this but..."

Before I could finish my words, I heard someone knock on the door but it was impossible for someone to unless it was Jer...

After hearing someone snap their fingers, speaking of the devil himself, I saw Jer already breathing hard having his figure fully appeared with no fading parts.

But then both of his hands were on his knees and I could see some beads of sweat starting to come down his forehead, from that moment, I knew that he had been chased, or was I wrong?

"Lady Vestia, I think you should have returned sooner because they were starting to be suspicious of you"

"Of me? How come when you're there to entertain them Hervin"

"I was and I am still, but I can't use the way you used your magic earlier—" but this time, Jer wasn't interrupted by me, it was Anna who had asked of the word that made us look into him.

Then in the blink of her eyes, I managed to breathe, and eventually, I returned to my normal appearance with the lights that were swirling around my body immediately fading into sight.

However, what I saw wasn't expected before because right now, I could eventually see Anna faint far before me and I could reach her by magic but there was already this fast wind that immediately stormed before my eyes.

Then I could see that Jer already caught Anna by his hands but he was still bending as his eyes were still locked on her widened once.

I could even see how she would blink her eyes a few times before I finally smacked Jer's head. That's when I knew that he had also blinked her eyes enough to finally fixed their own positions.

Then it was only the time that Jer's face reddened and he even put the back of his hand to his mouth. I knew that they don't have a real heart but Key didn't mention about having an emotion.

Was there any emotion left for Jer?

I shook my head and sigh but the moment I did so, I immediately went were Anna was in a flash and I was already holding her hands.

"Anna, I know you wouldn't believe this but..."

***

"It was such a nice time meeting you once more, Countess Felicity. Please say that I said hi to tommy," I narrowed my eyes when Duchess Rosand said those words but I just nodded and smiled a few more before leaving the place.

Right after my feet touched the carriage floor, I knew that lights started to appear once more and the magic that I've caster on Jack had already faded with the excuse of visiting the Vellitas household as Vestia.

When we finally returned back to my household, I gaze at my hands, and there I could still feel how warm Anna was. But I have never thought that she would say those words, not when I know it would have been a long time before she could finally accept me as I am.

When it only took her a second before engulfing me with her warmth.

"Please be safe then Milady, I know whoever you are, you're still the Lady that I managed to serve for the first time and forever," I knew that I could eventually see some water trickling down her bare face but I was the one who managed to wipe those.

"Then Anna, I need a favor I wanted you to do"

"As you would always say Milady I will always do every word you command"

"Then one of those, is your promise, never die, Anna..."

It took her a few seconds to respond with her eyes widened but she smiled in the very end while tears continued to stream down her face.

"Yes, Mialdy," she said and I should have been reassured but why do I felt liker her smile never reached her eyes?

Instead, I get this heavy feeling within my chest that I couldn't even get out even if I wanted to.

"Lady Vestia?" My thoughts went back to where I was and right at the moment, it was Jer's hands that was on my right shoulder

"I think you're exhausted, you should rest for a while," when he said those words, I sighed and nodded and as soon as I sat on the chair, I head him asked

"So you managed to create a doll like figure of someone else just like that of Hellier, then I also managed to surround it with my bright whispers. However, would that be enough to——"

"I know that would be enough, Jer. Besides, didn't you manage to meet Anna?"

"Yes I-I do," he said backing his sight away and I could only narrow my eyes

"I knew from the moment that I saw you caught her earlier, you put a necklace to her neck and I would surely be surprise if it not meant to protect her, Jer"

"I just gave that to where it belonged in the first place, Lady Vestia. Besides, young master Lexus told me you were learning swordsmanship but for what and why did you stopped?"