✓ | REBIRTH OF THE REBEL [Book Two]

CHAPTER 18

The stairs were changed into a U-shape design, with wooden railings, and a maroon colored carpet. Unang bumungad sa aking mata pagkababa ko ay ang malawak na living room. The flooring is now granite, the interior palette is bright brown, making it more pleasing to the eyes. The chandelier wasn't single, an array of flower design chandeliers hung from the far end until to my side. Our living room has a high ceiling, making the light cascade through every corner.

"Your grace!" Napako ang aking tingin sa kanan ng marinig ko ang sigaw ni Wince. "Anong ginagawa mo dito sa baba?! Sinabing magpahinga ka, ang kitid ng utak mo!"

Napakunot ang aking noo dahil sa sinabi niya. Mukha siyang nag-aalala na takot o parang may tinatago. Lumapit siya sa akin at akma na sana niya akong gagabayan pabalik sa dinaanan ko ng sipain ko ang isang binti niya.

"Umayos ka, parang nasasanay ka na sa uri ng pananalita mo sa 'kin. I am still the Duchess, and you may be a Cupid, yet it holds no significance to me," inis na sabi ko. He gesture his forefinger to hush me, that made my eyeballs roll. "Wow, ako lang ba nakakaalam?" Napangisi ako ng umiling siya. I tapped his shoulder and walked a step away. "Kung ibabalik mo ako sa silid, ipagsisigawan ko sa buong mansyon kung sino ka talaga. Ano deal?"

"Madame, maniniwala ba sila sa 'yo?" nakangisi niyang sabi. "Pero kidding aside, kanina ko pa hinahanap ang mga tao sa mansyon, bakit wala akong makita? Tapos, akala ko gumunaw na ang mundo pero nakita kita." Sumunod ang kanyang tawa at pagkamot sa leeg. "Hindi kita ibabalik sa kwarto mo, kasi kinikilabutan ako sa paligid."

"Matanda ka na kasi," saad ko.

Napangiwi si Wince sa sinabi ko. "Literal ba 'yan?"

I let out a snigger. "Tanungin mo ang sarili mo."

I momentarily stopped when I heard a faint sound of a familiar tune. Agad napako ang aking atensyon sa direksyon kung saan ko ito naririnig. "Can you hear that?"

I saw how Wince's eyebrows crossed as confusion and wonder struck his system. "The Zither, it must be his Highness—That's it! Kaya pala wala akong nakikitang tao kanina pa! That darn punk used his specialty!"

Napakunot ang aking noo. "Who?"

Sino ba tinutukoy niya? The more I let the tune be acknowledged by my ears, the more it sounds clearer and closer. Parang nasa paligid lamang siya at hindi ko lang nakikita.

"Shit," Wince murmured in silence.

Napakurap ako saglit subalit nanlaki agad ang aking mga mata nang biglang naglaho si Wince sa harapan ko. He vanished right in front of me when I turned to look at him.

"Wince!" I called out his name.

Umusbong ang kaba sa aking sistema ng lumakas ang tugtog na naririnig ko. It's not painful to the ears but it's making my anxiousness skyrocket. I looked around and I now understand why Wince said that the place is eerie, because it is.

"Your grace."

A soft tone of voice echoed in my ears. Dahan-dahan akong tumalikod para harapin kung kanino nanggaling ang hindi pamilyar na boses na 'yon. I was then welcomed by an extreme source of lights that made me shut my eyes by force.

Nang hindi ko na maramdaman ang sakit ng liwanag, bumukas muli ang aking mga mata. My mouth gape when the living room became vibrant, and a person in white clothes was sitting on the floor, facing a zither. He was the one who's playing the tune.

His long and straight white hair was gracefully moving together with the wind that just came out of nowhere. A gold brooch pinned some of his hair, and a thin fabric hid his whole face. His slender fingers stroke the strings perfectly and gracefully that made the tune pleasing to the ears. He looked like a faceless god.