Astral Odyssey: Dying Ember

World 5.8: Eva

Around 20 minutes passed before the carriage finally came to a stop. The butler helped Eva to step out of the carriage. She then showed them to sitting room before informing Esmeralda's family of her return and Austin's visit.

"Austin!" Esmeralda's family greeted him with surprise.

"Why the sudden visit?" Esmeralda's father asked.

"Sorry for coming by unannounced. I decided to use this chance to see you. I haven't made a social call in such a long time."

"No no, please join us for dinner if you're free to!"

"And please excuse our brazen daughter. I can't believe she thought that it was a good idea to let you care for one of our servants like that."

"No, it was I who insisted."

As they continued to chat, Esmeralda headed straight for Eva with a concerned look on her face, completely ignoring the fact that her parents were speaking ill of her.

"Are you feeling better already?"

Eva nodded.

"Go rest for the rest of the day, just in case." Esmeralda gave her a look that meant that she would not accept 'no' for an answer, so Eva obediently returned home to Briana's side. While Briana was lazing in bed, Eva could not take not doing anything so she started to clean the house.

"Haven't you done enough of such things in Esmeralda's house? Or do you like serving others this much?" Briana asked an with eyebrow raised.

Eva simply smiled back and continued what she was doing.

When her parents returned home later that night and they were all seated at the table with food that Eva has cooked for them, Eva put a note on the table once more.

Briana took a look at it then sighed heavily.

"What is it?" Her father asked.

"Nothing, she's just being paranoid again."

"To stop the assassination?"

Briana nodded.

"You're oddly hung up over this, huh? I wonder where you got this paranoid trait from." Her father commented.

"I know that you're concerned but you're really thinking too much, silly girl." Her mother tried to reassure her as usual.

"Things haven't been progressing well."

"Oh come on, this injury ain't much. I can already return to work tomorrow." Briana quipped back.

"After a week."

Briana had less patience than her parents but before she could say anything, her mother placed a hand on Briana's hand before speaking to Eva. "Look at our food Eva. We're reduced back to having a simple fare again because of the recent hiccups, don't you want more?"

Eva noticed how her mother smoothly trivialised all of their failures into hiccups. "I don't mind as long as all of you are safe and sound. These hiccups are a bad sign. What if Austin's onto you?"

Briana read it out for her parents and her parents were pleasantly shocked. They shared a glance before the both of them looked at Eva with very pleased expressions.

"That's really good to know. Don't worry, as long as you're alive and well, we'll be fine. Trust me." Her mother said as she rubbed Eva's head.

Eva's shoulders sagged as she knew that she has once again failed to convince her family.