For the past two months, the Cross estate has been very busy. The Duchess announced that she will be bringing someone home. She told everyone in the domain that the one who is about to arrive is someone important to her, therefore someone that should be served properly.
The mansion that is biggest after the main mansion where the Grand Duchess lives, is cleaned properly and a lot of new maids and butlers are assigned. The Duchess is in a good mood the whole time of preparations, making everyone curious as to who this very important person was, that the Duchess herself is supervising the preparations.
But nobody assumed that the Duchess will bring home a child. The Cross Estate is already full of children that nobody even thought that the Duchess will bring one once more
At first, all the servants are confused, but when the Duchess announced that the child is her own flesh and blood, they all seem to understand. The Duchess has never been that happy, everyone was surprised, but the surprise turned into confusion again. How can the Grand Duchess have a daughter who is clearly a commoner? That child doesn't even look like the Duchess at all.
The first day of her arrival, a commotion has happened, their beloved eldest young master, insulted the newly brought commoner. He was the favorite child because everyone thinks that as the eldest child of the Duchess, he will automatically inherit the title. He grew up to be a very irresponsible and arrogant child, with the influence of his father, he became even more selfish. But they can't do anything about it, being the son of a powerful family gave him the power to look down on anyone, and if they make a mistake, they'll have to face the consequences.
When the commoner child arrived, they immediately compared her to their young master. The child may be a little kinder, but she doesn't look remarkable at all, just like an average commoner. Average looks, average attitude, and average bearing, that's their impression of her.
That's only the child's first day but they already evaluated her whole being. They have the tacit understanding that this child is not someone to be feared.
But what they didn't know, is that, the unremarkable child they don't pay much attention to, will grow up to become someone great. But that's another story for another time.
Right now, the panicking Agnes ran to the outside and tried to look for her young miss.
This is the first time in her forty five years of working that she's seen a scenario like that, it's not an exaggeration to say that she almost died on the spot, when her young miss jumped out the balcony.
She let it pass when the child didn't let them help her bathe and didn't even wear the dress they prepared, but when she jumped down the balcony, that's the last straw.
"Hohohoho..." the hearty laugh of the always serious Duchess broke the silence in the room.
Right now, Lady Agnes is inside the office of Her Grace, she was telling her the story of how her miss, didn't let them do their jobs and the jumping down the balcony incident. She was hoping to get the Duchess to take action about the behavior of the mischievous child, but she didn't expect that Duchess will only laugh it off, as if what she's saying is a joke.
"It's alright Agnes, Silver is a very independent child, if she wants to dress or bathe herself, just let her be. About her jumping around, you don't have to worry, she can save herself on time. I just want you to know that, she's not a child who enjoys childish things, so i hope you understand her. She doesn't look like it, but she's a very matured child for her age." Lady Agnes didn't know wether the Duchess is just explaining or boasting about her child. But with Her Grace's words, she became a little calmer, to the point where she actually thought she's just overreacting.
"I understand Your Grace, i will make sure that her life in here will be best." She only said what she thought the Duchess wants to hear.
After her fruitless talk with her employer, all she can do is to sigh to herself and go back to her work.
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Silver's point of view
"This place is so good, i want to build a hut here and sleep. I can even put a training ground here." I was talking to myself while looking around this great spot.
The place is above a hill, where there's an overlooking view of fields and small houses from far away. The place has a huge flat ground and a very beautiful lake, there was also a huge and tall tree where i am right now.
I think this will be my favorite place in here, i will make this my own sanctuary, a hideout.
I was looking at the setting sun, when i remembered about Mother Tara.
"I wonder where she is now, is she okay out there? Is she enjoying herself?" I asked to the wind.
I remembered the ring she gave me, i didn't have the chance to look at what's inside. I jumped out of the tree and sat on the ground.
I inserted my magus in the ring and when i blinked my eyes, i was inside a large plot of land, there's a house not far away from where i was standing so i walked towards it.
"Am i inside the ring?" I know it's stupid to just walk into something unfamiliar, but I don't think mother Tara would let me have something that can kill me, maybe it will hurt me a little, but definitely not kill me.
I walked inside the house and what i saw are a bunch of books and chests. There's also a lot of weapons in one corner, including mother's favorite sword. I walked towards it when i saw a letter attached to it. It says that everything in here is mine.
Smiling at mother's letter, i put the letter on my pocket and looked around the area. I picked up a book and flipped a few page, seeing that it was about mana and magus, this is probably why mother is so strong, she's got some secret books in here.
After looking at the books, i looked at the chest and opened one, it was a chest of gold. Where could mother possibly acquire these gold? There's too much that i don't need to work my whole life and i could still live luxuriously.
Mother really thought of me so well, i know she's just worried but this is too much, i face palmed myself with that thought.
I sighed to myself and decided to withdraw my magus and the next second, i was once again sitting on the ground and the sky is already getting dark. I stood up and walked down the hill, already memorized the way back.
I circulated my mana and enhanced my senses to ensure that there's no danger in my way. I know it is unlikely, considering i'm still inside the Cross Estate's domain, but i did it purely out of habit.
I was walking along the dark forest when i heard a cry. At first i thought it was from a small animal, but hearing it once more, it sounded like a child. As the night continues to deepen, the once bright place became dark and not at all safe for a child.
I immediately went to the direction of the sound. The source of the cries is a little far from where i am, my jog from earlier turned into a sprint, wanting to get to the source faster. When i'm already at the place, i came across a little girl who's crouching on the floor. She's hugging her knees with her back on a tree.
"Hey," i called out with the softest voice i can muster, at least i hope it's soft enough.
The little girl looked up, her eyes are swollen as tears are running down her cheeks. One side of her cheeks is also swollen, with a hand print on it.
"Who the heck would hurt a child this small?!" Without realizing it it, my brows met, seeing the pitiful appearance of the girl. I remember her, she's one of the kids Mother introduced earlier, the youngest one, Monica.
"What's wrong? What happened to you?" I asked her sitting quietly beside her.
She jumped on me for a hug making me, flinch. "Why does this feel familiar?" I thought to myself remembering the little girl i met before.
I pat the back of the girl in my arms to console her. "What happened, why are you here alone?" I asked her again.
"B-brother Howard got mad at me because i-i keep following him, h-he hit my cheek b-because he said i was so a-annoying." She answered while sobbing, face on my left shoulder, i can feel my clothes getting soaked in her tears.
"That kid again?! What's wrong with his attitude, hitting his own sister. He's not cute, not cute at all." My frown went deeper when i heard what she said. I did not notice earlier, but the side of her lower lip is colored in red, it seems to be bleeding, probably by the slap of that hateful kid.
"Show me your face, i'll heal it for you." I held the small head of the girl and looked at her face.
"Really?" She asked still sobbing, but right now, her tears stopped flowing down her cheeks.
"Yes, but this is just a secret between us okay? You wanna see some magic?" I asked with a cheery voice trying to cheer her up.
"Yes!" She said with the cutest voice. Her sobbing stopped and her sad voice changed into a cheery one.
"Alright," i said as i faced my palm on her making a sort of sparkles to move her attention away from me, while i cast a spell, healing her wounds.
"Wow!" She said with shiny eyes, reflecting the sparkles.
"What do you think?" I smirked.
"It was so beautiful! The sparkles are so pretty, like the stars, can i see it again?" She asked while smiling from ear to ear, she looks like she forgot about her injuries, that's a good thing.
"Of course, only if you promise to keep it a secret." I showed her my pinky finger which she immediately locked with her own little pinky finger.
"I promise," she said while nodding her head vigorously.
"But not right now, for now we have to go back because it's night time already." I told her while standing up.
"Do you want a piggy back ride?" I added while crouching down showing her my back.
"Yes!" She jumped up from sitting down and answered as i felt a light weight on my back.
"Let's go then," i said to her with a smile on my face.
This feeling is really familiar, a feeling i thought i already forgot. The feeling of being relied on, of being a big sister.
When was the last time i felt something like this again?
"When i was still with my little sister in my last life." Remembering that made me smile.
My bitter smile turned into a genuine one when i felt the hold on my neck tightened.