Chapter 16
After the unsettling incident at school, Evangeline returned home with the knowledge that she was about to face her mother's wrath. Hastening to the castle, she glimpsed her two mothers standing there, their icy gaze fixated on her, sending shivers down her spine.
Misaki approached, her voice dripping with disapproval. "Didn't Evangeline promise not to cause any trouble? Setting fire to the school hallway was not a wise decision."
"Mom, I'm sorry. It was an accident. I just sneezed; I didn't do it intentionally," Evangeline pleaded, her head bowed in contrition.
Seiko chimed in, defending her friend. "Yes, she's right. It was an accident. There's no need to punish her."
Evangeline, gaining a hint of confidence, affirmed, "Seiko is correct. There's no reason to punish me. I didn't do anything wrong."
Azumi, adopting a stern tone, interjected, "No, Evangeline. That could have been incredibly dangerous. If you had harmed any students or staff, you need to exercise more caution, understood?"
Releasing a heavy sigh, Evangeline nodded and made an attempt to leave the scene.
"Wait, Evangeline," Misaki called out, halting her. "You don't believe we're going to let you get away with this."
Surprised, Evangeline questioned, "What do you mean?"
Misaki continued, "If I recall correctly, you still have a considerable sum of money left over from your previous missions, don't you?"
"Yes, but that's meant for purchasing weapons, chocolate, and food for Seiko. You can't take it away from me," Evangeline protested.
Seiko chimed in once again, emphasizing their point. "Yes, she's right. You can't do that. Otherwise, I won't be able to enjoy the treats I love."
Apologizing profusely, tears welling up in her eyes, Evangeline implored, "Mommy, I'm truly sorry. I won't do it again. Please don't take my money."
Misaki hardened her heart, cautioning Azumi, "Don't let her tears sway you. If we give in, she'll only repeat her actions."
Azumi, determined, affirmed, "You won't deceive me this time, Evangeline. Now, you must face the consequences of your actions."
"And on top of that, you'll be deprived of pocket money for a month," Misaki added.
"That's too much! Besides, you're taking away my pocket money!" Evangeline exclaimed, her anger surfacing.
"Hush, young lady. Say no more, or losing your pocket money won't be your sole punishment," Misaki warned, silencing her.
Fearful of further retribution, Evangeline kept her silence, dreading the consequences that awaited her.
Seiko interjected, questioning the fairness of his own punishment. "Wait a minute. Why must I suffer the consequences of her actions when I didn't do anything?"
Misaki reminded Seiko, "Remember when you destroyed the school kitchen?"
Seiko fell silent, and together, he and Evangeline retreated to their room, consumed by sadness.
POV: Misaki
"Misaki, you're being too hard on her right now. After all, she's just a child," Azumi voiced her concern.
"No, don't worry. She'll learn from her mistakes. She's our daughter, and she needs to understand that we won't always be there to shield her," Misaki asserted firmly.
"I know, but her actions weren't intentional. She has a vast reservoir of magical power, and controlling it can be challenging," Azumi attempted to reason.
"Don't make excuses for her. What's done is done, and I won't go back on my decision," Misaki declared resolutely.
Back to POV: Evangeline
Several hours passed, and darkness enveloped the castle. Seething with anger, Evangeline refused to descend to the dining area for her meal. Suddenly, a knock resonated through the door, followed by its creaking open, revealing Azumi carrying a tray of food.
"Evangeline, don't be so angry with Misaki. She only wants what's best for you. Don't forget that," Azumi gently implored, joining her daughter by the bed, where Seiko slumbered peacefully.
"Mom, I understand that, but her punishment is excessive. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Please, Mom, do something," Evangeline pleaded, her eyes reflecting innocence.
"First, eat. Then, I'll see what I can do to help you," Azumi relented, offering the tray of food.
"Promise me, Mom," Evangeline implored, a hopeful smile adorning her face.
"Of course, don't worry. For now, focus on eating before it gets cold," Azumi assured her.
Evangeline nodded and eagerly devoured the meal in a mere ten minutes. Handing the empty tray back to her mother, she looked up with a slightly improved demeanor.
"I can see you're feeling better. Now, I'll let you get some rest, my little devil," Azumi said affectionately, planting a gentle kiss on Evangeline's forehead before departing, leaving Seiko asleep by her side.
"Well, at least this day could have been worse," Evangeline mused as she settled into her bed. Snapping her fingers, the room plunged into darkness, and within a few minutes, she succumbed to sleep, undisturbed.
In the middle of the night, a voice pierced the silence, calling out her name. Startled awake, she glanced at Seiko, still peacefully asleep beside her
Evangeline rubbed her eyes, startled by the feeling of someone calling her name. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, she noticed Seiko waking up beside her, concern etched on his face.
"Evangeline, it's not usual for you to be awake at this hour. Is something wrong?" he inquired, his worry evident.
Chuckling softly, Evangeline patted Seiko's head. "Oh, you're such a worrier. But come on, admit it, my waking up doesn't bother you that much."
"Stop kidding around. You're just disturbing my sleep," Seiko retorted, his tone trying to mask his true feelings.
"Ah, but you can't hide it from me. Deep down, I know you're a kind and caring person, despite your cold façade," Evangeline remarked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Their conversation was interrupted by another voice calling out Evangeline's name. Seiko confirmed that he had also heard it, expressing his own surprise.
"You're not the only one who heard it. It's certainly strange," Seiko admitted, a note of unease creeping into his voice.
"Don't tell me it's a ghost haunting our room," Evangeline suggested, a playful smirk appearing on her face.
"Evangeline, stop talking nonsense. Ghosts don't exist," Seiko replied, his voice betraying a hint of fear.
"Oh, so even a powerful magical beast like you is afraid of ghosts," Evangeline teased, amused by his reaction.
"Everyone has fears, even me. So please, stop bothering me," Seiko responded, his words laced with a touch of annoyance.
Determined to investigate the source of the voice, Evangeline and Seiko made their way out of the window and ventured away from the castle. They followed the enchanting call until they reached a magnificent waterfall. There, they beheld the sight of a young woman bathing peacefully, her ethereal beauty captivating their gaze. It was an elven girl, her pointed ears identifying her heritage. Her golden blonde hair cascaded like strands of precious metal, and her captivating ruby eyes drew them in, leaving them breathless.
Evangeline couldn't help but admire the elf girl's exquisite form, subtly noting her ample bosom, which was unusual for elven women known for their slender figures. Unbeknownst to her, her nose began to bleed, a testament to her overwhelming fascination. The blood trickled down, and Evangeline quickly wiped it away, her eyes still fixed on the elf girl's allure.
"Evangeline, you've become quite the pervert. If you continue like this, you'll end up with a hemorrhage," Seiko warned, clearly exasperated.
Hushing Seiko, Evangeline remained fixated on the elf girl, unaware that her presence had been detected. Suddenly, the elf girl turned towards their direction, and Evangeline instinctively tried to hide, but it was already too late.
"Seiko, we need to leave before she finds us," Evangeline whispered urgently, her excitement slightly tinged with disappointment at the premature end of her voyeuristic indulgence.
Alas, their escape was in vain, as an arrow swiftly flew past them, narrowly missing its target.
"Damn it! I didn't expect that. I wanted to enjoy the show a bit longer," Evangeline muttered, a mixture of regret and amusement.
"Silence, or we'll end up impaled by this girl's arrows," Seiko retorted, panic evident in his voice.
In their attempt to flee, they found themselves cornered by the elf girl. Initially surprised, she regained her composure swiftly.
"We mean you no harm. We didn't intend to disturb you," Evangeline hastily explained, her gaze inadvertently shifting between the elf girl's nudity and her fierce demeanor.
"Ah, so you're a pervert," the elf girl accused, her bow still in hand.
"It's not what you think! I promise, I won't look at you, even though it's strange to see an elf woman with such prominent... assets," Evangeline stammered, her face flushing with embarrassment.
"Enough!" the elf girl exclaimed, her grip tightening on her bow as a green arrow materialized, ready to be released. Evangeline skillfully evaded the arrow's trajectory, dodging it with agility.
"There's no need to fight. I have no intention of hurting you. It was simply an unfortunate incident," Evangeline reassured, hoping to defuse the tense situation.
Gradually, the elf girl's demeanor softened, and she lowered her bow. Evangeline let out a sigh of relief, inching closer to the elf girl, only to stumble and accidentally touch one of her breasts. The elf girl blushed furiously, and Evangeline, equally embarrassed, found herself doubled over in pain as the elf girl struck her in the stomach.
"I-I'm sorry. It was an accident. I tripped," Evangeline managed to utter, still clutching her abdomen.
"I don't believe you. Leave me alone, you pervert," the elf girl snapped, her voice filled with disdain.
"It's not my fault you were bathing in the waterfall in the first place, and at this hour. So if anyone's the pervert here, it's you," Evangeline retorted, attempting to defend herself.
"Silence! Or I'll strike you again," the elf girl warned, her eyes narrowed in anger.
Unbeknownst to them, a wolf silently observed the scene from a distance, finding great amusement in their interaction.
With a snap of her fingers, the elf girl was now adorned in a pristine white dress, emanating an air of elegance.
"I believe we've started off on the wrong foot. Perhaps we should forget about it and properly introduce ourselves," the elf girl proposed, her tone shifting from hostility to a calmer demeanor.
"No, leave me alone, you pervert. Stay away from me," the elf girl insisted, attempting to distance herself.
Determined not to let the chance slip away, Evangeline swiftly moved in front of her, gently grasping her hand.
"Please, don't go. I sincerely apologize for my actions. Can I at least know your name?" Evangeline implored, a warm smile on her face.
For a brief moment, the elf girl appeared surprised, contemplating Evangeline's words. Eventually, she let out a long sigh before responding.
"I suppose there's no harm in telling you my name," she conceded, her voice softening. "My name is @@@@@@."