DISASTER IN THE FOREST

AURUM happily clung to her brother's arm. Yes, she knew Argent was really her sister. But who cares anyway? She just loved referring to her as her brother. The both of them were going to go out today. Argent invited her to go around the land surrounding Hanover manor. According to her, it might take years before they come back here once they traveled to Amexem. So it would be good if she could at least look around their land while they're still here. After all, she's been locked up in that tower for three years and even before that, she didn't really have a chance to go out of the manor. According to her brother, it would be good for her to see the surrounding scenery.

Aurum didn't really care that much about going out and things like that. But since it was her brother who suggested it, of course she's happy to comply. As long as Argent would go with her, then she has no problem at all. When they went out the manor, there was a gray and brown mare waiting for them. The stable master was holding both their reins. Their mother was also there and beside her was that maid, Felicia, holding a picnic basket.

Anthea walked up to them. "I asked Nelly to prepare all your favorites snacks so you could eat whenever you feel like it. Felicia will hold onto it. Just be careful and don't go too far away. Make sure to stay in the premise of our land," she worriedly reminded her twins. She really wanted to go with them but she still has a lot of things to take care of. Like reaching out to the palace to inform them about her daughters temporary transfer to Amexem.

"Don't worry, Mother, we'll be fine," Argent assured her. "Besides, Felicia is there to monitor us."

"Yes, Duchess, I'll take care of Young Lord and Young Lady," Felicia added enthusiastically.

Anthea sighed. "Then go and come back before lunch time."

"Yes, Mother." Argent looked down at Aurum. "Let's go?"

"Where will I ride, Brother?" Aurum asked while looking at the two horses in front.

"With me, of course."

When Aurum heard that answer, she couldn't help but smile. Her brother really was the best.

Argent led her sister towards the two horses. She didn't really know how to ride a horse but good thing the original owner did. So she only needed to dive into the original owner's memory. The stable master knelt down to help her up the gray mare. Once she's up, she held her hand towards Aurum. Her twin reached up to her hand and the stable master also helped her get on the horse. With their cooperation, Aurum successfully got on the horse. She sat in front of Argent.

Argent looked back at Felicia. "Felicia, let's go."

"Yes, Young Lord!"

Once Felicia got on her own mare, Argent held the reins and gently kicked the side of the gray mare to make it start moving.

Aurum happily leaned back on Argent, savoring the warmth that surrounded her. This moment would probably be perfect if not for the annoying tail behind them. She glanced coldly at Felicia. She really didn't like this maid. Always clamoring around her brother like a bee. Stealing her and her brother's precious time. If she could, she really wanted to dismiss her.

Aurum took back her gaze. "Why should that Felicia come with us?"

Argent looked down at her sister, clearly seeing the pout on her face. "And why shouldn't she come with us?"

"I just don't like her."

Well, Argent certainly noticed that. Since Aurum woke up two days ago, whenever Felicia came close to her, her sister always gave her the stink eye. As if she's annoyed by the maid's mere presence. "Aurum, don't be too hard on Felicia. She's a good girl and very loyal. It would be to our advantage to have her around."

Aurum frowned. "Do you like her more than me?"

Argent was momentarily stunned by the question. She doesn't understand what that has to do with anything. But she still answered Aurum nonetheless. "How could that be? You're my sister. Of course I like you more than anyone else." Well, at least she would try to. As high as her IQ was, her EQ was equally low. She doesn't understand human emotions as well as others. But for her promise to the original owner, she would try to invest her emotions and affection to this new family of hers.

She probably gave Aurum the right answer because of the smile that bloomed on her sister's face. "I also like you more than anyone else."

She just smiled at that. "Then you should cut Felicia some slack since she will also be your maid. Besides don't you think you should give props to her for not being afraid of you?"

Yes, Felicia was the only servant (aside from Gregory and Nelly) who didn't tremble with fear when she saw her. But she still doesn't like her being around her brother. In the end, she could only put up with it. "Fine. I will try to tolerate her from now on."

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By the time it was near noon, they managed to stroll through a third of their family's land. They were now on a flower field on the West side of the manor. They're mostly done eating the snack they brought.

"Young Lady, do you want another slice of ham?" Felicia asked. Aurum ignored her. She scratched her head. Why does she have the feeling that the Young Lady doesn't like her? She shook her head. This should not make her feel down. If the Young Lady doesn't like her, then she just has to do her best to change that. She looked again at Aurum, full of enthusiasm. "Then, Young Lady, do you want a cupcake or a pudding?"

"She'll take the cupcake," Argent said before Aurum tried to ignore Felicia again. She took a cupcake from the basket an put it on Aurum's plate.

Aurum pouted and begrudgingly ate the cupcake. Argent couldn't help but chuckle because she looked just like a small squirrel. She wanted to poke her sister's cheek but before she could do that, they felt a sudden tremor. Argent thought it was an earthquake, until she saw a huge mountain of ice on the deep forest on their right side. The ice was slowly spreading throughout the forest.

Argent stood up. She had no doubt that that ice was from a high level Ice Gift user. And based on what she's seeing, their Gift was probably getting out of control right now. She looked at her sister who's currently hugging her arm and staring at the huge icicles at the distance. She turned to Felicia. "Take Aurum back to the manor."

Aurum turned her head to her. "Brother, what are you going to do?"

"I will check what's happening out there."

"No!" Aurum immediately countered. "You can't go there. What if you turn into an ice statue or something?"

"I agree, Young Lord. It's too dangerous. If you really want to check what's happening, then I will go." - Felicia.

"Yes! Let Felicia go."

Argent sighed. She doesn't really want to go either, honestly. But in this place she's probably the only one who could stop that out-of-control Gift user. Aside from the fact that those ice wouldn't affect her, she still has an extra nullum bracelet - the same one that she made for Aurum. She actually made two, in the event that the other one would not work.

She looked at the two girls in front of her, both looking at her with eyes full of worry. "I'm going to be fine, I promise. So just go back to the manor for now, okay?"

She didn't wait for them to reply, she pulled her arm from Aurum's clutch and immediately ran towards the forest.

"Brother!"

Aurum's last shout was the last thing she heard before she entered the forest. She ran towards the part of the forest with a high concentration of Mana where the Gift user would probably be. Half-way through, he saw a boy with red hair running towards her. Based on his trajectory, he probably came running from the source.

When the boy saw her, there was confusion in his russet colored eyes. Then his brows wrinkled and immediately stopped in front of her. "What are you running here for? Can't you see that mountain of ice over there?"

Argent has no time to care about him. So she directly bypassed the boy and put more speed to her legs. She heard the boy shouting at her but she just ignored him and ran much faster. Until she reached an area where ice already spread. But that didn't stop her. Wherever she walked, the ice on her feet will dissipate. When she reached the source, she almost couldn't believe what she's seeing. In front of her was a tall wall of ice. It was probably much higher than the tallest tree in this forest.

Argent took a deep breath and walked towards that wall of ice.