Chapter 26 - Stranded In A Mansion

*Lick*

" Nn...gh "

*Lick Lick*

" U...gh... S..top... "

Zio has half-awakened from his long sleep. His head is fuzzy, his lips are chapped, and his chest hurts so much. All of his limbs are throbbing with pain, but at least he can understand that the bed which he sleeps on is very comfortable. The air also feels nice and it doesn't sting with an unpleasant odor. Clearly, this is not the sewage that he despises so much.

Zio takes a glance at the corner of his blurry eyes. He saw a white alcath, a winged cat, licking him. No wonder why his fingers feel funny.

*Creak* Zio can hear the sounds of a curtain being pulled. His eyes followed the source of the sound. And he cannot believe his eyes are seeing.

Though vaguely, he can still strongly remember that it was that girl from the other day, the one which he almost killed in the sewage. ‘My sword!’ Zio gruntled in silence as he observed the room, looking for his weapon. He feels the need to arm himself, else who knows what the girl will do to him.

Zio saw a knife and some fruits on a table beside him, but no matter how much he tried to reach it, he couldn't. His arms won't budge at all. When Zio feels like it is useless to try to move his body, he tried to fetch it with magic instead. He has his bracelet on his wrist after all.

" Ugh... Uhak! "

As soon as Zio tried to manifest his mana, he coughed up a great amount of blood. Enormous pain stings his body like it was pulling his nerves off its root. Now that the blonde girl noticed him, he can do nothing but helplessly stares at her as she walks closer and closer towards him.

" Good morning, Sir Zio. You finally awake. "

The girl bowing her head to Zio in a very polite manner. As if he was an honored guest or something of a kind. Zio found the treatment really bizarre. Because in his mind, she is supposed to be a threat to his life. Especially what he had done to her back in the sewer.

" I see that you are still confused about the current situation. But please rest assured, we shall do no harm to you. "

She inexpressively talked to Zio in such a well-refined demeanor while cleaning up the drops of blood in his shirt. Zio can’t help but wondering about the purpose of her doing.

" You will be explained once you are completely nursed back to health. "

'Bitch, I demand explanation right away!' is what Zio wanted to say. But, alas, his mouth couldn't even move. He tried to move his body as hard as he could, at least to get up and lay his back on the headboard slat. Slowly and forcefully, Zio is able to regain his faint strength to move his limbs, albeit barely.

" S-Sir, you shouldn't move ye- " She stopped midway as she wanted to push Zio back to lie in the bed.

Yet, Zio glared his eyes at her, telling her to stay away. At least, until he grunts back on his build-up pain, and the tight, gripping feeling in his chest. He couldn’t believe that it would wear him out this much only to get up from the bed. Currently, as he is, Zio is even weaker than a new-born doe.

" My deepest apology, sir Zio. But the young lady asked me to tend your health."

" Ode of tranquility. "

A weak sleeping spell was cast by the poker-face maid. Zio sneered at the spell, thinking that there’s no way it would work on him. But too bad, it does work on him.

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Zio wakes up again for the second time. He woke up only to find the very same alcath is licking him again like he was some sort of a fish-flavored candy.

*Creak* Zio can hear the sounds of a curtain being pulled. And there she is once again, the golden-haired maid tending and watering the plants that lay in front of the window.

*Cough cough* Zio unintentionally coughed and attracts the maid’s attention to him.

" Good morning, sir Zio. You finally awake. "

" What is this, a time travel? We've been through this before. " Zio blurted out the words in his mind to his surprises. This can only mean that his body must’ve recovered already.

" Yes, this is the second time you opened your eyes since you passed out. "

*Clang*

“ Huh? ”

*Clang Clang* The sound of iron clanks every time Zio moved his hands. Zio turned his head to see what is holding him down. It was Aarondite, a slightly red-colored, rare metal that can completely seal almost all of one’s magical power.

" Remove these cuffs! "

" My deepest apology, sir Zio. It was the young lady's order. "

" Who's this young lady?! I wanted to give her a piece of my mind! and a piece of my fist, not to mention! "

Zio cursed himself as he’s not strong enough to get himself off of the shackles. He wondered why it has to be Aarondite of all things. The ore spells the end for Zio’s resistance as he cannot budge his way with either sheer strength or magic.

" Please refrain yourself from making even more trouble, Sir Zio. " The blonde maid called to Zio while opening the room’s window wide and vast.

The wind surges in. The strong smell of candleberry and the tantalizing faint aroma of citrus fills every nook and cranny of the room. Soothingly fragrant and pleasant to anyone who smells it.

" Miss Ana! "

" Sister Julia! "

Zio heard someone voice from the other side of the window. A voice which he loved so much, a voice which he never mistook for someone else.

" Miss Ana, your brother is awake! "

As soon as the maid step aside from the wide-opened window, Zio can see his sister running straight towards him. Ana’s face is so full of joy, even slightly teared. It's been a long time since the last time Zio saw her smiling as bright as that.

" Brother! " She calls out to me as she leaps over the window.

" A-Ana! Be careful! "

Ana hugged Zio tightly, burying herself in her brother’s chest. Although Zio is hurting all over his body, but if it was for his sister, he is more than willing to endure even a hundred times the pain of that level.

Zio smelled Ana’s hair, rubbing her cheek with his, and touching his forehead with hers.

" You smell great. "

" Sure, I am! Unlike you, bleh! " Ana sticking out her tongue, kidding around in her reddish cheek.

Zio cracked a laugh before kissing her cheek. But now that she mentioned it, it’s true that Zio doesn't remember the last time he took a bath.

" My apologize, Miss Ana. It seems that Sir Zio still needs to rest. "

" No, I'm fine. "

" ...If that's the case, then I humbly suggest you to take a bath. "

Zio is a little bit offended and ticked off by the maid’s comment. Because he believes that he was ‘that’ nasty as he doesn’t smell anything too unpleasant coming out from his wounded body. But then again, maybe it's because his nose hasn't properly worked yet.

" Our bath has rejuvenating properties that can ease pain and relax muscles. It will be a perfect treatment for you to recuperate, Sir Zio. "

" Hmm hmm! sis Julia is right, brother! The bath is soo huge and nice! We should go together! "

After listening to the maid's reason, Zio realized that he had misunderstood her. On a second thought, he thinks that it might be not a bad idea. True, that there are some topics to be questioned, but the more important thing right now is; does he really have to take a bath in shackle?

" Sir Zio... I would gladly take off your handcuffs, as long as you promise to behave yourself. "

Surely, Zio won't do anything stupid. He didn't know anything after he passed out, or rather, he can’t even really recall what happened back then before he was knocked unconscious. To ask for Zio to not make any scene is surely a guaranteed request, as he is not the type of man who acts without proper understanding of his current situation.

Besides, Ana is enjoying herself in this mansion. That's what matters the most to Zio.

" I will. " Zio answered in simple and crystal clear.

" ...Very well then "

The maid decided to trust Zio, although there's a little bit of hesitation in her motion. Even though her face doesn't show it but her hand does, as it shakes like having a convulsion. Zio can’t blame her for that after what happened between them back then.

" D-Do I need to accompany you, sir Zio? "

" Stay away from me. "

She bowed her head and excuse herself, leaving me and Ana alone.

The siblings decided to take a little walk around before heading for a bath. Apparently, both of them ended up in a mansion that lies somewhere in the capital. But what's intriguing is that even Ana herself didn't know who's the master of this mansion or why they are stranded in such a place.

" So there's a lot of flowers in the garden, enough to bury myself in it! Oh, and the kitchen is soo big! We can even play rope skipping there! And also and also! There's this big mirror in my room which I..... " Ana speaking non-stop in excitement as she and Zio are walking through the vast corridor.

Although Zio is tottering all the way and even needed a stick to support his body which has yet to recover, he glad that Ana is safe and in merry. He thinks he needs to properly thank whoever brought her this joy. And that means, the lord of the mansion.

" -Here you go! The bathing room! " Ana cheerfully opened the door like a tourist guide.

The bathing room is really big indeed, enough for ten or twelve people to fit in. It's like a public bathhouse with natural vibes as its decoration concept. It also smells like basil and mint which is really nice and perfectly blends with the atmosphere it gives off.

" Whoever thought of these incenses and architectural design clearly have a fine taste for exotic goods. "

" I know right!? I love it here so much, brother! "

Zio smiled a little, even though deep inside, Ana’s words somehow attacked his insecurity, as he can’t help but think of his own incompetence as a brother to give his sister the proper life she deserves.

" A-ah... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that " said Ana while sadness emerged on her face.

" What do you mean? I like it here too! "

Zio noticed how Ana’s expression turns blue, thus, he tried to cheer her up. But it seems that wasn't enough, as he can still see that sorrow in her eyes. How painful it is for Zio to see his little girl dares not to even express her mind and dream out loud.

" Ana, my dear... It's normal to crave for things that you like. That's what makes us human. " Zio gently rubbed Ana’s hair, stroking every single strand of her chestnut hair.

" Please sit tight, my little princess. Soon, I'll give you all the best this world has to offer with these very hands of mine. "

" Hmm! I'll wait forever for you! But those hands need some fixing first, right? " Ana smiles and chuckles a little.

They laugh happily together, until Zio sees a familiar face in one of the bathing pools.

" Y-YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! " Zio pointed at the man in the bath.

The beard, the scar, the crumpled shoulder-long hair that looks neglected for a long time. ‘There's no mistaking it, it was that old man from the far east!’ Zio screamed on his mind, wondering what was actually happened while he was asleep.

" Yo, boy! "