Sequence Ten: A Secret

“Josh…”

“Do you… normally have crimson colored eyes?” she said, pointing out the eyes she doesn’t remember him having.

“Do I not?” he said looking at her with a gentle smile.

They stares each other for a while, but were interrupted by a knock on the door of the room.

“Miss Cerise, lady Anastasia and sir Cardel are waiting for you in the guest room.” A female voice said.

“It seems like an urgent summon.” Josh said, looking at Cerise with his crimson orbs that express a deep longing for affection as if he’s been in solitude for a very long time, there is something more his eyes are expressing, yet she still can’t determine what it is.

“Let’s talk later.” She said, walking away from Josh to the door of the room, opening it carefully. As the door opens, a maid revealed herself waiting for her in front of the door as she bows her head as a form of greeting Cerise.

“This way please.” The maid said, as she points to a certain direction of the hallway with her hand still bowing to Cerise.

As the door of the room closes, Josh hears a pair of fading footsteps walking away from his room. When the sound completely vanishes, he raised up from his bed, and inclined his body gently.

“Gearfried.” He said, then a black vortex appears on the wall, coming out from it is a man he is very familiar with.

“You called my lord?” he asks, walking slowly towards Josh.

“How’s the task I gave you?”

“Apparently, there is not much of an information I could gather in the capital, especially from the duke, my lord.” Gearfried answered, bowing his head to the man on the bed.

“Oh? And why is that?” Josh asked, curious of what the man just said.

“The duke is… Let’s just say, not in his right mind.” He continued

“After returning to the capital as you ordered me to, I immediately infiltrated the duke’s mansion and discovered that the duke is currently suffering from an Illness causing him to hear voices day and night.” Gearfried said.

“Just this very morning, the duke killed himself.” He added.

“That’s a waste.” Josh replied to Gearfried. “What else?” he added.

“After they found the body of the duke, the duke’s brother, the king, seems to also have the same symptoms as what the late duke has.” Gearfried resumes his report.

“It’s somehow telling him to do a certain task.” Gearfried continues.

“Did you managed to find out what that voice is telling him to do?” Josh asked, resuming his inquiry of the matter.

“Yes my lord…” He answered. “It is to summon a demon army.” He added

“That is interesting.” Josh said, with a somehow happy look on his face.

“But it will cost him a lot of human sacrifices just to summon a hundred…” Josh continues but immediately stops his mouth from uttering the word when he realized a fun fact about it and grins.

‘Of course, there are a lot of resources in the capital.’ Josh thought.

“Hey, Gearfried… why would the king needs a demon army when he can just have a normal human army instead?” Josh said, probing Gearfried to give him a good answer.

“Well… because a demon army is far stronger than a normal army consisting of humans, and they need lesser maintenance than the later.” Gearfried answered politely.

“It’s the common misconception they have.” Josh immediately responds.

“And why is that my lord?” Gearfried asked Josh, wondering what could be the mistake on what he just said.

“A demon army doesn’t just blindly follows an order from someone, even if that someone is the one responsible for their summoning…” Josh answered Gearfried confidently.

“Then, what would be the required catalyst for them to follow someone’s command if you ask?” Josh added.

“Please, enlighten this imbecile of a servant standing in front of you.” Gearfried begged for Josh to tell him the reason with his head bowing down to Josh.

“Oh, you know the answer for it Gearfried…” he said, looking on him with very malicious eyes.

“It’s just in front of you.” Josh added with a devilish grin.

But the conversation of the two stops when both of them heard footsteps coming closer and then halts near the door of the room.

“We’ll continue this chat of ours.” Josh said, as Gearfried nodded and resummons the vortex he used to enter Josh’s room and went inside it.

In an instant, both the vortex and the man vanished at the same time the door of the room opens.

***

In the guest room, Anastasia and Cardel are having a tea on a round table near the window, where the morning light illuminates a portion of the room.

“So there is no reinforcement that will back you up that night?” Cardel asked, as he takes a sip from the teacup he is holding.

“Just before the orcs are about to step foot on the northern woods of the village, our scouts already detected them and I immediately sent a request for immediate deployment of additional soldiers from the closest town that is under the rule of the second daughter of the duke.” Anastasia answered Cardel with a sad and worried face.

“But they didn’t send any even though you are desperately in need of one that night. And that town even hired all the available mercenaries to strengthen their defenses.” Cardel intercepts Anastasia from giving him the obvious detail.

“But I can’t blame the second daughter. It is the right move that moment.” Cardel added.

“Yeah, you’re right. You can’t blame her for abandoning her youngest sister that time. She also has her own duty as the assigned ruler of that town.” Said Anastasia, complementing the words of Cardel.

“Hey, why the gloomy face?” Cardel said, upon seeing the expression of Anastasia.

“Well, I think it’s my fault for being a good for nothing adviser to Stella.” She said, almost crying in front of Cardel.

“Please, let’s not think about it. It’s all in the past and Stella’s safe right?” Cardel said, trying to lighten the mood and to also prevent Anastasia from further blaming herself.

“I can’t imagine what might have happened if you didn’t arrive Cardel.” She said, but the conversation of the two didn’t get any further due to the arrival of Cerise along with the maid that escorts her in the room.

“Miss Cerise is here lady Anastasia.” The maid said, standing behind Cerise slightly tilting her head down.

“You called me?” Cerise asked, as she enters the room while the maid follows her.

“Yes, please have a seat.” Anastasia said, pointing her hand on a chair next to her.

Cerise took a seat on the chair by the table where the two are, sitting on the side of Anastasia that is on her right while she slightly tilted the chair to the left so she could also clearly see Cardel.

“So what do you want?” Cerise asked, as she moves her view from Anastasia to Cardel. At the same time, the maid that is on standby placed a teacup on the table as she slowly pours some warm tea in it and serves it to Cerise.

“Well, you see… I would like to personally ask you to take care of Stella while I’m gone.” Anastasia said looking at Cerise and Cardel.

“Where are you going if I may ask?” Cardel said, curious of her sudden decision leaving Stella into their care.

“I’ll be heading to the capital next day and will be gone for about two weeks.” She answered in a very serious way.

“What business do you have in the capital, if you don’t mind telling us?” Cardel asked, resuming his peaceful sip on the cup of tea.

“I would like to have a word with the duke about Gearfried and his assassination attempt to Stella.” She said, as she gets angry just by thinking of it.

“Isn’t it quite a risk?” Cerise said as she took a gentle sip on the tea in front of her and immediately placed it down because she doesn’t like the taste of it.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be staying in my father’s household. I’ll be well protected there.” She said

“And I also need to report something to the Bishop.” Anastasia added with a smile on her face.

“Oh, so you’ll be staying at that fat man’s manor huh? Say hello for me.” Cardel said with a big smile on his face.

“But why would you need us to watch over Stella? You have lots of guards regardless of the lost you have on the previous battle with the orcs.” Cerise asked, wondering why she personally asked them to guard the girl.

“After seeing your capabilities the night the orcs attacked, I can rest assured that Stella is in safe hands when she is with you.” She answered politely.

“You will be well compensated of course.” She added, assuring them that their efforts will not be for naught.

“Anyway, how’s Josh?” Cardel asks Cerise, wondering how he’s doing.

“Fine I guess. He’s awake by the way.” She answered with a worried face.

“Oh, and what is this? Did you two happen to have a quarrel?” Cardel said, as he scans Cerise thoroughly with a nasty grin on his face and is definitely thinking of something that is not good.

“Please don’t start.” Cerise said, with an irritated look on her.

“Anyway, is that all you need to tell me?” Cerise added, looking on Anastasia.

“That would be all for now.” Anastasia answered.

“Then I’ll be taking my leave.” As she stands up from the chair and immediately left the room.

Walking back to Josh’s room, Cerise noticed that the servants inside the mansion are really busy tidying the place up, there are those who are cleaning the carpet of the hallway, some are replacing the broken windowpanes as there are also those who picks up the broken pieces of glasses on the floor and the others are replacing some broken objects like flower vases and wall paintings.

When Cerise is about to reach Josh’s room, she noticed a maid with short black hair standing next to the door of the room. The maid bows down upon noticing Cerise as she opens the door of the room.

When Cerise enters the door, she saw a girl with long blond wavy hair that seems to be glittering due to the light coming from the windows of the room and is sitting next to the bed where Josh is lying.

When the girl notices that the door opened, she tilts her head to the direction of the door and there is a moment of silence between the two.

“Who is it?” the girl sitting asked in a gentle way.

“It’s just me.” Cerise answered as she walks inside the room noticing that it was Stella who is sitting beside the bed.

“Oh it’s you miss Cerise, please have a seat.” The girl answered upon recognizing the voice that belongs to Cerise.

“No, it’s okay. I’ll just stand here.” Cerise refuses the girls offer.

“Is that so?” the girl responded her.

“He’s sleeping again huh?” Cerise said, as she stares at Josh that is lying down on the bed and is currently asleep.

“Yes, he is currently. I received the news that he has woken up so I immediately went to his room but when I entered the room with my maid, she said that he is currently asleep, but I insisted to stay for a while.” The girl said.

“Am I not supposed to?” Stella added, asking Cerise if what she did is the right thing that moment.

“Its fine, I don’t think he cares anyway.” Cerise answered the worrying girl.

“That’s good to hear then.” She said with relief.

Then another moment of silence occurs inside the room, an awkward moment for the two girls that is currently inside a man’s room.

“Is there anything I...”

“Do you expect...”

They both said at the same time, making it more awkward for them.

“Oh, you go first.” They both said again in unison and the two gave off a chuckle.

“Fine, I’ll ask first.” Cerise said informing Stella that she will be the one who is going to ask.

“Are you expecting someone?” she asked, wondering why everyone who works in the mansion is currently busy at the moment.

“Oh that? Well I asked to hasten the repairs of the damaged facilities of the mansion because one of my sisters is visiting tomorrow.” She answered Cerise’s question.

“You mean, the one who is governing a town a few miles from here?” Cerise probes Stella, as the blond girl just nods in agreement to her.

But their conversation was halted by a call.

“Miss Stella, Lady Anastasia is asking for your presence.” A female voice coming beyond the door of the room interrupted them.

“I need to go then.” Stella said at the same time, the door opens and the maid standing outside went in and assisted Stella out of the room.

As the two went out of the room, Cerise stayed behind with Josh that is sleeping on the bed and when she confirms that the two are far enough she locks the door of the room and return to where Josh is lying.

“You can just tell her that you don’t want to have a talk rather than pretending to be asleep.” She said.

But there is no response coming from the man on the bed, instead he opens his eyes slowly and stares on the ceiling of the room.

Cerise walks closer towards Josh and crawls up on his bed, blocking his view of the ceiling with her head as her ash colored hair flows down from the sides of her neck and cheeks as it touches Josh’s face, staring her emerald eyes to his crimson ones as she strokes a bunch of his black hair that is slightly covering a portion of his eyes.

But the man didn’t even budge from her sudden actions to him. He’s not even bothered to be exact.

“I don’t know why, but there is something that attracts me to you. It’s something that makes my chest ache, like I’ve been longing for something.” She said staring at Josh with passionate eyes as she utters those words while gently touching his left cheek.

“I think you’re just frustrated.” He answered, as he stares coldly at her as if he didn’t feel even the slightest change of mood, which he doesn’t to be precise.

“And what kind of frustration that is?” She asked Josh, as she slightly lowers her face closer to Josh that is lying on the bed.

Josh slightly inclined his self until his head reaches one of Cerise’s ear.

“I think that tea has a bad effect for a half elf like you.” He whispers to her ear, then lies his head back to the pillow.

Cerise steps back after hearing Josh’s words, as she gently touches her pointed ear that she has been hiding using her hair all this time.

“Who told you about it? Was it Cardel?” she said, although Josh can feel that she is a bit angry yet she still makes it sound like she still has control over her emotions as she steps back away from Josh.

“No one, I just took a wild guess.” He answered her confidently, not showing any concern about Cerise’s recent reaction on what he just said.

“Why are you hiding it from everyone?” he added.

“None of your business.” Cerise said, in a low voice as she continues on stepping away from where Josh is lying while holding her ear where he recently whispered.

“Does someone threatens your life?” Josh continues, not even caring a bit for Cerise’s reaction on the topic, he just simply wants to know the exact detail.

“Or could it be…”

“I said it’s none of your business!” she yelled and surprised Josh on her sudden reaction that even she herself is shocked that she did, as she covers her mouth in surprise.

Cerise immediately runs out of the room leaving Josh behind and went to one of the many rooms of the mansion that she is currently staying in, she immediately locks the door and lean on it as she slides her back down until her lower body reaches the surface of the floor and is now in a sitting position.

She hugs her legs and rests her head on her knees.

“You should just shut up back then.” She said.

“Then maybe…”

“…Idiot.”

***

In his room Josh continues on staring the ceiling, thinking of what he might done wrong.

‘I was just about to tell her she looks pretty with those pair of pointy ears.’

“I think it’s your approach on saying it is the problem my lord.” A voice of a man answered him.

“I don’t need your advice Gearfried.” He said.

“About the matter we are talking about earlier.” Gearfried said, as he tries to return to the previous topic they have earlier.

“As I was about to explain.”

***

“My lady, we will be arriving soon to your sister’s domain.” A female said, as she stares to a ginger haired girl sitting next to her inside a moving carriage.

“I know…” the girl answered, as she gazes outside the carriage’s window beside her.

“Aren’t you excited to meet your sister?” the woman asked the girl.

“Not really.” She said, almost giving a yawn.

“I’m more interested on that man.” The girl added.