CHAPTER V : STILL COMING BACK

The sun should have shine enough but it didn't seem in the sky of Wiltshire, which even looked gloomy. Although today Lorraine's mansion was quite crowded due to the laughter of two girls who were chatting over a cup of Darjeeling tea[1].

"So, Lucas set you up to announce your engagement earlier this month?" A golden-eyed girl with silver hair laughs while holding her head because heard her youngest sister's story.

Eve told about her stupidity to Madeleine because after Lucas gave the news her two half-siblings were quite surprised. Erden and Madeleine thought their half-sister would hold the engagement for a long time, but Lucas decided to carry out the engagement in just two weeks.

Eve sighs quietly in frustration as Madeleine responds to her heartbreak, the preparations being made in just two weeks and the point of her anxiety is that she is required to be able to dance.

And the dance was the only thing that became Eve's weakness, unlike the ladies in her age, who most of them have been good at dancing. The reason Eve wasn't so good at dancing was that she never did it before, when she was still in Van Alen's mansion, her mother forbade her from going to parties. Various reasons that given starting from looking after their precious daughter so that she did not force her weak physique too much. But one time she found out the real reason when her mother was talking to Anastasia.

"Wouldn't it be so troublesome if Carol got more attention than now by the public?"

"After all, I just want my two daughters to shine without any bullies." Answer Veronika when Anastasia asked about Carol's presence at her debutante party(2).

What a painful truth. At that time Eve could only be silenced and held back so that her tears did not fall, she just did not want another fight to happen again.

"Evelyn."

A voice knocked her back from her dreamy activities. Madeleine had just called Eve quite loudly, the girl's brows were almost fused. Madeleine rises from her seat and bends slightly likened to eve's height still sitting.

"What's wrong? Are you worried about something?" Madeleine was a good girl, a kindly and loving older sister, no wonder Lucas's brother can fall in love with her sister. Eve nodded quickly and smiles, Madeleine immediately embraces her and gives her a soothing warm hug.

"Calm down, everything's going to be okay." Madeleine's words calmed down and again responded to a nod from Eve who smiled happily. The past is behind, and it won't come back. After all, she has lived as a new person, right?

The audible knock on the door prompted Madeleine to let go of her arms and immediately let someone in. Zenith was the Lorraine family's butler walked with a middle-aged woman who still looks beautiful. Madeleine allowed the woman who was none other than Eve's instructor to sat down.

"Thank you, Lady Lorraine. You were still as friendly as you were a few years ago."

"And you are still beautiful and graceful, Lady Rozan." Madeleine's reply is friendly, Eve noticed the interaction between the two ladies in front of her.

"Eve, she is Lady Samantha Rozan, the wife of Viscount Frederick Rozan. She'll be your instructor from today."Madeleine slowly explained to her sister. Eve smiled and nodded again.

"Good morning, Lady Rozan. It is an honor for me to be taught directly by you. Allow me to introduce myself, My name is Evelina De Lorraine beforehand, I beg your guidance, Lady," said Eve who tried to introduce herself, Madeleine smiled proudly. She always feels impressed with the charm of Eve that always gave hospitality and pride somehow it was the first impression she got when they met.

The woman called by lady Rozan smiled back and bowed a little to greet her new student. "I am also honored to be an instructor for Duke Castiello's fiancée, my Lady."

And the music began to fade, Eve seemed to be stepping following lady Rozan's direction, practicing every step and movement that the lady had instructed. Her talent and genius were undoubtedly only with two explanations the girl could clearly remember every instruction and step given to her. Madeleine smiles at Eve's gestures like a mother who was proud of her child's achievements.

"Awesome, you are truly a genius, my Lady," praise lady Rozan after the music stopped, and applause was also given.

"But you're still too careless. Don't strain too much and relax your back. Don't take a step too long even if you're endowed with long legs." Rozan's comments justify Eve's every posture, while Eve simply nods understanding.

Lady Rozan starts to counts again and the music comes back on, Eve again steps as instructed by the woman. But her move stalled when lady Rozan suddenly stopped playing music and standing with a slightly sour look.

"Didn't I tell you, my Lady? Stay upright! If you bend over like that you'll look like an old woman."

"I'm sorry, Lady Rozan."

The count begins again, but again and again, Eve made a mistake. Lady Rozan reprimanded her repeatedly and even the woman did not hesitate to make all kinds of scathing comments. Madeleine knew very well if she was a hard enough instructor, but whether she would behave like this in her teachings. Madeleine repeatedly tried to stand up to reprimand her, but Eve held her back with a smile and beckon that she was fine. Madeleine, who saw it, only can smile sourly at her sister's wishes, even though she seemed furious at the treatment of the woman in front of her.

And Madeleine's long patience runs out when a slap hits Eve's smooth cheek. Without further ado Madeleine rose from her seat, her anger has now reached the top. When Madeleine was about to step up, she suddenly fell. She was shocked. Madeleine had just realized her leg had been bound by magic that somehow had tied her up.

Eve immediately averted her eyes and found her sister had been slumped over with her face-down. Eve who wants to catch up with Madeleine is suddenly attracted and back to where she was. Her movements seemed to be stopped with a rope and the girl could see a white light tying her legs and hands, as well as Madeleine's feet and hands.

"My Lady, we're still in lessons please pay attention to your instructor," commands lady Rozan while moving her fingers at Eve and Eve's head immediately. Binding magic, Madeleine just remembered it as magic that only the Rozan family had. They can control a person's movements just like a doll.

"Damn you, Rozan!" hiss Madeleine.

Rozan laughed aloud and walks up to Madeleine making the girl kneel and look up at her. She pulled out a small bottle of solid red liquid. And just as the woman was drinking it to Madeleine by force, Madeleine felt the heat and groggy in her throat, and a moment later she coughed up blood.

"The poison of my Lady's paralysis. I have made it to paralyze Lorraine who is clever and strong in magic. The dose is quite high. A dose like this will make anyone seem to be near-deaths of their lives," explain Rozan, she threw the empty bottle to the floor and broke it to pieces.

"But Lorraine is indeed very amazing. Thanks to your mixing⸻blood, so your body is much stronger than that of an ordinary human being," said her again.

"Maddie!" Eve screamed with tears in her eyes, the girl transfixed unable to look in any direction.

"Eckart! Eckart!"

Again she screamed more frantically at the blonde man who should be waiting for the two of them outside the room. Rozan laughed out loud and showed Eve the same bottle. Eckart has been paralyzed?

Rozan again moves Eve back to dance only by force, the girl could feel very severe pain in her body because the joints are forced to move out of order and exceed her limits. Rozan clapped and laughed contentedly.

"Yes…yes like that, perfect," said her while cheered.

Eve held back tears and bit her lip every time she moved. Flash after glance appears in her mind. She's crying and beg for mercy and a body curled up in pain because of her.

"You know, my Lady. You should know the limits and be aware of who you are."

"Standing next to Duke Castiello? how lucky you are.."

Rozan was bent down until her blonde hair covered her entire face. A second later Rozan pulls Eve's hair to make the girl stare at her blue bead.

"Why is the girl who should have died get so lucky? Why should my daughter accepting misfortune because of the existence of this bitch."

"Why should Ashley die because the fucking Duke choose a bitch like you!!" shouting Rozan. She kicked Eve hard which at the moment has tremendous shaking. The girl had pulled out her entrails, her eyes were blurring and her breath was gasping.

'Keep hold it', the girl keeps saying the same thing over and over again. Asked his body not to fall because those painful memories came back. The sound of screams and cries, the sound of broken glass, and the pain of injuring her body that was still printed clearly in her voice felt warm due to the blood that continued to flow.

"You're supposed to die."

Same word.

Same expression.

Eve recalls, the hateful and angry look turned Rozan and she turned into the red as if about to explode from the heat. And the whispers returned.

''You should have killed yourself''

'Die! Die! Die!.'

Madeleine wept as she gazed at her sister who had shaken violently with no longer irregular breaths. Rozan shouted in front of her, grabbed her silver hair, and repeatedly slapped her. But Eve was only silent with tears streaming down and empty looks like she was dead. Madeleine repeatedly moaned for help and mentioned her fiancé's name. Hoping he will come to the rescue before Eve truly dies. Madeleine cried as she watched Rozan scratch Eve's arm with broken glass.

Eve felt nothing, the void filled her chest. It's suffocating. It was sickening and annoying to her death. She can feel the wound from the scratches given by lady Rozan. Then her lips spoke slowly. when someone suddenly had grasped her along with the door that was thrown and the wind was blowing strongly.

"Lu-Lucas."

[1] High-quality black tea from eastern Bengal

[2] Party to introduce girls who are old enough to the public