Chapter 33

After the meeting with the kid last night, I have a lot of trouble and have a hard time sleeping.

Early in the morning, Brother Winslow took some food and left it in my room. He was worried that I will forget to eat and starve myself as he continues to remind me to eat.

Why does he look at me with a worried expression?

Did he think that I am unreliable when it comes to taking care of my own self?

I will only eat late because I was too focused on what I am doing. But what should I do for today? Should I continue to write or should I train myself?

As I was thinking about what should I do for today, I heard a strange sound from the corridor.

For some reason, I feel Deja Vu.

At that moment, I don't think that what happened at that time will become one of the most embarrassing things that become my dark past.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone keeps knocking on my door.

That's weird. Every single person that I know in this mansion is too busy with their work. While the other people in this mansion won't even try to come closer to this place. And if they should meet me, those rude people won't even spend their oh precious time to knocking on the door.

'Who is it?'

I opened the door and my mind went blank.

'Why he was here?'

The kid that I help last night is currently standing in front of my room while looking at me with a puppy-like gaze.

'...Didn't he promise me to never come to this place again?'

"Woah! Are you the ghost that I meet last night?" The kid asked with an innocent face.

"Didn't you promise to not come here again because it was dangerous here?" I decided to ask why he still coming here.

"Eh!!! Didn't you tell me not to come at night? That's why I come again after I have breakfast." The kid answer as if he was confused.

"..." I was speechless because I don't know if this kid is dumb or genius. After all, he could find a loophole from yesterday night's promise.

"Umm..., miss ghost, are you angry at me? Why didn't you say anything...?" The kid timidly asked as his voice become smaller as he keep talking.

I don't know how to handle this kid.

"Miss ghost, why do you stop talking? Is it because I disturb you in the morning?" The kid looks worried and there's guilt in his face.

As I keep silently looking at him, he became more panicky. As he was almost started to cry, I decided to open my mouth.

"Stop calling me a ghost. I'm not a ghost."

My words stop him from crying. And why did he call me a ghost?

"Huh!? Then how should I call you? If you are not a ghost then why do you live in this haunted place? They say only ghost is living in this place...Oops, I did not mean to say something rude. Please don't get angry." The kid looks panicked as he thought that I was angry at him.

From looking at his honest body language, I have already know that he doesn't have any ill intent. But why it becomes a ghost story? Is someone trying to make such a story to prevent the children from coming to this place? But why does this kid keep coming here even after what happened yesterday night?

"Aah!! I'm sorry I forget to introduce myself. Hello, my name is Nemesio Terra Aletheia. I'm six years old and my father is the knight captain of the Viscount Ruach family. I come here to celebrate the young master's birthday as my father said that he will become my future master...Is this enough?... Could I know your name?" The kid, Nemesio continue blabbering about himself before timidly asking me.

How should I answer him? I don't know what will happen if I tell him the truth. Suddenly I feel a bit mischievous and decided to lie to him.

I smile at him with my most gentle smile and answer him. "I'm not a ghost but a fairy. I can not let you know my name so you can call me a black fairy. As for why I was in this haunted place... the reason is too dangerous but if you want to keep it as our secret and never told anyone about it, then I will be able to tell you."

Of course, I didn't have any intention to tell him about the truth. But I just wanted to make a prank. He might believe it as he was still a little kid. But I think he will realize my lie when he grows up. Besides I feel that I will never meet with him again after this party is finished.

"Un, I will keep it as our secret and won't tell anyone else. Even if my dad and mom ask about it." Nemesio said while energetically nodding.

"Ok, I will believe that you are not lying. Remember, if you tell anyone about it I might die or disappear because of it."

It was fun to look at his honest expression so I give him some (fake) warning.

"I will definitely won't let anyone know about it. I promised." He said while looking at me with a determined face.

"This secret is related to my reason for staying in this haunted place. As a fairy, I need to hide myself from humans because some of them often try to enslave or kill us. But because I got an accident, I was currently trapped in this place and unable to get away from this room. This room is surrounded by the magic of the Viscount and I can't break through from the magic." I tell him my (fake) story.

Although I think that part of it contains some truth as I was staying in this place because of the Viscount and I can't run away because he holds my mother as captive. But such a story is not appropriate for a little kid like him.

"Eh? Why don't you ask for the Lord Viscount's help? It was his magic so he might know how to free you from this place. Should I help you and ask the Lord Viscount about it?" Nemesio said with a confused expression.

"You must not tell him about my existence. If he knows about me, he might kill (or punish) me because he thinks that I am a bad fairy." I am panicky tell him.

"Why did the Lord Viscount think that you are a bad fairy?" Nemesio asks with a confused expression.

"Because he believes that the black fairy was a bad fairy. Have you heard about the black colour creatures means that they don't get any blessing from the Goddess? That's why the people in the Eastern part of the Draconia Empire despise the black colour creatures."

I explained about the discrimination that happens in this place. I hope he will understand about it and didn't try to ask that psycho Viscount about me.

"Hmm, but you help me last night. If you are a bad fairy then why do you help me? Just because your colour is black, it didn't mean that you are bad, right?" He said while tilting his head as he couldn't understand about the blind discrimination in the East.

I try to think of any way to explain to this little kid. He was six years old and the son of the knight captain. So it was obvious that he won't be able to get a similar education to what I got. And I heard that most children started to learn after their fifth birthday.

At the time that I know about it, I feel like to curses them for the unreasonable things that they forced the underage me to do. But after thinking about the advantages of my early learning, I rather feel grateful. I feel lucky as I am mentally an adult and that means I will be able to run away from this hell-like place earlier.

As I was lost in my thoughts,

"I-I'm sorry...please don't get angry. Alright, I won't ask the Viscount. So please don't hate me." Nemesio said with a teary-eyed.

"Haa, don't cry or I will hate you." I sighed and stop him from crying.

"Alright, I won't cry. So will you become my friend?" Nemesio who stop for almost crying nodded and asked.

"Friend?! Why do you ask me? Didn't yesterday you come here with your friends?" I try to ask for his reason.

"They said that I will never be able to become their friend because my father was not a noble. They keep ordering me and forcing me to follow them to come here last night. When you appeared last night, they also pushed me and made me fall when they were running away. But I feel happy now." He said with a bright and innocent smile.

What a blinding smile! Why did he feel happy from being bullied by another child?

"Why do you feel happy?" I decided to ask before making any conclusion.

"Of course I'm happy! If they never do that yesterday, I will never be able to meet and become your friend, Miss Black Fairy." Nemesio said with a pure smile.

Looking at his innocent reactions, I feel a bit guilty for lying with my fake story and thinking that he was just a dumb little kid. It was unexpected for this little child to have a positive attitude.