Chapter 14: The rose garden (corrected

Sometimes, it was necessary to not be too curious.

Still thinking about what happened a few minutes ago, I was now half laughing and finding it weirdly amusing.

It looked like my personality had become twisted too.

"Is it that funny?" Asked Sylvester, truly perplexed.

His face was slightly crooked, his eyebrows frowning with a wondering look.

A little bit more, and we would see question marks floating above his head.

At those rare times when he acted his age, I found the teenager quite cute.

"No, nothing. It was just unexpected."

Maybe my reaction was really exaggerated, but I truly didn't expect his excuse. It took me aback.

And my excitation then seemed stupid, making me embarrassed.

"I see." He replied perfunctorily without a care.

- All things considered, he is not cute at all!

I puffed, seeing his boring expression.

"And now? Is there anyone else we have to talk to?"

" No. It will only alert the perpetrators if we lead grand scale investigations. We have to move as quietly as possible."

"So we will only wait for them to pop out another anomaly?"

"Don't worry yourself about that. We only have to find their identities and aim." He advised me to move faster.

"I will take you back now; I still have some things to do. I will come later to brief you about our next plan." He addded.

Not knowing what to do else, I went to take a walk in the private garden of the dormitory.

It was a beautiful garden with beautiful flowers and well-tended bushes cut into different shapes.

But what made this place special were the beautiful roses that overlooked the small, peaceful shelter.

I observed everything around me, taking advantage of the kind time to bathe myself in the sunlight.

My hair fluttered in the air as the wind blew.

As I was going to tuck one of the unruly locks behind my cold, red ears, I felt a hand stop me.

He gently lifted it from my field of vision before slightly rubbing the top of my head.

It felt good.

Mainu, who I had seen only yesterday, had always come to bug me.

The boy was wearing exquisite attire, dressed in a white suit, contrasting with the other students wearing uniforms.

He smiled cheekily, his eyes naturally narrowing.

"Hello Gorgia." He began with his tender voice as he took my hand, kissing it.

" Hello." I uttered automatically.

He then looked up to me before straightening himself, still smiling.

"Hello Mainu..." I repeated with a slight frown.

"You don't seem happy to see me." He said with a sad expression, trying to act pitiful.

I didn't know if we could see from my face my emotions, but I tried to adjust it.

To help me, I imagined a face a superstar made in a romantic movie: she was always smiling tenderly as she bestowed upon her kindness.

A true saintess.

"No!! Not at all! I am thrilled to see you. You are like a friend to me, you know."

" Really!? I am happy to know that since I do like you too."

" …"

"As a friend, I mean."

" Hahaha…Yes."

—Ah, so awkward.

Finally, it was impossible to act benevolently in front of such a lunatic.

The boy seemed to always mess with my head, always knowing tricks to take me aback.

-I am really doomed…

I still didn't get his aim or his fascination with me.

Each day, I became more and more worried about the future.

What would await me if the protagonist of this world decided to take my life out of grudges or simple desires?

Could I fight back against a man allegedly known for his lunatic personality and omnipotent power?

The man had practically the world at his feet, enjoying the finest privileges.

I didn't stand a chance, being the daughter of an infamous family and without a shield. And my power didn't matter...I wasn't strong enough to go against the plot.

"How about we go back to your room now? You look tired." He said, bringing me back from my reveries as he proposed his hand.

The man only knew courtesy when it suited him.

Not having any chance of refusal, I took his hands clumsily.

" Yes."

"How did your day go today?"

"We went on with our new mission with Sylvester."

" Sylvester? Why are you working with him?"

"He is my mentor."

Mainu, probably pissed, tightened his grip around my arms.

He must haven't appreciated the idea that I approached one of his suitors.

"You... do you like him?"

Not knowing what to say, I took a few seconds to answer.

I never knew someone could have this level of pettiness—was I not even allowed to be with the boy?

Would he kill me if he believed I would be a potential threat to his relationship with Sylvester ?

Well, he didn't have to worry; I wasn't attracted to teenagers. And even more, when those teenagers were the center of an R-18 BL novel.

"Yes, as a friend. Don't you like him too? After all, he is also your friend." I said while laughing sweetly, feigning innocence.

Mainu displayed a thoughtful look before swiftly dismissing it with a gentle smile.

"Yes, I do. I like him."

"I know!" I responded with a mysterious grin.

We had arrived in front of my door.

"I will see you again tomorrow, then, Gorgia."

"You know you don't have to take so seriously your mission as a guide... I am perfectly fine, and I adjust well!"

"Yes, I know, but I want to pass more time with you." He said with a flitting look of sadness before quickly turning to a livelier expression.

He smiled, just as gently as always, before reaching for me, encircling me between his muscled arms.

I fidgeted, uncomfortable.

Recently, he picked up this behavior of hugging me and kissing me on my forehead or cheek.

I didn't understand why he did that, but I didn't know how to refuse when he served me that lost and sad expression.

Often times, I found profound, unknown melancholy inside the young boy, making me weak upon his behavior.

" Goodbye!" He whispered, warming my previously cold ears.

I trembled a bit, as my ears were my sensitive spot.

I really disliked this sensation.

" Goodbye." I replied back with a sigh.

'I can't do this anymore.' I thought as I collapsed on my bed.

This time, the fluffiness of the mattress didn't help to alleviate my mood.

I was lost and dubious.

I waited for Sylvester the whole day, but he didn't come.

Finally, I couldn't wait any longer as I went to sleep.

That night, I had a nightmare again.

Like every time, it was about my earliest years during my childhood in this world. I was four, and my mother was still alive.

That year was the year I discovered the biggest secret of my life—I had been reborn.

Upon this discovery, I became more aware of my environment, and I quickly lost my previous carelessness, growing up suddenly.

From then on, I always acted strangely, worrying about my poor mother.

One day, after playing with Ricardo, I decided to explore more deeply.

I wanted to know what kind of world I had reincarnated into.

I walked towards the principal building, making sure to take small steps as I left the annex we lived in.

While I didn't know our exact situation, I knew that we were from a rich family with a lot of relatives.

I had countless brothers and sisters from different mothers, with my father having multiple concubines. And my mother was one of them, although not favored.

This kind of situation was the first for the modern-only child me, who never had to fight for my parents attention.

Moreover I didn't know how to take the fact that I had so many stepmothers while my parents were still together. It was weird.

I walked into the open living room and looked around.

Everywhere you looked screamed luxury and devilishness.

The house had a particular atmosphere of mystery and darkness.

You didn't have to take a long guess to see that it was not the place of good and faithful people.

Going ahead, I then went upstairs to the principal bedrooms.

It took me tremendous patience and willpower to climb the steps with my little legs.

Sweating, I exhaled exhausted.

" Ugh… aaah…aaah… don't. Please!"

Walking slowly through the long corridor, I soon heard strange voices.

They were the first people I encountered since I sneaked into the mansion.