abcnovels
Chapter 8: What Are You Looking At?
Chapter 8: What Are You Looking At?
Chapter 8: What Are You Looking At?
Inside the halls of Dawn Castle. Among the numerous windows in the corridor on the top floor.
What a surprise
Lucia sighed deeply, brushing her chest.
She leaned against the window with her chin propped up, momentarily gazing at the boy. Their gazes met because of the demon girl who claimed to be Shirons errand-runner.
Her pride was needlessly hurt, making her grind her teeth.
What on earth is he doing
When she opened the window because of the incessant noises from the morning, there was Shiron doing the same unbelievable training as yesterday. Moreover, today, he was with a demon girl.
If he got hurt doing that, what was he going to do? Such worries naturally arose in her. Had she, in the meantime, grown fond of him? It almost feels like she was like a mother who had lost her child by the waterside.
Mother?
Lucia momentarily widened her eyes.
She must be crazy! She was already regretting not having experienced love even once, but now to think of herself as a mother? Goosebumps rose on her arms, and she roughly brushed them off. She felt awkward, and her insides churned.
Lucia tried to calm herself down by sweeping back her disheveled hair and welcoming the cold wind.
At least he hasnt given up.
Lucia felt only relief.
She was worried that Shiron might give up on his sword training, that he might corner himself and cry, drenching his sleeves with tears.
However, instead of shedding tears, Shiron was punishing his body even more brutally than yesterday. He seemed quite pleased with such training or practice.
He was jumping around, wrapped in chainmail and plate armor. Moreover, he carried a backpack that clearly looked heavy at first glance.
Hed be lucky if he doesnt get sick from that.
Lucia averted her gaze from the two.
She tried to compose herself and focus on her own tasks. She had many unknowns in her present life, so she decided to start with an investigation.
The next morning.
Lucia opened her eyes to the noise from outside the window.
She roughly adjusted her disheveled hair and flung the window wide open. The cold winter wind cleared her drowsy mind.
Hmm.
Shiron was again training hard in the training ground.
Usually, after over-exerting oneself, one would typically be bedridden the next day. However, the more she watched, the more fascinating it became.
Of course, seasoned warriors or monks would go about their daily lives without trouble even after facing near-death experiences, but Shiron was just a child.
But then
Lucias gaze shifted from Shiron to the maid attending to him.
Listening to their conversation, the maids name seemed to be Ophilia.
If yesterdays demon girl, Encia, had a lively impression, this one appeared timid and shy.
She wore a maid outfit with delicate frills, similar to the previous one, but her hair was different. She had fluffy hair that extended down to her waist, tied neatly with a headband, giving her a neat appearance.
Even if shes a demon
The scene was hard to understand in many ways.
It would have been incomprehensible 500 years ago, even for the most open-minded, to think a demon was running errands for a human child because some crazy beings obsessed with making deals were kind to humans.
However, according to her research from yesterday, that wasnt the case. In this mansion, the only humans were her and Shiron. It was unclear why a demon would be shyly and timidly laughing at the words of such a child.
As far as Lucia knew, demons didnt hum songs and didnt make things like crowns.
It seems Shiron might have asked something of the girl named Ophilia. Lucia could only speculate.
After a good sweat, Shiron untied his armor and approached Ophilia. Slowly rising, Ophilia crowned Shiron by placing a floral circlet on his head.
What.
Lucia felt a twinge of discomfort. She scrunched her face as if she had seen something she shouldnt have. The way they acted as if they were the protagonists of a fairy tale made her stomach churn.
While Lucia was watching the two reenacting a scene from a fairy tale and taking a deep breath
!
Shiron suddenly tore the circlet on his head to shreds.
Lord Lord?
Sorry, but thank you! Ophilia!
Wha What?
Lucia was so shocked that she couldnt close her mouth.
Had he lost his mind? The scene unfolding before her became increasingly incomprehensible. The demon girl wiped away tears with her sleeve, sobbing uncontrollably. Yet, Shiron laughed heartily, seeming to be in a fantastic mood.
I feel so refreshed because of that.
Shiron continued to laugh almost uncontrollably, patting the crying Ophilias back. However, the maids crying only intensified.
Lucia murmured under her breath, watching the scene,
Trash
Trash. Indeed, Shiron was nothing but trash.
Regardless of Lucias disdain for demons, even to the point of loathing, this behavior was utterly inexcusable.
Even the inquisitors of the Holy Empire would shake their heads at Shirons actions.
Destroying a carefully made gift right in front of the giver? In Lucias eyes, Shiron appeared even more malicious than the demon Ophilia.
With the sound of laughter and crying in the background, Lucia averted her gaze, pressing hard against her throbbing temples, and shut the window.
She had plans to visit the library today.
A week had passed since that day.
?
Lucia didnt wake up to any noises from outside today. Finding it strange, she habitually opened her window.
?
There was no one outside. The ground was covered with white snow, without a single footprint in sight.
Did they give up
It was strange. Just yesterday, they had been training.
What am I doing?
The sun was already high in the sky.
She had become accustomed to waking up to the sound of Shirons training every morning, but today, she had overslept.
Knock Knock
Are you awake, miss?
As she stretched her sleepy body, she heard a knock followed by a womans voice.
Come in.
Excuse me.
The heavy door opened, and two maids carrying a tray with washing tools gently entered.
Thanks, as always.
Its our duty, miss.
The maids skillfully tidied up Lucias tousled hair.
In no time, Lucia had become accustomed to being attended to by the maids. Initially, she used formal language with them, but soon enough, she naturally began to treat them as inferiors.
Theyd overreact and become flustered every time she spoke formally, so it naturally transitioned this way.
She dipped her hands in the warm water held by the basin, melting away the chill and washing her face. She then dried her face with a steaming hot towel.
Is this the life of the nobility?
Lucia deeply enjoyed the soft touch as she relaxed her whole body. Soon, a pleasant smile formed on her lips.
She no longer cared that the mansions servants were of demonic descent.
Whats the big deal if theyre demons? The world must have changed over the last 500 years.
Whether Shiron knew about their true identities or not, she had no way of knowing. But she felt it was foolish to agonize over something she didnt really care about.
When the maids finished brushing her hair, they tied it back neatly with a silky ribbon.
One of the maids brought a mirror and showed Lucia her reflection. In the mirror was a girl with red hair, adorably dressed.
Are you planning to go to the library again today?
Yes, why not?
Lucia smirked and reached out her hand to the maid. With a clinking sound, a bunch of keys were placed in her hand.
On her way to the library.
Lucia remembered how she practically lived in the library over the past week.
She sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping.
I thought it would be easier
Lucia was currently facing a huge challenge: reading.
To understand the magnitude of the problem, she had made no progress in her research for a week, to the extent that she even neglected her training.
I never missed training in my past life.
Determined to make progress, even if it was just a single page, she inserted the key into the librarys door and pulled.
Clank-
Huh?
Clank- Clank-
Why isnt it opening?
It was strange. The door opened just fine yesterday.
Ugh!
No matter how much force she applied, it wouldnt budge. Wondering if it was a push door, she tried pushing with all her might, but it didnt move an inch.
Just as she thought she might have inserted the wrong key and tried to pull it out
Ouch!
She bumped her face on the suddenly opened door.
?
Rubbing her forehead, she cautiously opened her eyes. Lucia took a step back, visibly shocked.
What are you doing
It was Shiron who opened the door. Lucia was wondering why he wasnt in the training grounds, but it seemed that he was here.
Well, the door wouldnt open
The door wouldnt?
Shiron looked at the keyhole and then looked at Lucia with a pitiful expression.
Demonstrating as if to show her how it was done, he precisely turned the key twice in the lock.
Clank- Clank-
You locked the already opened door by turning the key again.
Oh.
Lucia wished she could hide in a mouse hole. Her face turned crimson from embarrassment.
She hung her head in shame for a moment.
Hey, what are you doing?
Huh?
Werent you here for a reason? Why are you just standing there? If you stay still, Ill close it.
Shiron was waiting, holding the door open as if urging her to hurry in.
Thank you.
Relieved that Shiron didnt mock her, Lucia entered the library.