A knock on the door wake Delrick up. His lashes fluttered as he move his gaze outside the window, only to find out the sun are about to set.
He relucantly got up from his bed with soft groan, hearing another knock on the door.
He walked to open the door and saw Mira was standing behind it.
"Good evening, brother. Let's have dinner together."
Delrick's lips tugged a small lazy smile.
"Alright, let's go."
Delrick closed the door, and walk alongside Mira toward the servant lounge. He saw another servants also heading to the same direction. There is so many of them, which reassuring him somehow.
Both of them took their portion of food—fresh bread with stew. Their eyed sparkling upon seeing there is alot of meat and vegetables on it, then gulped simultaneously.
They sit side by side on the empty table on the corner, and about to devour their food when someone put a tray in front of them. They lift their gaze and saw a woman with freckles on her face.
The woman smiled at them before sat down.
"Are you both new?"
"Yes." Delrick answered while Mira began eating her food.
"How wonderful! Nice to meet you both. I'm Sona Byrd."
"Nice to meet you too, Sona. I'm Delrick Hugg."
"I'm Mira Bran. Pleased to meet you."
Sona chuckled and tear a piece of bread before she dipped it into the stew.
"You have different surname. I thought you were siblings."
Mira stopped her hand mid-way in the air. Her eyes sparkle at Sona's words.
"Do we?"
"Yes. We met by chance on our way here."
"How lucky!"
Mira pouted as she put a piece of bread into her mouth, giving Delrick a side-glance. While Delrick just smiled at Sona and tear a piece of his bread.
A chill spread on Delrick's nape when he felt a pair of eyes on him. He lifted his head, and saw a man standing at the center of the lounge, staring at him while holding his tray of food.
There is a frown on the man's face as he stared at Delrick. Then, the man avert his eyes and sat down.
Delrick raise a brow.
'What the hell?'
Sona noticed Delrick's expression.
"What's wrong?"
Delrick wipe his unpleasant expression and smiled at her.
"Ah, its nothing."
Sona nodded, continued eating her food. Delrick also eat his piece of bread.
'Come to think of it. I wasn't this sensitive when I feel someone eyes on me.'
Delrick pondered as he scoup a piece of meat on the stew with a spoon. He brought the spoon toward his mouth but stopped midway.
Probably because of the experience near the forest.
A forced small smile appeared on Delrick's lips. Then he brought the spoon to his mouth, eating the meat.
"Oh, right,"
At Sona's voice, Delrick and Mira looked at her.
Sona dabbed her lips with a handkerchief before continuing her words.
"Every night when you're about to sleep or before midnight, make sure to lock your door."
Delrick and Mira exchanged looks then look at Sona again.
"Why? Is there a theft or something?"
Sona chuckled at Delrick's words.
"A theft would be better but, anyway, please don't forget it and lock your door before midnight."
Delrick paused for a moment before answering her.
"Alright..."
"Okay." Mira said after Delrick.
Sona smiled and get up from her seat.
"Alright, I will see you both tomorrow." She said as she bring her tray up from the table.
"Yes. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
Delrick watched as Sona left their table them turn his head toward Mira.
"Remember to do what Sona said, okay?"
"Alright, brother."
...
"The stew was so good! Right, brother?"
Mira said as they walked in the hallway. Delrick chuckled at her enthusiasm.
"Indeed it is."
"I never see so much meat on the stew!"
"Agree. Usually, its only tiny bits."
"Right!"
Delrick and Mira laughed.
They took a turn into another hallway, walked further as they passed doors after doors, and stopped in front of one certain door.
"Alright, go inside and sleep, Mira. So, you didn't wake up late tomorrow."
Mira giggled as she took out her key, unlocking the door.
"Let's work hard starting tomorrow."
"Yeah. See you tomorrow."
Mira waved at him before she stepped inside her room, and close the door.
Delrick took a deep breath, then turned around. He walked through the hallway, passing another servants as he smiled at them.
He took a turn to his left, walking ahead. His mind began to ponder about Sona's warn earlier.
What a strange warning.
Delrick shook his head, brushing away that thought.
"Hey."
An unfamiliar voice stop him from walking. He turn around and saw that weird main who stared at him in the lounge earlier, standing not too far from him.
The man's expression is a bit... rude. Like he was glaring at him. Delrick turn around to face the man properly.
"Are you calling me by any chance?"
"Yes."
"Is there something matter?"
"Yes."
Delrick frowned a little.
Is he a man of few words?
The man seemed to be glancing around him before looking at Delrick.
"Don't trust that girl, Sona."
Delrick was taken aback a bit.
"Huh? What?"
"Don't be swayed."
Excuse me? What do you mean?
Delrick stared at the man, dumbfounded.
"What, what do you—"
"See ya." The man turned around before Delrick finished his sentences.
"Wait—"
"Oh, one more thing." The man suddenly stopped walking, and glance back at Delrick.
"Close your curtain when you sleep."
The man continue walking ahead him, leaving Delrick in awkward pose as his mouth hung open a little.
Delrick brought his hand behind his nape, scratching it.
"What is his problem?"
It is only his first day here yet, he already exprienced so many strange things. He sighed then turn his heels to walk away from there and goes toward his room.
Once he is in front of his room, he opened the doorknob, and step inside.
Despite that strange man warned about Sona, Delrick gonna believe her piece of advice and make sure to lock his door.
He goes straight to his bed, and threw himself onto the soft mattress.
He stayed unmoving for a moment before he suddenly remember that strange man's words.
"Close your curtain when you sleep."
He pursed his lips as he looked toward the glass window, then pulled himself from his bed.
"Though, he was rude, I will listen to his piece of advice."
Delrick grumbled to himself then pulled the curtain close. After closing the curtain, he move toward the desk. Opened its drawer to take some paper.
He sat down, and put the papers on the desk. His hand rummaging into the drawer again to take out a quill and ink.
He began writing a letter.
[To Anna, my dearest sister.
I've arrived at Helga's Mansion.
You won't believe how grandeur the Mansion are because your brother are surprised as well.
I also met someone your age on my way here. She is a very bright child to the point I was concerned about her well-being. Maybe because I was reminded of you. Her name is Mira Bran.
Oh! The Countess gave each of us servants a very nice room. It's spacious and also had bathroom in it for which I was so happy to have it.
There is also beautiful blue flowers grew everywhere here. I not yet known its name but, when I find out, I will make sure to tell you.
I wrote this letter when I finished my dinner. How about you, dearest sister? Are the food at Frynn good? And how about the room?
Please don't worry about me and just focus on your study. The people here treated me very well.
P.S. I will be sending money every week so use it wisely, alright?
Your dearest brother,
Delrick.]
He put the quill down then looking at the letter for one last time before he fold it and put it it inside the drawer. Tomorrow, he will ask miss. Lia, or Sona, how he could send letter to his sister.
Delrick stretched his arms, and get up from the chair, looking at the books on the shelf. He is not feeling drowsy yet since he slept alot before dinner. So, might as well read a book to spend time.
He stood in front of the shelf for another minute before he decided to take out a book that seemed easy to understand. The weight of the book feel a little heavy on his hand.
He looked at the cover and sit back on the chair in front of the desk.
Silence was heavy in his room but because Delrick was too immensed into the book, it feel rather pleasant.
The book was actually a novel. A kind of the maid loves back then when he was working at the Earl's mansion. It has interesting story which surprise him, and didn't noticed he has read a thick of pages of it.
Thud. Thud.
His fingers flipped the paper onto the next pages, continue to be immensed into the story.
Thud. Thud.
He finally lifted his head from the book and turn his head toward the window but since there is the curtain covering it, he didn't really see anything.
Thud. Thud.
'Who is knocking at someone's window in the middle of night?'
Delrick vexed mentally and got up from the chair.
Thud. Thud.
He walked toward the window, and reach out his hand to open the curtain but, then, his hand freeze in the air.
Something finally clicked in his head.
How did someone knock on the window when his room is located in the third floor?
He swallowed hard, and retract his hand back.
Thud. Thud.
He stared at the window from the curtain as 'someone' keep knocking on it. His hand was actually itchy to open the curtain to see what's actually behind it.
But, he held back his curiosity. There is no logic no matter how he think about it as his window wasn't near any tree in the mansion either.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The knocking began to sound a bit impatient. Delrick just stayed unmoving, staring from behind the curtain, piercing on it.
He could finally see a faint shadow behind it.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Delrick's breath hitched and abruptly took a step back from the window. 'It' seemed to be angry because he not yet open the curtain.
Thud!!!
He flinched. That one knock sounded really hard.
Delrick waited for another knock to come but there is nothing but deafening silence.
He took a careful steps toward the window. His hand reaching out slowly in the air.
'Just a peak, I will just take a peak.'
Before his fingertips touch the curtain, a sudden loud banging behind it shocked him. He stumbled on his feet and fell down on the floor.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
He stared in horror. The banging was so loud that he was worried the glass window might be broke.
He got up on his feet and ran toward the door.
The gas lamp flickering.
His hand stumbled on the doorknob, trying to unlock it with the key.
He swung the door open yet, his feet froze on the ground because there, right in front of him, stood a maid with strange expression.
The maid face slowly contorted. The corner of her lips tugged upward into a chilling smile. So wide that he was sure if her lips torn.
Delrick feel chill down his spine. His eyes blown wide as he choked on his own breath.
The maid kept smilling in a very strange way. She tilt her head until he was sure that he heard a bone cracked yet, the maid seemed to be not in pain.
She even start chuckling, in a low chilling voice.
Delrick breathed heavily. The banging sound still there behind him, and this strange smiling maid in front of him.
The gas lamp flickered for the last time before everything turn black around him.