Delrick's eyes opened with a jolt. He quickly scanned his surrounding, a bead of sweat rolled on his forehead.
There is nothing amiss in his room. The door locked, and the window was covered with curtain.
He sighed and take a deep breath. His gaze moved to the things in front of him.
The book he was reading last night was still opened then, he realize he is sitting on the chair.
'Did I fell asleep while reading?'
Delrick massage his temple. He feel like something was missing in his memories of last night.
Like how he fell asleep.
He got up from the chair and walking toward the window. He lingered for a moment then, reaching his hand out to hold the curtain.
With a deep breath, he pulled the curtain open. Ray of sunlight immediately hit his face, making him frown.
He touched the glass window, looking a possibly crack on it. Whatever it is last night, 'it' knocked pretty hard on it.
Thankfully there is no crack. Yet, he feel baffled.
What was that last night?
Delrick decided to brushed it off, and move to the bathroom to refresh himself then prepared for the work.
...
"Good morning, brother."
Mira smiled, greating Delrick when they met at the servant lounge.
"Good morning, Mira. Did you slept well?"
"I did! The bed was so soft, I fell asleep the moment I lied down."
"That's... good."
Delrick and Mira ate their breakfast.
After breakfast, Delrick parted ways with Mira and go to find Miss. Lia. Thankfully, the strict woman was easy to find. She was instructed some maids in the second floor.
"Miss. Lia, good morning." Delrick greated politely.
Miss. Lia turn her had toward him and hummed.
"Good morning, mr. Hugg."
"Please just call me Delrick."
"Alright, Delrick, is there something you need?"
"Yes. By any chance, where can I send letter to my sister from here?"
"You can send your letter every Monday and Thursday. There is a servant called Alex who occasionally out from Mistvale to buy something out in the nearest town."
Today is Saturday. What a shame... I will send the letter on Monday then.
"I see, thank you miss. Lia."
Miss. Lia nodded.
"Can you go to the laundry room and help the others?"
"Sure, I will go now. Thank you again miss. Lia."
Delrick turn around and walking to find the stairs to go to the first floor.
He descended from the stairs and tale a turn to his left. Walking ahead toward the laundry room.
Surprisingly, Sona was there washing the cloths.
"Delrick?"
Delrick nodded. "I'm here to help."
Sona's face lit up. "Oh, God, finally! Come here, Delrick, help me with this."
Delrick remove his coat, folded it, and put it on top of a table. Then rolled his sleeves up as he move toward Sona.
"Alright, let me help with that."
Delrick help Sona washing the cloths then help the other maids to carry their finished laundry outside so they could hang it to dry.
"Thanks for helping, Delrick."
Sona said as they hung the cloth. Delrick smiled.
"There is no need to thanked me. I was paid to do this."
Sona chuckled. "Indeed."
As Delrick hung a blanket, he suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, by the way, Sona, last night something strange happened in my room."
Sona's hands flinched faintly as she hung another blanket.
"What kind of strange?" She asked without looking at him.
"Something knocked on the window in my room."
Sona laughed. "Maybe it just a bird. Don't think too much about it."
"Huh? Yes, sure."
Delrick force a small smile.
But, from the shadow I saw last night, it doesn't looked like a bird though.
"Probably you just too tired on your way here. Or, are you scared? Because walking on your way here between the forest is quite scary, right?"
"Yeah, I guess you are right."
Sona grinned then hung the last cloth.
"Alright, we're done here. Let's go to clean the other place."
"Okay."
They walked into the mansion. Delrick took his coat from the laundry room and wore it again before following Sona to another room.
"Anyway, Sona, how is the young lady of the house?"
Sona didn't answer. Delrick continued.
"I mean, tomorrow in Sunday and there is a mandatory to play with her."
"The young lady is... kind." Sona finally spoke then look at Delrick.
"Tonight when the time hits 00:00, do not lock your door."
"Why?" Delrick asked, his eyes narrowed.
"Delrick,"
Sona suddenly called then pull him into a room. She close the door and leaned her back against it.
Delrick stared at Sona bewildered.
"W, what's wrong?"
Sona suddenly sobbed, making Delrick flustrated a little.
"W, why are you—"
"The young lady is kind but," she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "But, she is so weird, and violent when playing."
Delrick narrowed his eyes. "W, what do you mean?"
Sona sobbed. "The young lady tend to be violent when playing. I'm so scared, Delrick, but, I have to work for my family in the East County."
"Uh, how old is the young lady?"
"10 years old."
Delrick forced a smile and approached Sona.
"Maybe because the young lady is still a kid, and she is the only children of the Count and Countess." He patted Sona's shoulder to calmed her.
Sona nodded. "Will you protect me if the young lady gets violent?"
Delrick paused for a moment.
Well, how violent a 10 years old be?
He hummed. "Yeah, sure."
Sona stared at him and wipe away her tears.
"Alright, I will keep yout words, Delrick!" She smiled then pulled her back from the door to open it again.
Delrick watched her as she stepped out from the room.
"Sorry for pulled you in so suddenly. You must be shocked but, there is no way I could said something about the young lady where others can hear it." Sona said with an apologetic smile.
"Its alright, Sona. Just... give me a warn next time."
Sona grinned. They continue walking in the hallway toward another room in the mansion.
...
Evening come pretty quickly when one is busy. Delrick was already in the servant lounge, eating his dinner on the same table with Mira and Sona.
Tonight dinner is a lamb chop steak. Something that Delrick never dare to dream to have before. Mira even froze at her seat, salivating as her eyes stuck on her plate.
But, despite tonight's menu of dinner, Delrick noticed the air was a little off around the servants. Unlike him and Mira, they seemed to be dispirited while eating their lamb chop steak.
Even Sona was the same. Though she was smiling like she is enjoying her food, there is a hint of worry painted on her face.
Delrick cut his steak again, and brought it into his mouth. Burst of flavours filled his mouth. He wanted to shed a tear because of it.
After dinner, Delrick parted ways with Sona and Mira, and goes back to his room, to write another letter for his sister.
[To my dearest sister, Anna.
I hope you're doing okay by the time this letter arrived to you. I just had dinner. How about you sister? Do not skip eating, okay?
I wrote another letter because I need to tell you that I can only send you a letter on Monday and Thursday because that is the only time when sir. Alex had to go out to nearest town.
I hope you don't mind, sister.
Today is my first day working here. The work mostly the same as when I am working at the Earl's Mansion so, I didn't find anything difficult.
I even made another friend named Sona. She is a hardworking woman for her family in the East county.
But, this brother of yours is also a hardworking man, right? I will work as hard so my sister can have a good life before she get married.
Your hardworking brother,
Delrick.]
He put the quill down and checked the letter one last time before folding it, and put it inside the drawer with another letter he will be sending on Monday.
He checked at the time on the wall.
21:59.
"Let's lay down for a moment."
Delrick muttered to himself then threw himself onto the soft mattress.
...
Delrick woke up with the sound of knock on the door.
He got up from his bed, staring at the door in wary. His past experience—though it was a dream, teached him to be careful at night.
"Delrick."
The voice behind the door sounded like Sona. He exhaled a relief breath and walk toward the door to open it.
He swung the door open and saw Sona smiled at him.
"Are you sleeping?" She chuckled when she saw Delrick's disheveled hair.
Delrick scratched his neck. "Well, i just had some shut eyes."
"Anyway, what's wrong?"
"What do you mean what's wrong? It's time to play with the young lady."
Delrick blinked his eyes.
"Pardon?"
"You heard me."
Delrick looked inside his room, at the clock hung on the wall.
00:00
"It's midnight."
"Yes, it is."
Delrick stared at Sona bewildered. Sona chuckled again.
"You read the contract before signed it, right? It said "from the starting of Sunday.", right?"
"...well, it does."
'But, I never thought its really from the first second of Sunday.'
Delrick mentally lampooned.
"Let's go, Delrick."
"Alright..."
Delrick closed the door and walk by Sona's side.
"What are we playing with the young lady in the middle of night?"
Sona smiled without looking at him.
"You will know soon."
Delrick frown a bit. Somehow he had this strange little feeling in his heart but, decide to brushed it off.
They keep walking in the dimmed hallway. The air feels uncanny for some reason.
Then, Delrick saw a silhouette of a maid standing ahead of them.
"Is your friend waiting for us?"
Sona stopped walking, making Delrick also stopped in front of her.
"Delrick, you said you will protect me, right?"
"Huh? Yes, I did said that." Delrick stammered in confusion.
Sona didn't say anything anymore but looking ahead of them, at the maid.
The maid walking toward them. Delrick couldn't see her face because of the dim light but somehow... his gut are telling him something bad was about to happen.
At some certain distance, Delrick finally could see the maid's face. She has a pale skin, and smiling at them.
Delrick feel his heartbeat quicken. Not because of how pretty the maid looked but because her eyes seemed to devoid of life like the man he met at his first day here.
A bead of sweat rolled on Delrick's forehead.
The maid tilted her head and spoke at them.
"The young lady said, today play is hide and seek. Let's play, shall we?"
The maid's voice sounds so chilling that Delrick had to held his breath for a moment.
Hide and seek in the middle of night?
Sona's hand held Delrick's arm. He looked at her and saw her troubled face as she stared at the maid.
"Shall we play? Shall we play?"
The maid keep repeating again, and again while tilting her head to her left, and right. Her smile also turned into something disturbing that send shiver down Delrick's spine.
The maid stopped tilting her head, looking straight at them with her uncanny eyes. Delrick swallowed hard.
What now?
"SHALL WE PLAY????"
The maid suddenly lunged at them, laughing maniacally. Her hands reaching out toward them.
Delrick stepped back wanted to run away yet, Sona's hand stopped him. He looked at her but, before he could say anything, Sona push his body forward at the maid who is lunged at them.
What?
Delrick's eyes widened as he glancing back at Sona. The later, was smiling at him.
"You said you will protect me, right?" She mouthed before she turned around, and ran away.