Chapter 38: To St. Neuvae’s Clinic
Sure, Hilda was the type to be abruptly adventurous or courageous, but if she were truly that courageous, she wouldn't have hesitated to jump out of that bush when she first came across the little dummy.
Nervously sweating, she hesitantly glanced around. Her eyes pathetically flinched each time a piece of grass swayed in the wind.
There was a massive difference in her heart between punching the little dummy, someone who was there physically, someone tangible, and going after something intangible.
Such as this 'something' or the cracking noises she first heard from afar that came from the little dummy.
"Who's there?!"
Biting her lips, she swivelled around on her feet, glaring at the empty field in all directions.
"I, I'll tell Papa and Mommy!!!"
Yet, even though the fear had well and truly gripped her heart...
Hilda bravely protected the little dummy by laying one hand over the little dummy, who was in the middle of her episode. She kept the little dummy behind her even as she swivelled around, checking all directions.
With one hand on her sword and sweat draining from her forehead, Hilda frantically called out to whatever that thing was that had spoken to her.
Twitch.
Again, her ears flinched from the voice echoing in her eardrums.
Scraping her ears, she tried to pull the unintelligible grumblings tickling her ears out and away from her vicinity.
"Stop it!"
Unsheathing her sword, this one a true steel sword and not her ironbark training sword, she planted her feet oddly into the ground and glared at her surroundings.
She was determined to catch the source of the voice.
Twitch.
This time around, she caught exactly where the voice had trickled out from.
'My right ear!'
Twisting to the right, her sword flourished outwardly with a defensive sweep-
Clench.
-but Hilda stopped herself at the last second.
Groaning from the pain of stopping an attack mid-swing, she slowly lowered her sword and blankly stared at the source of this noise.
'...Little dummy?'
Twitch.
Once again, the unintelligible 'something' whispered in her ears, tickling her eardrums.
But, unmistakably, the source of this 'something' was from the little dummy.
Hilda crossed her arms with an embarrassed face upon this realisation, this was just their first meeting all over again!
'I'll get you back for this, little dummy.'
Rubbing her bright red ears with cold palms, Hilda lowered herself to the little dummy's level and caressed her back.
Hopefully, the weird 'something' stops when she stops being all... Weird.
-----
I remember when I first thought Yulei had invited me to lunch for a meaningful purpose, for some important transaction of sorts, where she'd share some information with me.
But then I witnessed Hilda's interactions with Yulei.
Yulei's ravenous thirst for desserts.
And the children's casual outing, where they dropped all formal terms for an opportunity to hang out together and play dress-up.
By then, I realised a simple fact.
Children.
They are children.
They are not mother.
They are not the Maiden.
They are not the personification of madness.
Yet, precisely due to this realisation-
I am disgusting.
I took advantage of this innocence, of this adolescence of theirs, to acquire crucial information; I asked painful questions to Yulei and received what I wanted in return.
However.
I do not regret it.
Slamming a fist into my chest, I sucked in all the fresh air around me.
It's been 9 days since that dress-up day, and Esme was to take me out again, I received an invitation written in Lily's handwriting.
I'll be meeting Esme soon.
Cooling myself off, I nonchalantly rested my elbow on the bench. The gazebo from that first breakfast was empty today, drapes of warm gusts blew at my face, slipping in from the sides of the mask, bringing a cool smile to my face-
...A cool smile!
...
Ah, who was I kidding?
Ba-dump.
My heart was pounding out of my chest in anticipation, and my face was burning red like a tomato. I was lucky that it was hidden behind the mask. If it wasn't, I'd be facepalming and sticking my head into the table.
I spent over 4 years away from Esme, I survived those 4 years.
But now, just 9 days were enough to send me spiralling into a slump of uselessness.
Forget searching for clues, the last 4 days were spent with me lying down like a fish; bathing in the light of the aurora and emptily sucking in the white fog and spitting it back out like cigarette smoke.
I've become an unemployed, basement-dwelling loser who showers once a week and relies on their elderly parents for everything.
"Dear sister, Alora!"
Speak of the devil, and ye shall arrive.
Parting a gap in my arms, I peeked a look at the rush of white petals gracing me with its presence; at the snow-white hair braided loosely over her shoulder.
So pretty.
...Too pretty.
I could hardly think coherently as her blazing golden eyes warmly looked at me with a flowery smile.
My heart skipped many beats, enough to give me a heart attack if not for the fact that I've already had enough of those to grow a resistance to them.
Not that I actually have a resistance to them, that's impossible.
But it's the thought that matters.
...And yes, my mind was in such a mess that it went off on these babbling tangents.
Meanwhile, as the other party of Esme and Lily approached us, the latter, Lily, was staring daggers into Hilda's soul.
Her steps doubled in speed as she walked over to Hilda and menacingly loomed over her, "Long time no see, Hilda."
Flinching, Hilda tried to get behind me-
"No, you don't."
-but Lily grabbed her in time.
"I've heard some rumours, Hilda~"
Giving Lily a shaky smile, "Hehhh~ Wh, what rumours...?"
Pressing her face into close proximity, Lily whispered with a sharp voice:
"You've been using your Lady's lap as a pillow, sleeping on her, and coyly playing with her?"
"I've heard a lot from the ears around the mansion; a lot of stories of a certain redhead pulling her Lady around and rashly barging into the training grounds alongside the young, very young, Lady Alora."
Smiling a not-so-pleasant-looking smile, Lily pulled Hilda to the side before she could make any excuses.
"Now, Hilda, what are you?"
...Thus, moments after, the grim echoes of Hilda could be heard shouting:
"I am a cabbage...!"
---
"I've never witnessed Lily so enthusiastic about another maid before. Perhaps she's grown a liking for her." Esme giggled and sat opposite me with a brilliant smile.
"...I'm not sure whether you can call that 'liking'." Casting a spare glance at the distant maids, I pushed my eyes back at Esme.
Ba-dump.
My palpitating heart rang clear in my ears, teasing me.
"Trust me, dear sister, Lily is head over heels for Hilda." Esme commented lightly but then, with a slight panic, hurried to fix her words, "Not in that way!"
"..."
Retaining the urge to smirk, "I know."
Esme's innocence was luring me in, tempting me with each little mistake she made, thanks to her severely lacking knowledge.
Yet.
I choked out what shouldn't be choked out.
I wrung it dry and tossed it aside.
Painfully, agonisingly, I let these temptations pass for practically no reason.
But.
I feel like I have to.
"How was the Maiden's education?" I shifted the topic.
Esme flinched, "Don't remind me, Miss Maiden is ruthless with her instructions and work ethic. Had it not been for Lily's aid, I may have succumbed to an extra month's worth of catch-up work had I failed."
"And you? Dear sister? Have you too suffered beneath her iron fist recently?"
The lips beneath the mask curled unpleasantly. "Not really. She hasn't been around to guide me."
"Hmm! Lucky!" Clasping her hands together, she rested her chin on them and happily commented as she glanced down at me.
Foolishly grinning, "Hehe." I had nothing else to say, so I grumbled that odd-sounding noise instead.
If I dug deep, only horrible memories would arise; and I don't want Esme to notice.
While this was happening on our end, the distant voices of the maids grew closer. And with this incoming wave of noise was:
"...I am a cabbage. I am a cabbage. I am a cabbage-"
A defeated Hilda and a menacing Lily, who had latched onto Hilda's weakness.
"My apologies, Lady Esme, Lady Alora, I have made you wait."
"No need for apologies, Lily."
Esme cheekily muffled her grin while looking at the walking, talking cabbage. Seeing the usual outspoken and violent Hilda so downcast was hilarious; she wished she had access to a recording device to show this scene to Yulei.
Had she known Yulei had such an interesting friend, she'd have asked to be introduced earlier.
"Shall we go, then? Today shall be only you and I, dear sister!" Excited, Esme jumped out her seat and held her hand out, "Come on!"
Pounding away my restless heart-
Grip.
-I took Esme's warm, soft hand, and she pulled me up and out of the seat.
Dragging me to the carriages, we listened to the distant chirping birds and enjoyed the embrace of the cool winds;
While also:
"I am a cabbage... I am a cabbage..."
While also listening to a certain naughty girl's punishment echoing from behind.
Todays goal:
St. Neuvae's Clinic.
And, if possible, explore the underground market if any downtime presents itself throughout the trip.
Clenching my facial muscles, I reinvigorated my motivation.
The very hand pulling me through these beautiful gardens was that motivation.
My sister, my dear, dear sister;
I do it all for you.
Everything is for you.