Chapter 59: The Gathering
Loraine knocked softly on Lilith’s door, a small smile on her lips as she hid a silver tray behind her, a delicious treat she had prepared for the young mistress. The door swung open, as Lilith’s heterochromia gaze fell on the white haired maiden, her eyes lighting up with joy as she pulled the door wide open and pounced on Loraine.
"Loraine!" Lilith squealed in happiness, hugging Loraine tightly as Loraine chuckled from the affectionate gesture, still feeling a bit uncomfortable but not to the extend as she would normally be.
’Am I getting used to the hugs?’ Loraine thought to herself, before shaking her head and turning her attention back on the young mistress.
"Greetings young mistress, look what I got for you~" Loraine said in a charming tone, crouching down on one knee as she presented the tray to Lilith, lifting it up and presenting a nice slice of pie for the young mistress, watching as her eyes lit up like stars.
"Your favorite, enjoy~"
"Thank you so much!" Lilith said as she grabbed the plate from Loraine’s hands, grabbing a piece of the pie with her fork before stuffing it into her mouth, the explosion of flavors dancing on her tongue having her closing her eyes in bliss, just as she expected it to do.
"It’s so delicious!" Lilith said, giggling happily.
"May I come in~" Loraine asked, Lilith blinking in surprise as she had monentarily forgotten that Loraine was still outside of her room, a small flush of embarrassment creeping up her cheeks as she hastily nodded.
Loraine entered the young mistress’s room, the sight was nothing sort of grand, as everything inside her room was well organized and opulent, as the young mistress possessed a grand array of stuffed animals, toys, and more. She was treated like a princess.
’Hmmmm...what to do...’ Loraine thought to herself, scratching her chin as she began to contemplate, eyes glancing around the room. Her eyes drifted to Lilith as she was still snacking on the pie, having finished the desert with a satisfied exhale of her breath.
’I suppose I could play with her for a little bit, I do have some time to spend before I have to go to bed.’
"Hey Lilith," Loraine called, grabbing a stuffed animal. It was a pink rabbit that was stitched together, black threads stitched along its stomach and having two big buttons for eyes. "Wanna play?" Loraine asked, waving the stuffed animal in front of Lilith as her eyes shone with excitement.
Lilith squealed in happiness as she grabbed her toys and walked over to Loraine, the two of them playing with Lilith’s toys for a bit as Loraine did her best to keep the young mistress company, even though she felt a little embarrassed to be doing this as an adult.
’Seeing her so happy like this reminds me of how I was when I was little.’ Loraine thought back to her past life before her transmigration, a small smile stretching on her lips.
’To be so oblivious of the harsh nature of life, ah, good times.’
Just then, the moment of sanctuary was interrupted as a knock came from Lilith’s door, the two of them giving each other a quick glance as they wondered what they could want.
"Loraine!" The voice behind the door called, a hint of urgency in her tone. "Margret is looking for you, please come to the garden at the far back of the mansion." The voice said, Loraine raising her brow in confusion.
’At the far back of the mansion?’ Loraine asked herself, having a bad feeling about this. It was far too odd, and didn’t sound like something Margret would typically do, as Margret was adamant about maids going to bed on time.
’I have a bad feeling about this, but I can’t just leave Lilith behind like this....’ She sighed, glancing at the young mistress who was still playing with her toys, standing up from where she sat as she smoothened out her clothes.
"Loraine?" Lilith called out, her voice an adorable sound as she tilted her head to the side. "Are you leaving?" She asked, the question making Loraine’s heart shatter as she felt so guilty for leaving her alone like this.
’Darn it! Why did she have to give me that cute stare!?’ Loraine thought, having to use every once of willpower to look away from young Lilith’s adorable eyes that saw through her.
"Yea...I’ll be going for a little bit." Loraine said, her voice a bit softer than it was before. "Once I come back, I’ll continue to play with you, okay?" Loraine said, as she bent over and gently patted the young mistress’s head, a radiant smile forming on her face as she did so.
"Okay!" Lilith said with a cute giggle.
Loraine nodded, feeling a bit better as she turned to leave, walking towards the door as she opened it and walked through the mansion’s second floor halls, making her way to the grand staircase that would lead to the Great Hall.
’Why would Margret want me at the back? It’s so far away from the mansion’s garden, so it couldn’t be garden work, and I’m sure Alice and Beatrice could have taken care of it easily.’
’If she’s trying to get me to do some bullshit again, I am not doing it!’ Loraine said to herself inwardly with conviction, refusing to be ordered around without proper reasoning and justification.
As she made her way down the stairs, the silence finally hit her like a freight train, her stopping in her descent as she noticed just how eerily quiet the mansion was. She stood still for a moment, trying to listen for any sounds, any form of rustling, footsteps, anything, but there was nothing.
Aside from Lilith, nobody else was present in the mansion.
’What the hell is going on!?’ Loraine thought, rushing down the stairs as a great sense of urgency hit her chest as she bolted through the mansion, bursting out of the front door as she dashed toward the far back of the mansion.
As she ran, she could make out the figures of maids in the far distance, as all of them were gathered, the sight confusing Loraine more and more as she wondered what could be so important that it required all of the maids to be present.
"I’m here-!" Loraine announced, but quickly slowed down in her tracks, her movements stopping as she had reached the maids, their cold and hatred filled gazes landing upon her with strong killing intent that made Loraine feel uneasy.
’...’
Loraine’s eyes hardened and turned serious as she noticed that the maids weren’t empty handed, as many of them held onto brooms, knifes, and any other weapon they could get their hands on, her eyes widening in shock as it fell on Sarah, who was being held back by Beatrice and Alice.
"Loraine!" Sarah cried out, tears trickling from her eyes as she called out the name of her best friend.
The world seemed to slow down for Loraine, her eyes fixed on the sight of her best friend as an insurmountable amount of rage began to boil up in her, her teeth clenching as her eyes shined with fury.
"What the fuck is going on here!?"