Aefia's steps entered the boundaries of the graveyard as she heaved a deep breathe and walked towards the barrier with heavy steps that made her movement almost impossible. She came alone, as soon as she heard the gates were to close at exactly five. Her fingers held the flower stems as her shoes took towards the grave of her mentor.
"Hmm...?" A small area was covered with dust as she crouched down to inspect it with a closer viewpoint. "So someone was here? The people from the office? Did they find out already?" She spoke to herself with a low voice as she placed five stems down on top of the tombstone. "Even if they did, I believe they have a reason to visit this grave too."
Her gaze then shifted towards the next grave situated to the left of the one she had just place the flowers. The last one at her hand was placed on top of the tombstone that carved an unknown name, added below it was the familiar one she had already known, 'Lady Gray'. "I think... that even if you killed me once and tried to do it again the second time... you still deserve my attention. I don't understand why... but I feel like we share an almost similar way of thinking."
Since she as the only one at this hour, no one was around to hear what she was saying. More words spilt out from her mouth as she diverted her eyes towards her mentor's grave again. "I don't seem to also understand why... but although you are the second most closest person to depart from my life... I still can't get over how I seem to miss you. The way your death has caused me to change my life goals to killing that strange woman, I think you have the most impact over how my mind works. It's as if... my brain was robotic and you had the remote to control it."
She sat on the ground behind the tombstone and placed her head against it while closing her eyes to speak. "Anyway... after I left your grave about a month ago, I went to the asylum to get my sanity checked. I guess... I was not as insane as I acted to be, because I realized that I was taking things a little too far with forcing regulations against myself. What was wrong with me back then? That now I am cringing with the memories I get from being there. Darn... the mental asylum is really... intense!"
Her words fell as if she was talking to the person herself. "Within that time though, I may have learned how to... speak curse words. I am still trying to change them into a better speech like 'fishes and french fries' and 'donuts'... more like 'Holy Donuts!'. And I still haven't recovered from those traumas that haunt me every night. Honestly, why did I do that?! That's soo... immature?"
"Anyway... come to think of it... I have an intriguing matter to talk about, knowing how you aren't going to reply anyway, I will speak. So the duchess... she has started to become more hostile to me. The same day that I went back to the palace after seeing your grave, for the first time did she come in front of me to try and comfort me. What was the point of doing that? And I don't want her to die!"
"Anyone... just anyone I seem to look at as a mother... they die. What is this curse I seem to carry along with me? I have seen people die and... I killed so many... I never seem to understand why I have gone so mad for only two people in my life. Just two. You and that maid who tried to protect me from my own biological parents. Why is that so? Why am I so resilient to other's death and not to these two people?"
"And now... I kind of feel like a betraying child since the duchess has suddenly fallen sick. I heard... she was drunk thinking about me being unstable mentally? How am I supposed to explain to the family? That I fear the guardian will also kill them if she can sense my closeness to them. I honestly think... that since Lewis is basically being overprotective of me at this point, he might as well be the next person to die. Thinking about Henry, I won't let that happen."
"I wish I knew how to kill her before leaving that dungeon that day. I was successful at preventing the destruction... but I failed to destroy the reason behind the destruction. And just when I thought I had freed away from that curse... I realized my fate intertwined a little bit more. Now I am trying to solve my own mystery behind how to cure my curse. I wish I knew the answer to everything easily. But my life said, 'solve the case' without my willingness."
She fell silent for a long time following that. "I am curious... about the office. I want to go visit it another time, knowing the Guardian of Silence has now moved into the palace... I think it's safe to say I can go back in." She gritted her teeth as soon as her mouth carved out new words. "I have another wish to strangle someone really bad that I would rip their throat apart with the pressure." Her fist clenched as her eyes shot open with her nose bleeding.
"And look at that! I have become extremely weak that I never thought I could have been able to become this sensitive!" Straightening herself, she glanced at the sky where the birds flew around in a huge crowd. "Even those birds aren't as sensitive as they seem... I love the idea of death... thinking about it now. Living in extreme pain... is comparably more expensive. I guess I will have to place your request to hold as I recover my strength. But I promise you that I will pursue it. In the meantime–"
"Who are you speaking to?"
A question interrupted her as she glanced around the graveyard to notice a person with blue eyes and dark blue hair. "I don't seem to see anyone else here so I was just asking." Cedric crouched down to place a bunch of flowers onto the grave of Lady Gray.
"You are not allowed to leave the palace without anyone's permission. Did George give you the permission?" Aefia spoke sternly while standing up and adjusting her hat onto her head. "I understand that you are still new based on how long you may have been working there, but no one is allowed to leave unless my family says so."
"I am sorry if I may have broken a rule or two, but I always come here. Since you were gone, your brother, Master George, took over my command and I had gotten the permission to visit the graves in your place." He bowed after standing back up.
"Then you know that as of today, you are back to being under my command." She answered as her steps lifted to walk to the front of the two graves. "And since you have been doing something for me, I guess I can consider that you are not guilty and do not receive a punishment."
The broken watch came in front of her view as she glanced at the time. Only ten minutes had passed since that. "If you are done, you might as well return to the palace. You know that timing changes with the season. If you want to prepare for dinner in time, you better leave now. And keep another thing in mind... the duchess has fallen ill." Her words drifted in the air as her hair flattered away from her face with the passing wind.
"Wait... young master!" Cedric caught up to her and bowing one more time. "Your brother sent me to accompany you back to the palace if you don't mind." He panicked while speaking fast through his sentence at the last minute.
"I came here by using my skill. So if you want to return, we will have to walk. The palace is pretty far from here." Aefia returned an answer to the question. "Otherwise, I will have to exhaust my magic energy a little bit more in order for the both of us to get there. That is unless you want to cast suspicion with the guard who is looking after this graveyard."
"Then it will be alright for me to go back after a short while. I can walk back with no problem since I am only here to make sure nothing bad happens. For the past few days, our young master's elder brother is seeking for your safety a lot." His head lifted to notice the irritated face she was casting and hesitated for a lot time before asking. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No. I just realized I haven't grown accustomed yet to these gestures. I prefer you only bow in front of other people, I will state the same for my handmaid and the guard." She spun around to face away from the graves while disspearing in an instant, within the blink of an eye. There was no more room for questions as he set out by himself to walk back towards the palace.
"I am still in shock how you haven't learnt how to use your skills properly. I clearly remember giving you the element with the space shifting ability in it." Aefia spoke from behind as she glanced at the butler with curious eyes. Shocked, he stumbled backwards as soon as his eyes caught the sight of the silver black hair and red eyes. Her eyes stayed serious despite the scene in front of her, and it seemed that she wasn't going to put her mind into anything else.
"If you don't learn how to use the Tiger element within the next week, I will have to take it back. There are more uses for it and for more people to use it where I gave it to you knowing you will need it someday." She sternly commanded while offering a hand to help him up. "I was planning for you to do something in my place for the family and palace, so learn how to use it. It's an order."
Cedric, who didn't know a single thing about magic, stood up while grabbing onto her wrist and steadying himself. "I understand. But how do I learn how to use it? I am fearful of accidentally misusing." He spoke while looking down.
"I didn't need someone to teach me how to use magic, so I know you won't need to either. Just try when you are free at a clear place like this graveyard. But if you need help, I guess you can try using a skill in front of me. Like..." She trialed off as she summoned her own blade out of the air. "Catch this and duplicate it, without doing anything else."
The sharp edge of the black knife shot towards his face as his fingers caught it in time as well as summoning the exact same copies of it at his sides that were pointed directly at the girl's face. In a split second, the knives lost control and they all flew towards Aefia's eye, which also stopped mid-air and dissolved with the air particles. "I guess that should be enough. Since you are still a beginner, I guess this is a good progress to keep up with, although, try speeding it up."
Cedric heaved a deep breathe while dropping the kitchen knife to the ground and bending low. "What...was that skill?!" He spoke softly but clearly. "I am not sure, go find it out yourself. Now, teleport yourself there." Her finger pointed to a tree as he shut his eyes and focused on moving his position.
But as soon as he opened his eyes, he found himself hanging from the low branch of the tree. Panicking, he got down while almost snapping his back and turning paralized. Hurriedly, he stood back up and internally blamed his master for granting him an element. "Alright! Now try teleporting back here!" She shouted as he dissapeared from his previous place and by the time her eyes glanced down to the ground in front of her, the butler spoke with tiredness. "Young master! I think that's enough!"
"Hmm..." Aefia tapped her chin while gazing at the person knealing against the ground with sweat accumulating from his forehead. "There is a huge room left for improvement. Anyway, it will take time. Go back to the palace by walking." She turned away towards the entrance of the gate.
That's all! She made me do all that for this?! Then I am anticipating something extremely hard and stressful that she is going to hand over to me to take care of?! He thought to himself while standing up and dusting his clothes with an annoyed face as his eyes caught a piece of paper on the ground, a crumbled piece of small paper with a handwriting he had seen on a daily basis while carrying around scrolls.
He picked it up and spread it out against his palm while reading the content. It was unmistakably her handwriting and explaining only a few things. "Sorry for the trouble. It may have been due to my own benefit that I wanted you to get trained with the skills. I want to protect the family."
It was reasonable seeing how she had lately been seemingly distancing herself from the rest of them, and that explained better as to why she would place a third person into this matter. Because her influence was pulling along the attention of multiple other higher-ups which was becoming the trouble for any servants who knew her well. The last time they had occupied someone's soul, was also the time she was said to have gotten the unstable mind.
Unlike that, it seemed like the one month spent at the asylum was paying off by the way she was speaking and the way she was also showcasing her past personalities. Added that she wasn't that sensitive to the dead person's mention anymore. That alone was a huge improvement for the entire estate, and enough that she knew what was happening now and gave a clear mind to those matters.
"Although, she doesn't seem to be alright just yet." He lifted his steps towards the way she had walked a few moments ago.