"Did you not have a good sleep again, Young Miss?" Jemina asked as she drew out the curtains, letting the sunlight in. A gentle breeze flowed inside.
In the mirror, I could see black circles forming under my eyes. And it's all because of him.
He left quietly and went back to the palace. I heard he was forced by the 1st prince to stay a little longer. Just why? Then my brother went back to the Academy a little later after Zairon left, since he left the academy without warning. Our mother was seriously mad when she found had out that he run away from the Academy just to visit us. As for Raelle, she left the Duchy yesterday. Well, Good thing because I can finally enjoy my time here.
'You are not even pretty'
I'm fine really. How could I let myself be angry on such trivial thing? Even if he tells me that as many as the stars in the skies... I will not be affected. Zairon must be blind for not noticing my looks. Yes, that should be the reason why he says that. He's blind is all. Who would say I'm ugly besides him? No one. That's because I'm pretty.
My hair is white as snow; fading from black roots, skin pale and flawless, eyes were almond-shaped, sharp at the corners with my deep amethyst-colored eyes. Lashes long and dark.
"Young Miss, Should we wear this one? Oh, This is Lady Mavis' gift..."
Seriously, I didn't think that this face would surpass my imagination when I first read the novel. Just what part of me is not pretty for him? The Vacarella and Aurea genes are obviously flowing in my veins.
"Done! Look at our Young Miss she's too adorable!"
Oh, they finished preparing me even though I didn't say anything.
"Yay! Young Miss looks pretty!"
"Jemina you forgot the ribbon!"
"Where is it?! Where is it?!"
Disaster. They are fussing around because of a missing ornament in my head.
"Young Miss, Today you have no classes. The Duchess cleared your schedule for today. Something urgent came up..."
what a lucky day! "Then, Can I—"
"But, You have to finish reading the books that the Duchess instructed us."
She pointed at my desk. When she said 'books'— it was a heavy, thick stack. Just by looking at it makes me tired. How could my Mother let a four-year-old kid read those thick books.
"Let's eat first, young miss. The other Young Masters are already in the Dining Room"
.
.
.
"Asi!"
"A-zi, zi! It's Z not S!"
"Asi!"
"Haiz," It looks like Azi is losing patience correcting Astreia her pronounciation and it is satisfying to watch.
"Yummy! Annaaaaaa, I want more Darioles." She have a big appetite. To think she ate five pieces of it already.
"Yes, Young Miss."
The maids inside are all moving in a flash just to attend to my cousins. Our butler, Noland became a statue beside the door. It's chaos inside just listening to Azi and Astreia bickering followed by Yessenia asking for another plate...
"Young Miss, The head chef made some pancakes." Jemina showed me the table filled with sweets. I sat down beside Yessenia and I say they didn't even notice my presence at all.
I'm having my time eating these pancakes when Yessenia pounds the table with her fists, the table shook a little. She enthusiastically said, "Wren, Wren let's go on a picnic today!"
I glanced at her and she was grinning from ear to ear, "Go Where?"
She tilts her head and then looks at her maid. Anna understood my gaze and said, "... I think it will be wise to stay in—"
"The garden! Let's go to the garden for a picnic!"
she didn't finish what her maid has to say! Why does she always do this? The elders and my brother told me that we are off-limits beyond the gates especially if we don't have any knights with us and if we don't have permission from the Duke.
Since there are many people who want to get a hold of us. Having Vacarella as a surname is already heavy, and she's one of the things that makes my head ache.
"Wait, Young Miss—" Anna tried stopping her, but Yessenia raised her hand in the air. Gesturing her to stop and go to the kitchen.
"Yes, Young Miss..." I feel sorry for her because she can't stop this kid. Actually none of the maids can handle her.
Anna looks defeated already and didn't bother herself to continue what she was going to say earlier and leaves the room.
"We're just the same age! Why can't you pronounce my name properly?!"
Azi slammed the table and huffs at Astreia, The others also look at them. "Young master Azi—"
"Did you lose a tooth or what?!" I looked at Yessenia for help but... she was eating, again.
I thought she's done eating!
Astreia threw a napkin at Azi's face then shouted, "Stupid! Coconut Head!!!!!"
...
.....
Coconut... head? I looked at everyone and they were rooted to the floor and hey! Azi looks like a withered plant!
"The young miss called him Coconut,"
"Ssshh!"
Now that I look at Azi... indeed. He looks like a coconut to me unlike Yessenia who looks like Aunt Mavis. Then... I guess... Azi takes up after his father, did he also have the same hairstyle?
"C-Coconut..."
Yessenia burst into laughter, "Pffft! Hahahahaha!"
"Hey! Hold it in. Your brother has taken a lot of damage." I told Yessenia since his brother became like a rock after he heard his sister laughed.
"Hahahaha! Coconut! Ahahahaha..."
"It's not funny Sister!!" Azi's face is flushed and he's biting his lip in frustration.
Astreia gets down in her chair and looks at Azi. "Nyaahh!" I burst into laughter upon seeing Astreia stuck out her tongue to annoy Azi.
I think coconut doesn't suit him anymore because he's red as tomatoes right now.
Ah, I remember that Yessenia wishes to have a picnic outside. I wish I had that kind of energy for that picnic. All of my energy seems to be taken after remembering my memories.
I sighed and cut a piece of Pancake when I felt Yessenia's hands on my wrist, dragging me away. It happens a lot now.
"Young Miss! It is unlady like to run like that!"
We ran passed the head maid who shouts by the doorway. Noland shakes his head at us.
"Wren! We are going to the lake now!" my eyes popped open, "What?! We just ate and I thought—"
"Don't care! Let's go boating!" This brat didn't let me finish what I'm saying.
and boating? Is she even serious right now?
I spotted Jemina and Anna by the front door and they were holding some baskets and blankets. They prepared everything... Wait, Isn't that... ?
"Young Miss you shou—"
"Yay!" once again, she interrupted the maids and I feel like they are going to say something very important and I think it is what I am thinking. Why are we even going on a picnic on a day like this?
Did she forget the climate?
"Yessenia... you do know that it is still cold. Some snow and ice hasn't melted yet. Even if Spring is around the corner. Right?" It seems like I got her attention as she stopped dragging me out.
... GAH! She looked like she lost something very important right in front of her eyes and she forgot about it!
"Then... the... lake was still f-frozen?" She had this teary-eyed look as she sniffled.
Anna sighed, "Yes. You should let other people finish what they are saying first, Young Miss."
Hays, I could feel the cold when the door slightly opened.
"No Fair!"
"Yes! Nwo Fair!" The two kids catch up on us and start to puff, their hands on their hips, fully geared. Bonnet, Scarf, boots, ear muffs and gloves...
No, No, No. I do not want to go outside! I much prefer to sip a hot cocoa while reading inside my room!
"Right! Let's go build some snowman!" Yessenia dragged me upstairs and the maids helped us change. Everything is in fast motion and I can't refuse. Again.
"Please, don't drag me anymore." I mumbled while Jemina put my gloves on.
Hours passed, the cold air and the piled snow reached below my knee good thing the boots and the socks help to warm myself. But each step I made in these snow is heavy that I feel exhausted already.
The body of a four-year-old kid.
"Carrots!"
"Sticks!"
"He's mwissing a bottom!"
"It's button." corrected by Azi, of course.
This is nice. I didn't get the chance to play in the snow in my past life. I was too busy studying and working that I didn't enjoy anything.
I picked up a small rock and put it on its body, then suddenly the Snowman's head fell on the ground, crumbling the hard work we put in it. The smiling face I put on the snowman... It looks like a sad, old, disfigured dude now.
I looked behind and saw the three of them pale. They looked like they see some ghost or what. "What are you—"
A heavy and a cold thing hit my face that I fell down. I shivered and blinked as I stared at the sky. I can still feel the cold sensation on my face and it slightly hurts.
"Gotcha!" someone threw a... snowball at me.
"Waaahhh! Big sister!" Astreia cried, running towards me. Gosh, I'm so tired that I cannot make myself stand up. I should let myself lay more then. Besides it kinda hurts. Life is full of surprises even in an ordinary day such as this, surprised me.
The knight accompanying us checked on me and then looked at where the snowball was from. Even him had this surprised look. Just who on earth threw me a snowball?
"I said aim it at Yessenia, stupid." that voice is unfamiliar to me. Or yes?
"Eeekkk! It's them!" Yessenia shrieked and ran towards Jemina who came running after hearing Astreia's cry.
"Y-You! You ruined our snow—"
"Don't worry. I'll fix it." The hooded boy said, cutting Azi's complaint as he raised his hand. The disfigured snowman lifts and he restored every snowman in its former state.
"Told ya I'm great at it,"
"yeah, but you got the target wrong."
In this world we can use magic as long as we have mana inside our body. But some people don't have enough mana to use magic, so they rely on the mana stones, cheap mana stones sell on low price and can only perform basic magic spells and only lasts for a short time. Unlike the mana stones that are produced by some wizards, they are sold at high prices and they are efficient both in defense and offense. It can be used for a long time and can perform intermediate and high class level magic.
"Welcome Home, Young Masters. We're not aware you're going home today. You should have notify us that you will be coming home. Did you also run away from the Academy?" Noland greeted them as soon as he came out and this time it's a worried look I'm seeing.
They both smiled—smirked at his question. That's a yes. But the worrying part is that Yessenia looks like he's afraid of these two.
"Young Master Lexus, Laxus please tell me you will return immediately..." Noland is sweating bullets.
My eyes widened as I stared at the realization. They are the twins of Vacarella. Lexus, the Older one had died shortly after the rebellion. Upon returning home he found his clan had been annihilated, due to Zairon's eyes he was killed before he could avenge his family. Laxus is the younger one, he is a cheery character of the novel and has a minor role in it. He became a knight of the empire and fought till his last breath during rebellion.
"Nope. We will stay here for a month. I heard Wren fainted at her Birthday Banquet." Laxus then turned to me.
I had a very bad feeling about this and I'm always right.