Esme's POV
"So Sanya, any tips for a breakout?"
That was the simple question I asked. Not only did she have no tips for me, but she created a weird exercise for me to partake in. Did I complain? No.
She had just met the Sun-Grace to give me a very interesting gift that will help me grow my relationship with these brothers. So I'd be obedient and listen to her.
I hurled all the silver ornaments I had stacked up into the biggest mirror, and they vanished through it. "Yes. Grandus would come crawling to me, soaked in his tears."
I didn't know how Sanya figured this out, or if she just made something up so I'd feel better.
I took the silver ornaments from the piles—lots of silver were buried under the gold—and tossed them into the largest mirror.
It served as teleportation to the farthest part of this mansion. When all his silver ornaments were so out of reach, he'd feel the frustration I felt.
The Sixth murmured something else in his sleep, and I froze to listen.
His lips kept moving, but no meaningful words came out of them. "Does he have a piercing on his lip?" I lowered my head to check.
It looked like a curling caterpillar. A young butterfly. It paired with the ones on his ears.
"M-Mistress?"
"Wha!" I jumped back. "A-Are you okay?" I held my chest, my heart nearly bursting out.
He rose slowly and had a blank expression. Did he still feel drowsy? He blinked a couple of times before his hand reached his lips.
I grimaced. "What do you mean by that?" I definitely didn't do that.
Suddenly he pointed at me, covering his lips and staring like he'd seen the worst criminal in the kingdom. His light blue eyes subtly glowed as he stared.
"I was a child the last time you saw me. How could you?"
I pointed at him. "You didn't feel anything, and you're accusing me. Do you want me to actually give you something to feel?" I balled my fists.
"No, I don't want to feel something," he said quickly, gathering his hair in front of him as a shield, but I didn't miss the slight smirk on his lips. "You called me to save you, and I did. If you were going to take advantage of me, you could've waited till I was conscious."
These brothers always knew how to get under my skin. Even this one who had just awakened. He tapped the wall, and it gave way. My eyes widened.
"Should I leave first?" he asked, still taunting. I rushed to the exit but paused.
The exit looked like Haven's dark hallway. Had I been in a room within the dark hallway while crying for help and no one came?
Or did he just connect the exterior to the dark hallway the way Eidrin once connected his door outside Haven? I didn't know the extent of his abilities.
"I would leave first." I crawled out.
The darkness and cool breeze were a refreshing part of this Haven. It was endless, and different rooms and exits could be carved into it.
It deserved to be amongst the three wonders of our recent civilization.
I glanced at the Sixth as he calmly walked out. He stooped down and threw back the coins that spilled out of the wall when he broke it.
I hoped Grandus would return to see his wall broken and his riches spilling out, but the Sixth was a sweet younger brother. Unlike his son.
However, while he dramatically accused me, he said he was Sora. He had been a child the last time I saw him? And I called him to save me?
Eidrin did say Sora was the literal incarnate of the Sixth, but I hadn't taken it literally.
I assumed knights were incarnates as well. Ritch wasn't the spitting image of Ruby, so the Sixth and Sora might not be very different from each other.
"So what's your name?" I said, in case it was different.
"Do you still want to call me Sora?"
That made my heart heavy. I wanted to see Sora again. If the Sixth woke up, did that mean his son shouldn't exist anymore?
He paused what he was doing and turned to me. His eyes delved into mine as if he could read my thoughts. I looked away, folding my arms.
"I will call you Sylin. That's your name—and what I used during the ritual."
He calmly returned to what he was doing and sealed the walls. He rose slowly from the ground.
"I needed Sora to help me watch our youngest while I hibernated, but Lilin joined me in hibernation."
"Oh, I see." So Sora existed to watch his brother? Was he never his son? I exhaled.
The youngest must be a handful judging from how Eidrin spoke of him. My lips pressed together as I said again, "I understand."
That was how it worked here. Apart from the Princes, knights and incarnates were dispensable. My stomach churned painfully. Would I someday become dispensable?
No. Blood-Hounds were the only ones that gave them stability. There was none other than me. Wasn't that right, Sanya?
"Mistress," Sylin called.
I didn't turn. Was I displeased with him? I couldn't tell. "Sylin, I have to meet a knight. We'll talk later."
He made a choice with his own creation. It wasn't my place to decide who he brought into existence or what position to delegate to them.
They were powerful, if they could create beings with sentience and emotions. However, I shouldn't make myself feel differently about them. Sora was still an adorable and helpful boy during the time he existed.
"Oh, and thanks for saving me."
He didn't say a word, but I saw his shadow behind me. I wiped my eyes calmly and let out a breath.
Without knowing where to go, I walked ahead. The darkness and breeze would comfort me eventually.
The Haven wasn't truly silent, but in that moment, it felt gentler. Cool air brushed against my face as I reached the forest and headed for the tree connecting to my teleportation circle.
The tightness in my chest loosened with each step. I returned to my own place, wrapping my arms around myself. Tonight was really cool.
"Whoa…" I slowed and lifted my head.
The skies around my house. They were beautiful. I never noticed them before.
They weren't always there, and seemed to be something out of a magic festival where nobles made fireworks and patterns in the sky with mana.
I froze. My neck snapped to the side. I scanned the darkness and made out what looked like a carriage. It was too late for nobles to come for pastries.
My heart began to beat faster—not from fear, but because I had seen something. The silhouette of a figure standing far from the light. Watching me.
I blinked, and it was gone, though the carriage remained. "Are you lost, sir?" I moved toward it.
Yet as I walked forward, the back of my neck prickled. I wasn't alone. I reached the carriage and felt a presence inside it.
I couldn't see the carriage clearly enough to know what family it belonged to. But I knew with quiet certainty—whoever it was had been waiting for me.