[Ongoing]
"Why is being myself harder than anything?"
Qing Lin closed her eyes. A girl whose smile gave off the effulgence which seemed to light the diminished world around her. A girl who held such purity in a world surrounded by happiness. A girl...
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Chapter 31- Uneasy (1)
The next morning.
Esperanza gracefully raised the cup to her lips and sipped the warm tea. The essence of the fragrance of the tea calmed her heart, beating like a drum. Her fingers gripped tightly along the handle of the cup. The memories of last night, regarding her future and so-called destiny, raised her pulse with the anger that rose within her. She refused to be treated as her previous self.
Seems that you've learned to lose your temper pretty quickly.
"_Estrella?" Esperanza was about to lose hold of her cup but she managed to sustain it. She looked around up and saw a few sparkles of blue glimmers.
This is my primordial spirit. I can't always be in my physical form, you see.
Esperanza nodded her head. With hesitation, she asked, "Estrella, what is it that I have to do next?" She hated being helpless, being entirely dependent on someone. She wanted to stand on her own two feet, unfortunately, those feet of hers are too fragile that she falls off the moment she tries.
Don't be disappointed, you're a person with amnesia, you don't know anything. It's natural for you to be dependent on me. I assure you, the longer you work with me, the more confident and independent you would become.
"Thanks." A small smile secretly formed on Esperanza's face. Those words were warm and comforting. "So, tell me what to do next." She asked again.
Look, you already are aware of your social background. I'll tell you about your friend circle. You had three friends; one, the princess of the demon clan which I assume you already met, and two, Viscount Morto. You need not be wary of him, he's too naïve and loyal to scheme against you. And his foolishness makes him a pawn much easier to control, his skills are going to become useful. Third is Paix, and she is someone you need to be wary of. She may appear trustworthy, however, she has found a deep secret related to the duchy and might leak it out any time she is compelled to. The best is to keep her under your eye for now. Don't let her be out of your sight for a single moment.
"Okay." Esperanza nodded her head. "Ah, previously, I met a saintess. What about her?" Estrella didn't respond, making Esperanza feel confused. "Estrella?"
Don't trust anybody except me, remember that. In the noble society, you have to be wary of everybody. You must judge them very carefully. The slightest wrong judgment would lead to your downfall.
"Okay." Esperanza placed the teacup on the table beside her. She attempted to get into her wheelchair, however, her fragile body gave up and she fell to her knees from the bed. She groaned in pain and attempted to sit up, but was unable to do so. Servants rushed in and helped her to get into the wheelchair. Esperanza rubbed her knees. A young girl with chocolatey brown hair and brown eyes applied the ointment on her knees. The young girl's hands were frigid cold.
"Identify yourself," Esperanza ordered. The young girl paused applying and looked up at Esperanza with a smile that sent Esperanza shivers down her spine.
"This servant's name is Avyana Laine, and this servant has been serving my lady for the past seven years." She smiled and continued to apply the ointment. The name was familiar, but she couldn't get from where she knew it. She assumed it as a mere fleeting feeling and hummed.
"Why are your hands so cold?" Esperanza asked with curiosity.
"My lady, a person's hands can never be warm throughout the labor of a servant. Even without the labor, sooner or later, the hands turn cold once the body is dead." Avyana said as she continued to apply the ointment. She closed the lid and looked at Esperanza with a smile and said, "Has my lady ever experienced that? Perhaps not, assuming your oblivious look upon that fact." Another shiver. The girl's words were unperceivable and perplexing. Esperanza felt uneasy around her.
"Leave." She ordered and turned around her wheelchair. Avyana merely smiled and bowed.
"May the blessings of Ilamas fall upon my lady?" She left with the words of courtesy. Esperanza's body trembled. She wanted to stop trembling, but she couldn't. It was her body's subconscious reaction. The strangest thing was, up till now she never found any person familiar, not even her reflection. But, the girl was familiar. She understood that she knew her the moment she saw her. That wouldn't have been unusual, by the fact that the girl was by her side for the past seven years. Yet, she couldn't get off the uneasy feeling circulating in her heart.
"Estrella?" She called out, but the room was silent. "Estrella, Estrella, where are you?" Silence. "Estrella!" She repeatedly called out her name to no avail.
There was no response in the huge desolate room.
A/N: Kindly check out the characters chapter, I've posted a picture there.
