Episode 115 - Cracked Dreams ‘Euria’s Disappearance’
Last Chapter: Musician Hal gone from Eugene's and Euria's room. Eugene cheer Euria up from her bad mood. 20 unknown children massacred.
Day 4…
Birds sing for the happiness of the living.
Eugene could hear the subtle melody of birds harmonizing from inside her consciousness and began to stir awake. Yet, the softness of the mattress underneath her along with the softness of the quilt was tempting her to go back to bed. The room was quiet, rid of any sound, in turn, giving Eugene a sense of peace for the first time in 4 days. With that, Eugene dozed off and headed to a day-dream land.
As the sun reached its peak, the heat hitting the palace slightly became uncomfortable, eventually stirring Eugene awake. Her thoughts were as slow as a turtle as she stared at the ceiling before her.
‘How long has it been since I’ve slept this well?’ She couldn’t help but wonder. It was then that she heard strings playing in the background. It was tempting her and inviting her back to dreamland again, but she knew that she shouldn’t be sleeping any longer. People were already playing instruments, which meant it was already late in the day.
She got up at that point and went through her daily stretching routine. She felt as if she was missing something during her stretch but she chose to ignore the feeling because she woke up feeling refreshed today.
No matter what, she must keep the positivity going! Even if it’s just today!
Knock. Knock.
Eugene instinctively turns her head towards the source of the noise. She rubbed her eyes for a second before answering the person standing behind the door. "You may enter."
Eugene walked to the end of her bed and climbed on it to sit.
The door opened, and Aedelak entered, carrying a water basin. Eugene needed the water to wash her face and complete her morning routine, so she waited for Aedelak to approach.
“Good morning, Eldest Miss,” Aedelak greeted, “Did Young Miss get a good night's sleep?” she set the basin next to Eugene and held a soft cloth up.
“Hn,” Eugene nodded and took the soft cloth from Aedelak's hands. She dipped the cloth in water and wiped her face gently.
Aedelak took a dry cloth and waited for Eugene wiping down her face before handing her the dry cloth.
“Did the heat cause Miss to wake up?”
Eugene wiped her face dry and picked her toothbrush up. “Hn.”
The suspicion that she had missed something or that something was out of place grew stronger as she brushed her teeth. She turned to Aedelak after rinsing and wiping her mouth clean and told her what she thought but...
“What did you lose Eldest Miss? I’ll look for it!”
Aedelak’s ‘missing’ and her ‘missing’ were of different interpretations. Eugene felt at a loss when Aedelak’s wide eyes were already examining and inspecting the entire room.
“No.. Not a thing!” Eugene shook her hands in front of Aedelak to get her attention.
“I feel like I forgot something, or forgot to do something…” her voice slow and uncertain.
Aedelak pressed her lips together and began to ponder. As she glanced around the room, a realization came to her! “Oh, Miss! I believe I know!”
Eugene nodded and gulped, “What? What is it?”
‘What is it that I forgot?’ she stared at Aedelak in anticipation!
“Eldest Miss! It is Youngest Miss that you miss! It is Youngest Miss that you forgot about!” Aedelak answered with a smile!
“...” Eugene blanked out.
She felt as though she had been struck in her head. It wasn't that Aedela was wrong; rather, she hit the mark! The twit totally slipped from her mind! The racket that comes when she wakes up didn't occur today!
Eugene turned around only to discover that the bed was empty. No Euria!
“.....” She blinked and turned back.
Noticing Eugene’s odd reaction, Aedelak tilted her head, “Am I wrong, Miss?”
Eugene shook her head and sunk into the soft bed behind her.
With her left arm drooping over her face, she asked, “And? Where is she?”
She began to realize something was wrong now that she identified what was missing. In her 3 years of being roommates with Euria, Euria was never the first one to leave the bed! Never! Not even once!
“I… don’t know, Miss,” Aeselak shook her head. She was in charge of Eugene, and Aeselak was in charge of Euria. As a result, she didn’t know where Euria had gone.
Eugene raised a brow, “And Aeselak?”
“Aeselak went to Duke Marleigh and has yet to return.” Aedelak lowered her head slightly and added, “It is possible that Young Miss went with Aeselak.”
Eugene gave a low ‘oh’ and nodded, “She must be there then!” Eugene got down from the bed and proceeded to change out of her nightclothes and into her training clothes.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
As she walked out of her room, she saw Louis leaving his room as well.
“.....”
Eugene was walking in the direction of Louis, intending to pass him, when her etiquette tutor popped up from nowhere in her brain!
‘Always! Always greet your elders!’ her voice echoed in Eugene’s mind.
“.....” Eugene's eyes formed a straight line.
As her body passed Louis, Eugene muttered, “Good morning,” reluctantly and passed him without looking at him or waiting for his reply.
Aedelak following Eugene only bowed before she rushed to Eugene’s side.
“.....” (Louis)
“....” (Ron who was behind Louis)
Before reaching a set of stairs, Eugene walked past beautifully carved pillars and statues supporting antique vases. As she walked up, she ran into Aeselak who was walking down dejectedly and seemingly oblivious to the fact that Aedelak and herself were right in front of her.
Aedelak was first and called out with a stern voice, “Aeselak!” ‘
‘What is she doing, wandering and wondering about without looking at where she’s going! Does she want to fall down these high sets of stairs?!’ she complained in her heart whilst feeling slightly fearful.
Aeselak jerked alert and looked down!
“Eldest Miss! Sister!” she quickly stepped to the side and greeted them!
“Hn” Eugene nodded. She was about to ask about Euria when Aeselak's expression changed into one of depression. Her look very much resembles one of an abandoned puppy which made Eugene raise a brow.
Noticing the expression as well, Aedelak furrowed her brow, “What’s wrong?”
Aeselak stared at her sister with her lips pouted and sighed, “That... That is..”
She grabbed her hair in despair and exclaimed, “Young Miss is gone!” Her voice was full of sadness as she avoided all eye contact with Eugene and Aedelak.
Aedelak’s heart jumped, ‘Gone?!’
Before she could react, a small figure flew past her and Aeselak!
“Miss!” Aedelak raised her voice in alarm!
Without looking at Aeselak, Aedelak quickly ran up to follow after Eugene.
“Wait, Miss!”
Aeselak raised her head and stared at the space rid of any figures before her eyes widened in shock! ‘No! That’s not it! I wasn’t finished!’
However, it was too late. Eugene and Aeselak were long gone; the only thing left of them were sounds of footsteps rushing upstairs...
“Ahh” Aeselak pulled on her hair as she attempted to ‘run’ upstairs!
“Miss!!! Sister!!”
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Eugene felt a feeling of anxiousness and helplessness creeping up her chest.
The odd feeling of something missing this morning. Waking up and not seeing Euria. Euria leaving without letting her know. These things were odd but not as weird as Euria not being with Aeselak! Aeselak’s expression when she said that Euria was missing was alarming! And before she realized it herself, she was already running up with all her strength!
She could hear Aedelak’s shouts telling her not to run, but her body couldn’t stop. It just couldn’t stop!
Many alarming thoughts flashed through her mind with every step she took. ‘She said she didn’t like the Palace so did she run away secretly? But that’s impossible! She would have dragged me with her! Wait… Was she kidnapped?!” Eugene’s eyes widened at her last thought.
‘Damn it!!’
Without knocking on the door, Eugene rudely pushed the door open, her eyes roaming around the room for a figure quickly. Once her eyes caught sight of Duke Marleigh who, too, met her eyes, she immediately dashed towards him.
Bang!
Eugene slammed her palms onto the coffee table whilst her eyes stared straight into Duke Marleigh’s.
“Euria is missing?!” she questioned!
However, her heart erupted with annoyance when noticed how calm Duke Marleigh appeared. ‘What’s wrong with him! Euria is missing and he’s calm?!’
Her forehead twitched and scrunched up in anger as her palms clenched tight.
Still, Duke Marleigh remained quiet.
“Young Miss!!” Aedelak arrived and paused by Duke Marleigh’s door to catch up on her breath. It wasn’t until her 2nd deep breath when realized that Eugene was glaring at Duke Marleigh, looking as if she was ready to fight him.
Aedelak immediately rushed up behind Eugene and bowed down, “I’m so sorry Duke Marleigh!” She apologized as she pulled onto Eugene’s jacket.
Eugene remained unmoved. Aedelak didn’t give up and repeatedly tugged on Eugene's jacket.
“......”
Forcing anger down her throat, she backed off and lowered her head.
“My apologies. I’ve lost myself momentarily.”
Duke Marleigh shook his head and moved his cup of tea up to his mouth, “No worries. The same thing happened just now.” With Aeselak that is...
Seeing him calmly drink his tea, Eugene’s controlled anger started rushing back up. ‘What’s wrong with him?!’ her eyebrows twitched uncontrollably.
Aedelak listened to Duke Marleigh’s words carefully and immediately understood what he meant by ‘the same thing happened just now. The person who visited before Eugene and herself was her sister! If the same thing happened just now, that meant that Aeselak was without manners in front of the Duke!
“My.. My deepest apologies Duke!” She apologized in her sister’s stead and bowed again!
‘Aeselak!!!!’ she screamed in her head, wanting to grab her sister and make her kneel in front of the Duke!
Duke Marleigh shook his head again. “It’s alright.”
Seeing Aedelak’s fluctuating expressions, Duke Marleigh raised his eyebrow in surprise! ‘So she isn’t aware that Aeselak frequently loses her temper when studying with me....’ he thought as he sipped on his tea. He didn’t mind Aeselak’s behavior just now because he was used to it.
‘Well it’s not surprising that she doesn’t know.’ he shrugged. Humans display different tempers when they are with different people or when they are emotionally pushed.
Aeselak’s frustrations and temper unlock when her limits are tested. Take strategy, history, and losing a game of chess for example. When she’s pushed, things like etiquette will be forgotten. Status will be forgotten. Not that he minded anyway.
The same goes for Euria. However, unlike Aeselak whose personality becomes an angry cat when she's pushed to her limits, Euria becomes very serious and dedicated. The two aren’t always happy, and different circumstances will break their happy shell.
Aedelak lowered her head guiltily. She wanted nothing more than to beat some sense into her sister right now!
Duke Marleigh was too kind! If this happened to another Duke or even a Barron, Aeselak’s head would have flown off already! A commoner losing her temper at a noble?! What barbaric behavior was that?
“....”
Eugene’s eyebrows frowned when she realized that the man in front of her wasn’t going to address the most important issue! Euria!
“Duke,” she called out with a low voice.
Duke Marleigh's eyes met Eugene’s and he sighed deeply. He wasn’t a person who likes to repeat himself. But seeing that Eugene wasn’t going to give up, he decided to give in.
“Euria is safe. She’s not missing.”
Eugene’s mouth that was about to open, closed. “.....” What?
The room turned silent.
Aedelak tugged on Eugene quietly.
Seeing Eugene’s and Aedelak’s baffled expressions, Duke Marleigh sighed, ‘What am I going to do with this pupil of mine… What did she say to make them this panicked?’
Hence, he broke the silence and corrected his pupil’s error, “Euria is not missing. What Aeselak meant was that Euria has gone on an adventure.”
Eugene’s mouth gaped open, ‘Wha- What? Where is the ‘adventure’ in ‘missing’? Since when did missing imply that someone was on an adventure? And wha.. what adventure?’
Duke Marleigh continued, “Euria woke up early and went to play alone. She went on an ‘adventure’.
Eugene’s lips twitched speechlessly. All this worrying- Wait what? Alone?
“She went alone?! Without anyone??”
Just when she regretted worrying about that shameless ungrateful twit, her heart dropped again hearing that Euria was alone! Nothing is good about being alone here in the Royal Palace! Especially with the King’s excessive male drive, the Crown Prince’s situation, and the Nameless Musician’s situation!
Just because Promissum will unconditionally protect Euria doesn’t mean that she can go wandering off alone!
Duke Marleigh shook his head again before passing Eugene a note.
Upon reading the note, Eugene's hands began to tremble, “What... What’s this?” Her lips twitched as mixed emotions flooded her head.
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