As I entered the room, a chill settled in the air, every gaze felt as icy as though I were a parasite invading their space. Accompanied by my servant, I was in a long, spacious room with a table that could seat twenty. Peter guided me towards the top seat where a man sat, leaving a spot on his left. Gesturing to Peter, the man indicated for me to join him at the top, and Peter promptly obeyed. As I scanned the room, it seemed almost unused, impeccably clean with freshly arranged delicate flowers.
Then, abruptly, my chair halted, bringing me to the table. "Morning, my flower," greeted Yumisawa, his smile masking indifference as he turned to me. Before I could respond, four children barged in - two darting in excitedly and two trailing behind.
"Dad! Is it true that my sister will join us for breakfast?" A young girl, clutching a small bunny toy, rushed toward me, seemingly unaware of my presence, typical of the shy Mei. "Yes, if that's alright with you," I replied with a smile as she settled beside me.
"ARGH!" Mei screamed suddenly, prompting a chuckle from both the king and me. Her embarrassment painted her face red, and I comforted her with a pat on the head. "It's okay, you didn’t see me. It's okay," she stammered. Meanwhile, the boy behind her bowed to me, and I reciprocated with a smile.
Soon, the older children entered and sat across from me, greeting me more aloof than brotherly. Uncomfortable, I glanced back, finding solace in Peter's presence.
Returning to the table, their cold stares bore into me, forcing my head down in fear. Yumisawa broke the tension, directing his attention to Mei, and inquiring about her well-being.
"No discomfort. I was thinking of a walk in the garden after breakfast," Mei said, sparking an odd reaction. The room fell silent, the king's face drained of color, and my brothers wore unsettling smiles.
"Why do you want to go out? To jump off something again?" Yumisawa's voice dripped with anger directed at me, leaving me bewildered.
A knight stepped forward, seeking permission to speak, proposing to accompany Mei in the garden, ensuring her safety and avoiding elevated areas. Yumisawa, taken aback, finally relented, instructing me and my servant to join him and Isaac in his office after breakfast.
I nodded in agreement and resumed my meal.
The weight of Yumisawa's anger lingered in the air, casting a pall over the breakfast table. My brothers' smirks hinted at a shared knowledge, an inside joke that excluded me. Beside me, my sister who I have yet to learn the name of seemed apologetic and hesitant, her gaze darting between her father and me. As the meal progressed, the tension refused to dissipate. Yumisawa's stern expressions and occasional glasses made it hard to swallow a single morsel without a knot forming in my stomach. Then the knight who had volunteered to accompany me, went back behind the king while maintaining a respectful silence, casting occasional looks toward the king, gauging his mood.
Eventually, breakfast drew to a close, marked by a heavy silence broken only by the clinking of utensils against plates. Yumisawa rose first, his demeanor rigid, and motioned for me and my servant to follow him to his office.
Isaac, a stoic figure with an unreadable expression, fell in step behind us as we traversed the corridors, the air charged with an unspoken tension. Each step felt heavier than the last, weighed down by the unknown reasons for Yumisawa's anger. The only sound there was my wheelchair squeaking now and then until we reached his office, there were two big brown doors with golden touch handles. Two knights beside the door opened the door for the king and waited for us to enter the room before closing the doors.
Upon entering his office, Yumisawa gestured for us to take seats, his gaze fixed and intense. "Explain," he demanded, his tone brooking no argument.
Confusion washed over me. "Explain, Your Highness?" I ventured cautiously.
"Why would you bring up the garden?" His voice, though controlled, hinted at an underlying frustration.
"I merely mentioned a walk," I replied, bewildered by the situation's intensity.
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Yumisawa's expression softened marginally. "That garden holds... memories," he uttered, the words laden with an unspoken history. "Memories I'd rather not see repeated."
"I understand, Your Highness. I had no intention to cause distress," I offered, trying to ease the thick tension in the air.
Isaac, usually a silent observer, interjected. "Your Highness, if I may..." His voice was steady, his words measured. "Allow me to clarify the situation. The garden holds painful memories for Her Highness as well. Mei's previous... incident occurred there."
A solemn silence enveloped the room. Yumisawa's face softened, the anger replaced by a poignant sorrow. "I see," he murmured, a hint of regret seeping into his voice.
"I assure you, Your Highness, I meant no harm," I reiterated, hoping to dispel any doubts about my intentions.
Yumisawa nodded, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "Apologies for the misunderstanding," he said, a tinge of regret evident. "I'm protective of my children's safety."
"I understand completely, Your Highness," I replied with a brief smile, sensing empathy bridging the gap between us. However, I was puzzled about the reason for his anger regarding my outing. Despite my curiosity, I chose not to delve further into the matter. Instead, I bowed to him along with my servant and the unnamed knight accompanying us.
With the tension diffused and mutual understanding achieved, we concluded the discussion, exiting the office with a newfound sense of respect for one another.
As Peter and the knight escorted me toward my bedroom, the need for warmer, more comfortable attire for the outdoors became apparent. It was then that the knight chose to speak.
“My name is Alexander Demonte,” he replied, his expression chillingly cold as he bowed to me.
Upon reaching my bedroom door, he swiftly opened it, his demeanor remaining stoic. "Miss Mei, I'll see you in 5 minutes," he stated briskly. I couldn't help but shiver, feeling an icy aura emanating from his cold gaze as I glanced up at him.
I nodded in acknowledgment, allowing Peter to guide me to the nearby couch where I could comfortably sit and change. As we closed the door behind us, a sudden, audible sigh escaped from Peter's lips, startling me.
"Peter, are you okay? What's with that big sigh?" I inquired, my tone rising with concern.
His response trembled through the room. "I felt a chill as if Alexander—whomever he is—was looking down on us, particularly you. I could sense his gaze piercing through you like an arrow striking the heart. It made me feel weak," he admitted, his body trembling slightly with the impact of the sensation.
"It's okay," I whispered, drawing closer to him and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it together. We won't let anyone's gaze unsettle us." His vulnerability tugged at my heart, urging me to offer reassurance amidst the unnerving situation.
As I tried to calm Peter's nerves, I couldn't shake off the lingering unease caused by the intensity of Alexander's presence. It was as though an invisible force had descended upon us, leaving an unsettling aura in its wake.
After a few minutes, Peter took a deep breath and opened the door, guiding me out of the room. We were met with the sight of Alexander, his expression stone-cold, fixated on the door, and then on us.
He nodded his head to the left, signaling for us to proceed. Glancing at Peter for a moment, I turned my attention forward, and we began making our way towards the garden, or at least one of them, as Alexander had mentioned earlier.
As we navigated the estate, the tension lingered, and the air seemed thick with unspoken mysteries. I couldn't shake off the feeling that our every move was being observed, and the weight of Alexander's gaze continued to cast a shadow over our journey through the garden.