Chapter 97

“You’re saying it looked like human… except it’s eyes?” Aden tilted head slightly.

“Yes, it might be hard to understand but…” Ilyin said quietly and paused for a moment as if gathering her thoughts, “Maybe I saw it wrong as I woke up from the dream.”

“No, I believe you,” Aden said immediately.

How could I not believe you? Aden couldn’t help thinking as he brushed back the few stray hairs on Ilyin’s cheek.

“Even so, to believe something without evidence–” Ilyin shook her head.

“The only time I need evidence is when you’re trying to deceive me,” said Aden, “and you don’t have a reason to deceive me, do you?” Aden tapped on Ilyin’s forehead playfully as Ilyin laughed.

“Of course I won’t but you always believe me no matter what and I feel uneasy because what if I’m wrong,” Ilyin muttered as she avoided Aden’s softened gaze.

“It’s okay,” he smiled his gentle smile, “I believe in you so you should do the same.”

Aden’s longing kiss landed on her sharp nose.

“I don’t think I will be able to survive the endless winter here without you anymore. How about you, Ilyin?” Aden asked before leaving, his question barely a whisper. Ilyin ignored the butterflies in her stomach as she looked into his searching eyes.

“Me too.”

***

Master Aden de Biflten accompanied by Delrose knights left for Elo’s territory. As he had practically left almost as he came back, the people in the mansion were amazed at their master’s miraculous stamina.

“And I heard the Grand Master of Delrose can’t go this time?”

“Right.”

It was the maids from other families talking amongst themselves.

“I heard he got hurt on his way back with madam.”

“How?”

“He brought her back through the April storm.”

Mille’s maid’s eyes widened, “Oh my, from the warm region to here?”

“Did you not see when madam came back?”

“It wasn’t my shift…”

Ilyin couldn’t help feeling that the gossiping in the mansion was getting a little out of hand.

“How dare they in Delrose’s territory.”

They were at the fifth floor when Etra was about to interrupt the gossiping maids in displeasure. Ilyin lifted her hand to stop her. As Etra was about to protest, Ilyin quietly put a finger on her hand as an indication that they should listen a bit longer.

“Then what about the knights when we went together?”

“What about the master?”

The maids had heard that the Delrose Grand Master had stayed back to protect the mansion while the master took a few Delrose knights and staff and went to the warm region with madam. The maids shared the rumours they heard, trying to find out the truth.

“I heard the Grand Master went to escort madam.”

“Oh my, in this cold?”

The maid’s voice got very small, “That’s why he had a fever after. Master apparently was very angry.”

“Was that the reason why he was put on probation near the knight’s training ground?”

“Don’t know.”

How would they know of the Delrose’s affair? The Mille maids that were chatting slowly dispersed. Ilyin, after hearing everything, waved to Etra. It was a sign to head to the seventh floor.

“It seemed like there weren’t any strange rumours, thankfully.” Ilyin spoke as they arrived back to the seventh floor, a territory belonging completely to Delrose. Etra nodded shortly.

“Sir Adith is taking care of the rumours in the mansion,” she reported.

Ah. Of course, rumours spread like wildfire if not controlled. They must be nipped in the bud.

“Even so, the atmosphere is quite rowdy,” Ilyin commented.

“It’s probably to distract from the Elo situation,” Etra said thoughtfully.

Ilyin slowly nodded, “It seems like there are barely any Elo’s people in the mansion.”

Anyone could tell which house the people in the mansion belonged to through the color of their clothes and accessories. The sea of Yellow Elos, Green Milles and Blue North usually teeming around the mansion could not be found now. It was only Elo’s maids that were seen from time to time and even they looked preoccupied.

“Yes. I heard they all went back to the Elo stronghold,” Etra answered as she prepared tea for m Ilyin, whose body she noticed was a little cold.

As she brought out tea leaves, the Delrose maids put down a kettle with hot water in it near Ilyin. They were the maids that had accompanied her to the warm region. Usually, they would have disappeared after leaving the water, but they spoke after a little hesitation.

“The Elo stronghold is two places.”

“Yes. The place with the wall and the hidden one.”

Etra, who came back with tea leaves, gave them a cold glare for interrupting the conversation making the two maids shrink.

“Etra,” Ilyin said calmly.

Etra had once told Ilyin that she was worried that the Delrose maids would look down on Ilyin if she kept fraternizing with them but Ilyin, who used to live in the Viscount mansion, knew just by looking at their eyes that they held no ill intent and were only full of innocent curiosity.

“But madam–” Etra began but was cut off by Ilyin.

“That’s fine. Are you bored?” Ilyin asked the two maids with a gentle smile.

The two maids looked at each other at Ilyin’s words and quickly nodded. Ilyin took out chairs for them personally.

“Sit down and chat.”

She also took out a chair for Etra but Etra panicked and quickly moved to get it for herself, “I’ll do it, madam.”