Chapter 160 - Officially Ten Years Old! (Book III)

Episode 153 - Officially ten years old! (Book III)

It has been ten years since I've arrived in this world. -Cough-, arrive isn't the right term to use, let me start over.

It has been ten years since I began my new life and I can proudly announce that I am officially ten years old!! Please do not include my previous life's age... Thank you very much.

Anyway, many things have happened! A lot has happened… Um...

'Um...' A hand stopped writing.

Eugene's face was expressionless as she stared at the word 'Um.' If people were to see Eugene's intense aura right now, they would think she is very academic and eager to learn. But, unbeknownst to everyone, she was attempting to start a diary but was at a standstill.

On Aernest's tenth birthday, she gave him a blank book in the hopes that he would study well. Little did she know, he would turn that book into a diary instead! His diaries were filled with adventures and his day, which she found fascinating, and which inspired her to start a diary of her own!

Contrary to expectations, it was difficult. Very difficult.

Eugene slammed her book shut as she leaned back against the boulder that was supporting her from behind, Tsk.'

"How childish…" She didn't want to admit she wasn't good at keeping a diary, so she blamed it on the diary itself for being too childish. She was unwilling to admit it, okay!!

".... Eugeneia."

There was a sense of serenity when the smooth voice-like instrument called her name. The voice wasn't deep by any means but belonged to someone who has yet to enter youth. Without looking at this person's appearance, one wouldn't be able to tell if the person speaking was female or male. But Eugene knew exactly who he was.

She turned to the person with a raised brow, 'Your voice is cracking.'

It was Aernest.

Aernest didn't know what she was thinking, however began to diss her, "You can't blame it on your not-so-creative-mind, sister."

The moment he said that Eugene's eyes rolled immediately in sarcasm.

Aernest, on the other hand, gave her a charming smile before approaching her and sitting beside her. The two sat there watching as a massive amount of water cascaded down, surrounded by visible smoke. This 'Killer view' was discovered around 7 years ago, with Aernest joining her to mark this place as partially his later.

They've been pretty much stuck with each other for the past few years. Aernest isn't as annoying as he used to be, and he's been catering to her wants and needs. For example, if she came to this 'secret' location, it means she wasn't in the mood to joke around and would prefer if they sat there in silence while watching the waterfall.

Eugene has also catered to Aernest's wants and needs. His needs are for her to be open to him and talk to him about anything, and his wants are for Eugene to bring him along wherever she goes so that he is a part of her life. This can be a difficult request at times, however, she did try her best to include him whenever she does anything. It wasn't anything extravagant, but rather the small things they do to show that they respect each other.

After an hour of silence, Aernest began to speak.

"... She is getting old." There was a hint of solemn tone in his voice as he spoke.

Eugene gave Aernest a look, "She?"

Aernest gave her a small smile when he saw that Eugene seemed to look as if she had no clue who he was talking about. "Grandmother... She is getting old."

Eugene blinked, "Oh." She looked at Aernest for a good second before turning away.

Ever since she turned three, this grandmother of hers has been visiting them regularly. She would visit them during her birthday and leave a couple of weeks later. And, as usual, her grandmother would reach out her hands to Eugene, who neither gave her a cold or hot reaction.

She tried to be open to her grandmother, but in the end, she was an awkward person who wasn't very open to her parents either, so the 'close' relationship didn't work out. That being said, she has long since overcome her mental barrier towards Moniqua's mother, her grandmother of this life, and she can proudly say that she has sincerely apologized to her regarding the incident on her third birthday a few years ago. She had long since matured mentally and no longer associated her former grandmother with her current grandmother.

And as a 35-year-old! -COUGH- NO! A ten-year-old! -COUGH!- She was old enough to know better than to act immaturely!

Anyway, back to this grandmother of hers. Eugene pondered upon Aernest's words and hummed, "She is… getting older."

Every year, a new blemish and wrinkle line appeared on her face. Every time she came, her hair would develop a new streak of white hair, and by the time she returned last week, her entire head was completely white. Eugene had not thought much of it last week, but thinking about it again, their grandmother was getting old.

She turned to Aernest who was frowning and followed his line of sight. The beautiful sunny sky was replaced by a dark and cloudy sky within a matter of 1 minute which was… shocking. She was so preoccupied that she didn't notice Aernest's expression darkening by the minute.

Aernest clenched and unclenched his fist. He tried his best not to show his anxiety on his face however it proved to be rather difficult. He didn't know where this feeling came from. The void feeling he felt in his heart came to him so suddenly, that he didn't know why or what the feeling was about. All over his body, he felt icky and sticky. As if something would go terribly wrong even though it was his sister's birthday today.

It was later that afternoon when he would come to find out why he has been feeling unsettled all day. Why he had felt anxious all day.

His body was completely frozen. Nausea crept up his stomach and his face and hands curled up in horror. Through his dilated pupils, a young girl with grey hair and grey eyes can be seen standing by the window of the fourth floor. Her face was completely cold, rid of any emotions, as she gazed below until a loud crash could be heard. After staring enough, she turned and walked away nonchalantly, not knowing that two people had seen her.

One witness only saw the aftermath, but Aernest has seen the entire ordeal.

The festive atmosphere around the house of Veria was replaced by solemnity. The colorful decorations around the house were replaced by white and black. That afternoon, a person fell to their death. This person was known to her friends as Ying An and was known to the people in the house of Veria as the children's grandmother.

No one had any time to react. An auspicious day had suddenly turned into a day of sorrow. The workers of the house of Veria mourned for the death of Moniqua's mother and remained silent for the rest of the day. The only time one of the workers spoke was when they had to recount what they had witnessed to the Duke of Veria. The workers prayed for the children's grandmother's end of her chapter and prepared the necessities to return her to the soil.

.

.

In Levis's study room, Eugene, Euria, and Aernest stood still as they faced Levis. Moniqua alone was sitting on the couch, with her face lowered down. The only thing audible in this room was the sound of the clock ticking slowly as not even a single intake or exhale of oxygen could be heard. This sound added to the room's intense atmosphere.

The room felt as if it had been filled to the brim with water. And in this water, everyone was drowning. There was no place to escape to and they could do nothing but try to adjust to this uncomfortable and oppressive atmosphere. But of course, it wasn't as if no one expected the atmosphere in this room to be festive, especially considering what had happened in this estate mere hours ago.

Moniqua had just lost her mother. And as if the situation could get any worse, it was through one of her daughter's hands.

According to the worker's witness, Eugene was the one who pushed Moniqua's mother down the window. She described seeing a young girl with grey hair, grey eyes, and 3 moles under her right eye. In this world, there was only one person with such an appearance unique to only the Veria family, Eugeneia Veria. And this fact was the reason why the atmosphere in the room was heavy.

Eugene's eyes had been kept at the desk until Moniqua shifted. Unconsciously, her eyes shifted to Moniqua. Eugene tried to look the other way however found herself unable to. There was nothing but exhaustion on Moniqua's face. Moniqua didn't cry, however, her eyes were completely bloodshot. After a while, Eugene moved her gaze away, her fist that was hidden inside her jacket clenched tightly as she tried to get rid of whatever feeling was creeping up inside her.

It was an awful feeling and something hard to witness. Though it was selfish, Eugene would rather Moniqua blamed her, than keep quiet. But there was not a single word spoken. Not a single word of 'Why did you do that?', 'How could you do that?'. This feeling was shared by Euria and Aernest who would also rather Moniqua and Levis be angry than staying quiet.

The children were able to breathe again the moment they walked out of the room, albeit only slightly as there wasn't much of a difference between the atmosphere in Levis' study room and the atmosphere in the mansion.