Chapter 34 – What Is It To You (1)
It was unthinkable! Gris grit her teeth in disgust.
How could she kill others just in order for her to keep pretending that she was the real Yuliana? Gris took a long sigh, her eyes searched the room and she spotted Teer who was running around the place and she followed the puppy and scooped the little creature in her arms and begun scratching Teer’s head.
“From now on, I will be careful so I won’t kill anyone by mistake.” She whispered to it, and Teer licked on of her fingers as if comforting Gris’ heart.
Bellin who was with her in the room nodded as she believed Gris’s words. She carefully looked at her gloomy facial expression and said in a rather dispirited tone.
“My Lady, I’m so sorry. I should have not told you that. I’m sorry for causing you greif.”
Gris was rather grateful to Bellin for giving her good information. However, she couldn’t was away her feelings of anxiousness that sooner or later her true identity will be discovered by Vianut because of Teer.
“No…I’m okay. I just thought of something and I was distracted. It is not your fault.”
She smiled to show Bellin that it was information that did not matter much to her, but her smile seemed more like a grimace and her face betrayed her by showing her troubled emotions. Bellin gloomily tucked her head and sighed.
That was how the events passed her by.
Bellin was lost in her own thoughts and was regretting her actions when she suddenly stirred as she remembered something.
“Would you like me to bring you to a quiet place where you can think comfortably in solitude? I think going to a place like that will make you feel better too.”
“A quiet place?” Gris eyed her in curiosity and Bellin nodded at her.
“There’s a place in the mansion where maids are prohibited to enter. Because if we accidentally damage the statues made of plaster casts, we will be severely punished.” Bellin told her and Gris set Teer down as she felt herself being lost in thought again.
If it was a quiet place, then the sound of footsteps will likely be heard, wouldn’t her presence there be easily felt? Is it better that she does not go? However, if it is a place that the maids cannot enter, it must be somewhere people do not frequent, where she be left alone. Perhaps it might be a good place to hide if in case she was revealed to be pretending?
Gris cautiously asked Bellin.
“Where is this place?”
Bellin cheered up as excitement resonated from Gris’s voice. She opened the door and scanned the hallway first to check if there is anybody loitering around in the hallways. When she determined that the hall was empty, she led Gris out of the room and the two of them carefully sneaked out of the room. While they were walking, Bellin stopped in her tracks and silently whispered to Gris.
“It’s a chamber where the statues of Byrenhag family are located. The plaster casts of the late King, Grandmother, and the previous prince are there.”
If it is a place where the plaster cast of the late King is located, it probably must be the reason why they have restricted the entry of the maids. They probably also designated a caretaker like a butler or a maid to guard the place and ensure the safety of those family heirlooms.
As they walked a little further, they soon approached the lobby. Bellin carefully scanned the surroundings before she stepped into the hallway, behind the lobby stairs.
The two majestic gates were visible at once. Bellin gently led her to the door and quietly stood by her side and whispered to her that she couldn’t go in together with her, Gris had to go in alone.
Gris hesitated for a momment and she felt her heart beating faster. After gathering her thoughts and mustering up her courage, she carefully opened the door and stepped inside.
She didn’t realized she had closed her eyes as she arrived in the room, afraid of making eye contact with one of the statues and thought those might contain the soul of the late King. But still, she just wanted to check the this hidden room of the mansion so she can asses herself if this nook would be useful to her in the instance that she must prepare to flee when an unfortunate event will arise. So Gris slowly opened her eyes to take a peek.
As she stepped further inside its cavity, Gris found herself inside a high-ceiling white room whose emptiness welcomed her. Because of the stained glass windows adorning the corner wall, the five cardinal colors of sunlight mysteriously scattered all over the place, spilling various colors on the floors.
The space was a double-layered structure, with plaster statues placed on the floor of the stairs. The size of the statues was based on the original size of an actual human body, making it a good hideaway incase someone were to enter the room, for gris figures it can hide her small frame. One can hide well in the back of the statues for days and not get caught, Gris thought in passing as she scanned the room some more.
Gris thought that she made a good decision checking this room out as potential hideaway as she walked around the space. Another positive thought transgressed in her mind. Unlike her room where the voices of the maids are easily heard, this room was very quiet.
Being inside this room made her feel as if she woke at dawn after a very long slumber, the air around her was rather still. Moreover, she cherished the tranquil scenery.
The stray thoughts that wandered in her mind were like impurities clouding her judgment. Her complicated feelings gradually subsided with the tranquil ambiance of the place, this room was rather soothing. She felt free here as if liberated from all the problems in the world.