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The mind will eternal fascinating thing. Scientists from the world over have near perfect understanding functions. The know what role each part of it plays. Even the very single chemical that run though it has a name to them. Even the malfunctions have names attached to them. Yet to say it’s perfectly understood is a laughable remark. One could have what science call a perfect mind yet be unable to overcome the impossible. Or You can even have the most of horrid and awful malfunctioned mind and be able to overcome the impossible. It’s something truly unpredictable and That’s why the mind will never be a boring thing.
Now I know my lion friend that I promised to tell you more of that story if you caught me on a day off. As long as your paying for the drinks I think my lips might loosen a bit. So I mention the mind because it plays a part in what is to be told. Remember how I left on the breakdown of the Master last time? Well not much happened after that. He continued to sob and cry for this Beatrice for what seemed like hours. I didn’t leave because I felt it would be a bad call to leave him alone. He really became incomprehensible after a while. I didn’t even try to make sense of what he was saying by then. By the fourth hour my feet were kicked up and I was staring off into space. Pondering various mundane things. Like how in the hell was I going to pawn off my Kuwadorian’s duties. Place always gave me the creeps.
When it sounded like he was finally calm down. I finally switched back into servant mode. He looked far from the grand lord I saw earlier. This might be a mean to say, but he looked like a dying dog. It was such pathetic sight. I didn’t really bother to put up formalities. I just made sure I was being gentle as I helped him off the ground. He was still a sobbing mess as I put his arm over my shoulder. I had to drag him as he clearly wasn’t doing alright. I will admit that I am not as strong as some goats, and it would likely be hell for me to carry him from the beach to the main mansion. But I still tracked forward hoping that I would come across someone to help me along the way. Unfortunately, no help came my way as I carried him though the path to the stairs and no one sure as shit didn’t help as I climbed those stairs. Yeah, I probably could have used my shadow magic to make my life easier. But throwing someone in mental darkness into literal darkness sounded kind of like a bad idea.
The once easily climbable stairs turned into a unique kind of suffering. I barely up the half way and yet my body was screaming from exhaustion. I looked over to the Master, who was looking a bit better then before, if still a hobbled mess. Maybe being in touch with reality helped him a bit. Well as much as being carried by goat-head man servant could be considered reality. This world of magic we call home is a strange one. Anyway as I was learning the true limits of my physical abilities. I noticed the poorly dyed green hair of a certain maid. It felt like an angel smiled at me. It was “Mimi” Fujimori. Oh you’ve meet her? Damn she gets around.
“Oh jeez what happened.” She said. You know how she is a bit of a airhead, petty, scared of the strangest things. She was quick to help. She took the Master’s other arm and suddenly the burden was lifted. I doubt I could make it to his room. But I thought with Mimi’s help I could at least make to the main mansion.
“A little, that somehow ended up being a lot.” I said. Mimi looked at me pitifully. I motioned my head towards the master. “I’d say he’s had it rougher than me.”
The master continued to mutter Beatrice somberly under his breath. Mimi had a look of concern on her face.
“How long has he been like this?” she asked.
“Couple of hours by this point.” I said. We finally reached the top of the stairs. “and know he has not made a lick of sense the whole time.”
Mimi stopped and looked to me.
“Did a woman who looked like Agatha show up?” she asked. I was a bit taken back. Just how did she known her. The madam was going by Beatrice these days or so Jonny told me.
“Wait you’ve meet her before?” I answered her question with one of own.
“Yeah, I sort of come across her at a cliff while I was working at Kuwadorian.” She started to get a bit nervous. “Kind like happened to you a little turned into a lot.”
I got quite. Not because I had nothing to say. More like I had too much to say. If Mimi had saw her then maybe I had a change to learn more. I looked back at her.
“Let’s talk about this after the master taken of.” I said. She nodded in agreement and we continue our track though the rose garden. it was oddly silent. Normally at any given they was someone around. Yet not a sound aside from our footsteps. Not even a servant blowing off work. but before I could process the ominise air around there. Someone fell from a hole in the sky right in front of us.
It was the ever eccentric friend of the master Gaap. He pointed at the master.
“So this is were you’ve been.” With a twisted of pointing hand into a snap. I felt the ground below me disappear. The three of us were send into a free fall. It was a strange sensation. It might have looked like I was jumping into a shadow. It felt like I was bring throw off a high tower. Scared me senseless with how dark everything was. I didn’t anything until Mimi I crashed into a couch in the master’s study. As we were piled together the fatigue finally started to get to me. More then anything I didn’t want to get up. But I didn’t have a choice. I slipped into the shadows and tumbled on to the floor. I was a bit disorientated. I imagined Mimi was too. A man approached us. It was Ronove, the head butler. He looked very apologetic.
“I am very sorry not only about Gaap’s behavior, but the master and madam’s as well.” He said. “Take the rest of the day and tomorrow off.”
He adjusted his monocle.
“When your break is over, report directly to me and Virgilia. It seems some assignment charges will be needed.”
I and Mimi nodded as we got up. The both of us limped out of the Master’s room. As the door slammed behind us Mimi asked.
“Can I get ride to the dorms?”
Despite how tried I felt I was planning on using my shadows to get to the underground dorms. As a bit of magic fatigue was nothing to me. Making the long walk to the dorms was the only bad part about it. And while transporting two people in my current state would drain me. The closer I looked at her, I noticed she was um in a way rougher state then me. I thought about it for a second and told her.
“Get me Dinner tonight then I will.”
With a second beat she asked.
“Instant curry fine?”
“Make mine extra spicey.”
We thumbed up in agreement. Before we could leave standing before us was Agatha and behind hiding meekly was the young miss. I realized I had forgotten my promise to her while I was dealing with the master breakdown. That and that she was really worried about her dad. Even though the master wasn’t always there. I’d say the times he was it was for his daughter. In face I can she might be one of the reason why he even tries to hold together at all. The two were quite close. And well it was obvious she was a bit worried. Her pops suddenly disappearing then reappearing with two servants in rough shape in tow. Might have gotten some ideas in her head. It probably didn’t help that me and Mimi were among her favorite servants. We felt a bit bad.
So, in a way to tell her we were totally fine aside from a little fatigue. Would be played a little trick on the young miss. Using my shadows, I gave the young miss a little bop on the head from behind her and when she looked. Mimi gave a light burst of snowflakes into her face. She looked over to us knowing full well what we did.
“We fine see?” I said. She didn’t look 100% convinced. “And your father is the very capable hands of Ronove and Virgilia.”
I got down her eye level.
“I’ve seen how your father is. He’ll be fine.”
She was still very much scared. But It felt like she would at least put trust into my words. To keep up the show. I snapped my fingers and a long shadow appeared over the stairs. I stood up and bowed to the young miss goodbye. Mimi did the same and she grabbed me by the shoulders as we jumped into the shadow. The young miss always loves seeing people use magic no matter how pointless. I hope it improved her mood if only a tiny bit.
Mimi and I tumbled out of the shadow on to the floor of the underground dorm. I should probably explain that a bit shouldn’t I. Well sometime before Lady Dorothy was born, the madam decided to turn the underground military base into servant living quarters. From what I gather it was made from paranoid. But It ended turning out to quite a nice place to live. While far from the grandness of the mansion upside. It was more like a well kept and maintained middle class apartment. The only downside is that you get a bit of pay cut by living there. But hey it has every facility you could ask in term of day-to-day life.
Anyway, as the two of us forced ourselves off the ground. We silently looked at each other. It was mutually understood that we that we would both go pass out and come together a bit later. I motion to where we would meet, and she implied her room. We were going to talk about some sensitive stuff and I believe her roommate was still off the island for another day. With that the two of us and we stumbled to our respected room. My mind was in a bit of haze thanks to the magic fatigue. So my already mess up sense of time just got worse. Found myself in my room before I knew it and I just passed out on my bed. Not even bothering to take off my butler uniform. By that point though it was already quite the mess.
As I snoozed I dream a rather oddly pleasant dream. I was at a beach watching over two kids playing. A red-haired boy and a blonde girl. Both donning a very familiar crest. The two of them seemed to be in they own little world. The joy the two were experiencing was rather infectious. I couldn’t help but smile at the two of them. I just continued to follow them as went all over the place. It seemed like they want to explore every corner of Rokkenjima. But at some point I lost them and I found myself in forest that while looked familiar felt alien to me. It had a haunting atmosphere that turned my blood cold. A creeping terror went up my spine I as looked out into the woods and noticed a figure in the shadows. Their face was unrecognizable it was a whirlwind of blood and muscle. It’s monstrous features where barely covered by its ratty blonde blood-stained hair. It was wearing what was once a glorious black dress now Ragged, torn and barely covering the pulsing mass of flesh underneath. It raised it’s barely kept together hand and despite having no face crack a wicked smile. Its voice was too clear too be of formless beast. Yet it was dripping in malice as it spoke.
“I finally found you!”
It wasted no time rushing towards me. I was frozen in place unable to escape. It grabbed my head with it’s shambled hands. The sounds of creaking bones and oozing of blood rang in my ear. Up close that impossible smile looked eve more unreal. It giggled in a joyful tone. Like It was some kind of school girl in love.
“Oooooh I have such a wonderful surprise for your birthday.” it cackled as it tapped my nose. “Be patience my beloved we going to have great time. You, Me, Our daughters.”
It cackled again.
“And yes Erika can came too.”
I suddenly woke up. I was on the floor. My roommate Evan looked at me strange. He is a goat like myself expect he works in the kitchen. Makes a killer tart if I do so myself.
“Rough shift today?” He asked.
“It’s been a rough day.” I got up from the floor. I was swore all over all. Both physically and spirituality. I was totally out of commission in terms of magic use. After a big stretch, I finally started to take off my uniform. Evan looked at me inquisitory.
“Was bossman that bad?” he asked. Right, I thought. the word I was with the master as he broke down likely had gotten around by now.
“Not really, he left me confused more than anything.” I neatly put away every piece of my uniform. “The worst part was carrying him from the coastline to the rose garden.”
Evan laughed at me.
“How much of weakling are you man?” he said. I just grumbled as I put sweatpants. I should mention that goats usually must have strength to them. A kind that could make short work of any kind manual labor. and well I am more a magic focused model you could say.
I let out a defeated sign as I put on a sweatshirt. I looked towards a clock. It was a bit late side. But me and Mimi agreed to a dinner. And knowing her, she was already making the curry.
I let out a defeated sign as I put on a sweatshirt. I looked towards a clock. It was a bit late side. But me and Mimi agreed to a talk. And knowing her, she was already making the curry. So I started to head out.
“Wow tough day and you still have plans?”
“I got day off thanks to it.” I said as I left the door. He muttered lucky bastard under his breath.
The hallways of the dorms had they usual chatter around that time. Some making plans on their day off, others talking about how they shifts went and of course, gossip. I wasn’t blinded to the eyes on me. I likely was a hot topic. A new goat favored by the young miss stumbling across the master breaking down and carrying back to the main mansion. Everyone thought they had to be a juicy story. And they were right. But it barely involved me. I was just the poor sod that tripped his way into it.
The chattered continued as I pretended to not hear people talk about me. Mimi lived on the same floor as me so getting to her room didn’t really take all that. All that gossiping made me think of the coming headaches I’ll get from them later. A price for being a gossiping goose myself, I guess.
I knocked on Mimi’s door.
“Who is it.” She asked.
“It’s Cedrick.” I ended up yawning. The not-so-great sleep didn’t really help me feel rested.
“Door’s unlocked.”
The moment I opened the door a powerful curry scent hit my nose. As soon as I investigated her room, I could see two plates of curry. Both seemed to have a strong aura to them. I closed the door behind me as I entered.
I took a seat across from Mimi’s. she placed some drinks and the curry on the dainty little table. My curry looked like a volcano took a dump on the plate. It’s perfect I thought. But as much as I would love to dig right. The two of us were meeting for other reasons.
The two of us looked at each other. We were about to talk something that was extremely sensitive stuff. I wasn’t sure how to start. I most have looked like a deer in headlights. Mimi had a concerned look on her face
“She isn’t going to like me telling you this.” She paused. “But you’ve already been dragged into this mess by a certain someone.”
“Wait who?” I was puzzled.
“Beatrice, the Endless Golden Witch. That’s who.”
Now she would go on to…… What is it now? Hold on I’ll be right back.