5 Ice and Danger

[ Shelly's POV ]

I woke up in my bed. Shelly, what are you talking about, of course you would be in your bed, you just don't spawn around in random locations inside the mansion!

"The mansion huh? Was that a dream? I swear I saw maids and Aunt Yurara freely showing how she can leave this place." I whispered to myself. For some reason, it seems like the fire of hope within me is beginning to burn again, that there is a chance to leave this wretched place.

No. I thought to myself before closing my eyes, this mansion is not a wretched place, it's beautiful. What was wretched is my Aunt, herself.

I hurriedly jumped out of the bed, carefully opening the door as to not create any unnecessary noise. But to my dismay, I felt a painful tinge on my foot, or more specifically I have acquired a bruise on my ankle. I frowned and I tried to think as to what time could I have possibly obtained this bruise. "Right, when Aunt Yurara unleashed her fury and all of that." I sighed.

Still, this will not stop me from getting my answers!

"Coast is clear. Move Shelly." I whispered to myself as I leave my room and close the door the same way I opened it. My goal is to find those maids and beat the answers out of them!

Fifteen minutes of just walking on the long hallway leading to an indoor botanical garden felt like hours to me, because I needed to use the free time I have to search for answers, and to search for the mansion's servants. My swollen ankle was aching badly, but I plan to give myself medication after I find one of them. I promise myself that once I get at least a small hint about why they remain enigmatic, I will return and tend to this hell of a foot!

For some odd reason, none of them seems to appear in front of my eyes, are they intentionally trying to hide or is it because they were mad since I punched that Maid Lhea? Nonetheless, if I fail to locate them and my Aunt Yurara returns, I can always use the reason that I am simply strolling around the mansion, because I am bored. Easy peasy!

And so, I began entering the indoor forest owned by Aunt Yurara, there were various of plants, but of course that is to be expected given that it is a botanical garden after all. A bunch of chrysanthemums were what caught my eyes, there were lavender, pink and blue-hued chrysanthemums, and if only the sign that says, "Do not pluck the flowers," was just right beside it, I would have already taken one and made sure it will last for a week on a vase.

"It's beautiful right?" Came a feminine voice. "Chrysanthemums had been used for hundreds of years in medicine. People use it to treat respiratory problems, high blood pressure, and hyperthyroidism - hyperthyroidism occurs when your thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine." The voice added.

I jumped out of surprise, one because I saw Lhea sitting on top of a large lotus flower in the middle of a leg-deep pond for no reason and second was because of her knowledge about the flower I fancied. "Y-Yup! I swear it'd be nice to have it..." I uttered nervously. "And also whatever you said about hyper--ish, ish."

Tch, my foot just throbbed.

Lhea chuckled and gracefully hopped down the enormous lotus flower, landing on the lilypads - which were half a meter in size by the way. Come to think of it, why did I not realize that everything in this garden are plants larger than how it was normally depicted in books.

But then again, who am I to judge, those are written in books - drawings to be specific, and this is my first time seeing them all up-close. All huh? Once again, I am uncertain, who am I to say that what I've read in those hard bounds are all the plants that exist in this world.

"Shelly? Is there something wrong?" Questioned Lhea with her ever-so-sweet voice.

I flinched, thankful that her voice snapped me back to reality, if Lhea didn't, I swear I would probably be continuously deeply pondering about all sorts of things about plant life, "Nothing, nothing's wrong." I paused, "but... I was... I was looking for you!"

"Then, that makes us the same. I was also searching for you Master Shelly." Lhea exclaimed, grabbing my hands only to entwine it with hers, her smile unfading.

Before I could even say something, this black-haired maid began pulling me deeper into the botanical garden. We jumped over large roots and ducks under thick branches. But the weirdest thing is the fact that we have been doing this for 10 minutes already, so I pulled my hand away from her, and panned my eyes around. "Where in the world are you taking me?" I questioned, feeling anxious about the situation.

She smiled at me. "You have to trust me. We don't have much time."

"No! I'm, I'm not coming with you. I already apologize for punching your face." Okay, that was a stupid remark Shelly. Still, I refuse to run deeper into the forest with her, this is dangerous. Not to mention, my foot is worsening every passing minute. Looking behind, I can't even remember the traces that signified that we came from a certain direction. Why would I trust this smiling maid?

"Watch out!" Yelled Lhea.

I looked at my right, only to see a rushing spike of ice headed towards my direction, I was stoned in place. I was trying to process what the actual heck is going on!

I gasped when Lhea suddenly scooped me like some damsel in distress, afterwards she jumps in the most inhumane way I have ever seen. Lhea was able to jump up onto a tree branch about five meters from the ground. "Ahhhhhhh! What is happening?!" I screamed out of fear.

Lhea smiled and signaled me to hush. I gulped. Then she pointed at the ice trails that caused the plants it had run onto became frozen into a shining glacial of rime.

"Hori."

"Hurry?" I echoed in askance.

That was the word that came out from Lhea's mouth, she said in a tone that implies danger or perhaps something that signifies that both of us should be wary, "Shelly, hold onto me, and tightly please."

"H-huh? Wha- we're not even friends, why would I get intimate with youuuuuu...." I was still complaining, but Lhea had already transferred to another tree branch to dodge another set of ice spikes. I'm already tearing up, and I hope I would not have to embarrassingly pee my shorts, just in case this situation could any get more intense. Not that I'm wishing for that to happen!

"Are you alright?" Lhea asked me and there was concern written all over her face, so I could not help myself but to answer.

"I'm okay. But, what is happening? Why are there special effects in this garden?" I asked this black-haired carrying me, with a frazzled facial expression.

Lhea sighed before giving me a serious expression this time, one that intimidated me, her face was much more intimidating compared to that other maid with long brown hair. "Those are real Master Shelly. Those are meant to kill." She explained.

I felt my body tremble after hearing those words, and I tried my best to laugh it away, only to be silenced when Lhea's facial expression did not change one bit. She's serious?! Then is there is some magical assassin that infiltrated the mansion?!

"I apologize Master Shelly, it seems like I'm rushing things but.... " my eyes widened when she placed me down, only to grab my waist and pull me closer to her.