3 Chapter 3

The carriage was moving in the forest and then small town and then the forest again. Even when the outside world was lively and cheerful, there was complete silence inside the carriage. The count and Edina didn't ask any questions to the little girl, not because they don't want to, but rather because they were out of words. And so, the carriage ride was in the tense and in dull silence.

While the victims were confused and tense. The accused, the little girl, who break their peace, was looking outside the carriage window and holding an emotionless face and was deep in her thoughts.

The carriage wheels were running on the road of a big town, which was becoming noisier and noisier. The carriage made a sudden stop. The count looked outside the window and the knight that came in his sight reported to him.

"My Lord, it looks like there is a jam ahead of us, in which three carriages are involved. But to rest assured, no one is hurt. The reason might be that that the street is not wide enough and make it hard to pass for them."

"Okay, handle the current situation as best as you could, after that give me a report of this town and I will think about it and will soon bring a permanent solution."

As the count order fall, the knight gave a light bow and walked away with his horse, tugging the reign with his hand.

"Is this town also come in Salmouth's fief?" Asked Edina.

"Yes, it does. So, it is my duty to be responsible for all problems that are being faced by our people," said the count with a smile.

The count takes a peek on his other daughter, and Edina followed his gaze and also looked at her little sister. The little girl was still spacing out, she didn't say anything nor made any type of moments like she wasn't aware of anything that was happening.

Count's eyes followed where the little girl was looking only to found a commoner girl more little than the little girl herself. The commoner girl's brown hair braided and she was wearing a blue dress which was hiding behind the package that she holds. The look was making it clear to understand that she was giving her all, to hold the package. But then she accidentally pushed by someone and she falls and, some of the apples that were in the package also fall on the ground.

The count showed a little sympathy on his face and looked at his daughter to only found that her expression was still the same, emotionless.

Normally, she would be shocked and become sad after seeing this, and would surely have asked the count, with tears in the corner of her eyes, to get outside of the carriage to help the girl with picking those apples. But she is not showing any signs. The count was confused to see her daughter being unlike herself, but he did not say anything.

The carriage starts moving again and silence fall in the carriage once again.

***

The ride was not so long, because Count Salmouth's fief is next to the capital and there is no mountain between them too, and so, they come to there destination in the near evening. The sky was still blue since there was still some time left before sunset. The four carriages including the carriage in which the count and his family were in entered into a large mansion, made with white marbles.

The count get off the carriage first and followed him was Edina who get off with the help of a knight, and following her, the little girl also gets off with the same knight help. The maids and servants were all lined up in both side, and they all bowed at once and greeted the owner of the mansion. In front of the mansion, a butler and a head maid also bowed and greeted them.

"I, Welcome you, My Lord, the owner of Salmouth's fief, Count Salmouth with all sincerity," the butler said and bowed and following him, the head maid made a bow too. With the count permission, they all raised their heads.

They all went inside the mansion building which was three-story-tall, and the count sits on the sofa in the living room. Edina and the little girl also followed and sat on the opposite sofa. The count looked at the little girl who was showing more emotions than before, she was looking here and there in the room with a small smile on her face.

The count relieved at seeing her daughter doing what she normally does and a small smile appeared on his face. 'She must be curious since it is her first time being here. Whenever she visits new places, she looks here and there with her sparkly eyes. Wearing your emotion on your face is bad in Nobel's society, but I don't care, if she is enjoying herself then everything is alright,' the count thought with a smile.

On the other hand, the little girl eyes were sparkly. There were so many things which were alive. She wanted to talk to them, to know about them and this place, but she couldn't talk to them now, Edina and Count, both were there with her, and if she started talking to them in front of Edina and Count, then Count would sure be angry and Edina might also yell at her.

She looked around the room and her gaze stopped at a plate, the plate was beautiful and had a painting paint on it. As the little girl gaze made her stop at the plate, the plate started to change, a pair of eyes with eyelashes and a small mouth was drawn on it. The plate looked at the little girl and then closed its eyes.

The little girl eyes were all sparkly. Then suddenly the doors open, and maids enter the room with tea and refreshments and placed it on the table.

'Complete'

A faint voice echoed, but the only one who reacts was the little girl. 'I am sure that I heard 'Complete', but dad, Edina and everyone is not reacting at all. Hmm, maybe, things are talking among themselves.' The little girl wondered. She even tries to listen to it once again but no voice comes, and the doors also closed.

Suddenly, a sound of snuffle echoed only to found that a small cup was sleeping soundly. The cup's eyes were closed, the holder part between those closed eyes was looked like a nose, and following down was its mouth which was making sleep noises. When the maid brew tea in the cup, the cup drowsy eyes opened but soon the cup closed its eyes again and fall into sleep once again. The cup was placed in front of the little girl.

'So cute~' The little girl thought.

The count took the tea that was brewed for him and drunk it. The butler slightly bowed and said.

"My Lord, you all must be exhausted due to the long trip, the rooms are ready for you. Would you like to take some rest before dinner?"

"No, I have some business and would have to leave soon. Arrange a carriage for my departure."

"Y-yes, My Lord."

The Butler hesitate but was in no place to ask or stop his master, so he bowed and leave the room to prepare a carriage.

"Where are you going, dad?" Edina asked due to pure curiosity.

"There is an urgent meeting suddenly arranged by the aristocratic party, the notice just came this morning."

"Is it because of the militia?"

"It can be, but we can't be sure. The meeting is in tomorrow morning, so might be able to come back tomorrow night or morrow morning. Until then if you need anything you can ask the head butler or the head maid," Count said, and gesture his hand toward the head maid.

"You can call me Mary, elder miss, young miss, if you have any problem then please tell me."

"Please take care of them, Mary," said the count.

"Yes, my Lord."

Mary gave a quick bow to the count. And looked at both girls with tender eyes and a cheerful smile.

"It's been a long time, Mary."

"E-elder miss, do you remember?"

"Yes, you took care of me, back then. How can I forget you?"

"I am honoured."

The little girl looked puzzled, and Edina replied.

"Before living in the capital city, we used to live here in our fief. It is before you were born. At that time, Mary was one who always took care of me, in other words, she was my nanny."

Edina answered to the little girl, on which the little girl gave a small smile and nodded.

"Back then, you always want to find that secret library. Those were really sweet days," said Mary while clapping her hands together, as remembering the past made her very happy.

"Secret... library?" The little girl asked.

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