The shadows of the midnight bank

*Author pov*

Eveline blinked her eyes, struggling to adjust to the morning light. She sat up abruptly in her bed. There, at the edge of her bed, sat Saerom, wearing a mischievous grin.

"Finally awake, sleepyhead?" 

Saerom teased, her voice lilting with mirth.

Eveline rubbed the sleep from her eyes, her mind still tangled in dream threads. 

"Did you wait for me to wake up?"

She asked, in her tired voice. 

Saerom's laughter, bright and clear, filled the room as she scooted closer.

Her expression sobered, her eyes darting side to side as though the walls themselves might be eavesdropped.

"Don't you remember what happened yesterday?"

She asked. Eveline's mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of her memories: Claire entering the office, the tea, an indirect kiss. Suddenly, Eveline sat up straight. 

"Wait, how did I end up here in the dorm, in my bed?"

 she blurted out.

Saerom's grin widened at each word Eveline uttered, but she tried to suppress it. Her amusement.

You did something quite bad, Eveline," 

She said, barely containing her smirk.

Eveline's pulse quickened, her hands reaching out to clasp Saerom's

"Tell me, please," 

she pleaded.

"The last thing I remember was offering Duke Akai tea in his office." 

Eveline hoped. She hadn't embarrassed herself in front of Duke Akai. Saerom patted Eveline's hands, her eyes dancing with secrets. 

"For your own good, you should not remember it," 

She insisted , her voice a gentle chiding.

Beside them, the rustling of sheets announced Reem's emergence from slumber. Squinting her sea-green eyes, she took in the scene, the packed bags, the whispers. 

The girls hastily explained their plans, and Reem bid them a groggy but heartfelt farewell, her embrace a promise of reunion.

Saerom and Eveline made their way down the long, dark green carpet of the hallway, descending to the first floor of the maid residence. 

"Let's grab something to eat before we leave," 

Saerom suggested.

In the kitchen, Vicky and Armengard`s' laughter hung suspended in the air as Eveline and Saerom stepped in. Lexi, with a scrutinising gaze, eyed their attire. 

"What a fashion choice," 

She remarked, her tone dripping with judgment.

Saerom bristled, fury edging her posture, but Eveline's hand on her arm was a silent plea for restraint. 

"We have a carriage to catch," 

Eveline whispered, and together they navigated past the frozen stare of the maids.

Under her breath, Eveline mumbled

"what a wench"

which caught on Lexi`s ears. 

Duke Zella's cheeky smile greeted them as they crossed paths in the grand hallway of the mansion, the sight of their bags drawing his curiosity.

"Where are you two leaving, with those bags"

"Do we need to answer you?" 

Saerom added 

"Oh! no I apologise, do we need to answer you, your grace." Her voice tinged with sarcasm 

"We'll be gone for the night,"

Eveline interrupted, her smile, a mask of mischief 

As they continued toward Michelle's office, Zella trailed behind. He halted before Saerom,

"Leaving your husband here, all alone?" 

his voice filled with theatrical display.

 Eveline chuckled at Zella's dramatic display, but Saerom deftly moved him aside, and moved forward. 

Zella remained frozen in the spot like he was rejected and Eveline went beside him and whispered,

"We're actually staying the night at a relative's house, and we'll be back tomorrow morning." 

She ran toward Saerom to keep up. With that they were in front of the main office of Michelle.

At Michelle's office, they obtained the necessary paperwork, but A sudden warning from Michelle, laced with a maternal sternness,

"Take care of yourselves and don't come back late, or else," 

The duo couldn't help but smile at the stern warning.

As they left, Duke Zella eavesdropped on Michelle's office, but Saerom glared at him, like a cat and Eveline paid him no mind. They continued to walk off , as they were about to exit the mansion, Duke Akai appeared, catching Eveline's attention. 

His eyes on Eveline were like spotlights on a flustered actress forgetting her lines. She averted her gaze, but Zella, ever the interloper, nudged the scene forward with a question that hung in the air like a misplaced prop.

Akai's nod was all the confirmation Zella needed before he scampered after Saerom, leaving Eveline in a spotlight she never asked for. 

The silence between her and Akai was thick, charged with the static of unspoken words. When she finally spoke, her voice was a tremble wrapped in a whisper. 

"D-Did I do something weird yesterday?"

Akai tried to suppress his smile, understanding that Saerom hadn't filled her in. He replied

"Something like what?" 

Him acting dumbfounded, Eveline mustering courage once again 

"Did I" 

Akai stayed silenced, but this just only grew her irritation, Eveline said 

"Just answer!, Did I, is it that horrible" 

He shook his head, indicating no. Eveline sighed in relief, But her mind, oh, her cunning mind, already plotted a sweet, sweet revenge against Saerom for the emotional rollercoaster she had unwittingly ridden.but her face betrayed every thought she had. 

"Good"

he said, her voice firm as she strode past a bemused Akai alone with his thoughts and a chuckle. 

"What a weird rabbit," 

he mused, the phrase echoing down the hall long after Eveline had vanished.

The main entrance gate loomed, and Saerom presented Don Don with the treasured paper from Michelle. But it was Zella's theatrical goodbye that stole the show, his declaration of undying loneliness a performance worthy of an award. 

"Farewell, my love! I'm going to miss you very much. My heart is already suffering from loneliness, hurry back to me," 

He proclaimed, his voice a concoction of drama and jest.

Saerom's eyebrow arched in disbelief. 

"Are you serious?" 

She questioned, her voice a glacier sliding down a mountain. 

"Yes, I meant it sincerely," 

Zella replied, his expression a perfect poker face, his eyes dancing with mischief.

They climbed into the carriage, and Saerom couldn't resist; she poked at the mystery surrounding Eveline's encounter with Duke Akai. Eveline reassured her that all had gone well, but Saerom's laughter betrayed her knowledge of the unsaid chapter in the tale. 

As the carriage rolled away, Eveline's thoughts stewed in a broth of retribution, and Saerom's smile was the spoon that stirred the pot.

 The carriage rolled to a stop.The night had already draped its cloak over the sky. Eveline and Saerom stepped out, their breaths forming clouds in the chilly air. They thanked the driver, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the deserted streets to a place away from the town of Gray Agatnez.

Their destination was a bank, an odd choice for a late-night visit. Inside, The old man at the entrance greeted them with a nod, his rheumy eyes assessing them. Eveline produced a bundle of papers from her leather bag, their edges yellowed and creased. The man accepted them, his fingers tracing the faded ink. Without a word, he beckoned them deeper into the bank.

They followed him down a dim corridor, the walls lined with portraits of stern-faced men in powdered wigs. At the end of the hall, he ushered them into a small room. Behind a heavy oak desk sat the bank's manager, his face etched with age and secrets. He shuffled through more papers, his quill scratching across parchment.

"Sign here," 

he said, pushing the documents toward them. Eveline's heart raced as she dipped the quill into the inkwell. Saerom's hand trembled as she added her signature. The old man's eyes never left them, as if he could read their very souls.

"And the payment?" 

His voice was a rasp, like leaves rustling in the wind.

Saerom reached into her bag, pulling out a stack of Rubire coins. Seven thousand—half of their hard-earned income. She placed it on the desk, the weight of their sacrifice heavy in the room. The old man's smile revealed yellowed teeth, and he gestured for more signatures.

As they stepped out of the bank, relief washed over them. The streets were deserted, shadows clinging to the corners. Eveline broke the silence. 

"Where are we going to stay now?"

Saerom scanned the surroundings, her eyes darting between grand hotels and crumbling inns. Their funds were dwindling, and luxury was a distant dream. But then she saw it—a modest sign swinging above a narrow doorway. *"The Whispering Rose Inn,"* it read, the letters painted in faded gold.

 Eveline nodded, and they entered. The inn's interior was a mismatched jumble of velvet curtains and chipped china. The man at the reception barely glanced up from his newspaper, cigarette dangling from his lips. His stinky attitude matched the worn carpet underfoot.

"We need a room," Eveline said, her voice steady.

The man raised an eyebrow. "For how long?"

"Four hours," Eveline replied, 

The man's laughter was a rusty hinge. 

"Two thousand itase," he sneered, the price a mockery of their meager funds.

"This is a very famous area," 

he added, as if the walls whispered secrets to him alone. Saerom clenched her fists, resentment boiling beneath her skin. They accepted the key, their room a cocoon of faded wallpaper and creaking floorboards. Exhaustion claimed them, pulling them into dreamless slumber.

At four o'clock in the morning, the alarm jolted Eveline awake. Saerom groaned, but when Eveline uttered the name "Michelle" and the damning word "jobless," She shot up, eyes wide.

They dressed in haste, their uniforms crisp despite the fatigue. The train station beckoned—a faster route, but at a steeper cost. Four hours hurtled by, and then they boarded a carriage back to Westallia Palace.

They stepped into the opulent maid residence. The clock's hands neared nine. Rushing to their dorm, they donned their maid uniforms, their footsteps echoing in the corridors.

Breakfast awaited in the servant's quarters. This would be their monthly ritual, a dance with shadows and secrets. The bank's ledger would haunt their steps, its ink staining their souls, and they wondered how many more signatures would seal their fate.