16 A sleepless night.

"Mother, isn't it time for Esmeralda to learn the rules and etiquette which is to be followed by the nobles?. I'm quite worried about her, since she did not even know how to behave in front of his highness."

Ada knitted her brows and brought out the things regarding today's behavior of Esmeralda in front of the crown prince to her mother, the Duchess.

Duchess Catherine, who was sitting on the davenport¹ and reading a book nonchalantly replied, "Esmeralda is still a child. I'm sure she doesn't know even how to behave around the workers in the mansion, teaching her etiquette right now isn't good since she seems a bit sick."

[1]Davenport: A large sofa, especially a formal one.

Duchess Catherine remembered the little child sleeping whenever she gets tired or weak. So she was quite worried about her weak body. She had already sent a letter to the imperial physician in the capital to come and check her daughter's health, so she just needed to wait until he arrives.

Ada slightly furrowed her brows. Her mother was quite right, Esmeralda's brain wasn't normal at all. She didn't even know how to treat the servants in the mansion, she would let them carry her, feed her, play with her and do things which other young ladies wouldn't allow their servants to do.

Although she, Ada, treated the servants well, she wouldn't let them do things which would stain her reputation. For example, she wouldn't let the servants carry her to her sleeping quarters. Unlike Esmeralda who always depended on the maids and butlers for even eating and walking, she preferred to stand straight with dignity. Instead of requesting the maids to feed her, she would rather not eat for the entire day.

Although she wanted to tarnish Esmeralda's reputation to the bottom, she didn't want to embarrass herself. After all, Esmeralda was a part of the Elmstome household. So she tried convincing her mother, "... But I remembered my mother starting my etiquette lessons when I was only three, and brother Nicole immediately started his lessons when he entered our family. Aren't you being biased, mother?."

Duchess Catherine raised her brows, "I remembered you talking when you turned one-year-old, started walking after one and half years, which is quite a shocking feat for a mere 'child.' And you probably forgot that Nicole was previously the son of Duke Eklair." She smiled and looked at her daughter, who turned red in bashfulness.

"That-You can't blame me for having such talented parents, mother. If it weren't for my parent's genes then I wouldn't have achieved such astonishing feats. Isn't it, my dear mother?." Ada sipped her tea and slyly smiled.

Duchess Catherine laughed and teased, "you're such a sweet talker, just like your dad." Ada giggled and said, "...after all, I'm daddy's girl."

Duchess Catherine giggled and nodded to her daughter's words. Sipping her tea, she said after a while, "let's wait until your father returns from his business trip."

Ada inwardly scowled in discontent, but her outer expression remained unchanged. She nodded with a satisfied expression, "if that's what mother wishes..."

_____

Young Nicole couldn't fall asleep no matter what. Ada's question kept on ringing in his head, completely making him lose his mind for a second. After changing his sleeping position for the nth time, he simply decided to take a midnight walk to clear his mind. He got up and unhurriedly put on his coat.

Cautiously opening the door without making a sound, he warily looked around his surroundings. He believed that his cat-like eyes wouldn't betray him. So when he saw that no one was around, he dared to take a step.

But just as he stepped his right foot out from his room, an unknown figure pouched in front of him, frightening his inner soul out of his body.

Gulping down his fear and soothing his wild beating heart, he warily looked at the dark object.

It was a..... Bat? A bat!!?

Shocked and utterly frightened, his leg automatically swung and kicked the bat away from his sight. It was impulse, ok!!?

Unaware of what he just did, he hastily locked the door of his room from inside. He felt his scalds turning numb.

His father, Duke Cyril once said that bats were vampires in disguise. The blood sucking vampires would lurk in the night and wait for their prey to fall into their trap. Then the blood of the captured prey would be refined into fine wine for the vampires to drink.

Although young Nicole didn't entirely believe it, he was a ten-year-old child with an innocent heart and mind. How can he not be frightened by those things?! It greatly scared him.

His cheeks were scarlet with embarrassment and anger. He simply couldn't let his little sister know about this incident, or else he'll be identified as an incompetent brother who couldn't even face a bat!!

Hurriedly climbing to his bed, he covered himself with the quilt and tightly shut his eyes. He didn't want to take a midnight walk! Who said he didn't feel sleepy!? He was sleepy! He was very sleepy!

Young Nicole simply couldn't let his little sister know about tonight's incident.

____

Akari was....completely lost!!

She didn't even know when and how, but she was lost!

Since she spent her precious time sleeping, eating and sleeping, she didn't even get to know the structure of the mansion!

How can she return to her sleeping quarters without knowing the way!?

She looked at her right and saw a long, narrow corridor illuminated dimly by the old looking chandelier. There was a chill in the air, followed by a noise.

"Creak.... Creak..... Creak...."

Millions of hairs on Akari's body stood up in fright.

She forced her neck to turn and stiffly looked at her left, there she saw a brightly lit green house at the end of the long corridor. It was so bright that Akari felt her eyes go blind for a second.

She squinted her eyes and focused her line of sight to see the plants grown in the green house. There was a large tree with pink leaves and green flowers, a luscious green bush with black berries, a wide garden of roses with different colors and various kinds of trees and plants which Akari didn't even see in her life.

Ok.... So it looked normal and beautiful! Well, it would!, if it weren't for the large amount of sundews² grown at the center of the green house.

[2] Sundews: A group of insectivorous plants that catch insects by sticky droplets (dew) at the end of hairs on the leaves and grow in boggy ground.

The area around the sundews was covered in sticky yellow and white fluids which probably looked disgusting. And with the addition of various 'dead bodies' mixed in the fluid, the word 'nauseating' wouldn't be enough to describe the thing inside.

Akari stiffly turned her neck to the right. Although the dimly lit corridor was scary, it wasn't terrifying! Look at those decayed bodies hidden among those beautiful flowers and trees in the greenhouse, she didn't want it!!

She preferred the dimly lit corridor where she could at least run from the enemy without getting caught for three seconds.

Akari gulped down her inner fear and moved her tiny legs. She cautiously and curiously glanced around the corridor. The black color painted wall to her left held various portraits of different men and women either holding a child or two.

Akari's fear instantly disappeared as she looked at those portraits. She curiously looked at them, wondering whether these people were a part of the Elmstone family. Most of the portraits were worn out, but the image of the person in it was vividly shown to the spectators.

As Akari enjoyed her time seeing those portraits on the wall, she unknowingly reached the end of the wall where there was a long and huge family painting of four people.

The man was very handsome with neatly combed raven hair and ruby like eyes, his black and gold western European like dress enhanced his handsome by ten folds. His eyes on the woman beside him were overflowing with gentleness and love, while his lips were curved into a faint smile. Akari cringed, 'Kowa sugiru!³.'

[3]Kowa sugiru: too scary!

The woman beside the man was wearing a beautiful purple gown with long white sleeves. Her silver-pink hair was neatly tied in a bun and decorated with white roses. Although she wasn't smiling to her best, her oceanic blue eyes were sparkling so much that Akari had to squint her eyes shut.

There was a cute chubby four-year-old girl in the woman's arms. Her sparkling ruby eyes and silver-white hair from her parents made her look like a little angel. And in front of the woman stood a young boy who seems to be around the age of eight.

His emerald green eyes and raven curly hair was totally different from those three people in the picture. Nevertheless, he was handsome like his father in the picture. But, why does he look a little.... Fat?

Akari was confused. When she met Nicole in the library for the first time, he was dressed in his training clothes, so she could clearly see his abs under those tight fabrics. Although she wasn't a pervert like her sisters, she greatly appreciated the young man's body.

This-Now she knew why Nicole loved training!! He wanted to be fit, not fat!!

Little villainess in the Duchess's arms looked beautiful as usual, but livelier and cuter than the current six-year-old villainess.

The huge family picture contained four people: the Duke, the Duchess, the little villainess and the young capture target.

So... Where's Esmeralda?

Akari hastily looked at every nook of the picture. Esmeralda might be hiding behind one of those chairs or tables, because the game clearly revealed that Esmeralda joined the Elmstone family when the villainess was three years old.

Wasn't a year enough for the little Esmeralda to get used to the villainess's family members? Was it Esmeralda's unwillingness or....

Akari shook her head in denial. She simply couldn't come to conclusions without thinking straight. As far as she remembered about little Esmeralda, there was not much information about her.

Little Esmeralda was adopted by the villainess's parents when she was one year old. Then she tried to harm the servants by playing pranks and punishing them for unreasonable things. Esmeralda was a mini nightmare to all the servants in the mansion.

She tried harming the Duchess, but wasn't punished for being a mere 'child'. She also tried harming young Nicole and Ada, but failed when the Duke caught her red-handed. Esmeralda was then punished to reflect on her behaviors.

From the villainess's memories, Esmeralda was considered as a wicked child who didn't even hesitate to backbite her adopted parents who fed her and gave her a house to stay in.

Akari didn't know whether she should believe those things said by the game or not.

In her opinion, she would consider Esmeralda being a victim of witchcraft. Well... That was the best excuse she could come up with, ok?!

How can a three-year-old child think of harming others!? First, does she even know the meaning of 'harm'? Second, how can a three-year-old child think of things like pranks? Unless she was born from a prankster she wouldn't be able to think of those scary pranks.

Third, how can a three-year-old child backbite her parents when she didn't even know to speak and act properly?!

The game story plot is just dumb!! Are the creators stupid or utterly stupid!!?

Akari sighed and massaged her temples in frustration. This stupid plot is going to kill her one day. She had to at least do something about it, or else her death is 100% guaranteed.

"Flap flap flap flap..."

Akari snapped. Where am I? Who am I? What did I just hear? What was I doing? Shouldn't I be running now?!

She stiffly turned her neck away from the family picture. Finding no one around, she decided to make a dash, for she'll at least find a servant somewhere in the corridor.

Just as she lifted her nightgown to run, she heard the sound of wings flapping behind her.

To be exact, above her.

She didn't want to look! Didn't. Want. To. Look!!

But her curiosity won her as she raised her head and looked at the thing hanging above her head.

Before she could respond, it suddenly pounced on her and took a bite of her meat!!!

"SORE WA ITAIIIIII ! ! ! ! !."

Author has something to say:

Bat, "I want to drink your blood."

Akari, "Naniii???!!!"