CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Haa..."

Leila propped her chin with her hand, resting it on the windowsill of the slightly rattling carriage, and stared blankly at the stores, buildings, houses, and people.

"I just wanted to go exploring and but stuff...why did it come to this?" She sighed.

Senpai, who sat across from her with Priscilla next to him, crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "I was just about to ask you the same thing. What the HECK did you do?"

"What, what?! I didn't do anything! They just went off and told me I was some duke's daughter, who went missing during her coming of age ritual ceremony or whatnot!"

Priscilla laughed nervously with a face about to burst into tears. "To think I was spending time traveling with the tyrant duke's heir apparent after I ran away from home...ahaha-ha, my luck's really rotten"

"The tyrant duke?"

Priscilla blinked at Leila's words, "Did you really forget? Duke Alexandrius Leonardo Amaryllis is an infamous ruthless tyrant. He used to be called 'The Grim Reaper' of the battlefield back before he succeeded the duke position."

Leila frowned at the stabbing headache that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. No matter how many times she tried to ignore it, there was this feeling of massive déjà vu that keeps annoying her.

It was like she forgot something very important and it just kept screaming at the back of her mind. As the pain kept pestering her, Leila still schooled her face into indifference. It was a habit she acquired during those days she trained.

Not giving her enemies an upper hand. Never showing her weakness, no matter the situation.

Therefore, Leila acted as if everything was alright. "Meh, he should've just stayed as the grim reaper. He's cooler that way."

"Leila!"

"What?"

Senpai nudged at Priscilla, "Don't bother with her, my master traded her manners for her looks. As of now, she's nothing but a sharp-tongued seductress who's more conniving than the Devil."

"Oi."

Senpai immediately slipped into a mask of a sweetly-smiling, innocent butler. "Yes, Your Wickedness."

"You've got guts, badmouthing me in my presence. What irresponsible person brought you up to be this bold?"

"I got it from my master after all. She has the best thickest skin in the whole universe." He exclaimed in such a proud way, where his chest and chin all puffed out, which irked her. As a result, Leila took the biggest coin in her purse and flicked it straight to his forehead with extreme force. "OW!"

Priscilla burst out laughing when she saw the designs of the platinum coin branded on Senpai's forehead, Leila snickered. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just wondering if I was talking to an imposter. Seems like you're the real Senpai, thank goodness!"

Senpai rolled his eyes at the sarcasm and mumbled. "Yeah, right."

"What did you say?"

His face immediately switched to a smiling, innocent one. "He-he, nothing."

Priscilla exhaled a nervous sigh. She leaned back to the soft cushioned seat, before relaxing. "I forgot how huge this place is."

"You've been here before?"

Priscilla gave Leila an odd look, "Looks like you really forgot, huh? To answer that question, yes, I've been here before, and who wouldn't? In the noble society, it is considered a great honor to be invited to a ball or any social events hosted by the Amaryllis ducal household."

"A great honor? Isn't that supposed to be for the royal family?" Senpai asked.

Priscilla shrugged, "No one knows why. Apart from that, there were also rumors that even the king highly respected Duke Amaryllis. Almost like he's in a more superior position than him."

Senpai sneaked a glanced at Leila. 'What do you think, Master?'

'Hmm...it's a matter worth investigating.'

'Do we take extra precautions?'

He glanced at Leila, who had her legs crossed, looking nonchalant as always. 'Until we find out who we're dealing with, taking precautions would be useless. The best thing we could do for now is to build our own information network. I'll leave that to you, my dear capable partner.'

While Priscilla watched the scenery outside the window, Senpai gave Leila a slight bow. 'I hear and obey.'

The carriage suddenly halted. Outside, footsteps walking on the stone pavement were heard. There were few murmurs, a couple of shouts, and sounds of gates swinging open.

There was a knock on the carriage door, followed by Carlisle's voice. "Milady, we have arrived."

"Oh, boy." Priscilla muttered as the door opened.

Senpai went out first, followed by Priscilla, who elegantly lifted her beige gown as she stepped out. After three days on horseback, they finally arrived at the capital.

While they trotted on the market, Misa insisted they change into proper clothing. Leila was hesitant at first because she found ballgowns troublesome, but after being coaxed by Misa and Senpai's sparkling puppy eyes, she sighed and finally agreed.

Now, with Misa's clever and professional hands, Leila was now transformed into an elegant and alluring lady wearing an off-shoulder, ankle-length, gorgeous matte red lace tulle gown with short bell-sleeves, matching gloves and shoes.

Her hair styled in an elegant, slightly messy half-up, and half-down, adorned with burgundy rose and pearl hair accessories that match her gown.

With everyone but her outside, Leila's hands immediately begun to work. She reached under the seat, pulled out two short blades, and immediately strapped them in her thighs.

No matter where she is, even at the presence of any royal, no one could make her budge until she has her weapons with her. To hell with the rules, she ain't going anywhere without them.

When she finally finished, Leila took Senpai's outstretched hand and got off the carriage. There were a few gasps and shocked expressions from the employees that lined up to greet her. The situation was so familiar that she fought the annoyance from her face. 'Aah, what a pain in the ass.'

Senpai who stood silently behind her replied. 'Well, you're a noble after all. Better get used to it.'

'I prefer them greeting me with: 'Hiiiii!' or 'What's up, girl?' or maybe, 'Oh good, you're alive.'"

"Well, they, unlike some people, are well-versed with good manners.'

'Got a death wish, kid?'

'Just saying.'

Leila was about to retort back when her world tilted, and she suddenly found herself tightly pressed from between two massive breasts. "Oh, my daughter!"

"Mmph! Mmmm!!!"

She was hugged by a very beautiful, very well-endowed woman with an ethereal angelic face, which now contorted into a sobbing mess.

The woman had extremely gorgeous features with flowing white-blond hair and a stunning set of blue eyes.

At the sight of her, Leila was struck with a head-splitting feeling. She almost double-over with pain but fortunately her expression was hidden by the woman's breasts.

One by one, vivid images, scenes, and emotions came crashing down upon her. One by one they flashed within her sight.

'These people...how could I forget?' Leila was stunned with realization. 'I've been seeing them for as long as I remember...these were the people that kept popping up in my dreams!'

With that, she also came to realize that in those dreams, Lieselotte was there. She was there, alive and well, and very much loved. Leila let out a sigh of relief. It was like something heavy that have weighted her shoulders and burdened her almost every day, finally lightened. 'She's alive, she's fine. I can see her again.'

On the other hand, Leila forgot she was currently in the middle of a crisis. The massive breasts were completely suffocating her to death!

Leila patted the woman's arms lightly but continuously at a fast pace. She screamed muffled words, screamed at Senpai for help down the bond only to be greeted with smirking expression. 'Bitch! I'm gonna kill youuuuuu!!!!!!'

'Not if she killed you first.' Senpai replied indifferently. 'Ganbatte, Master.'

'You son of a biiitch!!!'

Fortunately, an old man dressed in butler clothes, and wore monocles on his left eye, noticed her on the verge of passing out. "Your Grace! You're suffocating the miss!"

"Oh!" The woman pulled away but still kept her within arm's reach. Leila gasped.

After she took in heaps of air, she finally calmed down. Leila settled her eyes at the woman, and noticed, even with the tear-streaked face, she still looked very beautiful.

Leila felt herself leaning to her touch, after much hesitation, she finally spoke. "I'm back, Mother."

"Of course, you are." She replied softly, hugging her once again. This time she was pressed lightly and comfortably.

The duchess patted her head, "Welcome home, my daughter."

***

"Tea, milady?"

Leila closed the book she was reading. She turned towards her closest and personal maid, Misa, who greeted her with a warm smile while holding a teapot. "No, thanks. I've drank more than enough. Instead, can you go and take a look when would Father be coming back?"

"Right away." She replied, bowing before leaving the room.

As the door closed, Leila leafed through the pages of the book she was reading while munching on a chocolate chip cookie.

It was an old, thick book that was filled with the complete history of the Kingdom of Candor.

As she listened to her mother's stories of the current situation of the kingdom, Leila was filled with curiosity about how everything worked.

In the book, she found out that the kingdom solely depends on their powers and magic stones for everyday uses.

Earlier, as they rode down the streets of the capital, Leila was horrified by what she had seen.

The streets, unlike the city of rainbows run by her family, was filled with immortals abusing humans.

There were screams everywhere as they whipped and slaughter humans in broad daylight. Some even used them to carry carriages instead of animals.

Apart from that, Leila also witnessed immortal males harassing human females and raping them in the streets, right where other people were passing.

And some even had the nerve to join in.

As she watched the whole thing, Leila gritted her teeth and clenched the fabric of her dress to maintain her composure. Her face still remained schooled in indifference, unlike her powers which were silently running amok.

There were screams again, but this time, the immortals stood shocked and completely terrified as the immortals who were all maltreating humans suddenly found their limbs, bodies, and heads slowly twisting into a bloody mess.

It may be a ruthless punishment for immortals who witnessed the brutal scene, but for Leila, it was nothing but a light sentence, after everything those wretched people had done.

She would very much like to take her time slowly torturing them to death however the carriage was moving too fast for Leila to do what she wanted.

Instead, she settled her revenge in the most gruesome, ruthless way she could manage.

"These immortals...they're useless without those powers they boast of." She muttered, clicking her tongue. "If only they knew what humans are capable of."

In her peripheral view, Leila saw Senpai coming out of her shadow. He brushed the dust from his newly bought black buttoned white uniform and pants, with black framing the corners of his collar, and black roses that adorned from his right shoulder to the right breast of his shirt.

"Oh, you're back." She gestured the empty chair in front of her, which Senpai immediately sat down. With her powers, Leila floated a plate of sweets and biscuits towards him and made the teapot that Misa left on her table, pour hot tea in his cup. "Don't you look all dolled up."

He had neatly trimmed his hair, tied it up, and had applied a shimmering silver eyeshadow over his eyelids and lip gloss on his lips. "Of course, I did, after all, you gave me so much to buy things for myself."

"What of my orders?"

"I already hired workers. When I showed them the pocket watch engraved with the Amaryllis ducal logo, they immediately began to work." He took a sip of tea. "Your father is impressive; people seem to be more afraid of him than the king."

"Careful with your words, there are ears everywhere."

"Didn't you already brought up that barrier since I came in?" He gestured at her transparent shield made of hardened air.

Leila shrugged. "You never know. It's better to be safe than sorry, if anything, use the bond instead of voicing your thoughts out loud."

"You people are so troublesome."

"Took the words out of my mouth."

Senpai took a slice of strawberries and cream cake and stabbed a bite-sized portion with a fork. "How did it go with your talk with the duchess?"

"Well..." she said as she began to repeat her discussion with her mother.

It was already three o'clock in the afternoon when Duchess Savannah, Leila's birthmother, finally released her after squeezing out all the details of what happened during the last two years she went missing.

Of course, she couldn't tell her mother she wasn't the Leila she knew, and that she was an entirely different person. Instead, she made up a story of her, entering some sort of strange place where she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed.

And that the next thing she knew, she had no idea of who she was or whatever she was doing in the place at all. When Leila's mother asked her what kind of place she had fainted on, Leila mixed some of the truth in the made-up story and described the creepy, fog covered, and dreary place of The Dwelling that swarmed with monsters of all kinds.

"You did well for an on-the-spot made-up story." He said, in the middle of eating. "Have you reunited with your sister again?"

"Not yet. She and the duke went out to attend this social gathering with the other nobles to discuss plans for some ball."

"A ball? At this time of the year?"

"Yeah, one that's hosted by Queen Roselia."

"Aah, that bitc-" His words were drowned by Misa suddenly burst into the room, exclaiming the words in a bright and excited voice.

"Milady, Duke Amaryllis, and Lady Lieselotte have returned!"