Chapter 97 Lilly (12)

A long time after that, a person, inside the little house on the hill, placed a set of incense and a bowl on rice on a table which holds a depiction of an old lady.

After saying prayers silently, the person stood up. After that, they began cleaning up inside the house, cooking, eating by themselves, and other household chores.

They hummed a tone as she walked through the tiny yet enough corridors. They dragged their finger on a piece of furniture before taking a look.

"Clean as always." They said.

Then, they noticed a leaf on one of the shelves. After cracking a little smile, they went ahead and grabbed it.

After making their way towards the front door, they swung the doors wide open, allowing the wind and sunlight to enter the room.

As they let the leaf get carried away by the wind, her short, white hair waved it goodbye. Her beautiful face let out a little smile as she saw it off.

She then scanned her front yard, filled with vibrant grass and wild flowers, with their light blue eyes with the pupils the shape of a four petal flower.

After taking a stroll on the path with her casual clothes rustling with the grass and the trees. She found herself on a little porch area.

She sat down on the wooden floor, dangling her bare feet off the edge, allowing the blades of grass to tickle her feet.

She then noticed beside her, a little gift given by the generous wind. A blank piece of paper. After looking at it with a smile on her face, she decided to pick it up.

As she stared at the paper in her grasp, she leaned closer to the edge of the porch, causing her to notice a little light blue flower, growing beside the pillars supporting the floor she was sitting on.

With a curious gaze, she decided to pluck it before putting it near her pale nose as she took a breath, allowing the scent of the flower to enter her nose.

After breathing out, she took a single petal off of the flower. After setting the rest of the flower to the side, she began rubbing the petal between her fingertips, dyeing her fingers with it's light blue color.

After she was satisfied with the color, she grabbed the piece of paper before using her fingers to write on it. She wrote. "L-I-L-L-Y. Lilly." Which was of coarse the name of the petite young lady.

After looking at her work, a distant memory entered her mind. She let out a smile as she began folding the paper with slow yet precise movements, feeling like she has done this multiple times.

As she continued to fold the piece of paper, raindrops fell on the paper, leaving water marks where it fell.

After forcing her way even though the paper was being rained upon, she finished her work. In her hands now sat a beautiful paper swan, which despite having wet marks, still looks masterful and perfect in it's own way.

After taking in the cold morning air, she breathed upon the swan, setting it free from her grasp and allowing it to freely fly across the clear, sunny skies accompanied by the gentle wind.

As the paper swan flew in the air with it's stiff wings, Lilly noticed a carrage approaching from far away.

She rubbed her eyes with her clothes before standing up. As she headed back inside, the swan that was flying in the air suddenly made it's decent.

It landed safely onto the river under the bridge. But after sometime, the swan absorbed the water in the river and sunk down as people crossed the bridge.

The people who crossed the bridge looked to be in a hurry and also quite desperate. Lilly went out the front door to greet them with a little vase which held a little light blue flower.

Seeing their worried faces, she asked. "It's still quite a while before I receive my monthly allowance. And, what are those faces? Is something wrong?"

Met with her worries, the servants kneeled down before as they pleaded. "Miss Lilly. We have brought news."

Lilly placed the vase on a table before approaching them saying. "Go on then. Is there a good news to accompany the bad?"

"Our apologies, Miss Lilly. We only bear bad news."

"I understand. Do you guys want to come in and say it with a cup of tea?"

"That won't be neccesary, Miss Lilly."

"I understand. But please, refrain from calling me Miss."

"But Miss Lilly, you are the daughter of the Master. We wouldn't want to be disrespectful!"

With a look filled with hidden anger, Lilly said. "I'm no longer his daughter. When was the last time I even saw him?"

"..."

"Come on, answer me."

"Five years ago, Miss Lilly. The last during the funeral."

"Exactly. It seems that you guys won't refer to me other than Miss whatever I say, so just say the news and leave. I have been put in a bad mood." Her face slowly showing more anger.

As the servants trembled, they said. "Y-yes."

"The news involves your sister Lilia, Miss Lilly."

"My sister?"

"Yes. nine weeks ago, before her meeting with the newly crowned Queen, she ran away."

"Ran away? Where?"

"We do not know, Miss Lilly."

"And, what does that have to do with me?"

"Well, Miss Lilia was chosen to represent the Oboete family as a Weaver for the new Queen."

"Yes, she was the wise and only choice for that position." Lilly said without much reaction.

The servants then continued. "But, like we said before, she ran away. Meaning the Oboete family no longer has a representive for the Queen's Weavers."

With a frown on her face, Lilly interrupted them saying. "So you have been ordered, most likely by father, to bring me back to act as a spare as she can no longer be found. Is that right?"

"Yes, Miss Lilly." Said the servants as they lowered their heads even lower.

With a cold look in her eyes, Lilly then asked. "And, what if I refuse? What will he do?"

The servants swung their heads left and right saying. "We do not know. But please, Miss Lilly, consider."

After a bit of pondering, Lilly replied with the same cold look. "Fine, take it as a sign of gratitude for taking care of me for all these years. But I have one condition, is that alright?"

"Yes, Miss Lilly. We have been ordered to bring you back no matter the cost."

"Very well...."

Lilly leaned forward as she said. "My only condition is.... I want my father, your Master, to be out of my life."

"B-but-"

"I will not hear any of it! I don't want to see even a single strand of his hair or hear his voice! If my only condition cannot be fulfilled, I won't go and don't bother even coming back! I'll be fine on my own!" Lilly yelled with a face full of sheer anger.

The servants, fear wrapping around their hearts, nodded vigorously as they said. "Yes, Miss Lilly! We will inform the Master!"

Lilly pointed at the city in the distance as she yelled. "Now, GO!

As the carrage and the servants hurried back to the city, Lilly went back to the house ontop of the hill.

After closing the door, she made her way back to the shrine where she offered the incense and rice. She then spoke calmly. "Grandma. Do not worry. I'll be fine."

And just after a few days, the servants came back to the house telling her. "The Master has agreed. We will make preparations to receive you once you're ready, Miss Lilly."

With a resolute face, Lilly replied. "I will go now. A promise is a promise afterall."

And just like that, Lilly returned to the city. After making their way to a mansion near the Royal palace, a person greeted Lilly immediately as she left the carrage.

"It's nice to meet you, Lady Lilly."

"And you are?"

"Your instructor. Provided by the Queen herself."

"Nice to meet you as well, Mr. Instructor."

"Again, nice to meet you aswell. Now that we are done with formalities, may I ask a few questions?"

"You may."

"What skills do think you have, Lady Lilly?"

"Normal skills, cooking, cleaning, social skills, streets smarts, etc."

"Do perhaps know swordsmanship or any type of battle style?"

"No."

"Are you able to help with documents?"

"I can read and write of that's what you're asking. But I prefer to stay away from those sorts of activities."

"I understand. What about general knowledge, Lady Lilly?"

"I know the Sun region quite well. Can't say the same for other places."

"I understand. It seems like we have a lot ahead of us, Lady Lilly."

"Are you not satisfied with answers?"

"It's acceptable, Lady Lilly. But the Queen deserves better. That's why I am here. To help you be better."

Lilly let out a little 'hmph' as she heard the intructor's words. 

And after that, a week has passed. Lilly went on her days training, learning, and just living her life. But occasionally, she would cause a bit of a headache for the servant inside.

At the front entrance, a servant greeted Lilly, who was carrying a bunch of bags, saying. "Where have you gone, Lady Lilly?"

"Just in the city."

"Please, Lady Lilly. Don't go out without an escort or two."

"I don't need escorts. I'll be fine on my own."

"But, please, Lady Lilly. Listen just this once."

"No. I will not hear it. Now, move."

As the door behind the servants and Lilly began closing, Lilly looked through the cracks as she noted. "I felt like someone was looking at me."

Lilly decided to ignore it since she has been getting a lot of looks due to her unique features. Mainly her short, white hair and her flower shaped pupils.

And during that very night, a bunch of yells erupted from the capital, causing Lilly to be interrupted by her nighttime reading.

"Where is the source of the fire?!"

"We don't know! A twenty houses were already on fire when we got here!"

"What was the cause?!"

"We don't know! But some say it was started by two people!"

"Really?! Tell us the description then! We will make them pay!"

"I think one was a boy with green hair and the other a bronze-skinned buffed man with pink hair!"

"That description. Isn't that a bit familiar?!"

"Shit! It can't be them, right?!"

"It might be. Quick, tell the guards! The Sillhouettes might be the cause of this!"

"Sillhouettes?! Doesn't that mean?!"

"If the suspicion is true, then Yes! That boy might be in the city!"

"Not good! We have to inform the Queen! We can't let the Sun region be his playtoy like what he did to Titan!" 

"Quick! Inform everyone! If they see a golden-eyed boy inform the autorities immediately!"

Meanwhile, back in the place where Lilly currently resides. The inside is pure chaos like the rest of the city.

"Hey! Isn't the blaze a bit too big?!"

"Not good! Not good at all!"

"How far has the fire spread, and is it going to reach here?!!!"

"The fire is no longer speading this way! But it's rapidly heading for the weapon's facility!"

"Shit! We can't lose that place! Come on, people! Let's help out!"

As the chaos continued to insue, Lilly left her room and saw the massive blaze. She worriedly ran through the halls, looking for someone to ask what happened.

Then, as she was running through outside pathways, in the garden she saw something curious that made her stop in her tracks.

She squinted her eyes to see what it was. It was three servants, laying belly down on the plants. Lilly then saw rods sticking out their unmoving bodies.

"Hey, are you guys okay?!" Lilly yelled towards the servants.

And just then, a strong gust of wind showed the leaves and branches of the trees overhead aside, allowing the moonlight and the roaring blaze to light up the garden.

Lilly gasped as she saw everything clearly. The three servants are now three lifeless corpses watering the plants from which they hang with their blood.

The rods that stuck out of their bodies revealed themselves to be arrows digging deep into the corpses.

But that was not all. She saw something that she did not see at first. It was a young woman with a fairy-like appearance, short black-hair, and cold emotionless eyes that has locked with her very own eyes.

Lilly felt like her breath was being taken away the longer she stared into the young lady's eyes. Then, the young lady moved. She raised the blue metallic bow in her grasp and pointed it at Lilly.

Lilly felt like her soul was returned to her once she saw this. She immediately ducked towards the ground like her instincts told her, but the young lady drew her bow and sent an arrow into her leg.

It only grazed her leg but caused a bit of bleeding and a hint of numbness. Despite this, Lilly ran, she ran and ran, desperate to find someone to help her.

After a while of running, she met someone, she yelled. "Mr. Instructor!!! There's-"

But before she could finish her sentence or before his instructor could anything, an arrow struck him right between the eyes.

Lilly watched the lifeless corpses fall to the ground in front of her. Feeling a chill running up her spine, she turned around in utter fear for her life.

The last thing she saw was the young lady's blue, emotionless eyes before her conciousness went blank.

After a while, Lilly's conciousness came back. A stinging feeling came from the side of her head, and a heavy feeling came from the rest of her body.

She realized that she was being carried by a large, muscular man with pink hair that rubbed against her face.

As her conciousness continued to return, she began hearing the conversation around her.

"Like I said, it's not my fault! It was Set that caused it to grow that large!"

"You told me to set fire to the entire building."

"Yeah, I did. But I did not realize that everything is so flammable!"

"So, it's your fault not mine."

"Shut up!"

As Lilly regained full conciousness, she began thrashing around. But the person holding onto her did not let go, but instead calmly said. "Morgan. She woke up, give her another hit on the head."

When Lilly heard this, she used every bit of strength in her to try and set herself free. She yelled. "Let go off me!!! Someone! Help me!"

As she continued to thrash around the pink-haired man's shoulder, a hand suddenly grabbed her face.

Lilly instinctively look up to see who it was, but she saw something that petrified her. It was a pair of golden eyes, coldly staring back at her.

She felt her body submit as she met their gaze, feeling like they lost control of their body which has been turned to stone.

As Lilly remained petrified, a voice then said. "Go back to sleep. Blackout." And just like that, without any attempt to fight back, Lilly lost conciousness once more.