Chapter 10 Behavior Change and Belief

I got up painfully, as if I were already a corpse. Each movement was heavy. My body was trembling, my legs weak, as if they refused to carry me toward inevitable suffering. I slowly left my master's room, dragging my feet, pushing my own body to its end. I didn't understand, no, I didn't want to accept it. Reality felt blurry, unreal. How had I ended up here? How could the act of trying to help someone lead me to such a situation? Is kindness a gesture that leads people to hell? I found myself facing the stairs leading to the ground floor. Downstairs, I could see my master, red with anger. At least, I could imagine him that way, because my tears blurred my vision, turning the world into a mush of indistinct shapes and blurry colors.

-At least I've become so mad that my despair prevents me from hearing him scream. Haha...-

I descended the stairs slowly, trying not to fall with each step. The closer I got, the more I imagined the horror he was going to inflict on me. Each step felt like another step toward hell. All I could do was... try to see this monstrous vision of my life as something positive?

-At least he won't use me as a sexual object like he wanted to. Haha… Ha… Or maybe, on the contrary, he wants to use me one last time…-

Even my thoughts no longer wanted to accompany me. They were becoming as hopeless as I was, offering no respite, no consolation. Each word echoed in my head like a bell, a gong announcing my funeral, announcing the imminent end of my will and my hope of living happily. I felt my legs buckle under the weight of the anxiety, but I continued to descend because, after all, I had nothing else left to do.Suddenly, as I reached the bottom of the stairs and glimpsed the shadow of my master moving dangerously toward me, I heard a voice. A voice that seemed almost unreal in this waking nightmare.

"Ah, my good sir, I thank you immensely for your hospitality. It is an honor to be welcomed into your home at this late hour."

I lifted my head, my vision still blurred by tears, but I recognized that voice. It was Naboru. My heart skipped a beat, a mix of hope and fear. My master froze for a moment, his anger seeming to waver.

Naboru continued,

"Oh, poor servant, what is the matter? Why do such tears flow from your eyes?"

He stepped towards me and took me in his arms.

"Come here, it's going to be okay. You're tired, aren't you? Everything's fine, calm down."

He stroked my hair and brought his mouth close to my ear to whisper,

"Sorry, you left too quickly, I couldn't explain everything."

I didn't understand, what did he mean? I didn't know, but… I felt… good.

My master, on the other hand, seemed caught off guard, his rage transforming into a kind of confusion. The presence and comforting words of Naboru seemed to have defused, at least temporarily, the fury of this diabolical man. For the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of hope, a sense of joy, a calmness, happiness in Naboru's arms.

☆*: .｡.Naboru. .｡: *☆

Once I was sure the servant was calmed and protected from her master, I could return to the main subject: the nobleman.

He looked at me, appearing lost.

"Mr. Naboru, I am delighted to see you again! I was going to ask how your exploration of Auratria is going, but another question is bothering me... I saw you coming from the basement. Could you tell me what you were doing there?"

Fortunately, I had anticipated such a question and was able to respond without hesitation,

"You see, my good sir, I arrived quite late, unfortunately. Your very attentive servant opened the door for me. I introduced myself, and she hurried to perform her duties perfectly by going to inform you of my arrival and intending to prepare some tea, which is apparently one of your specialties! However, I didn't have the chance to ask her for the direction to the restroom as she was so eager to perform her duties. As a result, I started searching for it myself, in vain. Please excuse my ignorance, I should not have ventured into your home like that..."

The nobleman seemed appeased by my words, his expression relaxing slightly. He nodded, understanding my situation.

"Ah, I see, I see. You must be exhausted from your journey. Don't worry, it's entirely understandable. My house can be quite the labyrinth for newcomers."

I felt a slight relief. The tension that had weighed on my shoulders eased a bit. The nobleman turned to the servant, casting a stern but controlled look at her, so that I wouldn't notice (unfortunately for him, I did).

"Make sure our guest is well settled and prepare that famous Ensafranné tea he has heard about. And next time, be sure to give clear directions to our visitors. Oh, and,"

The servant nodded quickly, murmuring apologies under her breath. She shot me a furtive, grateful glance before hurrying to carry out her master's orders.The servant led me to a marvelous dining room located at the back of the parlor. The place was incredibly sumptuous, much like the rest of the house.The walls were adorned with exquisite tapestries, and the carved wooden furniture demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship. The dim light from the Lumicrystals reflected off the polished surfaces, creating an ambiance that was both opulent and warm.

She showed me to a seat at an elegantly set table and ensured I was comfortably situated. Before leaving, she began to engage in conversation,

"Monsieur Naboru, wh-"

She didn't have time to finish her sentence as the wealthy nobleman abruptly entered the room, his face marked by a stern expression.

"Ume! I did not raise you to disturb our guest! Go, go prepare the tea!"

Ume immediately apologized, bowing so deeply before me that she nearly touched the floor. Her eyes were filled with a resigned sadness, but she obeyed without protest and hurried out of the room to prepare the tea.

The noble then turned to me, a genial smile quickly replacing his stern expression.

"Please forgive the interruption, Monsieur Naboru. You know, it's sometimes hard to find competent staff these days."

I nodded politely, hiding my irritation.

"Don't worry about it, my good sir. Your servant seems very dedicated."

The noble took a seat at the table, his face still marked by a mix of severity and hospitality. Before he could start speaking, I seized a moment of silence to quickly ask,

"Sir, excuse me, but I couldn't find the restroom. May I use it?"

He paused, seeming slightly surprised by my request, then replied in a warm voice, trying to mask his initial irritation,

"Of course, Monsieur Naboru. The restrooms are at the end of the hallway, to the left. Just follow the red carpet, and you can't miss them."

I stood up politely, bowing slightly to show my gratitude.

"Thank you very much, I'll be back in a moment."

I followed the noble's directions, leaving the dining room to head down the indicated hallway. The walls were adorned with sumptuous paintings and gilded mirrors. The red carpet under my feet was plush, muffling the sound of my steps, which was perfect.

☆*: .｡.Ume. .｡: *☆

As I prepared the tea, my trembling hands trying to find a semblance of stability, I couldn't help but ponder the question that had haunted me since his arrival: who is this Naboru?

I carefully measured the Ensafranné tea leaves, ensuring to select the ones most infused with the light of the dawn, which had soaked the longest in the power of the Sanalith Fragmentheal. I placed them delicately in the porcelain teapot. The liquid from the "Fragmatic" stones flowed gently, releasing the soothing aroma of the tea, but my thoughts were far from calm. Naboru, this stranger, had appeared out of nowhere, bringing with him an unexpected glimmer of hope in my bleak and tormented existence.

-Who are you really, Naboru?-

His manners were noble, almost aristocratic, but there was something more in his gaze. A depth, an understanding of suffering that went beyond the mere courtesy of a guest. Had he experienced similar pains to mine? Had he known fear? Oppression?

My thoughts swirled as I prepared the tray with fine porcelain cups, sugar and honey, and small silver spoons.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart. Naboru had been kind to me, kinder than anyone in a long time! He had held me in his arms, spoken gently to me, sought to protect me even in the presence of my tyrannical master...

-Ohhh Naboruuuu, Naboru Naboru Naboru...-

I knew I shouldn't deceive myself about who Naboru was, but it was stronger than me. I had finally met someone good to me.

Carefully carrying the tray, my hands trembling slightly despite myself, I made my way to the dining room with the freshly prepared tea. Each step echoed in the emptiness of my chest, where the anticipation of seeing Naboru appreciate my gesture contrasted with the growing anxiety of finding him still absent. I imagined his smiling face enjoying the tea I had carefully prepared. This thought warmed my heart, giving me a fragile glimmer of hope in the constant darkness of my life.

I had taken my time to prepare these tea cups, and I was convinced he would understand, even be touched by my attention. But upon entering the dining room, a cold disappointment seized me. Naboru was not there. My smile froze on my face as I carefully placed the tray on the table. My gaze searched around the room, but there was only emptiness that greeted me. Emptiness and the gaze of my master. Indeed, my master, still seated in his usual place, looked up at me. His gaze was sharp, full of a threatening intensity that made me instantly regret Naboru not being there to soften this atmosphere. When Naboru was present, even my master seemed to temper his outbursts of anger, as if he were less inclined to show his cruelty in front of a stranger.

My master insisted, his voice sharp,

"Naboru has been in the restroom for too long. Go check if he's alright."

His imperious gaze and cutting tone brutally reminded me of my place: a servant, bound to obey without question. My heart raced as I tried to maintain a composed demeanor, silently acquiescing before leaving the dining room. I ascended the stairs, following the red carpet as I approached the restroom. I hesitated briefly before gently knocking on the door.

"Excuse me, Mr. Naboru, it's been about ten minutes. My master and I are quite concerned about your well-being, which is why I've come to check on you."

But there was no response. My heart pounded harder in my chest, fear slowly creeping in. Summoning my courage, I continued in a trembling voice,

"And I'm sure a bit of our wonderful tea will do you a world of good."

Certainly! Here's the translation:

Terrified, I placed my hand on the cold door handle and repeated in a trembling voice,

"Mr. Naboru, please forgive me, but I must open the door to check if everything is alright! I'll give you ten seconds to avoid any embarrassment."

The seconds passed in a daunting silence. As promised, I counted mentally to ten, my heart beating faster with each passing second. When the countdown ended, I hesitated no longer and cautiously opened the door, letting out a sigh of relief.

But my relief was short-lived. The room was empty. With a heavy heart, a new wave of fear engulfed me.

"Naboru! Naboru, no! Naboru, no, no, no! Where are you?"

I was scared, terribly. Not of my master's reaction, but afraid of having lost Naboru, the one who had given me hope in life. My trembling hands clenched the handle as I scanned the room for clues while continuing to call out for him.

To be continued...