Chapter 87 Lilly (2)

Two weeks have passed since the little girl knew of her father's arrival. She spent these two weeks practicing with all of her might, causing the servants and Nekonna to feel a bit concerned by the sudden change in her behavior.

Near in the afternoon, a messenger came into the mansion and said to it's servants. "The Master will arrive in about an hour. Prepare what needs to be prepared."

The servants nodded and made sure that everything is perfect within the mansion. From the tables, to the way the plant looks, to the way the light comes in. 'Everything must be perfect' is what they told themselves.

While the other servants made sure everything was perfect, Nekonna made her way back to the little girl's room.

She knocked on the door and asked. "May I come in, Little Miss?"

"You may."

"Then, excuse me."

Nekonna then slowly opened the door, revealing the little girl wearing a nice and pretty dress. Her long, white hair rolling down her back while taking a look of herself in the mirror.

She adjusted her dress all on her own as Nekonna came in and closed the door. She then asked. "Little Miss. Do you want me to tie your hair?"

The little girl took a glance at a strand of her own hair, looking at it intently before turning to Nekonna with a bright smile while saying. "Please do."

"As you wish."

Nekonna then grabbed a little stool for the little girl to sit on as she tied up her long, white hair. And as Nekonna fixed her hair, the little girl was staring directly into the mirror.

Her light blue eyes carefully scanning every part of her look. She noticed a small speck of dust on her cheek, which she immediately wiped off with a handkerchief.

She then noticed her unusually shaped pupils. She noticed how they were the shape of a four petalled flower, causing her to just stare directly into her own eyes, seemingly captivated by it.

She slowly turned her head, but was stopped by Nekonna before she said. "Please don't move your head, Little Miss. It might make the final product imperfect."

The little girl fixed her position while saying with a downed look. "I'm sorry."

Noticing the little girl's cute, yet depressed look on the mirror, Nekonna immediately said in an attempt to cheer her up. "Ah, don't feel bad, Little Miss. It's not something I can't fix."

"Okay...." The little girl said with her expression unchanging.

"Aahh... Oh! Little Miss, aren't you excited to meet your father?"

"I guess...."

"We heard he was a bit strict, but I'm sure he has a soft side for his child, so there's no need to be afraid of him. Just act like how you act with me, okay?"

"I guess, I'll try...."

The little girl then felt Nekonna's hand let go of her hair, causing her to look at the mirror. She saw her long, white hair tied up in a pretty, little braid.

Nekonna, who has this bright smile on her face, then asked. "What do you think? I heard it's a popular hairstyle these days."

The little girl turned side to side while still looking at her reflection in the mirror. She turned to Nekonna behind her and asked. "Do you think father would like it?"

Instead of answering, Nekonna guided the little girl to turn back to the mirror. With her hand on the little girl's shoulder, she asked the little girl looking at her own reflection. "What do YOU think?"

The little girl stared deeply into her own reflection for a long while. She then looked down as she replied. "I don't know."

Nekonna grabbed her on the chin and at the top of the head before gently raising her head, forcing the little girl to look at her reflection once more.

"You look beautiful, Little Miss."

The little girl looked up at Nekonna's face as she asked. "Really?"

To which Nekonna replied with an honest, bright smile. "Of course. But, do you know what will make you even more beautiful?"

"What?"

Nekonna made the girl look at her reflection once more before putting her face beside the little girl. She then said with a bright smile. "Smiling makes you more beautiful."

The little girl jumped a little after Nekonna placed her face right next to her's, but she soon noticed Nekonna's bright smile on the mirror.

She touched her own face for a moment before she tried to replicate Nekonna's smile on her's. After seeing the little girl try, Nekonna then said. "Smile more. Make it look more natural. Feel happy while doing it."

"Smile... more... natural... happy...." The little girl repeated some of Nekonna's words before putting it onto practice.

Her beautiful face, her neatly braided hair, her gorgeous clothes, are now adorned by a pretty little smile.

Nekonna and the little girl looked at the girl's reflection. Nekonna then said as she felt her heart race. "You look more beautiful than ever, Little Miss."

Still with a smile on her face, the little girl then said with a happy expression. "Thank you."

As the two finished up while the rest of the people in the mansion finished theirs. Soon, an hour quickly passed.

Everyone gathered at the front of the house, including the little girl and Nekonna. After only a few seconds, the gates of the mansion opened, allowing a carrage to enter.

The carrage looked extremely grand and expensive, making everyone look at it with awe and admiration.

Once the carrage stopped, a servant opened the door to it. Soon after, a dignified looking man with black hair and a fierce look on his face walked out.

The man's aura is so intimidating that not a sound could be heard, none from the people nor the birds on the trees dared ti make a noise.

Everyone then bowed and said. "We welcome you, Master."

The man did not say anything, only walking past the servants while looking extremely fierce. He continued to walk, not even giving anyone a single glance, not even the little girl.

As the man walked past the little girl, the smile on her face rapidly disappeared before being replaced by an expression filled with complete fear and horror.

Because of the silent atmosphere, every step the man took, felt extremely loud even though he isn't trying to.

Everytime the man takes another step, a loud clack could be heard. Although it was pretty harmless, everytime the man takes a step, the little girl expression gets worse and worse as she hears the sound of the man's steps, that to her, sounded like thunder ringing in her ears.

Once the man got indoors, everyone calmly went back to what they were doing.

Within what looks to be a dining room, the fierce looking man entered. An older looking woman, who's hair is starting to turn grey, then asked him. "I greet the Master. How may I be of service today? Tea?"

The man opened his mouth and said in a calm and dignified manner. "Let me eat with her." Although he said it calmly, his loud voice echoed like bells throughout the halls.

The old lady then bowed and said. "As you wish." Before walking back into the kitchen.

After a few minutes of menacingly walking through the halls, the man stopped just before a room.

He knocked on the door a few times, but there was no reply. So, he let himself in. The inside is an extremely well decorated room, making the room feel like an art gallery more than anything.

He then sat down before the table in the room. "Ahem." The sound the man made as he cleared his throat.

Within only a fraction of a second, a man kneeled before the open door the man just entered.

The fierce looking man then said to him. "Tell the servants to bring her to me. We will have a talk during lunch."

The man in the doorway gave him a nod before disappearing into the halls. The fierce looking man then closed his eyes while he waited patiently.

Meanwhile, in another room, Nekonna is currently knocking on a door while saying gently as a hint of worry showed in her tone. "Little Miss, please come out, the Master is waiting."

Inside the locked room, the little girl is curled up in the form a ball on a corner, looking extremely afraid. The little girl then replied. "I don't want to. I don't like Papa."

Nekonna formed a worried face before continuing. "Little Miss, please don't say that about the Master. He is your father, so please, just come out."

"No..."

"..."

"Nekonna?"

"Yes, Little Miss?"

"Can't you just tell him to go away, please?"

Nekonna looked shocked at the little girl's request. Her face turned to a helpless one as she responded. "I'm afraid, I can't do that, Little Miss. He is the Master of this house, meaning, he is the person I serve."

"Please, Nekonna. I really don't like him."

Nekonna looked very conflicted for a few seconds, she then seemingly contemplated a course of action. Soon, an idea hit her, she then relayed it to the little girl. "How about I join you, Little Miss?"

"Join... me?"

"Yes. I'll ask the Master if I can join, or maybe just watch from the same room as he talks to you, is that okay?"

"I-I guess..."

"You will be fine, Little Miss. So, please, come out now."

"O-okay... but, promise me that you won't leave me alone."

Nekonna felt a stab going through her heart after hearing the little girl's condition. She then took a deep breath before saying with a straight face. "I, Nekonna, promise to not leave the Little Miss' side. Tudet."

"Tu... det?"

Nekonna seemed a little shock before she asked. "Have you not heard of it, Little Miss?"

"No."

"Well, you should. It essentially an Oboete family catchphrase or something along those lines."

"A... catchphrase?"

"Yes. The Oboete family, the family your in, is known to be trustworthy. Your family is responsible for keeping old records safe and keeping secrets safe."

"Secrets? I don't know any secrets?"

"Well, they are secrets. How about this, I'll tell you a secret that's only between you and me?"

"What if your lying? Maybe you're just trying to get me out to meet that bad guy."

Nekonna couldn't help but chuckle as an image of the Master's face came to her mind.

After shaking her head to clear those thoughts, Nekonna then said. "I promise that it's not just a trick to get you out, Little Miss. I promise I will share it to you when the day is over. Tudet."

"Ah. There's that cathphrase again." The little girl pointed out.

"Yes, I did say it again. It's only uttered when someone makes a promise they cannot break."

"You can't say it if your not going to do what's promised?"

"Yes, that is true."

"How does... that work?"

"It just does, Little Miss. Can you please come out now, the Master has waited long enough."

"O-okay. I'm coming out."

Nekonna took a few steps back from the door, allowing the little girl inside to open it on her own.

Once she was outside, the little girl immediately went over to Nekonna and clung to her.

Nekonna was bit shocked by this. She then asked. "Are you okay, Little Miss?"

The little girl, still clinging to her, then replied. "Nekonna. Promise me that you won't leave me."

Nekonna felt a warm feeling welling from her heart before she hugged the little girl back while saying. "I, Nekonna, promise to not to leave the Little Miss alone. Tudet."

To which the little girl replied. "Tudet."

"Hehehehe!" Nekonna giggled and smiled brightly upon hearing the little girl imitate her. She then picked the girl up and began heading to the room where the little girl's father is at.