21 Hui Yin Wake Up! (2/2)

”Would you like to visit the flower garden my lady?” a maidservant named Shriyar asked.

Ashley was unsure and glanced at Elena who nodded her head to give an okay. Elise would probably be dealing with territory matters till nightfall so it would be no problem to show Ashley around the estate.

They picked up the pace and arrived outside to explore the flower garden together. Elena had a bit of a grasp on Elise's personality so seeing the crowd of maids behind them still, she tried to disperse them.

”Listen I know the duchess called for twenty of you but truthfully two or four is probably enough, if there are any tasks you need to do, you can leave.”

Elena decided to let most of them go, unfortunately after she said that not a single maid moved from the crowd.

A couple of awkward coughs and a few excuses rang out from the crowd,

”The head butler said I should stay”

”You never know if our little lady will need some extra hands”

”Well I can't disobey the duchess orders!”

Seeing that no one was moving, Elena sighed gently and just placed Ashley down so she could explore the garden.

It appeared that she was way too popular among the maids.

Ashley approached the flowers carefully and watch them sway gently from side to side, the pleasant smell of roses filled her nose and she squinted her eyes in happiness.

The flower garden was carefully maintained, and each flower was arranged in a particular pattern. There was a clear abundance of love that showed in the design of the garden.

”Big sisters who made this garden?” Ashley asked curiously.

Elena was unsure as well and turned towards the maids for the answer. A tense atmosphere formed around the maids and none seemed willing to say. Finally, after a few moments, Shriyar stepped forward and hesitantly told the story.

”My lady, this flower garden was a gift that duchess Elise's mother gave her when she was only six years old. She personally designed the garden herself and would often spend afternoons playing happily with her daughter. No one was closer than that mother- daughter pair and when she died several years ago it broke the duchess' heart. She was never the same innocent little girl again.”

Warmth and laughter filled the mansion during Elise's childhood days, her father would often be summoned to the capitol to deal with magic beast exterminations in other territories leaving his young wife and child home.

Elise only had her mother for company and would follow her around like a little shadow. The duke's wife was from a foreign land, but none seemed to know which kingdom it was. Her violet eyes caused rumors that she was not even human.

This gossip was spread rapidly through the other noble houses. She was once taken to trial by the church but proved that she was capable of magic and possessed a mana circuit so eventually the rumors died down.

None of the servants were sure of what happened during the incident all those years ago, the duke had gone for a weeklong trip to tour some towns at border of the walls and bolster the defenses. Elise's mother gave all the servants a holiday for the week and despite the protests from the head butler, she remained alone in the castle with her daughter.

When the servants returned, the duke was present in the castle and declared that his wife had unexpectedly died of a heart attack. Elise was grieving and was to be left to heal in her room with peace and quiet.

All the servants were shocked and one brave maid snuck into the little Elise's room to comfort her. What she found was the child covered in bandages in the middle of a healing formation. Ugly scars ran down the sides of her face and body but the worse part of the scene was the dead expression in Elise's eyes as if the light had gone out.

The maid was immediately fired, and the duke spent the whole month guarding the room from trespassers. When the month had passed, their lady was fully healed and left the room with no outward difference from before.

Only the little innocent girl who stayed at the castle and smiled and laughed with others was gone forever, in her place was a mask with an expression of frost and a guarded heart.