Chapter 53: Manor House
The office breathed an ancient opulence, almost out of time. Dark wood dominated everything, massive, carved with delicate patterns that seemed to tell a forgotten story. The shelves sagged under leather-bound books, their gilded edges dulled by the years. A scent of wax, aged paper, and noble dust lingered in the air.
The large desk, imposing, stood at the center, its legs crafted like those of a ceremonial piece. Behind it, a tall chair with a tufted back evoked more a throne than a simple seat of work. The warm glow of an antique lamp made thick shadows dance, giving the room an almost unreal depth.
Behind the imposing desk chair, the wall shimmered... then tore open to reveal a portal.
It was not a simple opening: the very substance of the wall seemed to give way, like a fragile canvas being pulled apart. The surface rippled, vibrant, iridescent with shifting reflections, swallowing light only to spit it back out in unstable glimmers.
A pleasant young man gestured for her to come closer.
He stood on the other side, half-immersed in that strange light. Brunette, with fine, harmonious features, he exuded a troubling presence—gentle at first glance, yet impossible to fully grasp. His eyes immediately caught the gaze, shining with a calm intensity, almost complicit.
A hint of a smile hovered on his lips, reassuring, as if he had been waiting for her for a long time. His posture was relaxed, open, and yet something about him defied definition—a quiet confidence, almost magnetic.
Blanche stepped forward, fascinated.
Each step felt lighter than the last, as if the air itself were pushing her toward that rift. Her anger had shifted into attraction, and now into a burning, uncontrollable curiosity.
On the other side... another world.
An impossible depth could be glimpsed beyond, colors and shapes that did not belong to the reality she knew.
Phénix materialized on the desk and meowed. Blanche nearly screamed. She checked the door: no Kiyan. Her ability had only lasted ten seconds... she was visible again.
The contrast was brutal. The weight of reality crashed back onto her all at once, her breath short, her heart pounding wildly.
Go on, little mouse. After all, you want answers.
Her familiar's voice echoed within her, soft yet insistent.
She inhaled... and reached her hand through.
The contact was immediate: neither warm nor cold, but alive, vibrating, as if she were passing through a membrane made of pure energy.
Bingo. In a fraction of a second, she tipped through.
In front of her floated a "window" looking back onto the office she had just left. She turned—and froze.
An immense manor, built of white stone, beneath a clear blue sky. An endless garden, green enough to burn the eyes.
The manor rose with an almost unreal majesty, its perfectly cut facades catching the light like living marble. Every column, every balcony seemed sculpted with ancient, noble precision, as if the place had been shaped to endure centuries without ever losing its splendor. The tall windows reflected the pure sky, giving the impression that the building breathed with the world around it.
The garden stretched as far as the eye could see, an intense green, almost too vivid to be natural. The grass rippled gently beneath an invisible breeze, and winding paths disappeared into perfectly maintained groves.
Flowers—roses in saturated hues—punctuated the space, dazzling, almost unreal, as if each color had been pushed to its peak. The whole radiated a troubling harmony, a perfect balance... almost suspicious.
The light was so bright she blinked.
" Mistress! " a voice shouted right beside her.
The young man from the portal—brunette, medium-length hair swept to the side, almond-shaped eyes, dressed as a butler—dropped to his knees at her feet, radiant.
His uniform, a perfectly fitted deep black, contrasted sharply with the brilliance of the setting. Every detail was impeccable: gleaming buttons, fitted gloves, flawless posture despite the momentum with which he had rushed forward. His face radiated pure, almost overflowing joy, his fine features lit by a sincere smile.
He gave off a strange warmth, an obvious loyalty, almost tangible—like a flame contained beneath a human appearance.
A young woman, probably his sister given the resemblance, rushed in despite her heels, wearing the same uniform as him. The only difference: a high bun and bangs.
She moved with lively, almost uncontrollable energy, her quick steps clashing with the elegance of her outfit. Her high bun emphasized the delicacy of her face, while her bangs framed eyes shining with barely contained excitement. She shared his features—that same light in the eyes, that same intensity—but with a more expressive, almost electric liveliness.
And beside them... Phénix.
In human form.
Magnificent.
Drop-dead gorgeous.
His presence eclipsed almost everything else. His features were strikingly perfect, but it wasn't just his beauty that stood out—it was what he emanated.
A subtle warmth, a controlled power, like an eternal fire hidden beneath a calm exterior. His hair caught the light like embers, and his gaze seemed to hold an ancient, infinite depth. Every movement was fluid, natural, filled with an almost unreal grace.
"Delighted to see you again, Mistress!" exclaimed Cassian, still kneeling. "We missed you so much!"
His voice trembled with sincere emotion, almost too intense to be feigned. He hadn't lifted his head, as if that gesture alone were proof of absolute devotion.
Blanche swallowed, stunned, her gaze still fixed on him. She had slept, caressed, held... this guy?
The thought struck her with silent force, mixing confusion, disbelief, and a hint of vertigo.
Phénix intervened:
"These are Cassian and Cassie. Phoenixes. You saved them from extinction. Since then, they've maintained your space-time domain."
His voice was calm, steady, yet carried undeniable weight, like an ancient truth finally revealed.
He turned to them.
" Sorry, friends. Blanche is only just beginning her timeline. This is the first time she's seeing you. For pity's sake, ask them to stand up, or they'll stay kneeling until the end of time."
Blanche complied, embarrassed.
"Oh! " Cassie gasped, cheeks flushed pink.
Brother and sister exchanged a dazzled look.
"Would you like to visit your home? Cassian proposed, full of adoration.
Your home? The place was the size of an empire.
Phénix explained:
" You created this space outside of time at your peak. The manor doesn't age. You can spend a year here without a single second passing outside. You placed several portals throughout time within it."
Nothing could surprise her anymore.
"In that case... let's visit."
The entrance revealed a monumental staircase splitting toward a wrought-iron balcony. Marble everywhere, veined with pink, gold, black, or green. Tall black Roman columns, speckled with nacreous flecks, supported the whole.
The space opened with an almost theatrical grandeur, every surface reflecting light with studied precision. The marble, cold and perfectly polished, caught the slightest reflections, giving the impression that the floors and walls were alive, crossed with luminous veins.
The staircase, wide and imposing, seemed to float in the air, its lines so harmonious, dividing elegantly to meet the balcony with its fine, intricate arabesques. The columns, massive and almost intimidating, were nonetheless enhanced by those nacreous glints that caught the light like stars frozen in stone.