Scared

"My lady."

Elise saw Adela looking furious and a vase on the floor. Did she try to smash the mirror? Elise wondered as she hurried nervously toward Adela.

"My lady, what's the matter with you?"

Without thinking twice, Adela tightened her hand and struck the wooden table. Elise gasped when she saw it. After so many months, Elise once again witnessed her master behaving furiously. A day ago, when Adela's fever arose, Elise last saw Adela's rage.

"Get out of here, Elise."

Adela's words caused Elise to enlarge her eyes. She wasn't just anxious; she was also concerned about seeing her master in that old way. Elise had already witnessed her master get enraged, so she was familiar with the vision.

"My lady."

"Go out," Adela yelled. Elise rushed out of Adela's chamber without waiting for even a second. Adela grew enraged, just like the old Adela. She wanted to wreck everything inside her chamber, and she did it as she thought. She ruined everything inside the chamber with her own hands. Every single thing she destroyed.

[The scene changes to Camilla's chamber]

Camilla closed the magic mirror without realizing why she had done so. She didn't want to talk to anyone right now, not even Adela. She made up her mind and set her aim. Her only goal was to be a powerful mage; she wanted to get everything in her palm with her power. She didn't want to think about her old, meaningless existence.

When Camilla was brushing her long hair, she suddenly heard a knock on the door.

"Who?"

"My lady, it's me, Rita."

Camilla spoke with a blank expression on her face.

"Yes."

Rita came into the chamber and respectfully bowed her head.

"What's the matter, Rita?"

In a casual tone, Camilla asked. Rita saw how her master's demeanor changed day by day. She didn't converse with them the way she used to; she merely smiled at her father. Rita found that to be somewhat strange. Even Camilla forbade Rita from going into her room while she wasn't at home. Rita commented with a smile on her face.

"Dinner has been served, my lady. The Lord is waiting for you."

"I'll be joining shortly," Camilla calmly said after giving a brief nod of the head.

Rita took a glance around the bedroom, which was tidy and perfect. She pondered whether her master cleaned her room. Camilla turned back to Rita when Rita was still standing there, and she asked, "Do you need anything else?"

Camilla's chilly tone startled Rita, and she began to stutter apprehensively. She was hesitant to go there and meet her master for unknown reasons. She suspected that her master had experienced something that she wasn't telling her about.

Camilla did not want Rita to touch her belongings, which caused Rita to wonder. Camilla was organizing her belongings on her own. Rita made a courageous speech as she parted her lips.

"My lady, should I make your bed?"

Camilla kept her gaze fixed on Rita. Without responding to Rita, she moved her gaze to her bed. The bed was neat and clean, and everything was in order. When she moved her gaze to Rita, she said, "My bed is done, so what do you want to clean it with?"

Rita's cheeks seemed to dry up, and she stumbled over her words as she said, "No, I didn't intend to say that, my lady. It's only that you've been cleaning your bedroom for the past few days, so I thought I'd assist you."

Rita became tense after sensing Camilla's frigid vibes, which caused her to begin to stutter. She felt herself becoming tighter as her master's smile faded away. Along with that, she experienced freezing temperatures as soon as she entered Camilla's bedroom and picked up a weird odor. The environment had a musty, frowsty odor. Rita often smelled a rotten odor coming from Camilla's chamber when she passed by the side of it. Despite the temptation, Rita chose to respect Camilla's wishes and stayed out of her bedroom when she wasn't there.

Rita added, "And the chamber is a little smelly, my lady. It appears to be taking place because you close the window and keep the curtains drawn during the day."

Camilla was looking at Rita with a blank expression; she heard everything Rita said. A rattling sound suddenly erupted from someplace inside her chamber. Rita's brows furrowed when she heard the sound. With a little arched brow, she queried Camilla, "My lady, did you hear something?"

Rita was about to advance to begin her search when she abruptly heard Camilla's shrill, irate voice. "I told you to stop."

In response to Camilla's words, Rita took a step backward while widening her eyes. She was shocked to hear her master yell at her. Her face erupted in rage, and she had two furious black points in her eyes. "Go out of my room; how dare you question your master?" she glared at her and yelled.

Rita trembled with shock and dismay. Her eyes welled up with tears right away. She heard her master's shrill voice for the first time. She stood still and gave her a wide-eyed look. Was that her master? She wondered. Suddenly her eyes narrowed; it seemed she had spotted something she should not have.

Rita averted her sight from Camilla's eyes, but she didn't linger there for long, bolting the chamber. She made a sprint towards her chamber. Rita clutched her crucifix hard in her palm and began murmuring something.

It seemed she had witnessed something very horrible. Her hands were trembling terribly, and she was also perspiring. However, her thoughts were interrupted when someone opened the door to her room. She took an abrupt turn around and looked back with wide, terrified eyes. A maid was standing in front of her. Rita let out a loud sigh that appeared to be one of relief at seeing that girl.

"Rita, what's wrong?"

Rita also gave a dismissive headshake and bolted from the room. When the girl turned around to face Rita's pathway, her eyes narrowed. In disbelief, she said, "Now, what is she up to?"

After a while, Camilla came downstairs to make her dinner. She and her father joined together. Rita was also present, although she wasn't close to Camilla. She stood in a corner. Camilla was having a good time at dinner with her father. Rita cast a sidelong glance at Camilla's way; she was startled and apprehensive to see Camilla. It appeared as though nothing had occurred to Camilla just a moment before. She was an entirely new person. Rita glanced at Camilla while blinking her eyes. It completely shocked Rita when Camilla abruptly turned back to her. As their eyes locked, she instantly froze. But what was that—Camilla was smiling at her?

"Rita, I also really like the soup today; did you make it?"

Camilla's query totally confused Rita. Rita could not find the path to understanding what was actually happening to her master. She forced herself to smile and parted her lips with difficulty, saying, "Y-yes, my lady."

"Thank you, Rita. I really hope you cook this soup again tomorrow."

"S-sure, my lady."

Rita stammered her words. Camilla shifted her attention and focused on her meal. Rita softly furrowed her brows while staring at Camilla. She couldn't figure out Camilla. She sensed that something had occurred to her master and that she was no longer her master. Camilla did not allow anybody to touch her belongings, especially not allowing anyone to enter her chamber while she was not present. But why? And what about that snake mark on her wrist? Rita pondered. That kind of mark on Camilla's wrist was something she had never seen before. Rita struggled to understand each of these questions. But if she searched Camilla's room, she would find the answers to all of her questions; she needed to know what was truly going on in there. The rotten smell, the rattling sounds, where those were coming from, and why Camilla was not allowing anyone in her chamber—everything would be clear to her if she managed to enter the room. Rita took a deep breath as she gazed at Camilla.

**

Adela destroyed everything she had. She had a furious expression on her face as she sat on the ground. In annoyance, she groaned and squeezed her eyes.

"Ah."

"I have to calm down. Once more, I am slipping out of control."

Adela sprang up and grabbed the bell to summon Elise. She also had to apologize to Elise. After a few moments, she heard a knock on the door, and it was Elise. As soon as she heard the sound of the bell, Elise didn't waste any time. She appeared to be standing in front of Adela's room. Adela slipped her fingers deep inside her hair. She exhaled a sigh and said to herself.

'Silly!'

[Crack]

Elise approached the space with her head down low. Her eyes were down, staring at the floor. Adela sighed and said, "Elise, I'm sorry, dear. It wasn't my intention. I was quite frustrated and was at a loss about what to do."

To be continued.