Melina's Visit (6)
Eily's gaze was frozen solid, locked onto Melina and Elisha. Her sudden appearance wrapped the room in an instant hush. The two women, who had been locked in heated rivalry just moments before, now hesitated, uncertainty clouding their faces.
"Master."
Eily's lips parted slowly. How to describe her voice? It was low and chilling. This was a side of her utterly unlike the usual warmth. Her eyes swept over the dishes on the table, then flicked between Melina and Elisha, before she stepped forward toward the table with deliberate slowness.
"Could you... explain this situation?"
Her tone was polite, but a deep chill lurked beneath it. Yet that iciness wasn't aimed at me. It pierced straight through the two who had been bickering right in front of me. Her blue eyes were glacial, like icebergs, seeming to see right through everything in the room.
"Eily, this is just..."
The words stuck in my throat. It wasn't fear of her, but there was no real excuse to give. Anyone walking in would see this as an embarrassing mess for onlookers.
"No matter how I think about it... I never imagined you'd let such rudeness happen to my Master while I was away."
Eily nodded slowly, as if she already grasped the scene. Melina's eyebrows shot up at her words, her mouth opening to retort.
"Hold on, rudeness? We were just—"
But Eily cut her off. She took another step closer, fixing Melina with her stare.
"Lady Melina, even as a princess, this isn't the forest kingdom."
"I understand preparing a meal for Master, but making him uncomfortable in the process... isn't that a breach of etiquette?"
Melina faltered for a split second under Eily's icy demeanor, but quickly lifted her chin in defiance.
"I just... wanted to make Arnold happy! If that's rude, then what right do you have to judge me?"
Eily smiled at Melina's outburst. But it was no gentle expression. She tilted her head softly and replied,
"Right? Have you forgotten that as Master's maid, it's my duty to serve and protect him? And..."
She paused, turning her gaze to Elisha.
"Lady Elisha, shouldn't a fiancée uphold her dignity first and foremost?"
"That little spat just now... well, was it truly befitting a fiancée?"
Elisha ground her teeth at Eily's words. She crossed her arms over her chest and shot back,
"Listen, you're getting a bit cheeky, aren't you? Even in an academy where class lines blur, this is too much."
"You think you're in any position to lecture me? A maid, with that arrogant attitude—where do you get off?"
Eily didn't flinch at Elisha's sharp barbs. She drew a quiet breath and spoke again.
"Arrogant, you say? Then... can we call the actions of you two, who put Master in such an awkward spot, truly humble?"
She pressed on without missing a beat, even as Elisha's words cut deep.
"Surely you know you're not in a position to say that to me, Lady Elisha?"
If anything, Eily's retorts seemed to grate on Elisha more. She bit her lip, embarrassment flushing her face.
"This...!"
"Enough."
I could feel the tension ratcheting up between them and knew I had to step in.
"No more tearing into each other. This was just... a normal lunch, that's all. No need to fight over it."
My words brought a brief silence from the three. But it didn't last.
Eily glanced between Melina and Elisha before speaking softly.
"If that's what Master wishes... I'll obey."
"I just couldn't tolerate the ones who flustered Master, even for a moment..."
She bowed deeply and stepped back. Melina and Elisha fell quiet too, though dissatisfaction and strain lingered on their faces.
Eily turned to me with a smile. This one was a touch softer.
"Master, if you're tired, I can handle the cleanup."
"Wouldn't the two of you be better off taking your leave?"
Her suggestion carried a tone of finality. Melina and Elisha glared at each other, hesitating, before rising silently. Melina grumbled under her breath, while Elisha shot Eily one last cold look as they left the room.
Now it was just me and Eily. She began quietly clearing the plates, her composure still frosty. Watching her back, I let out a sigh, my thoughts tangled.
"Master."
Eily turned to me. Her voice was calm, but subtle emotions threaded through it.
"Don't mind those two. The one who suits Master best... isn't it me?"
Her eyes were deep, earnest. Eily approached slowly and knelt before me.
"I exist only for Master. More than anyone..."
Her hand rested gently on the back of mine. The cool, soft touch sent a faint shiver across my skin. Her gaze didn't waver, and her smile held a strangely precarious allure.
"Please... don't turn away from me."
Her whisper echoed like a spell in my ears. Desperate yet dangerous, it left me momentarily speechless.
"...Oh dear, I've overstepped again."
But Eily quickly softened her expression, bowing her head as if scolding herself. Still, that fleeting tension didn't fade easily.
"Anyway, what I really want to know is... why those two came looking for you—especially when I wasn't here."
I gave her a brief rundown, including how Elisha and Melina had turned the cooking into a standoff. Eily let out a small scoff, then sighed.
"I see... Honestly, sometimes they seem so childish."
She rose quietly and met my eyes straight on, closing the distance. Closer than expected, an odd silence settled between us.
"I can still sense... traces of the others."
She murmured in a low voice.
"Could I ask... one small favor?"
Her tone wasn't pleading—it carried quiet certainty.
"What is it?"
"Just for a moment... very briefly, could I hold onto you, Master?"
The unexpected request caught me off guard, but her serious expression made it hard to refuse outright.
"I know it's presumptuous, but feeling their traces on you... it makes me strangely anxious."
Her voice trembled with earnestness, her shoulders quivering faintly. She looked so fragile, it stirred something in me.
"Alright... sure."
The moment I agreed, Eily slipped swiftly into my arms. She buried her face in my chest, inhaling deeply.
"Thank you, Master."
Her movements were like a puppy seeking affection, yet desperate to imprint herself. Her fingertips clutched lightly at my collar.
"Sorry for showing you this side of me... It's unseemly, isn't it?"
Her words dripped with self-reproach, but her actions said otherwise. She lifted her head from my chest and whispered suddenly,
"I need to... erase the traces of those other women quickly."
"What?"
I blinked and asked again. She widened her eyes and shook her head frantically.
"N-no! Forget what I just said! It slipped out... my true feelings—no, please don't mind it!"
Eily stammered in panic, but watching her only complicated my feelings further. I didn't know why she was acting this way, but one thing was clear: her desperation went beyond simple affection.
"......"
I sighed and gently stroked her hair. She gazed up at me for a moment, then closed her eyes and nestled back into my chest.
"Thank you, Master."
With her words, the room fell quiet once more. The cold tension ebbed, replaced by a strange warmth. But how long this peace would last, I couldn't say. Images of Elisha and Melina still flickered in my mind—like the calm before a storm, hinting at trouble ahead.
Tomorrow would probably bring more clashes. The fortune teller's words surfaced unbidden: my anomalous fate drawing others in, tangled destinies that could harm one another.
"Hehe, Master..."
Even so, for now, I chose to accept the moment. All I could do was stay by her side, feeling her tremors until she calmed.