Splashes of water can be heard from outside of the mansion. Apparently she was forced to stay for the night at Shin's manor for the time being after being scolded for running and tripping on a pavement, she couldn't believe her eyes when she was forced to enter the outdoor bathroom that was twice the size of her bedroom. With the tiles made out of wood and the walls surrounding were polished wooden planks, one would wonder if he was born with wealth.
She slowly slid her shoulder with only her neck left into the pool, enjoying the warm water through her skin. Although she couldn't taste the embrace of the sun for now, at least the comfort of soaking in can replace that. And for a witch like her, a warm bath was a luxury.
For almost an hour, she finally finished her bath and dried herself in the washroom. A freshly dried clothes that was not hers was placed on the hangar. The size was a perfect fit to her, a white blouse with cream colored long overall skirts, a white apron also placed to the side. She dons everything and looks at herself in the mirror.
"It's cute… But why does he have this?" She wondered of the possible harrowing thought, but shook her head immediately.
She then stepped out of the bathroom, fresh and clean. A puff of jasmine scented aromatic oil spread across to every corner of the hallways. She was not used to an Eastern-type of housing, but one should learn if she would work with one.
She tried to find her way, the halls were long and wide, it was easier to get lost in this place rather than navigating the inner woods. Even the sound of her feet tapping the wooden floor pierced her ears
She looked around, at least there was one room in particular that she finally came across. She peeked into the room and saw another person was making clothes using an old rusted sewing machine. Without looking, the person spoke, "did the clothes fit you, milady?"
She jumped, then looked to her left and right to make sure the lady was talking to her. The seamstress nodded, her eyes were all shut. "Yes, yes, I am talking to you…. Shin-dono has requested custom clothes upon your arrival." She smiled, but not looking at Lisbeth.
The lady just gestured her hand to let Lisbeth in. She finally widened the gap of the sliding door to inspect that she was old. Her hair was kept neatly into a bun with a cherry blossom hair pin, and she wore a worn yet well-kept maroon kimono. The symbol of elegance even underneath those wrinkles.
"I-i'm sorry for intruding, i wasn't sure where i was…" She yelped, but earned a titter of laughter from the lady instead.
"It's all right, I did protest to Shin-dono… to make a smaller house instead, yet he… insisted for me and Masaru to… have our own room and our own station…." She put her hand on her cheek, "Sometimes I can't tell the border between the spoiled and generous from that child." She sighed.
Lisbeth noticed how slow she is in trying to speak her mind, either it's from age or difficulty of language between Eastern and Western, she wouldn't like to assume.
"Ah, well… If I may, you're…?"
"Oh, silly me, of course… My name is Getsu, Shin-dono's caretaker since he was a child." She nodded. "You are the one called Lis…. Uhm…" Her tongue seems to have difficulty pronouncing her name.
"E-er, you don't have to use my name! It's fine, but at least now I know your name!" She panicked, but nodded out of anxiousness nonetheless.
"Then how about we make a name for you that's easy to pronounce?" Suddenly, the familiar coarse and gentle sound of a man came.
Both Lisbeth and Getsu looked to the opened door and saw Shin who was holding something unknown. His horns were out and tails swishing around like a well behaved dog.
"Goodness… I was looking everywhere for you, where have you been?!" She fumed, Getsu behind her just let out a hearty laugh, but Shin simply replied "Hm? Ah, Well– I thought I wanted to do something about amplifying your ether, so…"
He took out the hairpin that Lisbeth made herself, albeit there was something different that Shin had added to it, but Lisbeth couldn't tell the difference. "Oh, so that's where it went..."
"Sorry, I tempered my scales with an augmented silvered emerald. Think of it as an amulet, if charged properly it can store additional ether you can use when casting your incantations."
Shin walked closer to her, "It doesn't look like there is much difference… But, maybe once I have the proper materials, I will make a better scale in different types of accessories." He nodded, then gently slipped the hairclip back to the left side of her hair.
"Do you feel any difference?" He asked, looking around her with his tail wagging.
".... A little, it feels like there's this slow, warm… burning sensation coursing through my body, although it's not painful." She nodded, "but why? I mean I appreciate it, but… You have done so much already."
Getsu and Shin just looked at each other. Getsu, albeit unable to see, just tilted her head upwards towards Lisbeth and Shin just lost in thoughts for a moment.
"Well, to be frank, if you were to work with me… I will need you in your best." He tapped his chin, "Though, that also means I have to do my best to make you in such condition, i will not have you exhaust yourself."
"....." She was utterly dumbfounded.
"Hm? Why do you look so surprised? Isn't it normal for an employer to provide for their employee?" He looks at her innocently.
"Y…. Yeah? I think…." she held her head, but the difference between him and Mama was that she was basically her auntie. The person before her had just met her in a few days, one by accident even.
And thus, she just had her realization.
"Ah! Oh my god! I forgot to inform auntie Len– I mean, mama! I can't have two jobs and do school at the same time!" She panicked.
While she was off on her own world, Getsu pardoned herself to prepare some food for cooking tomorrow's breakfast, Shin just nodded and now the room is empty with just the two of them.
Even with Lisbeth still lost in her own world, thinking about the Apothecary that she worked with, her father and many more things she needs to disclose, Shin just tapped on her shoulder lightly.
"Shall we walk around the house? The garden is also great for relaxation." He nodded, "I think you need to calm yourself down for today."
She turned to her back, the display of Shin's gentle smile calmed her down already without needing anything else, but she replied. "Uh, uhm… As you wish… My lord?"
There was a silence after Lisbeth just called him by the grand nickname, Shin tried his best to hold his laughter and Lisbeth already had deep red shades around her cheeks.
"W-what's with the laughter?! Isn't that how I am supposed to call you now?!" She talks in speed, but Shin just decided to laugh it off.
"Ah, oh dear, please don't call me that… Shin is… Pffh, fine–" he held his stomach, "Sorry, the thing that makes it funny because it came from your mouth, not the others who called me before like that."
"H–huh? What are you talking about?" She held her cheeks.
"It's nothing, now come with me before I bring this up again." He nudged her head with his and wrapped her left arms around her shoulder. Without any protest, albeit the confusion still there, Lisbeth just complied.
The Mansion didn't have any second floor, but it is wide enough that each part of the house is divided into its own section. The entrance of the house was called Genkan, where guests and house residents would put their shoes in. There were many rooms that used a door called Shoji sliding door. Made out of translucent material from lattice.
The area for cooking and dining was in the far back of the entrance, facing the open vegetable garden and kitchen. There was no sliding door around it and it was open even to guests that were arriving.
To the right side after the Genkan, was the Zen garden and the bathing room called Ofuro, where Lisbeth was cleaning herself. In the middle back of the manor, consisted of a room for guests, there's also Shin's bedroom and his study room that used a wooden door instead of the traditional eastern one.
"So from today onward, this will be where you stay." He pointed out the room besides his. It was a furnished guest room, decorated with books to pass time, a desk lamp to read and a wardrobe.
"..... Here? For real?" She looked at Shin, and he just replied with a nod. "The wall is thick so you don't have to worry about noises seeping through."
Lisbeth looked back to her new room, it was unfamiliar to her yet but the thought of her living in this space was oddly soothing. There was no sound of animals and radio statics that stung into her ear.
It was quiet, something that Lisbeth had long forgotten what it felt like.
"As for your belongings, you can go back later to retrieve them. But after you officially signed a contract with me, I will only have you visit your house every weekend. You need many lessons to catch up after all."
While Shin was talking about everything that needed to be said, Lisbeth just nodded in politeness with her eyes lit up. Seeing how much she looked excited, Shin drops the formality for a second and puts on his usual face again. He took her right hand gently and gestured to her to follow him.
"Anyway, If you're up for it, let's take you to my favorite spot, assuming you are not sleepy yet?"
"..... I, no, I'm not sleepy…" She looked down, "It's been a while since I slept at night anyway, I sometimes forget what it feels like."
"Is that so? Well then, I know you spent your night always working, but how about a night stroll?"
As he spoke, he walked down from Engawa, the wooden veranda. and he slowly morphed into a creature that was awfully familiar to Lisbeth the night before.
The horn on his head scaled and turned into a crowned shape, nails sharpened to form a talon. His eyes were lit in green and yellow color, resembling a gemstone called Peridot.
His wings were spread evenly to the wide fields of the garden. A gust of wind was blown, the golden strands of her hair followed suit.
Lisbeth then follows and she steps closer to his snout, gently caressing the part that was visibly filled with scars, similar to his human counterpart. She noticed one of his legs was also replaced with a wooden prosthetic.
Out of habit, Shin nudged Lisbeth by her head out of affection. But he then finally let out his voice, echoing through her ears.
"Apologies, It felt comfortable." His tails moved, seeing the man before her became slightly childish, she just snickered and continued caressing him.
"Well, aside from that… Are you sure you're going to fly like this? I thought your kind rather kept itself discreet, despite the public secret?" She asked.
"The place we are going to is secluded, mostly private properties with no people living there, I can assure you." He nudged her so she would hop on his back, despite not saying it directly, Lisbeth understood and board the dragon.
".... Then what happened that night?" She looked to her side, but Shin didn't reply to her remarks, either from not listening nor ignoring her on purpose.
Without any sign, his wings began to wave at a rapid speed and the surroundings were blown away by the wind. Lucky for them, it was just the pebbles and giant tree that was hit. It just registered to her that the garden was also built as his landing zone, hence the widespread area.
Lisbeth gripped onto the Dragon with zero hesitation, his horns were the only thing she could use as a handle and Shin didn't feel anything at all. Her heart rate increases and as they ascend higher and higher, she decided it would be smarter if she didn't look down.
But as they flew further, there was a telepathy received inside her mind. Like a telephone call to the ear.
"Are you okay up there? We're getting close to our destination." The voice echoed, it was Shin's own voice. "You can reply, just focus on the hairpin I gave you and channel your reply there."
As per his instructions and the adrenaline rush, she tries to concentrate on his voice. "I… I'm okay! It's scary, but okay!" she replied, hoping it would reach through him.
"Very good, now keep steady and talk to me like this." The Dragon replied back, and she just nodded rapidly despite Shin unable to see. She tries to pick a topic on her mind that was hopefully distracting enough from the flight, then a light flashed through her mind.
"Hey, so… I've been curious, sorry if it's rude, but what happened to your arm?" She asked, still focusing.
The Dragon took a moment to reply, his movement slowed down as to lower their heights from the sky. He mouthed a grunt, but not because he was angry, but rather trying to find the right word to explain.
"I… lost it during a challenge I did with a fellow dragon." He smiles, but a somber expression was explicitly visible to no one. "The challenge was for… Something important, but I didn't invest myself enough in it, so they thought I didn't deserve to work with my own hands, and that's where I am now." He said, feeling nostalgic.
Lisbeth, who was listening intently, looked to the sky and pondered. "I'm… Sorry that it happened to you."
"Ah, don't be. If they call it a shame, I call it a lesson." He said, proudly. "If I didn't lose this arm, perhaps I won't be where I am now."
Lisbeth was amazed by his wisdom. Despite being unable to see, she lowered her body to resemble an embrace by his large neck. His eyes widened, surprised by the gesture from the lady above him.
Without any other word, they continued, three minutes elapsed with her eyes closed and they finally arrived at an abandoned clocktower, it was placed on a cliff that was actually familiar to Lisbeth.
"I present to you" He landed on a flat, dry ground with no grass to touch. "My hiding spot."
She opened her eyes to a familiar scene, the entire city was visible and the towering building of Lectorus Academy, along with the broad Palace of Alicestaria[1], the monarch who governed this land, was the highlight of this view.
".... Oh wow, I …." She slowly descends from his back and walked just safe enough to see the view for her eyes. There were many lights that shone from the building, even her eyes reflected those lights and she unintentionally smiled at the view.
"I missed this, I used to go on a picnic with Gale and Vincent, the three of us…" her face warmed, "Gale would use his vehicle to ride us there, Vincent wouldn't stop nagging at how he drives… It's as if I had two big brothers for myself."
She turned around, "Well just like with my father, we didn't have time to bond much, but I know Gale is protective at times. I wonder how he would feel if he knew what I was up to…" She giggles.
Shin, who had morphed himself to his human form, walks up to be by her side and just replies, "If you want to test that, then best prepare for the upcoming Entrance Exam." He looked to her side.
The moment he mentioned that, her mind felt heavy again.
"Everything has been burned under the bridge, you have no choice but to do so." He took a leaf and a flimsy branch, randomly woven something while he spoke, "But it won't be any harder, I'm sure you can pass the test with flying colours."
"..... I appreciate the confidence you have in me." She said, with her face turning pale, "I'm only good at Alchemy, Study of Flora and Fauna… And maybe a little bit of combat prowess. I used my fist most of the time."
"Have you ever taken any adventuring license?" He asked, his hands were still busy.
Lisbeth shook her head, "Not that my father approved of it when I was young, but I think he changed his mind a bit after… I was busy never being at home."
"So not in school, never gotten both of your alchemist and adventuring license… So you ended up working in a tavern that was owned by your aunt. I have to admit, you are both resilient and lucky." He finished twiddling his hand.
"Is that a compliment or…" She narrows her eyes.
"Take everything into positivity, my dear." He crowned her with his finished wreath of leaves, woven in branches. "If you do so, people will start to see you in a positive light as well, luck may not always be on your side if you don't do that."
She then touched the wreath on her head and sighed, "You know, from start to finish, despite not being in a class right now… You never stopped teaching, did you?" She smiled wryly.
"Good, you caught on." He nodded. "Well, not on purpose, I guess it's just in my nature, but did it help you along the way?"
"I can't tell." She looked away, hiding the embarrassment from her face.
"..... But, I'll make sure to reply properly, in a few years." She replied, but this time, not looking at him. The implications of her answer was enough to make Shin beamed with joy.
"I'll wait for however long it takes then." He replied, staring into the same scenery as she does.
And with that, their night to dusk ended as the moon was looming over the sky of greys and blues, soon the violet followed. And they both make their way back to the mansion, where Lisbeth surely tries to learn her way into her new second home.
[1] The name of the official govermental palace of Noctullium. The system runs on matriarchy, without any figure of a king.