Bab 17: Chapter 17 - The Main House
Cella was initially stunned at the girl's sudden command; it had to be known that throughout all the years Seraphina had been alive, she had never once left this house of her own accord.
Let alone visit the main house—meeting her family was something she would never do of her own accord. She couldn't with her health.
This would be the first time in years she would be stepping out of the smaller residence she had been confined to due to her health, and Cella couldn't help but be momentarily stunned by that.
However, she would never question her Young Miss's command, so given the order, she quickly went to prepare everything and ordered a carriage to take them to the mansion.
The morning light was still gentle, casting a soft glow over everything as she got ready under the embrace of the light. The outfit she had chosen to wear reflected her noble status, while fitting her appearance.
A deep violet dress that matched her eyes, adorned with intricate silver and black embroidery that danced along it like rose vines.
Once dressed, Seraphina took a deep breath and nodded to Cella, who led her down the hallway and toward the main entrance. Each step felt heavier than usual, not because of her weakened body but due to the pressure brought by her choice.
Seraphina awaited the carriage with a heart that could not stop racing with anticipation. While on the surface, she tried her best to stay calm, deep down, her mind could not stop worrying about the different possibilities she might come across.
Calming herself with a deep breath once more, she entered the carriage and began her short journey to the main house. The path was lined with lush gardens and well-maintained roads.
Flowers of various colors bloomed, and the scent of fresh blossoms filled the air. Seraphina took in the beauty of the surroundings through her carriage window. It was something she had never had the chance to experience firsthand in this world.
As they approached the grand entrance of the main house, two guards stationed at the gates stopped them to question who was in the carriage.
Cella had to step out and explain to them that the carriage belonged to the young miss of the house and that she was permitted to enter as she pleased.
While they were surprised—as they had never met the Young Miss—they would never use that as an excuse to stop her. Soon enough, they opened the front gates and allowed them to enter.
Once they had entered the gates, reaching the main entrance was quick, the carriage coming to a stop and allowing both of them to dismount it.
Standing before the door, Seraphina could not help but marvel at the stark contrast between the grandeur of the main house and the small residence she had grown accustomed to.
Pushing upon the doors, she could see the high ceilings of the large room, intricate chandeliers, and luxurious furnishings adorning every corner of the entrance hall. The polished marble floors gleamed under the soft light, and the grant staircase twisted upwards, leading to the upper floors.
Seraphina felt a sense of awe looking at the sight—she almost forgot to keep her mouth closed. However, she was broken from her thoughts as a servant of the house quickly approached them, confused.
"Hello, Miss, who might you be?"
Seraphina didn't feel offended by the servant's words. After all, she hadn't notified them ahead of time of her arrival, simply opting to come straight here. Nor did she expect them to remember her appearance as she wasn't seen often.
Before she could speak up and say anything, however, Cella decided to step forward and speak.
"This is Seraphina Augustina Willows, the oldest daughter of the Duke and your Young Miss."
Her tone held a hint of anger, as if scolding the servant for not noticing their own mistress.
Seraphina placed her hand on the maid's shoulder and gently smiled at the servant.
"Please inform my father that I am here."
She spoke in a soft tone, trying to be as friendly as she could—she didn't want to leave a bad impression on her first time here.
"Sorry, Miss, right away, Miss."
The servant bowed twice very quickly, then ran off to inform the Duke of her arrival. Seraphina decided to wait where she stood and simply glanced around the room.
The place was grand but rather empty of life. She hadn't seen any servants aside from the one that just left and the guards, which left her curious as to why it was so empty.
But her thoughts didn't linger long as hustled footsteps echoed through the hallway ahead of her, and soon enough, the tall figure of her father stood before her.
"Seraphina, I did not expect you to visit."
His words were filled with a hint of surprise, but his eyes showed deep care for the girl before him. A smile quickly decorated his face as he continued.
"But I am glad you could; you look much healthier. How do you feel?"
"Thank you, Father."
Seraphina replied with a smile on her face as well. Her voice was steady; she was still somewhat unused to speaking to the man, but she had grown more stable with time.
"I do feel much better lately; my body has been getting healthier."
Davian's eyes sparkled with a hint of emotion at the girl's words. However, Seraphina could not tell what those emotions held.
"Good, the healthier you are, the better. I have been working on getting that Knight Method you asked for. Soon enough, my dear, you will have it."
Seraphina was stunned that he had already found a way to get a knight training method for her, and she could only imagine how difficult such a thing was.
Before she could thank him, however, he spoke again.
"But forget that. Why are you here, my dear?"
Quickly, the girl remembered the original purpose of her visit, which was to go to the library and gain access to it.
"I've finished reading most of the important books in the library in my mansion, and I wish to continue my studies here."
She didn't reveal that she had actually finished reading every single book in the library—as that would clearly reveal something abnormal—but she did make it seem like she had finished quite a bit.
This would put her in a better standing with her father. If he thought she was smart, then she could benefit from that.
"Of course, my dear. This library holds a wealth of knowledge, and every book that can be found in the dukedom should be there. It is as much yours as it is mine—feel free to explore and read as much as you like."
His words were filled with pride; he was proud that his daughter wished to learn more, even with all she had gone through. He wished to enable that further—he wished for her to strive.
"Then I will, thank you, father."
As she was about to continue speaking, a female voice rang out from the side hall, drawing her attention.
"Seraphina?"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone