Nathaniel's POV:
A weight on my chest caused me to frown in my sleep. I'd had this quite a few times; it was similar to the so-called 'sleep paralysis.' Some would say it was a physiological phenomenon caused by stress, while others would say a demon sat on your chest and prevented you from breathing. My demon, in this case, had red eyes, a cute little face with a snub nose, and eyelashes that fluttered with her innocent blinking.
"Good morning, big brother." My little sister said as she rubbed her head against my neck and sniffed me like a vacuum cleaner, tickling me.
Because this was already routine for us, I simply smiled and tousled her hair, allowing a floral scent to enter my nose. I was worried about what Novem would say, but it turns out she doesn't have any conflicting views; She considers us to be a pair of adoring siblings. I'm also curious if she had siblings. To be honest, I had no idea; she died too early to delve into her character, and Charlotte hasn't said anything, so Novem shouldn't have any.
"Shall we have breakfast?" With a smile, I inquired of Charlotte, who nodded.
I swept my gaze around the room, taking a brief break from eating, already at breakfast, equally elegant as all the other times. Almost everything was the same as usual, but there was something different this time, a girl in a maid's outfit with blonde hair standing in the corner, crestfallen. Her expression was sad, and her body language was withdrawn, almost like a dog who had been abused by its owner. Her gaze was always fixed on the floor, and she clasped her hands together, playing with her delicate fingers, a clear sign of anxiety. I squinted at Charlotte, but she just tilted her head to the side as if perplexed.
"(Did you do that?)" I enquired telepathically, pointing with my eyes at Aria.
"(I have no idea what you're referring to)" I shook my head as she continued to eat.
"(If she breaks, you know it'll be more work, don't you?)" I reminded her firmly.
"(I know, big brother, trust me...)" Her eyes dropped as she fiddled with her food, sounding dejected.
"(I trust you...)" I assured.
"(It doesn't appear to be)" Charlotte replied, dissatisfied.
"(Charlotte...)" I tried to respond, but my mother cut me off before I could finish.
"Would you like to come into town with me today, Nate and Charlotte?" Lilia proposed, and I couldn't help but notice the slightly hopeful look in her red eyes.
"Of course!" Charlotte quickly confirmed.
"That's something I'd like." I said, smiling.
"Well, I'll just run a few errands, but it would be nice to get some fresh air," Lilia said, her face brightening slightly when we agreed to accompany her.
(***)
A finely decorated carriage was already waiting for us at the mansion's front door; the pure white horses neighed impatiently while our mother spoke with her personal maid about something. I expected us to be walking towards our destination when she said 'fresh air,' but it appeared that our definitions were slightly different. My gaze was drawn to the mansion's front yard while we waited. The mansion had a path with several trees surrounding it and a beautiful fountain in the middle; crystal clear water flowed, and some birds fluttered and enjoyed the water. I inhaled the fresh-smelling air, and a sense of freedom washed over me. This was not like the suffocating city air. I smiled as I watched my little sister close her eyes and breathe in some fresh air.
"Well, let's get in" My mother smiled as she noticed us enjoying the scenery and gently guided us to the carriage with her delicate hand on our back. She appeared to want to grab our hands, but she ultimately chose a safer option.
We were greeted by an elegant but cozy interior after climbing a flight of stairs; the pearl-colored tapestries and armchairs were inviting, but the gilded arrangements were simply too elegant and showy. The windows reflected the sunlight, and the red wine-colored blinds were open, filling the interior with light. My mother's pretty face became a little confused as she watched us marvel at this spectacle. I quickly waved my eyes at my little sister, and we acted normal; it would be unusual for the children of marquises to marvel at anything like this.
"Mom, where are we going?" I inquired, my cheek pressed against the hot window due to the sun.
"I just need to sign some paperwork with the accountants," she said with a smile, and I nodded.
The rattling of the carriage was annoying, but the view of a medieval city was so captivating that I forgot about the minor discomfort. Some people stared curiously at the carriage, and even some children greeted me directly; it was a new experience for me, but I smiled back, and some younger women looked at me with stars in their eyes. Charlotte frowned as she closed the blinds, blinding my view of the medieval landscape without my permission.
"The sun is bad for your skin, big brother." my little sister said as I raised an eyebrow at her.
"Aren't you familiar with vitamin D?" I said mockingly.
"Vitamin...D?" Lilia repeated awkwardly.
"Don't worry about us." My little sister smiled, and my mother shrugged.
"(Talking normally is inconvenient, but talking through telepathy feels different.)" Charlotte mentally grumbled.
"(Well, there's nothing we can do)" I shrugged and opened the blinds, unconcerned about my sister's scowl.
People began to pay more attention to us as we passed through a slightly more crowded area. The majority of these people were dressed simply, in rustic shirts and pants with some unusual accessories for the women. When my little sister and I smiled, that's when it got really impressive.
+5 Affection points
+1 Affection points.
+3 Affection points.
The system notifications beeped incessantly, and I considered asking if there was a mute function for the notifications, but I didn't because it was reassuring to gain so many affection points simply by smiling.
However, while carefully observing the people and establishments of the city, I noticed a suspicious man entering a run-down tavern. The wooden planks of the establishment were cracked, and the sign with his name on it was crooked and missing a section; however, for some reason, the name looked quite familiar, but I couldn't recall where I had heard that. Maybe it was because the last part of the sign was missing, but no matter how hard I stared at the name, I couldn't remember it.
"(Charlotte, do you know if that tavern is significant?)" When I asked, my little sister followed my gaze and stared intently at the tavern, only to shrug.
"('D'oco-' I don't think so, that's a strange name)" Charlotte gave up halfway through because she couldn't even pronounce the name.
I stood there staring at the tavern for a while longer, but I couldn't remember anything. The further we got away from that location, the more uneasy I felt, because I was certain it was significant. I decided to look into it again later because I couldn't do anything for the time being. So the journey continued, and it came to an end when my mother signed a few documents governing our territory.
Nathaniel's POV:
A weight on my chest caused me to frown in my sleep. I'd had this quite a few times; it was similar to the so-called 'sleep paralysis.' Some would say it was a physiological phenomenon caused by stress, while others would say a demon sat on your chest and prevented you from breathing. My demon, in this case, had red eyes, a cute little face with a snub nose, and eyelashes that fluttered with her innocent blinking.
"Good morning, big brother." My little sister said as she rubbed her head against my neck and sniffed me like a vacuum cleaner, tickling me.
Because this was already routine for us, I simply smiled and tousled her hair, allowing a floral scent to enter my nose. I was worried about what Novem would say, but it turns out she doesn't have any conflicting views; She considers us to be a pair of adoring siblings. I'm also curious if she had siblings. To be honest, I had no idea; she died too early to delve into her character, and Charlotte hasn't said anything, so Novem shouldn't have any.
"Shall we have breakfast?" With a smile, I inquired of Charlotte, who nodded.
I swept my gaze around the room, taking a brief break from eating, already at breakfast, equally elegant as all the other times. Almost everything was the same as usual, but there was something different this time, a girl in a maid's outfit with blonde hair standing in the corner, crestfallen. Her expression was sad, and her body language was withdrawn, almost like a dog who had been abused by its owner. Her gaze was always fixed on the floor, and she clasped her hands together, playing with her delicate fingers, a clear sign of anxiety. I squinted at Charlotte, but she just tilted her head to the side as if perplexed.
"(Did you do that?)" I enquired telepathically, pointing with my eyes at Aria.
"(I have no idea what you're referring to)" I shook my head as she continued to eat.
"(If she breaks, you know it'll be more work, don't you?)" I reminded her firmly.
"(I know, big brother, trust me...)" Her eyes dropped as she fiddled with her food, sounding dejected.
"(I trust you...)" I assured.
"(It doesn't appear to be)" Charlotte replied, dissatisfied.
"(Charlotte...)" I tried to respond, but my mother cut me off before I could finish.
"Would you like to come into town with me today, Nate and Charlotte?" Lilia proposed, and I couldn't help but notice the slightly hopeful look in her red eyes.
"Of course!" Charlotte quickly confirmed.
"That's something I'd like." I said, smiling.
"Well, I'll just run a few errands, but it would be nice to get some fresh air," Lilia said, her face brightening slightly when we agreed to accompany her.
(***)
A finely decorated carriage was already waiting for us at the mansion's front door; the pure white horses neighed impatiently while our mother spoke with her personal maid about something. I expected us to be walking towards our destination when she said 'fresh air,' but it appeared that our definitions were slightly different. My gaze was drawn to the mansion's front yard while we waited. The mansion had a path with several trees surrounding it and a beautiful fountain in the middle; crystal clear water flowed, and some birds fluttered and enjoyed the water. I inhaled the fresh-smelling air, and a sense of freedom washed over me. This was not like the suffocating city air. I smiled as I watched my little sister close her eyes and breathe in some fresh air.
"Well, let's get in" My mother smiled as she noticed us enjoying the scenery and gently guided us to the carriage with her delicate hand on our back. She appeared to want to grab our hands, but she ultimately chose a safer option.
We were greeted by an elegant but cozy interior after climbing a flight of stairs; the pearl-colored tapestries and armchairs were inviting, but the gilded arrangements were simply too elegant and showy. The windows reflected the sunlight, and the red wine-colored blinds were open, filling the interior with light. My mother's pretty face became a little confused as she watched us marvel at this spectacle. I quickly waved my eyes at my little sister, and we acted normal; it would be unusual for the children of marquises to marvel at anything like this.
"Mom, where are we going?" I inquired, my cheek pressed against the hot window due to the sun.
"I just need to sign some paperwork with the accountants," she said with a smile, and I nodded.
The rattling of the carriage was annoying, but the view of a medieval city was so captivating that I forgot about the minor discomfort. Some people stared curiously at the carriage, and even some children greeted me directly; it was a new experience for me, but I smiled back, and some younger women looked at me with stars in their eyes. Charlotte frowned as she closed the blinds, blinding my view of the medieval landscape without my permission.
"The sun is bad for your skin, big brother." my little sister said as I raised an eyebrow at her.
"Aren't you familiar with vitamin D?" I said mockingly.
"Vitamin...D?" Lilia repeated awkwardly.
"Don't worry about us." My little sister smiled, and my mother shrugged.
"(Talking normally is inconvenient, but talking through telepathy feels different.)" Charlotte mentally grumbled.
"(Well, there's nothing we can do)" I shrugged and opened the blinds, unconcerned about my sister's scowl.
People began to pay more attention to us as we passed through a slightly more crowded area. The majority of these people were dressed simply, in rustic shirts and pants with some unusual accessories for the women. When my little sister and I smiled, that's when it got really impressive.
+5 Affection points
+1 Affection points.
+3 Affection points.
The system notifications beeped incessantly, and I considered asking if there was a mute function for the notifications, but I didn't because it was reassuring to gain so many affection points simply by smiling.
However, while carefully observing the people and establishments of the city, I noticed a suspicious man entering a run-down tavern. The wooden planks of the establishment were cracked, and the sign with his name on it was crooked and missing a section; however, for some reason, the name looked quite familiar, but I couldn't recall where I had heard that. Maybe it was because the last part of the sign was missing, but no matter how hard I stared at the name, I couldn't remember it.
"(Charlotte, do you know if that tavern is significant?)" When I asked, my little sister followed my gaze and stared intently at the tavern, only to shrug.
"('D'oco-' I don't think so, that's a strange name)" Charlotte gave up halfway through because she couldn't even pronounce the name.
I stood there staring at the tavern for a while longer, but I couldn't remember anything. The further we got away from that location, the more uneasy I felt, because I was certain it was significant. I decided to look into it again later because I couldn't do anything for the time being. So the journey continued, and it came to an end when my mother signed a few documents governing our territory.
