Chapter 6: Found out

Lady Francine managed to close the gap between her and Oma.

Her sword flung intending to hit her opponent's head but Oma had expected the attack and move away.

An indention of the hit blew winds that pushed Evy and Oma a few feet away.

Evy felt her heartbeat racing in her chest while she watch the fight unfolding in front of her.

The ground shook under her feet and the temperature in the room turned hotter as each step her lady makes, were ticking off her armor.

 “Evy! Call for the guards tell them the room had been compromised!” Oma shouted at her. 

Taking the initiative to think for herself, she thought that staying and doing nothing isn’t going to help anybody.

Evy stood up and began to run away from the fray and in search of guards.

But behind her, she could hear the clanking of metal beating down like a boulder.

She isn't out of harm's way just yet. 

She was stopped when flames started to ignite in front of her, blocking her path. The heat was quick to burn her hands and stop her in place.

She clutches her arms close to her chest and back away in fear of burning.

Out of instinct, she turns around to see that Oma and Lady Francine were quickly gaining on her.

She needed another way out of here.

Evy noticed the small decorative vase put on the sides of the hallway before her gaze spots the window. The materials for the window seem to be thin and could easily be broken by something hard.

Without much hesitation, the silver-haired girl grabs the vase as quickly as she could and threw it on the window, breaking glass while shards sprayed everywhere.

 “Come back here!”

Her lady's voice had turned a deeper alto with a vibration that was unlike her lady's natural one. Hearing it, made Evy shiver.

 The sword on her hand gleamed from the light, readily informing Evy of its capacity for beheading. Before she could escape, lady Francine had reached her, her sword already arched for a swing.

Evy's body moves on its own to dodge to her left and barely in the nick of time.

But the onslaught didn't stop there, lady Francine started swinging her sword left and right with speed she could not keep up. While she did her best not to die and kept moving away from her sword, she knew she wouldn't be able to last for long. 

Pain racket up her body when she mistook one measly step and got caught in one of lady Francine's swings. The sword clipped her arm and made a deep slash. 

“Ahhh!” 

She felt the pain of her skin tearing and her blood dripping everywhere. She kneels out of agony, her chest clamping up from the sudden sting. 

Evy used her hand to put pressure on the wound and ran to the other side of the wall to put some distance from her attacker.

Seeing the feet of armor closing in, Evy thought she was going to die.

Her body naturally turns cold. She had nothing to protect herself.

Was this how it ends?

"ARGH!"

Just when she thought she was done for. Oma appeared to stop Lady Francine from killing her.

Out of nowhere, a weapon appeared in her hands. An intricate yet bold orange hammer formed with a glimmer from thin air and was hastily bunted with her lady’s sword. Stopping it course for Evy's head. 

Oma was fast to react and raised her big hammer and attacked again.

Evy looked on at the turmoil, totally out of the loop and holding on as best she can. The hallway had turned into a battlefield as the walls and ground cracked and broke apart from their exchange. Both fighters maneuvering and hitting with powers she has yet to see someone have.  

She watched the situation becoming reverse, as Oma had turned full offensive on Lady Francine. Hitting the sides and front of her armor.

All her lady could do was defend herself. 

She could see Oma’s attack was taking effect, as her lady armor was getting dented and her hold on her sword wasn’t as stable as before. 

Before it turns into a direr event, Lady Francine finally stopped moving and fell on the floor, with a loud bang.

 A heavy pause.

All three were heaving out, exhausted and in pain.

Oma’s hammer disappear from her hand before she steadily went to inspect Lady Francine’s condition.

Taking the armor apart, her lady’s body had sustained several abrasions and bruises, most of them on her arms and body.

Must have been due to Oma’s attacks relentless attacks.

“What happened to her?” was all Evy could ask as she finally stood up and went closer to the two, her arm still letting our blood on the floor.

“Let’s head back to her room before I tell you,” Oma’s voice sounded defeated whilst she handily carried Lady Francine in her arms. Her looming form intimidatingly walked away.

Evy with her own wound trailed after Oma and their unconscious mistress, feeling mystified and truly lost about what had just transpired.

...

“What do you want to know?”

They were back to her lady’s room.

Their mistress was asleep on her bed while the two of them were looking like they rolled off a cliff, yet were still by their mistress' side, waiting for the others to find them and call for assistance.

Taking the time to completely absorb what had happened, she came up with two queries.

The first one was about the unexplained occurrences of weapons appearing out of air and fire suddenly emerging from the ground.

She’s never seen a person do that in her 27 years of existence and the more the thought played again and again in her mind, the more she can’t explain it. 

The other one was towards the complete 180-degree change of her lady’s character.

Truly a mysterious and fearful sight.

Who she met wasn’t the cocky sly mistress that she has grown accustomed to, but a homicidal maniac with the intent to stab her into a kebab.

It was too much for her to process. 

Everything was too staggering to understand.

She briefly thought she was hallucinating. That what happened was all in her head. But the pain on her arm says otherwise. 

“Am I even allowed to know?” 

 “As Lady Francine’s personal maid you should have been informed on day one. But after Lady Francine warmed up to you, she asked me and the others to prevent you from knowing. Whatever her reasons were, we had to follow her orders but now that you’ve seen firsthand what she’s going through, it’s not like we make you forget. I might as well save mistress the hassle of telling you herself.”

Oma went to take the warm towel from her bedside, that one she had prepared before and used it to clean Lady Francine. 

“If my lady didn’t want me to know then I don’t have to. I only want to confirm if what she’s doing with you were helping her.”

Taking another towel and using it on her arm, she tried her best to close her wounds before she began assisting Oma as well with cleaning up their mistress.

Even if she still felt a bit shaky from the situation, she didn't want to stay seated and do nothing at all.

Oma showed signs of frustration and tried to avoid looking at her.

“I want to be able to help my lady but the most I can do is prevent her from crossing out of the room when she’s in the state of rage. You see, a mage had told us before that her tendency to go on a wild rampage will lessen the more she grows older but had also advised us to seclude her in the mountains to be trained so she won’t totally lose inhibition and should be monitored by someone who knows full well of her condition.”

“Why isn’t she being trained then?”

“Because Lord Rose doesn’t want others to know about his daughter attacking people indiscriminately and about her half being a…”

Oma’s frowned and couldn’t finish her sentence.

“... There’s nothing I can do. Neither does, my lady. She loves her father and she doesn’t want to ruin his standing with his merchants and to the other nobles. She won’t go unless she'd been given his blessing.”

That does sound like Lady Francine.

Their conversation was cut short as the door opened and two healers came in.

...

Lady Francine was still sleeping on the bed, she’s already been visited by the doctor and healed her wounds. Evy and Oma had been treated as well with the advice of sleeping early and resting.

Evy's arm had shown signs of it slowly closing up already.  

However, neither of the two left their mistress’ side, as they diligently wait for her to wake up. 

“Oma, could I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

 “How did you do it?”

 She looks quizzically at her. “Do what?”

 Evy waved her hands as if swinging something heavy. “The Hammer. How did you do it?”

“Oh. Do you mean this?”

Oma presented her hand, then as if it were magic, something materialized on her fingers, particles glowing before a tangible hammer with an intricate design turned up.

She still couldn’t believe her eyes and walked closer to take a look at it.

“How?”

“I used to be an adventurer before I was a maid. This here is my core weapon. Veteran Adventurers who have managed to reach rank B can pull out their unique core weapon and use it for combat.”

There it was. That word again.

“And what do you mean by adventurer? How does that associate with you being able to do this— this—I don’t even know how to say it”

Evy touched the hammer and could feel the coldness and its smooth surface coupled with its beads and carvings.

It was a real hammer.

“You don’t know about adventurers?”

Can't say I have.

“No. Could you explain it to me?”

“What’s there to say? Being an adventurer is like working in many fields. It's a profession done by people who are capable of doing expedition either with a task or request taken from a guild. It can vary from simple requests like herb gathering to the most dangerous ones like dragon subjugation. These requests are categorized so weaker adventurers won’t get killed.”

 Wow. She still doesn't fully understand but it sounded heavenly to her ear. Didn't it just mean more work for Evy to choose from?

“Could I be an adventurer too?”

 Oma scatches her chin and stared at Evy for a full minute before she offered her hand.

“Give me your hand”

A weird request but she handed it in willingly.

Evy felt Oma’s callous hands in hers.

“Whatever you do. Don’t scream.”

Right away, she felt her hand getting bitten off by something she couldn’t see.

She tried pulling away but Oma gripped her hand was rock hard. The feeling was unbearable, it was burning and freezing at the same time. As if teeth were gnawing at her muscles and eating her whole hand away and it felt worse than being stabbed.

Her breath quickened as she held on as long as she possibly could. Oma didn’t seem like she was going to let her go.

“Fuck! LET GO!” she wheezed out, trying to keep her voice down.

The pain continued to crawl up her wrist then to her shoulder, every nerve felt like it was being scraped by knives.

Evy wanted to scream, she began to cry out now, but the thought of her mistress sleeping soundly by the bed, held her tongue. She doesn't want to wake her up.

So Evy bit her other hand instead and endured. Her nails dug through her palms while waiting for eternity to end. 

Then, suddenly it stopped.

She eventually pulled her hand back. Her heart was racing so much she forgot where she was.

When she came to, Oma had a big grin and pulled Evy's clothes until she back standing.

“If you ever want to change profession, you might not be bad of an adventurer. Though you’re weak and small. If you train I think you’ll be fine.”

 “What did you just do?”  

Her hand was still shaking from the pain. 

“I did a phantom attack on you. It's harmless but it neutralizes enemies. Usually, people who have no stable core can’t endure phantom attacks for more than a second. Those who have innate magical talent not only can they endure but can even protect themselves from it. You haven’t undergone anything extensive so I’m impressed you even lasted till the end.”

“..cores… magic… phantom attacks? How can these be possible? I’ve never… how…”

Evy was left speechless, her head hurting from trying to make sense of anything.

“You seem pale. You should sit.”

She didn't listen to Oma, her words barely a whisper as her mind was filled with questions.

All Evy has ever known was being tested right at this very room.

While it's true that she has not believed in many things. She does, however, believe in what she has seen through the years. She trusts these things for a reason because they follow the law of reality that she grew up in. Yet at the same time, she can’t refute the unfathomable events that did happen.

The pain she felt was real.

The fire she saw ignited was hot.

The hammer that floated from nowhere was tangible.

“Where am I?” she asked herself.

She was losing her sense of reality.

“I need to think. No! I need to calm down. Breathe.”

Evy sat down and rubs her face.

Oma watches as Evy was acting like she was having a major fit.

“So you’re telling me that it’s possible to— what— shot fire out of their hands or— or have someone fly in the air. Don’t tell me people here can bend physics and even make a wall of earth from a flick of a wrist. Is that what you’re telling me? Because it doesn’t make sense.”

Her voice rambling on, her emotions getting out of hand.

“I don’t know why you acting so worked up about. Some people can do that, some can’t. It all depends if you're lucky enough to have a core that’s top tier. Our world has always been directed by the principle of Essence. I don’t get why you don’t know this.”

Oma was now looking suspiciously at her.

Realizing how she sounded, she reeled in her emotions and shook her head still seemingly stressed out.

“I’m sorry." her voice so small.

"... I lost myself for a minute. It's— I’m… what you call a closed-off person. I was never educated about these things. It’s… not a known fact from where I came from. So I regret being so aggravated easily.”

“You don’t know these things yet you’re supposed to be a baron’s daughter. Even if your status is lower than a viscount, you’re supposed to know something as simple as this.”

Oma stood up from her seat, her hammer in her hands, and eyes ominous.

“Unless you lied to us about your identity. Are you even a baron's daughter or are you someone working for the exiled traitors? Tell me! Who are you?!”

“Wait!” Evy began to step back while she was stricken with fear when the hammer started glowing an orange hue.

“I’m telling the truth. I’m noble and I live here in Polvaros.”

 Oma had stopped listening to her and started walking closer.

“When I heard about your name I knew something wasn’t right. I’ve never heard of any Ronx family even before I was over the border. Now tell me your real name and I might reconsider not maiming you.”

This time the hammer was pointed at her head. Lining it up for a throw.

 “Tell me right now!”

 “Stop!”

Oma and Evy were surprised to see Lady Francine awake and blocking Oma from her, otherwise, doom.

“My lady! You’re going to get hurt!”

“I’m fine. Oma lay down your weapon. Evy isn’t a threat.” Lady Francine’s complexion was still poor and probably still feeling the after effect of the injury she sustained seeing as her hand had remained clutching the side of her chest and her beating labored.

“She’s not telling us that truth! She may be a spy from any of the Duras or Cebrals— or even from Half Dominion!”

“If that’s true, then shouldn’t she know about essence better than us humans? Monsters are more intricately close to the primordial source of life. Humans are only secondary but baseless in limitation.” Lady Francine bellowed out to try and make Oma understand.

Evy realized something just now.

“Wait, you were listening to us?”  

Lady Francine looked guilty as she pretended to sleep when the both of them were so worried for her.  

“I'm ashamed... really. The minute I woke up, I wanted to apologize but I was too scared to face you. ” She turns around to look at Evy, her hesitancy was evident in her gait.  

Her mistress started walking up to her, her eyes trained on the arm that she cut. 

Evy moved her body, hiding her injury from view to stop Lady Francine from feeling so accountable for something she had no control over.

“I’m sorry for attacking you. I never wanted to do it but as you've experienced first hand, I’m cursed.”

“My lady, we still don’t know if she can be trusted.”

Oma had her hammer raised yet again. Prepared to act in the slightest signs of danger but lady Francine still had looked at her with kindness. 

Her mistress paused in front of her, her smile a beautiful portrait.

“But I do…” 

She reached out a hand to touch the wound she inflicted on Evy and look regretful.

“After the tea party, I began getting curious about you. I remembered back then that you didn’t act like a noble at all and I haven’t heard of a name like yours. So… I hire someone to investigate.”

Evy’s eyes trails along her mistress’ face, as she looks down on the ground in reverie. “Out of all the invitations that were sent. Only the Devine house was absent. Although I could say that there was no name in the invitation letter, one can still take attendance had they shown up. It wasn’t a hard piece to solve, unlike your many riddles."

She smirks at the silver-haired maid.

"A girl who looks to be the same age as the hidden gem of the duke. Is ignorant about the identity of the royal family, and has no idea about menial things like what an adventurer is or even about essence is about. As if you’ve lived your life stuck inside a house for years without a single clue about the world.” her voice drawls out.

“... Am I right to assume your identity, Lady Evelyn Regalia Devine.”

 It hits differently when Lady Francine uttered the name. It was sweet when her voice spells it out.

Evy had slightly come to terms that it was her name now.

Still, it's a mirror mirage to which she can’t deny nor accept wholeheartedly just yet.

Evy averts her eyes away from her and facepalmed over getting found out so easily.

Oma lets go of her hammer upon hearing her name, before bowing in regret.

“I asked for forgiveness, Lady Devine. My action does not reflect the Rose family. I acted on my own accord and if you wish to punish anyone then please only punish me. I have threatened her lady and should be disciplined.”

Evy sweated over how ready Oma was to doing a dogeza.

She quickly look at the maid and shook her head.

“Please, Oma. You don’t need to apologize. It’s all my fault. You were only trying to protect the young mistress. That’s why I can understand why you did it. You also save my life hence, if I punish you then I wouldn’t feel satisfied”

While she did her hardest to get through the giant maid, Oma continued to prostrate on the ground and did not move an inch.

Now it was her turn to feel guilty and embarrassed. 

Feeling a hand on her jaw, it pulled her face to the side until her gaze was unto lady Francine.

“So I was right.”

Completely surprised at the intensity of her gaze.

Evy had to distance herself because of how heavy she was watching her.

“Could you keep it a secret?”

Lady Francine gave the impression that she was dejected by her distancing but remained composed.

“If you keep mine then I'll keep yours,” she said sincerely.

“I have no problem with that condition. Although, can I still work for you?” that seemed to be her main issue.

Lady Francine had discovered her identity. Most of the ones who reject her had been about her status, and she was afraid it’d be the same as today.

“I can’t keep you as a maid since your father will be looking for you... or have you run away?”

“Nothing of the like. He knows where I am. He won’t do anything.”

“Then why did you want to work for me?”

“It wasn’t about you. The job was what I was after. I only wanted to work.” She spoke what she truly felt. 

Her lady ponders while staring at her eyes. 

“Am I still your mistress?”

The small grin on her mistress' face made Evy feel relieved that she had not offended her.

Evy bows her head and closed her eyes.

“Yes. I gave my oath to serve you and if you’re still willing to take me as your maid then it would be my honor.” 

She felt an arm snake through her neck, opening her eyes she found Lady Francine hugging her.

“My lady?”

“Yes.”

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Of course.”

Her Lady was acting weird as she continues to hug her as if she was afraid of letting go.

Maybe just this time, Evy won't say anything.

…

Had Evy actually seen her lady’s expression, she might have seen Francine on the brink of crying, while her hands claps her clothes as if afraid she would leave her again.