A Way of Redemption

Chapter5

The birds chirp as the sun blesses the flowers with its warmth. 'Tack tack tack.' The sound of Rose's shoes echoed to Frances's room as she went across his bed. Rose went towards the window and opened the closed curtains. The warm light entered the room as it slowly woke Frances from his sleep. He had slept so soundly that he had no recollection of what had transpired that night.

"Master, it's morning, please wake up," Rose said softly as she tugged on Frances's shoulder to wake him up.

"Ok, I'm up," Frances said groggily, as this was the first time he had slept so soundly after 8 years. He was surprised that he didn't wake up at midnight and hurt himself, as this was his only way to sleep soundly at night. But now in this new world, he had experienced sleep that he hadn't had in a long time. Deep inside, he wished that he could sleep more. But he knew that this was an unfamiliar place for him, and he must abide by their culture first to not raise suspicion of him not being the original Frances. Also, he needs to learn how this world works for him to assimilate here, and waking up at the same time as them will help with this.

"Master, Madam and the patriarch are waiting for you in the dining room, as they had prepared a feast to celebrate your recovery," Rose said as she helped me get up and prepared me a set of clothes on a small desk beside my bed where a small lamp sat.

"Wow," I breathed under my breath as I now stood up, getting the chance to finally look at the room where I was staying. The room was big, comparable to a decent apartment on Earth. But not only that—every piece of furniture in the room looked so lavish that I felt almost scared to touch it. I noticed two small desks beside my bed: one on the left side near the wall holding the things the maids brought in yesterday like the pitcher of water and glass, while on the right side stood a decent desk with books and shelves. It seemed this was where Frances studied and worked. I could see a bunch of notes and books with unfamiliar words on their covers.

Among the books on the desk, what caught my attention was a black leather notebook discreetly hidden in the corner. It was buried in a pile of other notebooks and papers full of notes. What drew my eye was a red line dripping on the stack of paper in the notebook. This seemed particularly out of place, as every other book on the desk was in pristine condition, but this one was in ruins. I don't know why, but something told me I could find some answers for myself in those piles of books. I resolved to check them later after returning to my room.

"Master, please let me take off your clothes," Rose said as she held my new clothes. This startled me as I suddenly blushed with embarrassment, shocked that maids in this world would perform this kind of servitude.

"No, no, no, I will take care of this myself," I repeatedly said, growing redder as the situation continued. I stood speechless as Rose maintained her indifferent expression, head tilted in confusion.

"Don't worry about me, just wait outside as I change into these clothes," I said quickly, having no choice but to guide her outside and close the door. In all honesty, Rose appeared to be the same age as me. Having someone my age say this, I couldn't help but feel flustered. Though I understood this world had older customs compared to Earth, having a woman change my clothes and see my bare skin made me feel embarrassed and shy. Rose's cold and indifferent face didn't help matters.

"Whew, what is with these medieval customs," I grumbled beneath my breath as I took off the nightgown and laid out my new clothes. The pants resembled those from Earth but looked so intricate that I couldn't help but admire the texture of the cloth.

The fashion of this world amazed me. The white pants paired with a white long sleeve, but what truly caught my eye was the accompanying coat and vest. The design was graceful—the white vest complemented the white coat perfectly. The coat featured gold and blue designs that made me feel like I was cosplaying an anime character. A symbol of a sword with a white grip and golden guard was deeply woven into the coat's breast. Though it might have been the body's memory, I couldn't help but feel warmth when seeing this symbol. I made a mental note to research this later, as understanding Frances's family origin would be crucial to my assimilation.

I quickly dressed, remembering that Seraphina and Lucianus were waiting in the dining room, and that I had left Rose waiting outside. After straightening my hair and adjusting my outfit, I opened the door.

"Ah!" I shouted, finding Rose's face right there, still wearing her indifferent expression.

"I'm sorry, Master, if I scared you," Rose said, taking a few steps back and bowing.

"No, that's OK. I was just surprised to find you right at the door," I said, trying to calm my racing heart.

"I see. Now Master, please follow me to the dining room," Rose said, momentarily confused before continuing down the hallway. I stood there, baffled, watching her walk away.

"Master, please follow me; we are already behind schedule," Rose said, pausing briefly before continuing.

This snapped me from my trance, and I hurried after her. As we walked down the enormous hallway, I marveled at the architecture.

The walls were perfectly white, without a speck of dust, adorned with decorations that matched the manor's prestige. "This family is really rich," I thought to myself. Though I didn't understand this world's economy, I knew this manor wasn't something just anyone could afford.

What surprised me most were the intricately placed portraits of various people along the walls. Among them, one caught my eye: a painting of Seraphina alongside a man with white hair and ruby eyes. I was struck by how much I resembled this man—I had inherited my mother's hair and nose, while my eye color matched his. Yet I had never seen this man, nor had anyone mentioned his name. I wanted to ask Rose about him, but she was already several feet ahead, forcing me to jog to catch up.

After a few minutes, Rose stopped and turned right, facing a double door beyond which I sensed an uneasy presence. I had no choice but to confront it as Rose grabbed the gold-laced handles and opened the door. Inside was a massive dining table that could seat twenty people. Seraphina and Lucianus sat at the end, with Lucianus at the head and Seraphina on his left.

"Come child, you must be hungry. Now let's eat," Lucianus said, too preoccupied to focus on me as he ordered the maids and butlers to prepare. I found this baffling—though I didn't fully understand his relationship with Frances, I could sense strain between us despite his caring behavior yesterday. Perhaps it was just my anxiety, but I stood frozen, unsure whether to sit or remain standing.

Seraphina noticed my hesitation and offered a sweet smile, gesturing with her hand. I followed her lead and quietly sat beside her. I tried not to draw Lucianus's attention as he shrugged and picked up a newspaper. The maids set my cutlery and plates, while the butler served a magnificent cut of sirloin steak. The sight made me drool, having eaten nothing yesterday due to exhaustion.

"Ahem," Lucianus coughed, catching my unsightly appearance. I quickly wiped my mouth, took up my utensils, and began eating. Seraphina and Lucianus paused, surprised by Frances's graceful dining etiquette. It seemed unlike the Frances they knew, but I focused on my meal, my body moving automatically between controlled bites. This came naturally to me—my mother on Earth had taught me proper etiquette, and I usually maintained good control. Seraphina and Lucianus eventually resumed their own meals, deciding that questioning Frances might be unwise so soon into his recovery.