I couldn't believe my senses…
"I can hear a strange sound."
A piercing noise reached our ears. Estelle whimpered as she tugged at my sleeve and pulled me closer to her. She stared at the floor, her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. This childish behaviour of hers was pretty common, but this time, it was warranted.
Soon, a mysterious sight greeted us. The mirror on the wall turned like a revolving door with a heavy creak. The device controlling the door was probably outside, so that no one could get out once inside.
"Uncle Jerome?!"
Viscount Ipolite was the youngest of the siblings' uncles and was their favourite. They had many fond memories with him since he often played with us during our childhood. But right now, instead of affection, his face was shadowed by an eerie impression.
"Uncle, we were so anxious!"
"We were beginning to get wrong ideas, you know? Where is this place?!"
"Uncle Jerome… I'm hungry. I want to leave."
I stepped back from the reunion as the siblings sighed in relief upon seeing a familiar face. No matter how well the Duke and Duchess treated my mother and I, we were still mere servants to other members of the family. Even before my memories came back, I was aware of this fact.
But… I scrutinized the young viscount from my spot. Something seemed off about him. He still had his usual warm smile, but it seemed weak to me. And his eyes… They seemed as blank as a fish's. The viscount stood rigidly as his niece and nephews chattered excitedly. It was almost as if he didn't even want to be here.
All the children, including me, were barely managing to cope up after the sudden funeral. So why would he show such a strange expression to us? Was he… lost in his thoughts about the dead? That was probably the case.
"Uncle?"
Letis called out to him, sensing that something was off. The light-hearted joy only lasted a short while and an awkward, uncomfortable silence took over us. After a long while, Jerome finally decided to speak. Unlike his usually soft, playful voice, his tone was now hoarse and rough, almost as if it was being grated against a sandpaper.
"Children, let's sit down first."
Letis seated himself on a nearby chair as Benya and Estelle perched themselves on the bed. I chose to stand by Estelle's side, just in case she needed me.
Even though we sat down like he'd asked us to, Jerome made no move and simply kept staring at our faces. Perhaps the siblings' faces reminded him of his brother and sister-in-law.
"Uncle, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Letty, but weren't you surprised? Waking up in an unfamiliar room must've been strange."
"Well, I was surprised to an extent. But we're still at our house, right? I never knew of such a place."
"Every noble mansion has a secret room."
For a split second, the viscount was back to his original self. The others burst into laughter, but the way he'd said those words grated on my nerves for some reason. I wondered for how long they intended to keep us here.
"Children, there's been a change of plans."
"What?"
"You can't go to Fjeya anymore. You're well aware of the situation in the capital right now. Even travelling to the Valencia Port would be dangerous."
He was right. Forget the peasants, even the aristocrats, who didn't need to walk about the streets to conduct their daily business, had been infected and passed away due to the plague. It sure lived up to the nickname given by the newspapers, God's Punishment. No one could escape from his wrath.
But I knew the truth. This was no God's punishment, but the author's creation. The plague was based off of Black Death and would die off after a couple of months, just as abruptly as the outbreak had begun. Of course, its consequences would be everlasting.
They weren't wrong in reaching such a conclusion.
"Some of the people in the manor have been infected as well, so it's not safe anymore. Children are more susceptible to the infection, so we moved as quickly as possible. This is the safest place we could think of. No one's entered this place for a long time."
His tone went back to being light and cheery, any and all traces of his previously gloomy atmosphere gone, as if it never happened. It seemed like he was speaking that way in order to lighten the blow of the bad news.
My eyes met Benya's. It seemed like he was thinking the same thing.
"So, what now? Are we going to stay here forever?"
Letis was startled at Benya's sudden question. Estelle turned pale at the thought of staying in this secluded place forever.
In return, Jerome simply smiled and shook his head.
"This is only for a short while. We had to do all this because we're desperate. I don't like the thought of keeping you here either, but please bear with it. Don't worry, once the situation calms down, we'll immediately send you to Fjeya."
The four of us exchanged a glance. Discovering and exploring new places was fun, but staying there for an indefinite amount of time was an entirely different matter. This cramped, uncomfortable space would be more than enough for a servant like me, but for the children of noble blood to stay here? It would be a nightmare.
"I don't like it here…"
Estelle's face scrunched up as she whined in complaint. Well, this kind of situation did deserve such a reaction. Nobody could have foreseen this sudden twist. Even Letis and Benya seemed flabbergasted.
"Then, how long are we supposed to stay cooped up in here?!"
The answer to Letis question hit us hard.
"About a week. I don't think we'll make you stay any longer. In the end, going abroad is our option."
"What about our meals?"
"Of course, the butler will attend to your basic needs. There's no need to worry about that. We've already brought all your clothes in here. Well, Estelle has Sasha to help her, but you two will have to dress yourselves for now."