Anytime he saw some of the Servants ranking below him having such thoughts towards the Countess he would always pity them, in his eyes they were all lost souls who had no idea about the abyss they were threading towards!.

No matter how much he thought about it, if she were to ever emerge within the common district one day, thousands of men if not all, would've begun howling like maddened beasts from her figure alone yet, when matched with her mesmerizing facial features, visibly milky soft flesh and pale porcelain skin, it wouldn't be an overstatement to call her a lady capable of bringing down a kingdom with just her looks alone. 

It was extremely rare to find a woman who could compete with her, Even Eri Onee-san who stood before her was a bit lower in comparison. 

_________________________________________

Eri and Takumi immediately bent a knee the instant their gazes fell on the Countess, bowing their heads in deference like the loyal servants they were.

 in her heart, Eri Onee-san felt unimaginable fealty towards the Countess and although Takumi felt the same, his own level of fealty was similar to Eri Onee-san but with the addition of apprehension and fear of similar caliber, Though he didn't let it ever emerge on his face out of fear of attracting the countesses displeasure.

“Welcome home, Countess,” they intoned in unison.

The cold formality typically etched into the Countess's face melted into a warm, ladylike smile. “its good to finally see you both, Takumi Kun, Eri chan,” she greeted cheerfully.

“please, rise.”

They stood as instructed.

“It’s a pleasure to see you in good health, Countess,” Takumi offered respectfully.

“You look as radiant as ever, Madame,” Eri added, her voice unusually sincere. Like a little girl who completely adored her big sister.

The Countess let out a soft, melodic laugh. “Oh, Eri, you flatter me. Though I must admit, I could certainly use more rest.” Her crimson eyes sparkled with amusement. “Come, walk with me inside. We have much to discuss.”

As they moved through the grand entrance and into the manor’s foreboding halls, the Countess spoke with casual grace. “How was the manor in my absence?”

Takumi who now felt a bit relieved that he could glance around the hallways while avoiding to look upon the countess from behind especially her even more ensnaring back view, decided to answer first. “There are no pressing issues to report, Countess. The estate remains well-maintained, and the household is functioning as expected.”

Eri chimed in, “Its like Sir Takumi said, There have been no unusual disturbances either, Madame. Moreover The staff has been even more diligent since your absence.”

The Countess nodded, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. “Excellent. But tell me,” her tone softened with motherly warmth, “how has my little devil, Aiko, been doing since my departure?”

A heavy silence followed as if the Countess had touched upon a troublesome subject. Takumi hesitated, his lips parting before closing again. In the end, it was Eri who spoke up, her expression shadowed with concern.

“The young miss.....still spends most of her time confined to her room or wandering aimlessly through the halls,” Eri admitted reluctantly. “She rarely speaks and has become increasingly unpredictable. Even minor issues can trigger violent outbursts.”

' I thought as much...' The Countess said inwardly, her voice tinged with a hint of grief.

The Countess’s steps slowed, a flicker of sorrow dimming the brightness in her eyes. Her voice lowered to a near whisper. “I see.”

' Hana San....' Eri Onee-san felt like calling out to her but held back against it.

Though she said nothing more, Eri could tell the weight of the news pierced deeply. The death of Aiko’s father had left wounds that refused to heal, and the Countess, despite her powerful demeanor, carried that burden silently.

They walked in silence for a few more steps before the Countess dismissed them with a graceful wave of her hand. “Thank you for your honesty. That will be all for now.”

Eri and Takumi bowed respectfully before parting ways, vanishing into thin air as if they were never there to begin with.

As Eri made her way back toward her quarters, exhaustion tugged at her limbs. “Finally,” she muttered under her breath, thinking of a well-deserved rest, Though she adored the Countess, it still didn't mean she wasn't pressured when standing in her presence, to her, She was like an all encompassing moon, no matter how she saw it, only someone similar to the sun's glorious radiance would stand a chance of enduring her chilling yet radiant glow.

At the thought of someone similar to a warm sun she suddenly paused, remembering something or rather, someone she had completely forgotten about.

The cute little slave boy she had brought into estate as a servant.

' Best to check if he's been able to keep up with his tasks, he's seemingly new so it wouldn't hurt to lend him some guidance if need be...' Her brow furrowed. She had assigned the boy to scullery duty, but considering it was his first day, she decided to check on his progress. Heading toward the scullery, she braced herself for what she expected to be a chaotic mess.

However, upon entering the room, Eri froze in stunned disbelief.

The once grimy and cluttered space now gleamed under the eerie green glow of lanterns. Not a single dirty dish remained in the overflowing sink nor below; even the floor had been scrubbed spotless. The metallic scent of old grime was replaced by the faint aroma of clean wood and soap.

“Im-mm-p-poss-sible...” she whispered to herself, stuttering even, eyes wide with astonishment. 

Her gaze swept the room, searching for Hitoshi seemingly thinking of asking him how he was capable of such a feat But, the boy was nowhere to be found.

A flicker of displeasure crossed her features. Did he leave without permission?.

Eri’s lips curved into a mischievous yet determined smile. “So the little rabbit thinks he can scurry off, does he?” she muttered.

Despite her outward irritation, an eager glint sparkled in her eyes. For some reason, she couldn't help but feel that finding Hitoshi and teaching him a lesson sounded far more entertaining than resting.