It's been about a week. In the early morning, the white walls tinted amberish under the light of the rising sun. The amber wasn't just inside the mansion. Outside, dried leaves falling from the trees also shared the same colour, marking the arrival of autumn.

Although autumn is a season of new beginnings, it's also a season for decay. Leaves that clung to the trees for so long shall part ways with them. Making space for new leaves to come.

But the leaves of the lonely tree that had stood beside the outer mansion on the mound, took it differently. Even in their last moments, all the leaves that fell around it, created a beautiful canvas of decay painted in orange. Each leaf that fell from the slightest of the tree's movement added a new stroke on the canvas. Yet, while the leaves might have taken a long time to grow and get old, the stroke that they added to the canvas would not last long under the gusts of wind.

Inside the outer mansion, on which the tree had been looking over for decades, the servants were on the move to go to their daily chores. The corridors filled with their bustling sound of footsteps.

Among them, three female servants, all wearing the same uniforms. A black dress under a white apron. Their heads covered under white cloth, and hands with gloves. Seemingly they were going to their morning chores of cleaning—with broom, mop, and rags. But they stopped just before a turn to Lady Ivene's room to chatter.

One of them, Tensil, asked, "Hey, where's Jen?"

Another servant, Vret, replied, "I don't know...Last night she was saying she's feeling weak."

"Oh..."

Tensil said, "...By the way, don't you think Greta has been a bit smug."

Prixy, the last servant who had been quiet, broke her silence, and with an unbelieving expression she said, "Her?"

"Yeah," Tensil replied. Her tone of voice sounded like she was saying something obvious. "...since she's appointed to take care of Lady Ivene and her child."

Vret said, "Yeah, I think so too...If it wasn't for Madam Venet's kindness, she would've long been outside of the estate."

Tensil said, "I heard, when she was appointed in the main mansion, she was still clumsy."

Prixy muttered, "Being clumsy under Madam Crof...?" Her eyes rolled up gazing at the ceiling, as though imagining something. Then, she shuddered and said, "I can't..."

"If I am right," Vret said with a slight hint of uncertainty, "I heard, she used to get yelled at a lot from Madam Crof."

"I heard she belongs to a family who are quite adequate magic users. But she couldn't even activate her magic core," Tensil added.

Vret chortled and said, "They must be disappointed."

"Yeah," Tensil replied. After thinking for a brief moment, she
said, "By the way...have you heard Lady Ivene's health isn't good?"

"Isn't it just because of childbirth?" Prixy asked.

"No," Tensil replied. She added, "I've heard, even then, her health isn't getting any better."

"You know, last week, me and Jen were going through here when Lady Ceres with Madam Crof came out of Lady Ivene's room. They were talking about something, and then after a few steps...suddenly, Lady Ceres almost fell."

"What?" Prixy asked in concern. "Was she injured anywhere?"

"No. She was fine. Might've been because of her pregnancy..."

"Oh...yeah..."

"But...now that you mention it," Tensil gulped before completing her words. Her face looked like she was about to say something she shouldn't, but after a moment of thought she continued, "yesterday Jen also went to Lady Ivene's room-"

Before she could spell out her thoughts, two hands sneaked behind their shoulders. All three of them startled and frantically turned around. Behind them stood a woman with grey hair. A small emerald gem hung around her neck, resting against the dark grey dress she wore. On her crumpled face, with narrowed eyes, she wore a firm, but unnerving smile.

Tensil stuttered, "Madam Venet, y-you..."

"Yes, Tensil," Venet replied without changing the arch of her lips. "What about Jen visiting Lady Ivene's room?"

"N-nothing Madam. W-we were just chatting."

"Hmm...if you three have enough time to chat, then...get to work." She slid a finger on the wall beside her. After looking at the finger for a second, she rubbed it. "No wonder that the corridors' been so dusty lately."

Tensil and Vret said in unison, "Sorry, Madam. We'll get to work right away, Madam."

Prixy joined them behind. With her eyes and fists clenched earnestly, she exclaimed, "Ye-yes, Madam!" Trying to match the sound of the other two.

All three of them grabbed their equipment and walked hurriedly, as though to get out of Venet's gaze as fast as possible. On their way, looking at Prixy, Vret exclaimed in a hushed tone, "Why were you yelling?!"

Flustered, Prixy replied, "I-i wasn't..."

"Hmph..."

Venet shook her head and let out a sigh. Upon arriving at Lady Ivene's room, she knocked on the doors. A few seconds later Greta opened the doors. Entering the room, Venet immediately noticed the mother, still in bed, tucked under a blanket. She whispered, "How's Lady Ivene's condition?"

Greta's face etched with concern as she was about to reply, "She's-" But a coughing sound from Ivene interrupted her.

Both looked at the bed. After a moment of silence, with a sadder face, Greta said, "Her condition is not recovering."

"What the healer said?"

"They said for some reason Lady Ivene's mana is depleting. But they are unsure
about the cause."

Their gaze fell over the ground in worry. After thinking for some time, Greta said, "Madam, if you don't mind, can you please stay here? I have to get breakfast for Lady?"

"No need to worry. I've told a servant to bring breakfast. He'll bring it soon."

"Thank you, Madam."

"Oh, and how's Young Master doing?"

Greta's face lightened for a moment as replied, "Young Master is healthy."

"That's good. ...Okay, then. I'll leave. Take care of Lady Ivene and Young Master."

"Yes, Madam!"

As Greta closed the doors after Madam Venet left, Ivene coughed—struggling to get up. Looking at her Lady struggle, Greta rushed in help. She tried to put her hands around Lady Ivene to help, but the lady shook her hands off.

She said, "I'm fine!" Her expression seemed like she wanted to exclaim her words, but they were barely any better than trembling whispers. Relentlessly she struggled herself, and after some effort she was able to sit. With her voice still quivering, she asked, "How's Kei?"

Greta silently walked to newborn's cradle—trying not to disturb him. But as though to not disturb his mother, the child was already awake and had been staying quiet in his cradle. He waved his hands and legs around—playing. He giggled looking at the Greta.

Seeing the newborn play, Greta's lips curved in a smile and she chuckled for a moment. Without averting her eyes from him, she replied, "Young master is good, Lady. He's playing."

With a few minutes passed, there was a knock on the doors. Opening it, Greta saw a man wearing black pants and white shirt, under a black vest. His black hair was slicked back. His eyes flinched and lips curled in a sneer when he saw Greta open the door. But he forced back a neutral face immediately and said, "I brought breakfast for Lady Ivene..."

"Yes!" Greta took the breakfast tray from his hands. Despite his neutral voice, Greta felt strangely uneasy while she took the breakfast tray from his hands. Unable to figure out why, she brushed it off with a shrug, and brought the breakfast inside, closing the doors behind her.

On his way back, the servant grunted, "Hmph!" Then he muttered, "It should've been Tensil, instead of that vixen." As he walked, lost in his thoughts, he came across Venet.

Seeing him come from Lady Ivene room's direction, Venet confirmed, "Have you delivered breakfast to Lady Ivene?"

"Yes, Madam!" His voice bright and earnest—a stark contrast to his earlier thoughts. But it hardly mattered, as they were directed towards Greta, not Lady Ivene.

Just after she passes the servant, Venet's firm smile, the one she wore all the time, fractured. Her eyes dropped, and lips tightened. Her gaze lingered in the abyss, and her mind couldn't rest. It kept going back to the incident that occurred in the morning. A thought crossed her.

I stopped them this morning. But I don't know how long...

She stood still for a few moments before shaking her head. Taking a breath she muttered, "Lady Ivene, please get well soon..." She faltered for a few steps, before putting on her firm smile and walking on.