chapter seven

They reached the grand house of the duke of Adelstein at three pm. As Elen looked out of the carriage window, she saw a line of people waiting at the front door to welcome the grand duke. The butler and head maid stood at the front with eager expressions. When the duke stepped out of the carriage, instead of leaving, he opened the door and glanced at Elen. It was as if he was silently telling her to join them. Nervously, she revealed herself to the crowd, her heart racing. The onlookers, especially the old butler, appeared shocked by her presence.

“Grand Duke?” the old butler called out, seemingly in disbelief. Feeling uneasy under their gazes, Elen quickly moved to stand behind the duke.

“Don’t frighten the child. Mathilda, assist her to the library,” the grand duke instructed, removing his coat. “Butler, come with me.” With that, he left Elen in the midst of the others.

The kind head maid approached Elen and showed her to the library. Though they had just met, the maid was friendly and made Elen feel welcome. As they walked through the grand duke’s house, Elen felt the weight of her situation. Being a fairy in a world where her kind was not trusted was daunting. While the grand duke’s protection offered some hope, it also made her wonder about her place in his home.

Once in the Library room, Elen was pleasantly surprised to see it filled with books. Despite her earlier worries about forbidden books, she couldn’t help but feel excited. The grand duke’s servant brought some old books to the table, and Elen eagerly flipped through them, searching for any mention of fairies and silver werewolves.

“Please call if you need anything, my lady,” the servants said before leaving the library.

“Thank you,” Elen replied and began to read the books.

“Faries typically live for around 200 years and each possess different magical abilities. Some have control over fire, water, or wind, while others have the gift of healing. In the past, fairies were treated kindly by humans, but as time passed, their numbers declined. Some humans exploited fairies for experiments or to benefit themselves. This exploitation led to a decline in the fairy population, threatening their existence.”

However, as she read, Elen grew more and more frustrated. The information was hard to find and often hidden behind old-fashioned language and outdated ideas. She longed to learn more about her true self, but the answers she sought seemed out of reach.

“They don’t have any useful information about them!” Elen sighed, biting her fingernails. Elen then turned the pages of a book about silver werewolves.

“The silver werewolf curse originated from a vengeful enchantress who cursed a noble family, causing their firstborns to transform into silver werewolves under the full moon. Legend has it that their presence brings misfortune, with crops withering and livestock falling ill. Banished from the kingdom due to their malevolent influence, the silver werewolves are shunned for fear of the calamity they are believed to bring.”

Elen recalled the boy in her cell and realized that silver werewolves are indeed banned from the kingdom. But why hadn’t she learned about this? Did the Duke of Windsor ban this information or was it the kingdom itself?

Elen spent the afternoon in the library until 5 pm when a servant came to escort her to her room. The room exceeded her expectations with its simple yet luxurious design. The bed was larger than she had imagined, large enough to accommodate four or five people. Drawn to the window, Elen gazed out at the blooming garden and its vibrant flowers.

“I apologize, miss. The grand duke did not inform us in advance, so we had no time to decorate this room,” the head maid apologized with a bow.

“Oh, no need to apologize! I quite like it just the way it is. Please don’t worry,” Elen reassured her, her eyes still fixed on the room.

“This will be your temporary room. If you have any questions or need assistance, just ring the bell beside the bed, and we will come immediately,” the head maid explained. “If it’s alright, may I know your name, miss?”

“They call me Elen,” she replied, smiling warmly.

“What a lovely name! My name is Mathilda, and I am the head maid here. The old butler’s name is Caleb. These two girls, Rami and Rora, will be at your service from now on,” Mathilda introduced, pointing to the two young girls. Rami had long brown hair, while Rora had short black hair. They both appeared friendly. “So, shall we prepare a bath for you, miss?”

“Yes, please,” Elen agreed, and they led her to the bathroom. It was spacious, twice the size of the orphanage where she had grown up. The tub was filled with water and soap, creating a sea of bubbles. The girls assisted her in getting into the tub and gently washed her body, making her feel a sense of comfort. Mathilda even took care to wash her back. It was an unfamiliar feeling for Elen, but truly relaxing. After the bath, they dressed her in comfortable clothes.

“If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call for us, miss,” Rora said, while tidying her hair. Their kindness overwhelmed Elen, and she couldn’t help but smile. It was the first time she had experienced such genuine kindness from others, but she knew not to become too attached. This was all temporary, after all.

“Thank you,” she thanked them politely, feeling their smiles as they left the room. Elen knew she had to begin her plan, but exhaustion overcame her, and she fell into a deep sleep without realizing it.

After she fell asleep, three people gathered in the adjacent room, speaking in hushed tones. The duke sat at the table, tapping his finger as he listened to the head maid’s report.

“The young lady’s body is covered in scars, indicating she’s been abused. She’s terribly thin, as if her body could crumble at any moment,” Mathilda sadly revealed. She couldn’t believe that such a young child had endured such mistreatment. She had noticed the scars when she had bathed the girl, her back marred with wounds.

“Alright, let Clover examine her. Inform me if there are any other concerns. You may leave now,” the grand duke instructed.

“grand duke, are you truly planning to adopt her?” the elderly butler questioned, his hesitation stemming not from dislike of the child, but from the family’s recent loss of the duchess and princess.

“Yes, her name is Elen. Donate a significant sum to the temple and make her an official member of Adelstein. Do whatever it takes. She shall be known as Eleonor Adelstein,” the grand duke declared, a forced smile on his face. He penned a letter to his sons, informing them of their new sibling and asking them to meet her as soon as possible.

It was not just her potential abilities that intrigued him, there was something about her that piqued his curiosity. For now, he would keep a watchful eye on her. Despite their fiery tempers, he was confident that his sons would not cause trouble for their new sister.

“Ha! Are there any more important documents?” he questioned, glancing at the stack of papers on his table. There were still many tasks that needed attention.

“Yes, the Imperial family has been unusually quiet, but our spies have observed the king secretly meeting someone. We have yet to uncover the person’s identity, but it appears there has been a dispute between the king and queen,” the butler reported with great seriousness. The duke paused, a smirk forming on his face.

“Investigate thoroughly. I want to know everyone the king is meeting,” he commanded, signing the document in his hands.

“And what about the incident?” the grand duke calmly inquired.

“We have not discovered anything yet. I apologize,” the butler replied, noticing the slight furrow in the duke’s brow, his anger barely contained.

“You may leave now,” the grand duke dismissed him. As the butler exited the room, the duke remained motionless. “Ha!” he sighed, sinking back into his chair. He yearned to uncover the truth behind the incident and the individuals involved. They would not escape his grasp.