"Why did you save me? Why's Leione here?"

"Seriously? That's your question?"

I just stared at him like 'what? Is there a problem?'

"I was bored." He said nonchalantly.

Huh?

"Pfft, HAHAHA! Ah, that expression is—" and he gave me an ok sign where his three fingers are out, like 'ok' or 'good' or whatever.

Wow, he looks good when he laughs. Wait, what— no!

"Can't you just—"

"Alright, alright. Calm down. Pfft. Ok, ok. So uh, I'm your father's hmm, what should I call it? Friend? Comrade? Assistant? Something similar to that, and I am here for some reasons that are connected to him. And Leione's master was your father. They're on a mission."

So that's how it is, but he didn't said they're really here for me though. I don't quite understand.

"Then, are we going to meet him soon?"

"We could, but we shouldn't. We can go and meet him right now but it's not the time yet." He said.

Err? Why?

"I don't understand."

"You'll understand soon. It's just that, you should just stay away from him for the mean time."

"Until when?"

"A week or two. It depends on the situation, but if we don't have a choice we'll go there immediately if an emergency arises."

I still don't understand. He then gave me a smile to make me feel at ease.

Now that I see it, he quite had good features. It seems that he's much older than me but he looked like a teen or he's just much taller?

"Hey, how old are you?"

"Why? You interested? Sorry, I'm not into kids." And he just gave me a smug look. He's also a kid too though?

Ah this mothe—

"Argh, nevermind."

Talking to this guy is making my lifespan shorter.

"My appearance is similar to your age, around twelve or eleven I guess?" He said while contemplating if is it eleven or twelve.

"What? You aren't sure about your age?"

"Hmm, it's a waste of time to count my age."

And he left like that.

He's a weirdo, I'm telling you.

"So how was it, my lady?"

After Derick left, Leione came inside and sat beside me.

"Stop talking to me formally like that, Leione. Just my name is fine."

"Then lady Charlotte."

She's not even listening.

"By the way, where are we?"

"We're in a village near the northern border of Hanlon empire and Hellbore empire. We're currently in a mission." Mission? Is that mission was to save me?

"What mission?" I asked but she dodged my gaze.

"I can't tell you, lady Charlotte." Ehh? This is sus.

"I wanna go out."

"You can't, it's still snowing hard." She said while pulling me back to bed.

But it's warm though?

"I am using magic to make this house warm." Leione said.

Wait, she's an element user?

"You didn't mentioned that you can use magic!"

"Well, I didn't had a chance and it's a secret to many people. I'm a fire element user." Oh, so that's why it's warmer. The temperature is just fine, not too hot.

"Tomorrow, it might snow less. I can tour you around."

Yes!

And that night, Derick didn't came to visit and Leione stayed by my side until I fell asleep. And I dreamed about Leione.

It was fine at first, but later on. On the piled up snow, the white colored snow was tinted with red.

She's running. Leione's running, while carrying a child.

She was injured, so blood kept on falling and became easy for the people who's chasing us to track us.

She then stopped and looked at the child worried. Why is she even worried on other people at her state?

Her orange eyes like sunset was filled with agony and pain.

She can't get up anymore, while carrying the child. It's either she run by herself and leave the child or die and let the child run.

But the child can't even move, and there's a broken chain on the child's hands and feet, as if it was just prisoned.

Leione hid the child on a bush that no one can see.

"This is the last thing I can do now, so please. You must live no matter what."

Leione then pressed her hand on the child's body. It became bright for a moment, Leione gave the child warmth and.. protection leaving herself unprotected.

"Good bye, my lady."

She run back to the road, and let the enemy follow her.

And the most painful thing I saw.

She was hit by five arrows and a stab of a sword in the heart to assure that she's dead.

Leione died.. but she's still smiling.

I run into her body. I can't even touch her but I still tried to.

And I cried as hard as I could. I don't ever want this to happen.

And then I saw a cape that was left by those who chased Leione, and saw a familiar crest.

A rose that was stabbed.

"...lotte! Lady Charlotte!"

I gasped as I open my eyes, I breath heavily as if I run miles and miles for an hour without stopping.

"Derick, you should've woke her up!"

"I told you, she'll wake up in no time. See? Then, if there's nothing else. I'm leaving, I still have things to do. The food is in there." And then he left.

He's so busy huh? And why do I care anyway?

"Did you had really terrifying nightmare my lady?"

I didn't answer her question, but instead I just hugged her tight.

Right, Leione's still alive. She won't die, this time I'll protect her.

I must protect her.

"Hush, there there. I'm here my lady, it's fine now." She said while caressing my hair and tapping my back lightly and gently.

I hope it is.

A moment later, my eyes became puffy from crying too much.

"Are you sure you're fine to walk now? I can carry you around." I shook my head as she kept on saying those words while we're preparing for our walk.

While bathing Leione was hesitant to touch me for some reason, and I can feel her stares on my back.

"Is there a problem Leione?"

"N-no, not at all. Those stupid motherf—.." I think I just heard her curse? Or not.

She's so careful in cleaning my body and also when dressing me up.

She had this pity gaze on her face that was directly at me.

"What?"

"Nothing, lets go."

And our tour started.

——

Hello everyone, it's me the one and only adorablepen, lol. You've reached far up to this point so I would like to thank your for taking your time to read this story. And I'm just happy this story that had reached 1.3k reads! Yey! Thank you for the support, you're free to comment, vote and share. Lets all spread and multiply, ah idk what I'm saying anymore.

So as to celebrate, I made a digital art (tho I didn't draw the rest on it, just edited but mostly I drew and colored it):

Green and Blue Rose Garden Afternoon Tea:

Again, thank you so much! Enjoy reading and lets all look forward to what will happen next. Arigathankyouuuuu!