Chapter 8: To Windy Castle

Lord: Morning already? I remember I had some bad nightmare last night. Oops, Peony, why are you lying on me? Is this some kind of... Oh, black hair? Lily, this time you stole Peony's dress?

Lily: Yes...uh...No! I just borrow it. Her dress is full of her scent. It smells so nice. Even I am a maiden it still can control my mind to some extent. Want to sniff it a bit, my lord?

Lord: I have already sniffed a lot ...uh...no.. I mean I don't want to.

Lily, shoving herself into him: Smell it, my lord.

Peony, in her towel: Have you two had enough of fun? Lily, please stop stealing dresses from maidens while they are taking a bath. You know full well that we have only one dress as they're a part of our body. Please give it ba.... Eh? My lord, you are staring at me in my towel?

Lord: No, no, no. I'm just listening to what you are talking. I'm not looking at your towel and what beneath it. Not at all.

Peony: Hmph! Then you won't mind if I do a bit of dancing here.

Lord thinks: [Huh, what? why? On my bed?]

Peony starts to dance and spin on the bed while wearing her towel.

Lord thinks: [Oh, it's OK. I like it. Go on]

Peony spins faster and faster. Her spinning body looks really beautiful and her scent spreads all over the area.

Peony: Oops! My towel.

Her towel fell down while she was dancing.

Peony is sitting on the bed with hand covering some part of her body, blushing.

Peony: Could you look away for a sec, while I rearrange my towel?

[A few seconds of silence later]

Peony: Fine! Look all you want. We are just a piece of your...

Lily: Seems our lord has lost his consciousness since your towel dropped, Peony.

Peony: Oops. I'm sorry. But first give back my dress, Lily.

[A while later]

Peony, in her usual dress: Good morning. You just wake up, my lord.

Lord: Hmm...I thought I have been awake for a while and I don't remember exactly, but something interesting has happened.

Peony: I'm sure you were dreaming, my lord. Is it a good dream or bad dream?

Lord: I'm not sure. Kind of scary, I think.

Peony: Hmph!

Lord: Wha??

Peony: Nothing, my lord. Please continue.

Lord: I think I lost consciousness too easily. These nosebleeds, these blackouts. I'm too weak.

Peony: Please take care of yourself, my lord.

Peony: Lily, don't let anything exciting happen to him.

Lily: .....

Peony: Almond asked me about our oracle. Yes, I know her well, and I think it's time we should give her a visit.

Lord: You mean you want to go with us. I thought you like to stay in your room.

Peony: I like my room but recently I did it a bit too often.

Peony is blushing.

Lord: Did what?

Peony: Oh, never mind. Exercise is generally good for health and...

Peony: I haven't seen her for quite some time and very few maidens know her, I think I will go with you myself.

Alicia: Help! There is a corpse in the jar.

Lily: Uh...that's my friend, Minny, and she is not dead yet.

Peony: Alicia, Almond told me about you. Welcome. Please enjoy your stay.

Minny: Hello, your name is Alicia, right? Let me sleep a bit more.

Peony: Let go my lord. Lily, Minny, take care of our guest, OK?

[On the castle's grounds]

Lord: Violet, could you go bring Holly? This time I won't forget her again.

Violet: She doesn't want to go, my lord.

Lord: Wait a sec. I will go and....

Violet: Don't worry, my lord. She seems to be very happy today and I heard she mumbling something like...kiss...kiss.....

Lord: Oh, OK. I think I get it.

Iris: I think I get it too. [giggle] and Ruby won't come this time. She wants to play with our new guest Alicia.

Peony, shouting: Giant trent, come here.

Iris: Aha. You haven't seen our new trick, Peony. The power of white stone. Angel! Come here right now.

Nothing happens.

Peony: Is this your new joke, Iris. It's not very funny but I don't mind.

Violet: Angel said this morning that she will be busy today.

Iris: I just notice that the stones are not shining. Perhaps this is a sign that she is not available?

Wevil: We can walk, Iris.

Iris: Hmph...You walk? I always have to carry you.

Wevil: [giggle]

Iris: I should give these stones to everyone. Here everyone gets two each.

Peony: OK. Let's go. It's 3 hours to the north by giant trent's walk.

[The path to Windy castle]

Lord: Holly doesn't come with us again.

Violet: Let her be, my lord. She is a kind of person who is easily satisfied with what she get.

Peony: Did you give anything to her, my lord?

Lord: No..no.. I think violet means friendship and understanding.

Peony: Hmm..suspicious.

Iris: There is no human around where we're going to, right, Peony. So, you don't have to go into doll mode, wevil.

Wevil: Nice.

Lord: This Isabelle. She is controlling our northern territory?

Peony: There are not many trents growing around here, but still some. This place is quite far from our castle and the other maidens. We agreed to send her here because she likes living alone. About her oracle power, I just know today that she has it, or otherwise I must have put it into some use.

Lord: Well, I haven't seen Sola for quite some time. You sent her somewhere?

Peony: No, I haven't assigned any task to her. All maidens have some level of autonomy. But whatever she is doing, I'm sure she is trying her best for us.

[Somewhere in radish market]

Sola: Oh my god, this sausage is sooooo good. This hamburger too...munch...munch. Juiciest steak I ever eat. I should have found this place sooner. Better use up all these gold coins before going back to the castle. I'm so rich now.......belch..

[Windy castle]

Iris: At last, we are here. Hey, Wevil, wake up already.

Wevil: I want to go into doll mode today. zzz

Iris: .....

Peony: I haven't met her for quite some time. Her personality is kind of distant. Please don't be offended if she doesn't give you as much respect as it should be.

Lord: I'm OK with any level of respect, as long as she doesn't attempt to kill me outright.

Peony: [giggle] That, I can assure you. She is one of the maidens after all.

Lord: Let get in. Hmm..this door is heavier than normal doors.

A furry humanoid creature jumps out and lodges herself into the lord.

Cotton: Hi, my name is Cotton. I was born just last month but I always want to see you. Let me hug you like this for a while, my lord.

Isabelle, kneeling: My life is yours, Lord of Yggdrasil, I am one of the maiden born to serve you. My body and soul belong to you alone.

Lord: Please stand up. Never kneel before me again.

Peony: I'm sorry I underestimated your charm...mumble...mumble.

Lord: Oh, by the way. The rhyme, where did you hear it from?

Isabelle: I don't remember exactly. Someone said it first.

Peony: Sounds like a silly rhyme, my lord. I don't know who started it.

Iris: Oh, and this thing that is still clinging to our lord.

Isabelle: Cotton, stop clinging to our lord. You are a woman now, stop acting like a child like that.

Cotton: But I thought physical contact between men and women is what adults do?

Isabelle: You are still too young for that, Cotton.

Cotton: Hmm...I'm too old for it, while still too young for it...hmm...

Iris: Sometimes I don't understand it myself. [smile]

Lord: Let her do it for a while. I'm OK with it. She seems to be so happy.

Isabelle: In that case, Cotton, please take care of our guest. My lord, please enjoy this castle and its surrounding as if it is your home, because it is. Everyone, please excuse me.

[In the garden]

Lord: How come does she has a castle? The trents built it?

Iris: Well, I don't know.

Peony: That's the story before you were born, Iris. It's rather bloodshed, so let talk about it some other time.

Lord: Cotton hmm? Is this a trent or a maiden?

Cotton: I'm a maiden, my lord.

Iris: I don't know, but it looks like a maiden way more than Wevil. Ouch! Stop biting me, you trent doll.

Lord: Ahh..I forgot to ask Isabelle about her oracle power. Let do it later then.

Peony: I want to know that too. How come she never told me about it.

Lord: Cotton, do you want to go live with us at our castle?

Cotton: I'd like to, but I think I shouldn't leave Isabelle here alone. There's no other maiden around here but me.

Violet: That's OK. Each and every maidens shall have their own free will.

Lord: Violet, you stole my line!

Violet: [giggle]

Peony: I didn't expect Isabelle to be this obedient to you. She is not like Isabelle I remembered. Perhaps the yggdrasil's curse has a strong effect on her.

Lord: Curse? Are you talking about what Sola called yggdrasil's blessing, or magic?

Peony: It's a curse, my lord, binding us together against our free will.

Lord: I'm OK if you want to call it that way. I'll find a way to release you from the curse, if that's what you want.

Peony, blushing: Stop using this trick on me. I don't want to be released from the curse yet. Too much trouble.

Lord: Oh, about what happened in your room that day, I'm so sorry.

Peony: Please excuse me. I have some work to do.

Peony walks away.

Lord: ....

[In a quiet corner of the castle]

Peony: You made me remember that event again. I was trying so hard to forget it, because when I think about it....

Peony: There is no one around, and this sofa is so soft. Perhaps I should...umm... it feels so good I can't stop myself right now.

Violet: The lord wants to check the surroundings, do you want to... eh? What are you doing here all alone?

Peony: [panting] No, I'm not doing anything.

Violet: Let's go then.

Peony seems upset.

[In front of the castle]

Lord: Let's go Peony. I will never talk about it again.

Peony: Yes, let not talk about it, because every time I thought about it, I ....umm...never mind.

Iris: Did something interesting happen that I don't know about... hmm...hmm..

Lord: Let stroll around the surroundings together.

Wevil: Everyone. To the forest.

Iris: You guys haven't answered my question!

[In the forest nearby]

Violet: The wind is pretty strong everywhere around this castle. Probably that's how it got the name.

Iris: The legend says that very long time ago, a blue dragon burst the mountain top away with its breath. Then it became a plateau like it is today.

Violet: Wow. What a powerful dragon, blowing away half of the mountain.

Iris: Legends are not always true, Violet. Perhaps in fact, it's a natural phenomenon.

Peony: Wait! Did you sense something, Violet?

Violet: Sense what?

Iris: Yes, look at that tree over there. We are about to see the birth of a new maiden.

Lord: That tree with yellow bell-shaped flowers?

Peony: The tree is called angel's trumpet, my lord.

A faint light shines briefly from the tree and it turns into a maiden.

Maiden in a bell-shaped yellow dress: You must be the Lord of yggdrasil. I feel it in my heart. I'm here to serve you.

Violet: You are right, this is our lord. Welcome.

Iris: Oh, she hasn't chanted the rhyme. ......I am one of the maiden born to serve you. My body and soul belong to you alone .... ring a bell?

New maiden: That's such a beautiful rhyme, but this is the first time I heard it.

Iris: So, probably we weren't born with it in our head. Someone must have taught us.

Peony: Let forget about that silly rhyme, please. What is your name, new maiden?

Lord: What? You girls weren't born with a name?

Iris: It doesn't seem so. In my case, it's the name of my flowers. I don't know how the rest got their name from.

Lord: Let find a good name for her then. Angel's trumpet, isn't it? We already have a magician named Angel, so that's a big no-no.

Iris: Trumpet is too masculine, my lord. What about....

Wevil: Nice to meet you, Snowwhite.

Lord: Not only the name may be proprietary. It doesn't....

Snowwhite: Such a nice name. I like it.

Wevil: Let go back to the castle, Snowwhite.

Snowwhite: Please lead Snowwhite the way, sister.

Iris: It seems we are too slow, my lord.

[In the garden]

Lord: This place is so nice. The air is filled with beautiful scent of all kind of flowers. So peaceful. I begin to understand why Isabelle wants to live here alone.

Iris: Do you want to hear the plants talk again?

Lord: No..no..no. Stop ruining the mood, Iris.

Iris: Let drop everything and come live with me here, my lord.

Lord: Let us talk with Snowwhite for a while.

Snowwhite: I'm happy to talk with you, or do anything you ever wishes, my lord.

Iris: Let do that other things later at night, Snowwhite.

Lord: You maidens seem to be born with general knowledge of the world like I was told. Let test it a bit.

Iris: Let me help. What is the name of the great kingdom in the middle of this continent?

Snowwhite: Midland?

Iris: Correct. What is the name of the nearest Midland's town?

Snowwhite: I don't really know.

Lord: Seems she doesn't know everything.

Iris: What is the sum of the numbers 5 and 5?

Snowwhite: 10. [giggle] I'm not an idiot, sis.

Iris: OK, try this. What is the solution of square root of 5 in decimal number?

Lord: Hey...hey...Do you know the answer yourself, Iris.

Snowwhite: 2.23606797749978969640917.......

Iris: ........

Snowwhite: ...........3668731276235440.....

Snowwhite: ...........6183596115257242.......

Iris: Stoopp... I can't stand this any longer. Stop. It's all my fault. Please stop.

Lord: You asked for it, Iris, and you don't need to be so dramatic.

Snowwhite:.............70897245410520....

Lord: Since it's an irrational number. This can go on forever till the end of time, or disk space.

Iris: I don't have that much time in my life. Stop..stop. I surrender.

Snowwhite: Oops. Sorry, I overdid it a bit.

Peony: It seems you have a very strong talent in math, am I correct?

Snowwhite: And a bit in science too. Do you want to talk about the theory of general and specific relativity?

Iris: No, no, no. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not in this life. Never.

Lord: I think she might be useful in some way.

Violet: Anyway, let come live with us near the yggdrasil, Snowwhite.

Lord: Should we ask Isabelle first? Since she...

Peony: No need. All maidens are born to serve you. Every maidens are your property, including Isabelle herself.

Isabelle, walking in: That is correct, my lord. Wow. This is the first maiden ever born here, not including Cotton.

Peony: It seems yggdrasil's power can reach this place too, or a part of its power, at least.

Isabelle: If any more maidens are found to be born in this region, I will notify you and the lord immediately. Sorry for not notifying you about Cotton. She is just a trent in my eyes.

Cotton: I heard that!

[In the castle]

Wevil: Peony, Iris is sick. Could you come and take a look?

Peony: How are you feeling, Iris? What could possibly...

Iris: I don't know. I was feeling OK until....

Wevil: I have given her the best of our trent's herb, 2 white potions and a panacea we bought yesterday, but she's still sick.

Peony, shouting: Blue birds over there, come here. Go get Sola and Ruby here, top priority.

Violet: Snowwhite, you were born from angel's trumpet, right? Isn't it poisonous?

Snowwhite: I'm not sure. Arh, that's why a lot of cockroaches were dying around me for no reason.

Peony: Snowwhite, please go outside and stay afar from everyone for now.

Snowwhite nods.

Peony: As a tree, the poison is quite lethal to human in large dose, but I never thought she could hurt a maiden, who is far tougher than human. It can't even hurt our lord who was also staying near her for quite some time.

Violet: It's possible that her poison is much stronger after she is converted into a maiden by yggdrasil's magic, and Iris could coincidentally be vulnerable to this specific type of poison.

Iris: Don't worry about me. I'm very strong. [cough...cough] I won't die like a cockroach [couch...couch]

Lord: It doesn't sound reassuring if you say that while couching.

Iris: If I die, bury my corpse in your bedroom. At least my soul can stay with you for a while. [couch...couch]

Lord: Stop saying that. It's not funny. But yes, that's the least I could do for you.

Iris: Never blame Snowwhite. It's all my fault. Could you guys go out and let me die in peace?

Lord: .....

Violet: Stop joking about it if you are. Your face is so green.

Iris: [couch...couch] my lord, could you do something nice to me for the last time....the human way.

Lord: ....

Isabelle, walking in: Don't worry. She will get well soon.

Isabelle walks out.

Violet: Is that all? But she is an oracle, right? Should we believe her and do nothing?

Peony: I just know today that she is an oracle. I never see her use any oracle power before.

Lord: Let us go outside and let Iris rest here. Wevil, you stay with her.

Peony: Don't make too much noise, Wevil. Let her sleep.

Wevil: You are right, Iris. My nectar is one of the lowest grade, but please wake up and drink it. Iris...Iris.

[Trent village nearby]

Violet: Is it possible that we can find antidote around here, near the source of the poison itself?

Peony: Frankly I don't know. But your theory sounds good. Plus, we don't have anything better to do while waiting for our healers.

Lord: Let ask those trents in the village.

Violet: Do you know any plant around here that can cure poison of Angel's trumpet?

Oak tree: Angel's trumpet? What is it? Musical instrument? But if you want an antidote, there are some blue herbs growing on the top of the mountain over there.

Pine tree: But be careful. There will be a test.

Violet: What kind of test?

Pine tree has gone into sleep mode and does not wake up.

Lord: Hey...hey...Stop being so mysterious.

Peony: Doesn't matter. We will go there anyway.

Cotton, running in: I go too. I want to help.

Peony: Stay in the back line and protect the lord. Let us handle the fight, if there is any.

[Treacherous path]

Violet: This path is too narrow. The left side is a mountain wall. The right side is a deep chasm.

Cotton: And the wind is strong too. I am almost blown away.

Peony: Keep walking. We are almost there.

Violet: In retrospect, should we leave our lord at the castle, since he is usele ...... uh... I mean, we should care for his safety first.

Lord: Too late, Violet. I know what you were about to say!

Cotton: What's that, a green dragon?

The green dragon roars menacingly.

Violet: Is this the test the trent was talking about?

Peony: Cotton and my lord, hurry back to the castle right now. Prepare to fight, Violet.

The dragon roars again and approaches them.

Violet: [Purple Gale]

Dragon: Hmm...these petals don't hurt much but they are blocking my sight.

Peony: [Rosario Impale]

In the blink of an eye, thousands of piercing sword thrust into the dragon's left wing, tearing a part of its wing into pieces.

Dragon: That's unexpectedly powerful.

Peony: Take another [Rosar.....

Dragon: [Bursting Tempest]

While the violent storm is blowing everyone away, the dragon flies away in the mid of the chaos.

[Not far away from where they were fighting]

Lord: Cotton, get up. Climb my body up.

Cotton: Release my hand, or you will fall down too.

Lord: No, I can't let you fall into the chasm.

Cotton frees her hand from the lord's grasp and falls down below.

Lord: Noooo....Cotton.....It's my fault. If only I was stronger.

[10 seconds later]

Peony pulls the lord back onto the path.

Violet: Where is Cotton, my lord?

Lord: She fell down below. She didn't want to endanger my life.

Peony: If Wevil falls down from this height, she surely dies. I don't know about Cotton. Violet, you try to find a way down there while I get the blue herb. My lord, walk with me.

[Mountain top]

Peony: That's our blue herb. But there seem to be various kinds of poisonous plants surrounding it.

Snowwhite, walking in: Let me get it. My resistance to poison is very high. This is the least I can do.

Peony: Thank you Snowwhite, but please don't touch it, or your poison might taint the antidote.

Snowwhite: Oops, sorry. You're right.

Peony: [Petal Storm]

All poisonous plants are shredded into pieces and blown away by the wind.

Peony: All's done. Let go back.

[Wind castle's gate]

Violet: I can't find Cotton anywhere, Peony.

Peony: Let try this blue herb on Iris first.

Violet: Too bad. She is too young to die.

[In the main hall]

Iris: Catch! We are lucky I brought a few fluffy.

Ruby: Catch it, Wevil

Fluffy: Whew......

Ruby: Wevil, you made us lost again.

Wevil: Surprised? Your arms are 10 times longer than mine.

Sola: We need to find a better way to play this 'throwing fluffy game' with Wevil.

Violet: You girls are having a lot of fun, right? We were fighting a dragon, but never mind.

Peony: Sola, was it you or Ruby who healed her?

Sola: Not me or Ruby. They were already playing fluffy when I walked in here.

Iris: Our oracle is right all along. I got better shortly on my own after you girls were out.

Peony: I will plant this blue herb in a pot, as a memento to our friendship.

Iris: You girls fought a dragon to get this blue herb? There are loads of them in the backyard.

Peony: ....

Cotton, running in: Hello, everyone OK? Happy ending, right?

Lord: How come you walk in unscathed?

Cotton: Eh? I don't really understand the question.

Isabelle: She can hover along with the wind, my lord.

Lord: Why don't you warn us about the dragon?

Isabelle: Walk with me to the garden. I will answer your question, and explain about oracle power in general.

[Somewhere far away, very high up in the sky]

A girl wearing white dress with the slightest shade of pink is standing near a device with very big lens.

Overseer: Emerald, do not intervene.

Emerald: They attacked me first, master. All I did is roaring.....uh.....menacingly.

Overseer: .....

Emerald: Ok...ok...I just want to have some fun. I won't do it again. I promise, master. These maidens are very powerful. Look at my wing.

[In the garden]

Isabelle: Basically we are glorified fortune tellers. The same way wizards are glorified mages. Oracles are varied in how far in the future they can see. Some can see far more than a month, some just a few hours. Some are good at seeing the past, some the present, some the future. Some can see all of them.

Lord: Ordinary human can see only the present around him.

Isabelle: And how clearly can they see? Do they see the complete details of the events, or just a blurred vision? And they certainly can't see everything that happen in the world at the same time. Some can see only the future of the person in front of them. Some have a good hunch and can see anything bad that might be happening to any member of their family or the whole town.

Lord: Priscilla seems to be able see us even we are on another side of the continent.

Isabelle: And look at this coin. Do you think I will drop it on the floor? If you say no, I will drop. If you say yes, I won't drop. People intention can often change on their whim, making the prediction much less accurate. Some intentions are very strong, though, and can be predicted more accurately.

Lord: I think I get it. There could be many things we planned to do since a few weeks ago and will try to do it no matter what happen.

Isabelle: To answer your question earlier. I didn't see that dragon coming. It is a very powerful entity and therefore it's harder to predict their intention. More importantly, I'm the weakest among those who are called Oracle, and much weaker compared to Priscilla. However, I might be a better oracle than her as time passed, or not, I don't know.

Lord: Thank you for your explanation, Isabelle.

Isabelle: One thing to remember. We can't see everything and we can't see it all the time, at least for me. But anyway, it's better than not seeing anything at all.

Lord: I see you close your eyes all the time. You do that to enhance your power?

Isabelle: Yes, exactly. Don't worry I can still see you through my mind, and I can open my eyes anytime, but in that case I will see less of the future.

Lord: Do you have any advice for my life in general?

Isabelle: My advice can change your future itself. If I tell you what your future is, that future might not happen because of your reaction to my prediction. Therefore it's a dilemma. All I can say for now is enjoy your life while you still can.

Lord: That's a really foreboding piece of advice, isn't it.

Isabelle: Come on. Everyone dies in the end. Only the path to that last minute is what important. Enjoy your life, my lord.

Lord: And worrying too much won't improve the situation, am I right?

Isabelle: Yes.

Lord: About Snowwhite's poison, can anyone get sick to it again?

Isabelle: As far as I can see, no. But as I said, the oracle powers are limited. Then, better keep her away from everyone else.

Lord: I will plant her in the far corner of the balcony.

Isabelle: There is one thing I can see very clearly now. Something will happen tomorrow's morning. But don't worry, I will be there with you.

Lord: What is it, Isabelle?

Isabelle: I can't tell you now or I will certainly not happen.

Lord: Hmm....

Isabelle: It's almost dinner time, my lord. I think you should stay at this castle tonight for a change.

[Trent village nearby]

Oak tree: Oh, you're awake. What test were you talking about?

Pine tree: The dangerous path.

Oak tree: Oh, yes, that treacherous path with strong wind.

[Dinner table]

Ruby: The food here is delicious too, sis. It's different from ours.

Iris: Try this giant blueberry. It's awesome.

Isabelle: I will have some blueberry trents walk to your castle.

Sola: Anyone want my sunflower seeds? No? No one at all?

Lord: Oh, where have you been, Sola?

Sola: Uh.. I enjoy...uh.. I mean I have some business in radish restaurant..uh..I mean radish market.

Lord: I'm glad you enjoy yourself. Don't worry too much about the kingdom's affairs. It's quite OK as it is.

Sola: Working from time to time makes life perfect, my lord [giggle]

Lord: Very true. Oh, who is this? I thought there was no maiden here other than Cotton.

A gentle blonde-haired girl wearing long white skirt is sitting on the opposite side of the table.

Elena: My name is Elena, but I'm not a maiden, my lord. I'm a human magician working here under Isabelle's command.

Lord: Eh? You have flowers on your head.

Elena: It's fake, my lord. Flower costume is very popular lately. [giggle]

Wevil: Elena, let go to our castle. We need more concubines.

Elena, a little pissed: Why do you need more concubines for?

Wevil: Our castle is full of underage girls. Our lord doesn't like them.

Iris: She means by human's standard, Elena, but we plants are surely exempt from it.

Wevil: I think you pass the standard. You are at least 25, right?

Elena: I'm 17. Grrr....

Wevil: Iris, that's old enough for a human right?

Iris: Uh, sort of, I guess.

Wevil: Then we ask her from Isabelle.

Lord: Better ask Elena herself if she want to go to my castle. I don't want to force anyone against their will.

Violet: Each and every maidens shall have their own free will....mumble....mumble... I don't want to force anyone...mumble...mumble.... .

Elena: You are such a gentleman, my lord. I have made my decision. I want to live in your castle, but as your subordinate, not a concubine.

Lord: Sure...sure. That is exactly what I had in mind. You, as well as all the maidens, are free to go anywhere you want anytime.

Violet: His favorite pick-up line did it again...mumble...mumble.

[Main hall]

Violet: I think you have prepared our bedroom, right?

Isabelle: Yes, the lord sleeps in this room. All the girls in this room.

Iris: Eh? Why can't we sleep in the same room with our lord?

Isabelle: Women are not supposed to sleep in the same room as men. It's this place's tradition.

Sola: Let do it according to the rule of her place. It's just one night, Iris, and our princess in pink might not get used to sleeping with our lord.

Iris, mumbling to herself: Grr...tradition...my donkey. You were born just a year ago.

[In some dark corner of the castle]

Lord: From what happened today, I have realized that you are very important to me. Do you want anything at all? If I can, I will do it for you.

Iris: You don't really know what I want? I have been trying to tell you several times, my lord.

Lord: I thought you were kidding.

Iris, with a little tear in her eyes: No, I wasn't. I begin to think that maybe I'm not good enou....

The lord pushes her onto the wall and kisses her.

Violet, walking into the vicinity: Peony, why are you standing here in the dark? What? Are you crying?

Peony: No, I'm not. Please excuse me. I have some work to do.

Violet: Oh, the lord and Iris are over there. Hi, Huh? Am I interrupting something?

Iris, secretly smiling, and thinks: [one drop of woman's tear can bend the will of the toughest men..giggle...]

[The lord's bedroom, very late at night]

Isabelle: I know you haven't slept, my lord. I'm an oracle after all.

Lord: Come sit here and talk. I don't get used to sleeping alone anymore.

Isabelle: I can help you sleep. The scent from my flower can make people sleep like a child. It's so strong that I can use it in battle.

Lord: Really? Let me ....

The lord falls asleep.

Isabelle: [giggle] That's fast? The bed here is very soft......hmm....

[The girl's bedroom, almost midnight]

Iris: No, the lord is mine, mine alone. I won't share him with you.

Peony: A least let me watch. That's all I want. Let me stay near you and feel a little bit of your warmth.

Iris: Fine. If that's all you want.

[Several minutes later]

Peony: ....I can't hold it anymore.....It's....

Iris: Stop right there. You are distracting my lord. You said you just want to watch.

Peony seems really upset.

Iris, whispering: Let me go help Peony. She is too lovely to be left alone like that. Now it's your turn to watch us my lord.

Lord: Could you girls stop being so....oh...not that....oh...that.....

[Midnight]

Peony: Damn it. Dirty dream again. Going outside is not working. What should I do with my life? Now I can't sleep anymore. Perhaps I should.....