Erin slipped out from the main estate side door and stepped outside. The sun beamed down against her arms, and the fresh air filled her lungs.

Where she was heading was a fair distance from the main house.

So, she walked with a quickened pace and swiftly found a shortcut through a pebbled pathway.

After a few minutes of walking, she approached a moderately sized brown fenced wooden barn house. A few of the male workers in the fields observed her with wonder, but she pompously strolled onwards.

As she entered, a strong whiff of dirt, freshly cut hay, and animal musk hit her.

"Mercy!" She quickly pinched her nose and resisted the urge to gag. The smell of animal feces wafted hung so thick and heavy that she felt like she was tasting it.

Wincing, her eyes circled the dusty grime-filled wooden ceilings to the stray straws of hay and solid brown, damp mud-laden floors. There was no sign of the man she was looking for.

With a huff, she hastened to the back of the stables and hurried past the rows of lean, dark, brooding horses and stallions.

The fierce animals impatiently clattered their hooves and barred their high-pitched voice. Their large beady eyes followed a scrunched nose Erin as she tried to ignore the smell.

Finally, she noticed two young men in the distance raking some piles of hay. Both of them were average height, dressed in trousers and a white shirt, and covered in sweat.

"Replace the carriages?" One of them with brown spiked hair stopped raking. He ran a hand through his hair before leaning his scrawny hand on the top of the rake.

"Yea, that's what he said." The other man with blonde hair was still raking as he replied.

The spiked-haired man loudly snorted. "Ill, replace them what? We only got these here horses."

"I don't know. All I's know is that my uncle who's working in the Tri-captial says that's the rumor. They gonna replace carriages with boxes of steam and turn some kinda special stuff gas into power."

"What is a box of steam?"

"I don't know."

"And how they gonna do this?"

"I said I don't know. The King's Committee for Glorious Progress is handling it. That's all I've heard."

"Well, when they gonna do that?"

"Eugene." The blonde-haired man stopped raking and looked up at him. "You asking the wrong man the wrong questions and...." He trailed off, unable to finish.

Instead, his jaw dropped open and his eyes expanded.

"Y-Young Lady Erina Sutherton." The blonde-haired man stood up straight.

"Lady Erina Sutherton?" The spiky-haired man known as Eugene snorted again. "Now, don't you play around with me, Hefton." He started a belly laugh. "Ain't no lady coming round---."

"—You are Eugene Mey?" Erin interrupted.

Quickly, Eugene lowered his eyes, lightly bowed his head, and took a rigid stance. "Young Miss."

Both men took glances at her with their lowered eyes. She seemed an abnormal sight. She was wearing a clean shimmering lavender purple breezy gown and white wedge heels. Her pristine clothes gleamed in the light of the sun and there was not a dot of sweat on her.

She was a clear contrast to them. They had dirt on their clothes and they sweated and smelled just like the musk of the animals. For a few short moments, it took him a few blinks to confirm she was there and still standing.

"I asked if you are Eugene Mey," Erin asked again.

Both young men looked up in response and answered. "Me?"

"No, I'm talking to you with the spiky hair." She pointed to Eugene, and immediately she regretted moving her hand off her nose. "Ugh, how does one breathe in here! Such an awful smell!" She shivered and retched in disgust.

It took some time of gagging before she could recollect herself. "Ahem." She kept her nose pinched. "Now, as I was saying you are Eugene Mey correct?" Her voice was nasal.

So nasally and pitched like a squeaking mouse, the young men were struggling to keep a straight face.

"Y-Yes, I am Eugene Mey." Eugene nodded, keeping his head lowered to hide the twitching in his lips. "How may I help you, Lady Erina?"

"I'm looking for something, and you have it."

Eugene's nose twitched, while the other young man, Hefton, rapidly blinked his watery eyes. Each were sharing the same thought. Just a few days prior they heard of another stable boy who had gambled away his pay on a street performer who claimed he could make a choir of mice and parrots sing.

Yes, a choir of mice and parrots. That was all they could hear as Erin continued speaking.

"My mother had eye drops she intended would be disposed of, and I am told that a housemaid sold it to you. I want it now."

"Pff---My apologies Lady Erina, but I am unsure what you are referring to," Eugene responded in a restrained mutter.

"Look me in the eye and try that again," she coldly commanded.

"Hah---ahem!" Eugene cleared his throat while Hefton masked a gleeful chortle with a cough.

Erin peered at them. "Is there something wrong?"

"N-No, my lady." Eugene bowed his head a little further.

"Then get over your small endowments and give me what I came here for so I can part from this horrible smell of horse arse!" she barked in a swarm of anger.

Eugene hurried into action and pulled out two yellow glass vials from his trousers. "My greatest apologies, my lady." He fumbled with the bottles, preparing to offer her the correct one that was a slight shade darker than the other yellow vial.

But before he had the chance, she snatched one from his hand and stormed off.

"W-wait, Young Miss! One of them is for ...." He tried warning her but she was already gone.

Alone, the young men looked at each other.

"Did you hear how she sounded?" Eugene asked.

Hefton pinched his nose. "I want it now."

And with that, there was no need to conceal or suppress their laughter.