Oppression's Nemesis

Chapter 1: An Encounter Fate Did Not Expect

The night sky was covered in dark clouds, utterly concealing the faint illumination which the moon and stars offered. Icy rain poured down in a steady stream and splattered against various surfaces below. Occasionally, a brief flash of light appeared in the clouds, followed by a loud rumbling that echoed through the air and caused the ground to tremble. The wind was blowing somewhat harshly, causing a few signs and other loose objects to stir in a quaint, British town. A small, covered horse-drawn wagon pushed its way through the vacant streets, slightly hindered by the combination of persistant wind and rain droplets. Eventually, it halted in its tracks, right in front of an abandoned building at the end of the street. Two figures stepped out from the vehicle, then began to unload various bundles from the back.

Meanwhile, another figure stepped up to the entrance of a large mansion just a few miles away, slowly reaching out with its right hand to open one of the towering front doors. The large surface creaked loudly as it was pulled aside, and the figure stepped inside the building before shutting it once more. Liquid dripped from the unidentified person's drenched black cloak, and once the hood was pulled back, the face of a beautiful young woman was revealed. She possessed short green hair which extended down to her shoulders, and her delicate face was covered in pale skin. Dark marks were present beneath both of her gorgeous green eyes, which displayed a tinge of sorrow. She held her head down and kept her gaze fixed directly on the tiled floor below. Another figure suddenly stepped out from the shadows of the dimly lit foyer and began walking toward the female. It was a black-haired man who appeared to be in his mid-forties, and he was dressed in an expensive white suit. He stopped mere inches in front of the young woman, keeping both of his arms folded across his chest. A stern expression remained on his face as he finally spoke up in a firm voice.

"You disobeyed me again, Gumi."

"Yes, Father." The female uttered in response to the man's statement, and her soft voice almost seemed deprived of emotion.

"I hope you understand what this entails. You will remain under lockdown in your room for the next few days, and you will not be permitted to leave the mansion without an escort from now on."

"I understand."

The man remained silent for several moments following his daughter's second reply, then released a heavy sigh from his lungs.

"You are completely drenched. Miki, help my daughter into some dry clothes before she becomes ill."

"Right away, My Lord!" A girl who appeared to be in her early teens stepped out from behind the large man and started to remove Gumi's cloak. She was sporting a maid uniform, and her long locks of orange hair were rather unkempt. After hanging the cloak up to dry, she wrapped a towel around Gumi's shoulders, and the man spoke up once more.

"I cannot believe you would venture outside at night again... especially on a night such as this. Have you already forgotten about what happened to Lady Luka? We both attended her funeral just last week."

"I assure you, I haven't forgotten."

"Then why would you expose yourself to such harsh weather conditions when you understand the consequences of such actions? Do you wish to contract a severe illness as well?"

"The sky was clear when I left."

"Even so, you shou...!"

"My Lord, perhaps you can discuss this later. Mistress Gumi will catch a chill at this rate..." Miki interrupted, speaking in an uneasy tone of voice.

The man blinked in surprise as a result of this action, but he nodded in agreement after a few moments.

"Proceed." After uttering that final word, he withdrew from the foyer.

Miki and Gumi both appeared to relax in his absence, and the former sighed in relief as she started leading the green-haired female upstairs to her room. Once the heiress had been properly dried off, her servant helped her into her nightgown and then tucked her into bed.

"Miki..." Gumi spoke up at last, keeping her gaze focused on the ceiling as she laid in her large bed that was decorated with an assortment of colorful, fluffy pillows.

"Yes, Milady?" Miki replied, offering her typical cheerful smile.

"Do you believe I'll be trapped here forever?"

"What ever do you mean?" Miki's smile quickly faded upon hearing Gumi's inquiry.

"I mean just what I said. Will I be trapped here at this mansion until the day I die... forever forced to fulfill my duty as the Eldridge heiress?"

"You... you shouldn't think of yourself as being trapped, Milady. You have a good life, and you should be thankful for it."

"Perhaps it seems so to you, but you're not the one who has to bear the burden of carrying on the family name. It has become much worse since Mother's death. Father has become even more strict, and he seldom allows me to leave the mansion. I cannot stay cooped up here much longer, Miki... I shall either die or be driven mad."

"Milady, don't say such things! We'll... we'll figure something out, I'm certain of it!"

"I already offered a few suggestions to Father. I told him that he could adopt an heir, or one of my cousins could take my place."

"Those are both excellent ideas! What did he..."

"He won't hear of it."

"Well... I-I suppose that is to be expected. I'm truly sorry."

"You have no reason to apologize. You are not the one at fault for creating my destiny. From now on, I shall lock away my feelings and deal with these circumstances as best as I can. I must accept my fate... I have no other choice. I am nothing more than my father's puppet."

"..." Miki did not utter a word in response. She merely nodded in a solemn manner and blew out the candle sitting on a small table adjacent to Gumi's bed. Then, she walked to the door and opened it before stepping out into the hallway. Afterwards, she peeked her head back into the room one final time. "If you need anything, I'll be right outside the door. Your father has ordered me to stand guard here since you'll be under lockdown for now."

"I understand. Thank-you, Miki, and good-night."

"Pleasant dreams, Milady."

The next three days passed by very slowly for Gumi. She spent the entire duration either sleeping or reading books in her room. When her father finally consented to lifting her lockdown on the fourth morning, she did not appear relieved in the least. Miki entered the room with yet another smile, carrying a tray of gourmet morsels toward her mistress's bed.

"Good morning! The Master has agreed to your freedom today, but you still need to be accompanied by someone at all times during your outdoor adventures." She carefully set the tray in Gumi's lap, then took a few steps backward.

The heiress herself was sitting up in bed with her back propped up against a pillow, and she nodded to acknowledge her servant's statement.

"I assumed as much. Thank-you." Miki's presence had caused a faint smile to form on Gumi's lips as she spoke those words.

"You're welcome. Uhh... there was something else I wanted to ask you. I was planning to take a trip into town this afternoon. Meiko has been complaining that she doesn't have many ingredients left to cook with, and she's far too lazy to go out and buy any herself. So I was going to do it in her stead... would you care to join me? I know you must be aching to wander out into the fresh air again."

"I suppose I am. I'll gladly take you up on your offer. It would give me a chance to escape these walls and forget about my destiny for a while... even if it is only briefly."

"Good! I was hoping you'd accept. Once you are finished with your breakfast, I'll assist you with changing, and we can prepare for the trip."

"Miki, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times... I am perfectly capable of dressing myself."

"I know, but it is still my duty to do so."

"...very well..."

After approximately an hour had passed, Gumi and Miki both stepped downstairs into the foyer once more. They had donned hooded cloaks over their clothes as they usually did whenever they made a trip into town. They didn't wish for anyone to recognize them, as nobility typically received different treatment. Both of them were carrying a basket, and Gumi had a pouch of currency concealed in one of her pockets. The master of the mansion was grumbling to someone in a nearby room, causing his daughter to blink in confusion and turn to the maid beside her.

"Is he still upset due to my late return?"

"A little... but that's not what he's growling about."

"Oh? What's the matter then?"

"Apparently, on the night you came home late, a new baker and his son moved into town."

"Why would such a trivial matter upset him?"

"Well, there are rumors spreading around that their family is bad news. I heard that they were thieves, and some of them even attempted rape and murder."

"I see... do you believe those rumors?"

"W-well, I... I'm not certain. Although, if there's even a slight chance that they might be true, I don't want to risk it. I'm just going to keep my distance from them."

"I suppose that is the best course of action for now. However, you should not believe every rumor you hear."

With that said, Gumi and Miki promptly departed from the mansion, trekking down a long path which lead into a small woods. Upon reaching the other side of the maze of trees, the two females beheld the first glimpses of a town off in the distance. After walking for roughly two more miles, they finally arrived at their destination. The maid and heiress spent a somewhat pleasant day visiting various shops in town, and before they knew it, evening had arrived. The two young women then started their return journey, and their baskets were filled to the brim with food. However, a small stone caused Gumi to trip slightly as she walked alongside Miki, and as a result, one of the large rolls in her basket fell out.

"Tch..." Gumi's facial expression shifted into one of faint frustration as she locked her gaze upon the wayward roll of bread at her feet, which was now covered in dirt. "Well, this one is no longer edible." She started to bend down in order to retrieve the bread, reaching out with her right hand. "It might be fine if I brushed it off though... eh?!" She suddenly stopped when she noticed that another figure had bent down before her and was holding the roll out to her.

"I can replace it if you want." The person kneeling just a few inches in front of her spoke up in a slightly deep, temperate masculine voice.

Gumi did not respond at first. She merely stared at the figure in silence while her expression once again changed into one of surprise. It was a handsome young man with shaggy pink locks of hair. The golden irises of his eyes were strangely entrancing, and his skin was rather pale. He was moderately built... not extremely muscular, but he wasn't even close to being a toothpick either. As for his garments, he was sporting a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dark brown slacks, a pair of worn black boots, and a light blue apron that was soiled with flour.

After several seconds had passed, Gumi finally blinked and returned to reality. "You... must be one of the new residents who just moved here. I've never seen you around town before." Gumi slowly reached out and took the bread from the male, brushing it off on her cloak before returning it to her basket. Then, she straightened up again. The young man followed suit moments later, revealing that he was a few inches taller than Gumi.

"That's right. I just moved here with my father about four nights ago. He owns the new bakery at the end of this street. We just opened yesterday, but we haven't had much business so far."

"Th-that's odd... I w-wonder why..." Miki stuttered as she spoke in a nervous tone.

"I see you've already heard the rumors as well." The man released a sigh of slight disappointment. "I'm not going to try convincing you that we're innocent because that would be futile. If people want to believe something, they'll believe it no matter what anyone tells them."

"I suppose that is true. It is just human nature..." In contrast to Miki, Gumi was completely calm and composed as she spoke to the newcomer.

"Mmhmm." The male nodded in agreement with Gumi's statement, then turned his back to the two females. "Even so, you both should stay away from us, or there could be trouble. People might start spreading rumors that you're our partners in crime."

"P-p-probably!" Miki giggled in an uneasy manner even though she didn't find the young man's statement amusing in the least.

"Well, have a safe trip home... and be wary of any more rocks you encounter." Upon saying this, the male began walking toward his father's bakery.

After hearing his final statement, the corners of Gumi's lips curved upward slightly. Even in spite of all the horrid rumors that were spreading about this boy, she seemed to have taken a liking to him. Miki suddenly spoke up again once the young man was out of hearing range.

"We should return now. I have a bad feeli... why are you smiling?"

"Hmm? Oh, no particular reason. I just... feel as though I can relate to him somehow."

"I'm sorry to say this, Milady... but I find that statement highly unsettling."

"I know. Perhaps it is an absurd statement, but it is truly how I feel..." Shortly after this reply, Gumi shook her head and finally started to walk off in the direction of her mansion, followed by a concerned Miki.