Chapter 33: the head of the house

Nobody's POV:

Peter couldn't calm himself ever after the talk with his daughter. He knew something was off, it was obvious.

"What did you two talk about earlier?" his wife glanced at him for a moment. She seemed to be fully concentrated on the book she red just a moment ago.

"Neda is going to Hargeon," he answered simply.

"Alright," she just responded. She seemed to be awfully calm about it.

"Shouldn't you be worried?" the man asked.

"I'm not. Hargeon is completely under Lettercard control. Every shop, restaurant, ship, hotels and even the agriculture are influenced by our family. Everyone will treat her there as a princess. Besides that, the very same people will keep an eye on her. I have no worries, she'll be safe," Ellen responded and smiled to her husband. "I personally think this is a great idea she finally decided to go there."

The man blinked of confusion. "You do? But what about her relationship? Aren't you afraid they'll be able to meet there?"

"He's working and it seems he won't be able to complete his job in at least two more days. If she left until then, I'm confident they won't meet."

"She said she wants to leave tomorrow," Neda's father noted.

"So it proves this is spontaneous. She'd have asked to have the house prepared some time ago, if it meant they planed meeting there."

"But Fairy Tail has rented a ship during Neda's visit in Hargeon."

Ellen was caught by a slight moment. But just a moment, because she become the same as before instantly.

"Well, that might give a little concern, but all we have to do is watch if she entered the deck. And when they're back, if she was discovered to be one of the passengers. Because I believe she might still be able to enter without being noticed. As clever as her, she might plan on this."

"So you are worried, after all," the man concluded.

"Not even a little. Here in Magnolia, it is not easy to have a complete track of her even if she's living with us. I mean, it took us whole two months to find out where she was wandering after job when she already wasn't meeting that boy anymore. But Hargeon is basically built by Lettercards. It's our heart, so wherever she'll go or do, she'll never be unnoticed. I have a full confidence on that," Ellen declared shutting the book. "But you'll have a lot of work tomorrow. You should take more attention on preparing the mansion for her visit instead."


Neda's POV:

I was shocked. I was laying in my bed with my eyes wide looking at the ceiling as I tried to process everything they just talked about. I thought Haegeon was a safe zone for me since it was so many years nobody from my family lived there. It might be more difficult to sneak in than I thought at first. Good thing I heard it, otherwise I'd have most definitely fallen into this trap. Secondly, I was being watched for longer than I thought at first. The fact that for two whole months they didn't know I spent time in the forest meditating made me realize that they actually have a hard time tracking me at all. I wonder how long it took to discover my relationship with Rufus?

But there comes the third and main reason of my shock. It is possible that they're tracking him even more closely than me. To know exactly when he comes back just proves it. So this is how I didn't notice when I was being followed. In reality, he was followed instead and that's the reason they know we're back together. And of course, that I managed to break free from their treatment and continue lying.

Therefore they must know I slept with him too. However, I was wondering to what extend they did know at all? Do they have any suspicions of me being pregnant? Possibly, but this has to be from another source. I told Rufus the truth when we were in a guild territory and I was sure that no member heard it. And no one unknown wouldn't be able to enter unnoticed.

As for the driver who serves our family, I checked his thoughts once afterwards and changed his memories a little to make sure he'd never split it out.

Eventually, when it comes to my magic, there is a bare minimum they could know too. I haven't told much to Rufus and never talked about my abilities and progress to him and he respected it, so the one who followed him could never know anything more. Rufus himself has already figured the majority himself, I was certain he did, but since we kept cautious about this, I am currently safe in this point too. Ah, he knew we shouldn't brag about it too much either for safety measures., didn't he?

But overall, those a terribly bad news for me. The only good thing was that Rufus was about to return soon, safe and sound, but everything else...

I couldn't sleep well that night due to those thoughts. I was filled with various emotions and eventually I decided to go down and pick the sword I hid before.

The weather was pretty nice and the sky was clear for star gazing, but I just needed to pick the item I hid under my window and then go back home before anyone noticed me wandering around. Then I returned back to my bedroom and cleaned the blade. I got rid of all the evidence I brought something home and tried to find a perfect place to hide the weapon. I needed it to be close enough so I could bring it with me to the Hargeon but at the same time be able to hide it well either, so nobody would have a clue I had something there. Unfortunately, a weapon like this had quite some weight and no matter in which luggage I brought it in the sword still would be too long.

I was in a dead end. I wished I could use Requip magic in such situations. Unlucky me.

For the time being I've decided to hide it behind the wardrobe since the only three options were under my bed or behind the bookshelves. Since I got a discovered book, I couldn't hide anything in my personal bookshelf and under the bed seems to be too obvious choice. As if I was begging someone to check there.

For some time afterwards it was still difficult to fall asleep. I couldn't stop thinking about the conversation between my parents I heard some time ago, it made me really worried and hesitate of anything I've aned or done so far. I wasn't sure of my own actions anymore.

But eventually the stress and overflowing thoughts made me tired enough to finally allow me to get some rest. The dawn was already about to come when I entered the world of dreams. I didn't get much sleep logically, however, I do remember having the strangest dream I could recall.

I was in a little, simple vilage where the houses looked way too simplistic for this era and the streets looked as if they were just made by a human feet. People wore clothes that nobody would nowadays and their language seemed to be slightly different than it is now.

But overall, the place seemed really nice. The sun was high up and there was a lot of nature which smelled nicely. People seemed friendly and happy even though everything around was odd.

Everyone of them were greeting me and I dreamed of entering one of the houses as if that was my own. There was quite dark inside, but the people there weren't bothered by it at all. I sat on an empty seat and was given an odd, poorly made bowl with a soup. Even so, I smiled and said something about the rain day and that the village should take care nobody got lost in the forest or wander too far because of it.

The people who were there thanked me for some reason, as if I knew the future.

That's all I remember from this dream. Soon I woke up as my mother was knocking to come in. She made my plans clear and gave me a silver necklace with a Lettercard family crest which was a sparrow with a branch of laurel around it. I barely ever wore it, but I guess Hargeon would prefer to have a proof of who their master was.

I completely forgot the dream I had that night because it mattered the least tome at that time. Besides, I had more important things to take care of not some silly imagination of mine.

I got ready soon enough and went towards the mail post in Magnolia. Father asked me to go there before I left, so on my way I found a familiar mind from Fairy Tail and located him. Somehow I managed to catch him up and saying only "Give it to Mira-san," I passed the little note I wrote at home.

After that I simply walked away not commenting further. Obviously, the mage red the note not getting what I meant and decided to pass it to who I ordered to. Hoped she'd understand.

Though I'm pretty sure she won't either. At least unless someone actually understood this meaning. And it's only be Rufus and Gray to manage it. After all, the note tells what Mira has to tell those two and I trusted her she really would pass the note. There wasn't a thing to gossip about, so she will ask those two the meaning.

I entered the mail post soon after meeting the mage and went right to the father's office where he calmly was writing something while talking to an employee.

"Oh, perfect timing, dear," father looked at me. "I just finished the preparations for you. I sent the letter early in the morning for the main staff to go to the mansion as soon as they received a letter and informed your driver to guide you in the city and safe trip to Hargeon and back to Magnolia."

"My pleasure," the man said bowing his head to me.

"Humph," I just glanced at the man and looked back at my father. "Is it all?"

"Of course not," father said and dismissed the driver with only a hand gesture. "You'll have a personal assistant to go with you all the time too. You'll meet them in the manor, so don't worry. Also," he placed a key on his desk. "... You'll need this. This key can open any door in the mansion. The ones the staff has are uncomfortable to use, since the mansion is huge. I'm pretty sure you'll want to look around."

I smiled ."Thank you," I took the key. "I assume I won't need to worry about money either?"

"There's a bank in Hargeon. With the neckless you'll be able to pick as much as you need. I assume she gave it to you."

"She did."

"That's all then. I wish you a safe journey."

I boved to my father. Those were good news. Exactly the ones I expected. Father was doing everything to have someone lead me everywhere I go despite mother rather wouldn't. The fact he chose someone to lead me just proves my intention to avoid those followers and spend some time alone. Besides that, he'll tell mother what he did and reject checking the information from citizens saying the staff is enough.

And my mother knows it is a mistake. If I am being followed by those only two eyes I can escape easier. Also, it just shows off how much I have to be looked after. If those were all the citizens, it could give an illusion of freedom and bring less suspicion. What a fool. That's how his brain proves he wasn't a real Lettercard unlike my mother. The difference between them was clear as day and night. Too easy to trick him and unbelievably dificult to slide through mother's fingers.


33'rd chapter, huh? I like this number, therefore will it bring me luck and I get any reviews? Follows and favorites also means a lot to me, so please give some love to the story!