This was rather clean and tidy place, Ulrika had to admit it. No any unnecessary decoration, tidy and everything put in good order but bored and plain in the same time. Well, it suited a guy like him, Ulrika added.
Now, there's a young man and two girls…no, a young man, a young girl and a beautiful ghost were gathered in the living room with awkward filled in the air. Despite that, the ghost still wondered the not-so-big and plain house like she was doing treasure hunting. That added another grimace on the young baron's face.
"Pamela, aren't you enough?" His voice was cold as ice, filled the house with more tense.
However, the ghost didn't bother with him. "Why? You scare if I'll find out something?"
"…I don't think I need to afraid of that." He looked away, knowing the ghost was probably still attempting on his so-called secret. Now he has to deal with chick in front. "So, you're Ulrika, the one Tetri mentioned?"
The blonde shot him a glare before answering. "…Yes, I'm Ulrika. Say, you're a baron right? Why are you living in a place like this?" She was expecting a huge and comfortable house, not a plain medium sized house without any servant!
"Because I like this." He answered like this was all naturally and ordinary.
"But you're a baron-"
"There's no rule listed noble must live luxurious with all the servants around. Unfortunately, I'm not that type. I like to be alone." Roze leaned against the sofa behind. "If you're hoping a luxurious life, you may go and find another noble to take care of you." Yeah, he had no responsibility on her.
Ulrika shot him another dead glare, both hands clutched into fists. If there's possible, she would like to punch this jerk's face!
No no no, stay calm Ulrika…you can't do that! The day had darkened, meaning she had only two choices: stay or leave.
She couldn't leave. Tetri must have her own consideration to put this jerk to protect her from the stalkers, and Tetri did remind her to stick with him…though she was so sick of him.
Okay, it's decided!
Roze was hoping she would say something like 'I'm going to leave' or 'I don't want to stay here', but the chick somehow didn't. Instead, she seemed to make her mind to stay.
She was a reckless type, Roze could at least judge from their first encounter. He thought she might want to leave after all the provocation he threw at her, but she did not. What made her to do so?
Oh yes, Tetri did mention her life was in threat…he almost forget about that.
"I stay." Ulrika stated.
Roze let out a sigh. "Fine." He knew she would say that. "In exchange, you need to clean this place."
"…What's that? Maid?"
"…Yes, maid."
Ulrika jumped up. "What!? I'm not your servant!"
"No work no food. That's rule of life."
He shut her efficiently. "…You…jerk! You're a jerk! JERKTOWN!"
"You…" How dare she call him Jerktown!
"Oh oh…look at this!" Pamela yelled excitedly, holding something on her hand. "My my. Roze's childhood uniform and panties!"
"What!?" Why the hell those things were there? And how did Pamela find out them!? "Stop rummages my thing Pamela!"
"Why I end up stick with a Jerktown!?" And the chick still complaining!
"I said don't call me that!"
Knock! Knock!
"What now!?"
Knock! Knock!
"Stop over there Pamela!" Roze pointed at the ghost, utterly discomfited. "And you too!" He turned to Ulrika.
Then he went to open the door, revealed the nimble captain crossed her arms with long face.
"Oh Anna!"
"What do you want, Anna?"
"Good evening, Baron Roze. I heard a girl named Ulrika is here." She looked into the house and found the blonde. "There you are."
"Did you find my potch?" Ulrika rushed to her with expectation on her face.
Anna looked away. "I'm sorry I couldn't find it." Her answer caused the blonde to drop her face. "I'll give you mine as apologize." And then she handed the ten potch to Ulrika.
"You're so kind, Captain Anna!" Totally different with some jerk!
"You're welcome. By the way…" Anna took a glance at Roze before continuing. "Are you staying here, with him?" On her way here, a girl named Marry told her Pamela brought the blonde here.
"Ah yes…though I'm not willing." If not Tetri told her Jerktown would protect her, who want to stay here?
The captain nodded, raised a grin. "I see. I know what you meant."
"…What's that suppose to be?" Did they forget he was here? Roze felt he was being left out in cold.
The girls gave him a grimace. "You know that!"
Roze furrowed his brows. Pamela on the other hand had put back the things she rummaged, came closer to them.
"Anna~~"
"I'm done for today. Let's go back."
"Eh~? I'm not done with Roze yet~" Pamela acted like a spoiled child.
"You may go back now, Pamela." Roze interrupted her bluntly.
Pamela swelled her cheek immediately. "…You're bad, Roze!"
"Come on Pamela, or I'll leave you here." Anna couldn't help.
"No!" Roze pulled the ghost to the captain. "Take her with you. See you Pamela!" And then, he quickly closed the door, ignoring the complaint from the ghost. Later, the ghost's voice fainted. Guessed the captain had pulled her home.
Roze sighed in relieve. He already had an uninvited guest, he didn't want anymore disturbance to ruin his night!
He turned to the blonde. "Okay, we'll save the questions for tomorrow. You may go to rest."
"…I'm not your maid." She still at that.
Roze rubbed his head. "Whatever, but you must keep the place clean. Nothing in life is free." He could see her eyes written with unwilling. He tried to ignore it.
Ulrika took a deep breathe so she could restrain the desire to punch his face. "…Fine."
She headed to her room where the empty room on the second floor. She clearly understood she was asking for his help, so she had to do what he asked her to do. If not because of the stalkers, she won't come down to this!
Urgh! She hated this!
Upon opened the door of her room, Ulrika surprisingly found the room was clean and tidy as if like someone cleaned it up recently. Could it be Jerktown? It's possible since it's only him alone before her coming.
Fine, that added a mark on him however, it wouldn't change the fact he was a jerk!
Before she went to her bed, she heard a roar from the great baron.
"What the hell with this!? Pamela!"
She guessed she knew what had happened.
"What's this?" Roze stared at the thing Ulrika put on the table, used to be the breakfast, he thought.
"Can't you see? It's porridge."
Roze twitched his brow. Of course he knew that's porridge. But why porridge?
"You want to serve me this as breakfast?"
"Is it something wrong? We all eat this every morning in our village." Ulrika winked and twisted her brows. "…What do you expect from me?" She seemed caught the meaning behind his question.
At least not this… "…Nothing." He shook and taking the porridge. He didn't want to start quarrel in the early of the morning.
"…Sorry that I don't know your taste, and what people usually eat in big city." Ulrika said while taking her own, ignoring the baron. "Don't eat if you don't want."
"…" This chick really was irritating. Every of her words provoked him…was she doing this in purpose? "…Let's get to the question. Tetri told me someone wants to take your life. Is that true?"
"Yes, of course that's true." She got snappy easily everytime thinking about the stalkers. "I don't know about them at all. Perhaps they are assassin. They're in a group, a swordsman and an archer."
"Do you know who's behind this?"
"No."
"Did you offend anyone before?" That's high possibility.
"…You're mean, Jerktown." Ulrika narrowed her eyes; shot him an icy dead glare. "…I don't know. Even if I do, I probably died long time ago. My village is a pretty small one, unlike Land of Renaissance. Things spread fast if anything happen."
In other word, she might have clue who was behind this, but no. None of the villager knew about this, not even her best friend Chloe. The stalkers were targeting her, and no trace of them in the village. You know, strangers always drew attention. As from the information she got from Chloe, no stranger or new comer in the village.
"I bet they must have kept a distance so no one would find out about them."
"…How did you manage to survive?" That's weird.
"Tetri and a white creature saved me." Talked about the white creature…Ulrika remembered his name was Uryu, right? It reminded the soft fur of him. Oh…she wished she could hug him for one more time…
White creature? And what's wrong with that intoxicated expression?
"…Never mind that. So now I'm responsible on your safety. Did you encounter them on your way here?"
"No, that's odd." She finished her porridge while noticed his still got half left. "Jerktown, why are you doing this?" She could tell he was not willing.
"…I'm been forced." His answer successfully earned a glare from the blonde. "What do you expect from me?" He asked the same question she threw at him earlier.
Sighed, Ulrika went to kitchen to wash the bowl. "Nothing. So you agree to protect me?"
"Do I have a choice then?" Roze replied emotionless. The porridge was plain yet it's sweet with its natural taste. How many years did he taste such natural taste and fragrance?
"There's some more in the bowl. Suit yourself." Ulrika pointed the big bowl in the kitchen. "By the way…um…do you…"
"What?" Roze suddenly felt chill rise from his back with the puppy eyes of her. No way would this chick give him such a gaze. He had a bad feeling.
"Err…" It's embarrassing…but he did promise to take care of her right? So what to embarrassing about? "Yes! I-I want m-money! ...I only got ten potch…"
"…"
Did the chick have shame? Roze thought while walking listlessly on the street, with Ulrika beside.
Roze blinked at her by the time she asked him for money. And then she started told him something like 'I need money to buy stuff for lunch' or 'the money for food' or some sort like this. Roze ended up coming with her in order to keep an eye on her.
It's not like he worried about her, he was more worried about his money.
They met the nimble captain at the square hall with soldiers behind her under the name of patrol.
"Good morning Captain Anna!"
"Good morning Ulrika. Did you sleep well yesterday?" Anna smiled, barely ignored the baron.
"Of course! Are you on the way patrolling?" Ulrika asked, having glad to know the nimble captain.
Anna nodded. "Yes, this is my duty. By the way, it's rare to have our great baron coming out at this early in the morning." She said with a hint of tease.
"…It's none of your business." Roze looked away.
"Well, he didn't want to lend me the money, that's why." Ulrika still unsatisfied with that.
"I doubt you'll spend it wisely." Instead, she might spend it all before she could buy anything…judging from yesterday case.
"Hey Jerktown!" Ulrika exclaimed.
"Stop calling me that!" He barked, drew attentions from all around. "Err…"
"What…hey, where are you dragging me to!?" Ulrika stretched her hand to Anna, hoping the captain would stop Roze from pulling her away.
But Anna only shrugged, looking at them with wide grin and gave the blonde a wave instead lending her hand.
"Jerktown, huh? She is interesting, isn't she? And Roze too…"
Ulrika swung away his grip. "It's hurt, Jerktown!"
Roze turned to her. "Will you stop calling me that?"
"No!" she rejected bluntly.
"…" He groaned, hand rubbed with his radiant hair in frustration. "Okay whatever; just don't call me that in public. I'm a baron after all."
"…Fine."
At last, they got back to square hall to buy stuff for lunch and dinner as Ulrika stated earlier. If Roze didn't come along, Ulrika sure would sank into the heaven of delicious foods like yesterday without aware of the budget. Roze had to pull her away everytime they passed through a food stall. About one and half hour later, then only they able to collect what they wanted. He felt exhausted from such a torture. Yes, a TORTURE he would say!
"Hey, what's wrong with that long face?" She even asked about it!
"…Whose fault do you think?" He muttered under his breathe.
They came down to a clinic before taking the corner to residential. There are two figures inside the clinic, and Ulrika recognized one of them.
"Good morning Pamela!" She greeted the ghost.
"Good morning Ulrika and Roze!" Pamela noticed the baron's face had darkened. "What's wrong?"
"…What did you do to my room yesterday?" His voice was icy.
The ghost tilted her head. "I just put the things back."
"…That should not consider as 'put the things back'." The uniform and panties were scattering all on the floor of his room and she even rummaged his clothes and personal things! He spent the whole night to sort them back to their places. Roze felt fury rise from the bottom of his stomach where he almost couldn't restrain anymore.
Fortunately, another man in the room stopped him from becoming berserk.
"Just let it be, Roze. We all know Pamela." The grey haired man patted his shoulder in sympathized. "Pamela, stop bullying Roze."
"Eh? I'm not bullying him Vayne!" The ghost exclaimed.
"Tch!"
The man named Vayne shrugged. He looked at Ulrika.
"Are you Ulrika? I heard from Pamela." He stretched out his hand. "I'm Vayne, nice to meet you."
"N-Nice to meet you…!" Ulrika held his hand. She didn't use to this kind of formality.
"Vayne is the doctor in Land of Renaissance." Pamela added for Vayne. "I'll introduce you Jess when she back from work!"
"…Where did she gone?" Roze asked.
"She went to other town for a child patient." Vayne explained. "The girl couldn't come here, so Jess voluntary handled this case by going to that town."
"Is she a doctor too?"
"Yes, we work together."
"Oh…poor Vayne, being left alone…" Pamela stared at Vayne with her two big eyes. She then gave him a bright smile. "How about I accompany you?"
"No, I'm glad to be left alone!" Vayne quickly rejected her 'kind' offer. "And I'm fine by myself. You don't have to stay here and accompany me."
"Eh~?" The ghost suddenly widened her eyes like she has been shocked.
"W-What?" Vayne had a bad feeling…very bad.
"Is that mean you like Anna more!? Is it? Is it!?" Pamela floated closer to Vayne, almost kissed his nose.
Vyane blushed. "W-What? No…I-it's not like this! And Pamela…s-stay out o-of me!" He pushed the ghost away from him while saying that.
"Then you like Jess more than Anna!?"
"W-Why are you talking about that!?" Vayne's face was as red as tomato. Why she suddenly talked about this…in front of Roze and the girl!?
"…You don't know?" His words seemed stunned the ghost for a bit, put out her curiosity at the same time. Pamela stared at Vayne with mix feeling in her eyes, and Vayne could see the slight flame within them. "…Baka Vayne!"
"H-Huh? What's that suppose to mean?" Vayne scratched his head. The three of them looked at each other in confusion. Why the ghost suddenly reprimanded the doctor?
In that case, Vayne quickly changed the topic.
"Err…oh yeah Roze, Lily is looking for you."
Immediately the baron twisted is face.
Why he had to bring that up!?
"Oh Lily…" Pamela formed a mischief smile. "I just saw her wondering at square hall…oops."
What was that 'oops'? Roze sweat dropped.
"I finally found you, Roze!"
"There she is."
Roze stunned. Turned around, he truly found the golden brown haired girl running towards him along with her maid behind her. Seeing that, the first thing came to his mind was…
"I'll see you guys later." He told the other three before running away, leaving the having-no-idea blonde.
"H-Hey Jerktown!"
The golden brown haired girl panted heavily as she stopped in front of the clinic.
"Roze!" She took a deep breathe to ease her pain. "W-Why did he run!?"
"Hime-sama…y-you're too fast…" The blue haired maid panted behind the girl. "G-Greeting…Vayne-sama…and Ms. Pamela…"
"Easy, Whim." Vayne chuckled at them. "Ulrika, this is Lily, and this is Whim."
"N-Nice to meet you…I'm Ulrika." Ulrika didn't like Lily, perhaps due to her arrogant feature and that high quality gold and black skirt. She never had a chance to wear such a beautiful skirt!
Lily twisted her brows while taking a glance at Ulrika with despise in her eyes.
"Who is she, onii-sama?"
Um? Did she just call Vayne 'onii-sama'?
"She is…"
"She is friend of Roze. Now they're living together!" Pamela pushed away Vayne before he could say anything.
"WHAT!?"
And the got a very deafen shout…caused all of them covered their dear ears.
Despite all that, Lily grabbed Ulrika on her shirt tightly and drew her closer.
"Y-You live with Roze!? Who are you!? What did you two had done yesterday night!?" Her face reddened. Ulrika could see murderous shot from her eye like she was going to kill her.
"Let go, you insane!"
"Calm down, Lily!" Vayne quickly pulled Lily away with the help of Whim.
"Onii-sama, you heard it! T-They live together…!" Now she looked like she was going to cry in anytime.
"That couldn't help…Hime-sama acted like a stalker, so Mr. Roze decided to get a new one…" Whim muttered softly. Vayne twitched his brow after hearing that.
"What did you just say!?" Lily grabbed her ears and started to pull hardly. "Repeat it, Whim!"
Vayne let out a sigh. "You deserve it, Whim…"
"H-H-Help…h-help me V-Vyane-sama…!"
"Who is this insane girl!?" Ulrika barked.
"She is the princess of Land of Renaissance." Pamela told her.
Vayne looked at Pamela with tiresome on his face. "Pamela…did you do this in purpose?"
"Because Lily is so cute whenever she comes to contact everything with Roze!" Pamela giggled, only earned a tired glare from Vayne.
Lily turned to Ulrika with a finger pointed at her nose. "Listen carefully Country Bumpkin! I'm not going to lose to you!"
Ulrika blinked. Why the heck this insane girl said something like this!? No, wait…what she called her!?
"You called me Country Bumpkin!? Then you're Fancy Pants!"
They glared at each other. There were some sparks clicking between their gazes as if it's going to explode soon.
"S-S-Stop this!"
Vayne blocked in the middle of the quarreling girls, as well as blocking the sparks. He felt tired to handle such a commotion. He took a glance at the culprit…the ghost even cheering at this!
"Lily, mind your manner in public. Don't forget you're a princess." He intentionally added volume in his voice to make it sounded husky. "Ulrika, you should go and find Roze."
"Onii-sama…!" Lily still trying on something, but Vayne pulled her out of the scene before it turned out to be a joke of royal family.
"W-Wait for me…!" Whim quickly caught up with them.
"Oww…bored~" Pamela grumbled a bit before heading back to the clinic as the replacement of Vayne…more than a useless ghost though.
The peoples around also leaving the place as the commotion ended; only Ulrika alone was there.
She still pissed with Fancy Pants' arrogant attitude. So what a princess!
Leaving the insane princess behind her head, Ulrika decided to search for Jerktown as what Vayne suggested her to. She went to square hall, then to the front gate and street. At last she headed back to home; consider the jerk might go back before her.
"Where is he?" This jerk…she went to the square hall for one more time, took a circle in the hall. But still, there's no trace of him.
Instead, she found someone else. There's a light blue haired woman that wearing a white clothes with black fur, and a bow at her back.
Ulrika stunned, quickly hid behind the wall. She recognized the woman, she saw her before! Her legs were almost numb, like they were not a part of her.
"Why she is here…?" Her voice appeared to be shaky than she thought. She bit her finger tried to stay calm by feeling the ache.
"What are you doing here?"
Suddenly a male voice scared her, almost caused her heart jumped out.
She screamed and found the one who scared her was not other than the Jerktown.
"You jerk! How can you do this to me!?"
"What is it? You're freak out." It's not like the chick he knew…though he didn't know her that much. But this was the first time he saw her freaked out like this.
"Oh yes!" He reminded the woman she saw earlier. "Look at that woman! The archer!"
"Archer?" Roze followed the direction she pointed for him. He suddenly remembered the story she told him in the morning. "You mean the archer from the group of assassin?"
"Yes, she is one of them! I recognized her!" Ulrika looked down on her feet, losing idea on what she should do.
She was glad she didn't encounter them on her way here, and she thought they might have lost trace of her. That's the reason she considered herself to start a new life here since nobody knew her past. Look, all of that was just more than a dream!
Why this kind of thing happened on her? The more she thought, the more she felt depress! She. Hated. This!
Roze didn't know what's on her mind. He only saw her face paled up like a white sheet paper all of a sudden, and then turned to chili red again. Were all the girls like this? He would find Lily acted like this sometimes…was this what peoples called mood swing?
…Whatever. Like he care…
But talked about the archer…he truly needed to take consideration. She might find out this chick anytime. It's better to keep a close watch on this chick from now on.
"Come on, we're heading back." The longer she stayed here, the more the chance she would get found out.
"Y-You're right…" Before they went back, Ulrika took a last glance on the woman, but she was no more there.
A/N: Happy New Year everyone! I wish you all a brand new year with peace and joy.
Chapter 2 is up. The next chapter will be slightly late. I need to go back to my Persona 3 story first, and then I'll come back to this. I hope you all don't mind.
As for the 'Hime-sama' and 'Onii-sama' in the story, it's because I found weird to mention them in english. So I changed them to Japanese. I felt that should do. And I didn't state out another identity of Vayne, but I guess you all should know right? Oh yeah, by the way, who do you think I should pair Vayne with? Anna or Jess?
Okay,see you next time!
