Timeline-before chapter First Time Outside

It wasn't rare for Amelina to get bored with how much her childhood days were filled with almost nothing but seeing Eduan and occasionally Maschenny. Even strolling around the hallways had bored her to death now. Just when exactly is Eduan going to let her go outside?!

Amelina sighed out for the nth times as she stuffed her face into the fluffy pillow, one frequent action she would do whenever she was bored. Like, extremely bored. If only she was bigger and stronger, a certain someone wouldn't fuss so much about her every actions! And if she was older, she could've rebel against her father and get away from the cursed family once and for all. Who knows?

"Miss, do you want to do something?" Eira tried to cheer the girl up. It's not like she couldn't understand Amelina's feelings. Anyone would sulk if they were to be confined in a limited space to roam around. Besides, a growing child needs to feel and experience as much as they can, right?

The girl lazily looked up from counting the tiny lines of threads that made up the cover of the pillow, her eyes turning somewhat hopeful. Ah yes, only Eira and Miru had been her salvation from putting up a fake facade in front of her... well, family. If that's what she can call it.

"Is there anything else I can do besides uselessly lounging in my room?"

The maid scrambled her mind to think up of fun activities they can do together, but nothing came up. Why did she had to blank out now of all times?! She only asked out of worry, but she can't exactly let her young miss down now. "What about some yogurt? I'll ask some from the kitchen immediately!"

With that, Eira took off hurriedly. A cup of yogurt is good and all, but won't the maid get mad if she had too much later? Oh well, maybe it's better than nothing.

"Miss, do you want to read something?" Miru piped up. He wouldn't want to be such a useless nobody when Eira was really trying her best now. "I'll ask from the others for some interesting books!" Without even waiting for Amelina to answer, the retainer also went out, possibly to alleviate his young miss of her boredom.

"...I'm bored," the girl went back to counting the tiny lines, until the door creaked, a sign someone had returned back from their... quest. "Eira? Miru? Did you bring something to cure my boredom?" Amelina trailed. Even speaking properly seemed bothersome now.

"I didn't know you were that bored."

Immediately recognizing the voice, Amelina sat straight up as fast as lightning before swishing her head towards the voice in horror. 'Why is he here? I thought Miru said he's going to be away for the whole day?!'

"If you're that bored, why don't you accompany me for a while?" the blue haired man lifted Amelina up with ease, a playful smirk adorning his face as Amelina' face turned emotionless. It's honestly surprising for Amelina to have Eduan carry her nonchalantly now, remembering back how he was so adamant on carrying her properly when she was but a toddler.

'Well, it's not like I have a say in this,' the girl inwardly sighed.

"Miss, we've brought the- Sir Eduan?!"

Both Miru and Eira didn't expect the family head to be back so soon since Eduan himself said that he got some business to do and wouldn't be back for Amelina until nighttime.

"Ah, you two are dismissed for now," Eduan walked past the two with a rigid Amelina in his arms. And it seemed the two servants didn't quite understand Amelina's silent signal for help and waved happily to the girl, hoping she would have fun with her father instead.

"It's a good thing that Sir Eduan would spend some time for the young miss!" was what Amelina overheard.

'Betrayers!'

Amelina wasn't expecting for something big, but having Eduan carrying her towards a part of the mansion where she hadn't yet ventured made her a little edgy and tense. Maybe not a little, but it still made her nervous. Like- her heartbeats were so loud it reached her innermost part of brain.

Like that one feeling where a prey willingly accepted their fate to be eaten? That was how Amelina pictured it with many images of Eduan torturing her while maniacally laughing.

'...still, I never knew there was this part in this estate. And here I thought I already explored the whole building.'

The most suspicious thing was the lack of presence around the area, including sounds or life. In fact, it was as if time had stayed still except for Amelina and Eduan.

Deciding that it was far too quiet for her own liking, Amelina unwillingly voiced out, "Where are we going?"

"You'll know later."

Even without seeing that damned father's face, Amelina knew he was smirking. What? Did he thought he managed to piqued her interests with his mysterious planning and all?

'Meh, even if you say that, I won't fall for it!' Amelina determinedly pouted, tightening her grip around Eduan's neck (she had a traumatic incident where Eduan 'accidentally' let go of her before).

That is, until Eduan stopped in front of a big door- so big that Amelina thought it was actually made for giants.

'The heck? I don't think this is even a part of the estate anymore...'

Holding Amelina up with one hand, the family head took out a blue key encrusted with a diamond and delicately carved that literally just screams 'IMPORTANT' to Amelina and opened the gigantic door.

Now that they're inside, the older man finally put Amelina down much to the girl's relief, but refused to let go of her small hand.

'?'

"U-um... what exactly..?" Amelina stuttered. It was already suffocating having him to carry her all the way here, but holding hands? It only gave her nothing but goosebumps!

"Just look around."

'Yea, sure. He's not gonna let go.'

Taking a good look around her, Amelina noticed the place was actually a... warehouse? She's not even sure what to call it.

A lot of objects with different shapes were lined up as a showcase for the owner (probably Eduan), but she couldn't understand why Eduan suddenly brought her to such a place. Weapons, armories, garments and even weird-looking things that she didn't know how to describe were there. There were even shelves to store smaller things like pretty-looking stones.

If she were like the other maids that served her, she might have squealed at the sight. But instead, she felt nothing. The sparkling gemstones even looked dull through her blue eyes.

'I wonder why?'

But, just as she was passing by another line of weapons with her father, something caught her eyes.

A sword.

Specifically, a tachi* that looked so ancient that it was left out in the corner of unnoticed wall, gathering dusts. She did read from a book Miru brought her before about the tachi's properties judging from the appearance and scabbard.

"Is there anything that caught your eye?" Eduan questioned, noticing Amelina seemed to be pulling his hand for a while.

"...no, it's nothing."

'It's not like I can take it anyway... Though it looked really lonely there.'

"Oh, Amelina," Eduan called out, finally finding what he was searching for. "Which one is to your liking?"

And without warning, the blue-haired man once again lifted the girl making her squeak in surprise. "W-what?" the girl braced for the upcoming torture.

When she felt nothing, Amelina opened her eyes only to see lots of jewellery and gems that she was ridiculing earlier lined up in front of her eyes. 'Aside from that, can you please refrain from lifting me up like a cat?!' Of course, Amelina would never dare to voice that out loud.

"So?"

'Ahh, do I really have to choose? I'm really tired going with your whims now...' It's a good thing Eduan couldn't see his daughter's grimaced expression where she bit her lips in frustration. "That one..." Amelina weakly answered, pointing randomly towards the glass case. It honestly doesn't matter to her. She just wants her peaceful days of stuffing her face into the pillow come back.

"Oh."

Luckily, Eduan seemed to be satisfied with her choice and after walking around (while dragging an unwilling Amelina), they finally exited the (cursed) place. And it doesn't surprise her anymore when Eduan lifted her to carry her again.

'Ah, it's raining...' the girl noticed. With herself inwardly complaining all the time, it seemed she always missed such things around her. Now that she hear it clearly, the light 'pitter-patter' of the rain hitting the ground calmed her adrenaline-pumped heart down, resulting in her carelessly dozing off on Eduan's father.

"Rain..." the man muttered, unconsciously stroking Amelina's back. "Khun Amelina..."

Nevertheless, the day ended safely with Eira once again fangirling over the sight of Amelina cutely snoring in Eduan's arms.

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"He brought you to such a place?" Maschenny chuckled at Amelina indifferent tone. It may looked like the girl doesn't care, but does she know she sounded like she was ranting earlier? "I see you're not a very ambitious one, Amelina."

"...yes?" Amelina didn't know how to react to that. Was it even a good idea to tell Mashenny about it?

'Should I tell her that father actually brought her to his horde of treasures? She didn't realize how lucky she was to be the only person allowed to lay her eyes on his treasures. I'm not even surprised if father started to give her everything in that place later.'

"That place made me so tired that I fell asleep right after..." Amelina mumbled, but the princess heard it either way.

'Yup, it would be better not to tell this clueless kid.'

Author's note:

*A tachi is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (nihonto), worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. It usually is about around 30 inches and usually worn by horsemen because of it's length. The strongly curved blade also made it easy to make slicing blows.

Ahh, for preferences, it looks like those swords Hatz uses (except for that one pipe).

Honestly, this was just an additional bonus chapter that suddenly came to my mind while it was pouring heavily outside, so sorry for the lack of fluffs.

Also, thanks for those who wished me luck for my exam! (pray for me so that I can continue on living *sobs) There's also another one coming right after this, so please bear the lack of updates...

Sayonara! Love chu guys!