Chapter 36: What Only She Can See

‘Ah, no! No, don’t do that!’

‘Hmph!!’

‘S-sorry. It’s not that I’m embarrassed because of you.’

‘I know! There’s no way I’d be embarrassed.’

The bird spun in place, looking at her as if to say, Are you an idiot? Its blazing red wings, fully spread, were breathtakingly beautiful.

When Liana’s mouth fell open in awe, the bird puffed out its chest.

‘Ahem.’

‘Y-you look amazing.’

‘I know.’

The bird seemed to glance at Liana cautiously, then fluttered over and perched on her shoulder.

Feeling the warm, radiant energy emanating from just above her shoulder, Liana’s spirit, which had lately been dampened by worries, seemed to return.

Her heart was still pounding wildly.

‘Um…’

‘So, how exactly am I supposed to pretend I don’t know?’

Though she didn’t actually hear a voice, somehow it sounded brusque. As if urging her, the bird’s claws tightened on Liana’s shoulder.

‘Ah. Um, just for a while…’

‘Just for a while?’

‘Please, just hide!’

‘Hide, you say?’

‘Yes! Like before, just, um, so no one else finds out… Could you stay just in my room?’

‘Hmph.’

Liana gazed desperately at the bird.

If even this bird gets taken away…! That would be too much! I think I’d come to hate Cecilia. I really don’t want that!

‘Fine.’

‘T-thank you!’

When the bird nodded obediently, Liana snuck glances at it, her eyes darting around, as if to read its mood.

Poke

Poke poke!

“Ouch!”

“Miss Liana?”

As she cried out at the sting, it seemed the maids heard her and their calling voices suddenly stopped.

‘Don’t be so obvious, don’t be so obvious!’

‘Ah, I won’t! I said I won’t look! Stop poking!’

Poke!

Poke poke poke!

‘Ugh. Ouch, that hurts!’

‘Hmph!’

‘Um…’

‘What?’

Rubbing her crown, Liana hesitated. The moment the frustrated bird lifted its beak again—

“Young Miss! What are you doing here!”

“Eek?!”

Olly appeared!

With a face full of anger, she lifted Liana up in one swoop. Dangling from Olly’s hand like a doll, Liana was left hanging in midair.

“O-Olly!”

“Miss. Liana.”

“Th-that’s—!”

Liana glanced furtively at the flame bird. The bird fluttered its wings nearby.

‘Oh no, Olly can see it too?! I’ve already been found out?!’

Tears welled up in Liana’s eyes.

Olly, following her gaze, tilted her head.

“Miss, what are you looking at… Miss! Why are you crying! Are you hurt?”

Sniffle “Hmm?”

“Let me see!”

“Huh? No, it’s not that? Um…?”

Sparks glimmered from the flame bird’s wings at Liana’s fingertips, but Olly couldn’t see them. All she saw was Liana on the verge of tears.

Olly set her down and bent over to inspect her carefully.

“Did you fall? Did you scratch yourself on a leaf? Did an animal come out? There’s been a cat wandering the garden lately… honestly!”

Olly rattled off questions as she examined Liana from every angle.

So flustered, Liana couldn’t even say no—she just stammered until she met Olly’s eyes, then waved her hands furiously.

“No! Nooo! I didn’t fall!”

“Miss?”

“Really! I mean it!”

“Then why were you crying?”

Olly’s expression turned sullen. She didn’t believe her at all.

‘But I’m still the Young Miss! Shouldn’t you believe me just a little?’

Liana’s cheeks puffed up. She’d already forgotten she was hiding to avoid Cecilia.

“It’s just! The tree was pretty…?”

“Miss. Are you asking me to believe that?”

Sniff.

Liana, for no reason, sniffled and gripped Olly’s hand tightly.

“Mmm.”

“…….”

“Olly?”

“Sigh. Do you think acting cute will make me let it go? You really are a handful, Miss! You’re cute, but! When you disappear like that, it’s such trouble. The maids are the ones who get in trouble, you know. Miss.”

Olly knelt down, making their eyes level.

“Don’t disappear like that again. Do you know how worried we were?”

“…Okay.”

“Why did you hide?”

With a sigh, Olly hugged Liana tightly. Her embrace was big and warm. Nestled in Olly’s arms, Liana absentmindedly fidgeted with the hem of her clothes.

“Just…”

“You know Lady Cecilia is coming today.”

“….”

“Did you forget?”

“…Yeah.”

“She’s waiting in the parlor. You should go. And change your clothes, too.”

“Okay.”

“Miss.”

Liana bit her lip and didn’t answer.

It’s nice to share.

I don’t really mind.

But I don’t want to lose the bird, too.

What if Cecilia can see the bird as well?

Liana blinked.

Drip.

Chicken-egg sized tears fell.

“Miss?”

“…Hic.”

“You’re crying? Miss….”

Olly, startled, tried to look at Liana’s face, but Liana held her so tightly she had to give up. Instead, Olly gently patted her back, mentally listing which maids she would have to question—no, interrogate—later.

Liana wasn’t the kind of child to run away from an appointment. There must be a reason Olly didn’t know.

How much time passed?

As Liana’s sobs slowly quieted and her breath evened, Olly separated her from her embrace and saw she’d already dozed off, softly snoring.

No matter how noble the young lady, she was still a child.

Sighing, Olly picked Liana up. Just before turning to leave, she glanced at the spot Liana had been so anxiously watching. Nothing but empty air.

“She definitely saw something…”

“Mm.”

“Let’s go inside, Miss.”

But Olly couldn’t afford to ponder it for long. She had to soothe Liana’s nap fuss.

“Miss Olly! Lady Liana….”

“Shh.”

Seeing a maid hurrying across the garden, Olly gestured her to be quiet. Liana was sleeping in her arms, breathing softly. The maid checked on her and let out a sigh of relief.

“Whew. Thank goodness. Where were you?”

“In the thicket inside the garden. She was hiding, I think.”

“My heart almost stopped…! This never happened before….”

Olly blinked. Staring at the maid’s face, she slowly opened her mouth. At Olly’s intense gaze, the maid flinched.

“You.”

“Y-yes!”

“Do you know anything?”

“Sorry?”

“If you know something, tell me. Every little thing.”

“W-why are you asking all of a sudden…?”

Maybe from running around looking for Liana, or from Olly’s sudden grilling, sweat began to bead on the maid’s forehead.

“I—I really don’t know!”

“You ‘don’t’?”

“Um… The maid in charge of the dressing room would know better…!”

“….”

Olly didn’t reply. She just walked with a grim face. The maid silently followed, her pale face showing she expected something serious to happen.

Olly passed the garden and the fountain, ascending to the main building of the Credere Mansion, whose entrance was shaded by a large tree.

First, she had to move Liana to her bedroom.

As Olly and Liana were spotted by the maids, some tried to approach, but the maid who’d been quietly following waved them away in a panic. Those who understood the signal just bowed silently as they passed. A few, with curiosity, followed Olly at a distance.

With long strides, Olly soon reached Liana’s room and noticed an unusual commotion.

Through the open door, the scene that greeted Olly left her dumbfounded.

“Olly?”

Cecilia was in Liana’s bedroom, not the parlor.

Their gazes met.

“Liana, you’re here!”

“Mm… Cecilia? Olly?”

Liana, waking from sleep, rubbed her bleary eyes.

“Miss, why don’t you rest a little more? Aren’t you tired? Lady Cecilia, let’s move to the parlor—”

“No, it’s fine! Cecilia’s here…. Let me down!”

“Hello, Olly?”

Cecilia smiled brightly. Even under Olly’s icy gaze, her smile didn’t waver. Olly carefully set Liana on the floor. Still half-asleep, Liana blinked drowsily, then beamed at Cecilia.

Cecilia, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed, jumped up and tugged on Liana’s arm.

“Let’s go!”

“Huh? Okay…! Olly, I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Do you always tell the maids where you’re going, Liana?”

“Huh?”

“Hehe. Just curious.”

“Um…”

A wrinkle formed on Liana’s smooth brow as she thought.

“Miss, you’ll get wrinkles.”

Olly walked over, smoothed Liana’s forehead, and straightened up.

“Miss. Before you go out, would you come see me for a moment? In the garden—”

“Maid! Can’t it wait? I’m really busy, too! Right, Liana?”

Cecilia quickly got up, grabbed a paper from the table, and waved it. After a moment’s hesitation, Liana let go of Olly’s hand and stood up.

“Olly, I’ll see you later!”

Cecilia flashed a bright smile as she hurried Liana out, hand in hand. Liana’s eyes sparkled as she was practically dragged away.

Maid Olly watched the girls’ retreating figures.

*****

“Cecilia! That hurts!”

“The sun’s going to set at this rate!”

Though Cecilia’s grip hurt, Liana gave up protesting at her words.

Sometimes she felt jealous, but she was proud, too!

‘I’m closest with Cecilia. Cecilia is closest with me, too!’

Everyone loves Cecilia, but when I enroll at the Academy, I’ll develop my own specialty and show off! Then I’ll get praised like Cecilia… I won’t have to feel small anymore, right?

Just thinking about it made her heart race.

Cecilia came to a stop. Winter days were short. The sunset was already descending on the secret garden.

“Hoo.”

Both of their chests rose and fell as they caught their breath. The garden was filled with their gasps. Cecilia released Liana’s hand.

Her moist, water-bright eyes sparkled as she gazed at Liana.

“Liana, you know…%&*&.”

“%$%%!”

‘Huh? I can’t hear her. What’s going on…?’

Thud! As if pushed, she felt the world flip upside down.