" I greet the lady of the house."
Erika said, bowing deeply in a formal gesture of respect toward the mysterious figure shrouded behind the cascading veil.
She stole a cautious glance at the flowing fabric, noting how it concealed the lady's figure, shifting slightly as if she were watching Erika in return.
Why does she hide herself? Erika wondered, straightening her posture and returning to her formal stance.
The lady spoke, her voice calm and almost serenely measured.
"I did not expect the so-called 'red lady' of high society to appear here… to serve as my personal teacher," she said, a hint of curiosity threading her words.
Erika blinked, momentarily taken aback, but quickly regained her composure.
"I could not refuse the request, my lady," she replied gracefully, inclining her head.
"Especially knowing that others declined. I admit… I was curious to see for myself what this task entails."
The lady behind the veil nodded slowly.
"I see… Even so, a lady should be wary of curiosity. There is an old saying: curiosity kills the cat."
Erika stood silent for a moment, unsure how to respond. Inside, her thoughts ran wild.
So… this is where I die, basically…
She cleared her throat and answered with quiet determination, her voice steady despite the panic churning inside her.
"Perhaps, my lady, but sometimes a little curiosity is necessary… to learn, to understand, and to survive."
Behind the veil, the mysterious lady. A faint smile tugged at her lips, as though Erika's careful reply had caught her interest.
After a brief pause, the lady spoke. "Lady Heather," she said, her voice calm yet carrying a quiet authority.
Erika bowed deeply. "Yes, my lady?"
"Do you perhaps recognize the sigil marked on the paper of the request?"
Erika's mind raced. The sigil… She tried to recall its intricate lines, but nothing came to mind. Perhaps this was a test. If she answered incorrectly, it could cost her—yet she could not lie.
She bowed a little lower, speaking with measured honesty.
"I apologize, my lady…I have not been in high society long enough to recognize the origins of this sigil."
A quiet stillness lingered for a moment, broken only by the soft rustle of the sheets. Then the lady's voice broke through.
"If you please… could you come closer?"
Erika's heart skipped. She straightened her posture, folded her hands neatly in front of her, and slowly approached the veil-draped bed. As she circled around the bed, she finally glimpsed the area where the veil did not cover the lady.
There, sitting on the sheets with blankets draped over her legs, was the figure of the lady herself. Her hair… Golden, luminous in the muted light.
Erika's thoughts tumbled in a whirlwind.
This lady… is it…?
Her mind raced with assumptions. Could this be the famed maiden knight? But then she noticed the eyes—green. A common color, even among the lower nobility.
Green eyes? Erika thought.
The Maiden Knight of Light… didn't she have golden, jeweled eyes?
Her voice snapped Erika out of her reverie.
"Is something the matter, Lady Heather?" Her tone carried soft, genuine concern.
Erika forced herself to relax and replied with a polite, quiet smile.
"Oh… it's nothing, my lady."
She continued to gaze at the mysterious woman before her. Almost instinctively, Erika assumed this could be Catalina Duavan herself—but something was different.
The lady wore a simple white sleeping gown, her skin flawless and unscarred. There were no signs of battle, no marks of the long years of war.
Erika recalled what most nobles, herself included, had believed: that the Maiden Knight of Light must be older, marked by decades of conflict.
This woman…She's beautiful, youthful, almost the same age as me. She thought.
Her presence was striking, impossible to reconcile with the stories of the legendary warrior from thirty-two years past.
She can't be the legendary Catalina Duavan…She would be fifty years old by now.
Erika's mind could only dwell on that thought for now.. This was no ordinary lady, and certainly not the weary, scarred legend she had imagined.
And then, the lady noticed Erika's lingering gaze, as if she were trying to place her face.
"Your long gaze…" she said, a slight chuckle in her voice, "tells me you do not recognize me?"
Erika's eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of panic running through her, but she quickly composed herself. She bowed deeply, keeping her voice steady.
"I… I do not, my lady. The letter bore no name, so I cannot claim to know whom I serve."
A faint, amused smile curved her lips, intrigued that Lady Heather did not recognize her.
Well… this could be interesting, she thought, her tone teasing but measured.
"Since this is an anonymous request," she continued, "I cannot easily disclose my identity… for now, you may address me simply as 'my lady.'"
Erika's curiosity grew, but she bowed once more, keeping her composure.
"I understand, my lady. Then… I shall do my utmost to serve you faithfully, and hope to meet your expectations in all matters."
"Then shall we, Lady Heather?" she said, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
Erika blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
Eh?
The next moment, they stepped into a vast chamber. Rows upon rows of books stretched endlessly, the air cool and still, carrying the faint scent of parchment and leather.
For Erika, her eyes widened in awe. She had dreamed of accessing such treasures—books that were forbidden to common folk, manuscripts she had only imagined in passing.
As they walked along the aisles, Erika's gaze darted from spine to spine, fingers twitching as if she wanted to touch them all. Her eyes sparkled, betraying a rare, unrestrained excitement beneath her normally composed demeanor.
The lady noticed the subtle change—a flicker of joy, almost childlike, in the usually graceful Lady Heather.
She couldn't help but smirk inwardly at the unexpected display, silently amused by the enthusiasm that shone through Lady Heather's reserved exterior.
Her lips curved slightly as she observed Erika's wide-eyed excitement.
"It seems, Lady Heather," she said softly, amusement threading her calm voice.
"That even a lady of high society can find herself captivated by knowledge."
Erika froze, realizing her enthusiasm had been noticed. She dipped into a curt bow, cheeks warming.
"I… I merely appreciate the opportunity, my lady," she replied, trying to mask the thrill in her voice.
The lady's gaze lingered thoughtfully.
Most ladies of noble birth would barely glance at these books, she reflected, yet this one… she devours them with the hunger of a scholar.
How delightfully rare.
With a subtle motion of her hand, the lady beckoned her onward.
"Then let us proceed. There is much to explore, and I am curious to see where your teaching leads me."
Erika's heart quickened.
She nodded, more determined than ever, eager not only to uncover the secrets within the pages but also to understand the mysterious lady whom she serves under.