A cold sheen of sweat coated his face, which was flushed and feverish. He panted heavily, his head throbbing as if someone were relentlessly jackhammering it from the inside. It felt like his brain might explode at any moment.
He slowly pushed himself up from the bed and looked out the window. Night had fallen, with the moon hanging high in the sky, shining brighter than ever.
Moving carefully to avoid making a sound, he made his way to the door and eased it open. He slipped out, gently closing it behind him, and looked to his side.
There, curled up on the floor, was Iris. She sat hugging her knees, fast asleep. She slept soundly, a thin line of drool escaping her lips and staining her maid dress.
Seiichi's eyes narrowed slightly, but he bit back any sharp words and controlled the impulse.
He walked past her, leaving her there, and descended the stairs. The castle was enveloped in darkness, his solitary footsteps echoing through the soundless halls.
As he wandered through the empty castle, a sliver of light caught his eye, spilling from under Seraphina's door. His curiosity piqued, his eyes widening a fraction.
He approached her room, finding the door slightly ajar. Peering through the crack, he saw Seraphina seated at her desk, which was buried under a mountainous stack of papers. She was diligently writing with a quill.
I've never seen Mom awake this late, he thought. He slowly pushed the door open.
Seraphina looked up from her work, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of him. "What are you doing here so late, dear?" she asked. Her voice was calm, but Seiichi could detect an undercurrent of stress.
"I just couldn't sleep." Seiichi walked towards her and stood beside the desk, looking down at the documents. "What are you doing, Mom?"
Seraphina followed his gaze. "Just some administrative work regarding the new recruits." She brought a hand to her mouth, stifling a deep yawn.
Seiichi moved behind her chair.
"What are you doing?"she asked, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and began to massage the tight muscles. "I'm just trying to relieve your stress a little," he said, applying firm pressure.
A small, gentle smile graced her lips. "You don't have to do that, dear. I can use magic for this." Even as she said it, her body began to relax under his ministrations.
Seiichi moved his hands to the base of her neck, using his thumbs to work the knots. "Sometimes magic can't do what can be done by hand. I think it's more relaxing to experience things physically than to use magic." He pressed deeply into the tense muscles.
Seraphina set the quill down on the table, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes, surrendering completely to the sensation.
"Is it good?" Seiichi asked, his voice soft and gentle.
"It feels like heaven," she murmured, her voice low and sleepy. "By the way, dear, there's something I wanted to say to you."
"What is it, Mom?"
She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I think you should treat Iris better. She's been taking care of you for five years, and in a way, even before that." Her voice was calm, but a sudden firmness underpinned it.
Seiichi's hands stilled. "What do you mean?"
"I've seen how coldly you treat her. I know she is your personal maid and you can command her as you wish, but that doesn't mean you can discard her like an object." Seraphina's voice was now unequivocally firm. She let out a weary sigh. "It's beneath you."
"She's just annoying. I don't like that about her," Seiichi retorted, a hint of frustration in his voice.
"I know she can be a little annoying at times, but she is always trying her best to lighten your mood and help you feel better. You always dismiss her, focusing only on her flaws instead of noticing her positive qualities."
Seiichi fell silent, listening as she lectured him.
"Promise me you won't treat her like that ever again."
He didn't answer at first. After a few seconds, he spoke. "I promise I won't treat her like that anymore," he said, offering a small, awkward smile. "Are you happy now?"
"Only half," Seraphina replied, her voice retaining its firmness but regaining its usual gentleness.
"What do you mean, 'only half'?" Seiichi asked, a look of confusion on his face.
"As long as I don't see you treating her better with my own eyes, I won't be satisfied. Consider this an order rather than a request."
Seiichi nodded. "I understand." He slowly resumed massaging her shoulders.
"I'm glad." Seraphina smiled gently.
Seiichi continued his work, but his face was as blank as a sheet of white paper, as if he were lost deep in thought.
Several minutes passed. "You can stop now. I feel much better," Seraphina said, sitting up straight. "You should go back to your room and rest. I need to finish my work."
Seiichi nodded slowly and walked toward the door. He opened it and stepped out, feeling Seraphina's gaze on his back until he disappeared from view.
"I hope he understands what I said," she murmured to herself, slowly picking up her quill and returning to the mountain of paperwork.
---
Seiichi stood once more before Iris's sleeping form, his face still unreadable. He slowly crouched down and gently shook her shoulder.
Iris's eyes fluttered open. She rubbed them sleepily and saw Seiichi hovering over her. "Master? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.
Seiichi stood up. "Get up and come to my room. You'll catch a cold out here."
Iris's eyes widened slightly. "But... it's summer."
"Then you'll get a heatstroke," he stated flatly.
Iris slowly rose to her feet and followed him. Seiichi entered the room and walked to the bed, lying down on the right side. "Get some rest," he said, closing his eyes.
Iris moved toward the couch and prepared to lie down. Seiichi's eyes snapped open, looking directly at her.
"Sleep on the bed. Beside me."
Iris's body jolted. Her eyes went wide as she stared at him. "W-What do you mean, Master?"
"I said, come to the bed and rest on it. You'll be uncomfortable on the couch."
"But I've been sleeping on the couch ever since I became your maid. Before that, I slept on the floor in the maids' quarters. It's alright; you don't have to worry about me," she said, offering an awkward smile.
"It's not a request. It's an order," he said, his voice firm and commanding. "So, do as I say."
Iris froze for a moment, then slowly made her way to the bed and lay down on the left side. The bed was impossibly soft and comfortable, a luxury she wasn't accustomed to. She lay there feeling stiff and out of place, but exhaustion quickly overwhelmed her, pulling her into a deep sleep.
Seiichi turned onto his side, his expressionless gaze fixed on her sleeping face. For a brief moment, the blue of his eyes shimmered, flashing a deep, bloody red before he closed them and succumbed to his own slumber.