Storm Academy: Tale of Falsities

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter 38: Sweet Scent

"Take her to her room." utos niya sa isang maid na lumapit sa kanya. She looked at me and slightly bowed down. Ngunit ng lumapit siya sa akin, her pupils' turned a darker shade of brown. I tilted my face in curiosity. Was she smelling my blood just now?

"T-This way, m'lady." Hinawakan ko ng mahigpit ang strap ng bag ko at dahan dahang tumango. She walked towards the left staircase before waiting for me to go up. Tumigil ako sa paglalakad at tiningnan ang nanay ko na nasa baba, nakatingin sa akin na may konting ngiti sa mukha. She urged me to go up so I turned away and started to go up.

Sumunod naman ang maid sa akin, a few steps away from me. Tuwing tumitigil ako ay tumitigil din siya, like if she's a little closer to me, she'll get scolded for it. Hindi ako sanay sa nangyayari ngayon, gosh. Umiling na lang ako at dumiretso na pataas. I waited for her to lead me the way. Agad naman siyang tumungo sa kanan kaya sumunod na ako.

Even the hallway was carpeted, tapos ang mga dingding ay may mga malalaking frames kung saan nakalagay ang iba't ibang pinta, ranging from geometrical to landscapes. I stopped my tracks to look at one specific picture frame. It's a family picture.

A little girl wearing a black dress was smiling in the middle of two couples, both in their forties, wearing a stoic face and black suits. The three of them were pale white, pure crimson red lips, and their hair, jet black. I unconsciously held my hair and realized the similarities.

"That's their last family portrait." Napatingin ako sa maid na kasama ko, nakatingin din siya sa picture frame sa harap namin. "A day after that was captured, Madam died, and Madam Shara never smiled that wide ever again." My gaze went down the table below it.

Mayroong ilang kwintas at isang singsing, but the middle one was a poorly colored paper trophy. Nasa loob ito ng glass wall, hindi siya bagay sa buong aesthetic ng lugar na 'to, but I think it was the most treasured piece here.

There was something written in the trophy... The Best Mommy In The World.

"Lady..." I removed my gaze from the paper trophy and looked at the maid. "Simone," sabi ko. Tumango siya at ngumiti.

"Lady Simone, I'll lead you to your room." I looked at the family portrait for the final time before nodding and following her.

I'm sure she's been here for decades. Judging by her wrinkly face, she's, I guess, the oldest maid here. Kahit ang postura niya ay halatang sanay na sanay na dito at halatang alam na niya itong bahay na 'to kahit nakapikit.

She opened a door using a key I didn't know she was holding the whole time. Pagkabukas niya ay hinayaan na niya akong pumasok. She bowed for the last time before closing the door behind me. I sighed and looked around.

Napatigil ako nang makita ang...pang-sanggol na kwarto. It was pink everywhere. The crib, the shelves full of toys and teddy bears, the carpet, and the walls. Ang kurtina, at iba pang gamit naman ay kulay puti. I furrowed my brows when I saw the frame beside the crib. It was me. A newborn me.

I looked around once again and saw a door. Lumapit ako doon at unti-unti itong binuksan, sa pag-aakala na kwarto ko na 'yon. But it wasn't. It was a toy room. Tables full of papers and pens, play mat, a ball pit, there was even a mini trampoline here. What's all of this?

Walang pintuan na iba dito kaya lumabas ulit ako, papunta sa hallway at nagulat na nandoon pa rin siya, hinihintay ako. Umayos siya ng tayo pagkakita ako at tumungo ulit. I closed the door and looked at her with evident confusion in my face.

"Lady Simone, that was your room that Madam made after she came back. Hindi namin maintindihan kung bakit siya nagpagawa ng gano'n, pero ngayon ay naliwanagan na kami." Igniya niya ako diretso pa muli sa hallway, where only another door was placed at the end of it.