The Engineer's Obsession

Chapter 16

We have arrived at a well-maintained white-marbled mansion. It has the insignia of the Heisenberg family at the entrance.

"Is this what I think it is?" I asked the Duke and he nodded.

"The Heisenberg mansion" he announced.

An old lady came near us, smiling at me. I smiled back at the poor old lady, she seemed nice.

"What service may I offer for the young lady?" She asked in her raspy calm voice.

She glanced at my face and then her gaze went to the flask that I was holding.

"Welcome back, Master Heisenberg" she mumbled

"There is a recruit from the BSAA that got lost and sheltered here. You might find what you're looking for" Duke suggested.

Does it mean I can easily revive him here?

"I will be on my way then, lady Heisenberg," the Duke said his farewell.

"Wait!" I stopped him.

"What about the other flasks?" I asked.

The Duke smiled but he shook his head.

"I know someone who can seal them away. We don't want the flasks to go with the wrong hands, don't we madame?" He asked rhetorically.

I sighed and nodded, he's right. Those three flasks can be way too dangerous. Karl is also dangerous for other people to handle, but unlike the other children of Mother Miranda, he still has some humanity left.

I waited 'til I heard the horses gallop and we went inside the mansion. The interior was even more spacious and big. It looks so elegant, yet elegant is still an understatement.

The old lady led me to a room and gave me clothes to change. I left Karl's flask on the bed and showered.

It feels so nice to take a proper bath after all the things that have happened. I touched my belly, feeling our baby even though it was still too early to feel something.

Somehow, my stress was reduced after taking a bath. I wore the long white chemise the old lady gave me and went back to the room.

I saw the old lady sitting on the bed beside Karl's flask. I smiled and sat with her.

"Thank you for accommodating us" I thanked her.

"I just did my duty as the house's caretaker, my lady" she answered.

"How long have you been taking care of this mansion?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I was just a teen working as a maid for the Heisenbergs until Mother Miranda took over the mansion and experimented with the others. Luckily, I survived and escaped her experimentation. Due to that, I never had the chance to die even in old age. Young master, Karl, and the other masters of the house were transferred to the village where they built their factory" she narrated.

"Aren't you tired of maintaining this huge place?" I added.

She shook her head and answered "I'll never get tired of cleaning this place. They sheltered me when I had none, now I'll pay back the debt I owe them" She smiled.

I'm glad to know that Karl has a loyal servant he can count on. If only he was here, not as a chunk of him but as a whole. Would he be happy to hear this?

Our storytelling was interrupted when somebody knocked on the door. The old lady went to get whoever it was.

Then came inside a young man wearing a big ol' BSAA uniform and carrying a rectangular briefcase.

"I'm Richard, a recruit of the BSAA. And you are?" he let out his hands as if for me to take and shake it. 

I refused his hands but still answered him shortly, "Y/N"

He just shrugged it off and sat beside me. The old lady went away to grab some tea for us, so it was awkward.

"So" as if to lighten the mood, he tried initiating a conversation with me again while picking up something from his briefcase.

"Where did you come from, and how did you manage to come here?" he politely asked but I didn't answer him, why would I?

"It looks like you're still shocked but, all right" he murmured, though I can still hear it.

"I was separated from my team on the way to locate this sort of woman who kidnaps children" he continued, I sighed.

"Mother Miranda" I said and it somehow shocked him that I answered.

"Yes, that's right. Were you also kidnapped?" I nodded.

"Are you perhaps subjected to experimentation, a cadou, mold, or-" I cut off his question.

"Mold" I quickly answered, he was kinda shocked but he immediately grabbed something from his briefcase.

"Good thing we've prepared this serum, give me your arm" he enthusiastically ordered.

I frowned at him, confused at what was it that he was gonna inject me with.

"Don't worry, it's like a cure to, you know, get rid of the mold" he explained.

"Like Mia?" I asked him, he furrowed his forehead and nodded.

"How do you know about her? I thought that incident was all covered up by the organization" he shook his head.

"I was there, a week before Mia. I escaped" 

He nodded and whispered again, that's how you got the mold.

I let him inject me with the serum and shit works fast as I feel a little lot better than when I had it. Finally, the old lady came back serving us hot tea to freshen ourselves up. 

The BSAA recruit asked the old lady how to get to the village, he drew on the map with the caretaker's directions and thanked her for her kindness. He was planning to reunite with his team as soon as possible, though I do not know if they'll be able to fight Miranda.

He's planning to stay a night at the mansion to take a quick rest and go before the sun rises. I just hope he won't get mauled by the wandering pups that Karl left behind.

He told me to stay here until he comes back with his team to rescue me, though I don't wanna leave Karl's home. I just thought, maybe they could help me revive my dearest so I just agreed.

I learned the old lady's name was Felicity, and she told me I could just call her that. She guided me to one of the big rooms the mansion has. Just like Dimetrescu's castle, the mansion was fully furnished, something you'll see from royalty.

I decided that it was time to rest as it would not be good for me and my baby to be all stressed out from what happened. I will remain strong and find a way to revive him so our child will see him.

I curled up holding Karl's flask beside me, I just felt safe where I could see and feel him. It'll be the death of me if even this remaining hope goes missing. I am very thankful to Duke for giving me another chance to be with my love. 

All of the thoughts that ran through my mind started to tire me out, I slowly drifted away to sleep...