𝐄𝐬𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜 - Shadows House

Chapter 1

"In a certain place, there lived people playing noblemen. No one knows their faces. If you want to know why it's because they don't have faces. There, the "Shadow Family" are served by their living doll "faces".
-

"Y/n, bring me some tea." A voice called out.

"Yes, Mistress S/n." You responded.

You stopped your cleaning, quickly washed your hands, and brewed some tea. You prepared a platter of cookies accompanying the beverage and placed them all on a tray. You placed the tray on the small wooden table covered in a (c) tablecloth where S/n was seated.

"Thanks Y/n."

"It was nothing."

You continued cleaning your Shadow Master's room and disposed of the gathered soot. You cleaned your hands and put the tools away. "I am done cleaning, Mistress S/n."

"Good job Y/n." S/n praised.

She was wearing a white petticoat under a long-sleeved (c) dress. The dress was embroidered with patterns and the sleeves were loose which flowed every time she raised her arms. Underneath the sleeves were a pair of wrist-length gloves that were (c). Her hair was adorned with a (c) headband with small flowers made of fabric dotted the headband. She wore a pair of boots on top of white stockings.

Your mind drifted off to when you had a conversation with her back then.

"Mistress S/n, why do I feel pain?"

"Because you are made to be modelled after humans, which are the ideal being." S/n responded.

"How is the shape of a human ideal?"

"That is because they can do anything. You can work, you can move and even have "faces" that resemble ours!"

S/n put down her book and looked at you. "Y/n, you must remember that living dolls aren't just attendants. Because we don't have faces, it's hard to distinguish between us. That is where the living dolls come in. They can help us distinguish each other and that is why you mustn't neglect your looks."

You nodded, absorbing each detail.

"Y/n come here." S/n called.

Your mind snapped back to the present by your master's call. "Yes, Mistress S/n?"

S/n was standing by her wooden vanity and leaning on the backrest, pointing to the seat. "Sit."

You carefully sat down on the chair and stared at yourself in the mirror. The mirror showed a young girl with smooth s/c skin, with h/l h/c hair held back by a navy blue headband like her shadow master, and shining e/c eyes.

"S/n was thinking of changing S/n's hairstyle." S/n started cheerfully. "So, S/n is thinking of using you to play around with hairstyles to find something that matches us."

"Okay."

She brushed your hair and started tying it up in different hairstyles. The result at the end was h/s, tied with a navy blue ribbon, matching your work uniform which consisted of a navy blue dress and a ruffled white apron like the other female dolls.

"Do you like it?"

You nodded, turning your head from side to side examining S/n's handiwork. "It looks very nice, Mistress S/n." You complimented.

You couldn't see it but you could tell she was smiling.

"Y/n, do you have a cleaning day soon?"

A cleaning day. That's what you called it when living dolls would gather together to clean outside of their Shadow Master's rooms.

"Yes. I believe it is tomorrow." You replied.

"Ah... I won't be able to see you until you return." She sighed, cupping her face.

"I will return as fast as I can after cleaning." You promised.

"Really?" S/n brightened.

"Of course."

—

You stood behind a girl with curled ash brown hair and vibrant green eyes. She knocked on the window of a younger living doll who quickly came out of her room. She had long blond hair with two tufts of hair beside her head tied up with blue ribbons. Her dark blue hues looked at you both curiously as she exited.

"What's your name?" The green-eyed girl asked.

"Emilyko." She replied.

"I'm Mia from upstairs. This is Y/n who is also on the same floor as me." Mia introduced. "Let's get along. Emilyko, you were stuck in a window the other day. Ufufufu!" She giggled.

"This way." You said, walking in front of them. "Have you been outside of your room before?" You asked curiously.

"No... this is the first time." Emilyko replied.

"Really? It's amazing you'll be so amazingly surprised." Mia exclaimed. "Are you getting along with your Shadow Master?"

"Shadow..?"

"That's what you call a member of the Shadows House whose name you don't know." You answered, walking past some other dolls.

"Hey, what kind of kid are you, Emilyko?" Mia asked as they climbed upstairs.

"Erm..." Emilyko uttered unsurely.

"You don't talk much do you? You're like Lou and Y/n!"

"We are here." You announced.

You had just entered the Great Plaza. Living dolls were all over the place, cleaning every part of the grand room. They were cleaning the floors, polishing the paintings hung on the wall, dusting the ceiling by walking on beams, and others talking to one another. You smiled at the familiar sight before making your way to your squad.

"There's a beam up there, right? If you go up on that you're able to wipe the ceiling." Mia explained. "It's high up and fun."

" These many living dolls are..." Emilyko said in awe.

"The estate is vast so even though we are this many, the cleaning never ends." You said, passing by the different squads of living dolls.

"Exactly! Ufufu!" Mia giggled.

You all stopped in front of two girls. One had wine-red hair and yellow eyes. The other was taller and had long brown hair tied into a low ponytail and a matching pair of brown orbs while smiling warmly, both dressed in the work uniform.