The Night We Met

Part I: Chapter V

"This is the bathroom, where everyone takes a piss." Ban explains.

Elaine nudges Ban, "You can't just say that!"

"Yes I can!" Ban grunts.

I giggle. These are really nice and funny people. I'm glad I found these people. My dad would be too.

    "Hey Elizabeth," Diane says, "can you speak any languages?"

    "I can speak English." I pointed out.

    "Sarcasm. I love it!" Merlin smiles.

    "She got that from me." Ban states.

    "Ban, I've known you for ninety-three minutes, what do you mean 'I got it from you'?" I ask jokingly.

    "Actually, ninety-four minutes." Merlin corrects me.

    "No, I met you guys quarter-past nine. It's twelve eighteen right now, and if we go back ninety-three minutes, then it will go to quarter-past nine. I have had breakfast with you guys, so don't forget an additional hour." I explain.

    Merlin stops smiling. She makes an 'ohh' shape with her mouth. She seems flustered and embarrassed, but I ensure her that mistakes are okay.

    "C'mon, Elizabeth! And you, Merlin! Nous ne voulons pas être en avance!" Diane exclaims.

    "Actually," I correct Diane, "it's 'nous ne voulons pas être en retard'. Avance means early, while a French form of 'late' is retard."

    "Oops. I'm learning French with Escanor, but even he is a little stuck up sometimes!" Diane apologises.

We all walk around the orphanage. Sadly, Escanor and Meliodas weren't able to come because of 'training', and Liz was still getting treated after her attack. Everyone introduced me to the two gardens - the daylight and the moonlight gardens. The gardens had only one rule - they can only be access at the time their garden name suggests. The daylight garden can only be used in day, and the moonlight garden can only be used at night. The garden my room is near is the daylight gardens.

Diane and Elaine showed me the dressing rooms, concert areas and the auditorium for all the orphans and maidens of the orphanage. Miss Jericho usually makes admin news and calls for everyone in the orphanage, for stuff and events like celebrations or festivities.

Ban and King showed me the arcade-like areas, where they learn how to do karaoke, pool and basketball shooting. It was really fun when I beat them in pool and basketball shooting. Diane and Elaine's reactions were funny too.

   "Where'd ya get those skills?" Ban mutters.

    "From my father." I answer.

    "But I thought you're an orphan?" King responds.

    "No, dummy! Ellie's father probably in a better place now, brother!" Elaine nudges.

    "You guys are siblings?" I ask.

    "Yeah... you may not see a resemblance, but I promise we're siblings!" Elaine explains.

    Afterwards, Merlin showed me to the orphanage's lab — which ultimately belonged to her. She showed me multiple potions and spellbooks she created (and bought) herself. One spell was called 'The Happily Never After' spell, another was called 'Le dissolvant de puanteur', which simply translates to 'The Stink Remover'.

    Merlin also showed me her Study Library and how I was welcome anytime to visit her library. Her lab is huge — it's like the size of an underground trench... and tripled! She had so many rooms underground! She even had a visitor's bedroom, with all kinds of doodles and paintings!

    Sadly enough, she didn't let anyone else inside. It was only me, and me only. I didn't think of it as much until she showed me a secret room. It was guarded by three padlocks, all with secret symbols. The first symbol has a twinkly-star kind of sign, the second had a four-leaf-clover, and the third looked something very familiar. It looked like a fan-shaped symbol.

    The Goddess Symbol.

    Merlin read my face and giggled. "Don't worry, this vault has always been here ever since the orphanage was made."

    I awkwardly laugh, "Uh- okay."

    Merlin unlocked the vault with the three keys. The first one was bronze, the second was silver and the third was gold. It made sense, as the Gods and Goddesses symbol was orange-ish. I learnt that from one of my old books I packed. Merlin chanted a spell to open the door. It lifted like a castle gate, and lead me into a realm of a dozen lights. Purple aura swirled into the halls — just like how it did when Miss Jericho tried to stop Liz.

    "Let's go." Merlin said, gripping onto my hand. I tried to let go, but I just couldn't.

    Something lead me into the abyssal hell of demons...