Mystic - EN version

Chapter 23 : Hazel eyes

Every day that passed, Catherine was a little more afraid that someone would discover the reason why she was here, at Griselda's mansion. The reason why Duke Arthur, her master, had sent her here.

The maid didn't often speak to Clave; she hardly ever passed her in the corridors. The mansion was huge, and so far the ginger had only spoken to two or three of the maids. She wasn't even sure if there were more than ten human beings in the building. She had cleaned more empty, unused rooms than furnished ones.

She had the impression that Griselda was trying to keep her away, which seemed logical, given the mistrust the maid inspired in the young woman.

As for Clave, she was gradually improving thanks to Noah's training. She was able to gather her magical energy at a precise point and create small projectiles. Griselda kept telling her that she would soon be ready to leave on her quest for the Crown, but the young girl doubted it. However, she never mentioned this to her host. She knew she had to act quickly.

She had been training with Noah for around two weeks, and slightly longer since Griselda had rescued her from Duke Arthur. Griselda had told her several times that her brother had tried to attack the mansion, but fortunately, the barrier the young woman had put up was holding.

Clave could hardly believe that she had woken up with amnesia in Duke Arthur's mansion just over a month ago. She still had amnesia, but she had learnt so much about herself in that time... And yet, despite all that, she still didn't know what direction to take. She still didn't really know who she was. She just put one step in front of the other, without knowing where it would lead.

Clave knew she had to go. She was just trying to prepare herself a little. To suppress her doubts. Not to fail. Not until she found the Crown. After that, she didn't know what she should do. She only knew that she wouldn't be alone. And that, she felt, was a good start.

The young girl had finished the exercises that Noah had given her to do alone. She decided to go for a walk by the Eternal Tree, having been unable to find either Noah or Griselda in the mansion. In her defence, it was huge. She could have looked for Catherine, but she didn't feel like spending time with her... She was suspicious, and more than anything else, it was destroying her inside. Catherine was her first friend. Clave was so angry at herself for doubting her like that...

Clave could hardly believe that she had woken up with amnesia in Duke Arthur's mansion just over a month ago. She still had amnesia, but she had learnt so much about herself in that time... And yet, despite all that, she still didn't know what direction to take. She still didn't really know who she was. She just put one step in front of the other, without knowing where it would lead.

Clave knew she had to go. She was just trying to prepare herself a little. To suppress her doubts. Not to fail. Not until she found the Crown. After that, she didn't know what she should do. She only knew that she wouldn't be alone. And that, she felt, was a good start.

The young girl had finished the exercises that Noah had given her to do alone. She decided to go for a walk by the Eternal Tree, having been unable to find either Noah or Griselda in the mansion. In her defence, it was huge. She could have looked for Catherine, but she didn't feel like spending time with her... She was suspicious, and more than anything else, it was destroying her inside. Catherine was her first friend. Clave was so angry at herself for doubting her like that...

Clave loved the park around Griselda's mansion. The tree, the islands, the fireflies, the river, everything here was so pretty... She could spend hours here, clearing her head, lying among the flowers, admiring the white streaks of cloud in the azure sky. And so she did.

She lay down on the damp ground, her long golden hair scattered around her like a halo of light, a magical aura.

Clave took a deep breath, then let out all the air she had inside her in one long exhale. She repeated this several times to calm herself. She gently closed her eyes, paying attention to the slightest rustle of leaves, drip of water or sound of insects.

Then the young girl heard something different from the others, something unusual. A mewing. Curious and intrigued, Clave opened her eyes, snapping out of her meditation.

She stood up and began to walk around the Eternal Tree. However, given that the tree's trunk was several dozen metres in diameter, its roots were sometimes more than a metre wide. Crossing them was therefore a bit of a challenge.

Finally, hidden between two roots, she found a little orange and white kitten who seemed to be waiting for her. When the young girl met its hazel eyes, she was immediately touched.

"Where did that cat come from?" she asked herself. "It's not the first time I've walked around the mansion, but it's the first time I've seen him... It's even the first time I've seen an animal since I woke up in Duke Arthur's mansion. He's cute..."

She realised with disappointment that she was still calling him 'Duke' Arthur, even though she was trying hard to stop doing so. Griselda and Noah had told her over and over again that Arthur didn't deserve his title of nobility, but habit always got the better of her.

Clave approached the kitten gently, trying not to scare it away. However, it didn't seem at all frightened. It was staring at her, curious, with its big, wet, shiny eyes. The young girl wondered what she should do with him. She knelt down in front of him and held out her hand to his face. Immediately, as if he had understood what she wanted, he obediently came and rubbed himself against her. He began to purr, his eyes closed. Clave smiled.

"I can't leave him here on his own... I have to take him back to the mansion," she decided.

She put her hand under the kitten's warm belly and lifted him off the ground. He didn't protest and seemed almost happy to leave with her. Clave walked briskly back to the mansion, eager to show Griselda, Catherine and Noah what she had found.