Broken

Chapter 40 (Interlude)

Faust made her way down the ornate hall of her master's expansive mansion. The clacking of her heals on the floors were the only sounds to be heard as she passed various artworks and sculptures, following a now very familiar path to his study. In her arms were various papers in need of the master's attention, and Faust was careful that she didn't let any slip to the floor, ruining all the effort she had gone though to organize them.

Four years ago, before she had accepted this job, she had thought her life would have gone in a very different direction. She had gone to school to be an accountant, numbers being something she could understand quite well, while dealing with other people- not so much. But, when her mother passed suddenly, the master came to her.

Faust's mother had been a close confidant and lieutenant of the master, serving him diligently all her life. It was a grand and honorable position that let her lacking daughter achieve much when others might not have been so lucky. When her mother died, she had begged the master to take Faust in, and that day marked the time when she abandoned her lackluster dream of a simple job, and instead took on the role of attending to the master.

Before coming here, she had heard tales of others who served beings as grand as the master. Heard that they were difficult to work for, that they had volcanic temperaments, and that many servants didn't last long under their rule. That had not been Faust's experience.

To be sure, her master was an eccentric person, and wielded powers far beyond her imagining. But, that aside, the master had actually been a rather laid-back person; a vast contrast to the domineering and violent person she had been expecting.

Faust stopped at a full length mirror a few doors down from the master's study. It had become a habit to make sure there was not a single flaw in her appearance before presenting herself before the master. He never once complained, and it wasn't like she desired to gain his eye... somehow it just felt appropriate to present herself at her best before the master.

Using a hand, she adjusted her burgundy bangs, making sure the tight bun was still holding her long hair at the back of her head. Her pale and dusky-purple skin was blemish-less, and her red eyes shone bright behind thin glasses. Her suit was fitted tightly to her shapely figure, while still being appropriately modest. Faust could see no tragic flaw, and so continued on her way.

Faust raised a small hand to knock on the master's door, but it swung open before she could. She stepped to the side, allowing an older servant to pass out of the room first. This particular servant was not very fond of Faust, despite being quite loyal to Faust's mother before her passing. Her own silver hair also done-up in a bun, the older woman looked down her nose at Faust, but did not comment, simply going on her business as if she hadn't run into her at all.

Sighing, and brushing off the encounter, Faust entered her master's study. She had learnt that if her seniors were going to ignore her, it was best to also ignore them right back. Just because they thought she had no right to be here, did not mean that she had to capitulate to them at all. If the master was displeased with her service, then she would have been let go long before four years of service. Just because their race lived long lives, did not mean that they also needed to hold such long grudges.

The master's study was large, but only a small portion of it appeared to be used at all. The wall to wall book shelves looked untouched, though the maids made sure no dust would live on them. Likewise, the impeccably clean table and sofas also appeared to be untouched since they had been placed in this room. There were large floor to ceiling windows, which looked over a grand estate, but you wouldn't know that. Faust had never once seen the dark curtains pulled aside, leaving the room to fester in relative darkness.