Don’t Look For Me - Chapter 2

Euphemia’s day begins early.

 

When I pulled the curtains by the window, it was still dark blue outside. The sky was calm, perhaps because the gust of wind last night had gone away.

 

Euphemia dipped her hands in the wash water that the maid had brought.

 

The water was always lukewarm, but there was nothing she could do. It is not time to warm up the hot water yet.

 

She slowly wet her face, thinking it was fortunate that it was not cold.

 

She always wore simple clothes.

 

Things like black or navy blue or dark green.

 

The modest and lightly decorated clothes, combined with her light brown hair, created a calm atmosphere.

 

She was dressed more like a chaste tutor than a noble lady in her prime.

 

After finishing her makeup, Euphemia looked at herself through the mirror.

 

The pink eyes tinged with the blue light of dawn looked cool.

 

She reached out and rubbed the surface of the mirror as if trying to erase those eyes.

 

But where her hand passed, she remained expressionless in the mirror.

 

When she went down to the first floor, She could see that the few maids were busy cleaning all over the house.

 

On a bright morning with the freshly rising sun, the sun shining through the curtains gave a clear ray of light on the antique carpet.

 

“Are you awake, lady?”

 

A maid who recognized Euphemia greeted her.

 

Euphemia nodded her head lightly and ordered cleaning, carefully examining the sofa, the railing of the stairs, and even the picture frames.

 

“We have guests coming today, so please be more careful about cleaning. Since the railing lacks gloss, apply a lot of wax and wipe it off well. You need to change all the water because I need to put new flowers in the vase.”

 

The maids busily followed the confidential orders.

 

At first, this was not something the Baron’s daughter, Euphemia, was concerned about.

 

If a lady is from an aristocratic family, they are likely to wake up late, dress up, and enjoy tea. It was the duty of the ladies to go horseback riding or taking a walk during the day. At night, to perform at the ball.

 

But Euphemia, by comparison, was a pain in the neck of Baron Lasser.

 

The new Baroness, Belinda, was deeply displeased with her ex-wife’s daughter, Euphemia.

 

Despite her gentle words and a friendly look on her face, her attitude of rejection was plain.

 

The daughter of her partner’s ex-wife was like a cheap glass bead in a jewelry box and like a stone beak in a carefully crafted garden.

 

It was impossible to love a girl who ruined her cherished landscape.

 

For that reason, Belinda has spent 15 years naturally excluding Euphemia from her family.

 

With a few words of command, such as her request, Euphemia became a housekeeper at some point.

 

After a year or two, Euphemia’s two younger siblings and servants took this for granted.

 

“How do you prepare the flowers, lady?”

 

So for the maid, this was also a question for Euphemia.

 

It was fair that she was in charge of all kinds of miscellaneous tasks, the acquire of food materials and goods, the operation of users, and the management of the mansion’s site facilities.

 

Euphemia got lost in thought for a moment.

 

Cecilia hosted the current tea party. The one just made her debut in the northern community.

 

The names already announced are Countess Fraser, Viscount Christie, Baroness Riles…. Those were the sides with a presence in the social world around here.

 

To find a better marriage partner, the baron’s young lady, who has little influence, must have connections.

 

They were the ones who could introduce young gentlemen from wealthy and dignified families and compliment their families on how good the young lady was.

 

So Belinda and Cecilia wanted to look good on them.

 

“The prestige of the family may be low, but they have sophisticated tastes and noble dignity.” “So put them next to you.”

 

That was the purpose of the current tea party.

 

Guests also come to make sure Cecilia is a lady of such refinement and decency. It was slightly a testing ground.

 

“I’ll be ready by the afternoon.”

 

As if it were an expected answer, the maid stepped down, saying yes.

 

Cecilia entrusted her sister with the preparation for this tea party.

 

First, it was something she had to do herself.

 

It’s because the guests can see what Cecilia’s eyes are like and how ferocious enough to entrust the housekeeping of the family.

 

But Cecilia found Euphemia.

 

It’s always been like that.

 

Euphemia was good at handling plants from an early age.

 

Everyone in the baron estate knew that she was better at handling flowers and decorating them than most gardeners.

 

That’s why Cecilia had been begging her to replace her from an early age.

 

‘I’ve thought there’s nothing I can do.’

 

It was not easy to refuse a sister’s request.

 

In retrospect, has there ever been a time when Cecilia’s wishes have not come true in this family?

 

Baron Lasser dearly loved a girl who looked different from her, and the Baroness was infinitely weak with her daughter.

 

As for Euphemia, she just put up with Cecilia’s cleaning, thinking that it was her duty to take care of the mansion.

 

The morning cleaning is over.

 

Euphemia meticulously inspected the neatly organized mansion. The eyes that never let anything slip away carefully stole all over the room.

 

In the kitchen, the head chef was preparing meals. Having taken a look at the dish, she briefly ate, then told the maid in detail about the kinds of refreshments and tea to prepare.

 

Now that she has confirmed what to eat and drink. The time to decorate and prepare something to give.

 

“Then, I’ll be back.”

 

Euphemia went outside in her coat and got on the carriage.

 

A small carriage carrying her within the busy street.

 

About half an hour from the baron Lasser’s residence by carriage, you will see the city walls, and another half hour from there, you will come to the point where the fields and forests meet.

 

It was not long before the carriage reached its destination.

 

“I’ll be right back, so please wait.”

 

“Yes, my lady.”

 

Euphemia left the horseman on the other side of the road and went out into the forest alone.

 

As she took each step without hesitation, the lush leaves of the plants hid her figure from the world.

 

The closer she got to the inside of the forest, the more vivid colors spread out.

 

The sunlight pouring through the thick leaves shimmered like gold dust on Euphemia’s eyes. The broken rays of light gently stroked the surface of the rock, adding warmth to the earth.

 

The wind spirit who found her welcomed the visit of an old friend and then exhaled a long breath.

 

As the spirit’s breath shook the trees and flowers, a beautiful wave of fresh fragrance was born.

 

As she gazed at that peaceful and lovely sight, her hardened heart seemed to melt quickly and gently.

 

As she headed inside, deeper into the woods, the feelings became more refreshing.

 

It is enough to decorate with the flowers blooming in the garden, but she has to come all the way here to enjoy this pleasure.

 

Above all, she was most pleased that she was not alone in this beautiful forest.

 

Euphemia smiled as she felt the spirits approaching her side one by one.

 

“Hi. I need some pretty flowers today. We’re expecting a visitor.”

 

Then the flower spirits in the shape of butterflies danced and led her inside.

 

While walking along with them, her ankle got wet in a shallow stream; her sleeves got grassy. Even that was just enjoyable.

 

Finally, the butterflies found a cluster of flowers.

 

The five-color peony that bloomed in a flash welcomed them.

 

It was a peony with ten layers of abundant petals, an exquisitely splendid shape, and deep color in the center and spread openly toward the edges.

 

People considered it rare because it was such a sensitive flower that it was difficult to bloom in gardens and greenhouses.

 

“You’ve blossomed beautifully. It’s too precious. Can I take it with me?”

 

The spirits fluttered beside her as if they were saying that it was fine.

 

Euphemia said thank you and sat down beside the flower cluster by the flowing water.

 

“There are people who I want to see their faces.”

 

When I said the names of the three women, the Spirit of Water reflected their appearance.

 

Euphemia, which identified each person’s appearance, bloomed one flower at a time. The beautiful flowers did not shun them but gave up their waists.

 

She wishes that she could understand what the spirit was saying, just as they understand her. Sometimes it was so unfortunate.

 

When she was young, she could hear the voices of the spirits clearly, but now she can no longer hear anything.

 

When she first found out about that, she cried for a long time.

 

As she recalled the past, Euphemia smiled softly.

 

One, two. After a busy hand, the flowers got placed in the basket that she brought.

 

At this rate, she can decorate the living room enough to overflow. Perhaps it is an enchanting sight as if the sea formed with flowers.

 

If that’s the case, will it not be okay to dedicate the remaining one to her mother’s grave?

 

Euphemia thought she should leave the prettiest flowers behind. It was because she wanted to convey a small consolation to the lonely tomb that no one else cared about.

 

Although it is now a meaningless story because it has been faded and betrayed, her father and mother once had a fateful love.

 

Long ago, Baron Lasser Willard fell in love at first sight with Rosetta, a commoner girl who came to the city with her peddler’s parents.

 

The two soon fell into a frenzy of passion.

 

Willard, who left everything to his burning love, crawled Rosetta into the baroness’s seat despite the dissuasion.

 

It wasn’t long before a child was born, and for a short amount of time, they were happy.

 

But that’s for a while.

 

Rosetta got sick little by little in her unfamiliar city life.

 

The peony-colored eyes, which once had a lively glow, but didn’t last long.

 

It was around that time that Willard’s fever cooled down.

 

There, Rosetta turns out to be not the real daughter of a peddler couple, but they pick it up. She is also a foster daughter from the Eurendal tribe.

 

Eurrendal was a wandering nation that wandered throughout the continent.

 

Those who refused to be controlled and revered nature were called uncivilized by the people of the Empire.

 

Among them, rumors spread that women in Eurendal use magic to seduce men.

 

Upon learning the truth, Willard was furious that she had been deceived him, and Rosetta, frustrated by her husband’s change of mind, gradually withered like an old flower.

 

Rosetta, who had lost love in exchange for trusting her husband and telling secrets, constantly kept her daughter informed until the day she died.

 

I was the child of Eurrendal’s.

 

But it’s a secret that Eurendal’s blood flows through her body.

 

Never let anyone know.

 

Rosetta loved Eurendal’s, but hated it, and wanted to hide it, but she wanted to keep it.

 

Contradictory ambivalence flashed alternately in the depths of her pink eyes.

 

Looking into the confusion, young Euphemia can’t say anything.

 

Sometimes she asked questions about them, but Rosetta didn’t answer.

 

After she died, Willard put her daughter under control. The intention was to cover up the fact that the blood of lowly foreign people was flowing through Baron Lasser’s blood.

 

The circumstances are unknown but at some point. The number of the Eurendal’s dwindled like worms that were given drugs. The dancers and musicians wandering around the plot disappeared, and the pharmacists and fortune-tellers fled into the darkness.

 

With them gone, Euphemia’s unclean blood would be easier to hide. Willard was relieved and pushed her daughter harshly.

 

But unfortunately, or fortunately, Euphemia resembles her mother. She had evidence of a blood relationship that can’t be hidden at all means.

 

In particular, the pink eyes that resemble Rosetta were characteristic of the Eurendals.

 

The people of the Empire did not know that it was a rare quality that only those were born with the ability to communicate with nature.

 

Euphemia has given a unique vision. She saw a world different from others from the moment she was born.

 

She could see the spirits of all things.

 

In the fragrant fields, in the valley where clear water flows, in the complex market of the city, spirits were everywhere, and they liked women who could see themselves, so they gave anything.

 

Throughout their lives, perhaps they were the only family and friends of Euphemia.

 

Even now, she felt the spirits watching over her, and whenever she diligently moved her hand, the basket gradually filled up.

 

After picking a few other kinds of flowers and some more medicinal herbs in the forest; she turned away.

 

If flowers, leaves, and roots are hung well and mixed properly. A potion of certain effects or a different one could be made.

 

The pharmacy was another specialty of Euphemia.

 

This was also Eurrendal’s legacy, which she heard from her mother and learned from her records.

 

After making and experimenting one by one with the help of the spirits, she found out that she could make much more leaps than her mother.

 

“Chirp….”

 

Then, somewhere, there was a fragile sound of birds.

 

She was about to get out of the forest; Her leg got caught by the soft and pathetic sound.

 

Euphemia looked between the lush plants to find the source of the sound.

 

Her gaze passed through the waterside and the clear scented lilacs down to the bottom of the solid oak tree.

 

“Oh my gosh….”

 

Euphemia, who finally found the source of the sound, sighed.

 

A little bird fell to the ground.

 

As she lifted her hands carefully, the bird shed its soft feathers on her skin. It looked like it had fallen a long time ago and had already weakened.

 

She wonders where the birdhouse is.

 

As she looked up, she saw a bird’s nest between the branches of the oak tree. It was so high that it couldn’t be reached.

 

“Poor you.”

 

Euphemia petted the bird with pity.

 

A bird that escaped a safe nest is a creature that fell alone in rough nature, and if left alone, it would have been eaten by its natural enemy.

 

It’s because of the providence of nature.

 

She knows, but she doesn’t want to let it go.

 

Isn’t the world too harsh for this little bird to endure?

 

She wanted to grow a little more, a little more on the family fence. So she wishes she could flap her wings alone. It’s how she felt.

 

“Help this child.”

 

The spirit of the wind came by after hearing the whispers of Euphemia.

 

Slowly opening her hand, the bird floated in the wind.

 

Following the wind’s guidance and the bird landed in its nest, she left the forest with peace of mind.

 

Perhaps because she walked around for a long time, her body was tired. Euphemia briefly glanced in the carriage to calm her faint dizziness.

 

It’s midday now, she was back in the mansion after going out.

 

When she looked into the kitchen, the maids had almost finished preparing for the tea party obeying their orders.

 

“Come now, Euphemia.”

 

The family, as always, are in the living room having tea time after meals.

 

The conversation between family members stopped shortly after Euphemia’s arrival. It was an awkward silence.

 

Euphemia bowed her head lightly without saying a word to Belinda’s greeting.

 

“Sister! I’ve been waiting for you. What happened? Why are you not ready yet?”

 

Cecilia began to complain, inflating her cheeks as if she had waited.

 

It seemed that she was dissatisfied that the living room where the tea party was held in the afternoon was still sloppy.

 

“Isn’t it time for the guests to come soon? I’ve told you so many times that it’s an important occasion!”

 

She raised her voice.