CK recounted her experiences at the Nonaphrontistery to her parents, carefully censoring a few things for their own good. If Isabella nearly fainted after hearing about the prosecution, CK wasn't sure her mother would handle hearing about encountering the enemies of the government and meeting the [Maiden of Prayer] personally.
'It's a shame I couldn't perform some high-end incantations to impress them,' CK thought as she followed her father in the corridors. She'll need to begin practicing again if she wants her Magna Alkemia to go back to the Abraxas Chapter.
"We moved your room to the left wing after the annex buildings were constructed. They had to take down your previous room to make extensions, so I had the maids move your old things to a better room. I hope you're not mad," Flavio told her apologetically, "You had a nice view of the gardens from the previous room."
"It's okay, papa. As long as there's a place to sleep," CK said. "Haha. You were always so easy to please," Flavio ruffled her hair affectionately. They eventually paused in front of a set of double doors, the sigil of House Vincenzo imprinted in gold and green paint.
"Here we are. Are you ready?" Flavio grinned excitedly at CK. "M-hm," CK nodded. With a childish grin, Flavio opened the doors, revealing a medium-sized bedroom.
"Ta-da!"
Large glass panes made up most of the walls, where white lace curtains with green embroidery were fluttering to the breeze coming through the open window panes.
Ornamental plants decorated each side of a bookshelf, and potted trees would adorn the sides of the wardrobe at the other side. An open arch led to the other side of the room, where the vanity table and study desks were propped against the wall.
CK walked through the open arch, where a round canopy bed was placed at the center, large transparent clothing draped from the ceiling. The left wall was a shelf of fictional books, a fireside and a loveseat next to it. A large but empty aquarium was on the other side and nearly made-up half of the wall, a few more cabinets close by.
The young woman's eyes sparkled to see a stuffed toy of an amphiptere on the pillow. 'Mason' was its name. It was CK's friend in her childhood and the main character of her imaginary adventures. Seeing an old friend made CK grin silly while remembering those times.
"He's washed," CK commented as she picked the stuffed toy up. She looked around, "My stuff never caught dust, too."
"Of course! Even if you were away, I could never neglect cleaning your room. Although I had to fix a few more things with Lucila's help… I'm sure you would have outgrown your old clothes, so I changed them out," Flavio said. CK was surprised.
"You changed them yourself? You have maids… Lucila told me you've been busy. You didn't have to tire yourself out over chores," CK pointed out.
Flavio sniffed, "W-What kind of father would I be if I let the servants look after welcoming my own daughter? That should only happen when I'm away. I'm still your papa, not them!"
CK could see a few cobwebs on her father's head. She stifled a giggle and reached out to dust it away. "Hm?" Flavio blinked curiously. CK grinned at him.
'You're like a child, papa,' she thought and clasped her father's hand.
"Thank you, papa. Since you've cleaned out everything yourself, I'll be having a good night's sleep," CK said. Flavio's lips quivered as he began sniffing again.
"My sweet little angel… Ah, I dread to see you're growing older by the year," he sniffed and brought CK into another tight hug, "Look at you… You used to be up to my stomach. Now, you're up to my shoulders! If I could only put you back into your mother's stomach so you'd stop growing bigger… Just go back to being my little baby, won't you? Oh…"
CK felt apologetic. She should let her father go before he offers to tuck her to sleep and sing her a lullaby…
"I'm not leaving yet papa. Let's spend some more time again in the next few days, okay? For now, I'm really sleepy," CK's voice was muffled through Flavio's chest. But still, he heard her well. He sighed.
"Yes, you're right. The travels surely have worn you out. Your mother has placed some of her night dresses in your wardrobe. Use them just for tonight and we'll get you more clothes in the morning, okay?" he asked.
"Alright. Good night, papa," CK said. "Good night, my sweet. Sleep well and get plenty of rest," Flavio kissed her forehead, "We'll see you in the morning."
"M-hm."
CK smiled at her father until he had left her quarters. The double doors clicked and CK's shadow manifested, crawling unto the loveseat before Malphas appeared in his human form. His golden eyes glowed brilliantly against the night lamps and moonlight from the windows.
"So it's confirmed: you are a daddy's girl," he snickered, "I can imagine he'll be livid to find a man inside his baby girl's bedroom so late in the evening."
"Despite knowing that, you're still pushing your luck," CK snorted as she got up and approached the wardrobes, "Go back. He could sense other people's presence."
"So he's a wordsmith, too?" Malphas asked while picking out a night dress and handing it to CK. Nodding at the night dress, CK took it and approached the changing room.
"The term isn't 'wordsmith' here in this world. Anything related to Syntaxis is a form of esoteric knowledge, so not many people know about it," CK said as she undressed inside the changing room, "Syntax energy here is in the form of lower derivatives of the Arts—'magic' is the popular term, and its power stems from Tales. Likewise, those like my papa that practice this kind of magic are called 'Talekeepers'. Not wordsmiths."
"Ah, so that's what they're also called. They exist in this world, too," Malphas mused. "Don't they exist in Almadel?" CK asked through the door.
"They do," Malphas leaned against the doorway with crossed arms, his golden bracelets brushing against his clothing with a clink, "Except that 'magic' is an innate trait of a daemon—not exactly like the case where humans like you need to call upon it externally."
"Hm…They did say that Syntaxis has many derivatives," CK said, leaving the changing room. She had now changed into a satin night dress with a transparent coat while carrying her previous clothes in a folded pile.
Magic. Chi. Aura. Affinity. Plenty of cultures call it plenty of names, but in the end, they are just the lower and lesser forms of Syntax energy. Likewise, branches like witchcraft, voodoo, sorcery, and necromancy are just derivatives of the Arts of Syntaxis. If anything, 'wordsmithing' and 'Syntaxis' aren't used often in these other worlds. They were better used when referring to the advanced arts CK had grown accustomed to in the Nonaphrontistery.
Before CK entered the Nonaphrontistery, she was sure the magic her father practiced was special since not everyone could do it. Only after entering the school was she introduced to the technicalities, and she realized that everyone's got the potential to tap unto the lower forms of the Arts—They just never did.
But this now begs the question: if magic itself is just a derivative of Syntax energy, then what is 'Syntax energy' and its core definition? Scholars ask the question, but none of the answers would really make sense. In the end, Syntax energy was just like the Archetypes: innate. Complex. Not meant for lesser beings to comprehend.
CK opened a palm and concentrated the energy she could wield. They created sparks of golden fire, but it eventually died out. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.
"I'm kind of regretting that I reset my abilities to zero. I miss using alchemy…" CK pouted as she settled into the canopy bed. "Don't take your mishaps to heart, little mistress. If magic exists here in Kelter, there's plenty of chances for you to develop your abilities," Malphas said as he placed the blanket over her body.
"Hehe… You're playing the servant really well, Malphas," CK giggled lightly as Malphas closed the curtains of the canopy bed. "Will I be promoted soon?" Malphas smirked.
"Not a chance," CK snorted and yawned, "It's so silent… You know, I'm happy with my parents and all that, but I'm still upset deep down my empty little heart."
"What is it about your cozy life that could have possibly upset you?" Malphas asked. CK stared at the ceilings sternly.
"I've been gone for four years, and yet after all this time, they never thought of giving me a sibling or stepsibling! The sheer audacity..." she grumbled displeasingly.
Malphas blinked awkwardly at CK's ranting. "Is that really the case?" he asked.
"Of course! See, my parents got their baby fevers bad. If they had a baby, they wouldn't be so bored missing me, and I would have a little baby brother or sister to look after," CK grumbled, her eyes already closing sleepily, "It's so boring being the only child around…"
'Then, you must forgive me for not being able to relate. The idea is not as enticing as it sounds,' Malphas thought bluntly. Having too many siblings made him want to murder them all, so he can't say he felt the same. But he must agree on one thing: it definitely wasn't boring.
CK eventually drifted off to sleep. Malphas watched her chest rise and fall steadily, then decided he was no longer needed. His body morphed into shadows that merged with the darkness underneath the bed, the mistress of the room peacefully bathed in moonlight.
When CK woke the next day, she found a stack of boxes and at least a dozen shopping bags in the living room. She could see them even before she descended the stairs, and her groggy morning face contorted with confusion and sleepiness.
"What…is this?" she muttered as she picked up the nearest shopping bag, "Has mama gone on an impulsive shopping spree?"
"Good morning, sweetie," Isabella came from the dining room while stirring her cup of tea with a lollipop. CK's eyes sparkled to see the natural curls of her mother's hair and the strange but beautiful glow of her skin. How she wished to be as beautiful as that!
"As tempting as a shopping spree sounds, these bags aren't my doing," Isabella smiled, "Your father took the boys to go to the district shops to buy the things you need. Of course, Lucila and I had to come with them so that they don't end up buying clothes that don't suit you."
"But it's late morning… Did you all leave early?" CK was shocked. "He was excited," Isabella giggled, "Come, see if these things are to your liking. If not, we'll have them returned or replaced."
CK looked at the shopping bags laid all over the couches and floors. That's a lot of stuff…
Isabella sat near the empty fireside while CK opened the bags closest to her. Several light-colored dresses were eventually taken out. Some were lacy, some were frills, and some were simple but made with exquisite silk. CK could only guess that these dresses were the 'fashion trend' for the season.
A few heels and footwear were in a separate set of bags to match the dresses. In another smaller bag were boxes of jewelry, but they were not too plenty. There were some newly-bought suits for women in the last set of bags, some were shorts and some were fitted and flowing trousers.
CK nodded at each inspection and smiled at Isabella. "Your fashion taste is amazing, mama. I like them. I just hope they fit," she said and placed the suit in her hands down. The maids standing by immediately began cleaning up the clothes and items.
"I believe they will. Lucila made a few suggestions to switch a few clothes due to the measurements, saying it wouldn't fit your size. We chose to listen since she is never wrong. Only heavens know how her measurements are spot on with just a glance," Isabella said, making CK laugh lightly.
"I keep telling Isabella that suits would be better for you. Your dresses won't last long with how often you wander about," Flavio said as he entered the living room, carrying a box in his arms. "Hehe," CK smiled sheepishly.
"That's why we bought a few sets! She still needs dresses in case she is obliged to attend salons and parties," Isabella said. "It's still not enough," Flavio grumbled, "How much you want to bet that she'll lose a few dresses this spring?"
"You make it sound like we've been raising a savage!" Isabella gasped. Then, she raised three fingers, "Three hundred cinques*. That's for this month."
"I'm still here, you know?" CK deadpanned. "Heh. Just three hundred? That's three thousand for me," Flavio smirked. Isabella snorted.
"Suit yourself. It's your money, anyway," she said. CK shrugged.
To be fair, clothes are worn for protection. Better the fabrics than her own skin be scratched.
"I can go out by myself to buy my own clothes if I need to," CK offered. "No, little bambina. Word has begun spreading about your unofficial return to Pentamerone after you were seen by the noblewomen and their ladies-in-waiting yesterday," Flavio shook his head, "The last thing I need is for you to be catching unpleasant attention. That's why we left to buy your clothes ourselves."
"I'm pretty sure it would look true after you went out to buy these things," CK gestured to the dresses being taken by the servants. "I said it was my clothes we were shopping for," Isabella sighed. If she hadn't reminded the boys to keep silent, their cover would've been blown.
"What's the box you're carrying, papa?" CK asked. "Oh, this? It's your new alchemic apparatus. I have better ones at the villa, but you will need to use this for the meantime," Flavio grinned, "Vicente and Joaquin are bringing in the telescope from outside. I'm not sure if you will use it, but just put it in your room if not."
"Papa…" CK sniffed, a little touched. "Put the box down and let the servants bring it upstairs. You've been scampering around since daylight," Isabella told Flavio, whose nose scrunched.
"No. These things are much more expensive than jewelry and must be handled with extreme care! I'll take it up myself," Flavio said resolutely and began trudging up the stairs.
Isabella sighed, "Someone please assist the lord up the stairs. He can barely see where he's going."
"Right away, my lady," a male servant said and followed Flavio up the stairs. "Your father works harder than the servants themselves," Isabella smiled apologetically.
"I think it's a good thing," CK said. "Ah, you're right. It keeps him in perfect shape," Isabella giggled with a slight blush while CK shook her head.
"Anyway… Let's talk about something else. Have you heard about the social season?" Isabella said. "Lucila mentioned it to me. Do you wish for me to participate?" CK asked.
"Not unless you wish it so. No one's in a hurry to host any salons or parties yet because of the time," Isabella said. "Time? Will something be happening?" CK asked confusingly.
"Oh. I haven't mentioned it yet, have I?" Isabella sipped her cup of tea, "There'll be a gathering here at Rouge City this weekend. It's to commemorate the academy's graduates, if I remember correctly. Since it's a major event, many nobles chose to be wise and not compete for the attention."
"Well, that's a first," CK mused, making Isabella smile faintly. "Rumors have it that someone from the Marchen will be attending. No one will be brave enough to risk offending them," Isabella added.
"Ah, so that's why," CK muttered. The academy's graduates and someone from the Marchen… Of course, no one would try to overshadow the influence of both the academy and the authorities.
"They sent us an invitation to the event. I was intending to go with your father but since you came back in time, why not come with us? It could be a meaningful experience for you to witness firsthand," Isabella asked, "It's also a good chance to see the Duchess after being gone for so long."
CK winced at Isabella's words. "The… The Duchess?" CK muttered nervously, "You mean Duchess dela Rouge…?"
"Yes. She'll be hosting the event and will be inviting the Marchen's representative to give blessing to the graduates. It's been years since she last saw you. This will be a good time for you two to speak again and exchange greetings," Isabella smiled pleasantly.
'I would agree if it wasn't the Duchess that mama is speaking about,' CK thought apprehensively. The Duchess was like the big boss of their whole faction and always had that domineering attitude that used to frighten CK as a child. There's no way she'd want to experience that again! Too scary!
"Can I not go? I don't intend to demean the event, but I've other things to do," CK said nervously. "Like what?" Isabella asked curiously.
"Self-studies. I'm pursuing a wordsmithing career, mama," CK answered. "Ah, yes. You did mention that yesterday. But how should I explain this..." Isabella said hesitantly.
"Say it as it is, mama," CK smiled. "Oh…well, alright," Isabella sighed, "As you saw yesterday, Marchioness Palmisano came over to discuss a business deal with Countess Tafani. I initially hosted the tea party to connect them both in an appropriate setting—Marchioness Espinosa simply attended because she wished to."
"Countess Tafani is a fashion designer, right?" CK said. "Yes. After they saw you, the Marchioness offered to sell a few cosmetics for your skin instead. The same goes for the Countess that wanted to design you a dress and requested they take you as a model for their fashion line," Isabella said grimly, "You know the etiquette among noblewomen, yes? You know what this means."
"I understand, mama," CK nodded. Her lips pursed.
It wasn't just advertisement for business transactions. The offer made by two noblewomen to dress her up means they are expecting to see CK at a social event and be involved with society. It only makes sense since she's been gone for long.
It was also unwise to turn down another noble's offer without valid reason, else they be offended. CK held her chin thoughtfully. She's expecting that the rumors of her return was sparked by the ladies-in-waiting if not by the noblewomen themselves.
That means as of that moment, the nobles of high society know that she has returned. If she doesn't make an appearance soon, she might build herself a sour reputation. That can't be good for her parents, and she might be scolded by the Duchess herself…
"It seems I have no choice but to attend," CK sighed. It's also to save her parents' face since they've been constantly bugged about her whereabouts. It was time to appease the rumors.
Isabella rubbed CK's hands gently. "You don't have to if you feel uncomfortable. It's just an induction and although they're supposedly going to belong to the same faction as our family's, it won't hurt you if you don't attend. It's all just pleasantries and empty boasting of wealth anyway. We can always spin another rumor to explain your absence. I doubt the Marchioness and Countess will take it personally from me," Isabella said reassuringly.
"It's okay, mama. I won't lose anything remotely important by attending—except for my anonymity, I guess," CK grinned, "I'll go."
"Thank you, mi Esmeralda. This will save us from more questions in the future," Isabella sighed in relief. "Will we accept the Marchioness' and Countess' offers?" CK asked.
"But of course! Having them contribute to your appearance means they're sponsoring your presence," Isabella smiled mischievously. "In that case, let's contact Countess Tafani about it. I'd like to have my dress tailored," CK said.
"Oh, design the dress as you wish, sweetie. You're the one wearing it, after all," Isabella said cheerfully and darted out of the living room, "I'll write to the Countess about the good news. Fufufu~! I'm getting excited!"
A few servants paused in confusion when the lady of the house passed by while giggling. CK placed a hand on her hip with a smile, finding her mother's enthusiasm cute.
'I suppose we'll have to postpone our plans until the event is over, Malphas,' CK thought.
'You don't know how long it takes to plan for an event,' CK thought with a snort. Preparations are often more tiring than the event itself. But to CK, there's something to be gained. She smirked.
Aside from being able to get more favors from her parents for attending, she'll get an opportunity to observe the factions of Pentamerone's current nobility and see who this year's graduates were. Who knows? It might benefit her in the future.
CK paused in the middle of her scheming thoughts when she felt her stomach rumble.
"Ah, shoot… I nearly forgot breakfast."