Majori's POV:
At first, I didn't pay attention to it because I thought I had misheard, no one would be coming to look for me. Besides, there was no one here who had anything urgent enough to seek me out. Until I heard the noise outside become closer and clearer, the words more distinct.
"I really have something urgent and I need to meet Miss Majori. If you don't let me in now, it'll be too late."
It was the voice of a girl, thin, clear, and carrying the sound of urgency and panic.
I sat up straight to hear better. Was she bringing news about my parents? But if she was someone sent by Vincent, then why were the guards outside stopping her? They should be able to recognize each other.
Lying back down on the bed, I thought I shouldn't bother myself too much about that girl. If Vincent had any new information, he would come to see me himself or send Rin. Yes, I shouldn't meet a stranger without his permission.
But this room and my mind couldn't block out the noise outside. That girl still refused to leave and insisted on seeing me.
I frowned, pushed the blanket aside, and sat up. Her voice was trembling, desperate enough that it couldn't be fake.
A guard replied, his voice dry:
"You're too late. The young lady is resting. If there's anything important, report it to Lord Vincent tomorrow morning."
"No! It won't be in time tomorrow!" the woman almost cried out, her voice cracking. "I'm begging you! This is urgent!"
The phrase "urgent matter" struck the most sensitive part of my mind. I stood up, staring at the door as if, if I had powers, I would use this tension alone to force it open.
What if I just met her for a moment?
Yes, I would just hear what it was, no harm in that. There were plenty of guards outside. What if it really was something urgent? What if I didn't go now and regret it later?
The heated argument outside in the hallway made it impossible for me to concentrate. The guard's voice remained calm but was starting to slip out of control: "Stop. This is a restricted area, you have no permission to..."
But the girl cut him off, her voice almost breaking from despair: "You don't understand! I have to deliver this message to Miss Majori. Even if I die here today, I have to meet her. If I don't tell her, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
Right after that came the sound of a struggle, a metal tray hitting the stone floor, then her choked, suffocating sobs: "If she finds out you stopped me, can you bear it? If this news is lost, will you take responsibility?"
The guard's voice turned hesitant, something extremely rare: "Your name? Who sent you? Don't cause trouble."
She replied with a series of shaky words: "I don't have time! Believe me or not, just let me see her! If I'm lying, I'll take the punishment!"
The chaos was too real, too desperate for me to stay still another second. Determined, I walked to the door and turned the lock.
"Let her in."
The entire hallway fell into a suffocating silence. The guard tried to explain, his voice unusually flustered: "Young lady… Lord Vincent instructed..."
I cut him off, cold enough that I startled even myself: "I said let her in."
After a few motionless seconds, the lock turned slowly. The door opened and the girl appeared in the doorway, a small figure, panting, her cloak soaked with mud and snow, her long hair dripping cold water onto the stone floor. Her eyes clung to me as if I were her last lifeline.
"Miss Majori… thank you for letting me in. I… I don't know how much longer I can keep this secret."
"All right, come in," I said, stepping aside as an invitation to enter.
The guards still looked at me with concern. Of course, if anything happened to me, they would be the ones held responsible. So I returned their looks with a reassuring nod. It's fine. Nothing will happen.
The maid entered the room once the door closed. I walked first, she followed behind. Then I sat on the bed while she stood in front of me.
I folded my arms, trying to keep my voice calm even though my heart was pounding.
"Who are you?"
She intertwined her hands, her ten fingers muddy and shaking as if they might break:
"I'm part of the communication team Lord Vincent sent out. I've just returned. And I have news… about your parents."
My heart turned hollow for a moment.
"My parents?"
She nodded quickly: "Yes. Lord Vincent has found your parents but he hasn't had the chance to inform you yet. I was ordered to bring you there immediately."
I stared at her, suspicion rising instantly.
"If you're one of Vincent's people, why did his guards stop you? He always uses male personnel. And if it were something this important, he should've sent Rin."
She glanced towards the crack of the door where the guard's shadow stood, then lowered her voice so fast I had to strain to hear:
"Because Lord Vincent is with your parents right now. Someone is trying to hide this from you."
I frowned. "Who?"
She swallowed, fear in her eyes disturbingly real:
"Miss Dane. Since Lord Vincent left, she replaced all the guards outside. They only follow her orders. I had to use the kitchen tunnel to get in."
A chill ran down my spine. Dane - the one who always acted gentle, yet sometimes I saw something dark and abyss-like in her eyes.
The girl seemed to sense my hesitation and stepped forward, her voice breaking:
"Miss Majori, please listen to me. If you don't leave now, you will never see your parents again. I saw them… they're alive, but very weak. They called your name."
My chest tightened as if someone were squeezing it.
"Really?"
She placed a hand over her heart, swearing in a strained voice:
"I swear to the Moon. But if you don't go now, you'll never see them again. Miss Dane is delaying things so you won't know."
I asked, my voice trembling uncontrollably:
"Are you certain?"
She nodded, her tear-rimmed eyes pleading:
"I'm betting my life to bring this news to you."
Those words spun in my mind: my parents alive… gravely injured… Vincent there and Dane controlling this place… a secret tunnel…
What if this was a trap?
But what if this was my only chance?
Two opposing thoughts tore at me so fiercely I could no longer tell reason from desperation. I clenched my fists.
"Fine… wait for me to get my coat."
"Wait, Miss Majori," the maid suddenly spoke just as I turned to get my coat.
"If both you and I go out now, they'll surely suspect something. I'll go first, and you follow after. Just tell them you're going for a walk. I'll wait for you at the west hallway, where the hydrangea bushes are."
"Um… okay…"