By the time the morning chaos settled and everyone scattered to their respective duties, the estate's pantry had suffered massive casualties.
Lily stood in front of the storage shelves, her expression completely blank. She looked down at her inventory ledger, then back up at the shelves.
"…Alicia."
"Yes?"
"We need groceries."
Alicia stood beside her, glancing at the nearly empty flour bin. Then at the missing root vegetables. Then at the woven basket that had somehow been entirely cleared out in a single morning.
"..."
"..."
"You emptied the rations for next three days," Lily stated.
"I did not."
Lily simply pointed at the barren shelves. The evidence was irrefutable.
Alicia chose to stare blankly at the wall rather than comment.
The commercial streets near the Academy District were as lively as ever.
