Chapter 17: The Broken Puzzle Known As Estel.
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I wanted to write about the prince...
But somehow my brain went BZZZZT.
In the end it, went to a path like this.

Note: I accidentally ended up writing two chapter today.
As an apologies, for those who expected to see what his curse actually is...
Its going to go, how the heck for Estel when he returns. (=3=)b

________________________________________________________________________________
//A Situation have begun to Grow.//

A day later she returned there to take a peek.
It was then she discovered the butler and noble girl were now using the place to relax.
Never wanting to experience the threatening sound of the whip, she had no choice but avoid the place. Because of this, she wasn't able to drink the mix of tea, that could only be obtained in the greenhouse and were forced to use the only ones available in the kitchen.

While spending her days in the rooftops from morning to afternoon.
A certain problem has occurred...
The roof had no protection from the sun,
As she found herself being baked by the heat during midday being forced to stay inside from time to time. To make it worse, she tried to pull out a chair to relax, but it was a struggle to put it back after its use. Due to the stairway getting in her way due to her poor height and size.

She also tried to return to her own room, only to find it much stuffier and hotter than she had expected. Only to cool down later at night.

Only then she had a yearning to return to the greenhouse because strangely.
Even though the height of summer has struck the place.
It remained to feel like spring every day within it for some strange reason.

Leaving her often drained and exhausted when she returned home.

Five days have passed after Estel fled from the greenhouse.

Leanne and Lana didn't particularly notice as she expressed herself normally to them.
But as days passed by, Estel was beginning to show signs of fatigue different when she was staying in the greenhouse.

That was only then they had realized that she was hiding something from them.
Once Again...

While Estel was combing Leanne's hair in the morning.
She then curiously asked her.

"It's been two weeks now since our stay hasn't it...
How is the academy for you?" was her question to Estel.

Estel continued to sweep her hair down.

"It's fine..." she gently said with a smile.

With a simple phrase of the word, she then neatly tied up her hair creating a new and unique French bun look for her.

As she added a piece of silver accessory to the side, Leanne appeared sharper as she wore her custom made uniform, with its dark color complemented by her blond hair.

Lana, on the other hand, wore her uniform in the shades of light blue signifying her role as her knight which matches Leanne's eyes.

As she stood from her chair and readying herself to leave.
Leanne nod's to Lana as they left her in the room.

"Seriously, that girl...
We left her alone so she can relieve herself a bit more from her past,
but it seems trouble keeps coming." Leanne said in frustration.

Lana had a worried look, as she said.
"Even if she had a problem, she never says anything doesn't, she?
It's quite concerning."

"But still... to see you care for her this much for her,
Makes me feel at ease that even you still have a bit more compassion left inside of you.
Despite how badly you treat her sometimes."

"Tch!" she clicked her tongue in retort.
"Did you really think I don't have compassion in me?" while smiling annoyed at Lana.

"You're known as the Owl.
The ruthless girl who showed no mercy even to her own brother.
It's not strange for myself and others to think of you like that you know?" Lana giggled as she said these words. Leanne had an agitated smile as she then said.

"Well then, Let's visit her later after class and I'll show you, what compassion means!" She proudly said.

________________________________________________________________________________

//Compassion.//

Before Leanne and Lana were searching for an opportunity to visit Estel in the greenhouse.
They began to hear a rumor from the students about a certain maid wandering in the rooftops.

"Lana, what time is it?" Leanne asked.

Lana right now...
Radiated a cold air around her, with a bit of magic repelling the heat of summer.

"It's midday, your highness." Lana calmly said.

The both of them then exhaled.

Summer has already arrived a few weeks ago, the sun was sparkling relentlessly as the shade of the tree's cover them by this hour. However, the number of students walking around such an hour would often leave Estel troubled by their presence.

"I noticed, she often avoided making contact with the students here," Lana said with worry.

Leanne, however, was thinking why would she avoid them.
But she found nothing.

"This... doesn't make sense!" She shouted.

"She was somehow fine, with the other servants.
What makes these people any different?" Leanne asked Lana with confusion.

Lana herself was confused but pondered.
"Is it possible? No... it can't be." something trickled the tip of Lana's tongue.
She then turns to Leanne with a worried look.

"We should check up on her if these rumors are right.
Then I know where she is..." Lana confidently said.

There are many empty roofs in the academy,
but there is only one place where no one wished to go.
The reason was simply that it was too isolated.
Similar to the greenhouse the place was instead near the cafeteria a large distance away from any of the classrooms or training area. There was absolutely no point to visit it unless they are hiding.

As Lana and Leanne reached the place, they finally found her.
She was by the shade of the building, hiding in the sun only a piece of her purple cloth were visible.
But it didn't change the fact that the blazing heat was still reaching her.
There was a bit of cool air but it would later change into a hot-breeze as the heat seeps into cement making it a hot-sauna in midday.

"Estel?" Leanne called out to her, but there was no response.
As Lana noticed she rushed to her side.

To find her in a wooden chair with a tired and sleeping expression on her face.
As she checked her forehead.
Only to discover that she was ill...

She shook her head to Leanne with worry then carried Estel with her shoulders.
As they soon brought her to the infirmary.

________________________________________________________________________________
//The Puzzle Known As Estel.//

It was then there they discovered that Estel had been enduring the heat for quite a long time now. She developed a fever as the doctor had told them.

"We... were careless," Lana said with worry.

Leanne then asked in frustration.
"Explain...
Even I am puzzled as to why Estel was afraid of these people.
Yet when it comes to servants she was fine."

But Lana gazed at Leanne with worry.
"It's possible that Estel fears come from how nobles see her."

"Ha?" As she questioned Lana's answer she then continued.

"Did you remember what she said?
She was an outcast, but she still belonged in noble society."

Leanne then placed her hand on her face as she sweated a bit.
"Ridiculous!, but...
Is it really possible that demon nobles are similar to ours?" as she said these words in frustration.

Her thoughts flowed as she said while walking back and forth in a circle.
"If I was in her shoes..."
[I'd be a young girl who would wish to be accepted by those around me.]

"She was too well-trained to be as elegant as possible."
[She worked hard to prove them all wrong and tried did her best to change their views.]

"Her way of thinking is too innocent and easy to manipulate."
[She never once tried to pry any knowledge from me and my home,
Is it possible that they tried to turn her into a puppet?
To be a doll of their society.]

"Her fear of being pressured to be the lady which they desired."
[To fulfill her role as the next queen.]

"Causing nobles of her kin who gazes at her, pushing her to act more elegantly."
[To dance in their graces like a puppet in their story.]

"Now she is facing noble humans..."
[Which isn't much different from demon-kin humans, If we are right about it.]
It then clicked in her mind as she recalled her words...
(During Chapter 7.)

("For all those years!
I yearned for at least one of them!
To tell me that!
And... yet... " 

"They continued to scorn me!")

"Her own people rejected her in the end,"
[She was forced out of society,
despite her desire to be accepted...
she was instead hated.]

(“A powerful magic was aimed at a cherished person of mine.
I… simply got in his way.
And now here I am.”)

"A chance to save a person she loved appeared before her eyes."
[She saw her own existence as nothing but a burden,
hence she wanted to be something of value.]

"Even... at the cost of her own life." As she gazed at Estel with shock.
But Lana could only look at Estel with worry who was currently sick in bed.

It was at that moment.
Leanne had finally understood her situation.
The fact that Estel remains a person who is afraid to be hated.
The cause of her fear of nobles is due to her past.
Like shackles, Estel possibly even feared her.

Was the answer's she had found.
________________________________________________________________________________
//The Troubled Leanne.//

"Ugh, why didn't I notice this before!" Leanne cried out in frustration.
Lana was spooked as she saw her scratch her head.

Then Leanne complained.
"Didn't we tell her to go in the greenhouse instead?
It's far cooler inside that place, no one goes there anyways since most of the students here had brought a guard who can use『Ice Magic!』" She said with agitation to Lana.

Indeed, most of the students had brought guards which can utilize『Ice magic.』
It was strange for a noble who didn't have access to it, as it was lifestyle magic that can turn the summer or desert heat into a breeze of cold air. It also doesn't release a malicious presence making it safe to use.

Though that was also the reason why the surroundings grew even hotter as the magic itself gathers cold temperature around a person as they wandered across the school.

This was the reason, why they prevented any other servants aside from guards within the school as it could lead to many things to happen.

"The greenhouse was outfitted with expensive materials from a skin of a dangerous monster capable of adapting to the weather.
It was what allowed it to keep certain set spices available even in any season outside. Why in the heavens didn't she stay there!?"
As Leanne explained in frustration to Lana she could only give her a wry smile while she continued pumping out her frustration.

She then touched her sword on her waist a bit.
As she then said.
"Let's go there and find out, but we will be missing a class."

Leanne retorted in response.
"I can easily catch up with these classes anyways." she proudly said.
"Staying here is just an excuse to escape those stupid lessons back at home."

Lana then giggled as she said these words with a grin.
"Indeed, learning to please your man,
By learning beauty is quite stupid for someone,
who is going to become the leading queen in the end."

"Did I just hear sarcasm?"
Lana swiftly looks away at her whistling as heard it.
Leanne had an annoyed look as she began to pinch her arm.
"That hurts!" she cried out.

________________________________________________________________________________
//Questions about our siblings.//

On their way to the greenhouse Lana then asked Leanne.

"I've been meaning to ask you this...
When you socially executed your brother...
Did you despise him that much?" Lana asked Leanne.

"From the very beginning, I loved him.
He was quite handsome and caring, though had quite strange tastes as well.
But he just held grudges too deeply that he just dug himself in his own grave."
She said with a bitter expression.

"An unforgiving brother, eh..."
Lana could only give her a worried smile the moment she heard it.
But Leanne then asked Lana.

"How about your brothers?" she curiously asked

"They were quite loving,
They never held a grudge like yours.
But seemed more concerned for me." She said proudly.

"How nice...
I wish my brother was like yours." while looking down.

"You might regret that.
They sometimes wished to take a bath together with me.
Even though I had already grown." She said with a grin.

Leanne had a grossed out expression as she heard it.
"Seriously?...
Did you accept?"

Lana then gazed at her with an expressionless face. (-_-)
"A few times," she answered.

Leanne was speechless as she heard it.
"They dote on me a little too much.
That I was clueless at the time.
My mother sooner heard it and swiftly barged in scolding them.
It was quite a treat." Lana giggled as she said.

"Wow..." as they walked onwards.
They continued to walk as the student pass by...
Lana then cheerfully said.

"Let's ask Estel how her family treated her.
For someone so extremely kind...
I think even they cared for her." Lana said.

Leanne then nodded and recalled her words
"She once said her mother and sister loved her.
Let's ask her stories of those then..." She gleefully said.

As Leanne and Lana walked they soon reached their destination.

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