There were sudden low foreign murmurs and whispers. It was dark and hard enough to know what was going on, but one thing is for sure he didn't feel any pain from suffocation, nor as drenched as he thought he would be.
He slowly opened his heavy eyelids and blinked a few times to adjust to the strong lighting that was pouring into the unrecognizable room. He doubtful looked around at the strange style of the room which shines brightly with riches expressing, 'Rich!'
He couldn't help but ridiculously himself.
'Is Elisa's bad habit of money rubbing on me?'
He suddenly felt a warm substance within his left hand, he turned around to find a strange girl with blonde hair transparent near silver.
Ron squinted his eyes to examine her features and appearance closely. She looked younger than a kindergartener with a smaller build.
With her long blonde hair reaching the top of her waist and curls at the end with a shade of silver at the tip, he was astonished at how silky her hair looked even though some parts appeared unkempt.
He looked at the unknown girl who seemed to reach his height.
'What?'
He thought of the possibility of him shrinking to her height. He shook his head in disbelief.
He slowly looks around the strange room and tries to familiarize himself with his surroundings. His first question was 'where was he?' and 'what is happening?' He unconsciously looked down.
He raised his free hand towards his face as he stared at it blankly. There were sudden noises that seemed to be people in a conversation. Ignoring the words that were being said to him, he slowly examined his so-called hands. He opened and closed his palm.
"Tiny hands? I don't remember having... Huh?"
Ron was shocked after hearing a soft high-pitched voice and an unknown language coming out of his mouth. He looked in front of him in a daze and unconsciously held the other girl's hand tightly.
"...Ugh..."
He subconsciously looked at the girl who suddenly made a painful sound. Surprised at himself holding her hand tightly, he slowly started to notice that they were wearing strange noble-like clothing. He examined the strangles of his hair that had fallen in front of his eyes which had the same faint blonde color as the girl.
Even though he wanted to let go of the strange little girl's hand, he somehow felt that she was too important to him to let go.
"Huh? Where am I?"
The girl suddenly looked up and rubbed her eye with her free hand in confusion. Muttering, she realized that her other hand was being held.
She slowly looked up and thought of someone she last remembered who held her.
"Ron?"
Surprised but the thought of the possibility after thinking for a while. He quietly blurted out the name he had as his only family and promised himself to never be apart from them after the accident.
"Elisa."
He smiled at her sweetly as he looked at her bewildered and wavering golden eyes. Her eyes were beautiful. It is hard to believe it's golden and also close to the color of the gem, amber.
"What... Wait, you don't look like..."
Being the quick-witted one, she shivered excitedly but at the same time, goosebumps crawled down her spine at what was going on.
"D-did we..."
She stuttered in horror as realization dawned on her. She was perplexed at the strange and foreign appearance her brother had.
Feeling guilty for not being able to heal her up and pathetically being betrayed by the person he trusted who caused their death, he lowered his head looked at his younger sister pitifully, and spoke.
"It seems we aren't in the know..."
Before he could finish his words, there was suddenly a loud slam of the door opening and a rushed beautiful woman with short pitch-black hair under her shoulder and shining golden eyes just like his sister's present appearance, smiling at them softly.
"My, my. Look at my beautiful babies~"
She squealed as she held her hands together in adoration and ran towards them into a strong embrace of hers. Elisa suddenly felt deja vu at this strange encounter with the woman in front of her.
"Have you been playing in the garden again without me? Look at your messy hair..."
"Edwin, Linda. I'm sorry Momma isn't able to spend time with you..."
The pretty lady looked at them sadly for a few seconds and continued.
"Someone was brave enough to attack the empire without fearing death, so while I'm gone you can continue playing on your own or go to your big brother if you need something, okay~?"
Ron and Elisa, now Edwin and Linda, stared at the woman blankly and thought confusedly at the words 'mother' and 'big brother.' They are now sure enough they aren't in a place where they are supposed to be as they were only the two of them considered family and fuzzy memories of their once loving parents.
"Momma?"
Whispered Linda with a soft voice, putting her finger near her chubby cheek and tilting her head cutely.
"Yes, Linda?"
The woman or somehow the body's mother turned her head to gaze at her fondly, then a sudden realization dawned on her.
"My darlings, I'm sorry once again. But I don't think I will be able to attend your 4th birthday dinner party in a few weeks..."
'4th, we're turning 4 years old? Am I not older than Elisa... So currently we are 3?'
Edwin looks at her with bewilderment at what nonsense she is speaking.
"Duchess Bernstein."
A woman, with dark wavy blue hair in a ponytail and round glasses on her nose bridge, slowly called out to the duchess in a threatening voice. They nervously meet her cold onyx-colored eyes and terrifying expression.
The duchess turned to look at the lady in surprise. She pursed her lips and called her.
"Nadia, just give me a few more moments..."
'Linda. Edwin. Bernstein. ...I'm sure I've heard these names before. Linda Edwin. Linda Bernstein...'
Linda looks at the duchess with puzzlement and tries to process the information she is gaining.
'Blonde hair that has silver shades at the end and golden eyes...'
She turns to examine her brother's appearance which is different from their previous raven hair and peach-colored eyes which are considered rare in the addition of emeralds. She engrossed herself in deep thought thinking of where she heard the name and appearance from...
'N-no way!'
She understood something horrifying that came to her and held her brother's hand even more tightly.
Nadia frowned slightly at her lord's request and spoke coldly in reminder.
"Your Grace, we need to get going for the meeting you have left unattended."
Her round glasses gave a cold glint matching her indifferent expression. Duchess Bernstein looked back at them and bitterly smiled.
"I guess I need to go... Don't worry though! I will be back for most of our meals, so you don't have to miss momma too much~"
She bent over and gave a peck to both of their foreheads and ruffled their hair before leaving the room.
"Hah... Her Grace is just too kind. And these brats just had to take the young master's mother's attention..."
Whispered a woman with short red bob cut hair and azure eyes, who is dressed similarly to the maids from the European era.
"Hey! What are you trying to say? The twins are her children as well and their golden eyes are proof of their legacy to be a Bernstein..."
The other woman standing next to her with waist-long navy braided hair and violet eyes whispered for her friend to shut her mouth.
"But I can't stand to watch how our pitiful and kind young master is desperate for his mother's attention! Even rumors are going around about him not being the official heir and favor these two just because of their eyes!"
She whispered back angrily and pouted at her friend's glare.
"Will you two be quiet! Can you not see that the two young twins will hear you? Even though they are young they are considered to be too intelligent for their age..."
Another woman with brown bun hair, who appears to be older than the other two, spoke and gave them a grave stoic look which made the two gulp from nervousness at her frown.
Linda and Edwin not being able to absorb everything that is happening due to overthinking, caused them to be more overwhelmed after hearing the women's words and opinions in dissatisfaction...
'Can this day get any worse?'
AKS
