Soon, the two children were standing in front of a weathered door that was roughly two meters tall and one meter wide, made out of a coal-colored wood that Fate couldn’t identify. It almost looked like a burnt arch...

As if having been waiting for the opportunity to enlighten Fate, Liza began to speak on the rich history of this strange door.

Liza: “My lord, this is currently the pathway that has been assigned to the servants by which we are able to enter, or in the current case, exit the manor. However, this is only the task that it has been relegated to…”

Liza’s voice drifted away as she raised her arm towards the door, indicating to a series of carvings along the edge of the door frame that were barely visible unless one looked at them up close. She motioned for Fate to inspect them, which he did without questioning…

-Wow...I feel...well, still nervous, but…!

He paused from attempting to read the scribbles and looked down at his hands, stunned at the difference from a few short minutes ago, where they and he had been shuddering as if they had been transported to a frigid tundra. 

Fate then directed his steady hand toward a half-empty potion bottle that had once been filled to the brim with a mystifying, emerald green liquid, which had now dimmed slightly…

Liza had studied the contents of the small bottles for a short while before smacking Fate with a line that truly made him feel that he was, in fact, in a fantasy world…

...

‘Young master, these...are potions!’

Fate had been flabbergasted at this revelation, as he had genuinely expected Jacob to leave him with nothing but the spotless dagger, but he had actually provided him with something that could potentially save his life! 

Liza went on to explain the effects of the various potions. Red’s effect was the most obvious and in-line with Fate’s vision of a potion, healing. The explanation for the yellow potion that had made her smile, shocked him. The purple caused him to shudder in fright. Finally, when it came to the emerald potion, Liza ended up keeping the exact effect from escaping her lips, only stating…

‘I believe that this one....while it isn’t particularly special among those of its kind, I believe...that it will quite surprise you!’

No sooner that she spoke then she had twisted the arrow-shaped glass lid off of the bottle containing the glowing, green potion and raised it to Fate’s lips, draining half of it into his mouth before promptly re-sealing it…

He staggered, nearly coughing up the drink as a strange sensation began to spread throughout his mouth and into his throat. It was almost like a soda with an apple taste, but as its bubbling and stinging sensations radiated throughout his body, his fatigue was blown away and he felt a new energy course through him! 

Within moments of having swallowed the last drop of the potion, he felt boundless energy fill his entire being! The fears he had felt were now pushed to the back of his mind as he struggled to contain the rush of excitement!

Liza gently smiled at the appearance of her excited young master, who looked as if he wanted to bounce out of the room at any moment.

‘That potion should have gotten rid of much of your fear...yes, young master?’

Fate rapidly nodded his head.

‘Then, this one is truly glad…~’

However, as she spoke, her eyes clouded, but it wasn’t present long enough for Fate to notice, as the hyperactive Fate, once again, got back to discussing with Liza as they again began their journey through the lightless manor...

…

-I can’t believe that there’s a drink that can get rid of fears! Man, a fantasy world sure is amazing! Unless...wait, could antidepressants do that also...? Whatever, I have boundless energy!!!~

Shifting his focus away from his hyperactive mind, he carefully ran his eyes across the carvings on the door’s rim, but was underwhelmed by what he saw.

‘Jacob Schneider’, ‘Alison Schneider,’ ‘John Schneider’, ‘Stephen Schneider…’

Each of the scrawlings appeared to be names, with no particular significance aside from the fact that the writing appeared to become older as one looked farther up and except for the fact that all those names written on the left side of the door frame possessed the same last name, while those on the right…

‘Griselda’, ‘Angelica’, ‘Nadia,’ ‘Rose,’ ‘Noah,’ ‘Tiberius…’

Their first names were present, but next to them, what appeared to have been their last names had been scratched out, not even sparing a single letter.

The confused Fate now turned to Liza, who was looking up to the top of the arch, where both ends met, with a reverent expression. He squinted as he attempted to read a name that appeared to be the oldest and highest out of all those written, until he heard a giggle next to him.

Turning his head, he saw a chuckling Liza, who had left her reverenent face behind and had her hand over her mouth, seemingly in an attempt to hide her laughter, though she clearly wasn’t putting much effort into doing this…

However, after noticing his gaze, she quickly silenced her laughter, coughing into her hand as she began to speak again…

Liza: “Ahem! My lord, it would appear as though your vision is not...especially far-reaching...Therefore, with your permission, I shall assign myself the task of becoming your sight!~”

Fate felt the urge to sigh, but held it back as he did not want this to carry on for too long. After all, who knew what the result would end up being if  Jacob was kept waiting outside?

Liza: “It is in the midland script, but I shall translate. It is read as ‘Count Cornelius Valter Schneider.’”

Liza looked at Fate with sparkling eyes, as if expecting some explosive reaction, only to be met with a blank stare that seemed to dumbfound her. 

-What is she expecting…? Oh, wait! I think I know…

Fate moved slightly to his side, hesitantly reaching to place his hand on top of Liza’s head, causing her to blush, however, she quickly replied it...

Liza: “My lord, please don’t startle me like that! Though I appreciate gratitude, I am not deserving for merely announcing your family’s namesake!”

Fate found her flustered state, though he would never admit it, quite cute, but her last words had struck him…

-It’s been a while since I heard a single thing about my family...and most of it, I don’t wish to remember...those lessons with mother…!

He shuddered as his face began to turn grim, but quickly turned his attention back to the name at the top of the arch, though he still couldn’t see it…

Liza: “I can see that introducing you to your ancestry may...have to be handled at a different time...However, the reason that I thought to mention it...is something that my mother often taught me to do.”

The revenant expression took hold of her, once more, as she clasped both her hands together…

Liza: “She once told me that... ‘if ever you find yourself unable to rely upon faith in a god in times of need, then find strength in those that have come before...’ So...I sometimes look to my ancestors for courage. I believe that you may be able to, as well…”

Fate’s expression darkened, as he glared at the names on the arched doorway…

-Find strength and have faith in a family that rejected me...such bullsh*t…

However, Liza’s revenant expression didn’t change as her eyes locked with his, and she simply pointed to the doorway without a word…

From her sleeve, she produced a bronze key, which slid into a small keyhole that was tucked away at the edge of the right side of the door, while Fate stared at the floor with a bitter glare…

[Click!][Clack!][Click!]

A series of noises came from the door, before it finally split open, revealing to Fate what he had only seen through a window for the last three years of his life...the outside…

Liza stepped to the side, allowing the awestruck Fate to stumble out into the night, his naked feet touching onto a cold path of arranged stones and dirt…

-Finally...I’m actually out of the manor…

He stared into the night sky that was awash with countless stars and at the darkened space that the moon seemed to occupy, as Liza smiled at him from behind.

However, their peace was soon disrupted by the sound of slowly approaching footsteps that were emerging from the darkness…

???: “Ah, young master, it does this humble servant well to see that you heeded my request...despite your current state…”

The cold tone sent chills up the childrens’ spines as their breath and the air around them seemed to freeze along…

Along the stone trail and out from the shadows, came a familiar, elderly figure with a sadistic sneer on his wrinkled face…

Jacob: “I trust that you are prepared, young master? For this, your first kill…”

Fate drew the dagger from his pocket, along with the containers of purple and yellow liquid, and spread the corners of his lips as far as they would go as he sinisterly grinned at Jacob…

Fate: “Bring it on…!”

...

[Chapters completed this week: 1/7]