An oak door gently swung open, brushing off dust and cobwebs from within the room. The floors were unpolished and furnitures felt of 300-year history of neglect.


    A young man stepped inside, while carrying something wrapped in a dirty tuxedo covered in dirt, blood and a veil of light snow. The man''s figure is covered in the same thing but in greater quantities, like he walked thru a snowstorm and stepped on dirt puddles, which in fact he did.


    "Now, shall i call some sirvientas."


    Leonardo placed the object wrapped in his tux on the bed, unveiling it, revealing the sleeping figure of a small child, aged ten to eleven, malnourishment hinders accurate estimation of her age. Maybe she''s younger.


    He brushed the girl''s hair. Red strands from depigmentation are evident on her brittle dark hair.


    Leonardo peeked at the sunken cheeks spotted with wounds and frostbite.


    "Don''t you find it amusing that the world robs the innocent and frail, as if it''s a price to pay for this false sense of peace."


    His soft whispers were carried by dust and wind, from the curtain he opened to let out sunlight.


    ''No, that is mad! How cruel the world is. The white who faulted no one paying the price in blood for the prosperity of the wicked and tainted.''


    As if to reply to his words, a faint voice spoke in an exasperated tone. Leonardo just smiled and tapped on his phone.


    "Hmu, Henry... Toppat... Mr.Garack... Seals?"


    Leonardo browsed through his contacts, which are filled with prestigious people and groups, even those who are in high political positions. His eyes hovered on the word seals, if his memory serves right, it''s the little group where his little brother does works.


    For now, they are irrelevant. With a toot sound, the receiver picked up after ringing a few.


    [Yes, se?or.]


    "Yes, yes. This is... Hannah, Right?"


    [I am here to serve.]


    "Hmm, yes. Can i trouble you for a task? Please assemble thirty maids at the 3th floor of my residence here at my business location. Oh, and be a dear and bring tools for cleaning."


    [Will we be doing a full house cleansing?]


    "Oh, no. Not that, one room needs a bit of airing out."


    [But if it''s one room. Five of the us are sufficient enough. Why send thi- ]


    "?Cállate!." (Be quiet!)


    Leonardo exclaimed, nearly crushing his phone out of temper. But soon enough, he calmed down and spoke in mellow tone.


    "Pardon me, what you said is sensible. But this matter is of upmost urgency, so i wish it done as efficient as possible."


    [Certainly, master Leo.]


    Leonardo hanged up and placed his phone on the night stand, and glanced at the girl, her soft breathing intertwined with the sound of the cold air outside.


    "Sleep well, child. You will wake in a new world of extravaganza."


    The attention of the man turned towards the door. From it, an elegant figure of a woman emerged. Long hair tied in one big ponytail stretching to the back of her long maid dress. Her glasses glinted in the light, her aura screams of doncella.


    "My maids sure don''t have a sense of fashion trends. Don''t maids nowadays wear tad short skirts and legs stockings? Or do they call those knee-socks?"


    Leonardo walked towards an antique wing chair and stooped and brushed off the grains of dust with his hands.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "For sure, master Leo. Those odd trends are wide and famous, but mostly used by their master''s fetish and types. Luckily our master doesn''t seem to have the same tastes."


    "Well, i like it quaint. It''s foolish to act young when my flesh is wrinkling."


    "Surely, you jest. Master''s looks no older than a man in his 20s, and if Master donned makeup he could easily pass as a young teenager."


    "Yes, sure. Then kindly wake and treat that child to a bath."


    "Right away."


    Leonardo''s gaze landed on the little girl. The maid, Katarina, moved without hesitation. She knows not the identity of the child but it''s not a part of her job to ask.


    With practiced steps, she neared the bed and tapped the child''s cheeks. Katarina noticed the wounds on the girl''s brittle skin so she took care not to apply pressure.


    Perhaps it is because of the cold, or her sensitive wounds. The child slowly opened her eyes. When those eyes were fully open, Katarina finally realized.


    This child is blind.


    the blank pupils slightly shook. The maid can''t discern if it''s the cold or fear of the different atmosphere she felt.


    "Take calm, little miss. I have been ordered to bathe and wash you clean."


    Perhaps, she''s hungry or just out of energy. The girl spoke no words and resigned her body to the maid.


    "Katarina."


    "Yes, master."


    She hoisted up the girl, under her arms, she is surprisingly light. Like a pillow, soft but as fragile as glass pane.


    She didn''t turned around, afraid that the child might slip down off her arms.


    "Give Doctor John a call when you''re done, i need him to do a check-up. Oh, and call that bastard too when you''re at it."


    There''s only one person in the face of the earth whom he would call ''bastard'' with such contempt. His master Leonardo Ajustus isn''t exactly an emotionally expressive man, and most of the time his words contradicts his intent.


    But when it comes to that ''Man''. He gives zero effort to hide his hatred.


    ''I have no qualms about their hostility with one another, but these brothers are quite a handful.''


    ---


    Soft, fragrant odor tickles her nose. Bliss like softness envelops her body as though she was floating in air.


    She felt her mind melt at the feeling. But the instincts that has been tempered through the harsh environment ticked at her, the painful memories resurfaced and desperately screamed at her to wake up, so she won''t die. She have to stay conscious. The last words of the child''s mother echoed in the depths of her mind.


    ''please live.''


    Her senses returned, and the familiar darkness of the world welcomed her. But to her confusion, this darkness wasn''t unpleasant as the one she remembers. No noisy clattering and glass shattering could be heard.


    She could hear the buzzing of bugs but not the barks of dogs or shouts of adults.


    The smell was pleasant enough to make her raise her nose up high. The foul stench of hole she call home in the past was nowhere to be felt.


    She used her tiny little hands to cope a feel around the surroundings. She felt the warm texture of something underneath her, it was so soft that her hands sinks in. It was softer than the flabs on her legs.


    Scared, she felt alarmed. She thought the object below her would swallow her like a swamp.


    "I see you''re awake."


    The girl turned towards the voice, her ears twitched at the unfamiliar voice. She can''t remember such voice as warm as this.


    "Who.. you.. are? "


    The girl fumbled at her words, clearly lacking in even the most basic vocabulary.


    The man in front of her stood up elegantly, though knowing she is blind she still practiced etiquette in front of the little girl.


    "I believe i haven''t introduced myself earlier. I am Leonardo Ajustus, master of this house. The one who took you from the hands of unpleasant bugs. Pleased to make your acquaintance."


    The girl hears a tapping sound getting closer. She momentarily blanked at the soothing voice of the person, but she trembled yet again when she heard the word''s ''Master''.


    "... A m-master? I was... selled?"


    "Sold? Hm, not quite. Although i AM a master, but not yours. I''ve given those bugs who kept you their due compensation so worry not."


    Leonardo replied with a wicked grin on his face.


    "Don''t be mistaken. From now on, you are not a beggar nor a servant, you are now also the master of everything i own!"


    The girl, confused at Leonardo''s declaration, spoke in a strained voice.


    "Mistah.. Liyon- "


    "Just call me Leo."


    "Yes... Misteh Leo.. i want to.. give thank you."


    The child bowed at his general direction, Leo pleased at her show of gratitude, advanced towards the bed.


    "I have fully decided. You will be a daughter of mine, i care not about your past, either it be deeds or name. You will live from now on in my name."


    The little child is still lost and confused at the unexpected flow of events, she doesn''t know how to react to this abrupt declaration. All she knows is there''s an unknown feeling inside her chest making her want to jump in joy.


    She was petrified at the spot, not from fear and sorrow as she had in the past, but joy that stems from her heart.


    The last time she felt like this was when her mother was still alive.


    She was happy because she again received a person in her life that she would call her family.


    "My name is... Agnes. May i call you father then?"


    Agnes smiled with glee, she was genuinely happy. Her smile was filled with gratitude and hope.


    But that smile had a different meaning to Leonardo Ajustus. A smile that looked innocent yet easily corrupted with maliciousness.


    Leonardo Ajustus wondered. How long will it take for her to mature and come up with clever schemas to take down his new father.


    The child''s eyes look so shallow yet so deep, so clear yet so muddy. Leonardo will give everything she needs and see if she has what it takes to take him down.


    Excitement fills him, anticipating how this child would turn out. He could hardly wait for the day she stabs him in the back and take the absolute glory.


    At last, once again in his life, he had  found purpose; to sit and wait like a demon king on his throne for the traitorous heiress to usurp his crown.