《NEW LIFE》


 Prologue

    In a forgotten alley, overlooked by decent folks, an auction was about to begin shamelessly offering goods. The highest-ranking individuals awaited impatiently for the den to open. An overweight bourgeois commented to another that this was his third visit of the month; the other replied, hoping to avoid returning to this cesspool but always ending up there. One aristocrat remained silent and annoyed by the others'' voices.


    The man wore a hood to conceal his identity as much as possible, but the other shameless beings remained uncovered, as if they didn''t care if others saw what they were about to buy; in fact, they seemed proud of it. That complicity only turned his stomach, but he couldn''t say anything; after all, he too had attended the auction to purchase a slave.


    The other aristocrats looked him up and down, loudly remarking things like, "It must be his first time," "It brings back memories of my first auction," "Does he think he''s better than us by going with his head covered?" "Could he be an undercover cop?" among other murmurs.


    A gentleman, more gray-haired than sane, accosted him angrily.


    "Hey, no one has seen you here before, who are you?" the hooded man was asked.


    He didn''t reply but gave a disdainful look with eyes redder than a chimney fire.


    "Do you think you''re better than us?" he raised his voice for others to hear. "Are you a damn cop?"


    The alley erupted in loud voices of confusion from the other aristocrats. However, no one seemed eager to support the unjustified aggression of the shouting man, yet they remained attentive to the situation.


    "I don''t have to answer," the hooded man finally said.


    "Ah!?"


    The man didn''t expect that non-response; in fact, he expected his behavior to scare him enough to run away, scoring a point with the others. However, he wasn''t the only one suspicious of the mystique of the hooded man, but not enough to make such a fuss.


    As things seemed about to escalate to physical violence, a woman with green hair interrupted the graying man. She was the bodyguard of the hooded man.


    Having bodyguards wasn''t uncommon; in fact, everyone present had at least one. However, there was an unspoken agreement for all of them to wait outside the alley entrance. So, everyone thought she was another aristocrat like them, but now that they saw her intervene, their suspicions only grew.


    Finally, a voice silenced the tumult. It belonged to another aristocrat, a younger one than the violent man.


    "Shut up already! It''s always the same with you, do you want to be banned from the auction?" the young man spoke mockingly.


    The violent aristocrat closed his mouth, freed himself from the woman''s grip, then moved away and leaned against a dirty wall, uncaring about staining his fine clothes. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and started smoking.


    "Apologies for him, new faces repel him," he approached the hooded man and said. "If it''s not too much trouble, could you ask your subordinate to wait outside? We don''t want any more disturbances. I just want to take a few pretty girls and go home."


    With a gesture, the hooded man indicated she should wait outside. The green-haired woman nodded and moved away from the place.


    "Thank you. As it''s your first time here, I''d like to let you go first to choose the slave you wish to buy."


    However, since he was the only one going in, this didn''t really count as an auction. Still, he wasn''t going to refuse the proposal since it allowed him to leave quickly and save on bidding money, although he was prepared to spend whatever was needed on the woman he planned to acquire.


    However, not everyone was as pleased as he was, but no one seemed willing to contradict him. After all, who could oppose the prince, someone who could become king in the future?


    The presence of royalty in such an indecorous and immoral place didn''t speak well of the kingdom. However, the hooded man couldn''t change the kingdom''s political situation, but he was grateful to be allowed to go first to leave that place as soon as possible.


    Suddenly, a heavy wooden door opened, and lights filtered in, illuminating the dark alley that until then had only counted on the faint moonlight and a few lit cigarettes that glowed like fireflies.


    The prince strode firmly through the doors that slammed shut behind him. A few minutes later, he emerged and, with a gesture, indicated to the hooded man that it was his turn to enter.


    The presence of aristocrats in such a dark and dimly lit corner suggested that this might be the only place for slave acquisition. This last thought of a possible immoral monopoly fleetingly crossed the hooded man''s mind as he finally entered the establishment.


    A woman marked by scars on her face welcomed him. Looking over the mercenary''s shoulders, the man glimpsed several people of different races, naked and displaying themselves as merchandise.


    "The prince has informed me of everything; you don''t need to say anything. However, don''t expect a discount for it being your first time," she said, stepping away from the door and allowing him to enter, continuing, "As you''ve seen, here''s our merchandise, all bathed and anointed in oil for our clients'' delight."


    The way she referred to other human beings nauseated him. He wished to leave there as soon as possible, but he couldn''t abandon the task he had come to perform: buying a person.


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    The woman allowed him to roam the immoral premises without an escort and gave him all the time in the world to choose his slave, on the condition that he revealed his face. The man had no choice but to lower his hood.


    "If you weren''t an aristocrat, we''d surely sell you for a good price, handsome man," she winked, put the pipe in her mouth, and took a puff. "It''s a shame you have those horns on your head."


    The man wasn''t human. By uncovering himself, he revealed two black horns curving backward, contrasting with his light gray hair and yellow eyes. However, it seemed to matter little to the others present; as long as he had money to pay, everyone was welcome.


    Finally, he could move forward and search for the woman he had come for among the unfortunate present. It didn''t take him long to find her; she was the only one with reddish skin, small horns on her head, and pointed ears.


    "I''ll take her. I choose her," said the man with yellow eyes.


    The demon-like woman he chose seemed uncomfortable being the center of attention, but she stood tall among the other slaves.


    "Good choice. If you can pay what the prince was going to pay for her, you can take her."


    "How much do I owe for her?" asked the horned man.


    "Fifty thousand australs," she replied, with the pipe still in her mouth.


    The sum was exorbitant in that place, where the kingdom''s soldiers'' salary, the most common job, was a thousand australs per month. The cost of that slave equaled more than four years'' salary of a soldier. However, that didn''t intimidate him, and he accepted the price.


    "I don''t have that amount with me right now. But you can accompany me to my mansion, and I''ll hand it over to you in person."


    That price was so high and far from what he had expected from the start, but he wasn''t willing to step back.


    "It has to be now."


    Usually, auctions were always paid at the end, but as he was the only client now, he didn''t have many options. His pocket only had thirty thousand australs; he hadn''t expected such a turn of events since he had planned to fetch the money while the auction was underway. However, the randomness factor couldn''t be denied; something like this wasn''t in his plans, and he regretted not being more cautious in his plans.


    "Can you wait for my subordinate to bring the money?"


    "Of course, I have all the time in the world, but I''ll have to charge you ten thousand for every hour that passes."


    "Fine, I accept."


    The woman knew the man was determined and would part with the money at any cost to acquire her. Years of experience had taught her that if there was no haggling, it meant money wasn''t a problem, and besides, the lack of rejection of absurd demands like ten thousand per hour meant desperation and desire.


    "However, you''ll still have to compensate us for the inconvenience and the time you''ve wasted, so you''ll have to take another slave for the price of five thousand australs," she finally said.


    "No problem. I want you to give me five minutes to give the message to my subordinate."


    "Alright, those five minutes won''t be charged. However, if they pass, I''ll charge you a hundred for every minute."


    The woman was a skilled extorter, but the horned man seemed unyielding, accepting all conditions. This only encouraged the woman and her cronies to take further advantage of him.


    After handing over the money, about nine thousand australs, the woman instructed the mercenaries grimly, who took the acquired woman to a room. There, they removed the oil and dressed her.


    In one of the numerous cells adorning the sinister establishment, one of the men in the service of the woman approached, opened the cell door, and pulled out a girl. This little girl had scaly skin, radiant in a pitch-black tone, with flickers of dispersed yellow all over her body. Her slim and agile figure was enhanced by a long, undulating tail that unfolded behind her, dotted with yellow patches like the rest of her body.


    The man took the girl to the same room where they had taken the woman, where she would surely be dressed and bathed. After several minutes, the aristocrat''s new acquisitions appeared. The woman with reddish skin was dressed in a simple black gown, just like the girl, who, if it weren''t for the patches covered by the fabric, would still look naked. However, that clothing wasn''t even worth fifty australs, but the man didn''t complain about the price and seemed content with the idea of finally leaving the place.


    The girl''s eyes were large and bright, with golden or amber irises reflecting genuine curiosity toward her new owner. Her hair emitted a fiery glow; each strand descended from her head like flames in shimmering yellow tones at the center and in reddish and orange hues towards the ends, giving her a wild but charming look. Meanwhile, the woman with a demon-like appearance seemed more indifferent, with eyes as black as the night fixed on nothing, keeping her dark lips closed, in contrast to the girl, whose lips remained slightly open in amazement.


    Those clothes weren''t enough for a night as cold as the one reigning outside. Therefore, the man removed his long cape and handed it to the demon-like woman. Seeing that she struggled to put it on, he helped her, wrapping it around her. The larger mantle began to shrink until it fit her size; it was a magical garment. However, for the girl, there was nothing, so he decided to carry her in his arms to share his own body heat; he held her close to his chest. Finally, he took both of them out of that terrible place; fortunately, both showed docility and cooperation.


    Seeing those people in such dire conditions reminded him of his own past and how he had been locked in a cell a long time ago, another reason that drove him to leave that place as soon as possible.


    "Thanks for the purchase! ... How foolish, this is worth more than a hundred thousand australs," he murmured behind him.


    The mercenary woman bid him farewell from behind, but he left without turning around. However, this time he didn''t wear the hooded cloak, exposing his appearance that he had tried so hard to hide. Although he felt disappointed, he accepted it; at least, he hadn''t lost so much money since those jewels were ancient and hadn''t cost him so much at the time. Now, however, their value had increased considerably, though he didn''t feel a particular attachment to them.


    All the aristocrats were more surprised by his appearance than by the way he carried one of the slaves. However, the prince didn''t seem amazed, as if he had always known who he really was.


    "You don''t have to thank me for anything; it''s a pleasure to help someone like you, Mr. Henry Frank."


    Ignoring the stares and words of the others present, he walked away from the alley, wishing never to meet the aristocrats or that dreadful establishment again.


    Once far enough from the alley, he used his magical communication collar to ask his subordinate to return with the vehicle. Previously, he hadn''t used it to prevent others from hearing the sum of money he intended to use in the exchange, especially to prevent possible muggings on the way. You should never trust criminals, especially in matters of money.


    "Once we get home, I''ll feed you both and provide a bed for the night," he said with a cold voice as he looked at the road in the night.


    Although he had come for a single slave, he now had two under his care, the second due to a trick from the slave trader. However, he wasn''t upset by that since things had turned out infinitely better than he had planned. In case he didn''t have enough money or the cooperation of the slave traders, physical violence was his last resort.


    He sat on a staircase that led to a tailor''s shop, which was closed because it was late, uncaring about dirtying his black dress pants. With the girl in his arms, looking at him with wide-open eyes, attentive to his next words.


    "Don''t worry about anything; you''re under my care now," he said to the girl and then turned to the woman. "But with you, I have a few things to discuss. Demon king."

 Chapter 1 – The Demon King

    On the stone path, an antique car glided gracefully through the morning mist. Its presence evoked nostalgia for bygone eras, boasting a gleaming dark metal body. Headlights, like embedded jewels, framed the vehicle''s front, casting flashes of light that cut through the gloom. Its wheels, adorned with shiny spokes, clattered on the cobblestone pavement, creating quite a noise for the eerily silent streets.


    The car''s interior exuded classic luxury: seats upholstered in soft leather, polished wood ornaments adorning the dashboard and panels, and intricately crafted metal details adding a touch of refinement. The seating arrangement allowed space for four people, but this dawn found it occupied by five individuals.


    Henry''s bodyguard sat at the wheel, having shed the voluminous cloak that once enveloped her figure. Instead, she sported a maid''s attire, a dress embellished with frills and a green apron matching her hair tone. The ankle-length skirt completed her attire, giving her an image that was both elegant and functional.


    The girl, seated on Henry''s lap in the front, couldn''t tear her gaze away from the woman whose eyes were fixed on the road. Her new master held her still on his legs with his left hand while intermittently stroking her head with the right, as if she were a pet; oddly, the girl never protested. However, the scene suggested that the aristocrat''s interest lay more with the lizard-like girl than with the woman with a demonic appearance, for whom he had gone through countless troubles.


    In the back of the car, the demon king with a feminine appearance remained motionless and silent, her gaze lost out the window with the same indifference she had shown toward Henry moments before. Next to her, a young woman dressed similarly, with the same hair tone as the woman at the wheel but a more cheerful attitude, had joined the journey.


    "Sister, who are our new guests?" she asked, giggling, addressing the woman at the wheel.


    The young woman had stayed in the car to watch over it but hadn''t expected visitors. Henry hadn''t informed her of his plans for that night; he had just asked her to stay put and wait. Nonetheless, she didn''t complain and accepted that order.


    "From now on, they''ll be part of the family," Henry responded instead of his sister and continued, "The girl on my lap is your new sister, and it''ll be your duty to teach her from now on."


    "How exciting! Now I have a little sister, which means I won''t be the youngest anymore..." she paused, as if noticing something, and then continued, "And is she our sister too?"


    "You''ll know when we get home," he replied. "This is something I must share with everyone."


    "Alright," she muttered disappointedly.


    "What''s your name, little one?" he asked the salamander girl on his lap.


    The girl looked at him and said, "Thirsty, I''m very thirsty."


    "You''re a little salamander, I noticed that as soon as I saw you. Don''t worry, when we get home, you can drink plenty of water and take a bath to moisturize your dry skin."


    "R-really?" she asked softly.


    Most likely, the girl had been sold to him to get rid of her due to the difficulties in her care, requiring constant attention and a considerable water supply, generating expenses for the slave traders. Additionally, the low demand for such species further complicated her sale.


    However, nobody had warned him about these difficulties when he acquired her, which evidenced dishonesty on the sellers'' part, though honesty couldn''t be expected from criminals like them, he reflected. Nevertheless, his experience dealing with reptiles and amphibians had made him aware of all that and one more thing.


    "Are you poisonous?" he asked, still stroking her yellow hair like her spots.


    Henry finally concluded that the girl''s absence in the lineup with the other slaves was due to the poisonous secretions her skin produced in stressful or threatening situations. Despite this, he reflected to himself, they had no intention of getting rid of her or causing her harm. Instead, they saw an opportunity to sell her at a good price.


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    "Sorry," she murmured sadly.


    "Don''t worry, we just need to make sure you always smile," he reassured her with a hug. After all, she wasn''t to blame for being as she was or for ending up in the hands of vile people.


    The salamander girl started crying on Henry''s chest, but it wasn''t a cry of sadness, rather of happiness. She realized she wasn''t secreting any toxin through her skin.


    "Hey, don''t cry, little sister. When we get home, I''ll give you my toys. Now that I''m older, I don''t need them anymore," he said, leaning between the front seats to plant a kiss on her head.


    "Hey, don''t do that! It''s dangerous to move while we''re in motion! Stay still!" he scolded his younger sister without taking his eyes off the road.


    The journey had become quite emotional and noisy, but none of it seemed to move the heart of the demon king, who remained indifferent throughout the journey. She couldn''t shake off how she had been discovered. For many years, she had remained anonymous, surviving as best she could until slave traders captured her.


    In fact, he believed they had declared him dead the same day his kingdom was destroyed. His stratagem of swapping places with his servant had been perfect, except for a crucial detail: His magical powers had remained confined in his true body and hadn''t transferred with him.


    The life he had to lead was a true hell; without powers, without a kingdom, and without money, he had to fend for himself as best he could. Over the years, he was forced to take on all sorts of jobs, from a servant to a farm laborer, facing all kinds of abuse due to his inferior status and belonging to the demon race.


    In the end, he had earned it. His reign had lasted millennia and had been ruthless to numerous kingdoms, although he had always believed his actions were just and meant to protect his people. However, others were exhausted and allied, forming a coalition that overthrew his rule, claiming millions of lives on all sides.


    His vassals fell into poverty; many ended up enslaved, sharing his fate. The few fortunate ones roamed from kingdom to kingdom in search of a new home.


    The car starting to halt brought him out of his reverie. The demon king looked out the window and observed the imposing mansion surrounded by meticulously tended gardens. Framed by high precision-trimmed boxwood hedges, the winding path led to the main entrance, adorned with a solid oak double door carved with intricate designs of winged creatures spitting fire.


    As he descended from the car, after the woman at the wheel opened the door for him, he noticed the stillness that enveloped the place, interrupted only by the rustle of leaves swayed by the morning breeze. The architectural details of the mansion contrasted with the softness of the climbing vines clinging to its walls, as if wanting to embrace each stone with their green leaves.


    The facade, illuminated by the first rays of the sun, reflected a palette of warm and golden colors. However, an imposing shadow loomed over part of the structure, giving a sense of mystery and an aura of intrigue that seemed to envelop the mansion. It was a majestic yet evocative place, as if steeped in stories and secrets waiting to be discovered.


    If his master hadn''t called him "demon king," he would have thought his new job was that of a servant at best or a woman destined for an aristocratic man''s pleasure at worst. However, now he felt his new identity was in danger and feared what the future might hold for him.


    Eight maids emerged from the imposing mansion, each distinct in height and appearance, but they shared something in common: their beauty and hair of the same color, a green reminiscent of the boxwood, adorned with flowers adorning their heads. All approached with radiant smiles to welcome them.


    At that moment, the youngest of them all got out of the car and rushed toward her sisters, overflowing with excitement to share everything she had experienced and to introduce her new little sister, who had stolen her title as the youngest in the group. She ran straight to the tallest and, with a shout, hugged her with all her might, exclaiming, "Mommy, mommy!"


    Apparently, the tallest turned out to be her mother, and not all were sisters as he had initially assumed. Despite their youthful appearance, they could be the same age or older than him, who was several thousand years old, although only a few hundred as a woman.


    His new master got out of the car with the salamander girl still in his arms, and the other maids hurried toward him. Carefully, he set her on the ground, and the maids took care of the little salamander. During the journey, it seemed, he had communicated with them through a magical stone, informing them of their arrival and the instructions to follow.


    One of the maids approached the girl with a magical cloak and gently placed it on her, leaving the girl surprised by the welcoming gesture. Another handed her a flask with a sweet tea of red berries, which the girl drank with amazement, marveling at its taste. Finally, a maid with glasses led her to the mansion.


    After tending to the girl, the other maids approached Henry: one got into the car to drive it to the garage outside the mansion in the garden as if it were a small house, while mother and daughter took care of the demon king. Then, they were guided toward the mansion along the winding path, and the doors magically opened to welcome them.

 Part 1 – The Spell

    An imposing hall with a gleaming marble floor and towering ceilings adorned with intricate frescoes of battles and drakontos breathing fire welcomes its visitors. A majestic spiral staircase, carved from noble wood, rises towards the upper levels, adorned with ornate handrails.


    The salamander girl felt completely awestruck by the novel atmosphere. Every corner of the enormous hall sparked intense curiosity within her, her gaze ceaselessly wandering. On the other hand, the demon king appeared distressed, his eyes fixed on the ground, filled with uncertainty about the fate that awaited him now that his true identity had been uncovered.


    Henry gathered them in the center of the living room, adjacent to the grand hall and the dining room. They stood in line and waited in silence, expectant for their master''s words. Without delay, he began with a small apology:


    ¡ªApologies for waking you all so early.


    ¡ª"No worries," responded the tallest maid, the mother among them, and continued, "My daughters and I are always at your service."


    And as was customary when he had something important to say, Henry began to embrace them one by one, though he only planted a loving kiss on the cheek of one of them: the woman who had been at the wheel, his bodyguard. He moved to the center of the living room and continued with the news:


    ¡ªAs you all know, I finally found her. The person I''ve been searching for for so many years ¡ªhe paused dramatically, though they all knew who he was referring to¡ª. The demon king, the person who enchanted me ¡ªThe maids erupted in applause and celebration at Henry''s words.


    It was then that the demon king finally knew who his new master was and how he had discovered that he wasn''t dead. His skin turned as cold as ice and he feared for his life.


    Henry advanced towards the demon king with shining eyes, illuminated as if ablaze. The demon king retreated with each step Henry took, until the wall stopped his escape.


    ¡ªThat''s right, over a hundred years ago, you enchanted me ¡ªhe said as he brought his right hand to the demon king''s chin, who was visibly frightened¡ª. You condemned me to spend my immortality in a body like this ¡ªhe gestured from head to toe with both hands.


    The woman abruptly removed the man''s hand and snapped, "I should''ve eliminated you when I had the chance. Because of you, everything I had vanished! Now I live among garbage, surrounded by people who only crave my suffering! Are you going to kill me!?"


    "Not at all! That''s in the past. I just want to tell you something," he raised his right hand, running it through his hair nervously, "I want to thank you. You''ve made me the happiest person in the world. Without you, I would have never met all of them, my family," he gestured to the maids with open hands, "Besides, you freed me from the war."


    Henry moved away from the demon king and sat in one of the five large armchairs, turning his back to the maids but keeping his attention on the demon king. With seriousness in his tone, he continued:


    "After being defeated, you were so weakened by our confrontation that you retreated to your castle and, before being captured, you took your own life. That''s what the official history says. However, I remained enchanted and couldn''t regain my true form. How was that possible? You switched bodies with someone."


    In this world, powerful spells can only be undone in two ways: the first is for the sorcerer to dissolve it themselves. And finally, the second, with the death of the sorcerer. That''s why Henry always knew she was still alive.


    "How did you know I was the demon king?!" she shouted, angry, and continued, "There was no way to track me down. There are hundreds of thousands of demons in the world; it could be anyone. Why me?"


    Henry finished his tea, leaving the small cup on the long table. He stood up and approached the demon king, who this time didn''t retreat.


    "Because you despised women. You saw them as inferior. You never sent them to war, not even when they were close to the castle," Henry declared firmly.


    "That''s not true, I..."


    "You saw them as weak, that''s why you hid within one of your concubines. You thought no one would suspect. However, I took the time to interview each of the women who passed through your castle; they all mentioned Aipy. The only one I couldn''t talk to, until today," Henry continued resolutely.


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    "Don''t you dare mention her name! She sacrificed herself for me, I loved her, I still love her," the king broke down in tears, collapsing to the ground in a whirlwind of emotions.


    "However, I''m not the only one who knows. Of the few people still alive who were in that battle, they are searching for you. After realizing they had lost their most lethal weapon, me, a drakontos capable of pulverizing entire cities, they began a secret hunt to find and eliminate you."


    "Why don''t you kill me? I took away your powers."


    "Because I''m not interested in powers, I just want a peaceful life with my family," he replied, leaning to be at eye level with the king kneeling on the floor. "When the war ended, they built this mansion for me and gave half the gold from your castle to buy my silence and gratitude. The Oregate Empire needed other kingdoms to believe they still possessed a drakontos. They always underestimated me."


    The maid, with glasses and hair tied in a ponytail, approached the master, anxious about what had been revealed.


    "You shouldn''t have mentioned that last part, it''s a state secret," she expressed with concern.


    Henry stopped leaning and replied, "Don''t worry, Mar¨ªa, I don''t intend to lose sight of her, not after spending hundreds of years finding her."


    "Then let me go, I''m putting your entire family in danger. If you found me, there''s no guarantee others won''t do the same," she said, wiping her tears with her hands.


    This time, Henry knelt in front of her and placed his right hand on her shoulder. The demon king lifted her head to meet his gaze, and Henry spoke with a warm tone:


    "I can''t do that. For years, I''ve worked to find and protect you. I''ve made powerful friends, built a name. Besides, I can''t leave this mansion; I promised her."


    "But today, people saw you leave the mansion. They saw you with two slaves," she said, looking at him intensely.


    "You''re right, but they can''t say anything. Buying slaves is punishable by death. If they report me, they''d be digging their own grave," Henry replied, standing up. "If someone exposes me, we''ll both be executed."


    "Please don''t say something like that," several maids murmured with a trembling voice.


    The maid who had been at the wheel hugged Henry from behind. He took the hands of the young girl, which rested on his stomach since he was considerably taller, and said:


    "That won''t happen. Besides, I can''t die and leave all of you alone." Then, he turned around and returned the hug, kissing her on the head as he usually did, and added, "Beatriz, forgive me for always worrying you."


    Without separating from Beatriz, who still buried her tear-covered face in his chest, he ordered:


    "I want her taken from the salon to her own room and given new clothes. Quick!"


    The salamander girl wasn''t in the room; cleverly, Henry had asked Pipi, the youngest of all the maids, to accompany her and help her bathe, as well as prepare a bed in the same room. From now on, Pipi would take care of her new sister as the elder one she was now. Additionally, Henry didn''t trust children much to keep secrets. Not to mention that he never planned to buy another slave, so he had to improvise on the spot.


    Without wasting time, they all got to work and approached the demon king, who was cooperative despite being angry with Henry during the argument. They took her up the stairs and disappeared into the hallway to the left on the second floor.


    "They''ve all gone now," he said as he held his cheeks with both hands, wiping his tears with his thumbs as they fell. "Don''t cry; I promise I''ll choose my words carefully from now on."


    "It''s not that; I fear for what might happen in the future," she said, sobbing.


    "What do you mean?"


    "They''re still searching for her, and we have her here. Moreover, several aristocrats saw you in that alley and know you bought a slave. I don''t want us to be driven away, not again."


    "You''re right, but I want you to trust me once more. Besides, you know me; I''ll always do everything I can for the people and things that matter to me," he said before being interrupted by a kiss on the lips. Henry reciprocated the kiss intensely, sliding his hands down her back to her waist.


    They stayed like that for several minutes until a commotion began to be heard in the salon, prompting them to separate. Henry approached the salon and saw the salamander girl, Br¨ªnea, peeking from the curved passage through the spiral staircase. She clung to the railing and shouted when she saw him, "My name is Br¨ªnea! And you!?"


    A voice called her from behind, "I haven''t finished dressing you, and it''s not good to run on the second floor; Henry doesn''t like it." Pipi was guiding her towards the room to finish dressing her, as she only had on the maid''s blouse and skirt; she still needed the apron, stockings, and shoes.


    "I''m Henry Frank! A pleasure, young lady!" He offered her a brief bow; then Br¨ªnea disappeared from his view, dragged away by Pipi.


    "You almost scared me to death," said Beatriz as she adjusted her apron.


    "Are you afraid they''ll find out about us?"


    "I''m afraid they''ll take it the wrong way; they''re all in love with you."


    "But I only have eyes for you," he said embarrassedly, rubbing his head, a rather recurring gesture.


    "By the way, who is the girl?" she asked, pointing her index finger at her lower lip.


    "She''s the real demon king, Sargonas Xul''tharac," he replied with seriousness on his face.


    "You''re joking, right?"


    "Yes, you know me well haha. She''s just a girl I was forced to buy to take to the real demon king. But, on second thought, we can''t call him that. I should ask him how he prefers to be addressed now."


    "By the way you introduced yourself to her, I almost believed she was the real demon king."


    "The demon king already knows who I am; introductions are unnecessary. Also, you''re mistaken about something."


    "What''s that?"


    "She''s no longer king of anything."

 Part 2 – The Night is Always Perfect for Escaping

    It was nighttime. Throughout the day, the maids had treated him well, giving him a bath, dressing him, and showing him most of the mansion. Though he appreciated the kindness, being a prisoner wasn''t part of his plans, whether it was under a benevolent aristocrat or a slaver. Plus, he couldn''t forgive him for what he had done in the past. He decided it was time to bid farewell.


    However, he had considered the idea of escaping once he had gained everyone''s trust. Yet, after speaking with him, the rage he had managed to forget while focusing on survival came back strong. He didn''t wish to stay a second longer in the same house as him. Furthermore, after inspecting the mansion, he discovered numerous vulnerabilities and didn''t think twice.


    He rose from the bed and took one of the sheets, spreading it over the huge mattress. He organized some clothing items and closed the sheet, turning it into a sort of bag. He approached the window of his room to check if it was open.


    "Great, still closed," he exclaimed disappointedly in a hushed tone.


    Finally, he left the luxurious room. Luckily, the wooden door wasn''t locked, so he opened it as slowly as possible. Upon stepping into the hallway, he tiptoed to avoid making noise and stopped, carefully observing his surroundings. If there was one thing he had learned over hundreds of years, it was how to go unnoticed.


    With the bag full of clothes hanging from his back, held by his right hand, Sargonas turned his head, attentive to any sound, searching for signs of anyone awake. Not finding or hearing anyone, he headed towards the east door at the end of the upper-left hallway that led to the balcony, overlooking the mansion''s extensive garden. This door was to the right of his room.


    Once at the door, he tried to turn the circular doorknob, but it didn''t yield as easily as his room''s. With some disappointment, and anticipating this, he headed towards the other two doors that led to the balcony in the upper-left hallway.


    The mansion was divided into three wings on the second floor: left, central, and right, each subdivided into upper and lower left and right hallways, according to the wing. In contrast, the central wing constituted the junction of the two wings on the upper floor, while on the ground floor, it corresponded to the mansion''s main entrance, that is, the grand hall he had seen upon entering the house a couple of hours ago.


    Sargonas headed to the north balcony of the upper-left hallway, located to the left of his room, but it remained closed, as did the east door. However, there was still a balcony on the west side, near the bathroom. Without wasting time, he slid silently towards it.


    "It''s closed," he muttered angrily.


    Although he still had the two balconies on the lower hallway, he doubted either would be open. The maids were quite diligent; he had noticed their thoroughness when they had bathed and dressed him. Despite this, the mere possibility filled him with determination.


    He descended the longest hallway, which connected the upper and lower hallways, until reaching the southern balcony, which became his only reference amid the darkness. He was pleasantly surprised by how well-lit the hallways were thanks to the arrangement of the balconies.


    "This one''s closed too," he grumbled as he forcefully turned the round knob. He headed towards the last of the balconies, located to the west of the lower hallway, trying to turn it with his fingers, but it was also closed. "Damn!" he covered his mouth instantly, remembering that next to him was a room occupied by one of the mansion''s maids.


    He considered the idea of breaking the window to escape through it, but the possibility of cutting himself on the glass and the fall made him back away. Plus, the noise it would generate would alert everyone in the mansion, leaving him exposed to being captured immediately and without hope of a future escape; at best, he would be closely monitored and, at worst, locked up.


    Realizing that his only alternative was to descend the spiral staircase to the ground floor, he began to feel worried, his hands wouldn''t stop sweating, and he couldn''t stop thinking about the worst-case scenarios. However, determined to escape, he approached the staircase at the end of the lower hallway on the east side.


    Upon reaching the central wing, he clung to the railing, grateful for the illumination of the two balconies that marked his path. He moved following the circumference of the handrail until finally reaching the spiral staircase. He didn''t waste time and started descending.


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    The first thing he noticed was that the hall was immersed in almost complete darkness, although the faint moonlight coming through the large glass door to the garden and the multiple windows that led to the dining room managed to alleviate the darkness a bit, enough to not stumble over the mansion''s luxurious furniture. Still, not everything was shrouded in shadows; a light filtered from beneath one of the doors in the hall.


    "Someone''s awake in the library," he muttered, terrified.


    On the ground floor of the right wing was an extensive library and Henry''s private study, a place he hadn''t explored, as he was denied access. However, upon fully descending the stairs and checking for noises or the presence of maids in sight, he noticed a light coming from the library. He assumed it was Henry, so he directed his steps towards the left wing, where the dining room, kitchen, and food storage were located.


    The ground floor''s floor was colder than the wooden one upstairs, a detail he regretted as he walked barefoot to minimize noise, keeping his shoes stored inside the bag.


    Sargonas had no idea it was marble, a material that retained the cold, more intended for elegance than walking barefoot. Moreover, on cold nights, the white floor condensed, covering itself with a thin layer of water that made it slippery for bare feet, something he noticed as soon as he started walking.


    Before reaching the dining room, the marble floor played a trick on him. He took a misstep and slipped as if he had stepped on a banana peel. With the slip, he fell to the ground and hit his head, instantly becoming unconscious from the impact.


    Upon regaining consciousness, he found himself lying in a room full of books, the library. Alarmed, he tried to sit up, but a delicate hand rested on his forehead. He felt something soft under his head, like a pillow, but firmer.


    "That floor is very dangerous, quite treacherous for strangers on cold nights like this," said a voice he knew well.


    "Henry," he murmured, frightened.


    "Yes, I found you unconscious near the dining room. The hit alarmed me, so I came to see what happened," he explained, gently sliding his fingers over his forehead, playing with the dark strands of his hair. "If you were hungry, you could have asked the maids for something; no one would have denied you a meal," he commented, caressing his head while bringing a cup of coffee to his rosy lips.


    Relieved by the confusion, he closed his eyes and replied, pretending to be sorry and embarrassed, "Sorry, I''m not used to this. No one has ever treated me so well as you have."


    The demon king rested on Henry''s right thigh, something that deeply unsettled him. He felt unprotected, deprived of the strength that had once been his. Now, he dwelled within the body of a young female demon, who had sacrificed herself for his well-being, the woman he loved most in his life, remembering this filled him with sadness.


    The young aristocrat stroked his small horns, and the demon woman shivered at the touch. Although he had always felt like a man, even in the way he referred to himself, the situation seemed romantic to him, and that excited him. Despite those feelings, he decided to set them aside and expressed, "Though you feel gratitude towards me, my hatred for you is deep. You were the one who destroyed my kingdom, my dreams, my family, my friends; I lost everything. I''ve spent hundreds of years longing for revenge, and now you treat me as if I''m insignificant," he shouted angrily, squeezing Henry''s hand tightly. "I despise you with all my being!"


    Even though he could easily remove the young woman''s small hands, Henry chose not to. He kept his gaze fixed on her, assessing her words and the expression on her face. Sargonas showed impatience at the lack of a quick response from the man who had taken everything from him. After several seconds, which seemed eternal to him, he finally began to speak, "I think I''m falling in love with you," simple words that Sargonas never expected to hear in his life.


    "What on earth are you saying!?" he stammered, the first thing that came to mind.


    The man brought his left hand to the redder-than-before face. He caressed her cheek and said, "I like you," without expecting any response from her, he lifted her with both hands and brought her to his lips and kissed her.


    Sargonas didn''t resist. That situation took him by surprise, plunging him into an unfamiliar experience. Despite spending more than a century in a woman''s body, he had never shared a kiss before. In his life, demons were considered scum, receiving barely compassionate treatment, where the greatest show of affection was receiving a meal out of pity. This encounter was an unexpected twist in his lonely and bitter existence.


    Despite being sexually assaulted countless times, he had never received a kiss from his assailants. However, when he was a man and felt like the king of the world, he had a harem of several wives with whom he shared kisses every day, but he had already forgotten what it felt like to receive a kiss after so long in a cycle of violence and abuse.


    Henry separated his lips and placed her again on his thigh. The demon woman, immersed in silence, reflected on the kiss until, suddenly, she remembered Aipy''s small lips that were now hers, and the memory overwhelmed her. She got up from the armchair and hurried to the door leading to the hall. Upon opening it, she escaped in a hurry.


    "Wait a moment! Stop! It''s dangerous!" exclaimed Henry, trying to catch up with her.


    But Sargonas, disoriented by new and old feelings, slipped again on the floor and fell headfirst, becoming unconscious once more.


    "It''s time to change this floor; whenever the climate stones are here, the marble floor condenses," he murmured as he headed to the hall to assist the demon king again.

 Part 3 – Involuntary Witness

    Nightmares had disturbed Br¨ªnea''s sleep, causing her to wake up in a panic. She started crying and screaming, calling for her mother and begging for the mistreatment to stop. Pipi, surprised by the commotion, got out of her bed and approached her, concerned. She asked what was wrong, wiping her eyes and sitting beside her, reaching her right hand to the young girl''s scaly shoulders.


    "Why are you crying?" she asked softly.


    "Don''t touch me!" Br¨ªnea abruptly pushed Pipi''s hand away and continued sobbing, "I had a nightmare, I have venom on my skin. I could hurt you," she said, wiping her tears with her trembling hand.


    "I''m sorry, I forgot, Master Henry warned us about that," Pipi mimicked Henry''s gesture of scratching his head. "But don''t worry, look at my hand," she showed her hand covered in a viscous yellow liquid, "It doesn''t affect me at all," she added with a smile.


    The white nightgown of the salamander girl, along with her sheets and blankets, was stained with the poisonous and viscous liquid. Although the girl seemed embarrassed by the mess, Pipi wasn''t upset; on the contrary, she seemed more concerned about the situation.


    "Come on, to the bathroom. You can''t sleep covered in goo like this," she said, taking her hand and pulling her along.


    Concerned about the venom her skin secreted, the young salamander girl tried to free herself from Pipi''s grip, but it only intensified. In the end, she decided to let Pipi lead her, giving in to her persistence. "Don''t worry, I''m immune to your goo," Pipi laughed to try and calm her and continued, "But you have to keep your voice down; we don''t want to anger our older sisters who are resting."


    As they walked down the hallway, some drops of venom fell on the floor, leaving a trail behind them. Despite that, they kept moving forward without stopping until they reached the door and stepped out into the dark hallway, illuminated only by the light filtering through the balconies.


    Their room was in the lower right hallway, in the corner next to the bathroom. Pipi guided her through the darkness to the bathroom door. Luckily, the bathroom was unoccupied. Pipi went in first and clapped to turn on the lights.


    The room was illuminated by the light from the small chandelier in the center of the ceiling, holding a small stone that emitted a brighter light than a candle. Although she had seen it before, Pipi was still amazed at how the small stone could shine so brightly, being small enough to fit in her small palm. While Pipi filled the tub, Br¨ªnea reflected on the stone, imagining it as a tiny sun.


    However, something else caught her attention. She turned to see Pipi filling the tub with a sky-colored stone, water flowing from it like a stream between her hands. All of it seemed so extraordinary that she couldn''t help but be amazed at each new discovery.


    "It''s almost ready; I just need to warm it up a bit more for you," she said smiling, taking another magical stone and storing the previous one in one of the drawers on the table next to the tub.


    The stone she took out was red. Without wasting time, Pipi rolled up her pajamas to her elbows and submerged her left hand with the stone in her fist into the water. Bubbles started rising, as if it were about to boil. After several seconds, she withdrew her hand, dried the stone with a towel, and stored it in the same drawer.


    "The bath is ready, little sister," she said as she approached.


    Pipi, being a diligent maid, started undressing Br¨ªnea. First, she removed her nightgown, which had an opening in the back to allow for her long tail. Then, she pulled down the holey shorts, designed for her tail to pass through easily. Finally, she took off her white panties.


    She carefully folded all the clothes and placed them in an empty basket beside the table with drawers. However, she noticed that the clothes were stained with the yellow liquid and thought about asking her older sisters whether they could be washed or if it was better to get rid of them.


    Undressing in front of someone didn''t seem improper or make her uncomfortable. In fact, it was quite common in her hometown, where she used to bathe with her family in rivers and streams since she was little. That''s why doing it in front of another person made her feel nostalgic.


    "I''m afraid you''ll have to handle the bath yourself; I need to clean the floor, change the sheets, and bring you clean clothes," she said as Br¨ªnea submerged into the tub.


    "Sorry for causing you so much trouble..."


    "Don''t worry, as the older sister, I have to take care of you. After all, we''re family," she responded, placing a hand over her heart.


    Pipi left the room and closed the door behind her. In the dimly lit hallway, she moved easily to the spiral staircase and descended to the main hall. She needed to go to the large storage area, divided into sections for food and cleaning, to fetch her equipment and deal with the poisonous liquid on the floor.


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    Upon arrival, she noticed the lights on in the library, a common occurrence as her master often stayed up reading or writing. However, something caught her attention strongly.


    "A bag made from a sheet?"


    On the floor lay a sheet tied with a knot, preserving what was inside. Pipi undid the knot and found several pieces of clothing. Unsure of what to do, she collected the clothes, folded them, and placed them on a small table next to a large cabinet in the living room. Then, she headed towards the library. Just as she was about to knock on the door, she heard a voice coming from inside.


    "Sorry, I''m not used to this. No one has ever treated me so well as you have."


    "That''s the voice of the demon king Master Henry mentioned earlier," she murmured while discreetly peeking through the keyhole to spy. She didn''t want to be intrusive and earn a scolding.


    "Although you feel gratitude towards me, my hatred towards you is deep. You were the one who destroyed my kingdom, my dreams, my family, my friends; I lost everything. I''ve spent hundreds of years longing for revenge, and now you treat me as if I''m insignificant," she seemed quite angry with Master Henry, Pipi thought.


    "I think I shouldn''t interrupt them. I better leave and clean up the mess of my little sister. I don''t want either of us to be scolded," she whispered as she moved away from the keyhole after several seconds of silence.


    "I think I''m falling in love with you."


    However, those words made her look again through the keyhole. Pipi had always believed that Henry was in love with her older sister, Beatriz. That seemed quite odd to her, and driven by curiosity, she decided to continue spying on them.


    "What the heck are you saying!?" responded the young female demon sitting on Henry''s lap.


    Henry continued caressing her face, something that seemed extremely romantic to Pipi, similar to what she read in the library''s books. Although the situation thrilled her, she felt guilty for spying on her master. She couldn''t help imagining herself in that place, but she knew it was impossible. After all, she had seen her master kiss her sister Beatriz several times.


    "I like you," he said and then lifted her, giving her a passionate kiss that lasted several seconds.


    "I think I should go. I shouldn''t be spying on my master," she said embarrassed, her face completely red.


    She stepped away from the library door and jogged toward the living room. There she slowed down and continued walking to the dining room, then to the kitchen, and finally to the storage area divided by a wall and a door in the middle. The first part stored food, fruits, vegetables, meats, and spices. The aroma woke her appetite, but she remembered what she had to do and headed toward the door dividing the storage area.


    "I need a mop and perhaps some cleaning products. Maybe bleach?" she said to herself.


    She opened the small door, and the smell completely changed. The scent of chemicals made her head spin, so she quickly chose what she needed and hurriedly left. She took the mop, a bottle of floor freshener, and a bottle of bleach.


    After a few minutes, she returned to the living room and found the library in darkness and complete silence. She sighed with relief at not encountering her master, climbed the spiral staircase, and paused to look back at the library one last time, remembering the passionate kiss, then continued upstairs.


    She reached the lower right hallway and noticed that the bathroom lights were on; Br¨ªnea was still bathing. Without wasting any more time than she already had spent spying on her master, she began mopping the viscous liquid from the floor until it disappeared completely. She poured a bit of bleach to eliminate the yellowish color, and once the stains disappeared, she applied a touch of freshener to get rid of the odor. Finally, she used the mop to dry the wooden floor.


    When she finished cleaning the floor, she entered her room, took some clean clothes from the closet, which had been modified to fit a tail-wearing girl, and headed to the bathroom. She knocked on the door and asked if she could come in.


    "Yes, you can come in," Br¨ªnea''s soft voice responded from the other side.


    "Here are your clean clothes."


    The salamander girl got up from the tub, took a towel, as Pipi had taught her when helping her bathe, and started drying her scaly body.


    "You took a while, sorry for the trouble¡­" she said, on the verge of tears.


    "It''s okay," Pipi replied with a reassuring smile, "When you finish dressing, you can go to bed. I want to take a bath too, hehe."


    "Sorry," she said again.


    "It''s fine, come on, we should be sleeping. Get dressed and lie down."


    Pipi left the room and gathered all the cleaning products she had left in the hallway. As she was about to leave, she noticed a large white stain on the wooden floor.


    "I think I went overboard with the bleach."


    After stowing away the cleaning products, she headed to her room, took clean clothes, and entered the bathroom. She undressed, placed her dirty clothes alongside the goo-covered clothing in the basket, and submerged herself in the tub with the warm water Br¨ªnea had previously used.


    After finishing her bath, she retrieved a black stone from the drawer and placed it in the tub. The black stone absorbed the water until it was completely dry. She put the stone away and dried herself with the towel, got dressed, and left the bathroom, giving a small clap to turn off the light stone.


    Then, she entered the room and approached the bed where Br¨ªnea lay, watching her approach.


    "If we sleep holding hands, you won''t have nightmares. It''s something my mom taught me. It''s really a magical trick," she said with a smile while settling under the girl''s covers. "You don''t need the covers; we can sleep hugging."


    "But aren''t you scared of my venom?" Br¨ªnea asked.


    "Henry explained to me that it only happens if you''re stressed or scared. If we sleep cuddling, I''ll ward off the nightmares for you," she replied, embracing her under the covers. "Although I''ll be pretty warm because of the covers."


    "I''ll remove them, don''t worry. It''s the least I can do for all you''ve done for me," Br¨ªnea said, removing the covers and placing her scaly hand over Pipi''s small hands.


    "Hehe, I''m very cold, but don''t worry, your big sister is here to keep you warm," she said, snuggling closer.


    "Thank you so much, sister."


    "I''m very happy; it''s the first time you''ve called me that," she chuckled.


    Br¨ªnea closed her eyes, happy with her new family, eagerly anticipating the next day. Meanwhile, Pipi felt uneasy, remembering the kiss between the demon king and her master, whom she admired and loved equally. Finally, she fell asleep, wishing that he would kiss her as in the tales she used to read.


    The next day, Pipi was reprimanded by her mother due to the big white patch on the floor.

 Part 4 – A Kiss Changes Everything

    The sun had risen, its rays intensely illuminating the room, brighter than the blue fabric of the curtain covering the window, filtering its radiance into the room''s darkness. Sargonas woke up, disoriented, not remembering how she had ended up there. The last thing she remembered was slipping and falling to the ground. However, that wasn''t what occupied her thoughts at that moment.


    She yanked open the window curtains, allowing the sunlight to flood the room, pushing away the darkness, and said, "That fool kissed me," she murmured, touching her lips with two fingers as she recalled the sensation.


    Her skin, naturally reddish, turned even redder as she remembered the situation. What did he mean by being in love with her? She wondered as she stood up, checking if she had been injured in the fall.


    "I don''t have any pain in my head or any part of my body. He probably used healing magic on me," she commented while searching for a new nightgown in the wardrobe. "I was wearing different clothes before. Did he bother changing them for me?"


    She wasn''t bothered by the fact that he had undressed her; after all, she had seen him naked at the slave auction. But what really bothered her was that he had done it while he was unconscious.


    Knock, knock, knock


    Someone was knocking on the door. Sargonas approached, and before opening it, a male voice was heard from the other side.


    "Sargonas, are you awake?" Henry asked, waiting a few seconds before knocking on the door again.


    Knock, knock, knock - three soft knocks echoed on the wooden door.


    "Yes, I''m awake, but I''m getting dressed," she lied to find out what he wanted.


    Without wasting time, Henry replied, "It''s already noon. I suppose you must be very hungry. I passed by your room to bring you lunch. I have your tray here with me."


    "Why don''t you send one of your dozens of maids? Or are you trying to show off humility now?" she said sarcastically.


    There was a brief silence, as if Henry were considering her words. Finally, he spoke, "Actually, I want to talk to you."


    "Why didn''t you say so from the beginning? Did you need to bring me lunch just to talk to me?" she asked mockingly.


    "You''re right, but I was also worried about you. You''ve fallen twice, and even though I used some healing magic, it''s not my specialty."


    "You''re lying! You know you are! You even bothered to undress me and change my clothes!" she shouted angrily.


    "It wasn''t me," Henry replied.


    "Then one of your maids?" she inquired.


    "Yes."


    With much curiosity to discover what he wanted to talk about, Sargonas opened the door and saw Henry standing in the hallway holding a tray covered by a shiny silver lid.


    "Come in," she said, allowing him to enter the room.


    Henry came in and placed the tray on the nightstand, slightly moving the lamp powered by a magical stone.


    "Take a seat, you can eat now or wait until after our talk. Although I''m sure it''ll be quite cold by the time we finish talking," he said.


    Sargonas sat on her bed near the nightstand and took the tray with both hands, resting it on her lap.


    "I can do both," she said, uncovering the tray and letting the steam escape onto the nightstand.


    The tray contained a piece of well-cooked meat bathed in a succulent sauce, accompanied by a variety of brightly colored vegetables. The aroma whetted her appetite, and her stomach growled, anticipating the meal. The single dish was elegantly presented, with cutlery arranged on the sides of the tray, not on the plate.


    Taking the small knife and fork, Sargonas began cutting the meat delicately, remembering her royal manners. The first bite almost brought tears to her eyes; it was exquisite, but she remained silent and continued eating as if it were nothing. Meanwhile, Henry stood watching her.


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    Although it wasn''t her first meal since she arrived, every dish she tasted continued to surprise her. Her stay in the mansion brought back memories of when she had a banquet all to herself, with dishes arranged exclusively for him and his concubines.


    Henry remained silent, his yellow eyes like burning flames, fixed on her. Sargonas, in turn, stared at him intently while eating and asked, "Do you always dress like this? In black shirts and white pants?"


    "Yes, although when it''s cold, I usually wear my magical cloak that keeps me warm. What''s wrong with my way of dressing?" Henry replied.


    "When I was king, I changed my attire every day; I had a room dedicated just for clothes."


    "I''m not a king, and neither are you. Besides, I like to dress like this. It reminds me of my black scales when I was a drakontos," he said, touching his head and stroking it.


    Sargonas, struck by the reminder that he was no longer a king, decided to get straight to the point to clear her mind.


    "Well, what did you want to say?" she asked as she took some vegetables into her mouth with the fork.


    Henry approached her, and for a moment, she feared he might try to kiss her again, so she closed her eyes. However, Henry gently took a seat beside her and began to speak.


    "Sorry for the kiss. That''s the first thing I wanted to say. I thought those words and the kiss would prevent a fight. I detest unnecessary fights."


    That hit her heart hard. Sargonas felt as if Henry had been playing with him and his feelings. The way he tried to avoid conflict deeply upset her. Although, deep down, she wished those words were true. The question of whether she was falling in love with him began to echo in her head. Angry, to try and push away that intrusive thought, she decided to respond, "You took your time. I didn''t think someone like you would stoop down to someone so insignificant," she yelled as she finished chewing and moved the tray aside.


    "That''s not true, I..."


    "What''s wrong with you? Just say it already! Are you afraid of me? It didn''t seem so when you took advantage of me."


    "No! I''m not afraid of you, nor do I hate you, it''s just that... I planned to meet you for so many years; I wanted to thank you for everything you did for me, even if it wasn''t with good intentions."


    "I wanted to kill you..."


    "Let me finish first," he interrupted. "When I met you, I realized I was chasing a ghost."


    "A ghost?" she repeated, confused.


    "Yes, a ghost. In my head, I believed that if I found you and let you stay with me, you would feel indebted for my help. However, when we first spoke, you told me you hated me. Why would you want to stay with me after all I''ve done to you? I behaved like an idiot..."


    There was a prolonged silence as Henry considered what he wanted to say next. Then, looking him in the eyes, he continued, "I always thought I hadn''t done anything wrong, that everything was against my will. I fooled myself to be able to move on from what I had done. War isn''t good, killing isn''t right, and yet..." tears began to well up in his eyes. "I chased a ghost to not accept reality, to not face what I had done. I locked myself in this mansion, created a family, and forced them to chase a ghost."


    The demon king, Sargonas, was confused; Henry''s words had deeply shaken him. The tears didn''t stop flowing from his eyes. Did he still hate him after all these years? He questioned that, and when he tried to speak, Henry continued, "You''re stronger than me. Not only did you defeat me in that fight, but you also took a piece of me with you. I''m truly an idiot. Since you arrived, I treated you as someone inferior, but that night, that night when I found you trying to escape, I realized something."


    "What?" she instinctively asked.


    "That I never found the true demon king. I''m sure I never will. However, I want to ask you something selfish. I want you to stay with me because, even though I was always chasing a ghost, chasing you made me so happy. I love everyone here, they are the best thing that could have happened to me. Can you let me keep chasing you?"


    Could she keep hating him truly? Had Sargonas been chasing a ghost in him by maintaining that hatred? In fact, she had only remembered him when he had spoken of the spell. Hadn''t she forgotten him a long time ago? Had she forgotten all that because she had focused on surviving? Was she falling in love with him simply because Henry had treated her well?


    She didn''t have answers to all those questions, but something was clear to Sargonas. Henry had won her heart. She was in love with that young-looking man with horns. But did he have the right to love?


    It had only been a day since she met him, perhaps less, but Sargonas couldn''t get out of her mind anything else but that kiss and Henry''s caresses. She remembered his long, warm, and soft fingers on her cheeks. Just thinking about it filled her stomach with butterflies.


    She took the larger hands in hers and confessed, "I think I''ve really fallen in love with you; it''s not a lie," tugging at his shirt and kissing him.


    His lips were what she craved most at that moment. Perhaps it hadn''t been just a day, perhaps it had been ten years of hatred and more than a hundred of fatigue, sadness, and suffering. Maybe this was the reward she deserved after so many years of hardship. She convinced herself of that reasoning and continued kissing him with force.


    Henry didn''t pull away and responded to the kiss with a loving embrace. Their bodies wrapped around each other and remained like that for several minutes that felt like hours. Finally, Henry pulled away from the kiss, embarrassed, and hugged her tightly against his chest, as if not wanting to let her go, and whispered in her ear.


    "I love Beatriz."


    "I don''t care. I had many concubines. I just want you to have eyes for me once a week; that''s enough for me," she whispered, her face buried in his chest, then continued, "Can today be that day?"


    "O-Okay," he replied with embarrassment, bringing a hand to his head and fiddling with his horns.


    "Can you close the curtains, please?"

 Part 5 – The Revelation

    Henry lay naked, his body resting on the bed beside Sargonas. Calloused fingers, evidence of the work he had done to survive, traced paths across the aristocrat''s hairless chest. Despite the tickling sensation of those caresses, it didn''t bother him; his mind delved into deep reflections.


    "Thank you for granting such a selfish request," said Sargonas, stretching in an embrace, pressing her bare chest against Henry''s left arm.


    Henry remained silent. However, he knew that prolonging the silence for too long would be counterproductive. Yet, he couldn''t help but reflect on the fact that they had just engaged in sexual intercourse, something he never expected to experience with someone he considered his savior.


    "Is something bothering you? The bed might be a bit cramped for both of us," she said with a mischievous laugh, observing him remaining silent.


    Henry took the rough hands of the demon king with his right hand and said:


    "It''s not that¡­" He sighed, keeping his gaze fixed on the ceiling.


    "Are you worried about us?" Sargonas asked sadly.


    "Neither. I fear for the future."


    "The future?"


    "Yes. Since I arrived here, I always had someone dictating what to do, I loathed it with all my being. But when I faced you in that battle and you defeated me, you freed me a bit."


    "What do you mean?" she inquired, stopping her hand''s movement on his chest.


    "This is something very few people know, but I''m not from this world," he said after a pause, trying to find the right words. "In my past life, I was a human in a reality quite similar to this one. Hundreds of years ago, I died in an earthquake, crushed by debris."


    "What are you talking about?" she interrupted, bewildered by the unexpected revelation.


    "I don''t belong in this world. I was reborn as a Drakontos amidst a war. I was captured and manipulated to fight in a conflict I couldn''t escape. Look at the choker around my neck, it''s a magical control artifact; I''m still being manipulated by the empire," he explained, bringing his small, rugged hands to his neck.


    The choker, as black as ebony, seemed more like a metallic ribbon, its texture reminding Sargonas of the tempered steel of a knife. She tried to loosen it, but it remained fixed in place.


    "It''s a mark of my enslavement. If I weren''t useful for the empire, they would have eliminated me long ago," he confessed tearfully. "In the end, I was always the slave."


    The aristocrat remained silent, unsure of how to react to that revelation, observing the man''s face, afflicted by anguish. Finally, Henry spoke with a serious tone:


    "You''re right, it''s dangerous for you to stay here. I lured you into a trap. I''ll prepare money for you to leave tomorrow, but you need¡ª"


    Sargonas pushed herself up, now straddling him. She held his face in both hands and kissed him intensely, seemingly stealing his breath. The kiss lingered for several seconds until she let go, moved away from his face, and said with determination, looking into his eyes:


    "I won''t leave!"


    His dark eyes, deep as the night, seemed to shine with an intensity that disturbed him. He wanted to avert his gaze from her, but he was trapped, mesmerized by her gaze.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "But¡­"


    Sargonas leaned in again, surrendering to a passionate kiss she had never experienced before, not even as a man. Its intensity grew with each passing second, as if the contained desire suddenly broke free. Sargonas'' lips pressing against Henry''s conveyed a fiery and voracious passion. In that fervor, her teeth, sharp like his, inadvertently grazed Henry''s lower lip, leaving a bleeding wound.


    "If you fear the future, then you''re free! A slave doesn''t fear tomorrow; their life is controlled, they only fear the consequences of disobedience! A slave doesn''t plan beyond what their master expects! Is there someone you care about and don''t want to see suffer in the future!?"


    "Yes!" he replied, wiping tears with his right hand as a thread of blood trickled from his lips due to the teeth''s contact.


    "Then what is it that truly worries you?" she asked, placing her hands on his chest.


    "If you''re with me, I fear nothing," he said, standing up, keeping her close as he hugged her, tracing with his hands the path of some scars on her naked back. Then he whispered in her ear, "I love you."


    With his injured lip, Henry began kissing her neck tenderly, leaving a few marks on her skin. His lip''s blood slid across her skin but blended with her crimson hue, dissolving until it disappeared as if it were part of her body.


    Sargonas began to moan, excited by Henry''s kisses and caresses; it was the second time he had made her feel like a woman. She began searching for the Drakontos'' member that was growing beneath the sheet, gently caressing it with both hands to avoid hurting him with her long nails. The fabric was an obstruction, making her anxious, but she found contentment in her lover''s expression.


    Henry panted incessantly, feeling his excitement grow rapidly. More eager than Sargonas, he withdrew from her neck and focused his attention on her petite lips. With both hands on her cheeks, he kissed her with unbridled passion, leaving her breathless.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    The door sounded, a sudden knock that made them freeze. Henry quickly got up from the bed, entangled in the sheets, and began dressing hurriedly. Sargonas observed the scene with an amused grin. For someone of the demon race, nudity wasn''t usually a concern around others.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    The door sounded again, this time followed by a voice from the hallway:


    "Master, dinner is served," announced a female voice.


    "It''s Beatriz," murmured Henry, concerned, and continued, "We''ll be down in a moment, we still have things to discuss."


    "We''re almost done!" replied Sargonas with laughter.


    Henry approached her quickly and covered her mouth with both hands, addressing Beatriz:


    "Can we have 10 more minutes alone?!" he pleaded desperately.


    "Alright," responded the woman, as her footsteps moved away from the room.


    "What are you doing?" exclaimed Sargonas, annoyed, removing Henry''s hands from her mouth.


    "She doesn''t know about us yet. I''m waiting for the right moment to tell her," he said, scratching his head and ruffling his gray hair.


    "What does it matter what someone from the household staff thinks?" replied Sargonas disdainfully, aware that it was his family, just to tease him.


    "Sargonas, you don''t understand, I¡ª"


    "Eleuteria Valente," she interrupted, curtly.


    "Excuse me?" he asked, confused.


    "I want you to call me Eleuteria Valente from now on. ''Sargonas Xul''tharac'' is a male name belonging to an ancient king who died, remember?" she stood up from the bed naked and hugged Henry, who was halfway dressed, resting her forehead on his chest. "I want you to treat me as a woman from now on. That''s how I''ve lived for many years, and that''s how I want you to treat me."


    "Eleuteria Valente?" he returned the hug and added, "I like that name," planting a kiss on her dark hair, leaning down a little.


    The night covered the mansion, and although the room was dim, Henry could see Eleuteria''s embarrassed expression clearly due to his night vision, a trait he still retained as a Drakontos.


    "We still have eight minutes," Eleuteria said, hugging him tighter. "Can we just stay like this for the rest of the time?"


    Sargonas discovered that what she valued most in the world was feeling loved by someone. And knowing that person loved her too filled her heart with happiness, a feeling she hadn''t experienced in a very long time.


    "I haven''t finished dressing; I only managed to put on my underwear and shirt," he said as he slid a hand through her black hair, delicately tangling it and playing with the small horns that peeked out, resembling cat ears.


    "I''ve seen you naked already," she whispered, exploring the expanse of his back with her hands. "Demons love feeling the bare skin of those we love."


    They remained embraced until Henry stepped away, clapping to turn on the lights. He picked up his clothes from the floor and dressed completely. Before leaving, Eleuteria took his arm, pulling him in for a farewell kiss. Henry reciprocated and left the room, casting one last glance at her naked figure before departing.


    "Do I even deserve to be happy?" murmured Sargonas as Henry''s steps faded down the hallway.

 Chapter 2 – Henry Franks Maids

    A month had passed since the arrival of the demon king, now known as Eleuteria Valente, to the mansion. The days went by without major hitches. Br¨ªnea, the salamander girl, had adapted perfectly to her role as a maid. The first weeks, while Pipi took charge of her training, had been a real challenge for everyone. Yet, Br¨ªnea quickly adapted, demonstrating remarkable agility in learning. Meanwhile, Eleuteria spent long hours with Henry, almost as if she were his wife. They shared moments in the library, immersed in readings and debates, and in the afternoons, they strolled through the garden, although they never ventured beyond the mansion''s boundaries.


    Beatriz, on the other hand, started experiencing jealousy due to the excessive attention the demon received, although she struggled to keep those feelings locked within her heart. She was aware of the time she had spent searching for her savior, so she understood Eleuteria''s desire to spend time with her. Nevertheless, the feeling of being left out saddened her deeply.


    With the help of her roommates, Mar¨ªa, Pipi, and Br¨ªnea, Beatriz finished cleaning the lower right hallway. Then, as was her usual morning routine, she headed towards the balcony of the central wing, near the spiral staircase.


    Upon reaching the door, she pulled out a key carefully kept in her skirt and unlocked the entrance. Every maid had a key granting access to any balcony in the house, an essential measure for creatures like them, plant beings that required daily exposure to the sun since it constituted one of their main sources of nourishment. This need justified the existence of so many balconies in the mansion.


    Crossing the threshold, she entered the balcony adorned with charming pots brimming with colorful plants. The commotion echoed clearly from the other side, where several of her sisters were engaged in lively conversation.


    "Good morning, Sister Beatriz!" greeted a maid with waist-length hair, tied up in two pigtails adorned with several yellow flowers, being the first to notice her presence.


    "Good morning, Sister Cristina," responded Beatriz, returning the greeting kindly.


    "My apologies for not greeting you earlier, Sister Beatriz," the short-haired young woman adorned with purple flowers apologized, displaying an androgynous appearance.


    "It''s fine, Sister Amelie," replied Beatriz with a reassuring smile. "I just arrived, don''t worry."


    The upper central balcony was the meeting point between two balconies on the upper corridors of the second floor, thus becoming the sisters'' favorite place to gather and chat while enjoying the sun.


    "We were just talking about how that devil woman is always around the master," said Cristina with disdain in her voice. She continued, "I''m so jealous, I wish she''d spend more time with me like she used to."


    "Yes, I miss that too. Those morning walks through the garden, watering the flowers and talking with Hen... with the master," she quickly corrected herself, trying to conceal the slip in her expression.


    Her two younger sisters had also noticed the situation, but she decided to address it and said to them, "You shouldn''t be so selfish. Henry has been looking for her for years; it''s understandable that he wants to spend time with his savior," repeating those consoling words, although deep down, she knew they were part of her own illusion.


    "But..."


    "But nothing. You shouldn''t be so inconsiderate. After all, if it weren''t for her, we wouldn''t be here," she interrupted Amelie sharply.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "You''re right, but I still can''t help feeling that she''s taking him away from us. Before, I only had to compete with you, Sister Beatriz, but now I have to contend with someone much more complicated, a queen," expressed Cristina, with a dejected tone.


    "If we''re struggling, I can''t even imagine how you must feel, Sister Beatriz," added the androgynous girl, showing concern for Beatriz.


    "Don''t talk nonsense, I..."


    "Yes, we know. You desire it just as much as we do. You don''t need to deceive yourself like that," Cristina teased, toying with her pigtails.


    "Sister Cristina, I''ve finished cleaning the bathrooms. What are you talking about?" intervened another sister who joined in on the upper left balcony where Cristina was.


    "Sara? I don''t want to talk to you. You''ve even styled your hair like that thieving devil! You''ve even gotten rid of your beautiful red roses from your hair!" exclaimed Cristina while angrily messing up her sister''s hair.


    "You''re no one to talk! Suddenly, you''ve taken up reading and all you do is take books from the library," retorted Sara, annoyed, pushing Cristina''s hands away, though Cristina was taller than her.


    "Speaking of deceiving oneself," murmured Beatriz sarcastically, then added, "I have to go, sisters. See you later for breakfast."


    "Goodbye," they all responded in unison.


    Beatriz left the balcony, closing it behind her, but she could still hear the commotion continuing outside. Under other circumstances, she might have intervened and reprimanded them, but at that moment, she wasn''t in the mood to do so. Instead, the conversation with her sisters made her reflect: she was not different from them now; she had simply been special for having received so much affection from Henry, while the others did not perceive it.


    Disheartened by the new feelings threatening to overflow, Beatriz descended the spiral staircase, hoping not to encounter any of her sisters. At that moment, she craved solitude.


    She made her way to the library, picked up a book, and placed it on the central table in the living room. The book was titled "The Mannequin" and had been written by her master, Henry Frank. This work was one of her favorite stories; she felt special reading it because it narrated, as a novel, the story of her master when he arrived in this world. Many of the anecdotes he had shared were embedded in different parts of the plot.


    She stared at the book cover for several minutes, lost in her thoughts. The drawing of a wooden figure on the cover seemed to come to life and said to her, "Would you like some tea?"


    That struck her as extremely odd, but suddenly, a tray with two cups of tea and a large teapot landed on the table next to the book. Beatriz turned to see who the voice belonged to and met her mother''s gaze, looking at her with those eyes she knew so well, full of concern.


    "Yes, thank you, Mom," she replied, taking the small cup.


    Her mother took the steaming teapot and started pouring the tea carefully, so as not to spill a drop on her daughter. Beatriz brought the hot cup to her lips and took a sip.


    "It''s delicious, my favorite, berries just like the flowers in my hair. Thank you, Mom."


    Tears welled up in Beatriz''s eyes, and her hand started trembling, spilling a little of the hot tea on her legs. Her mother acted swiftly, snatching the cup from her hands and placing it back on the tray.


    "Are you sad about the arrival of the demon king?" asked her mother, settling to her left on the couch.


    "Yes, I miss Henry''s hugs and kisses so much," she said, sobbing, looking down at the ground, embarrassed that her mother saw her cry.


    Her mother gently took her head and laid it on her lap. She began stroking her hair, a shade of green like spring grass, and said tenderly, "You''re so strong. You''ve had to fight those feelings alone. After all, you were very young when you arrived here with me. You couldn''t even walk; your legs hadn''t developed yet, and you had to be carried in a pot. Besides, your sisters were still seeds when they arrived at the mansion," she said while caressing her hair with her hands.


    "Can you tell me how you met the one who stole my heart? Maybe that way, I can get a better idea about him," she asked, turning to look her mother in the eyes.


    "Okay, I think you deserve to know. Though you''re the first one to ask me about his past. I''m proud that you''re so curious," she affectionately pinched her right cheek and continued, "It''s a long story, and I still have to finish up in the kitchen."


    "Please, Mom..."


    "Alright, but I have to call your sisters to take over for me."


    "I know who can take care of the kitchen," she said, remembering her three sisters on the balcony.


    After her mother asked Cristina, Amelie, and Sara to handle the meal preparation, they went to Beatriz''s room, and both sat on the bed.


    "What I''m about to tell you is the story of how Eliza met Henry Frank many moons and suns ago..."

 Part 1 – Eliza, the First of All

    From a tree as towering as a hill, a tiny flower the size of a walnut detached. Carried by the wind, the flower journeyed as if guided by an invisible hand.


    The journey didn''t last long, just a few meters from the tree that birthed it, but it ended at a small brook that carried it far from home. However, it wasn''t alone; it was merely the last one to embark on that adventure. Hundreds of flowers of varied colors flowed in the water, all together heading towards an uncertain destiny.


    But soon, the journey came to an end. They all stopped atop harsh nets filled with other flowers. Helpless and unable to choose their path, the flowers were picked up by wrinkled and ungentle hands.


    Thus began the tale of Eliza, the first among all the mansion''s maids.


    "I was just a child back then, but I knew something wasn''t right, though I didn''t understand why," expressed Eliza with sorrow, clenching her fists on her thighs.


    "What do you mean?" asked, confused by the narrative.


    "Those little flowers represented a mother''s lament for the departure of her daughters. We collected those laments to sell along with the seeds," she said, on the verge of breaking into tears, but keeping her composure. "I was one of those daughters too, and many sisters passed through my hands, all sold like me¡­"


    Her work had lasted so long that she couldn''t think anymore; she had become alien to herself. To her, this wasn''t an immoral act but a vital obligation; she had always been a slave.


    Beatriz enveloped her mother in a warm embrace, holding her close until her mother calmed enough to continue:


    "What I helped do is unforgivable; I''m a monster," she began to cry into her daughter''s arms.


    Beatriz felt bad for dredging up her mother''s painful memories from the past and began to reflect on how insignificant her love problems were compared to the terrible secret her mother had carried alone for so long. Yet, her curiosity persisted, even stronger than before.


    She had always known she wasn''t her biological mother, but she had never delved deeply into her past. Despite that, her immense curiosity and love for her mother remained intact. Although she had read about how Fidonia beings were born and grew, for her, a mother wasn''t the one who brought her into the world but the one who had cared for her and loved her tenderly.


    She hugged her mother for several minutes, hoping she would calm down. Affectionately, she stroked her back and remained silent.


    "I''m a horrible daughter and a bad mother," she finally said, pulling away from Beatriz. Then she continued, "But despite everything, I love each one of you as if I were the great Fidrona mother."


    The imposing Fidrona, that magical tree considered the progenitor of all Fidonias, is the being that releases the seeds of its species every decade. This truth was revealed to Beatriz after countless years of dedicated reading. Finally, she expressed:


    "And I love you too, Mom."


    Both embraced again, not with sadness but with tremendous tenderness, enjoying the warm bond between mother and daughter. Eliza continued narrating the story:


    "I remember a young man, excited and curious, strolling through the grand flower shop where I worked as a caretaker," she said with an evocative smile. "This man couldn''t stop talking to me; his yellow eyes shone like the sun. I remember it like it was yesterday."


    "Was it Henry?" asked a thrilled Beatriz.


    "Yes, he arrived asking if we sold many flowers to decorate his new home. I assured him that it was our specialty, as the shop was the most important in the kingdom."


    "What happened to the shop?" Beatriz wanted to know.


    "It still exists, but it''s no longer the most prominent. What set it apart from the others was its direct contract with the empire to exploit, breed, and sell Fidonias. However, the empire revoked the concession due to new decrees advocating for the abolition of slavery."


    "Even though they haven''t managed to stop the illegal slave trade. After all, the demon king and the poor girl were acquired in an illegal auction den," she commented with disappointment and continued, "Henry has a great heart; I''m sure he lied about the girl''s deception just to save her from that place."


    Beatriz didn''t know anyone more perceptive than her master Henry; she always thought that where others saw mistakes, he saw virtues. The trust and admiration she had for him were unbreakable.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Poor girl, when she arrived in this family, she seemed withdrawn, as if she feared opening up to us, as if she believed that would lead her to some sort of punishment," she turned to the window, contemplating the blue sky reflected. "But I''m glad to see her smile. Even though we''re not alike, and I lack scales like her, I wouldn''t mind if she saw me as a mother or my daughters as her sisters."


    That was the mother Beatriz loved, someone concerned for others regardless of their origin; genuine love. She felt joy for having shared her past and discovered an aspect her sisters didn''t know. Even though it might seem like a simple feeling, that sensation of being special filled her with happiness.


    Her face, as white as porcelain, reflected the sunlight without showing signs of discomfort. Her eyes, as vast as the sky, remained fixed on the great yellow and fiery orb. Her long, flowing hair rested on her shoulders, entwined by the embrace of the wind that entered through the window, moving gracefully from time to time. That image moved her so much that she longed to hug her tightly, wishing to prevent the sun from taking her away and separating her from her.


    "You asked me how I met the man who stole your heart, but I never really got to tell you the most important thing," she said without looking away from the sun.


    "The most important thing?" asked, not diverting her gaze from her mother''s profile.


    "How I met you, my daughter."


    "Me?"


    She turned to Beatriz and said:


    "You are Henry''s daughter."


    At that moment, everything crumbled for Beatriz. She understood why she had felt uncomfortable and distant when showing affection toward her, why she had tried to hide their relationship and get closer to Sargonas. However, something felt strange to her, and she asked a question:


    "Doesn''t Henry know?"


    She remembered many moments when Henry was affectionate, which made her suspect that perhaps, just perhaps, her mother had hidden the truth from him.


    "He doesn''t know. In fact, if he had known, maybe¡­"


    Beatriz stood up and ran out of the room, tears in her eyes and highly disturbed by what her mother had revealed. Life wasn''t fair, she always knew, but she believed that as long as she stayed with Henry, none of that mattered. Now, she felt a pain in her heart that threatened to tear it into a thousand pieces. She began to hate her mother for deceiving her for years and Henry for betraying her with Sargonas.


    Her mind wandered between possible realities: what if Sargonas had never arrived? Would she be happy? Or would she prefer never to have been born to avoid carrying these heavy feelings in her heart?


    She began to remember how Henry caressed and paternalistically kissed all her sisters, including her, in his displays of affection. She understood that she had always deceived herself into believing she was special among them. However, when she approached him, kissed him as a lover, and expressed her true desires, he always responded, "We can''t do this." And she, insecure, replied, "Are you afraid others will know about us?" What if he never really wanted her? What if, in her eagerness to seek paternal affection, she had overstepped, and he didn''t want to reject her to avoid hurting her?


    When she entered the living room, she saw Sargonas holding Henry''s arm. Her heart couldn''t bear it anymore, and she ran towards the one who had stolen her most precious possession.


    "Beatriz?" exclaimed a surprised Henry.


    "You still haven''t told her about us," said Sargonas mockingly.


    Beatriz stepped closer and slapped her hard, the sound resonating throughout the room. The Fidonia sisters, who were chatting animatedly in the dining room, turned in surprise towards the noise.


    "I hate you! I wish you had never come to this mansion!"


    The other sisters approached quickly, surprised by the scene unfolding in the room.


    "Ow! You still haven''t told her about us?" complained Sargonas, rubbing her sore right cheek, looking at Henry.


    Angered by her words, Beatriz raised her hand to strike her again, but Henry quickly stopped her, holding her arm tightly, a force that didn''t harm her physically but did emotionally.


    "This is my fault," said Henry, releasing Beatriz''s hand.


    "No¡­"


    "Wait! If I had told you from the beginning, this would never have happened, I''m sorry," Henry rushed to say.


    "What are you talking about?" she asked, on the verge of tears.


    "I am in love with Eleuteria¡­"


    Beatriz began to cry inconsolably, falling to her knees as Sargonas had done some time ago. Sargonas, who now stood triumphant next to the man she loves, looked on in victory.


    Her sisters approached in a semicircle, unsure how to console their sister, equally desolate by their master''s revelation. They all loved him unconditionally, even the young Pipi.


    The small salamander clung to Pipi''s skirt, a bit taller than her. However, those tears reminded her of her past, and she began to get nervous, secreting her viscous poison through her skin, staining her elder sister''s maid uniform, who watched the scene in amazement like the rest.


    "Beatriz!" exclaimed Eliza, panting from the grand hall; she had run there.


    "Eliza?" she quickly turned upon hearing her voice.


    "It''s my fault, master," she said, advancing slowly into the room. "I lied to you, manipulated you, and hid a secret about her for a long time¡­"


    "NO! DON''T TELL HIM!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, covering her ears and bending her head almost to the ground.


    Her mother hesitated for a moment at her daughter''s plea, but she made a decision, one of those irreversible decisions.


    "She is your daughter!"


    Henry turned paler than the marble floor, and cold sweat began to break out on his face. He took a few steps toward the couch, moving away the semicircle that had formed around Beatriz, and sat down. He covered his mouth with both hands to prevent himself from vomiting, and tears began to fall, streaming through his fingers to the floor.


    Eleuteria hurried to him, concerned, and sat beside him. She tried to hug him, but Henry barely reacted.


    "What''s wrong?" Eleuteria asked alarmed.


    "She''s my daughter?" he repeated over and over, almost in a whisper.


    Eleuteria stood up furiously and walked toward Beatriz, who was crying inconsolably on the floor.


    "You wanted to sleep with your father! Disgusting!" she yelled.


    "IT''S NOT TRUE!" she replied, not looking her in the face.


    "That''s why Henry started avoiding you, he can''t stand conflicts, and you took advantage of that! You''re a bad person!"


    "I DIDN''T KNOW!" she replied, squeezing her ears even tighter.


    "Enough!" Henry exclaimed, finally waking from his daze. "We need to talk, Eliza."

 Part 2 - Confessions

    Br¨ªnea was distressed. She knew she shouldn''t be listening to the conversation, feeling like it wasn''t her business. Besides, the situation deeply saddened her, bringing back painful memories of when she was sold. Yet, she found herself unable to do anything; Pipi''s hand still held hers. She made an effort to stay calm and avoid secreting poison, staying there while listening along with the others.


    Her sisters, as Br¨ªnea referred to the other maids of the mansion, were seated in the long armchairs of the grand living room. Br¨ªnea was next to Pipi, the most playful and irresponsible of them all. Next to her was Mar¨ªa, whom she considered the most serious sister, and next to Mar¨ªa was Amelie, the most meddlesome and talkative of all, whose appearance, during the first days, Br¨ªnea confused with that of a young man.


    The lizard maid glanced at the faces of her sisters, reflecting on their flaws and virtues to distract herself from the conversation that would surely sadden her. Her eyes landed on Narcisa, the loneliest of them all, who was sitting in the armchair across from hers. Narcisa wasn''t very talkative and seemed to isolate herself, being the complete opposite of sister Amelie. However, Br¨ªnea noticed that Narcisa seemed more open and smiling when she was near Henry, leading her to think that perhaps she was only shy with her sisters.


    Next to Narcisa was Cristina, the most presumptuous sister of all. She constantly claimed that she spent the most time with Henry, which annoyed the others. However, she had never shown herself like that with her, so Br¨ªnea only saw her as someone who wished to avoid loneliness and draw attention from the others.


    Beside Cristina was Sara, who covered her eyes with both hands. The lizard girl considered her the most romantic sister of all, always sharing her dreams about Henry and fantasizing about being his princess while he was her prince. Br¨ªnea felt sorry for her; the other sisters, especially Amelie and Cristina, often mocked her dreams. Since Sara was younger than them, she found it difficult to defend herself. Nevertheless, Sara maintained a special bond with Br¨ªnea and Pipi; the three of them used to spend time together, chatting and playing board games. Being the youngest in the mansion, Br¨ªnea wondered if that was the reason they got along so well.


    Beside her was Dalia, the smartest of all the sisters, easily identifiable by her maid outfit of a different color. While the others wore black dresses with white aprons and hems, hers stood out with a pink fabric and a white apron, as well as short sleeves that contrasted with the long sleeves worn by the other sisters. Dalia also acted as her personal teacher.


    After spending a week in the mansion, Henry realized that she couldn''t read, so he asked Dalia to instruct her in everything necessary. Although in the first lessons she used to fall asleep in the library due to the boredom caused by letters and mathematics, Dalia never scolded her. Instead, she made every effort to make the classes more fun every day, something Br¨ªnea greatly appreciated. Sometimes, she even looked forward to the afternoon to enjoy her lessons.


    She glanced at the eighth sister, seated in the adjacent armchair to hers, noticing a small tear sliding down her teacher''s face. It was Pando, known for being the toughest and strongest among all. When something needed to be lifted, like boxes or furniture, and none of them could do it, they always called her. She possessed immense strength, her masculine appearance and behavior making her more like a man than a woman. However, Br¨ªnea had witnessed how Pando smiled and adopted more feminine attitudes when talking to Henry. Still, she felt a certain fear towards her, even though Pando had never harmed her. There was something in her imposing appearance that intimidated her.


    Her eyes lingered for a few seconds on the maid who had been crying inconsolably on the floor until a few minutes ago, Beatriz. The poor woman seemed to be on the verge of a new torrent of tears, Br¨ªnea reflected as she observed her hunched posture. She was sitting, staring at her legs, with her hands resting on them, as if trying to maintain her composure with her arms.


    She didn''t take long to divert her gaze towards Eliza, the maid who was the head of all, but whom her sisters referred to as ''mother''. However, Br¨ªnea refused to call her that; despite having been sold by her parents, she still loved and missed her real mother. Eliza maintained a worried look and seemed to be trying to keep a certain distance from her daughter, as if wanting to give her space on the large but crowded sofa.


    Beside her was the most peculiar of all; her hair didn''t follow the usual green pattern, but was red on one half and blue on the other, just like her eyes. She didn''t wear flowers on her head and maintained a distant attitude, even towards Henry, which made him uncomfortable. The sisters seemed to avoid her, and she rarely spoke; Br¨ªnea had never heard her voice. However, Ceache always obeyed Henry, like the other maids, and wore a different uniform from the rest. She didn''t wear a skirt, her clothes seemed to have a military influence, Br¨ªnea reflected. Also, she didn''t help with the cleaning and spent her time in the library reading. She never left the mansion, so she dismissed the possibility of her being a bodyguard, since when Henry bought her, she wasn''t present. Although Br¨ªnea, at first, considered her just another maid of the mansion. However, over time, she learned from the others and could no longer define her as part of the household, even though she obeyed like the others. After all, she had never lived in a mansion and there were many things she completely ignored.


    Finally, she directed her gaze towards the direction everyone was paying attention to. In the armchair in front of Eliza and the others, Henry was sitting, next to the devilish lady, who held his hand tenderly. Since his arrival, this woman had always shown manners that suggested she had lived her whole life in a mansion, a stark contrast to Br¨ªnea, who had to learn intensely how to behave and still moved with a certain clumsiness. Why did he choose me alongside her? She wondered as she prepared to listen attentively to what that man who had granted her a new life had to say.


    "I thought this moment would never come," murmured Henry, a faint whisper that resonated in the room, capturing everyone''s attention as he took a moment to gather the courage necessary. A dense silence settled in the atmosphere; expectant gazes focused on him as he took a moment to gather the courage necessary. "I too have hidden many things, I''m not one to judge anyone, but I had to get her out of there, I couldn''t leave her."


    Eliza looked terrified, as if she knew what he was going to say, but had long forgotten it, buried in the depths of her unconsciousness and now emerging to the surface of her consciousness.


    Pando turned to look at her mother, seeing tears streaming down her face. The strong and muscular woman resisted the urge to hug her, feeling that it was a struggle she had to face alone, and yet she too was on the verge of tears.


    "That tree was named Elisheba, the mother Fidonia," Henry continued.


    "Elisheba?" some murmured quietly.


    Dalia and Mar¨ªa, sharper than the others, discreetly turned towards Eliza, realizing what Henry meant. Meanwhile, the other sisters remained confused, waiting for their beloved Henry''s next words.


    "The tree fed by absorbing the energy of hundreds of thousands of flowers, planted by Fidonias in an endless cycle," he explained with a too sad look. "When the young drakontos arrived, they took him like any other wealthy client. That''s what everyone thought, even he himself who had only come with the intention of getting employees for his mansion."


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    By then, Br¨ªnea and Pipi still didn''t understand what Henry meant, while the other sisters were already facing the whirlwind of emotions and thoughts that his words had unleashed.


    "That tree whispered in the ear of the drakontos asking for help, he heard it and remembered the war, the destruction, and death. He approached the imposing tree and began to feel its thick and rough body, then an idea came to him..."


    Pipi was the last to realize what Henry meant. Tears began to flow from her large eyes and Br¨ªnea couldn''t help but feel bad, so she tried to release herself from her sister''s grip, but she wasn''t successful, as Pipi held her tighter and tighter. Finally, she gave up and the venom in liquid form began, little by little, to come out of her scaly salamander body.


    "One night of the full moon, when there was no one else but the flowers as witnesses, that drakontos who had spent years trying to master a spell that tormented him for so long, finally decided who he would test what he had learned against..." He wiped away a tear running down his cheek.


    Sargonas shuddered with it and approached Henry even closer to calm his restless heart.


    "He stepped back a few steps from the huge living being, took a firm position on the ground, and with his hands outstretched towards it, he recited a word he would never forget," he brought both hands to his heart, trying to calm his agitation, and said, "Bentaro."


    All the maids were perplexed, unable to understand the meaning of that word. However, Eliza, Ceache, and Sargonas were the only ones who reacted, as they knew Henry''s story in depth. Sargonas held onto him tighter, while Eliza remained seated, holding back the urge to scream. Instead, Ceache stood up and walked towards Henry, leaving the sisters surprised, as they didn''t expect such a reaction from the most introverted person in the group.


    "So, it was you who sealed the great tree Elisheba," she leaned slightly to be at Henry''s height. "There is no doubt that it is impulsive, something only the person I fell in love with would do."


    Ceache took Henry by the back of the head and began to kiss him passionately. Beatriz started crying once again, the sisters began to murmur to each other, and Sargonas was in shock from the unexpected kiss. After several seconds, Ceache separated from him. She sat down as if nothing had happened and remained silent for the rest of the conversation, ignoring the looks of the others as if she didn''t care what they thought of her.


    Henry stood still, watching as the family he had built slowly crumbled. On the other hand, Br¨ªnea didn''t want her new family to fall apart, so, with an innocent question and with scales dripping venom, she shouted at the top of her lungs:


    "Is Beatriz really the master''s daughter!?"


    All turned to see her. The vast majority of the sisters also harbored those questions in their heads, but they didn''t dare to ask, as they didn''t want to doubt the words of their mother and nervous about their master.


    "Yes," Eliza responded without hesitation. "After all, when we met in the flower shop-"


    "That''s not true!" Henry interrupted Eliza and continued. "We met on the Fidonias'' plains!"


    "That''s not true!" Eliza countered angrily and added. "Furthermore, I was the one who took you to see Elisheba!"


    Beatriz suddenly stood up, and with every step she took, the ground transformed under her feet: the grass grew and the ground cracked. Her skin acquired a brown tone, as if the texture and appearance were the bark of a tree.


    "I have finally remembered everything," announced Beatriz with a different, cold and chilling voice, as she approached Henry. "My name is not Beatriz, I was never her daughter, and she is neither nor will she ever be my mother," she indicated, pointing at Eliza, and continued determinedly. "But all of you are my daughters, and he is the man who granted me a new life. I am Elisheba, the great mother Fidonia."


    As she spoke, her body began to expand, growing both in size and height. Her eyes radiated a brightness akin to the sun itself. If she continued like this, she would soon hit the wooden ceiling.


    "The spell, it''s breaking!" Eleuteria shouted, full of fear.


    None of the maids could believe what they were seeing, no one would have expected such an unexpected turn of events. Eliza and Henry trembled with fear. However, Ceache remained indifferent, looking from below at the huge tree that rose in the living room.


    "I never lied!" Eliza shouted at Beatriz, exasperated, and continued. "I was on duty that night when I found Henry unconscious with a small seed in his hand. Furthermore, the tree was still standing, and there were no flowers planted around it. I assumed that seed could only have formed by sucking the life and magical energy from that unconscious man. I didn''t know that mother had transformed into that seed and left an empty shell of bark."


    With her hand full of viscous liquid, Br¨ªnea managed to free herself from Pipi''s strong grip. She stood up and ran away scared, escaping from the place. Pipi was the only one who noticed and followed her to the grand hall, but she stumbled and fell to the ground.


    "Sister!" Br¨ªnea shouted as she turned around after the crash.


    However, she wasn''t the only one who had fainted. All the maids, except for Eliza, barely standing, and Ceache, yawning with sleepiness.


    "Teacher Dalia! What''s going on!?" Br¨ªnea asked angrily, while making sure of her sister Pipi''s well-being, who lay unconscious on the ground.


    "I-it''s absorbing our life energy... If it keeps growing, I fear we''ll all die," Eliza replied with difficulty.


    Henry was stunned, immobile, and with his eyes wide open, filled with terror. In contrast, the devil Eleuteria shook him to make him react, but he remained stuck to the ground, just like the tree that slowly made its way through the roof, dropping pieces of wood.


    "You have to do something, sir!" Br¨ªnea shouted anxiously.


    "T-this is my fault, if I hadn''t spread the rumor that the master and Eleuteria were together, none of this would have happened," Pipi said with tears streaming down her face and falling onto the hands of the lizard girl holding her with both hands.


    Br¨ªnea remembered the secret Pipi had confided in her. According to her, during a night when she was getting cleaning supplies, she had secretly seen a romantic moment between Henry and Eleuteria. What Br¨ªnea didn''t know at that time was that Pipi hadn''t kept that information just for her. The truth was that all the maids in the mansion were aware of that episode and commented on it in secret, always keeping that information away from Beatriz; who was no fool and was already aware of everything.


    "Don''t talk nonsense, it''s not your fault," she said, wiping away tears with one hand while holding her head, but spilling, in the process, her venomous liquid all over her face. "Do something! I don''t want to lose my family again!"


    A rumble was heard when Beatriz broke through the roof. Her legs had disappeared, and now they were one; they had become a trunk. Henry reacted after Br¨ªnea''s words and sprang into action.


    "For your first time repeating my spell created just for you, it wasn''t bad," Eleuteria told him, intertwining her fingers of her left hand with Henry''s.


    "Ceache! I want you to get all the girls out of the living room and take them to a safe place," Henry ordered.


    Ceache made a strange salute and began to get all the sisters out. She started with Eliza, who collapsed, and before falling to the ground, was reached by Ceache in time. She took the sisters two by two with her super strength and deposited them carefully in a withered and dry garden, as if it had been abandoned a long time ago. The girls looked just like the poor flowers; their hair turned yellow and slowly fell off like dry leaves the flowers on their heads.


    Finally, Ceache approached to attend to the door, as there was no one else available. She found two women and a young man with a suspicious appearance. The woman with white hair and eyes of different colors spoke first:


    "Sorry for the interruption, we''re looking for Henry Frank. I''m a fan of his books and I would like him to sign my favorite copy, The Mannequin," she said with a grin from ear to ear.


    Ceache responded quickly:


    "No Henry Frank lives here. If you don''t leave soon, you''ll have trouble."


    She closed the double doors in their faces, without giving them a chance for more questions. As she walked away, she heard them arguing outside, but she didn''t pay attention. She had unfinished business. When she reached the living room, she noticed an unusual silence.


    She found Beatriz naked and asleep on the floor, while Henry and Sargonas were unconscious, holding hands.


    "So, they joined forces to seal her again..." Ceache muttered, covering Beatriz with her dark blue coat. "I have to take care of this mess for the person I love and who gave me a new life."


    Carefully, she lifted Henry and laid him on the couch. Then, she did the same procedure with Eleuteria. Finally, Ceache approached to pick up Beatriz from the floor and noticed that she was holding a tiny seed in her right hand.


    "It seems that now you really are a father."

 Part 3 – Self-deception

    When one wakes up and opens their eyes, it''s impossible not to set the mind interpreting the material world around us. It''s also unlikely that we''ll stop, even if we rationalize it, because the simple act of doing so is, well, putting into practice what we try to avoid. The only way I believe that would put an end to any process of semiosis is death, but it''s not the only thing it would put an end to. It would take away laughter, love, desire, sadness, resentment, and happiness that come and go on different scales, like a moving train stopping at different stations named feelings.


    "What is semiosis?" Eleuteria asked, after reading the first paragraph of the prologue of the book "The Mannequin".


    "It''s a pretty difficult concept to explain," Henry responded, half asleep.


    "But what is it?" Eleuteria asked again, continuing to read the prologue.


    "That''s why I took the trouble to write the footnotes," he replied, struggling to get up from the couch. "My damn head hurts, everything seems to be spinning in the room."


    "You used a lot of magical energy to seal Elisheba. Plus, I''m too lazy to go to the last pages just to know the meaning of one word," she said, flipping through the book pages disinterestedly.


    "I don''t have time for silly questions like that," he replied gruffly, trying not to lose his balance as he walked towards Beatriz, who was resting on the front seat.


    "I was very intrigued that this novel bore your name. I didn''t know that the great army-destroying drakontos had now become a novelist," she said, closing the book and leaving it beside her on the couch.


    Henry ignored her and just muttered to himself, "Why am I the only one with this terrible headache?" He held his head in his hands, avoiding pieces of debris from the ceiling.


    "This body doesn''t have much magical energy, so the vast majority was supplied by you," Eleuteria replied, getting up and approaching Henry to help him walk. "You look like a newborn taking your first steps," she chuckled, clinging to the man with horns by the arm.


    "How can you be so cheerful at a time like this? My family is shattered, I don''t know how I''ll face the others..." He let himself fall to his knees, piercing pieces of wood into his leg and tearing his black pants with white stripes.


    "Are you crazy!? Come on, get up," she said, pulling him to his feet; it was an effort in vain.


    "I always thought Eliza was the real Elisheba because she was the first one, I saw when I woke up. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Plus, the tree wasn''t there anymore, it had disappeared. However, she told me that we met at the store and that Beatriz was my daughter because the tree was still there, and there was no other source of energy but me, so that seed produced by Elisheba had to be my daughter," Henry said as he looked at Beatriz''s sleeping face.


    "What you''re saying doesn''t make much sense, really. How is it that the great tree is in Eliza''s version, but not in yours? Is one of you lying?" Eleuteria opined, giving up on trying to lift Henry.


    "And if both of you are telling the truth," said a voice that Henry knew very well.


    "Ceache?" Henry said, seeing the figure of the military woman appear from the entrance connecting to the grand hall. "Who is she?" he asked, seeing Ceache carrying a woman with one hand.


    "She''s someone I found trying to enter your study, a thief is what she is," she said, releasing the collar of the strange young woman''s coat and letting her fall to the ground.


    "I just wanted you to sign my favorite novel," she said, taking out a book from her coat that had "The Mannequin" written on the cover and underneath H. Frank.


    "I don''t have time for this. Besides, that book is a first edition with very few copies that were given to nobles. I have one in my study, it''s clear that you stole it from me," he said angrily, approaching her to snatch the book away.


    The woman held the book to her chest in a clear gesture to protect it. Henry ordered Ceache to snatch it from her, and as she was about to do so, the woman spoke up:


    "It''s mine, it''s the only clue I have to find out who I really am," she said firmly, raising her head to look him in the eyes.


    He knew that passionate gaze well.


    "Are you Rosa?"


    "Does Henry know her?" Ceache asked.


    "Yes, but I attended her funeral!" he responded, shocked, still staring up and down at the young woman called Rosa and added excitedly, "This is not possible!"


    "Well, believe it!" shouted a woman behind Ceache.


    "Sister, don''t be rude, after all, we made this long journey just to talk to him," added a young man with a tail and canine ear.


    Ceache turned around and angrily shouted, "I told you there would be consequences!" She charged at them with a murderous fury.


    Both of them went on guard and drew their white weapons.


    "WAIT, CEACHE! They are my guests from now on," he exclaimed, putting his hands to his head, the shock had increased his headache. Ceache stopped abruptly and made the salute she used to do when she heard Henry''s orders. The two strangers changed their postures, but did not sheath their weapons, still mistrusting Ceache.


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    "You can put away your weapons. Make yourselves at home, although right now, as you can see," he gestured with open hands, showing the state of the living room. "We''re not in very good condition for a cup of tea."


    Eleuteria analyzed them from head to toe and reached a conclusion about the visitors that she quickly communicated to her beloved Henry. She approached him and pulled his sleeves to get his attention.


    "That woman is dangerous," she whispered near Henry''s ear.


    The young aristocrat didn''t respond, but decided to take her word and be extremely cautious with his new guest.


    "Rosa, get up and take a seat wherever you like," he said to the bewildered woman who had just woken up.


    The woman got up and brushed the wood splinters off her coat, then walked over to sit in one of the armchairs. Her eyes fell on the book that Eleuteria had been reading moments before. She took it with both hands and ran her hand over the embossed cover.


    "That''s a later edition," Henry said, seeing her feeling out the book. "Wait a moment, I''ll be right back."


    Without any explanation, Henry began to walk towards the hall. He locked eyes with the black-haired woman with a decidedly unfeminine expression and with the carefree-faced canine young man. Finally, he left the living room, and in the absolute silence, his footsteps could be heard fading away slowly.


    "Who are you?" Beatriz asked, who had just woken up from the commotion.


    "That''s what I want to know, that''s why I''m here," Rosa replied.


    "I just found out," she said, pointing her hands towards the huge hole letting in sunlight into the mansion.


    "I''m glad," Rosa replied, not paying much attention to the topic.


    The two strangers were still standing by the entrance to the living room. The young man looked around the place amazed by the luxury, while the woman kept an eye on Ceache, who was leaning against the wall, staring into nothingness. On the other hand, Eleuteria, walked away from the living room towards the dining room without saying a word.


    "That book," Rosa pointed to the book in her hands, "is my favorite, it was written by the person I love most in this world."


    Beatriz sat up, and the blanket covering her fell to the ground revealing her completely naked body. Rosa quickly averted her eyes, embarrassed. In contrast, the woman stopped looking at Ceache and turned to see Beatriz''s naked back; she was fascinated by the porcelain color of her skin.


    "What happened here?" Rosa asked, trying to hide her embarrassment as she contemplated the huge hole in the ceiling.


    "The deception materialized in reality," she replied, turning her eyes back to the worn-out ceiling.


    "What do you mean?" Rosa inquired, confused, still not taking her eyes off the ceiling.


    She ignored her and stood up from the couch without covering herself. Rosa felt embarrassed and made an effort not to look at her naked. Meanwhile, the other woman watched her with lust, while the young man seemed to be planning something malicious as he looked into the living room. Suddenly, footsteps from the grand hall indicated Henry''s return. Ceache turned towards him as he entered the room, as did the three guests and the naked Beatriz.


    Henry approached Beatriz with robe and clothes. But she rushed towards him in a hug and said, "Thank you for getting me out of there. I spent many years crying and begging for help, but you were the only one who listened to me."


    "Sorry for being such an idiot, can you forgive me?" Henry responded, not letting go of the clothes.


    Rosa intervened, taking the clothes from Henry''s hands. He nodded gratefully and returned Beatriz''s embrace. His manly hands rested on her soft skin as she leaned against his chest with force, as if trying to hold onto him just for herself, at least for that moment.


    "Now that everything is cleared up, I must apologize to Eliza. We got caught up in misunderstandings. But why didn''t you ever tell me you were Elisheba?" he asked, stroking her head.


    "I lost track of who I was, I was reborn as a seed of Fidonia, and those ancient memories and pains were blocked and faded in my mind. In the end, it seemed as if I had never been a tree," she said as she caressed Henry''s back.


    " What do you mean when you say they faded away?" he inquired, showing confusion in his words.


    "Do you remember the story you told me about Sargonas and how he had enchanted you?" Beatriz asked.


    "A drakontos'' mind doesn''t resemble that of a human. I went through countless months of suffering; I was on the brink of madness. I wish I had had the ability to forget, and yet, I still have nightmares," Henry affirmed, his voice pained.


    "My memories faded away, as if the earth had swallowed them that night, and they returned suddenly when my mind broke completely with Ceache''s kiss. Fortunately, my daughters'' energy prevented the seal from breaking immediately, giving them the time needed to seal me again."


    "I''m sorry," he apologized again. Beatriz overlooked his apologies, but accepted them with some back pats, then continued, "She was determined. She devised a plan and took that seed, mixing it with the other eight she had in her pocket. She hid me, thinking that would keep me safe while she carried out her plan."


    "I don''t understand," Henry said, his voice faltering.


    "She intended to blackmail you."


    "Eliza thought you were my daughter?"


    "Yes. But when she took you outside to prevent her other sisters from seeing you, you woke up. Before Eliza could say anything, you said..."


    "''Elisheba, you are so beautiful,''" Henry responded, recalling that night.


    "That''s right, the rest is history. She took advantage of you until today just to keep us safe, but my love for you destroyed her lies."


    "She always believed that you were my daughter," he said, hugging her tighter and bursting into tears of happiness upon discovering that she was not his daughter and that he could continue loving her as he did. "She took advantage of you that night."


    "In reality, it was consensual. I was carried away by her beauty. It''s my fault," he countered, distressed, rubbing his eyes with his right hand to wipe away the tears, as he looked at the beam of light that crossed the room.


    "She deceived you, but you always believed she was Elisheba. It wouldn''t be surprising if that night a seed had emerged, since the Fidonias cannot conceive children; that''s why they are the perfect slaves," she continued, caressing his back silently for several seconds before concluding, "You both deceived each other."


    "But when I returned to the place to see the tree, it wasn''t there anymore..."


    "The tree disappeared, but not that night or the next. You chose to believe in Eliza and deceived yourself again, out of fear of failure. But, in reality, you saved us all."


    "I would like you to know that everyone is fine. Before coming here, I went to the garden to make sure they were safe. They were all still unconscious, so I left them in Br¨ªnea''s care," Henry said, trying to change the subject, feeling embarrassed because she hit the nail on the head.


    "I know, I can feel them all just like every flower in the garden," Beatriz replied, giving him some pats on the back, as if thanking him, and added, "That girl is very brave, to say what she said in such a dangerous moment."


    "Whose fault do you think all this is?" Eleuteria asked, carrying a tray with a teapot and three teacups with their respective spoons, as well as a sugar bowl.


    "Everyone''s and no one''s," Beatriz responded decisively.


    "What does that mean!?" Eleuteria asked, raising her voice.


    The room was in complete silence, allowing the others to hear the conversation of the hugging couple clearly. However, Eleuteria raised her voice due to her anger with Beatriz.


    "Exactly that," Beatriz replied, suddenly moving away from Henry. "The same thing you''ve always wished for many years."


    "Survive?" Eleuteria said, somewhat doubtfully.


    "Love," Beatriz corrected, taking the robe from Rosa''s hands to put it on. She then approached Eleuteria and took the tea tray from her hands while she was still processing her response. "That''s my job, I''m a servant of the mansion."

 Part 4 – Two mothers, two daughters

    When Eliza opened her eyes, she found the sun shining directly upon her, as if watching over her safety. She clenched her fists and felt the dry grass beneath her, understanding where she was and what had happened. She turned her head on the pillow she rested on and saw a young girl moving quickly back and forth with a wet cloth, tending to her unconscious sisters with surprising diligence. In that moment, she realized it wasn''t the sun who was truly looking after her.


    The young girl approached little Pipi and squeezed the cloth over her mouth; she was hydrating her. Eliza felt the moisture on her lips, realizing she had been hydrated in the same way. Turning her head again, she saw the garden she loved so much, now completely dry; a cemetery where once beautiful flowers and roses stood.


    Observing her surroundings, Eliza understood they were out of danger, so she stopped worrying about her sisters'' well-being. However, a twinge of fear about what awaited her in the mansion''s future kept her on edge. The chaos that had engulfed the mansion was the result of the deception of a plant, a Fidonia similar to the ones resting on the ground, to whom she had neither the right nor had ever had the right to call daughters.


    She sat on the ground and looked at the faces and the yellowish hair of her sisters, a sensation of pain in her chest beginning to overwhelm her. Were they, perhaps, my daughters scattered across the grass? She questioned herself, and her mind filled with more questions: Did she have the right to call them daughters after the harm she caused them? Wasn''t it a mother''s duty to ensure the safety of her daughters? Why did her daughters lie gasping on the ground? What did I do wrong? Eliza had no answers, but she convinced herself she had done the best she could. However, deep in her heart, she knew the truth, although she continued to deceive herself, committed to a character she had created to carry out her true plan.


    Br¨ªnea, as committed to her task as Eliza was to her lies, finally noticed her awakening and rejoiced. She was happy to know that what she was doing was right and that soon her other sisters would awaken. She told herself that at some point she should thank Ceache for the advice on how to care for a Fidonia and forgave her for how she had dragged her from the living room to the garden, even though she could walk and didn''t feel physically unwell, though emotionally she was still affected.


    "Eliza," she pronounced those words almost like a sigh.


    The young salamander girl threw herself at Eliza without caring about anything else. She buried herself in her chest and began to cry, for now she knew she wasn''t alone and that, sooner rather than later, they would all be a family again; at least it was something she wished with all her heart.


    Feelings of unconditional love and the desire to see her smile invaded Eliza''s heart. Weren''t these the feelings of a mother? She wondered if it was right to try again, because she loved them all. She had seen them grow, taught them everything they knew, and had always considered them her daughters. Should she give up after all she had done to get to where she was? Quickly, she found the answer.


    "It''s not time to cry," Eliza said as she stroked Br¨ªnea''s reddish-yellow hair. "Now is when we need to be strongest; we have much to do."


    Br¨ªnea stood up from the ground and wiped her tears with the long sleeves of her maid uniform. Then, she reached out to Eliza, who took her hand and rose from the ground. She shook and adjusted her uniform, giving Br¨ªnea a maternal smile before speaking:


    "This is much better. I''m going to get blankets, more water, and a sponge."


    "Shouldn''t you rest?" Br¨ªnea asked, showing genuine concern.


    "I''ve rested more than enough," Eliza replied with a smile, then adopted a serious tone. "It''s my duty as a mother and servant of Mr. Henry."


    Upon hearing Henry''s name, Br¨ªnea tensed, something that did not go unnoticed by Eliza. Nevertheless, she decided to ignore it and, with determination, turned away. Looking at the mansion''s huge walls was hard for her, reminding her of what had happened at the gathering.


    Carefully, Eliza knelt down and adjusted her skirt. She removed her gloves and let her fingers tenderly caress the faded and dry petals. Despite losing their former splendor, the flowers still retained a trace of their past beauty. Their withered forms still resonated with the grace that once adorned the garden.


    "It''s okay," she murmured, and stood up with more determination than she had when she regained consciousness after fainting. She walked towards the grand hall without looking back even once.


    Eliza walked away from the garden patio and opened the sliding doors to enter the grand hall, then closed them. An eerie calm filled the space, but as she approached the living room, whispers reached her ears. As she got closer, she managed to distinguish the voices and recognize to whom they belonged, however, among them was one she believed lost forever.


    "Rosa?" she wondered and proceeded to enter the living room.


    Everyone turned to look at her and the room fell silent. Beatriz, with her robe on, stopped sweeping the floor and approached Eliza, releasing the broom that Henry quickly caught before it hit the ground.


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    "Eliza..." Henry murmured, gripping the broom tightly until it began to creak from how nervous he was.


    Eliza was mentally prepared for whatever might happen, but she couldn''t anticipate what Elisheba was going to do to her. Nonetheless, she didn''t stand still and moved towards her, closing the distance. When they were close enough, she waited, expecting her mother''s next move.


    "You''re undoubtedly a better mother than I am," Beatriz said, then hugged her tightly and added, "Thank you."


    Despite having convinced herself to be strong and to accept whatever Elisheba or Henry said to her because of their deceit, those words and that hug completely broke her. Eliza, for the first time in a long while, began to cry. Though she felt overwhelmed, she didn''t care and returned the hug sincerely. At that moment, she felt very foolish, because she had just told Br¨ªnea that it wasn''t time to cry.


    "S-sorry," she managed to say between sobs.


    Elisheba gently stroked her back, like a mother comforting a sad child.


    "It''s okay, crying is fine. Without sadness, we wouldn''t know what happiness is," she said as she continued to stroke her. Then she added, "I learned that from Henry''s books."


    "Beatriz?" Eliza asked, confused.


    "Yes, mother. I am no longer, nor do I want to be Elisheba. I am only a girl in love, just like my sisters."


    Several seconds passed embraced in silence, just like the whole room. Finally, feeling a little better, Eliza spoke:


    "But that''s not possible, now you know the truth."


    "The truth is relative. I only know that now I have no bark for skin nor branches for hair, although flowers grow on my head," she said with an animated tone, as if the joke amused her greatly.


    "That''s something Henry would say, reality and truth are always relative," Eliza commented between laughs.


    "Don''t you have something to do, mother?" Beatriz said boldly.


    "You''re right, I must take care of my daughters."


    Beatriz let go of her, and despite both being the same height, she felt Eliza grow in her presence, regaining her confidence, even more than before; she had become the mother she admired so much once again.


    Eliza regained her mood and, with more confidence than when she entered the living room, approached Henry. Surprised, he broke the broom in two, with the top half falling to the ground and resonating throughout the room.


    Rosa and Eleuteria, sitting on the couch, and their companions, standing at the entrance, watched the scene with anticipation, waiting for what would happen next. Since Rosa and her friends arrived, they had witnessed a series of emotional scenes. However, Ceache had already advanced halfway through the book and was moving on to the next page, ignoring the scene unfolding before her as she sat on the floor, engrossed in her reading.


    "I have to apologize to you, Henry," she said, waiting for his words in silence.


    "It''s my fault too. Life isn''t just in books, and I''ve always been unable to express myself well to others. You know me better than anyone," he let out a big sigh. "This is my punishment for playing with the hearts of several enamored women. I''m despicable," he concluded, throwing away what was left of the broom with self-contempt.


    Eleuteria jumped up, startling Rosa, who was beside her and almost dropped the empty teacup she held in her hand. Then she approached Henry and took his right hand.


    "This is my fault too. I shouldn''t have asked you to love me. I shouldn''t have gotten involved in your dispute. And yet, I don''t want you to consider me one of the women you played with, because I never felt that way," she said with a smile. "I still love you."


    "I love you too," Eliza said.


    "And I," Beatriz added.


    "We do too!" they all shouted from the entrance.


    The Fidonia servants, who were secretly listening, surprised everyone. Ceache, apparently engrossed in her reading, slammed the book shut, stood up, and exclaimed:


    "I love him more than anyone, let that be clear!"


    Br¨ªnea remained silent behind everyone, holding little Pipi''s hand, who gave her a warm smile that comforted her deeply.


    "Well, maybe I''m not so despicable after all," Henry joked, running a hand through his hair and playing with his horns with a shy smile.


    "Ah! What kind of manners are these!" Eliza exclaimed, surprising everyone, and continued, "It''s lunchtime and we haven''t prepared the food. Please forgive us for such a great fault, Mr. Henry."


    "Forgive us!" they all shouted, including Beatriz, bowing to Henry.


    Br¨ªnea remained silent, facing an unprecedented situation for her. No one had given her instructions in such cases. She convinced herself that if she failed Henry, she should follow her sisters'' example, but her greatest desire was not to disappoint him.


    "It''s okay, really. You can stop bowing to me, it doesn''t matter," Henry responded uncomfortably. Then, looking at his guests, he said, "But if our guests are hungry..."


    "I''m very hungry!" the woman exclaimed, eager at Henry''s proposal.


    "Me too," added the young man with dog ears and tail.


    Rosa remained silent, but her stomach spoke for her. Henry, with his keen hearing, caught it and exclaimed:


    "All right, girls, you have work to do, rest!" Henry said, and they all looked at him confusedly. "Until your hair returns to its green color, you are forbidden to return to your daily work routine."


    There were some complaints, but they finally accepted, knowing that Henry wouldn''t yield in his words. Br¨ªnea was more puzzled than the others, for although her hair was yellow, she knew it would never be green like her sisters''.


    "And who will take care of the guests then?" Eliza asked puzzled.


    "I will, who else?" Henry said with a wide smile.


    Although they were happy to enjoy Henry''s home-cooked meal, they felt sorry for the work he would have to do to prepare lunch alone. Instead, Br¨ªnea felt relieved not to have to help in the kitchen, as Henry had offered to do it himself.


    "Of course, Ceache will help me in the kitchen," he added, looking at Ceache, who would surely offer her help without him asking.


    "At your service!" Ceache exclaimed with a strange salute.


    The living room, once shrouded in a sepulchral silence, now buzzed with life. Everyone chatted animatedly and showed happiness. Pando, unable to contain himself, threw himself into Eliza''s arms in a hug, followed by all the others, except Beatriz and Br¨ªnea, who watched the scene with joy.


    "Maybe we can talk during lunch. I have some questions for you, Rosa," Henry said seriously.


    "All right," she replied, looking him in the eyes and clutching the book to her chest. "Thank you for taking the time at such a complicated moment."


    "It''s nothing, not every day an old friend returns from the dead."

 Part 5 – The Kitchen

    Though Henry and Ceache were the only cooks, the food was ready just in time when the ingredients reached the right level of cooking to be served. Ceache took care of peeling, cutting, and crushing the ingredients, while Henry, with his sleeves rolled up and an apron on, stewed all the vegetables.


    The simplicity of the dish added a special value for Henry, as it evoked cherished memories of his childhood. He firmly believed that this stew would not only delight his palate but also bring some peace to his restless heart. Furthermore, the careful combination of ingredients ensured all the vitamins and essential nutrients, not only for the Fidonia servants and the salamander like Br¨ªnea but also for humans and drakontos like himself.


    The imposing shiny aluminum pot posed quite a challenge for Henry. Though he was embarrassed to admit it, he had to turn to Eliza for the exact measurements to ensure the stew wouldn''t turn out bland or, worse, disgusting. However, Eliza took charge of the situation, relegating Henry to a mere spectator role and leaving him with a bitter taste, as if he hadn''t contributed at all. Though he was aware of his culinary limitations, at least when it came to preparing food for so many diners.


    "I''m so pathetic," muttered Henry dejectedly, leaning his hands on the kitchen countertop.


    Eliza tasted a bit of the stew in her small plate and declared, "It''s very well seasoned, just needs a bit more rice," she said happily, placing the plate on the countertop to the right of the stove where the large pot sat.


    "Thanks for helping me, though I feel bad for having you work when you haven''t fully recovered yet," said Henry as he watched Eliza''s yellowish hair.


    "It''s no trouble at all. There''s no greater joy for a woman like me than cooking for her daughters and the person she loves," she responded with a wide grin.


    Henry approached Eliza from behind when she was distracted and hugged her, saying, "How can you still love me after all I''ve done?" resting his chin on her head.


    "How can you still love me after all the lies I''ve told you?" countered Eliza, grabbing Henry''s large hands resting beneath her chest.


    They stood in silence without saying anything for a couple of minutes. The sound of the boiling pot and the murmurs from the dining room were the only evidence that time had not stopped. Finally, a voice from behind surprised them.


    "Am I interrupting something?" asked Beatriz as she entered.


    Henry separated embarrassedly, as he always did when someone else saw him being affectionate. However, Eliza turned slowly, as if she didn''t care if she was seen, and greeted, "Hello, Beatriz. Lunch is almost ready, could you help me with the plates?" she asked as she removed a red stone from under the large pot with tongs and then said, "I''ll go get the cart and put away the red stone."


    "Sure," replied Beatriz.


    Eliza disappeared from the kitchen, after storing the stone in the floating cabinet, and entered the pantry, leaving Henry and Beatriz alone. The young woman, who until a few minutes ago was naked, now wore her maid dress as if nothing had happened. Henry couldn''t help but think she was Elisheba, but he chose to act normally.


    "Do you want me to help serve?"


    "Don''t worry, I can manage on my own. After all, your orders were only directed to those with yellow hair, mine is green," she responded as she approached the large cabinet.


    The cabinet was in the opposite corner from the door that led to the pantry and was flanked by two windows. Beatriz opened the double doors of the transparent cabinet, grabbed several plates, formed a tall stack of more than ten, and carried them to the long countertop next to the cabinet. She carefully set them down and arranged them side by side.


    "But if you want to help, you can wash the small plate used for tasting the food and, when you''re putting it away in the cabinet, take out the spoons from the bottom drawer," explained Beatriz as she pointed out where the spoons were, as if he wasn''t the owner of the mansion.


    Henry, by her behavior, knew she was upset, but he feared asking, as he might break the little will he had gathered in the time he had spent alone with Ceache and Eliza. Besides, he was sure that anything she complained about, she would be right. However, he knew that, sooner or later, she would tell him if she was still the Beatriz he knew and not the great Fidonia mother. However, if he had to tell her something, he hoped it would be in the kitchen, as the smell of his favorite dish wafted through the air and acted as a shield for him and his mood.


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    "Do you mean that plate?" he asked, pointing with his finger to the countertop next to the stove, challenging her, knowing it was the one she was referring to, besides having seen it while Eliza was using it.


    However, Beatriz responded without turning around and with the wooden spoon ready to serve the food in the plate she held in her left hand, "Yes, that''s the one."


    Henry approached the countertop and took the small plate. He headed to the sink, located next to the pantry door for easy washing of fruits, vegetables, and meats. He placed the plate on the sink, shining like silver, and then grabbed a blue stone that was above his head, specifically in a floating cabinet where Eliza had left the tongs and the red stone, which she had previously cooled with the blue stone he had just taken.


    The pantry door opened and the first thing that appeared was a three-tiered metal cart. Henry recognized it instantly, as whenever they gathered to eat, the food was transported by that cart. After all, there were many in the mansion, and it made sense to use something that facilitated the efficient transportation of food.


    "Sorry for the delay, I couldn''t find the jar with the grated cheese," Eliza said after entering with the large cart.


    Those words, combined with the smell of stew in the kitchen, made his stomach growl, so Henry hurried to wash the plate. First, he brought the blue stone to the sink and applied a bit of magic, making the water start flowing. He rinsed it as quickly as he could, without using a sponge or any cleaning product, and dried it with a cloth he took from the cabinet above his head.


    When Henry was about to put away the plate in the cabinet, Eliza approached him, leaving the cart in the center of the kitchen, and said, "Give it to me, I''ll put it away. Since I have to take out the silverware from the drawer," she said, reaching out to take it from him.


    "No need, I''ll take care of everything from now on. I want you to go to the dining room and reassure our guests," replied Henry, taking the small plate away.


    "But..."


    "It''s an order," he interrupted her before she could say anything else and added in a low voice so that only she could hear, "I have something to tell Beatriz."


    Without arguments or anything to object, Eliza nodded her head and performed the bow she used to do when she heard his orders. Then, she began to walk towards the dining room, not without turning to see Henry''s face and her daughter''s back at the same time. With mixed feelings and much concern, Eliza left the kitchen.


    Henry watched her leave and, wasting no more time, went to the cabinet to put away the small plate. He opened it and carefully placed it next to the tea and coffee cups, as he didn''t know exactly where it should be stored. He regretted that, as he disliked not knowing aspects of his own house, but he was reassured when he opened the bottom drawer and found all the silverware neatly arranged.


    "At least I won''t have trouble putting them away when I clean up after eating," he muttered to himself and took the necessary spoons for all the diners. He counted them several times to avoid making mistakes and then approached Beatriz, asking her, "Where do I put the spoons?"


    "Leave them on the cart," she replied as she finished serving the last plate.


    Henry did as she said and left the spoons on the metal cart on the top tier. The steel spoons made quite a noise as they fell on the metal surface, and Henry regretted it, as he didn''t think it would be so annoying. However, Beatriz seemed not to mind, as she had a bigger concern on her mind.


    "What''s going to happen in the future?" she finally asked.


    Henry sighed in relief, as he now understood her discomfort and felt a little better, as he had the same concerns in mind. However, he hadn''t found any answers, so he replied with what he truly believed.


    "I don''t know. But that doesn''t matter as long as we can talk to each other like we did this morning," he replied as he approached Beatriz.


    "I hope not to destroy another part of the mansion again," she commented with a laugh, still holding the plate of food.


    Henry realized and snatched it from her hands, placing it in the long line on the countertop with the others. Then he approached to look inside the pot and said, "Wow, and I thought there would be leftovers with all the ingredients used," he brought his hand to his head in surprise.


    "I feel sorry for poor Pando, she always likes seconds. Besides, I drained a lot of energy from her more than from everyone else," she said apologetically, remembering the events of the morning.


    "I wouldn''t mind making her another dish later, after lunch," said Henry to reassure Beatriz.


    They remained silent for several seconds not knowing what to say, until finally, Beatriz spoke up:


    "We have no time to lose! We need to load the plates onto the cart; they must be hungry."


    Henry helped Beatriz load the plates onto the cart. When they finished, Beatriz hugged him from behind and said, "You''re not alone, remember that. You don''t have to face this whole situation alone; you have me, Eleuteria, Eliza, Ceache, and the others. I know how much you loved Rosa."


    Henry took Beatriz''s hands and replied, "I know, that''s why I feel confident enough to stand up to that impostor."


    "I don''t think she''s an impostor; I think she''s just confused."


    "We''ll see about that."

 Chapter 3 – The Mannequin

    On the ground floor of the enormous mansion, the dining room presented itself as a cozy and familiar space. The three huge windows let in the daylight, bringing life to a large table that occupied the center of the room. The long and wide table had twenty-four seats. Along its length, nine chairs flanked each side, arranged with ceremonial precision, and three chairs across the width.


    The three chairs at the top center were occupied; in the middle sat Henry Frank, the lord and owner of the mansion. To his right was Beatriz, and to the left of the aristocrat was Eleuteria. This arrangement aimed to ensure that the master of the mansion and his most important associates were closer to the kitchen and were the first to be served. However, Henry wasn''t entirely convinced, as he always liked to change places and sides at the table; he enjoyed conversing with his maids. Therefore, he never sat at the top or bottom, leaving those places empty and using only the sides. However, on this occasion, he considered it appropriate for the guests to see who was in charge of the mansion.


    The three guests were seated on the eastern flank of the table, specifically under Beatriz. Rosa led the row, followed by the strange woman and the young canine. Ceache was next to the young one, by Henry''s orders, as Eleuteria had warned that the woman might be an assassin, so he decided it would be good for her to watch over them. On the other hand, Br¨ªnea, Pipi, and Sara took their usual places next to Ceache. They always sat together chatting, playing, and sharing meals, as they were the youngest in the mansion and shared the same interests.


    Henry trusted in Ceache''s strength, so he said nothing to the trio of friends to change places. Moreover, if he did, it could cause unnecessary concerns. On the other hand, on the western flank of the table was Eliza, the first of all, followed by Pando, Mar¨ªa, Dalia, Amelie, Cristina, and Narcisa. They were all enjoying the stew he had prepared, or rather that he had watched Eliza cook. None of the maids, not even the talkative Pipi, spoke as they usually did. The dining room had always been the epicenter of gossip and laughter. However, that day they were all silent, except for the two guests he didn''t know. "Sister, this is delicious," commented the young man. "It lacks meat, but it''s not so bad," opined the strange woman.


    To Henry''s keen ears, that brought him quite some pleasure. Having strangers praise the dishes of his childhood always pleased him. He still remembered when he had prepared a dish for Eleuteria himself, with Eliza''s help; she was delighted, and Henry was content. "I''m glad you like the food," said Henry with a smile towards the, now that he knew, siblings. "It''s not so bad, but I''ve had better," said the woman in response, playing with her spoon and rice, showing herself totally contradictory to what she thought before.


    However, Henry knew that was a lie, as not even in the best restaurants had he found a remotely similar recipe. However, he didn''t mind her showing bad manners, as he had heard her earlier and knew what she really thought.


    "I loved it," said the young man, taking a spoonful to his mouth.


    "I''m glad you like it. What''s your name, young man?" Henry asked, looking at the young man who had just emptied his plate.


    "My name is Nik," he replied with his mouth full.


    "A pleasure, my name is Henry Frank, owner and lord of this mansion," he said, pointing to himself and added, "Although I think you already know who I am, but it''s rude not to introduce oneself properly."


    Henry turned to look at the woman as he said those last words. The woman noticed it and, angry, introduced herself vociferously: "I am Valeri, Ana''s girlfriend!"


    Who is Ana? Henry wondered, but before he could ask her, Rosa began to scold Valeri. "Don''t be like that, please, behave," Rosa gestured embarrassed by what Valeri had just said.


    Everyone watched the scene without knowing how to react. Henry observed the reaction of each of his maids, and more than one gave him a smile when their eyes met, a smile he returned before moving on to the next. Henry was judging the situation and seeing if the others had finished eating so he could start his inquisition on Rosa.


    It was better to let several minutes pass, that was at least what Henry wished. However, his wishes were frustrated when Rosa, as if she remembered what she had come to do, spoke to him. "Henry, do you know what Argentina is? Because I''m not sure of anything anymore."


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    Sure? Did she refer to herself as him? Is she really an impostor? Those questions began to arise in Henry''s head. Confused, he decided to return her question with another question. "Are you an admirer and don''t know what Argentina is?" Henry asked, annoyed. "It''s not that, what I meant is, what is Argentina really?" she asked with a sad look.


    In his head, Henry already knew that this woman was a fraud; however, his heart was touched by her presence and quite vulnerable because of what had happened in the morning. However, he had to be firm and dismantle who was posing as his best friend and the woman he had loved at some point. "Is that really all you came here for, impostor?" Henry asked with a hateful look.


    Rosa was scared by the intensity of his eyes and backed away with the chair and all, making a sliding sound on the floor. Valeri intervened angrily and said: "Hey! Ana just came to seek answers about who she is!" She stood up annoyed and hit the table with both hands.


    Ceache stood up, and Nik did the same as he took out a knife from his right pocket. Eleuteria, frightened, grabbed Henry''s hand, while Beatriz remained calm and watched the scene without flinching. On the other hand, the girls began to stand up, nervous. Only Mar¨ªa, Dalia, and Eliza remained seated. "Silence! Ceache, sit down!" he ordered angrily, pointing his index finger at her.


    Ceache sat down again and apologized: "I''m really sorry."


    Nik followed suit and sat back down, tucking his knife into his pants pocket. Henry turned to look at the girl who had started the fight, and, remembering Eleuteria''s warning words and the daggers she displayed in her presence in the living room, Henry focused on her attire and glimpsed a shiny fabric. It must be a light chainmail over a poorly buttoned black shirt, as it gave her a very pronounced neckline. However, although he had an incredible vision to see the scars that adorned her chest, he didn''t have the ability to see through her clothes and discover where she hid her weapons. However, he remembered seeing her take out double daggers from her back, presumably from her dark gray baggy pants, besides hearing the clinking of metal coming from her lower part, including her short black boots. "Hey? Are you looking at my breasts?" Valeri said seductively as she cupped them with both hands.


    Henry couldn''t believe the clownish display of that woman in such a serious and tense situation. However, he didn''t let himself be carried away by her and said: "You''re a beautiful woman like any other. However, I''m not interested in vulgar women like you," he said mockingly and continued to see what she was about to reply. "Don''t get me wrong! You don''t know me. Besides, I''ve had the kindness to put up with you in my house, despite sneaking in like vulgar thieves just because that woman," he pointed to Rosa, ". Is pretending to be a dead friend and I want to know why."


    The girls who had stood up sat back down, convinced that there was no reason to worry and letting themselves be carried away by Henry''s assertive words. While Br¨ªnea released her venom, Pipi and Sara tried to calm her down by holding her hand; they remained standing, apart in the corner of the dining room. Eliza noticed from a distance and felt bad for not being able to do anything for the poor girl. Also, she felt indebted to her, as she had taken care of her when she was unconscious. However, she decided to trust her daughters, who knew her better than she did, as she had little interaction with Br¨ªnea.


    When Valeri was about to say something, Rosa took her hand and looked her in the eyes. Without words, she understood her silent plea. Valeri sat down again and said: "I''m sorry..." "Wow, I had never seen my sister apologize to an aristocrat," mumbled Nik between laughs. "You''ll see later when we get out of here," muttered Valeri, angry.


    Henry heard them and felt satisfied with their display of toughness, but deep down, he knew that it was the impostor who had calmed the waters. However, that reminded him of the old Rosa and how she always remained calm in the face of difficulties; he hoped that maybe it was her indeed. "I want you to answer me one thing," said Henry, fixing his gaze on Rosa as he released Eleuteria''s hand to gently rest both elbows on the table, finally letting both hands fall.


    "Okay," she replied, looking back at him seriously.


    Henry could hear the sound of their hands touching, and he knew that Valeri was holding his hand, reminding him of Eleuteria, and he felt motivated knowing that he was not alone, as Beatriz had told him in the kitchen while hugging him. Determined, he asked the question. "Which of these ten fingers did your daughter Ana take when she first saw me?" Henry wiggled his ten fingers as he awaited her response.


    "If I answer correctly, will you answer my questions?" Rosa asked defiantly, following Henry''s fingers with her eyes. "All of them, I''ll even tell you what''s behind the door of my study," Henry replied with a grin from ear to ear, knowing that she wouldn''t be able to answer correctly.


    The maids began to murmur intrigued, as no one had ever seen what was behind that door. They imagined all sorts of things, from war decorations to money stored in large safes. However, they all fell silent when Rosa spoke. "The index finger of the right hand," Rosa replied hesitantly.


    "Is that your final answer?"

 Part 1 – A Distant Memory

    It was morning, nearing noon. Henry was in his study, immersed in the attempt to write.


    "Beatriz, can you stay still?" Henry asked the restless girl who was sitting on his lap.


    Beatriz''s laughter filled the room. She began to move even more, but far from bothering him, Henry found it very amusing. He began to gently rock the leg she was sitting on, playing along but careful not to let her fall. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door; someone was calling from outside.


    Henry listened attentively and said to the little girl, "Beatriz, I think it''s your mother. Can you get up? I must attend to her."


    "Alright," she replied, agilely getting back on the floor. Then she asked, curious, "How do you know it''s my mom?"


    "By the particular rhythm of her knocks and the muffled sound of her footsteps as she walks. Besides, none of your sisters usually knock on the door," Henry replied, tousling Beatriz''s short green hair.


    She gently moved his hand away and asked, amazed, "Can you know all that just by listening?"


    "That''s right."


    "Incredible," she murmured as she quickly ran her fingers through her hair.


    However, Henry sensed that Eliza was not alone; someone else accompanied her. The footsteps of that person were heavy, as if carrying something in their arms.


    Henry approached the door slowly and opened it, revealing Eliza''s smiling face and an unknown woman accompanying her. Upon discovering who it was, excitement flooded him; it had been several months since she last visited.


    "Sir, Rosa has come to see you," Eliza announced with a slight bow, then stepped back to leave them alone.


    "So long, Henry!" Rosa greeted him, holding a little baby girl in her arms who was looking at Henry curiously, tilting her head from side to side.


    Henry was speechless, not knowing what to say. Although he longed to see her again, he did not expect to find her with a baby, despite knowing of her recent birth. But before he could articulate a word, Beatriz peeked out from behind Henry, as curious as the little girl, to see who the guest was. She recognized her instantly and went out radiant to greet her.


    "Mrs. Rosa, I missed you so much!" she exclaimed, stopping when she noticed the baby in her arms. "Oh, I hadn''t seen her."


    "How rude of me," Henry said, realizing he hadn''t invited her in. He stepped aside from the door, gesturing to her, and added, "Please, come in."


    Rosa entered the study and looked around, noting that the place hadn''t changed much. She scanned the wide shelves filled with books and notebooks. Longingly, she ran her fingers over the spines of some volumes. Then, she focused her attention on a large continental map pinned to the wall next to the library. Turning to Henry, she asked, "Where is this map from?" She approached to examine the names of countries, rivers, and seas drawn on the paper. The baby in her arms reached out her little hands towards it, so Rosa moved away to prevent her from grabbing it.


    "It''s the map of Henry''s new novel," Beatriz interjected. "He''s been working on it for months."


    "Well, I wanted it to be perfect," Henry explained, rubbing his hair with some shyness.


    "Is it the novel you mentioned last time?" Rosa asked, not taking her eyes off the continent named "America."


    "That''s right."


    "Argentina..." Rosa muttered to herself and, stroking her baby''s back, asked, "Does it have a title yet?"


    "It''s called ''The Mannequin''!" Beatriz eagerly responded. "The story is quite sad. I still can''t believe that..."


    Henry covered her mouth to prevent her from revealing too much.


    "Don''t spoil the plot; it''s a surprise," he whispered, then released her.


    "Your hands smell horrible," the girl remarked, wrinkling her nose in disgust.


    "Sorry, it must be the ink," he apologized.


    Rosa couldn''t help but laugh, infecting the baby with her laughter.


    "I''m sorry, I couldn''t help it; Beatriz made a very funny face," Rosa said between laughs, shaking the baby with her laughter.


    "Don''t make fun of me; we have a very sensitive sense of smell," Beatriz grumbled, crossing her arms.


    Henry took his pen and lightly scribbled on his left palm. Then he brought his hand to Beatriz''s tiny nose, and she made another funny face.


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    "You''re right, her face is very funny," Henry admitted between contained laughter.


    "I''ll tell mom you''re bothering me!" the girl threatened, quickly heading for the door.


    "And I''ll tell her you wouldn''t let me write," he challenged.


    Realizing her defeat, the little girl left the study grumbling, closing the door softly so as not to scare the baby.


    "She''ll get over it, don''t worry," Henry reassured her.


    "She seems very energetic, like my Ana," Rosa commented, rocking her daughter.


    "Is it a girl?" he asked, curious.


    "Yes, her name is Ana," the mother confirmed, gazing at her baby with tenderness. The little one reached out her chubby hands towards Henry.


    From the first moment, Henry had noticed Ana''s intentions, and this was confirmed when she reached out her arms in his direction again, mimicking the gesture she had made before with the map. He decided to ask, "Ana, are you trying to grab my horns?"


    "She''s curious about everything new," Rosa justified, cradling the child. "Don''t mind her."


    "It doesn''t bother me at all," he reassured her. He knelt down to be at Ana''s eye level and added, "If you want to touch them, go ahead. Don''t be afraid."


    Rosa looked at him, unsure of how to react. But Ana didn''t hesitate for a moment and reached out her hands towards the curved horns protruding from Henry''s head, although she couldn''t reach them. Finally, Rosa agreed and carefully brought the baby closer, who tried to grasp them unsuccessfully; they were too wide for her little fingers. Satisfied with her curiosity, the little girl withdrew her hands, and her mother cradled her again against her chest.


    Henry stood up with a smile and commented, "For a moment, I thought she wouldn''t let go. She has a lot of strength in those tiny hands," he said, straightening up in front of Rosa.


    She remained silent for a moment, as if sorting out her thoughts, before speaking:


    "The first time I read one of your books, I was just a child. For my tenth birthday, my parents gave me ''Argentina,'' your fantasy novel. I completely fell in love with your stories and how you told them, and since then, I have followed all your work..." she looked at the spine of the book, evoking memories.


    After a thoughtful pause, she continued:


    "For me, you were just an admired writer, but when I got married, Ferdinand gave me a signed edition of ''Argentina'' as a wedding gift. Knowing my love for reading, he brought me to meet you. I just wanted to meet my favorite author," tears began to roll down her cheeks.


    Henry approached, moved, but stopped when he saw that she wasn''t finished yet.


    "What started as an occasional visit became recurrent. And then I realized that I had fallen in love, so I asked Ferdinand what his job was when he came here every three months."


    "It''s not his fault," Henry interrupted her. "He''s the magical artisan in charge of my choker, the one that keeps me prisoner in this mansion," he explained, instinctively touching his neck.


    "I was unaware of it, but he knew perfectly well. I tried to convince him to set you free, but he refused, saying that we would be executed. I distanced myself from this place, from you, and decided to have a child, thinking that would make me forget you. And yet, here I am, crying like a lovestruck teenager," Rosa confessed, shedding the last contained tears.


    Henry went to his desk, opened the drawer, and took out a small book titled "The Mannequin." He approached Rosa and said, "I want you to take this farewell gift. It''s the first edition, signed for you. In fact, I was planning to send it to you as a gift for the birth of your daughter, although I didn''t know her name then," he opened the book and scribbled something on the first page. "There, now it says ''And also for Ana.'' It''s a shorter story than the previous ones, but I hope you enjoy it."


    Henry tucked the book into one of Rosa''s coat pockets. Then he returned to the desk and confessed, turning his back to her, "I loved you too. The only way not to think about you was to write, although I still ended up remembering you. I want you to leave and never come back," he turned to look her in the eyes. "Your husband came last night and gave me this," he pulled a small white key from his pocket. "With it, I can remove the collar, but I won''t leave this house because of the promise I made to her."


    He lowered his gaze with sorrow and added, "Go and don''t come back. Your life is in danger. Maybe being noble will save you from execution, but you wouldn''t see your daughter again. Ferdinand really loves you, enough to risk everything. Go and don''t look back."


    Rosa longed to embrace and kiss him, but the baby prevented her. Still, with a heavy heart and a lump in her throat, she obeyed his words. They bid each other farewell in silence, with just a glance. After this, Rosa understood why Ferdinand insisted so much on leaving the empire and fleeing to the neighboring kingdom.


    Henry gallantly opened the door for her, and Rosa began to walk away, holding back her tears. She crossed the library without stopping to browse the books as she used to, and Eliza was waiting for her outside. She turned once more in search of Henry, but there was no trace of him; the door of the study was already closed. Silently, the maid led her out of the mansion. That would be the last time they would see each other.


    Henry, furious, let himself fall onto his desk and began to tear apart all the manuscripts and love letters he never managed to finish writing to her. Although he was happy for Rosa knowing she was married to someone who loved her and was willing to do anything for her, he couldn''t help but feel a profound sadness, and tears of helplessness welled up in his eyes.


    After Rosa''s departure, Henry, enraged, collapsed onto his desk and began to tear apart all the manuscripts and love letters he had never finished writing to her. Although he was happy for her knowing that her husband loved her unconditionally, he couldn''t help but feel a deep sadness threatening to devour him from within.


    He took the small white key and contemplated it, pensive. Then, with determination, he brought it to his neck. The choker came loose, falling onto the table with a metallic sound that echoed through the walls. As he freed himself from it, Henry realized that he had completed the first phase of his plan.


    He stood up upon hearing the sound of a car driving away from the mansion. He peeked out the window just in time to see a car moving down the road. He squinted his eyes and distinguished Rosa''s silhouette in the rear window, tearful, casting one last look at the house. For a fleeting moment, their eyes met before the vehicle disappeared from his sight. Henry closed the curtain and walked towards a door next to the window. He took out a key, inserted it into the lock, and opened it.


    With determination, Henry entered the dark room, and as he clapped his hands lightly, the lights came on, revealing in the center a huge black egg. With a mixture of excitement and seriousness, he placed his hand on the smooth surface of the egg and murmured, "Now I just need to find Sargonas Xul''tharac."


    He wiped the tears from his cheeks and smiled at the mysterious egg, as if seeking some kind of response from it. Then, he left the room, closing the door and locking it behind him. Back in his study, his face took on a determined expression. The second phase of his plan was underway.