Ersia: Raven Dawn

It's 8 AM in the morning. Lisabelle is studying in her room while Viena is in the living room writing something on a paper. Randia who had just returned was taken by surprise. He walked closer to her to see what the little girl was writing.

"What are you doing, Viena?"

"Hm? I'm making a shopping list."

"You can write?"

"Papa, you are looking down on me too much. I can easily write 150 words now, you know?!" Viena looking proud of herself.

Instead of making snarky comments like he always did, Randia patted the little girl's head. He caressed her very gently again and again without saying a word, until Viena feels shy about it. She puts down her quill and stops Randia's hands with both of hers. Then she looked up to Randia with a slightly reddened face.

"Papa, you are acting weird. What's wrong?"

Randia sits beside Viena. His weight alone makes the sofa cushion sunken and makes Viena who is sitting close to him rolled over. She laughs and laughs even more when Randia tickles her for no reason at all with a slight smile on his face. He only stopped after the little girl is tired of laughing.

"Hehehe! Seriously what's wrong with you?" Viena lays her head on Randia's thigh staring up to Randia's face.

"Do you like it here, Viena?"

"Huh? Of course, I am! Why are you asking that?"

"Then, do you want to stay here?"

"Yes! Are you finally made up your mind?! Yeay! We are going to stay here like this forever!"

Looking at how overjoyed Viena is, Randia didn't deny her words right away. He just keep stroking her hair ever so fondly, even without him realizing it.

"What if there will only be the three of you?"

"What do you mean? N-No!"

Viena immediately gets up and sits on Randia's lap, tugging to his clothes. Her face is mixed with emotions, but mostly fear.

"No! Papa! Where are you going?!" Viena asked again.

"I'm just asking a question."

"NO! I won't let you go!"

Viena hugs Randia and slowly started tearing on his chest. Then, Randia stroke her hair again with the same fondness no less. In this moment, he did something that would forever etch in Viena's deepest and most precious memory.

"Having a daughter is so troublesome," Randia sighed and embracing all of Viena's small body with his big arms. 

". . . Papa don't go, okay?"

"I don't even dare to imagine what would you do if I'm not keeping an eye on you. 

"That's right. I will destroy the world if you leave me," said Viena as she hammering her fists to Randia's chest.

"Alright, let's not do that."

"Hehehe."

---

 

Afterwards, Randia leave the house to work at the cathedral, while Viena continues whatever she was doing. The day goes as usual without anything out of the ordinary.

It's 5 PM in the afternoon. Randia, who was working in the cathedral, tidy up his tools and put them on his bag, preparing to wrap up his daily shift as one of many outsourced medevists. That day is a weary one, especially when he became both the people and the cathedral’s favorite. He lost count of how many patients he handled by the end of the day. His attendants said that he served almost twice the number of the other medevist, with thrice the level of complication.

“You have been working tirelessly, Lord Ran. Even during the day of the trial of the Arbona girl, you went straight to work half-day afterwards. If you want, we can talk to the officials to put some extra coins for you,” a male attendant explained.

“You don’t have to. Just make sure to restock the supplies for tomorrow.”

“But-“

When a female attendant wanted to retort and overstepped, Randia put holds her shoulders. His eyes looking straight into hers, carefully and thoughtfully. Then, he handed out a small pouch of powder and a vial. He gave the vial to the male attendant and the pouch to the woman.

“I noticed that you’ve been overworking yourself, Willard. Take this supplement before you sleep tonight. And this one is for you, Milla. Mix it with water and apply it on your face. It will prevent wrinkles. Don’t forget to rest properly.”

Randia leaves the room and both of his attendants on their own.

“He even looked out for us on top of having taught us a lot of things our books don’t.  It’s truly strange that none of us have ever heard anything about a medevist of his caliber,” Willard wonderstruck.

“. . . Is he married yet?”

“Huh?”

“I think I’m in love,” Milla holds her pouch close to her chest.

Willard immediately smack Milla's head with the bundle of paper in his hands. He also gives her dust cloth and points at the table, telling her to help him tidy up the room and make it ready for the medevist who will be working for the next shift.

"Quit it, Milla. He won't be interested with the likes of you."

"What?! Why?! I'll remind you that I'm just an intern and my family is actually quite rich, you know?!" Milla grasp the cloth distempered.

"Sigh. Do you know my aunt?"

"Lady Marjorie? The wife of Earl Beldive?"

"Beldive house has seven children. Five days ago, my aunt offered her youngest daughter to Lord Ran."

"WHAT?!"

"Young Lady Celia was brought here that day. She had severe allergy to nut, and unfortunately took a bite of a cookie made of that very same ingredient. She was so blue when they brought her here that she could've died anytime soon. Even I was so lost at what to do as soon as I saw her."

"Wait, wait. How come I didn't hear anything about this?"

Willard turns his attention to Milla with a questioning face. He is so astonished to hear her question.

"Milla oh Milla, why would we make a fuss about it? Take a step back and think a little. How could such a thing happen to a daughter of an Earl in the first place? It's not an overstatement to say that it might be an assassination attempt. Can't you imagine what will happen to Young Lady Celia if we tell everyone that she has almost died to nuts?"

Milla turns silent. She imagines being Young Lady Celia, who is unable to eat anything in fear of poisoning attempt had her allergy to nuts is known to everyone, and then died of starvation. Foolish question she had asked, and she feels embarrassed.

"So, Lord Ran saved her?"

"Yes. It takes great skill of Velda to deal with anaphylaxis. To make it easy for you to imagine. It's like redirecting a river in a heavy rainstorm and make sure every flood panel works harmoniously all by yourself. Poor handling of the surges of meta can either instantly kill the patient, trigger even more troublesome body mechanism, or turns the patient into a cardiac cripple with their heart no longer able to function properly even if they survived," Willard stares at his own blurry reflection on the bucket of water.

"Err . . . Is that even humanly possible?"

"I'm sure there are less than fifty medevists can pull such a stunt in this whole world. You know what? Six people were present at the time, and not a single one of us even dare to make a noise with our breathing during the fifteen minutes procedure."

The way Willard delivers the story makes Milla admire Randia even more. She couldn't say anything and just wiping the floor and table silently.

"If I try very hard, do you think there's a chance for me to-"

"No."

"Wha-! I haven't even finished my question!"

"Be realistic, Milla. He refused the way of instant wealth, fortune, and honor of marrying a high-ranking - beautiful and juvenile 16 years old noble. How will you, a sorry woman in their thirty could ever-"

*Slap*

"You jerk! I'm still 22! I'm still within the prime years of marriage you know?!"

". . . And this easily distempered behavior on top of that. I sincerely wish you nothing but good luck for your coming days."

"Aaagh! I'd rather you nag back at me than putting it like that! M-Maybe Lord Ran just simply wasn't interested in young woman?! What if she's more into the charm of a mature woman?!"

Willard put his hand on his chin, thinking. He is actually putting Milla's words into consideration. 'Does being a good medevist require such a taste in woman?', 'Will I be able to be as good as him if I take his every step as example?'. However, the thought perishes when he remembered something that happened just today.

"No, I don't think so. This morning, we had a very gorgeous patient. She is so well-endowed in the right places, and her demeanor and choices of words are very alluring. Even all the men of this place talks about her during lunch. Yet, despite all that, this woman looks like she only has her eyes on Lord Ran and ignoring everyone else. Heck, I don't even think she was sick at all. I think she just came here to see him."

"Heey, how come I always missed on important things that happens in this place? Oh goddess! So, what did Lord Ran do?"

"He treats her like everyone else. Not a single interest or unnecessary words between them. Maybe that's why she looked a little irritated when she left."

"Hm . . . Lord Ran doesn't like mature woman, and he doesn't like young woman also . . . Does he even like women?"

When Milla said this, both of them gasped.

"G-Gay?!"

"G-Gay?!"

While the two are busy talking with each other, Randia had entered the room since a while ago without them noticing. He overheard the last sentences of the two and took a deep sigh. The two were so startled they bump the bucket next to them until it spills over everywhere.

"L-L-Lord Ran! I-We don't hear your footsteps at all! I mean - Good evening! Eh - No, W-What can I help you with?"

"L-Lord Ran! My deepest apology! She started it!"

"WHAT?! Willard, you-!"

"I want to ask you something," Randia cuts their tomfoolery.

This time, for the first time, the two adjutants of Randia saw something different on Randia's face. The usually calm and composed face is not there. His eyes are darting around anxiously, his brows are furrowed, and he face is looking tense although he tries his best not to show it to others.

"Do any of you perhaps rummaging through my bag?"

Willard and Milla looked at each other before answering him.

"My lord, I wouldn't dare to do so."

"My lord, I only take the necessary things you need from your bag only as per your instructions, and you were always there to see it."

Randia didn't answer and just staring at the two adjutants that are kneeling before him.

"Do any of you see or take a pair of rings from my bag?"

"My lord, in the goddess's name, I would never do such a thing."

"I am not raised by my parents to do such a lowly act, my lord. Please tell us how we can convince you."

Randia then kneels also to make himself on the same level as the Willard and Milla.

"I lost something so precious. It's a pair of rings adorned with pink diamonds. If you took it, please give it back to me, and I will do and give anything you want. If you had sold it to someone, please tell me, I wouldn't be angry or press a charge on you. If you are being truthful to your words, please help me find it."

After a brief pause to process everything, Willard nodded and slightly bowed to Randia.

"We will assist you by any means, my lord."

"Thank you, Willard, Milla. Please do let me know if you find any lead."

Randia bowed back to Willard and Milla before standing up again and wanting to leave the place to continue his search for his rings. However, before he left for good, he walked back slowly and turn his face to his adjutants once more. He also raised a finger as if wanting to make a point.

"And um . . . just to make it clear between us. I am not gay."

Willard and Milla instantly gets so red from embarrassment. They don't dare to see Randia in his face after he say those words, and just keep their heads down until Randia finally leaves the room and the cathedral.