“...What was that?”
“Is that person really Lady Ceres?”
“I still have goosebumps...”
The three maids finally found their voices after a long while. They still stood there in a daze, unable to pull their eyes away from the spot where Ceres had left.
What in the world did they witness? If they told anyone, would they believe it? After all, that was none other than Ceres.
“Uh...?! Aaaah!”
“Wh-what...? Gasp!”
“W-what is this?!”
One maid suddenly screamed, and the other two whipped their heads around at once. Their eyes widened at what they saw.
“Th-the clothes!”
“Aaaah!”
“What happened to them?!”
The clothes piled in the wash tub looked strange.
They were perfectly fine just moments ago, so how did the colors change like this?
The fabrics all faded into a sickly yellow, their original colors completely unrecognizable.
The maids could do nothing but keep screaming.
.
.
.
Chapter 2: The One Who Turns Back Time
BANG!
“Ceres!”
Ceres, who had been spending time leisurely, pushed herself up from the bed when she saw Antonian rush into the room.
“Ceres, what on earth did you do...!”
“Oh, little bro.”
Come here, come here.
“.....?”
Ceres kept a warm smile as she beckoned him closer, playing the part of a gentle older sister.
She tilted her head.
Why was he suddenly spacing out?
“Come here already.”
“...Alright.”
She watched him as he approached with a strangely dazed expression, as if under a spell. The moment he stepped close enough to reach—
Squeeeze!
“Aaaah!”
“It seems my dear little brother has forgotten his basic manners.”
“Ah! Ow, ow! That hurts!”
“What are you supposed to do before entering someone else’s room?”
“It hurts! I said it hurts!”
“Answer me.”
“K-knock!”
“Good. You do know.”
Only then did Ceres release his cheek. Antonian quickly stumbled back while clutching his stinging face with both hands.
Is she seriously crazy?
She had never touched him before, even as a joke, let alone pinching his cheek like this. Antonian couldn’t hide his confusion as he recalled the Ceres he knew.
Did losing her memory really change her personality that much?
“So?”
“......”
“What did you come here for?”
“......”
“Hmm, it seems my little brother has no intention of answering his sister’s question. Is it that good? Chewing up your sister’s words like that?”
“N-no!”
Still slightly dazed, Antonian hurriedly shook his head when he saw Ceres reaching toward him with both hands again.
“What exactly did you do?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I heard you messed with Aunt’s maids!”
“Hmm?”
Has the rumor already spread? That was fast.
Still...
What’s the big deal for him to come running over like it’s some kind of disaster?
“Mess with them? I never did that.”
“You didn’t?”
“Nope.”
“...Right. There’s no way you’d do something like throwing water on people...”
“I did throw water, though.”
“...What?”
“They kept whining about doing the laundry, so I decided to be kind in my own way.”
“Uh... what?”
“I should’ve gone all the way and scrubbed them with soap too.”
Ceres clicked her tongue in regret. Antonian stared at her with his mouth hanging open.
“W-what are you even saying? Then it’s true?!”
A commotion had broken out not long ago, starting from the quarters where their aunt was staying.
“Aaaah! What is this?! My clothes!”
“M-Madam, that is...”
“What happened?! Why are my clothes like this?!”
“We’re sorry! We’re so sorry!”
“No! Even the dress I worked so hard to get!”
Her shrill screams echoed throughout the entire mansion. Every piece of clothing she had sent out for washing was completely ruined.
The clothes looked like they had been rotting in storage for decades, so worn that there was no saving them.
The maids rushed to report everything that had happened with Ceres. When Antonian heard it, he ran straight here.
There’s no way...
Upon hearing that his sister had thrown water at the maids, he simply couldn’t believe it. She had been acting strange lately, but surely she wouldn’t go that far.
He was certain the maids were framing Ceres again. They often pushed their own mistakes onto Ceres, who had nothing to do with them.
Each time, Ceres couldn’t defend herself and would just cry alone.
“Did you really mess with them?”
“Mess with them? I told you I didn’t. That’s what they said?”
A deep smile curled at Ceres’s lips.
I should set aside some time to have a proper talk with them. It seems they weren’t punished enough.
Her unbothered attitude made Antonian feel like his insides were burning. He stamped his feet and shouted in frustration.
“Why would you do something like that?!”
“What?”
“I’m asking why you threw water on them!”
“To help with the laundry.”
“Ceres!”
Is that seriously her excuse? Laundry? Why does she keep going on about laundry?
“I can hear you just fine even if you lower your voice, little brother.”
“Aunt is very angry!”
Watching how carefree she was in contrast to himself, Antonian felt a headache coming. His mind was already in turmoil, and with Ceres acting like this, it was driving him mad.
Her next words only pushed him over the edge.
“So?”
“W-what do you mean, so? I said Aunt is angry!”
“What does that have to do with me?”
What did he expect her to do?
“Do you want me to go act cute and try to calm her down?”
I’m not exactly good at that.
“That’s not what I mean!”
Antonian shouted incredulously.
Wasn’t Ceres always the most careful and afraid of their aunt more than anyone? Whenever their aunt was in a bad mood, Ceres wouldn’t step out of her room.
And yet...
“Those clothes must have been quite expensive.”
...Is she seriously laughing right now?
Seeing Ceres openly stifle a laugh, Antonian felt his head spin.
Is that person really his sister?
“A-anyway... just be careful.”
He had no idea what was going on, but he still forced out a warning.
Ever since Ceres lost her memory, he had been trying to keep her as far away from their aunt as possible. However, things only seemed to get more complicated.
“Hmm.”
Ceres looked at Antonian with a slightly curious gaze.
So he worries about me just because I’m his sister?
Having lost her parents at a young age, their faces now were just a blur. The idea of family still felt unfamiliar to her.
A younger brother...
It feels a bit strange.
That aside, another question came to mind.
“If Aunt is in a bad mood, why should I be the one being careful?”
Wouldn’t anyone find that strange? If that aunt takes out her bad mood on her niece and nephew—
“Interesting.”
“I-interesting? What’s interesting about that?! Stop talking nonsense and please be more careful!”
“Why?”
“What?”
“Why do I need to be careful?”
“That’s...!”
“That’s?”
“...You’ll understand eventually.”
Antonian tried to say more but swallowed his words with a sigh.
There he goes again.
For someone so young, he sure holds back a lot. He was like that the first time she met him too, always stopping himself halfway through.
“Just stay careful until Aunt calms down.”
After repeating his warning firmly, Antonian turned to leave.
“...Huh?”
But he stopped after only a few steps. In his rush earlier, he hadn’t noticed it at all.
Step.
...What is this?
Step, step.
He moved forward cautiously. His gaze was fixed on the floor, confusion filling his eyes.
Why isn’t it making any sound?
This floor always made those strange, creaking noises. Not just here, either. The whole house was so run-down it almost screamed with every step.
But...
Strangely, there was no sound at all in this room. Just moments ago, the hallway was filled with those awful creaks, so why was it silent here?
“What? Do you have something else to say?”
“Ah... no.”
At the puzzled look Ceres gave him, as if asking why he was still standing there, Antonian started walking again. His gaze still lingered on the floor.
Step.
“Hmm.”
After Antonian left, Ceres slowly rose from her seat and walked toward the window.
“Did I turn back time too much? The clothes did look expensive, but the reaction is more extreme than I expected.”