...

"Master Nobuo, you have a visitor. Horice Hachemon, she says."

The hand sweeping methodically over the surface of the scroll with wet strokes of black ink momentarily stopped, almost indecisive in it's manner before putting the pen back in it's place. With eyebrows drawn together, the owner of the hands leaned back and finally faced his servant, taking note of the side looks being thrown his way.

"A Hachemon?" Was the question that first came out of his mouth, for it was the first thing he caught.

"Yes, I believe she's the late advisor's daughter. I couldn't have recognized her if it weren't for the name."

"This is a surprise. I thought that family perished years ago," he thought aloud, letting his discomfort out in a sigh.

"The girl survived her family, however unfortunate her fate may have become from the looks of it."

"What a shame."

"Indeed."

A lone clock ticked loudly somewhere, with him counting the seconds silently when quiet overcame the room in his deep thinking.

As if from a deep slumber, his mind slowly awakened to regard the matter again.

The old man waited patiently for a response but none came, it seems the master had retreated to his own world yet again.

"She's by the main courtyard, should you decide to see her now sir. But if not, I could send..."

"Please show me to her, Mr Gum," he said softly, deciding there was no point in letting the estranged guest waiting. Simultaneously, the hand smeared with black paint disappeared in the folds of his robe while he stood up from his perch.

"Yes, of course, my lord."

Mr Gum exited the darkened room of the private quarters, with the owner close behind.

What could the strange girl possibly want? That was the question.

The Halls of Valarn was a maze of hallways connecting a series of traditional Pavilions for it was built long ago when emperors ruled the land, a relic of time now left to a slow disintegration that even the young surviving heir couldn't save.

Everything should be in a museum, but he preferred the artifacts of his House be hidden away from the prying eyes of society.

Miss Hachemon stood at the center of the courtyard, a lone figure in a man's outfit. Yes, it looked like something the servants would wear, it was a very fitting sight. If the girl came all the way from the city to this desolate countryside, her purpose should be one of two things: to take a tour of the ancient place, or to look for a job. Whichever it was.

He had recently let the maids in charge of the east part of the Pavilions go, for personal reasons, and because those parts never gets used. The interesting guest could have a whole lineup of opportunities for her by this time.

The master smirked inwardly.

A fair opportunity, at that.

Their presence was not immediately acknowledged when they drew closer, feet and gowns sweeping the gravelled courtyard and all. It was evident how preoccupied the girl was with the view of the pond and it's inhabitants.

"Miss Hachemon?" the housekeeper began, nearing the girl at the edge with hands behind his back.

Something must be very interesting about that pond, the large koi fish perhaps? She looks at them as if it's her first time seeing fish. Lord Nobuo's eyebrow raised a notch as the girl retrieved her hand from the waters and whipped her head about to look at them with startled dark eyes.

"Oh, you're back already, Mr Gum," she said, brushing the dirt off her knees while standing up.

"The master is here to see you."

...

Horice felt like she entered a crypt where she'll never get out and end up dying without ever seeing the light again.

It's so stuffy in this dark room, can I at least open those very huge windows? What are they here for but to let air circulate in? She thought in despair.

"...as I was saying, we can't go on in the conversation unless you give me a letter." Lord Nobuo's voice said loudly this time drawing her out of unprecedented thoughts.

"A letter?"

From the opposite end of the long wooden table, he nodded his half-obscured head in the darkness.

"That's all I need, miss Hachemon."

Uneasiness swelled in the pit of Horice's stomach.

"But I don't have that, I only brought these. I thought certificates were enough for an interview?" she countered, pointing towards the papers he already held idle in his long fingers.

"You don't get it," he shot back, and the papers plopped back onto the table, "a letter would only suffice for me, I have no use of these things."

Horice clutched her knuckles, trying to keep it together. No, this was her last resort. This was by far the best place out of the houses she'd visited, no, she can't back down now.

Just what kind of letter does this man need, anyway?

"Lord Nobuo-"

"Finn," he interrupted, making the already anxious girl flinch visibly, "but they call me master in this House."

The whole vibe of this place is off-putting enough, but nothing could be more scarier than the master sitting right now in front of her. Anyone wouldn't feel at ease in his presence, especially with the power he held and those searching eyes of his.

"And what kind of letter do you need, master?" She asked with hesitation.

"You'll see, because you can only get it from my advisor in Gosen. I thought you scholars knew of how these things were done?"

Horice felt all the color drain from her face after hearing those words.

Gosen? Back to freaking Gosen??

After traveling two whole days just to get from there to this place?

She could already feel her resolve faltering in that moment. There was no way she could go through that again. Well, maybe if only she had the money, but that is just too embarrassing to admit.

"I... I'm afraid I can't go back to Gosen," she croaked, gazing down at the rough entwined hands on her lap.

Finn's ear and eyebrow twitched with interest in regards to the girl's unexpected answer. For a moment he was fascinated by watching the sunburned almond face transform from that of determination to a sad, forlorn one.

"Eh?"

"Forgive me for saying this but, don't you think invitation letters are a bit too outdated nowadays?"

"It is not an invitation letter," he said with voice dripping of indignation.

Alright, my bad, Horice was tempted to utter but she kept her mouth shut.

"It seems you don't want this job as much as I thought, miss Hachemon." He leaned in for the first time, showing his whole face again. Those cat-like eyes gleamed with mischief, mirroring the girl in it's depths.

"If that is the case, then the doors are wide open."

What unusual eyes he has.

For some reason, she couldn't seem to take her eyes off the face of the master now. It was a deceptively beautiful face, the type that men and women would kill to have. Unfortunately the cunning, unkind eyes and his eternal pissed resting face took away some of that beauty.

Finn didn't know what to make of miss Hachemon anymore, she wasn't agreeing, only merely being disagreeable with that impertinent mouth of hers. Anyways, what was up with that look?

Crickets.

He cleared his throat. "So what's it gonna be?"

The harsh sound of the chair scraping on the precious volcanic floors grated on his nerves, when Horice stood up and gathered her brown backpack without ceremony.