I still need to tip-toe just to see the other pathways but the case was different for Brother Lein because he could easily see the whole maze-like while we were walking. He was towering and the plant walls only reached his waist.
There was an old tree standing in the middle of the garden and it was serve as the centre of the maze-like so Brother Lein immediately lead us there. The place was wide open with grasses underneath our feet and some plants were placed beside the entrance of the pathways.
The children paused and glanced at us when we got there. There number would not be greater than 15. Some of the children I saw earlier were not here.
They suddenly have this look on their faces as if they remembered something important and the look on their eyes on how they looked at me back to the banquet had returned.
The way they look at me was really bothering. Their eyes seemed so hopeful and at the same time, blank and aloof while looking at me.
They looked at each other first before a smile crept on their lips.
How weird.
It felt like they were somehow controlled by something eventhough I know that they were not.
They suddenly approached us but Brother Maxlein quickly pulled me to hide behind him.
I held the hem of his coat and peeked infront of him.
"Hey, kiddos, do you not dare go too close from us." Brother Lein warned brusquely and a little sharp but they just ignored him and went nearer.
"Hey! You are already old! Why are you here?!" one of the boys asked Lein.
"Brat. I am not that old. I am still a 9 year old!" Lein replied with a scoff. Ugh. This is it. He talked back to the kid, of course, I would not forget how childish he is.
He was clearly annoyed with the kid and I was worried that if the arguement continues. Lein might throw them literally.
"But still, you are older than us!" one of the kids butted in and stick his tongue out. Before Brother Lein becomes a dragon and throw the children for real, I jump just right in the midle of the show.
These brats infront of us would refuse to listen since they hated my father's sons for being peculiar.
Lein suddenly looked at me like a puppy trying to be cute infront of me so I would not nag at him. Why did I feel like I was sparkling in his eyes? Looks like he suddenly forgot about the the situation we were in.
"Brother! I already want to play!" I exclaimed excitedly and hopped while tugging his coat, smiling sweetly from ear to ear and I saw how he reddened. His eyes even widened and took a step back because of that. As from what I could see, he already forgot his irritation? I guess?
"Alright, just do not be over hype out." Lein reprimanded as he kneeled on his toe and cupped my face. I was about to wonder why he did that but I did nothing had the chance to when he kissed me on my left cheek.
The girls squealed but I was dumbfounded. My eyes widedned on him but he seem not to care because he was smirking like he won in duel sword fight with Millian.
"I will just be right there." he then pointed the old tree but my widened eyes were fixated on him while holding the part he kissed.
Gah! Why did they treat me like a child? Did they not know that it was so awkward for me? Ugh.
Of course they did not know about anything. Why did I feel like I was being humiliated and taken for granted right now?
I blinked and snapped out of my brother's charms.
'Fix yourself, Maxine' I told myself.
When I looked back to the children, I was shock that I almost lost my balance when the girls' faces intruded my vision.
They were too close to me that made me stepped backward.
Their eyes were glittering, full of awe and hope. Was it this time already? When every girls in the empire fell for my handsome brothers that they even surpassed the Princes' beauties?
"I-is there something-?" I was not done yet when one of the girls with brown hair and grayish eyes held both of my hands and leaned closer to me.
"Let's be friends!" she spouted abruptly without any hesitation. I hurried my face back from her and tilted my head to the side because of awkwardness.
"Uhm..." I was hesitant.
Contrary on the facade I had showed them, I was being cold towards them internally.
I want to look at them coldly and show how I was disgusted with her kinds.
'How dare they.'
Fools pretending to be a dove.
Just a moment ago, they looked at me with envy and rage mixed with something unfathomable in the hall but now, they were like dogs clinging onto me. Huh.
"I thought we are going to play?" one of the boys scowled.
I silently sighed in relief. He was just on time.
They were pissing me but I could not help but to thank his timing or else, I would be roasted by these girls' questions about my brothers.
He looked at me in annoyance but something flickered on his eyes before he looked away.
I blinked.
Why was that?
Noble blood had been passed down by generations, not only that but also the etiquettes of every member but as the lineage of a house gets older, their etiquettes and blood gets dirtier little-by-little until the blood gets darker and etiquettes were tainted by anomalies.
"You are the lead!" said the other boy and pointed his finger towards me. My face gloomed and I looked at him blankly and coldly. How rude of him.
He dared to point his filthy finger on me? He had such amazing guts.
'But that gut might lead him to downfall.'
He looked shocked and his hand started to tremble.
"I agree to be the tagger." I agreed coldy.
I must calm down. He was just a kid who did not know the proper etiquette.
I tried to reason him just so I could calm myself down.
They decided to play hide and seek and as what they wanted, I was the lead.
When I started counting from 1-100 with my eyes closed, facing the wall made of plants, I could hear their rustles that only means they were trying to hide from me.
I heard odd noises like low giggles and chuckles while counting but I refrained myself from opening my eyes to look at my back.
The rustles continued but it was really different from normal. Were they doing something?
Right from the hall earlier, I could already sense their intentions and something feels not right. Something bad would happen.
"...97, 98, 99, 100." after I counted, I opened the lid of my eyes and the rustles instantly vanished. I wandered my eyes on the whole place and I did not need to gain some clues where they would be hiding since the rustles were too near from where I stood.
And that was...