Chapter 10: Crystalized Family (Part 1)

"Hrghh..."

I grunted and stretched my arms into the air upon waking up.

"It's morning already..? time to work, then."

I left my bed and head to the bathroom.

Inside, I take off my clothes and stand under the shower.

"Warm."

I said.

The shower automatically turns itself on and shower me with warm water.

I did my bath like usual until I am all done.

I simply walk away and the shower turns off by itself.

I grab the towel along the way and dry myself up before returning to the bedroom.

Back in the bedroom, I walk to the wardrobe and open it.

Inside, I have tons of butler uniforms lining up.

I grab one random uniform from the line and close the wardrobe.

I take off the towel around my waist, wear my underwear, and finally my butler uniform.

When I finish, I look at myself in the mirror to check on do I look.

My necktie off a little bit, I fix it right away.

"Looks better."

I smile and walked out of my bedroom.

Outside, the other butlers already begin their morning activity, all walking in the same direction.

"Morning, Hans."

A gentle voice greets me.

I turn to the owner of the voice and meet his gaze.

It was Vert, he's a fellow butler and the same age as me.

He's was originally born and raised in Germany, but then begin working here in the Sakura Empire.

Which explains the blue eyes and blonde hair he has.

"Good morning to you too, Vert."

I smile and greet him back.

"You're going? let's go together."

Vert invited me.

"Sure, we're heading in the same direction anyway."

I accept his invitation and begin walking together.

"How are you feeling? getting used to the job already?"

Vert asks.

"There are still few things that I do not fully understand yet, but I give my best."

I just arrived here not too long ago from Japan.

A fire broke out at the apartment building where I live, many, including me, lost all of our belongings and family.

The Sakura- no... Miss Aoi just so happen to be around when she visit japan.

She lends us help in the form of money, food, and temporary shelter.

She did not know any of us, yet she give everything she can to help us, we owe our life to her.

She even offers us jobs as servants in her household here in the Sakura Empire, which many of us happily apply for.

I am one of those people.

Miss Aoi kindness aspire me, I will give everything in my power to serve her and her family.

Even though I am yet getting used to the job.

"Well, there's no need to worry, you will get used to it soon enough."

Vert flashes a smile at me.

"Thanks, I will rely on you again today, Vert."

I flash a smile at him.

We climbed down the stairs and steps outside our residents.

It was still dark outside, fitting considering this was five in the morning, the morning sun is not here yet.

And it's actually pretty cold as well, with all of these cherry blossoms petals falling from the sky.

The petals fell to the ground and melt soon after, like that of snow.

In the middle of this island, stands a giant- no gigantic cherry blossom tree.

The tree was so huge that it was visible to see from anywhere around the island.

Its petals beautifully glow bright pink in the middle of this darkness, like a small ray of hope within the darkness of the world.

Our mistress, the Crystalized family, the ruler of the Sakura Empire lives around that tree.

I know next to nothing regarding the Crystalized family and how the Sakura Empire form in the first place, what I know is that our mistress create the tree and consider it as something sacred.

Which explains how the tree was able to shine so brightly within this darkness and the petals having snow-like property.

With the light from the cheery blossom tree as our guide, it was not difficult for us to reach the manor.

Of course, not right away, we still need to climb the stone stairways, which circle around the manor.

And yes, that means we have to climb these long stairs every single day just to work.

Needless to say, it was extremely exhausting.

But we manage, many of us, including me do.

The work in the manor was much more tiring in comparison to this.

If you can't even climb the stairs, then forget to work in the manor.

"Hans! Vert!"

Gentle voices call our names.

We turn around and saw a maid with brown eyes and hair approach us.

It was Maria, a fellow co-worker of mine and Vert.

Just me and Vert, she came working here from the Netherland.

"Good morning!"

Maria greets us.

"Ah, good morning to you too, Maria."

"Good morning, Maria."

We greet her back.

"How are you guys feeling? got enough sleep?"

Maria asks and flashes a smile at us.

"Return back to you, how are you feeling today, Maria?" "You work until late yesterday, right?"

I return her question.

"I am fine, I am used to it, I am more worried about you." "You just arrive here a week ago and you're already working so hard."

Maria express her concern.

"No, compare to our mistress workload, this was nothing."

I answer with confidence and look in the manor's direction.

"Right.. compared to our mistress..."

Vert mumbles on his own and looks at the manor.

"Then let's work hard together as to not shame our mistress!"

Maria shouts in enthusiasm and raises her right fist to the air.

"Sure."

I smile.

For our mistress... huh.

The three of us walk together and saw the torii gate in front of the manor.

"Say, you're a Japanese right, Aito?" "What is that red pillar supposed to mean?"

Maria asks and scratches her right cheek.

"Huh? you have been working here without knowing anything about it?"

I look at Maria in disbelief.

"Oh, now that you mention it.. can you tell us of what's that supposed to mean, Aito?"

Vert join in the conversation.

"You too?"

I share the same disbelief look at him.

"Well... I do not really have anyone to turn into and I am too scared to ask the mistress..." "I mean, what if they saw my question as me being incompetent..!? the mistress will fire me on the spot!!"

Maria shouts in panic and grabs her head.

"And then.. and then..!"

She then grovels and sounds depressed as if she has fallen to the very charms of despair.

"I get it, I get it, I answer your question, so stop over imagining things like that, ok?!"

I shouts and ordered her, if I don't stop her, god knows what else she's going to imagine.

"That's a Torii."

My mouth explains while my legs keep on moving.

"Torii?"

Vert tilts his head a little to the left from the confusion.

"Tori.. you mean bird?"

"No, it's Torii, the name of that gate."

I corrected Maria.

Here in the Sakura Empire, Japanese language is a prominent language despite a lot of its citizens here came from the other part of the world.

I mean, our mistress names our empire as Sakura Empire, after all, it stands for a reason.

However, it does pose a little bit of a challenge for some of us to communicate with each other sometimes.

To minimize this problem, a study program was implemented for all of us to study the basic Japanese language before anyone starts living and work here.

I didn't go nor need that program for obvious reasons.

"In Shintoism, the Torii means to divide the realm between the mundane and sacred."

I explain.

"Shintoism.. that's a Japanese religion isn't it?"

Vert tries to confirm with me.

"I see, then that does fit our mistress status and the location of the cherry blossom tree."

Maria mumble to herself.

"Yes and I believe that's why our mistress places it there."

I answer their curiosity.

We keep on climbing the stairs and walk past the Torii.

From here, the entrance to the manor is not that far anymore.

A long line of flowers decorates the sides of the path.

We can smell the sweet fragrance of the flowers as we walk.

There's something a little bit different today.

The front door to the manor is wide open and so many servants gather at the entrance.

What's going on?

We join the crowds and stand side by side with the other servants.

"Something happens?"

Vert asks the middle-aged butler next to him.

"The great advisor has something to announce, listen well."

The butler answers us with a stern and serious tone.

"Something to announce..?"

I repeat his word.

Seconds later, a figure of 13 years old child emerges from inside the manor and enters our field of view.

Her white hair flows like a stream of water and her yellow eyes were as beautiful as the topaz.

The way she dresses perfectly catches her persona of innocence, with a simple blue shirt, white jeans pants, thigh-high white boots with small heels, and a white round hat.

Miss Aoi follows her from behind and stands beside her.

Miss Aoi dressed in nothing but long white pants and a white bandage covering her chest, she didn't wear any footwear nor shirt.

Sweats drip from her beautiful face, presumably from an exercise.

"..A kid?"

One of the young butlers at the front row mumbles.

Miss Aoi didn't seem to have taken his word so kindly as she point an electrical blade at his neck.

The electric blade emerges from the tip of her fingers and if I were to calculate the length of her blade, it easily surpasses 10 meters.

All of this happens within a fraction of milliseconds.

None of us see it coming.

"Eek!?"

The young butler shrieks.

"If you have a death wish, then you should have told me sooner, I make sure to cut your flesh into tiny pieces for fish to eat and as for your organ, I fed them to the strays dog on the streets." "I am sure they will appreciate the nutrition from that body of yours..."

Miss Aoi was angry, very very angry.

There's no need for her to raise her voice, the expression on her face and choices of words alone was more than enough.

Her eyes were as sharp as a blade and she looks down upon the perpetrator.

She looks as if she feels disgusted to even stares at him.

The tension was too much for all of us to even process, at any moment, there's a good chance that bloodshed will happen.

"It's alright."

The great advisor gently speaks and places her right hand on miss Aoi.

"That one is new, he didn't know what he was saying, let him off the hook."

The great advisor smile and asks miss Aoi to stop.

"But..!"

"It's alright."

Miss Aoi objects but the great advisor keeps begging her with a smile on her face.

Miss Aoi eventually relents, the electrical blade disappears as she pulls her arm back.

The perpetrator fell on his butt, he was sweating and his breath was ragged.

"Hahaha, sorry about that, we're didn't mean to scare any of you."

The great advisor cheerfully laughs.

With the tension died down, many of us can finally catch our breath.

"Talk about our mistress... they can literally do and say anything... you won't see them coming..."

Vert mumbles.

Second that...

I silently agree with Vert.

But that great advisor... I heard about her but this is the first time I see her in person.

For her to calm miss Aoi like that...

Who exactly is she?

"Now then, let's not waste any time and get right into it." "Three of our mistress, Freya, Ray, and Yuki are on their way back home from a trip." "As usual, we're going to throw a welcoming party to welcome them." "The settings will be the same as usual as well." "Those who are new can ask a senior to learn more about the preparation."

The great advisor gives a clear explanation.

"Are there any questions or do I need to repeat my explanation?" "Raise your hand if any of you need my help."

The great advisor look left and right, looking for anyone to raise their hand but no one did.

"No one? then without further ado, please begin your work, I am expecting good work from all of you."

The great advisor flashes a smile on us, a smile that reflects her faith in all of us.

A very strong faith, so bright as if she was an angel.

Right.. an angel.