8 Dual-Colored Devil-Speaking Woman

January 5th, 1941

7:38 P.M.

Blanche didn't speak, nor did she refute Madam Lilian's cruel words. Ines watched as Blanche bowed once more as if she were suppressing her anger before raising her head; her face was frighteningly dark.

Seeing Blanche's ugly expression, Madam Lilian smiled, her red lips twisted upwards in satisfaction.

"What's the matter? Not speaking today? Weren't you so eager to speak to me just a week ago? Though speaking wouldn't be the correct term, I suppose, after all, you were yapping at me like some wild dog— howling crass words and barking like some crazed mutt injected with Sister Clèmence's untested drugs."

"Madam Lilian." Blanche closed her eyes, refusing to meet Madam Lilian's affronted stare. "I have no ulterior motive; I'm only here to drop off this child, it was my lady's order."

Hearing this, Madam Lilian's smile dropped for a second before she began smiling once more as if it were a mirage.

"Rosalie, you say? Someone like her gave a humane order for once? I never thought I'd live to see the day where that hellion helps another and to think it was for some rotten child the Madam (Yvette) had brought in. I would've believed your words if you said that wretched shrew ordered for the kid to be thrown out of this building instead— it wouldn't be the first time it has happened. Has the world finally ended and gone to ruin?"

"…"

"Well?"

Blanche did not respond to her provocative words, nor did she move from where she stood.

However, Ines who stood behind the maidservant could see the veins bulging through her skin and the tips of her fingers that turned white as a result of how hard she was clenching her hands.

"It's no fun if you don't reply." Madam Lilian sighed, shaking her head.

"Fine, Rosalie's order it is then; let me see the kid that's so important seeing as how that brat finally gave a damn about someone other than herself."

Hearing so, Blanche wordlessly stepped aside and revealed Ines.

The two parties remained in silence and maintained eye contact for a moment before Madam Lilian swept her hands in a 'follow me' motion and walked away.

"Get off this hall, Blanche, and don't let me see you and that master of yours again. You, kid with short hair, come with me."

Standing between the two miffed women, Ines turned to look back at Blanche for approval to leave.

However, the maidservant had already turned away; after hearing Madam Lilian's affronted words and her command to leave, Blanche left without turning back, her footsteps quiet as snowfall.

After all, Blanche's task was to simply drop off Ines, not to baby her or to protect her.

"…Okay," She said, despite how both women were already out of hearing range.

And so, Ines quickened her pace and ran after Madam Lilian who had turned the corner and vanished from her sight. Upon turning the corner, Ines was met with the sight of massive wooden doors and a small, silver-inlaid sign with a single white lily plaque.

'The Girl's Dormitory. The doors will be locked after 8:00PM, and they will reopen at 7:00AM. Do not leave the premises unless you have been given permission by a staff member. Residents of the dormitory who aren't in their room before 8:00PM will be given a strike; any resident with more than three strikes will be evicted.'

After reading the sign, Ines stepped through the towering doors, her eyes wandering and searching for a head of platinum blonde hair.

"Madam Lilian?" She called out.

No answer.

"Madam Lilian? Pardon me, are you there?"

Silence.

Ines frowned as she looked at the empty corridors, how could she have disappeared so quickly? Perhaps the Madam was nearby and simply hadn't heard her? Should she wander and look for Madam Lilian? Surely she couldn't have gone too far, Ines thought. However, despite her doubts, Ines dismissed her thoughts and stayed put.

Rules were rules, and the sign outside was there for a reason.

Clearing her throat, Ines raised her voice this time, "Madam-"

"Enough." Standing behind the front desk, Madam Lilian dusted the ends of her dress. "I heard you the first time you called for me."

"…I apologize," Ines said, her voice faint. Red bloomed across the young girl's face, embarrassment evident in her eyes as the situation sunk in.

But as if Madam Lilian hadn't heard her, she continued flipping through the stack of papers she held in her arms. Finally, after a minute of silence, the older woman placed down the papers and held a single slip of yellow-parchment paper in hand.

"Ines, was it?" Madam Lilian asked, setting down the single slip of paper.

Ines nodded, her stray dirty blonde hair falling in her eyes.

"Surname?"

"…None," Ines said after a moment of contemplation.

Madam Lilian paused, her finger tracing a line of words on the parchment.

"None," she parroted, looking back up. With her eyebrows slightly raised, the older woman discreetly observed Ines' physique. The Head Mistress assigned a commoner to the White Lily?

How rare.

"Then, what about your last place of residency? Where did you live before you arrived here? Any family or guardians?"

"Well…"

What was she supposed to say? Ines thought, befuddled.

She had been informed by Sister Edith and Madam Clèmence that she should tell the others that she is a relative of Madam Yvette, a long-lost-niece who moved here to live with her kind aunt who doesn't mind sheltering her dear niece whom she hasn't seen for years.

What was it again…Rainshelt? Kainthelt? Reinshelm?

But, surely Madam Lilian knew that was a fabricated lie? Why did they make her claim to be Madam Yvette's niece anyway? Ines frowned.

It wasn't like she was the only one from the lower class amongst the cohorts of children. What was she supposed to say? No, what exactly did the Madam want to hear from her?

"That…" Ines dragged out, her tongue as heavy as an ox. "That, I-"

"I see. I remember now, you're Madam Yvette's supposed, infamous niece from afar," Madam Lilian interrupted. "You don't have to answer; Madam Yvette will surely have my head served to you on a platter if I continue to push and question her 'dear-and-beloved-niece' like this. Since Rosalie sent you here, I suppose I must oblige then."

With a curious look in her eyes, Ines nodded as she processed the Madam's words. "Yes…?"

"Yes," the said Madam reaffirmed. In response to Ines' silence, she simply smiled and revealed a row of clean pearly-white front teeth.

In a quick and swift motion untraceable by the human eye, the older woman slid the yellow-parchment paper she previously held in her hand into her sleeve. Then, Madam Lilian unlocked a cabinet from the front desk.

Ines watched as the Madam shuffled the items aside, pulling out and opening a navy-blue jewelry box embroidered with expensive-looking sheen fabric she had only ever seen young noble women from upper-class family wear.

For a moment, Madam Lilian looked as if she were contemplating something as she held whatever it was previously in the box in her hand.

Finally, the older woman swiftly took out the item and placed back the now-empty jewelry box.

In her hand, Madam Lilian held a silver brooch with two snow-white lily insignias.

"Welcome to the White Lily: Ludex de Vita, the first ranked Girl's Dormitory in this echelon, Ines."