The halls were quiet.
Too quiet.
Elowen wandered slowly, her small steps echoing softly against the polished floors. She had left her room after breakfast, curiosity pulling her forward more than anything else.
Everything still felt new.
Big.
Confusing.
"…This place is like a maze…" she mumbled, peeking around another corner.
[That is an accurate observation.]
Elowen huffed a little.
"…You're not helping…"
She kept walking anyway.
One door.
Two doors.
Three
She stopped.
"…Huh?"
This door was different.
Older.
The wood looked worn, like it hadn't been touched in a long time.
Elowen stepped closer.
"…What's this room…?"
[Unknown.]
That made her more curious.
She reached out
and pushed the door open.
Creaaak…
The room was dim.
Dust floated in the air, dancing in the thin lines of sunlight that slipped through the curtains.
"…No one comes here…" Elowen whispered.
The furniture was covered in white sheets, the shapes beneath them barely visible.
It felt…
forgotten.
Slowly, she stepped inside.
"…Pippin…"
[Yes, Host.]
Her gaze landed on something at the far end of the room.
A large object.
Covered.
"…Should I look…?"
Her voice was small but curious.
[That is your decision.]
Elowen hesitated.
Then nodded to herself.
"…Okay…"
She walked closer, her steps slow and careful.
Her fingers reached out
and grabbed the cloth.
"…One… two…"
She pulled.
The cloth fell.
And Elowen froze.
"…Oh…"
A woman looked back at her.
Painted perfectly.
Soft auburn hair flowed down her shoulders, and her hazel eyes gentle and warm seemed almost alive.
Elowen's breath caught.
"…She looks like me…"
[Correction.]
Elowen blinked.
[You resemble her.]
Her heart skipped.
"…Who is she…?"
She already knew.
But she asked anyway.
[She is Duchess Rubella Evercrest.]
Elowen's fingers curled slightly.
"…My mom…"
She stepped closer.
Slowly.
Like the moment might break if she moved too fast.
"…She's really pretty…"
Her voice was soft.
Almost shy.
She stared at the painting for a long time.
Taking in every detail.
The soft smile.
The kind eyes.
The warmth that somehow still remained even in paint.
"…She looks nice…" Elowen whispered.
[Affirmative.]
Silence settled.
Gentle.
But heavy.
After a while
"…Pippin?"
[Yes, Host.]
Elowen didn't look away from the portrait.
"…How did she die?"
The room felt colder.
Just a little.
[…Information is limited.]
Elowen's brows furrowed slightly.
"…You don't know?"
[Not completely.]
A pause.
Then
[According to the original story's introduction—]
Elowen listened carefully.
[The Duchess of Evercrest died during an incident while traveling.]
Her fingers tightened slightly.
[During the same incident, the young miss—]
Elowen swallowed.
[—disappeared.]
The words hung in the air.
"…That's me…" she said quietly.
[Correct.]
Elowen looked down.
"…And that's when
[—and that is when the household changed.]
Elowen's fingers tightened slightly around the edge of her sleeve.
"…Changed…?"
[Affirmative.]
She slowly looked back up at the portrait.
"…What happened after…?"
There was a brief pause.
Then—
[Following the Duchess's death and your disappearance, House Evercrest was left without a daughter.]
Elowen blinked.
"…Oh…"
[To stabilize the household—and for political and social reasons—]
Elowen tilted her head slightly, trying to understand.
[—a child was adopted.]
She went still.
"…Lavinia…"
[Correct.]
Elowen stared at the painting again.
"…So she came after I… disappeared…?"
[Yes.]
Her small fingers moved to her necklace, holding onto it tightly.
"…Did they… look for me?" she asked quietly.
There was a pause.
A longer one this time.
[…Records indicate a search was conducted.]
Elowen's eyes softened slightly.
"…Oh…"
She nodded a little to herself.
"…That's good…"
But her voice wasn't very convincing.
"…Why her?" Elowen asked after a moment. "Why Lavinia?"
[According to the story, she possessed rare attributes.]
Elowen blinked.
"…Attributes?"
[High affinity for divine magic.]
[Exceptional temperament.]
[Suitability for the role of a "Saint."]
Elowen looked confused.
"…Saint…?"
[An individual favored by the Church.]
Elowen thought about it.
"…So… everyone likes her…?"
[Affirmative.]
Elowen went quiet.
Her gaze slowly returned to the portrait.
To the woman with kind eyes.
To the face that looked like hers.
Thee
"…So… when I come back…"
Her voice was small.
"…It's like I'm in her place…?"
The air felt heavier.
[…Yes.]
Elowen's grip on her necklace tightened.
"…Oh…"
She didn't say anything else for a while.
She just stood there.
Looking at her mother.
Then down at the necklace.
Then back at those same hazel eyes staring from the painting.
"…We have the same eyes…" she whispered.
[Affirmative.]
Elowen took a small step closer to the portrait.
"…Do you think…" she hesitated, "…she would recognize me?"
The question was quiet.
Almost fragile.
Pippin didn't answer immediately.
Then
[…Yes.]
Elowen smiled.
Small.
Soft.
"…Okay…"
She held onto the necklace a little tighter.
And for a moment
just a small moment
she didn't feel like a stranger in this house.