The Past Winter
Wild Cat
“It looks like you guys are very happy.” Greet someone who also just finished eating next to Serena.
Serena's smile suddenly disappeared knowing whose voice had just greeted them. The three beloved cats of Serena immediately remove their smiles after seeing who is sitting next to their foster mother. The confused Rubi just stared at Elyn, Allen, Olive, and Serena alternately. Then he looked at one of the officers sitting next to Serena.
The attendant wore the full outfit of a holy temple priest, signifying that he was a holy priest who was directly assigned by the holy temple to take care of the parlour. His face that shows a firm line adds an authoritative impression, perfectly matching the uniform he wears. Proudly he showed the emblem of the god hanging around his neck. Unlike Serena who wears a regular dress, because Serena is just an ordinary parlour clerk who helps work there.
“How are you pastor?” Sapa Serena who slightly flashed a smile on her lips at the man wearing priest clothes next to her. The middle-aged man let out a cold snort hearing Serena's greeting which he thought was very awkward.
Allen, Elyn, and Olive squinted their eyes together. The three of them were furious at the old priest's reply to their loved ones.
“What do you mean ask me how I am? Just yesterday we met.” Said the priest.
“Ah is right too. Maybe I'm just happy to know you'll bother greeting me.” Serena still showed her business smile.
“What about your foster kids? Taking care of a stray cat is very troublesome right?” Ask. “One is already troublesome, let alone three!” He went on to become the most caring person on earth.
Serena just chuckled at hearing it. He did not want to seriously discuss the words of the person next to him, because surely he would ignite his emotions. Elyn rolled her eyes as if fed up with hearing the old man's voice. Olive also threw away her face and just looked at her sister Rubi who was eating apples voraciously. While Allen blatantly looked hatefully at the middle-aged man and invited him to a fight right then and there through his gaze.
“Oho~ you still haven't tamed them properly huh.” The man criticized Serena. He looked despicablely at Allen who gave a look of wanting to pounce on him. The man continued to make fun of Serena because of the behavior of his foster children who did not pay respect to the priest.
“What do you mean pastor?” serena asked pretending not to know.
“The disrespectful children looked at me so insolently, how could you not know?” Said. “Or did you deliberately tell them to act like that to me!?” The middle-aged man began to raise his voice.
Now that Serena's seat was the center of attention for the children and the priests and other officers in the dining room, they began to whisper while staring at the noise there. Looking at the gazes of others aimed at him, the woman began to sweat, she simply could not get such gazes from people.
Rubi who had noticed Serena's attitude that began to sweat and sigh more and more heavily, now clasped Serena's hand next to her. The little girl stared fixedly at Serena's eyes until she calmed down by herself.
“Really? Is it possible that your feelings have been sensitive lately?” Serena Sahut indifferently.
“Look at this young lady!” He was on Serena. “How his protege is not insolent, they are taught by the wrong foster mother!”
“You called Serena wrong!?” allen was furious. Serena silenced Allen's mouth with her finger placed before her own mouth.
“Sure! If you are not wild animals, taught a saint like me you must be better off! You must be the incarnation of the little devil who came to destroy this parlor!” The priest's drawers are non-stop.
“Quite priest! Don't call them animals or demons anymore!” Serena said.
“Hah! Especially plus one wild new kid too! You deserve to be called a group of animals!” The middle-aged male hardik glanced at Rubi who had just been silent.
“See! What's the name if it doesn't have manners? You deserve to be called animals!” Hardiknya while pointing her index finger towards Olive. “I just want to say hello, why your reply is not polite like wild animals like this! You should be thankful that a saint like me still cares!”
THE CLONTANG!
A tray along with cutlery, plates and glasses was strewn across the floor. Fortunately, all tableware is made of solid wood and not glass. One of the priests deliberately threw his cutlery on the floor. But he argued that his limp hands were unable to carry many heavy loads at a time.
Rubi saw the priest deliberately throw his tray on the floor, he did it to get attention. And what the priest did managed to grab the attention of all the residents of the parlour in the dining room who were now staring at him.
Rubies that saw cutlery strewn across the floor helped the pastor clean it up. The girl gave the glass and spoon back to the priest. And the priestess gave a smile to him as a thank you.
“No animals help to clean the cutlery scattered on the priest's floor Ortiz.” Said the priestess who had been helped by Rubi. The woman spoke to the middle-aged man who was having a great argument with Serena. “Look, how good this child is to help me who is in trouble with his small hands.” The priestess gently stroked Rubi's head which had been covered with cloth.
...*Some Moments Earlier*...
Serena and her four foster children were in the room. They were dressed and preparing for dinner.
“Rubi, come here for a minute!” Serena orders Rubi, who has finished combing her hair by Elyn.
Serena holds a dark brown, rectangular piece of cloth. He folded the cloth on two sides into an equilateral triangle. He put the cloth over Rubi's head. Serena then tied Rubi's hair using a cloth that had hidden all the hair on her head.
“Why did you cover it Serena?” Ask Elyn to Serena. He felt that his efforts to comb Rubi's hair until beautiful so futile.
“Because I have to do it.” Serena.
“What Rubi hair should not be visible to others?” Ask Allen.
“You remember what I said when we took a shower?” Serena asked the children who were immediately answered with a nod of the head.
After being explained once more, the three children understood more and more and they concluded that if Rubi's hair was visible to others, then their younger brother would disappear. There will be wicked men who take Rubi from them and will treat him harshly.
Although Serena did not mention that Rubi was an albino whose existence was forbidden in the Estheria Empire, the children understood quickly. They understood that the real form of Rubi was a secret they had to hide for life. And that was the reason why Serena covered Rubi's hair with a magic cloth and gave Rubi a magic stone to disguise her eyes.
“Waa... You look like we're Rubi.” Said Olive who was amazed by Rubi's current appearance.
The cloth that covered his hair had changed its color to dark brown according to the color of the previous cloth, as well as the magic stone given earlier changed the color of Rubi's eyes to a deep green like leaves. His figure became different from the color of his hair and eyes. He was like everyone else but very familiar at the same time.