The Past Winter
Young Miss

After the accelerated night attendance, the head of the home held an impromptu meeting for all the priests and volunteers who worked in the orphanage. All the officers who only knew the contents of the meeting that night were surprised not to be confused. How not, the night as they prepared for bed was forced to attend an impromptu meeting.

Their peaceful and serene night suddenly felt gripping due to the news of a monster that was roaming freely, he said, and the severity of the monster was hiding in the forest not far from the orphanage where they lived.

“Then I beg you to always be vigilant and keep the safety of children in this home! For those of you who have no holy power, report immediately something suspicious and dangerous to the priests. And all the holy priests will come with me, from tomorrow morning we will strengthen the shield on each side!” Said the head of the parlour at the end of their meeting that night. Afterwards the priests and other officers came out of the chairman's office and headed to their respective rooms and left only Serena behind.

The head of the parlour was sitting limp in his chair, he lightly massaged his already wrinkled forehead. Serena took a glass of water from the teapot on the chairman's desk.

“Thank you.” He said as he took a sip of water from the glass that was given Serena.

“Chairman..” Serena opens the sentence. “How can you know if my child goes to play in the backyard?” Serena asked curiously, Rubi was the child that Serena was referring to.

The head of the parlour chuckled amusedly at Serena's question before she answered him. “How did I not know that the girl always passed in front of this room and carried many breadcrumbs accommodated in her dress.” Saying it made the aura of his face radiate back.

“He carried it like that?” Serena asked again while imagining how adorable Rubi was carrying breadcrumbs in her dress.

“At first I just wondered why there was a little girl who went back and forth in front of the room every day at the same time. Finally I followed her out of curiosity, as I followed it turned out that the girl was heading towards the backyard. Once I wanted to scold him, but watching him share food with those little ants made me rethink and just keep an eye on.” Said the head of the parlour while putting his hand on the cheek.

“And the severity of his three brothers... Why did they even follow his sister who did wrong instead of forbidding the girl to go there? I can't speak anymore with the behavior of your foster children Miss Serena!” The next one sounded angry but there was a slight smile on the tip of his lips.

Serena smiled when she heard the story of her proud foster children. Serena learns that Rubi is indeed a girl who is affectionate and considerate of other things besides herself. Maybe because all this time around there were only terrible things so now he poured all his heart and mind on every incident in front of his eyes.

How the Rubi was not said to be affectionate and considerate, seeing the nest of ants that he had admired so far submerged in water and ravaged by the flood alone had made him cry roaring and igniting himself. Serena laughs amusedly at how funny Rubi's behavior during her stay in the orphanage, the presence of the little girl has a positive impact on her and her three brothers.

“I am relieved to see your increasingly happy face with the presence of a new foster child.” Said the head of the parlour looking at Serena who couldn't stop smiling.

“Iya my chairman is very happy.” Serena is getting more excited.

“Thank God then. Your face is not like when you first came here. Now your face looks more like a human, young lady Tedrick.”

Serena's breath was stuck in her throat when she heard a name she had never heard since she worked in an orphanage three years ago. Serena's body trembled, the sweat that was as big as corn seeds gathered on her forehead then flowed freely through her face.

“Ba... How..” Serena said stammeringly looking at the head of the parlour before her. Her tears are rising in her eyelids.

“Chairman!” He said while holding back his cries as hard as he could.

The head of the parlour laughed to see the Serena he loved helplessly before him. “Absolutely this old lady knows what?” He said while continuing to laugh.

Serena let out a sigh stuck in her throat, knowing that the head of the parlour was just teasing her. “How do you know? Since when? Did someone tell you? Wh who? Is that person in this parlor?” Said Serena who showered the head of the parlour with questions.

“Ask one of the young ladies, this old lady has trouble answering her.”

“Please tell me chairman!”

“Alright, well I will tell you. I know shortly after you came here Miss Serena.”

“At the first time I came!?”

“Iya. You came carrying that expensive leather suitcase right? Did you forget that there's a Tedrick family crest on the surface of the suitcase? The other officers did not know because they came from the village and your family emblem is not too famous like the emperor emblem, or the grand duke of the north, but did you forget where I came from?” Said the head of the parlour a little bragging.

‘Ah, so’. Such was the facial expression Serena showed after hearing the reply from the chairman of the parlour. He did not realize that what he wanted to hide so far was even the first thing that was discovered by others, even that with people who most did not want him to know.

Serena sighed in regret and covered her face in embarrassment. He who has been acting as a commoner for his own comfort even seems to be a fool in front of the head of the home who knows the truth. So for the past three years the head of the parlour has only watched Serena act badly.

“Indeed at first I did not think that you were a noble lady and could have you steal the suitcase. But if you see your behavior is very ethical and graceful so who does not know? It's free that you pretend to be ordinary people because your gestures will not forget where you came from. And what you teach your foster kids can't hide who you really are. Next time try not to be careless young lady Tedrick."

Again Serena choked, apparently the head of the home also knew that he taught his foster children the care and reading. The chairman of the parlour kept teasing her and now pressed on Tedrick's name as if it was a mockery for him that didn't manage to hide his true identity. Serena once again let out a long sigh, she was deeply ashamed of the negligence she had done. The two of them continued small talk in the silence of the night.

...***...

A black shadow went away leaving the room of the head of the parlour behind him. The shadowy owner who had stolen the hearing of the conversation made by Serena and the head of the parlour with fun in there.

The owner of the shadow knew who Serena really hated because she was being so wise and arrogant, her attitude was very disturbing.

His broad and old back snorted coldly, his brain working hard around how to tell all the members of the parlour that their favorite officer, Serena, had been lying, and so that the woman was immediately expelled from the orphanage without being discovered that it was she who leaked this secret.