White Villa~

The White Villa was huge, but not enough to be called a mansion. It has a pretty garden at the back and by the front, flower bushes and other flora designs were artistically shaped for a sense of aesthetics.

The White Villa's exterior paint was... white, hence the name. It's a three-story building with sophisticated architecture, giving a sense of elegance. :3

A pretty and modest fountain lay at the middle of the front. The doors were grand and the gates were above human height.

To sum it up, the villa is pretty~ <3



Anisette sat by the desk and slumped herself there. Zane's taking a while.... he said he's gonna find tea but, but... it's a while and he's usually prompt. I wonder what happened?

With all her thoughts unanswered, she took a piece of paper and doodled. :3

Alessia had followed Zane until they came to the gate of what must have been the villa. It was big. At least it was big to her. If you could pick up the building and place it in the courtyard of the Cathedral, it would be a tight fit.

She studied the gate for a moment before looking to Zane. "How do we get in??"

He arrived with Alessia following not far behind him. From outside the villa, Zane looked it and continued towards the side of the gates. There, a small receiver was situated neatly, vines surrounding it aesthetically. He communicated with a servant and the gates opened almost instantaneously.

Without hesitation, he walked in but not before turning to the girl behind him. "This way, lady Alessia."

Anisette was doodling happily, keeping herself busy while Zane was out. A maid came in her study and informed her that Zane finally came back. With a guest too. :O

She wondered again - Zane never usually does that but she knew he had his reasons. Fixing herself, she knew she had to or else she'd be scolded again. He was so strict with her.

And all she could do was wait for them.

She followed the Butler down the pathway to the house. It was dark, so she couldn't see too far, but she could smell many kinds of flowers and - if she wasn't mistaken - she could hear the the slight trickle of water somewhere.

She would never admit it, but the building made her nervous. It looked so stark from her current position. Or perhaps it was that she was heading into a big mysterious building, with a man she hardly knew, to greet a woman of high standing. Whom she also didn't know. They arrived at the doors and she looked expectantly at Zane.

Zane smiled to himself. From his peripheral vision, he could see her tense. I don't see why she would not be. As a butler, he had to ease that tension out or their hospitality would be put into question. And that's one thing he has to protect too, aside from his master.

"It's quite all right, lady Alessia," he reassured her and opened the door, bowing and raising his hand towards it, indicating for her to go on first.

Inside the villa's lobby was a row of servants - the chef, the maids, other butlers, the gardener and so on bowed in greeting for her.

He called out to one of the butler and asked for the young lady's whereabouts. He turned to Alessia. "Ojou-sama is in her study and has been notified by our arrival. If you would please, she would like to meet you."

Anisette looked at her doodle and remembered she had a pile of paperworks she had to finish checking. He's gonna be mad at me. But she smiled to herself. "I wonder what kind of person he brought and for what reason?"

She had asked the servants to greet the person with utmost hospitality, knowing that Zane didn't like to fall short from the best they could give. She fixed her clothes one last time before she went by the window, which was bigger than her and stared at the moon.

Being bowed to by what was most likely the entire household staff was thrilling and slightly overwhelming, at the same time. She wondered if she should have bowed back, but by the time she had her mind made up, Zane had turned back to her and then they were moving on.

The inside of the villa was just as big as it looked from the outside, and there was something elegant about the interior. She followed Zane once more.

He led Alessia to the grand staircase in the middle and went up, the carpeted staircase muffled the noise their shoes would've made.
"The young lady likes company very much," he said. "So there is no need to be nervous."
He hadn't told her that Anisette was just a teenager, younger than one would believe a head of a House would be. He decided to just let her see for herself.

He stopped in front of two-door room. Knocking, he entered only when he was given permission. He then let Alessia go in after.

"Lady Anisette, I have come back and brought a guest with me," he said, bowed with one of his hands on his chest. "Allow me to introduce you to Lady Alessia, ojou-sama."

He stepped out to show her to Anisette.

Anisette turned to face them when she heard the door open, after giving permission.

She smiled brightly and neared them a bit and curtsied towards Alessia. "It is my utmost pleasure to meet you," she smiled very brightly. "I am Anisette, head of this household. How do you do?"

She briefly glanced at Zane and smiled. "You took longer than expected, Zane. Were you able to get tea? I am gladdened to see you safe as I was starting to worry."

Now she did bow. It came more naturally to her than a curtsy, and hid her momentary suprise better. She's so young! Straightening her features once more, she came out of her bow, and replied, "The pleasure is mine, lady. I should apologize for keeping Zane so late."

Zane bowed in apology. "My apologies, ojou-sama. I believe I am just in time, however. I did keep lady Alessia and have intruded on her; and so, I offered lodging," he smiled. "I believed my lady Anisette would've liked the company."

He then looked at Alessia and told her it was his fault, not hers. "I was unable to find Earl Grey, ojou-sama," he said, his posture straight and let the two ladies sit down by the coffee table. "I did, however, find a wondrous tea you would like. Lady Alessia offered it. Shall I go prepare tea for the both of you?"

She sat by glass coffee table, letting Zane help Alessia with her seat. "I see," she smiled, clapping her hands. "Wonderful. I appreciate it, truly."

She smiled at Alessia and asked her to relax. "If it is a tea you handpicked, Zane, then I have faith in it," she said to the butler. "Yes, please. I would like to have a taste of that tea."

Her attention was now in Alessia. "It's really nice to meet you, lady Alessia," she chirped, really happy to talk to someone. "It was getting lonely. Please, do tell me about yourself."

Her mind seemed to go blank. "Myself?? I'm not terribly interesting, but if you're sure..." She let the sentence trail off while she thought of an appropriate way to start. It should be easy enough.

"I'm visiting China from Britannia, and hope to see as much of it as possible. Do you have any place here to recommend??" She silently applauded the fact that they were both foreigners and so had a good starting point for conversation.

Zane bowed. "As you wish, my lady," he then bowed and excused himself to prepare tea. "It will be done right away."

He went out and proceeded to the kitchen, giving orders to the servants he passed by.

"I'm quite sure," she chirped. She was genuinely interested in people. She loved hearing their stories and she was so hooked wondering about so many people doing so many things, things she probably never would be able to do. Things she was never able to do.

"Oh! So you're Britannian too?" her eyes gleamed with happiness. "We haven't been here for so long and I have so many things I need to do - Zane is so strict when it comes to my studies that I have hardly enough time to visit places!" she covered her mouth in embarrassment. "My apologies, I get excited too quickly. But as for a good place, there's a very nice church here!"

She already liked this girl. She couldn't put her finger on why, but it didn't matter that much. Maybe she'd speculate later, but right now she had a conversation to tend to.

"No need to apologize," she said, focusing her blue and green gaze on Anisette. "It's refreshing to see someone pleased by small things. A church?? How is it you discovered this nice church??"

Zane arrived at the kitchen and started preparing tea, thinking at the same time what good cake to pair it with.
I have to taste it first, however, to see which it would pair smoothly with what cake.

With trained ease, he worked on his duties.

She smiled brightly. "Thank you," she said. Alessia was such a nice person - more so that Zane actually left her side with someone they hardly knew.
So she decided to trust in her, like Zane did - even if he didn't realize it or what.

"I am easily pleased by little things," she admitted. "Zane told me I should try to hide it more, however. Oh, and as for the church, I just passed it by when I was on official business, meeting with an earl."

She clasped her hands, her eyes gleaming again. "It was such a pretty church! Nothing like the Cathedral back at Britannia but it was very nice. I wish I could go in sometime, don't you??"

Easily pleased by little things?? How little?? She just mentioned meeting with an earl as casually as if she does it every day. Perhaps she does. How would I know what a wealthy person does all day??

"I'm so glad you don't hide it more." She smiled. Alessia wasn't quite sure which place she was talking about, so she asked, "Go in?? The church, here??"

Zane tasted the tea, and was surprised by how rich the flavor was. "This is really good," he said out loud, asking the other servant to take out a specific cake. "I believe that should be a good match with this."

He took out the new tea set they acquired for Anisette's visit to the villa. And proceeded to work on the tea and the cake, in the best presentation he could think of.

She smiled at Alessia. "It is rather quite difficult to hide," she said and held her cheek with a hand. She looked at her guest and hoped she was enjoying herself - but she was too talkative, and she wasn't sure if she was doing well at being a host.

At the talk of the church, she felt excitement again. "Yup," she chirped. "I only saw it from a distance but wouldn't it be nice to see its inside? What are the kind of places you want to see, lady Alessia?"

"Everywhere," she blurted out before she could stop herself. "I mean, yes, it would be great to be allowed inside. I want to see as many things as possible, so even as common a place as a church is worth venturing into. There is one thing I've sort of had my eye out for, though." She lowered her voice conspiritorially. "I'd like to see what goes into the making of a knightmare."

Zane knocked on the door before entering. He brought the tea with him and some cakes to complement.

"Ojou-sama, lady Alessia," he greeted and poured tea for them and set the cups each in front of them, the smell of the tea pleasing to the senses.

He also took a slice of cake for the both of them. Afterwards, he just stood by Anisette's side, waiting for any kind of orders.

Anisette smiled at her answer. "I think wanting to see everywhere is nice," she smiled. "But the making of a Knightmare? Why is that, if I may be so bold to ask?"

It was then Zane returned and she was more than happy to finally have some tea. And cake!

Taking a sip from the tea, she was surprised. "This... is wow," she said, unable to stop herself. "Such rich taste - I've never had tea like this before!" she turned to Zane and his knowing smile made her remember. "He got the tea leaves from you, didn't he? Where'd you get this? It's wonderful!"