“Mmm~mm~”

  The girl sat in the dining room, swaying left and right, her legs swinging from the high-backed chair, unable to reach the polished floor.

  She hummed softly, holding a slice of bread thick with sugar jam as she bit into it.

  The dining room was spacious, its high ceiling adorned with ornate cornices that gleamed faintly in the brass chandelier’s soft light.

  Tall sash windows were draped with lace curtains the color of old wine, partially obscuring the moonlight outside.

  A grand carved-stone mantelpiece dominated one wall, adorned with lavish scrollwork and ornament. Above it hung an empty, black-golden frame. It was clearly a placement for a painting, yet it missed the canvas, as if the mansion’s original owner had purposely removed it.

  Two tall silver candelabras flanked the empty frame, their candles lit and casting a steady glow across the elegant wall.

  At the heart of the room where she sat was a solid mahogany table, draped in a brown lace-trimmed tablecloth with lace trim. Elegant wooden chairs with delicate motifs carved on their backs flanked its two sides.

  Beneath it were polished hardwood floors, covered by a large carpet, laid to catch spills and cushion footsteps.

  A silver candelabrum with golden flames crowned the table’s center, casting shadows across the fresh meal Benjamin had prepared: steaming potatoes, boiled vegetables, and sliced bread.

  “Mmm~mm~mmm~mm”

  The soft tick-tock of a pendulum clock rhymed with her. The girl inhaled deeply, savoring the intertwining scents of the sweetness of sugar jam, the warmth of boiled stew and the comforting mansion’s wood.

  “yummy~”

  Isa had an undeniable sweet tooth, savoring each sugary bite with delight. Izzy, however, had always leaned toward spice and bitterness. Since there was nothing to satisfy Izzy’s palate here, the mature mind quietly withdrew from their vessel, leaving Isa to indulge in her little pleasure without interruption.

  She was currently wearing a simple dress. As a man, Izzy hadn't given much thought to her past outfits, but now, inhabiting a female body, she somehow wanted to look good in the mirror.

  Was this a male's instinct to admire a beautiful girl, or a female's natural desire to present herself well? She couldn't say for sure.

  But truly, girly fashion in this era was incredibly complicated. Not that she knew much about it in her old world to begin with. And for some inexplicable reason, Benjamin’s mansion contained wardrobes filled with garments for both men and women, from children’s sizes to adult.

  It wasn’t her problem, of course; she was actually quite thankful for it. At least she had clothes to wear.

  Undergarments here were nothing like the simple sets of her old world. There were only the white shorts called "underpants," if she recalled correctly. These knee-length pants, or drawers, tied at the waist with a simple band and had open-crotches for convenience to get things done, making them comfortable and practical.

  Then came the nightgown, or chemise. She slipped into a long-sleeved white chemise for cool weather, its hem brushing against her ankles. It was somewhat akin to a slip dress in her old world, with a wide, slightly scooped neckline, hanging freely from the shoulders.

  Izzy had some prior understanding of women’s fashion thanks to taking care of her younger sibling in her past life, so she wasn’t entirely clueless.

  To keep warm, she added a simple white shawl over her shoulders. This would be her usual attire from now on, at least for now, as she was the only one here. For a final touch, she pulled on plain white stockings and slipped her feet into black slippers.

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  As expected, after bathing and cleaning herself, the girl looked strikingly different. She now exuded a more delicate and youthful appearance. Coupled with Isa’s grinning and cheerful attitude, her natural gloomy and miserable aura had been replaced by a more vibrant presence.

  As for her piercing gaze, she couldn’t help it, but at least it felt less intimidating than before.

  One thing she noticed when looking at her reflection in the mirror was that she could see the girl clearly when using the vessel’s eyes. However, when she used her Field Vision, she could not see anything in the mirror.

  It’s just a black canvas; there was no reflection in there.

  It might be one of her Field Vision’s weaknesses. But it’s not really affecting her overall, so Izzy just put the thought at the back of her mind for the time being.

  Meanwhile, as Isa enjoyed her meal, Izzy set Benjamin to the quiet task of brushing and combing the girl’s long black hair. The comb and brushes had been gathered from one of the many unused rooms. It seemed this mansion was originally built for several people or servants but had long since been abandoned.

  "Ouch!"

  'Sorry'

  Partially controlling the marionette, Izzy’s mind wandered back to the painting. While Isa still enjoyed her meal in silence, she quietly reactivated the Field Vision of her main body, the portrait. She usually kept it off to conserve energy.

  Her gaze swept across the mansion, locking onto each small creature scurrying through the night. She needed to refill her reserve "food" just in case, and monitoring potential sources was always prudent.

  ‘Hmm.’

  Her gaze shifted back inside for a moment. A small mouse sat beside Isa, nibbling on a crumb of bread Isa had fed it. A mischievous thought lit up in her mind.

  ‘Should I eat this little guy?’

  She sent the thought directly to her young mind.

  “No!”

  The girl screamed, jumping up from her chair.

  ‘Hehe.’

  Izzy smirked inwardly. She already knew her young mind had taken a liking to the little one as a pet, so the reaction was no surprise. Still, the way Isa startled so dramatically amused her.

  “Izzy!”

  The shout even frightened the poor mouse. It darted away, scurrying behind the table leg, peeking out with wide, confused eyes.

  “It’s your fault!” Isa pouted, pointing a finger at the mental presence of Izzy.

  Ignoring her young mind’s grumbling, Izzy continued her journey of scanning the garden.

  ‘Hmm?’

  ‘Uh?’

  Before they could bicker any longer, they noticed an unusual movement in the far corner of her Field Vision.

  ‘What is this?’

  In the deep darkness of the night, where only the light of the moon shimmered, several flickering lamps moved within the forest. They navigated carefully through the bushes and vines, approaching the mansion.

  The two minds could faintly discern several figures loitering around. They wore poor, ragged clothes, their dirty shirts woven together from various pieces, long pants, and stained neckcloths knotted roughly at their throats.

  They were hesitant, unsure whether to advance, so they kept loitering. She might have dismissed them as simple bandits, if not for the spring cart they escorted with a weary horse.

  On the cart were several wooden crates and sacks. Izzy guessed this was Benjamin’s usual supply replenishment.

  But it was not the cart that caught her attention. In the corner of the cart, a young girl lay asleep. She wasn’t dead yet; Izzy could perceive the girl’s regular breathing cycles. Her limbs were free, but a piece of cloth obstructed her mouth, and her eyes were blindfolded.

  The mature mind sighed to herself. She did need energy, but they arrived right after she had dealt with Benjamin? Was this a blessing or a curse?

  The night was still long, yet trouble had already knocked on their door, much as they didn’t need it.

  ‘Hmm, they don’t look particularly strong.’

  She had a faint guess about who these troubling guests were, it wasn’t hard to deduce.

  Sooner or later, things like this were bound to happen. Hiding away and not stirring up trouble was an option, but this mansion was now their turf. If they couldn’t deal with this problem herself, how would they deal with others in the future?

  Besides, their energy reservoir was also at a critical level. It’s not like they had much of a choice.

  Izzy’s mind raced, a wicked thought forming.

  ‘We have guests, Isa. We need to prepare to welcome them thoughtfully, right?’

  “Yes!”

  In the dining room, the candlelight flickered, reflecting the black-haired girl’s shadow. Her silhouette twisted, trembling into something that almost looked like a grin.

  The little mouse squeaked, panicked and disappeared out of sight.

  A heartbeat later, every light in the mansion went out, plunging it into darkness.