The Afterlife | Resident Evil Village FanFiction

Chapter 4: The 1st Encounter

Chapter 4: The 1st Encounter

            “The lord? You meant Miss Beneviento?”

      You received an envelope from the Duke, study the bloodred wax intensely as the Duke explains.

            “Ah. I haven’t mentioned it before, have I? The village Miss Beneviento lives in was divided into 4 territories. Each has been governing by one of the 4 lords—1st, Lady Alcina Dimitrescu. She and her 3 esteem daughters reside in the castle Dimitrescu that came with a massive, rich-soil vineyard, and thriving winery business. Next is Lord Salvatore Moreau who takes care of the reservoir, overseeing the mining and fishery business. For our lovely Lady Donna Beneviento, she lives in the charming house by the astounding waterfall”

            “That makes sense. A perfect habitat for a variety kind of exotic plants and herbs, after all” You added your opinion to the conversation which brought a grin to the Duke’s face as he presses onward.

            “Just by hearing you said that, I’m positive you and lady Beneviento would get along well”

            “Heh. Thanks for the vote of confidence. And, oh, you said there’re 4 lords, right? Who’s the other one?” You asked.

            “Yes. The youngest among all, Lord Karl Heisenberg. He owes a factory, manufacturing…machines and takes care of his, umm, pack of wild animals, so to speak”

      You caught on some strange feeling while the Duke mentions his take on lord Heisenberg, but you brush it off since you assumed he wouldn’t tell anything more even if you ask. In your viewpoint, the blonde man doesn’t seem like a type who would talk ill of the other.

            “Well. Thanks for the insight. And if you’ll excuse me, I want to tear this letter open and see what’s inside” Waving a letter at hand, you usher the conversation to an end. The Duke nods at you with a grin.

            “Certainly. And please don’t be a stranger. If you need something else, you know where to find me”

            “Sure. Thanks again, the Duke”

      You bid him a farewell and retreat to your car. You don’t trust yourself in how you’d react once read the content inside this long-await envelope, so you concluded it’d be better to do it away from prying eyes. You take another look at the sealing wax, observe for more detail—It looks like a crest. Crossing rapiers underneath a cross and delicate flower. Magnificent, you think, running your fingers ever slightly along the unclear line. One of the lord’s coat of arms, maybe? You forgot to ask the Duke of which lord this letter came from. Still, no matter how much you want to read the letter inside, it’d be a waste to break this tiny piece of art. So, you considered the option at hand before you’d pull out your Swiss Army knife from your pocket and open it with a clean swift.

            ‘This is it’

      Take a few moments to compose yourself, you finally snatched a letter out and read it internally. A minute of silence passed, followed by another, and another. You keep reread it over from the top several times to make sure your vision wasn’t playing a trick on you.

            “I’m…allowed? Hah. Hah! –I’m allowed!! Yes! Ahhhhhh”

      Stomping your feet rapidly in excitement, you scream your heart out inside your wheels. This action of yours caused your ride to shake around inevitably, gaining attention from those who pass by. Though you thought to do this away from prying eyes, you can’t help if there’s still some witness since you’re in your car which parked in the public parking lot after all. However, you couldn’t care less since finally, your effort paid off. You’re going to Romania for real!

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      Departed from Vilnius Airport, you spent almost 11 hours 30,000” above, 3 transit in total—From Vilnius to Amsterdam Schiphol. From Amsterdam Schiphol to Bucharest Henri Coanda. And from Henri Coanda to Cluj. Despite a long trip, you know it in your heart that it’ll be worth it. You could feel it deep down, and you dare say, from your soul that this is where you are supposed to be. There’s an indescribable draw in every length you take toward the direction of the village. Part of your job as a cultural anthropologist had you traveling around the world in the mission of studying cultural variation among mankind, yet never once you’ve experienced the current, warm feeling inside your chest.

         ‘Was it having something to do with my passion over botany as well? I came here in hope to research tons with Miss, no, Lady Beneviento after all’ That was how you regarded the unknown feeling as.

      Back upon landing at Cluj, you ask around for information about your destination, but strangely enough, you barely find something of the sort. All you could get was what the Duke already told you—The remote, self-sufficient village, untouched by the outside world, located somewhere between the complex mountain range of Romania, and currently being taken care of by the 4 lords. If there’s something additional, it’d be warnings like don’t stay out during the dark, or the villagers aren’t taking kindly to an outsider, or the oddest one yet not many of those who went there come back alive. The only one from the village you know is the Duke and he has been nothing but kindhearted and sweet to you so far. You assumed without much thought that he is part of the village since he knows things many don’t. Yet come to think of it, never once you ask nor he personally says he is a local who grew up there.

            ‘He’s a villager or at least used to live there…right?’ Asking yourself, you’re not sure about this anymore.

      Well. It’s not like you will consider going back now since you’re this close to the village. You push onward up the mountain until you find the entrance of your destination. Finally, you think. Taking a moment to let the sight of the village entrance sinks in, you study the grand architecture of the stone wall immensely. There are 4 crests engraved on the door. One you already familiar with on the top-left. You pull out an envelope with a wax seal you got from the Duke to compare them in detail—Looking up close like this, the crossing rapiers underneath give you goosebumps. You feel like it could s***h you by admiring it alone. Yet the cross, shaped up from delicate lines of leaves and an exquisite flower above all awaken the urge of wanting to protect inside of you.

            ‘Which house could this magnificent crest belong to?’ You query yourself while recalling the names of the lords you heard from the Duke. You left the question unanswered for now as you’re navigating your vision to the next crest on the top-right sat there is a carving of the moon on top of the sun. It looks like those of Roman art. The one sat by the lower-left is a siren. No. A mermaid and an alluring one at that. Then the last crest is an athletic horse with a hoof surrounding it. You look around if there was a sign that said no photography here, but there’s none. So, you take your instant camera out and click, I could use this for my travel journal. You smile broadly at the sight of a developing picture. You jolt down a short note alongside the recently taken picture in your journal and get through the massive door at long last.

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            “Wait…--an outsider?”

            “Hush! She’ll…”

            “Come one…inside”

      The warning you got upon landing in Cluj wasn’t kidding after all. You’ve been hearing locals refer to you in their speaks from time to time while making your way through the humid dirt path. You tried asking for direction from grocery booths and tool shops along the way, yet no one seems willing to talk or even make eye contact with you. It keeps getting weirder and weirder by minutes, though, you don’t want to quit here and go back home like a loser. It’s just your 1st day, so maybe the local will come around eventually.

            “Excuse me, sir—”

            “Get lost, outsider. You’re not welcome here” The shopkeeper yelled at you. Though it doesn’t stop you from pressing onward with your question.

            “I’m sorry if my presence troubled you, but I only want to ask for direction. If you would be kind enough to tell me, then I’ll be on my way soon”

            “Are you deaf? I said. Get. Lost.” Another rude gesture from the shopkeeper to be heard. If your head could explode from fury, you may lie dead on the floor now. You clicked your tongue irritatingly and tried your best to hauling your anger back. You can’t help it since you’ve been asking too many already and all you’ve got so far was only that the crest stamped upon the bloodred seal was house Dimitrescu’s. And that’s where you’re going. Though you’re not making progress on your journey because the locals refuse to speak to you for longer than a few seconds. So, currently, you feel like If you don’t get your answer this time, you would even use violence if that’s what it takes to get these people to talk.

            “*Sigh* We’re getting nowhere—Look. I only want to know where’s the castle Dimitrescu?”

            “! –What on earth shall you need to go to that castle for!?”

            “I’m a botanist and a cultural anthropologist, here on research purpose. And I got a letter from the lady of the house, allowed me in, and instructed me to go to her castle first once I’m here”

            “That castle is cursed! Nobody who went there ever come back. Never—”

            “Yeah, yeah. I heard so much of that already. Now just tell me the f_ucking direction” You ended your sentence with your fist slams against his booth, making him flinched in process. Grumbling he pointed you to the distant castle which barely visible through the fog and said, “I give what you want. Now. Leave!”.

            “Certainly—Thank you, good sir” You gave the shopkeeper your most nerve-wracking smile then be on your way. It takes you almost 20 minutes to reach the castle on foot. You state your business to the staff you found by the steel gate and show the letter with house Dimitrescu’s crest. She then nodded in acknowledgment, said her mistress already told her to expect your visit and led you to the foyer in the main building. You were told to wait there while she went to inform her mistress and required an audient for you.

            “Thank you” You said to the staff.

            “There’s no need to thank me, miss. I’m only doing my job” She flashes you a smile and be on her way soon later.

      While waiting, you begin to wander your orbs around, taking in the interior. ‘Such a picturesque craftsmanship this castle is’, the thought occupies your head as your eyes are roaming corner to corner—The curve staircase, the high ceiling, matching sets of furniture, the fireplace. You swear that even a carving on the door connected to the other room is gorgeous and would worth more than your little cottage back in Lithuania for sure. What the Duke said wasn’t extravagate when he told you that house Dimitrescu’s winery business is thriving.

            “Miss Englebrecht. The mistress will have you in her office now. Please follow me”

      The same staff from earlier come to retrieve you to the upper floor before you could study the estate any further. You reply to her call politely and follow her upstairs to the mistress’ office. You fall behind a bit when you heard a buzzing sound further down another wing. You look through the window for the sunlight to determine the direction. When taking the current time into account, which is almost 5 in the evening, that means you’re on the east wing of the estate and the buzzing sound is coming from the west wing. What could be the source of that noise, you think but you drop your curiosity off when the two of you come to stop in front of another glamorous door. The staff announces you arrive and open the door for you to get in.

            “So. You’re Miss Englebrecht?”

      A slightly deep, smooth as silk voice addressed you the moment you walk in. Lifting your gaze, you meet with the intense golden orbs of the mistress of the house. They capture your awareness at once, leaving you standing there stunned as the elegant lady raises her eyebrow in amusement. Word couldn’t do this gleaming mistress justice no matter what language you could think of— From her dark ebony satiny hair to her porcelain skin, and from remarkable golden pupils to her red mushy lips. Everything of hers is taking your breath away. So perfect. And when the corner of her mouth was raised into a slight smile that was barely there, word of compliment just left you on their own.

            “Sehr schön”

            “I’m afraid I’m more of a Romanian and not German, my dear” The mistress of the house replied you with a pleasing hum before rose from her seat. Unknowingly, your head slowly tiles up as your eyes still locked on hers. Her face keeps getting higher and higher toward the ceiling that makes you feel like a child before her. Her full height at 9’6” got another soft astounded gasp out of you before you’d regain your composure back. You sputter out in embarrassment, cheeks flush noticeably red.

            “Entschuldigung--! My apologies, my lady. I don’t mean to be rude to you”

      Evade your gaze away from the tall lady, you fan yourself while turning sideways. This behavior of yours made the lady smiles one more time without you noticing since you’re busy calming your racing heart down. You heard the lady’s footsteps get closer before stopped an arm’s length away from you. You swallow your nervousness down your throat as discreet as possible and turn back to face her with a weak smile.

            “I’m…sorry our first impression turned out like this, my lady. It’s just—I tend to speak my father tongue when I’m nervous. He’s German just as you concluded. And well. You’re just Sehr schön, my lady. I meant— You’re beautiful”

      Your confession and courage seem to please the lady when her eyes flick in merriment. Or at least, you would like to believe it like that. You hesitantly extend your hand out, meaning to do a handshake with the tall lady, but you afraid you might offend her. She’s one among the lords of this village after all. So, you recall the court etiquette from your cultural anthropologist-self and do a curtsy instead. Then you start your 1st official meeting over again.

            “Please pardon me for my rudeness earlier. I’m Tiana. Tiana Feniksas Englebrecht, but you could simply call me Tiana. Or Tia if you prefer”

      You heard her mumbles, “Interesting”, underneath her breath before she’d gesture you to sit on the cushioned seat, obviously too large for your side. But who are you to complain? You’re in her house, more specifically in her office. Of course, the furniture here was designed to support her. Anyway. You take a seat and the lady settles back onto hers as well. She laces her hands together on the desk then addresses you.

            “You’ve been sending a requisition letter to ask my sister for a chance to research those wild plants with her, correct?”

            “Yes, my lady. I’m almost giving up after months of no reply, but then a letter from you came along. You may not understand how much joy it brings me to finally was permitted to come here--!” Your voice raised because of the build-up excitement, so you forced yourself to shut it before you’d shout to the benevolence lady in front of you.

      You sneak a glance back to her to see if she’s upset or not only to find nothing other than her casual smile. You mentally curse yourself since only this much gesture of the lady already made your heart pounding like crazy inside your chest. Then before you’d fool yourself on her account for one more time, you beacon your head back to her word.

            “May I ask what use you seek to gain from these wild plants research once it’s done?” No judgment was found in her tone, only curious. But you want it to be clear that you don’t come into her village with an ill intention, therefore you answer.

            “I’m a botanist, my lady. Not a businesswoman or a greedy corporation worker who seeks nothing, but profit. I’m only coming here in hope that I’d be able to learn about those fascinating plants your sister grows. Once the result coming out being useful in medicine development or other uses, I'd submit it to a nonprofit medical research center or other associated foundation, doing good for mankind. But only with you and lady Beneviento's permission, of course. It may sound cliché, but that's what I'm really aiming for. The urge of expanding my knowledge far beyond for the greater good is what got me to this point—I only seek knowledge, my lady. Nothing more”

      You hope the sincere answer of yours would be enough. Because if it wasn’t, then you don’t know what else to tell her. The tall lady drums her sleek fingers against the desk. You take it as…she approves it? Unsure what to expect, you break the silence to escape this tension by ask.

            “Excuse me, but can I ask why you replied to my letter instead of Lady Beneviento?”

            “Hm. My little sister constantly shifts in and out between reality and the dreamland. She could be absent-minded for hours, and there’s nothing we can do except waiting for her to come around on her own. In regardless of her condition, her territory still needs to be tended. So, some of her works fall to me. Some to the other lord”

            “Oh,” There’s nothing more you could think of to add to your answer. Wasn’t this considered their village secret or personal confidential of sorts? Was it alright for you to know this? While you’re freaking out, the tall lady raises her eyebrow, appears to be fascinated by the fact that you caught on to the importance of the information soon enough. She then adds.

            “Knowing this, do you still think you would be able to conduct your research with her as a partner?”

            “If you allow, I’d like to try, my lady. It’s going to be challenging, but I’m not going back home without a fight”

      A soft chuckle slips from the lady at your confident statement. She leans forward, resting one arm on the desk while supporting her head with the other. You could feel her breathe brush your skin as well as smell her alluring perfume when she’s this close. Her lips curve into a smile once more when she says.

            “Then let’s see how long you’re going to last, little prey”

      The name she called you made your breath caught, your heart skipped a beat, and your cheeks turned even redder. The sight of you trembling like that brought a grin to your elegant lady’s face. She took joy in my embarrassment, you noted inwardly. The tall lady then explains the village’s restrictions to you. One strangely similar to what you’ve heard before, no wandering around after it gets dark.

            “And you shall have this flower on yourself at all time—It’d help you deal with ...the locals easier”

      Unexpectedly, the tall lady picks one of the Gentiana frigida from a vase by her tableside and slips it in your shirt pocket. Upon recalling its name, Gen-Tiana…part of its name is also yours, and the fact that this attractive lady was the one who gifted you this, your cheeks burn red again. Refusing to give yourself false hope, you gather your courage to ask the mistress.

            “M-may I ask why do you give me this my lady?”

            “As I said, it’d help you deal with the locals. Once they see this, they will know better not to mess with you”

      Ah. So, she doesn’t notice that it shares a similar name to yours. What a pity, you think with a disappointed sigh. Still. She is kind enough to let you use one of her guest rooms when she learned that you don’t have a place to stay yet. She even walks you to the room herself. And when the two of you reached the room she promises, she surprisingly bends down to your ear and whispers.

            “I know that flower shares a similar name to yours. Rest well, Tiana”

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      To Be Continued >>