"Girls, I'm here today to bring the best of news."

  Madam R?fna's proud figure loomed before the girls; today was housework day, yet here she was in the supply room with news she clearly thought was worth celebration.

  It had been exactly two weeks since Katharina had played her performance before Master Randsund, and she had still not been sold off to any 'bad bad' master, leading her to believe she had passed. And yet this news that Madam R?fna was bringing was a bit worrying.

  However, since it entailed all of the girls in their wallflower group, it couldn't be all bad.

  "A master has ????????? a ???ψχ? of girls be ψ????∞??? to him," Madam R?fna said, her already thin lips curling into a savoring smile as though her efforts were finally paying off. "From which he ?∞??∞?? to choose two ????∞??∞?? for his youngest daughter."

  She began to walk in her usual, pacing strides, sizing each of them down.

  "The master will arrive tomorrow, ???∞?∞Ω you will be ????ψ? from your ?????? for the ?∞?????° of tomorrow."

  R?fnas's strides had brought her past Katharia and Lian, and with her back now to them, Katharina saw her opportunity to sneakily ask Lian. She let her hand sway to touch Lians, who glanced at her in return.

  "What will be in two days?" Katharina whispered behind Madam R?fna's back, making for an exhilarating defiance that was met promptly with the corresponding warning from the brand. But Lian, for once, just smiled playfully.

  "There will be no work," Lian whispered, giving a playful wink to add to the excitement.

  Madam R?fna had spun, staring them down as though their exchange had been a bellowing, shouting match. But instead of acting upon the insubordination, she continued her spiel.

  "Some of you know what a day before a master ?∞???χ?. I expect only ????ψχ??° behavior from you. As for the foringer," R?fna's eyes snapped to Katharina. "You are to stay completely silent, and ?∞°???∞Ω ?χ?? I will ?∞木??? you on the day of the master's ??????χ."

  With that said, Madam R?fna turned, her black dress swinging heavily around her long figure, and she strode toward the exit. Halfway out the door, she stopped abruptly and turned her head to look at the line of girls one last time.

  "Second to last," R?fnas' hawk eyes rested on the frightened 'Runner'. "Follow me."

  They watched as the trembling 'Runner' quickly made her way to the door, half running to keep up with the unfairly large strides of the Madam.

  Katharina was unsure of what that was all about, but from the worried looks now plastered on the other girls' faces, it was obviously not something pleasant.

  All of them lingered uncomfortably in the wake of 'Runner's abrupt exit, and soon a whisper spread among the other three.

  Lian angrily grabbed a bucket and a rag and stormed off to start today's cleaning shift.

  "Ehy, Lian, wait-e for me."

  Scrambling also to get a bucket and sturdy brush, Katharina stumbled after Lian.

  On their way to whatever floor was on the agenda, Katharina prodded the scowling Lian for answers.

  "What is Madam R?fna do with her?" It was a simple question, and the answer was probably 'giving her a scolding', but what she really wanted to know was 'why?'.

  "It's her last ???∞?∞Ω."

  "What?"

  Lian didn't slow; she was storming ahead of Katharina as though she was running from the words. And Katharina was awkwardly jogging along behind, her bucket sloshing about, leaving a trail.

  "If they don't sell her tomorrow, they will get rid of her."

  The words hit Katharina like a whiplash. As she stopped dead in her tracks, a huge splash of water flew from the bucket at the sudden change in momentum.

  "What..."

  In a huff, Lian turned. She looked furious, but Katharing had the feeling she was masking a combination of fear and preemptive grief. Lian tipped her bucket and let an even larger puddle than Katahrina's for around her feet. She flung the rag at the floor. This was where they were going to be scrubbing, the middle of a long hallway.

  A wave of dreadful understanding washed over Katharina as she knew 'Runner' might soon fade into oblivion, either sold into a better life servitude or as a faint memory suppressed by the brand.

  It took a while before 'Runner' finally appeared at the other end of the hallway they were scrubbing, but when she did, she quickly made her way to Katharina and Lian.

  "May... may I come with the two of you?" 'Runner' could barely lift her gaze, and her usual chipper demeanor had been replaced by a glumness Katharina could only fear the origin of.

  This was the first time in a while that 'Runner' had approached them. Ever since Katharina's experimentation with aura, a wedge had been growing between them, and she was happy to have 'Runner' back on their team, even if the circumstances were grim. Without thinking, she looked over, smiling at Lian, half expecting her to have the same expression and invite 'Runner' to join their scrubbing crew.

  Instead, she found Lian staring wide-eyed at the floor. Her face went through a series of emotions, finally hardening into a stare sharp enough to cut. One would think 'Runner' had asked the impossible.

  Lian let out a light scoff before turning away to find a new patch of floor to scrub at the other end of the corridor.

  'Runner', who had been nervously anticipating Lian's response, fell completely silent, her eyes growing red.

  "You can come." Katharina smiled at 'Runner', but it was clearly too late to salvage the situation.

  They scrubbed the morning away in silence, and as they reached the end of the seemingly endless hallway, the warm glow of noon bathed the clean tiles in golden light. But even this bright sight couldn't scare off the gloom that had fallen over all their faces. Katharina hated that they were finally getting their group back together, but only now that an expiration date was set.

  The defiant thoughts were not welcome, but she didn't care; small jabs from the brand were easy to thwart with her aura. And she put on an air of inviting warmth as she asked 'Runner' to join them for mush.

  "You eat-e with Lian and me?"

  The mess hall was always surprisingly empty during lunch, which was reserved for days of manual labor.

  The kitchen had been gracious enough to give them two pieces of bread to help the mush go down. Lian was still silent and frowning, while 'Runner' had turned expressionless, but at least they were all eating.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Katharina was savoring every bit of this grand meal when she was rudely interrupted by two guards.

  One guard went to 'Princess Nose', 'Braid girl', and 'Tall girl's table, while the other loomed behind Katharina, breathing down her neck. Their presence was an omen of the silent command to come. She scoffed down the bread just in time, and they were herded together and escorted through the corridors of the manor.

  Like sheep, they were guided to a fancier part of the manor, where no lesson ever took place. The floors of the hallways were carpeted, and from how finely the hair stood, one would think the carpet had been combed and brushed. The doors they passed were all like those in the foyer, French doors with small set-in glass panes. If not for the curtains blocking the view, Katharina was sure these rooms were decorated with all types of items like those in Furrow-Brows' clutter room.

  They finally arrived at their destination, a tiled bathroom. Compared to their usual washroom, this almost looked modern. The tiling was cut from large white stones, and there even stood a copper bathtub at one end.

  To the other side were buckets and rags, clearly meant for them. However, most noteworthy was a bowl with what looked to be actual, real soap bars waiting to scrub the smell off the girls.

  The guards wasted no time. With a snarling yap, not unlike that of a herding dog, the broodier of them ordered the girls to undress, leaving their worn brown dresses in a folded heap by the wall.

  The water that awaited them was only lukewarm, hardly inviting, but there was no choice but to dip a rag and get scrubbing. They washed quickly, muddying the water with the sweat and dust from their skin before being directed into the copper tub. The basin was already filled with cloudy water that carried a strong, cloying, flowery scent.

  But this bath was not meant for relaxation; two of the girls were shoved into the bath at once, while the rest of them were left to stand shivering on the cool stone floor.

  The three 'better', in their own eyes, girls helped each other, taking turns washing their hair in the flowery water, massaging the sweet scent into their skin.

  As soon as they were out, Lian gave Katharina a small push, and she stumbled forward toward the copper basin. The tub was taller than it appeared, its sides slick from the scented steam rising out of it. She stood for a moment, wondering which parcour trick she could employ to scale the tub.

  She must have looked helpless, or just too slow, as a guard stepped in behind her, one heavy hand gripping her elbow, the other steadying her waist, and with a single heave, he helped her over the edge.

  A small "Thank you" quipped from her lips, though played in her mind.

  It wasn’t until she was halfway into the perfumed water that the thought hit her: she was naked in front of this grown ass man. Utterly bare. He hadn’t so much as blinked; neither of the guards had. Their eyes were as empty as their order, their faces devoid of curiosity. And somehow, until this very moment, she realized she hadn’t cared either. Once she would have blushed, but now washing her whole body seemed as casual and simple as washing your hands in a public bathroom.

  Lian slid in after her, settling behind and dipping a rag into the cloudy water before tugging gently at Katharina’s hair. Katharina let her, leaning back, until a glint of metal interrupted the steam.

  A pair of large, crude scissors, hammered from a single piece of steel, was pressed into Katharina's damp hand.

  "You two need a trim." The guard is curt in his explanation.

  Katharina stifled a bitter, impulsive giggle.

  Lian's hair was easy, the same blunt cut as everyone else, and it just needed a few inches snipped off the ends. The blades made a harsh, grating sound each time they closed, and the cuts were a little choppy. So Katharina took her time to be meticulous and not leave a disaster on Lian's pretty head.

  Then it was Katharina’s turn. Her hair had been slowly reaching into that wild, awkward state, somewhere in between a bunch of hairstyles, but not really anything. The remnants of her jellyfish cut were still there, but her bangs had gotten long enough to be tucked behind her ears.

  She pulled forward the remaining length of her jellyfish cut and crudely clipped the ends herself, then pressed the scissors into Lian’s hand, gesturing for her to even out the rest to jaw length.

  Finally, she portioned off the bangs, just a little triangular section in the front. She used to do this often back in her old life. Being a broke college student meant being your own hairdresser. It had been a while since she had thought of home.

  By the time they were finished, the tub had grown cold. The water was murky with soap and hair clippings floating across the surface. They clambered out together, dripping, and gratefully accepted the pathetic imitation of a towel they were provided.

  It was only then that Katharina noticed: only one person was still waiting for their hairwash. 'Runner' hadn’t gone yet.

  She was pulled forward by the guard, who was growing impatient. She looked hurt by the fact that she was standing there alone, but no one else seemed to notice or care.

  Awkwardly, she climbed into the tub alone and lowered herself into the cold, murky water. The clippings gravitated toward her and stuck to her skin.

  Not a single girl moved to help with her hair. She was left to twist and scrub at it with the guard dumping water on her at odd intervals when he thought her hair clean enough. Even though she kept her eyes down, it was obvious that tears were on their way.

  Katharina didn't exactly want to get back in the tub, but she felt bad for 'Runner'. Just as she was about to step forward, Lian’s fingers wrapped around hers. A firm squeeze caught her attention, and Katharina turned to see Lian signaling with a light shake of her head. "Don't get involved."

  Katharina stood frozen, her guilt telling her it was wrong, but everything else telling her this was right. She understood why all the other girls averted their gazes; it was hard to watch.

  The rest of the evening passed in a blur. The scent of soap clung to Katharina’s skin and tickled her nose unfamiliarly. Her freshly shorn hair felt light, and the blunt ends were prickly.

  The girls were herded back to their quarters, damp and silent, each of them carrying their own private dread.

  Sleep did not come easily. Whenever Katharina closed her eyes, she saw Runner’s hunched shoulders in the tub, her hair mixing with the clippings that weren’t her own.

  They awoke early, far earlier than even the birds, to the entrancing pull.

  Soon, they were back in the carpeted wing of the manor, this time filing into a small room that was coupled to a much grander hall than Katharina had seen at the manor before. Even the foyer paled in comparison to this red velvet room.

  In the side room, Madam R?fna waited for them next to a rack lined with folded clothes. She handed each girl a dark gray dress and a colorful scarf. Each scarf was unique, and the colors were all picked from the shades of autumn.

  The dress she pulled over her head was practically just a long tube that widened at the bottom before being cinched in a ruffly edge. The long balloon sleeves were sewn onto a tightly fitting yoke that ended just above the breast, leaving the tube to protrude and obscure any curves that might be hidden underneath, which was great for uniformity across all the girls.

  Though it was not a very pretty dress in Katharina's eyes, the fabric was both soft and luxurious.

  Now came the scarf, the one that lay next to where her dress had been, which had a deep magenta hue at the ends and faded to a soft rose color in the middle. The fabric itself was damask, woven with a flowery pattern.

  Along the edge, just a finger's width in, was a line of golden thread that shimmered in the morning light.

  She lifted it carefully and immediately realized this was probably the longest scarf she had ever seen. A quick glance around made her eyes fall on Madam R?fna, who always wore a similar, though much wider, piece of long fabric wrapped around her waist and over her, draping finely over her arm, as to highlight the intricate weavings.

  "To wear a Slokel is a ψ????χ?Ω?." Madam R?fna spoke openly to the room, but it was clear that Katharina was the primary target for the coming explanation. "And one must wear it ψ??ψ??χ° and with pride."

  She strode over to Katharina and took the Slokel from her hands.

  At one end of the long strip were two needles. Madam R?fna guided Katharina to secure the end of the fabric to the left sleeve, such that a good two feet of fabric was draped over and hanging freely.

  Then, in a swirling motion, she spun Katharina to wrap the long Slokel around her multiple times, even once over her shoulder, before tucking the other end in and letting it hang elegantly down the front, lining up exactly with the hem of the floor-length dress.

  "Good." Madam R?fna smiled at her neatly dressed doll, "Now stand straight."

  The rest of the girls seemed to all be familiar with the garment and had fashioned themselves in eerily identical manners. If not for the varying colors of their Slokel and Katharina's bright hair, they would appear clones.

  They followed each other through the little door into the vast room and lined up as they had done so often. They were facing a grand pair of French doors. Madam R?fma circled them, scrutinizing every inch, then she switched Katharina to stand at the far end of the line. She moved 'Runner' to be in front of anyone who might step through those enormous doors. Deepdown Katharina knew that the Madam, too, was hoping for the best outcome, even if either were cruel.

  As they stood there, dressed like Madam R?fna, they were nothing but little replicas of their keeper.

  "Remember 'You are mirrors.'"

  "That is all."

  R?fna's hawk eyes made a final, swift move to Katharina.

  "From you, I want silence. Do you understand, girl?"

  Even if she hadn't understood, she wouldn't know what to say. Silence would be her shield, and there was only one correct answer to give before awaiting the judgment of .

  "Yes. Madam R?fna."

  The door sprang open, and a large tub of a man dressed in silks and jewels took up the entirety of the double doors.

  Shoutout to this brand new story, that started releasing just a few days ago, (don't worry there should already be around 14 chapter or more :D)!