The week after Runa's departure was the emptiest the manor had ever felt.

  At mealtime, the wood benches were shiny in the space where a person was supposed to sit; their little wallflower group was dismembered more than it had ever been before.

  Lian, Katharina, and Deliah still sat together, but the athlete was as stoic as ever, and a silence had settled between Lian and Katharina like fog on a cool day, obscuring any conversation that could have been.

  Across the room, 'Princess nose' bent over her bowl alone, the absence of 'Tall girl' and 'Braid girl' making the gap beside her feel like a wound.

  Katharina often felt the mush growing in her mouth as her ability to swallow had been stunted, afraid of how Runa's face would soon fade.

  On the second day, she had already felt the brand steering her thoughts away from the smiling image of Runa at breakfast, and in an attempt to protect the memory of her, Katharina had imagined wrapping them in a protective layer of aura and hiding them away next to her little bubbly spring, keeping them safe from the brand's destructive menace.

  For now, it seemed to have worked as she still pictured Runa's face in vivid detail whenever she pulled the memories from the hidden little pocket.

  The memories of 'Tall girl' and 'Braid girl' were left to fade naturally; there was no fear that the brand would erase them, as they had been sold in the proper manner. However, Katharina found them fading faster, but she wasn't going to protect them.

  The only feeling those memories evoked was pity for 'Princess nose', who was completely alone, left behind by her lesser friends.

  By the second week, two new girls had appeared in their lessons. They came quietly, one morning, they were just there, as though the manor had swallowed them and spat them back out in uniform.

  Katharina quickly dubbed one of them 'Grunty', after an unfortunate lesson with FurrowBrow, and the other 'Crooked Bangs', the reason obvious.

  They were terrible names, and Katharina knew that, but she wasn't one to ask for names, even if she knew it was petty. In fact, both of them were pretty and could have been defined by so many other things apart from their most obvious flaw.

  But Katharina felt her bitterness over losing Runa when she had just learned her name was winning and turning against these innocent newcomers.

  Autumn was getting colder, each morning more chilling than the previous; soon it would be winter.

  By Katharina's count, nearly thirty days had passed since Master Ravnsund’s last inspection and her peculiar encounter with the 'Prince'. Now something was brewing in the manor like another visit was due. Tasks grew sharper, instructors more irritable, as though bracing for his presence.

  Katharina suddenly had an oddly funny thought spring to her head.

  And sure enough, the next housework day, three riders arrived early in the courtyards, where Katharina just so happened to be stuck with the most dull task of raking in the biting weather.

  Master Ravnsund was the first of the riders, sitting proudly on his mount, dressed in that same green coat from last time. But contrary to most arrivals, where he either came alone or with the prince, this time an attendant arrived with him, and tethered to that horse as though not to fall behind was a scruffy-looking girl on a horse that looked much too tall for her.

  It was so odd to see Master Ravnsund bringing someone in himself that Katharina couldn't help but gawk at the scene.

  The girl wore fine clothing, but not as fine as to be comparable to the garments of the Masters; rather, it seemed similar to what they had been presented in before the nobleman who took away 'Tall girl' and 'Braid girl'.

  Her posture was submissive and meek, and though Katharina wasn't standing close, she could have sworn she saw her flinching at every little noise and command.

  Compared to those that normally were brought in, there was a different air about her, like she was already defeated, and the perfect little servant.

  As she got off the horse and walked past, Katharina couldn't help but notice her hair was a much lighter shade of brown than most, and her frame was fuller, like she had been living off proper food, not just gray mush. But most notable was her expression of recognition, like she knew the manor.

  The girl followed neatly behind Master Ravnsund, and soon they were swallowed by the enormous doors and gone inside the manor.

  Katharina looked around the courtyard to see if any of the other people who witnessed this arrival had found it as odd as she had, and sure enough, everyone else was stopped in their tracks, exchanging glances, whispering about the new girl.

  She was curious to find out more, but with her stuck out in the cold, and them long gone inside, there was nothing she could do. For now, the curiosity was shelved.

  When the courtyard was immaculately pruned of stray leaves and anything else unshightly, Katharina was finally let back into the warmth of indoors.

  With shivering fingers, she made her way to the mess hall for the extra lunch they were permitted on work days, where she found Lian, who had been lucky enough to scrub floors and was clutching her spoon in her wrinkly fingers.

  A sudden interruption of their lunch made the mush turn in Katharina's stomach; interruptions never boded well.

  Madam R?fna had appeared in the doorway and was now walking with menacing speed toward Katharina's table. Following close behind in a half jog was the girl from this morning, who had now been stuffed into a regular uniform, and the brown dress and green bodice only made her look even more meek and subservient.

  Madam R?fna directed them all to come closer, and their entire wallflower group huddled

  around one table, like mice closing in on a single piece of cheese, though Katharina had the feeling this piece of cheese was set on a trap.

  "I bring good news, girls." Madam R?fna, with an indecipherable expression, smiled down at them.

  "The Master himself has ψ????∞?χχ° brought a ??ψχ?ナ???∞? for the ?????∞Ω girl in your group." She turned to gesture toward the new arrival, who, as though they were a flock of Masters, bowed politely in greeting.

  "Well met, I am Letessa. I look forward to training with you." Her speech was polished, and with her name already on the table, there was no need for Katharina to come up with a nickname for her.

  For some reason, Katharina couldn't quite yet put her finger on, she had a nagging feeling that she wasn't gonna like this girl.

  The Madam turned to speak directly to the girl. "You already know ??? ??ψ??. But if anything ????χ? ナ?∞木??? you, you may ask that girl." She pointed to Lian, who by now was the undisputed competent one of the group. The girl quietly nodded and took a seat beside Lian. Clearly, she was going to stick close for the rest of the day.

  And so she did, she silently dusted the curtains and windows beside them, held the opposite corner when sheets had to be folded, never saying a word just nodding politely. She did all the things Runa had been doing for the last few weeks, and it was pissing Katharina off.

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  Katharina glanced at the girl whenever she wasn't looking, and each time the word 'replacement' rang in her ears.

  It felt unfair, like the manor had created a gaping wound where Runa had been, and now the Master had brought this girl to stuff her in the gash and stop the bleeding.

  Even Letessa's meek and polite demeanor was an insult; Runa had been clumsy and fun, perfectly flawed.

  It was as if now this better girl had been swapped for Runa, and they could all just go ahead and forget her.

  The next morning, the unease intensified. Letessa unknowingly dared to sit in Runa's old spot beside Lian. Katharina's throat tightened; she wanted to object even if it was cruel. But before she could speak, a voice beside her cut the air like a blade.

  "Hello, Letti," sounded from the otherwise mute Deliah. The greeting was coated with a tinge of superiority.

  "Good morning, Heart Reaper." This was the first thing she had said since her introduction. The greeting was polite as ever, not betraying any emotion Letessa might be feeling.

  "I see you have 木?∞?χχ° made it out of that place." Deliah sounded pitiful, as though a tragic tale was behind this exchange. "Too bad you are back here."

  The words struck like a lash. No answer came. Instead, a terrified look followed by complete hollowness swept over Letessa's face, and she quietly stared down into her mush. Deliah shoveled the rest of her fancier mush and left without another word.

  Katharina noticed how the hall had grown quiet around them, and she felt the many eyes that now stared at their little trio before waves of whispers rippled through the hall.

  "Was she here before?"

  "They say her old master went broke."

  "I heard he… used her, in ways Masters are not supposed to. That's why they took her back."

  Katharina caught fragments between bites of mush, as she awkwardly glanced at the covering girl across the table.

  As she listened to the whispers, it seemed like there was more to this girl than what met the eye, and maybe she had been too harsh on her yesterday.

  The mirrored hall shimmered as Madam R?fna's command rang out:

  "You are to greet one another. One offers a compliment, the other receives and reciprocates, and then you exchange farewells. You will do this four times with your partner, twice each as the initiator."

  Katharina quickly shot Lian a glance, as always, they were a pair. The two new girls had become each other's best allies and mostly kept to themselves, so naturally they did the same.

  That left the two stragglers, 'Princess Nose' and Letessa, to form an uneasy couple.

  Katharina adjusted her posture, settling into an uncomfortable, stiff formality that was required for such an exercise. However, rattling off empty pleasantries had become second nature after those torurous weeks preparing for Master Ravnsund's judgment, and finding something to compliment Lian on seemed easy as pie; only her ever-lackluster language could trip her up.

  Across the floor, Letessa bowed. Her movement was neat, small, and almost apologetic.

  "It is an honor to be partnered with you today."

  'Princess Nose', who stood opposite her, returned the bow with exaggerated elegance.

  "The honor is all yours-oh, I mean mine." A mocking smirk played at her lips, echoed by a giggle from the two new girls. They hadn't yet learned that Madam R?fna did not tolerate bad behavior, but the glimmer of amusement in 'Princess Nose's' eyes said she knew as long as those two took the brunt of the blame, she would go free.

  Letessa spoke unfaced. "You carry yourself with such grace." It was a simple compliment, but it did the job.

  "How sweetly simple your words are," 'Princess Nose' purred, head tilting in mock admiration, "so refreshing not to be weighed down by thought."

  Katharina stood speechless, watching as the pecking order was established. 'Princess Nose' had never been friendly, but now that she had become an odd person out in their wallflower group, she had turned downright cruel.

  Letessa only lowered her eyes, voice growing quiet as wary footsteps on a creaky floor. "You are most kind to say so."

  Katharina slowly felt her dislike for Letessaa shift from not wanting her to take Runa's place to disliking her for being such a pitiful underdog.

  But they could just stand gawking at the spectacle, and soon the lesson commenced in full, with each pair exchanging their false pleasantries, and the time to switch partners came.

  When her own turn pitted against 'Princess Nose' came, Katharina straightened until her spine ached against the stays of her bodice.

  'Nose's' lips already curling with anticipation of another easy victim.

  Katharina was thriving in 'Nose's' underestimation of her ability, since Lian was the only one who knew of Katharina's private tutoring with Madam R?fna, she had the perfect opportunity to wipe the floor with this cocky girl, and show Letessa how it was done in the meantime.

  None of the phrases she had learned from R?fna fit exactly; they were all ways of addressing a master. But by piecing together different parts, she knew there had to be a way to show Madam R?fna how far she had come while also putting 'Nose' in her place.

  Swapping out 'the Master' for 'your' or 'you' would make it appropriate for the current conversation; now it was just about making it mocking.

  If there was one thing 'Nose' had made obvious about herself, it was that she was haughty and proud, noting a bit of sarcasm couldn't cure.

  Katharina bowed, voice thick with her accent, but ringing clear:

  "It is an honor-e to humbly be in your... even more-e humble presence."

  'Nose' blinked, momentarily unsure whether she had been praised or slighted. Before realising it was her turn to bow.

  "And greetings to you." Befuddled by Katharina's sudden superiority in polite speech, 'Nose' only managed the most basic of openings.

  Katharina did not leave room for her to catch her bearings. She let the next words fall smooth and sweet as honey, every syllable sharpened on Madam R?fna's drills.

  "You must be very strong," She shot a honey-sweet smile, while soothing the brand, allowing her to continue the attack. "To carry all that pride, yet your arms are still small."

  The silence that followed was louder than any ripple of laughter. 'Nose' stiffened, looking at Madam R?fna to take her side. But the Madam merely looked amused; only Katharina knew that it was rooted in her pride at having taught Katharina so quickly. Forced to reciprocate by the rules of the exercise, 'Nose' bit her lip as she sputtered a response.

  "I see your ??ナ???χ??° has come ? χ?∞Ω ??°, you don't-" Whatever retort she had planned out was caught in her throat, held back by her brand; she was not strong enough to overcome its will.

  Katharina savored her victory before Madam R?fna separated the two of them and rearranged the pairs.

  As they shuffeled around, she half expected Letessa to thank her, or at least acknowledge that she put 'Princess Nose' in her place. But the girl kept her eyes lowered, quiet and subdued as ever, as if nothing had happened.

  As they were about to file out of the mirrored room, Madam R?fna's voice cut through the air.

  “You. Stay.”

  There was no aura in her words, but the command was so sharp the brand carried it for her. Katharina’s steps faltered, and before she knew it, her feet had brought her back into the room.

  R?fna stood waiting, her presence filling the space. "Your ?????χ??° is showing in your aura." Her eyes, fierce and unblinking, burned straight into Katharina’s core. "It is ??????? that you do not like the girl. Your ??????∞? are ???ψ?∞Ω into your aura. Have I not taught you better?"

  Katharina's throat tightened as she became painfully aware of the bitter cloud that surrounded her. She had been too caught up in her emotions to notice that she was literally projecting her disdain into the air.

  R?fna's voice softened, and the familiar undertone of a lesson played. "Do you know why she is here?"

  It sounded rhetorical. How could Katharina possibly know why? But the silence that followed made it obvious that she was supposed to give a guess.

  But after having played this kind of game with Madam R?fna hundreds of times, Katharina knew she had a few seconds before the answer was demanded. In that time, she could go over a few options, and whichever made the brand burn the least was likely the closest answer.

  It stung, probably not wrong, but definitely not correct.

  She thought back to the past few days and realized the answer probably lay in the whispers that had echoed through the halls.

  Deliah had mockingly commented about her being 'back here'.

  That didn't just sting, but of course it was impossible; no one could love being here.

  As the seconds ticked away, she remembered how many of the whispers had circled the Master who had owed the girl.

  And before she could weigh the option, she blurted it out.

  "She had a bad Master, Madam."

  There was no reprimand; clearly, this had been the best answer she could have given.

  "That is correct," R?fna said, her expression smoothing into approval. She crossed the room and sank gracefully into the sofa, her gaze drifting out as if she were looking at something Katharina could not see. "She used to be one of my best girls. Proper, polite, able to mirror anything a Master could desire from her."

  Her eyes narrowed again, though not at Katharina. "But there are rules to having a Ravnsund servant."

  This was news to Katharina's ears; until now, she had thought all the rules applied to them, and the Masters could do whatever the heck they wanted.

  The words just hung in the air without any explanation. She simply looked at her, and when Katharina met her gaze, a faint smile curled at the corners of the Madam's lips.

  "Hide your anger, your little friend is gone, and this girl is broken; she has a hard enough time as it is." She waved a dismissive hand, and Katharina felt the brand release her. With stiff steps, she turned and left.