**Chapter 2: Eden, the Daughters' Town—Metamorphosis into a Forbidden Graveyard, Birthplace of the Malevolent Mountain Deity**
The clock rewinds to a few days earlier.
David disembarked from the steam-powered locomotive, dragging his suitcase behind him. He glanced at the weathered signpost bearing the name "Eden" and stepped onto a path paved with dark amethyst-hued stones.
These peculiar stones, known as "Disenchantment Ore", possessed the rare ability to repel the majority of the eerie creatures that prowled the wilderness beyond the "Wall". Widely employed in the construction of railways and roads, they stood as one of the "Three Pillars" safeguarding human civilization in an age where humanity had shared the world with these anomalies for over a century.
After a brief walk, David found himself standing before an imposing 25-meter-high wall, stretching endlessly across the grassy plains. This barrier, like the path he had just traversed, served as both shield and boundary against the encroaching horrors. Beyond it lay his destination—the quaint yet enigmatic town of "Eden".
David had come here for a purpose: to secure a full-time position as a manservant in the household of a wealthy family, hoping the generous wages would fund the surgery his blind sister so desperately needed. After presenting his identification and passing a routine contamination scan, he was granted entry through the iron gates, stepping into the heart of the walled town.
Had he foreseen what awaited him, David would have sworn never to set foot in Eden. Crossing that threshold was a grievous mistake—one that would entangle him in horrors beyond imagination and introduce him to a woman unlike any he had ever known.
Yet, at first glance, the town seemed nothing short of idyllic. Broad, immaculate streets crisscrossed in neat grids, flanked by elegant villas adorned with vibrant floral arrangements. For someone who had grown up in the squalor of the slums, the sight was dazzling. But the most peculiar aspect of the town soon became evident—there were scarcely any men in sight. It was as though he had stumbled into a "Daughters' Town", a matriarchal enclave perfumed with an overwhelming blend of floral fragrances. The heady aroma, as though countless blossoms had been boiled down into a cloying syrup, stung his nostrils and prompted several sneezes, even through the fabric of his mask.
As the sole man walking the streets, David couldn't ignore the subtle yet undeniable weight of countless female gazes falling upon him. He felt like an exotic specimen under scrutiny. "They can tell I'm an outsider".Whenever he returned their glances, the women would nonchalantly avert their eyes, yet their whispered conversations would falter as he passed, replaced by an uneasy silence.
The sensation was disconcerting, like a lone Black man straying into a hostile, segregationist Southern town—an outsider in an enclave where the unspoken rules were written by centuries of exclusion. Or perhaps, it was more like stumbling into an aristocratic masquerade, where every reveler wore an ornate mask, yet every eye remained fixed on the uninvited commoner in their midst, weighing whether to cast him out or pass judgment.
David knew his unremarkable appearance hardly warranted such attention. Dismissing the unease, he quickened his pace, hauling his suitcase like a scurrying squirrel, eyes fixed on the address given by his new employer. Yet long after his silhouette vanished around the corner, eyes rimmed with vibrant, peacock-hued eyeshadow lingered on the spot where he'd stood, glimmering with intrigue and something far less innocent.
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As the streets grew quieter and the presence of passersby dwindled, David finally reached his destination. The tension that had coiled in his chest began to unravel—only to be replaced by astonishment. Before him stood a stately three-story white villa, its fa?ade pristine despite the patina of age. A lush, multicolored flower garden sprawled across the front yard, bisected by a slate pathway leading to the entrance. The entire estate exuded the charm of an old-world manor.
He rang the doorbell, and moments later, a young woman in a flowing white dress appeared, flanked by two impeccably dressed maids. Her radiant smile lit up her delicate features as she stepped forward. "David, I presume?" she asked, her voice lilting with amusement.
"Ah… yes, that’s me. Hello."For a moment, David found himself caught off guard, momentarily dazzled not just by the girl’s beauty but by the striking contrast of the maids’ traditional black-and-white uniforms—an aesthetic reminiscent of Western aristocracy from centuries past.
The young woman, Sophia, had conducted his interview online. As the second daughter of the household, she carried herself with an effortless grace. The maids, still smiling sweetly, relieved David of his luggage. Once again, that overpowering floral scent enveloped him.
*"Allow me to formally introduce myself—Sophia White."* She gestured for David to follow her toward the villa. *"Your room has been prepared, and you can rest tonight. We’ll go over your duties tomorrow."*
Midway through the garden path, David's attention snagged on a tall, imposing figure leaning against one of the villa's rounded columns. It was a woman—no, a *lady*, in the truest sense of the word. She radiated an air of mature elegance, clad in a vintage black gown paired with a wide-brimmed hat that cast an enigmatic shadow over her flawless features. Her stature was striking, nearly two meters tall, and her presence exuded an almost palpable authority.
*"That’s my mother,"* Sophia remarked, catching the flicker of awe in David's eyes. *"Mrs. White—the mistress of the house. You may address her as Lady White."* Her lips curled into a knowing smile, as though amused by his reaction.
*Mother?* David found the formality peculiar. *Why not just call her ‘Mom’?* Still, the sheer grandeur of the woman before him left little room for familiarity. He nodded respectfully. *"Good evening, Lady White."*
The towering matriarch returned his greeting with an elegant smile, though her gaze lingered on him a beat too long—cool, assessing, almost predatory. It was a look that sent an involuntary shiver down David’s spine. Only once he crossed the villa's threshold did the weight of her stare finally lift.
The interior was no less impressive. The grand hall alone dwarfed the cramped apartment he shared with his sister. Three more maids, each of varying ethnicities and hair colors, flitted about with practiced efficiency. David silently marveled at the household's wealth, though Sophia casually dismissed it as *modest* by Eden's standards. *"Most families here employ seven or eight servants,"* she explained. *"After my father’s passing, my mother dismissed half the staff. Hiring a male attendant was her idea."*
*"So… I’m the first male servant?"* David ventured, still puzzled by the town's glaring gender imbalance.
*"Second, actually."* Sophia gestured for him to sit, the mahogany coffee table before him laden with delicate pastries and chilled tea. *"If you prefer, you can call yourself a *male steward*. The first one has been with us for some time now."*
David glanced around, noting the absence of any other man. *"Is he… off duty?"*
Sophia hummed noncommittally. *"He encountered some… health issues. That’s why we needed a replacement."*
*Health issues?* David nodded, accepting a glass of tea. The first sip, however, made him wince. Beneath the refreshing coolness lurked an odd, briny undertone.
Setting the glass aside, he opted to focus on the matter at hand. *"Could you clarify my responsibilities? The job description during the interview was rather vague."*
Sophia chuckled, a playful glint in her eye. *"Eager to get started, are we? Fair enough—some things are best discussed upfront." She leaned forward, her next question catching David entirely off guard. *"By the way, I couldn’t help but notice how long you were staring at my mother earlier. Tell me—do you find her beautiful?"
