I could tell that he wasn't expecting such a response from someone like me. So I didn't give it my mind anymore. What was said, had already been said.
"So you happened to be planning this for a very long time then?"
"You just figured it out?"
"Well I thought maybe you had given up on the thoughts of running away. However, I just didn't expect you to twist back to that same thought again."
"Even after how you have seen that I was being treated like a roadside trash?!" I asked. It was the truth, I was being neglected and I was fine with it. But then, the roadside trash got picked up again and brutally abused to the point which I couldn't withstand anymore. I was being tortured... Not to mention—used as a tool that can be thrown away as soon as my use had worn out.
"I thought we were close enough to speak about your problems with me." George spoke while clasping his hands behind his back. What ticked me off was how he was smiling at my situation. I knew that at this rate, I may even collapse while still trying to clear myself a path of escape. So I let my skills to rest.
"Spectrum, get out..." I muttered under my breathe, as my cursed sword let go of my mind. I looked back up at him, but still didn't sheath Spectrum back into its case. "In what way? I thought the last time I told you, that you shouldn't keep a concerned mind for an adopted sister. I was simply your mother's tool." I spoke at his direction.
"Oh really? But mother says otherwise. She wished to see her 'daughter Aefia' when she had spoken. She didn't say adopted daughter." He replied while tilting his head.
Like what the heck is wrong with this family?!
I looked to the side before lifting my gaze back up. "And how do I know you didn't just make that up?"
"Do I need to prove it?"
"I met the empress not long ago. And I don't even think I want to know whether she really said that. I had promised her to stay shut up about me in all aspects, but I can't blame if she blurted it out when the chemical took over her mind. However, I wish to not be bothered by her request anymore."
"Are you going to be that cold to your mother who sheltered you for an entire year?"
"Yes. Because I don't want to see this entire family as having ever been my family. I was a tool, until my effectiveness ran out. So do you think I would be useful enough if I ever returned? Plus, I have a right to my freedom and how I choose to die. It was never like I did any harm to your family that I deserved to be executed."
"..." His smile dropped as he straightened back again. "Then may I ask? What was in that contract?"
"It was a matter that I couldn't speak about to anyone. So I think I shouldn't tell you either. Does it answer your questions enough?"
"No. I have way too many questions to ask."
"Same goes to me."
"..."
"..."
"Are you really going to throw words back at me?"
"Is there a law avoiding me from doing it?" I asked while glaring at him. But then, I smiled. "Oh wait! Even if there is a law... I won't have to abide to it! Because I am dead!" I let out a laugh, a maniacal sort. I could tell that my mind had become more twisted for everytime I met the members of this family and everytime I recalled my memories.
"You are still the same."
"What did you expect?! Of course... Since I am the same person."
"So why did you lie about dying?"
"I didn't lie." I answered while finally looking back at him with calm smile. "I did die when I jumped from the bridge. I bled out, suffered the pain, I even remember the pain I felt as my head collided with the marble structure. That is why I had it destroyed. I hated the constant trauma that came along with it."
He gritted his teeth. I always knew the way to manipulate the entire family. They may have manipulated me into signing the contract, but I can manipulate them into shutting up completely. And George was the easiest to shut up.
"Then how–"
"How am I alive? If I even spoke the truth? Well... I reawakened not so long ago. You can say that I got a second chance in life due to the Guardian of Silence."
"..."
"Speechless are we? Well I thought you changed when you had started to speak like that you know? I was thinking... Like mother, like son. And I was worrying about Henry becoming like her too. I think the only person who is more sane in the mind, is Lewis. I even met him not long ago, and he didn't seem to have this much of change." But it wasn't the truth.
Like mother, like son. Like daughter, like father. It can't be changed. Every son will somewhere end up like their mother and so will every daughter take on her father. Lewis is actually the least sane of them all. Henry the most. Not to lie, I too became like my biological father.
"You met mother... And Lewis?"
"I told them to shut up. That is why none other know about my existence. I believe you all were working on retrieving my death certificate and Lewis and the empress rejected?"
"How did you know?!"
"Why can't I know? I have my subordinates to help me." I spoke while holding up a finger in the air, as a clear blue, ice-winged butterfly settled onto my index finger. "These things." I added while tilting my head.
Then, slowly enough, the butterfly turned into my closest spirit, it became visible in front of George's eyes because I had willed it to. This was one reason I liked being the Guardian of Death, because I could creep people out of their skins. Especially when it's night and the robbers come out. I sometimes accidentally sent them into the mental hospital by doing that.
His eyes blew wide, as he stumbled back. Dramatic... I know.
"That's..."
"The empress... Should have known better then to have went against the future Guardian of Death." I spoke while waving the air to make the spirit invisible again. I watched as he turned more astonished at the display of my skills, and I too enjoyed that reaction. Since I had always wanted to see this exact expression on the empress's face when I destroyed her entire family fame. Destroyed the throne, exposed their secrets and ruined them to the ground. I had always wanted to do it as part of my revenge.
"It truly is very fun being able to wield this much power, you know? Unlike how I lost everything after I went to the palace, I have regained so much right after I left it. I feel like it was my destiny to take my life, and then to reawaken like this."
"You still see your life as a sort of material."
"Well I am the Guardian of Death." I smiled back at him despite his shadowed eyes. "I have answered my questions, now you will have to answer mine unless you want to save your names from being cut out of society. The choice is yours..."
He hung his head low in dissapointment, and I didn't even care whether he came here for help or to simply ask me questions. Because I had no willingness to do as he asked or breaking my own promise of not telling anyone else. And yes, I planned on killing him to bury the knowledge along with him. I know it will be ironic, a dead sister killing a brother who tried to save her life and give her a second chance a lot of times, but still being rejected until the end.
"I am taking that you didn't come to find me for no reasons." I asked while narrowing my eyes down. Spectrum groaned in boredom beside me.
[Master! When do I get to kill?! It's suffocating doing nothing!]
"Just wait for the sake of god!" I whispered to my sword while lifting it to check for any damage for a second time. And then, letting it hang at my side like it were just a cargo I was shifting from place to place. In the time that he was silent, even I was losing my patience. My legs were equivalent to that of noodles and I really wanted to rest. Not to mention, if I were to start my route towards Elanor's estate, then I should at least rest a bit.
"Can't people at least find someone to look out for whether they are alright after they heard a rumor?" He finally asked while looking rather upset. I had seen that same face on the empress too, about a day ago. But what shocked me the most was the word 'rumor'. How can just a small circle of my most trusted people have spread a rumor?!
"And who exactly could have spread what rumor?" I asked in astonishment and rage that whistled through my veins. If it really were my people, then I won't have hesitated to kill them. I would find them right away and slaughter them. Although... I have suddenly got the fear of killing.
"..."
Seriously?! I asked you a question!
I looked at him with dissapointment, as Spectrum spoke into my ears.
[Master! There is a presence of black magic right beside him!]
"...!" That alarm caught me right in time as I looked to his left, where a sort of smoke was stopping my vision from seeing the person's face. However, if I weren't wrong, then that looked something identical to Cedric, but taller and a little bit more older. About George's age I guess.
"Right... So he may have borrowed the black magic and the pure magic to make the dark magic himself too..." I whispered to myself as Puppet rested on my shoulder and spoke into my ear.
[Aefia... Are you thinking what I am thinking?!]
"Maybe. I think it is all right to say that George has been friends with that guy for a long time. So I can see as to why George would so much so, have found me again. Maybe one of those spies from Elanor's house had sent a swift message to the Mides family right before I found them. Tsk... Just what am I supposed to do now?!"
As I turned to face the sides of the woods, and while my grip on Spectrum tightened, I felt another whisper at my left ear. I could see from the corner of my eyes that it wasn't George, who was sprawled on the ground and coughing up blood onto the dirt.
I felt a finger tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear, but I couldn't move as my entire body happened to freeze.
"So your name is Aefia? Wish my regards to my brother Cedric."
And when my limbs were let go of, I turned to look to my left. However, whoever spoke into my ears were not standing where I had expected them of being. Rather, they were far gone. And dissapeared.
My nose was covered with the same metallic scent of the dimenthylmercury. And I hoped that I wasn't infected. Since Spectrum was right beside me, and at my grasp, I knew that if anything, it would be the only one who filters my blood out.
I panicked for a swift moment and looked towards George, who was standing up again. Then, he looked up at me while holding up a hand.
"Won't my little sister help me? I am a bit sick." He smiled as if expecting me to do such a nasty charity work. I wasn't dumb.
"No thanks... I am in no state of helping you when I am struggling myself." I answered sternly and coldly. His eyes widened, but then he smiled again, like he said it knowing I would reject him. Whether I said yes or no, he was going to react that exact same way. So I didn't bother anymore. I actually didn't even give a care to his whole existence. I came to the capital for a single mission and got tied up to many.
I came to the capital to put Cedric on the throne of the Mides family. Because I knew I had suspected the Mides family for quite some time, but I needed a prove that they really were the ones who were targeting the Imperial family. The only person I was going this far for, was Henry, who did no wrong to anyone. Moreover, I think he is just too innocent to even think about harming. I mean... He is a kid.
While I was at it, my eyes immediately diverted towards a far point of the forest where I saw a figure running behind a small child. I could immediately tell that the figure was a mercury poisoned patient. I ignored whatever George was telling me, and ran after the child. I was lucky I had my sword drawn in time, cause the figure was holding its IV fluid above its head as a weapon.
***
The child ran mindlessly into the woods, not even daring to look back to find his parents. While a rampant man was chasing behind him in an attempt to harm the kid.
Crack!
"...!"
The kid fell over a slippery moss and immediately turned to run again. However, the man had already been hoveirng over the kid and raising the rod over his head. He shut his eyes as the rod came thumbling down at his head, as he had no options.
However...
Splat!
The kid found himself being lifted into someone's arms and then being set aside a little further away from where the patient was. When he opened his eyes, he found himself being cradled in the arms of a girl who looked to be in her mid-teenagers. She had a straight line of deep red travelling down the side of her forehead. At her other hand, she was holding a very pretty sword.
"You are hurt... Because of me?" The kid asked while clasping his hand in front of her. He watched as more of the dark red lines appeared from within her head and drooped down her chin.
"No. Don't blame yourself. I am completely alright. In fact, I am worried if you were hurt." Aefia smiled back while using the back of her sleeve to wipe the blood away from her forehead.
That's it... I think... I don't even need to join the millitary.