"Lord, everyone is present in the hall area," Grant ca to the study once more to inform. I don’t know why I’m still here in this room when I already know how chilling the air is just by standing beside him.
"I will go with you," I said while following Grant. Alex did the sa, but the only difference between us and him is the sword. The way he is aggressively holding the sword is so terrifying, even though his face is as cold as always.
With each step toward the hall, a sense of dread settled over . I couldn’t help but wonder if I had unwittingly walked into a situation that would only bring more chaos and confusion. Alex’s presence beside was both reassuring and unsettling, his sword gleaming ominously in the dim light.
As we entered the hall, I noticed the servants and staff of the mansion gathered, their expressions a mix of fear and uncertainty. Grant stood at the front, waiting for us to join him. The air was tense, and I could feel the weight of everyone’s expectations resting heavily on .
"Did I step on a landmine?" I thought, a sense of unease gnawing at . The last ti I had been in such a gathering, it had led to an encounter with the temple’s high priest, an event that still haunted .
But before I could dwell on my apprehensions further, the surroundings began to blur and fade away. I knew this sensation all too well; it was God’s doing. He was pulling once again into his ethereal domain.
"Tell !!! What do you need from ?" I found myself shouting, my voice echoing in the otherworldly space.
The god’s form, obscured by clouds, seed to swirl with anger. "I can’t believe the audacity of yours. No one can dare to face a god, yet you have been given this opportunity, and you are talking this way to ? Have you finally lost your mind, Bernice Balliol Agnes?" The god’s voice thundered, carrying a wrathful tone that sent shivers down my spine.
"Why would I lose my mind? I think you have lost it since you sent your minions to to take to serve you."
The god’s presence remained enigmatic, concealed within the swirling clouds. His anger seed to intensify as I continued to defy him.
"A god, who has such ego but couldn’t stop pestering an extra like , has the audacity to say I have lost my mind," I retorted, my voice steady despite the tumultuous surroundings. "How should I talk to you then? Highly of you? Or lowly of you? To be honest, if I tried speaking, then I must say I have zero respect for you. In my last life, I may have, but now I don’t have. Not a single point of respect is left for you."
My words hung in the ethereal space, challenging the god’s authority. I couldn’t deny the surge of anger within , fueled by God’s relentless interference in my life. His actions had left with little reverence for a deity who seed so determined to control my destiny.
"Bernice!!!!!!!!" The god’s voice thundered once more, montarily deafening .
"Slow down your voice. I might go numb if you keep screaming this way," I retorted, my defiance unabated.
"Bernice, listen to ! Co to , I’m guaranteeing you. You will not die. I will not let you die, nor will there be any obstacle in your way for your entire life. All I’m doing is for your good." His tone softened, attempting to coax , but I remained resolute, recognizing his attempt to manipulate my emotions.
"Ha, how could I believe you?" I scoffed.
"I’m a god," he declared.
"Pardon ! But when I died, you were a god back then too? Still, you chose to see die, so how am I supposed to believe in a god now?" I countered, my skepticism unwavering.
"Bernice, you are making a mistake. Alexavier Agnes is not what you think. He is a monster. And the holy sword you believe in is not what you think. He is not soone I have assigned to you. I don’t know how he went to you when I never ordered him to be by your side unless I say so," he said, his voice filled with urgency.
"You don’t know how much blood he has shed. You don’t know how much blood has been wrapped in that body, and that blood was of innocent people who didn’t deserve this. Now he is playing with you, and if you don’t believe , he will have your blood as well. That night will co true once more. Do you have the power to endure the sa pain once more? Can you endure it? That ti you won’t have a second chance," he warned.
Suddenly, everything around turned dark, and I found myself back in the reality of the duke’s mansion, standing before all the workers who had gathered in the hall.
"So, who is going to explain?" I heard Alex’s cold voice.
The silence is still here. The fear is still lingering so deep into my skin.
"I asked sothing, right? Or have you all lost the ability to speak?" as he said, one of the maids spoke. "I d-don’t know. We only get a uniform once every few years." That’s the sa maid who I talked to. Then my eyes fell on Vix, who is standing in the corner, but I realized her dress was not as shabby as theirs. Why? Is she different? Is she different because the previous Duke and Duchess looked at her like their daughter? Or is she his personal property to take care of?
Soon, my eyes turned to Alex. My eyes were filled with tears even though I kept on mumbling to myself not to cry. He looked at .
"Madam? Do you want to say sothing?" he asked. How dare he ask if I want to say sothing or not when he is giving pain every mont?
"No, why would I?" I showed a bitter smile.
"Then where is the fund I have been providing? Did the sky gulp all the money, or did the earth eat it?" he asked. I saw everyone trembling.
"W-we don’t know. The previous head maid has been handling all the funds provided by you," the sa maid spoke.
"I think everyone is aware of the demise of the old head maid, right? Is that why her na is taken by you all? Is this because it is easy to speak her na in this situation?" he said, gripping tight to his sword.
"We can’t dare, My lord," she kneeled as he said.
"Then, where is the fund?" he shouted once again. But this ti, it angered .
I spoke, "Why are you asking where the fund is? Were you blind until now?" I said.
He turned toward . "Madam?"
"Yes, you too see them every day, right? Then why have you only co to know they have been using the sa dress for the past five years? You can’t see them unless you are blind, right?" Am I asking for my death this way? Not sure.
"Madam, you are embarrassing the Duke in front of all." It’s Vix. Why is it always her? Why does she always interrupt my conversations?
"Vix, do you know you are embarrassing in front of everyone as well?" I said. I clenched my fist.
"You are well aware I’m the Duchess of this mansion, right? And I can speak in every situation? And about talking to the Duke, I’m sure you are well aware he is my wedded husband? Then who are you to talk between us? Did I give you permission? Or did he?" I looked up when he only said, "Madam?"
I stayed silent. I didn’t say anything else. As I felt a sharp pain in my chest, hurting my head so hard.
"I ask for your forgiveness, Duke. I think I should excuse myself now." I didn’t even wait for him to speak but faced toward my room. My feet are trembling. My vision is blurring as if I’m going to fall right at this mont, but as the stair bars supported , I sohow reached my room. My tears already started dripping down my cheeks.
"The previous ti was not this painful," I said.
"My death was not painful then seeing him speak for soone else instead of ." My tears fell.
"Master!" I heard Erios’s voice outside my room.
"Stop
! Don’t enter!"
"Don’t read my mind!"
"Don’t feel my emotions!"
"Don’t think about !" I said as best as I could, but I think my voice is giving up. But what should I do? My chest started hurting so much. Just imagining everything hurts so much. This mont keeps making resent my father, the Marquis Balliol, who sold here despite my denials. What should I do?
"Master, please let inside! My chest started to hurt a lot." He cried out in pain even though I’m holding back for a while. Is it because I’m so used to it, and he is not? Maybe.
"Bear with for a while! It will be over soon. Yeah, it will be over in a few monts, so bear with . Even though I don’t want to share this mont with you. Even though I so much want to break this bond, break this contract with you, Holy sword." I said.
I don’t know what happened afterward as darkness covered my eyes, making fall asleep, but I know the pain also erased with sleep. And I know Erios is fine now as well. But as I opened my eyes, I found myself in my bed, and the curtains were open. "Did soone enter my room?" I mumbled.
I walked toward the window and saw the night, and found it the sa way as I saw the night of my death. So, is this the day the enemies are going to co? Is this the day I’m going to fight them? Maybe. "Be ready, Bernice. This may kill you or keep you alive."
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