The Whisper Hidden in the Night (2)

It hurts...

I'm so tired...

Why...

The endless darkness in her field of vision made her think she was in an abyss. Yet the weariness and bewilderment in her heart outweighed her fear, because she had never seen the light.

Without hope, there was no fear.

"What is... what is this..." Her palm felt a little itchy. Unable to resist, she raised her hand and saw a red line there. It was very thin. Confused, she leaned closer, eyes wide as blood vessels crept upward beneath them... Then the line began to wriggle toward her wrist and suddenly "slithered" into her hand.

"It's you... haha." She narrowed her eyes and smiled, though the smile was terribly stiff. Her face seemed unaccustomed to making such an expression.

But the next instant, her expression changed. She screamed and clawed at her wrist until it was a bloody mess. "No... Aah... no!"

The fear on her face swallowed up her weariness. Then that weariness gathered into a heavy knot around her brow, making her collapse to the ground. She clutched herself in pain as blood from her wrist slid down her face. "Please... no... nooooo!"

Click.

"Welcome back, mage." Fatenai opened the door. A lovely voice rang through the dim room.

Fatenai stared expressionlessly at the person who shouldn't have been in the darkness. Though Ed Ansendil had greeted her, he still had his head bowed as he read, without looking up at her.

She said nothing, picked up the glass of water on the table, and took a sip.

"Did your family teach you how to dispose of a corpse?" Fatenai finished her water and spoke slowly.

It sounded as though she were asking him whether he had read a particular book.

"The Ansendil Family's education doesn't measure up to the Wisdom Family's. If you weren't taught that, then neither was I." Ed's expression didn't change as he calmly dismissed the possibility Fatenai had raised. Then he shifted his tone. "But if you're having trouble, madam, I'm at your service."

Fatenai said nothing, tacitly accepting his offer. She turned and left the room, walking at an unhurried pace as though perfectly calm. But she was not at ease inside, because of what she had just seen. In the darkness and silence, she couldn't help recalling the details: it had been the corpse of a girl, only fourteen or fifteen years old. Her bluish-black face retained an expression of pure "fear"—her mouth and eyes stretched wide, her limbs twisted strangely. There wasn't a trace of blood on the floor, yet no one could doubt she was dead... and had been for some time.

Ed followed Fatenai, his footsteps falling in an elegant rhythm. His azure eyes held no emotion, whether surprise or delight.

"How could this be..." The two soon returned to the corridor across from the small hall, but Fatenai murmured in surprise. The corpse that had been lying on the floor was gone, without even a trace left behind.

As if she had imagined the whole thing.

It reminded Fatenai of some unpleasant memories.

When she was a child, she had once stayed outside the family estate, in one of its castles. Something had happened there, and she couldn't help telling her parents about it. But in the end, just like today, no trace of it had remained.

"Lonai, don't do that again. You'll make a fool of yourself and bring shame on the family," Duke Wisdom had said then.

It was awful.

"Looks like the other party's a coward." Fatenai, lost in thought, heard Ed's voice. He glanced at the floor.

"What did you say?" Fatenai couldn't help turning to look at him.

There was a lot hidden in Ed's words. Seeing Fatenai's eyes suddenly light up, he said, "It's time to go back and rest. If I remember correctly, you still have work to do."

The light in Fatenai's eyes slowly faded. Coming back to herself, she couldn't help staring at Ed. "Why do I get the feeling you're messing with me?"

"You guessed right. I am messing with you." Ed turned and walked away, not caring in the slightest how Fatenai felt.

"No, you know something." Fatenai hurried forward and blocked Ed's path, staring into his eyes. "I know how awful you can be, but don't treat me like a child and toy with me. And about Wickel—who was the person you killed back then?"

"That was Wickel. Didn't you see for yourself?" Ed replied.

"I want to know the truth." Fatenai's gaze turned fierce. She was usually easygoing, but Ed could easily provoke her.

Ed chuckled, and Fatenai's heart sank. Her vision blurred; then Ed's voice drifted from behind her. "What a person knows corresponds to their status. What do you think you could possibly know...?"

Fatenai frowned. Ed knew where she came from. And when it came to the eldest daughter of the Wisdom Family, any noble would know she couldn't use Mana.

It was mockery—a jab at her for showing off here despite being unable to use Mana.

She really shouldn't expect anything useful from this man.

"Fine, just as you say." Fatenai took a deep breath. "But let's see what I can find out."

"Heh... sweet young lady, the world of mages isn't God's garden. Trying to learn things you don't need to know might twist you out of shape." Ed's voice grew more distant as he went down the central staircase. Fatenai couldn't see him.

Fatenai fell silent for a moment, then turned and walked away, no longer paying Ed any attention. Her actions made it clear she didn't agree with a word he had said.

"Who knows? You might drive that mage into a corner." Ed spoke once more, then his voice fell silent.

He had appeared without warning and left just as suddenly.

Fatenai didn't even know why Ed had shown up. But because she disliked him, she made no effort to figure it out.

Still, life could no longer go on as it had before.

The next morning, Fatenai went downstairs for breakfast as usual.

"Good morning, Fatenai." It was the same greeting as yesterday, but from someone else. Fatenai turned and saw Shirey. She looked just as she had the first time they met, with little life in her expression. "Has life been peaceful lately?"

"Very peaceful, thanks for asking," Fatenai replied, though she couldn't understand why this usually distant girl was suddenly showing concern for her.

"She's just doing her duty. You don't have to be so surprised." Then Shirey's only friend spoke up. Fatenai instinctively looked toward the voice, and her pupils shrank for an instant.

The girl had a gentle expression and was taller than Shirey.

That wasn't the point.

The point was...

She had the same face as the corpse from last night.

"Hello, I'm Christie," Christie said in a friendly voice. Her rather unremarkable appearance was strangely comforting.

"Hello." Fatenai reached out and shook her hand, staring at her. "Do you have an older or younger sister?"

"No, Shirey and I are both orphans," Christie said frankly. "But she and I are as close as sisters. We rely on each other."

Christie's smile was sincere. But when it overlapped with the terrified face Fatenai had seen the night before, it sent a chill down her spine.