Chapter 150

Dec 30, 2023

If Nix were able to cry or sweat, he would have been terribly drenched.

“I simply wish you were the slightest bit more grateful that she chose to spar—no, save your deplorable life. I mean, honestly, is that too much to ask?”

Cassis silently appreciated finally being able to vent his irritation over the puppet’s disrespectful attitude toward Roxana. Of course, there was also the fact that the blond youth simply infuriated him as well. It was an ire he hadn’t been able to shake ever since he first laid eyes on him at the Gold manor. The doll’s continued brash and pompous nature toward his beloved of all people only served to rub at his already gaping sore spot. Be that as it may, however, the Blue Heir once again transferred healing energy into the prisoner’s wrists to undo the damage he had done.

“You know, we’ve never really had a chance to talk one-on-one like this, have we?”

By this point, Nix sensed that his torture was far from over despite feeling his wounds mended yet again. That realization made him contemplate whether dying a second time might not be a more desirable fate.

“Unfortunately for you...” Cassis’ frosty voice drilled into his ears once more. “...we seem to have plenty of time now.”

The puppet exhaled through trembling lips as he felt shivers traveling up and down his spine. An arctic air seemed to be penetrating his skin and coursing through every inch of his body to settle in every corner of his being.

It suddenly occurred to him how horrifying the truth behind his sadistic captor’s words was. There was far too much time for them to be alone together. Time that wouldn’t allow for Nix’s horrendous suffering to end soon enough.

* * *

A White Fipellion by the name of Duran suddenly stopped in the middle of a hallway to address one of his clansmen.

“Where are you off to all dressed up like that? No one said anything to me about tonight’s banquet getting moved up.”

His cousin once removed Jerome Fipellion was indeed dressed to the hilt as if the man was on his way to somewhere of great importance. Jerome stepped toward his cousin before answering.

“Take it easy. I’m just heading to the rose garden.”

The same rose garden where that tea party’s taking place?

“But why? Didn’t you say earlier that you couldn’t be bothered?”

“Yeah... But that was before I heard Roxana Agrece decided to go.”

Duran’s ears perked up involuntarily upon hearing the almost mythical name.

“Wanna head there with me?” Jerome wasted no time in catching his cousin’s overt interest in getting a chance to see the otherworldly Agrece woman.

“Uh... Sure. I mean, I suppose. It’s not as if I’m in the middle of anything in particular right now anyway.”

It went without saying that the man was just as interested, if not more interested than his cousin, in the chance to behold the one and only Roxana Agrece up close. He had only seen her properly for the first time at that previous winter’s gathering, and even then it hadn’t been for very long.

Since the Black clan was so secretive, they did not allow minors to attend the annual event. But even after her coming of age, last winter was the first time she had shown herself beyond making the official entrance. Even so, he still remembered every detail about the very first time he had managed to catch a glimpse of her.

Her red eyes seemed to shimmer like rubies under the castle’s chandelier lighting, which in conjunction with her soft facial features made her appear oddly angelic. To say that she was awe-inspiring was simply an understatement as she walked past the crowd beside her father Lante and older half-brother Deon. He imagined that the very definition of beauty would need to be destroyed and then reformulated in order to accommodate her.

The Fipellion had felt certain that everyone else in the banquet hall must have thought and felt the same way upon seeing her.

“But, Jerome, I still don’t understand why you’re so dressed up. Are you planning to talk to her?”

“Well, of course I’d like to, but... Whenever I get anywhere near that woman I seem to lose all sensation in my mouth and my ears start to buzz.”

These two were of course not the only ones who suffered such jarring side effects in Roxana’s presence. A host of male clansmen wished to exchange even a single word with her, but they too could only manage to stand around and hopelessly sneak glances at her. And it wasn’t just her dizzying beauty that kept them at bay. The Agrece woman simply gave off a “not easily approachable” aura that seemed to forbid those who were faint of heart from coming anywhere near her.

As he and his cousin made their way to the garden, Duran suddenly recalled an oddity from the previous night. There was no mistaking that she had approached Cassis Pedelian, then the two crossed the banquet hall hand-in-hand.

First, there was her uncharacteristically long appearance at the last gathering, then for the first time, she actually offered her hand in greeting to another guest. If that wasn’t enough, in doing so she had formed the first and most unexpected pairing of an Agrece with a Pedelian. Had it been any other member of the Black clan, the act might have been mistaken as a sign that they were conceding to the Blue clan, but not a soul who beheld Roxana Agrece that night could dare to think such a thing.

Then Duran recalled another man's joke about his willingness to kneel at her feet without shame if he could kiss those ruby lips just once before he died. In hindsight, the sentiment was anything but a joke. He himself had scoffed and then walked away from the joker at the time, but even he agreed in secret.

“It’s pretty loud out there. I didn’t think so many people would decide to come all the way down here for tea.”

The two had already made it within view of the rose garden, and the loud and animated atmosphere was indeed distressing to Jerome who had hoped to be one of the few to know Roxana had decided to attend.

“My guess is everyone had the same idea as you and came to check out the scenery after hearing the reddest rose was in bloom.”

The Fipellion couldn’t miss the opportunity to goad his cousin despite his own disappointment at seeing the crowd.

“I wonder if the Blue Heir is out there as well.”

“I sure hope not. I mean, let’s be honest... Guys like us don’t stand a chance when he’s around.”

Just as they reached the garden entrance, a passerby knocked into them.

“Hey, what the hell?!”

Duran whipped around to see who had assailed them so thoughtlessly. The mysterious man was so tall that even Jerome had to lift his head to properly look into his face, which only wounded his pride and pissed him off that much more. Yet the most aggravating detail was that upon finally getting a proper look at him, the man clearly had black hair and crimson eyes.

Another Agrece? He must be one of the fools who tried to pick a fight with us after they blocked our way to the castle.

“Hey! Don’t you know it’s only appropriate to apologize when you b-bump... into... some...”

Before he could finish his sentence, Duran suddenly recognized the lurking menace behind the red eyes glaring down at him.

* * *

“So this is where you’ve been hiding.”

Deon turned his cold gaze toward the droll voice. He had been hanging around the back of the castle where hardly any guests or attendants passed through like a shadow.

Hiakin, the current Fipellion leader, was approaching him. He was a much older, somewhat thin man with the trademark light-blue hair of his clan, but with streaks of gray to signal his old age. As Hiakin closed the distance between them, the skin around his eyes formed crinkles as he smiled.

“My, oh my, how long it’s been since I’ve seen you from this close-up. But just how long exactly? Surely Lante was still alive the last time.”

His tone was friendly enough for someone who had met Deon at multiple Big Five assemblies and even smaller Black-White clan meetings.

The Agrece was, of course, distant and emotionless as he responded in his usual unaffected style. The White Master, however, seemed to take no notice of this and instead moved in even closer.

“You still seem to prefer the quieter areas wherever you go. While I understand your love of privacy, this is meant to be an impromptu all-clan get-together. Why not go join the other young people down at the tea party?”

Rather than respond, Deon acted as if his ears had failed to register the older man’s advice. All the same, the White Master continued to speak as he was still oblivious to the Agrece’s snub.

“Aren’t you interested in joining everyone in the garden? I was passing by and noticed both your younger brother and sister were out there. Even if you have no intention of staying close to your newest clan leader, that breathtaking sister of yours would surely appreciate having her older brother there.”

His crimson eyes quivered. Hearing mention of Roxana had finally gotten a reaction out of him.

Upon noticing the subtle reaction, Hiakin’s smile resembled that of an aged fox. “Truth be told, we were rather taken aback when young Jeremy arrived at our emergency meeting and declared himself the new Black Master.”

Deon felt no need to respond since the matter had been settled ages ago.

“I had always been certain you would be the one to take over for your father as the Agrece clan’s leader.”

Once again, rather than answer, he simply met the gaze of the elder’s coal-black eyes.

“After all, wasn’t that the reason behind staging the coup last winter?”