The Baron's house was divided into four parts. Mainly the East Wing, where the Baron's room and office were located. The North Wing, where the entrance and the guest rooms are situated. The South Wing, where a beautiful garden of roses was maintained, and the East Wing, where the Baron's only daughter stayed.
Heading to the East Wing, a maid could be seen hurrying in the hallways. She was carrying a jaded vase.
"I will make it on time!" The maid kept muttering as if those words were an etched mantra already on her tongue.
She stopped in front of a vast two-way door. Without bothering to catch her breath due to the strain of running too much, she immediately pushed the door while carefully hugging the vase with her left hand.
"Mi-milady! I have returned with the medicine!" As soon as she opened the door, a strong smell of medical herbs assaulted her nose. However, it seemed she was already used to it since there was not much change in her expression.
Inside, the room was huge. A queen-sized bed was in the middle, while a fireplace was on the left. However, the place was dark, with only dimly lit torches that lit the room. Despite midday, all four arch windows of the room were closed. It was covered with thick black curtains to prevent any sunlight from entering.
The room had an air of creepiness and a heavy atmosphere.
The maid walked straight ahead to the queen size bed. "Milady, it's time for your medicine." She carefully brought the vase to the table beside the bed.
Her gaze went to the girl lying on the bed. She seemed to be sleeping. Without even bothering to wake her up, the maid started rolling up the girl's long white sleeves.
Then from the vase, she scooped her right hand to get some blue jellied essence. She started wiping it to the sleeping girl's arms, and legs, then to the entirety of her body.
Despite all the fuss she made, the girl still didn't wake up. After the maid was done, she stood up and picked up the vase once again. Then she fixed the blanket that was covering the girl before.
"I'll return later, Milady. Also, your father, the Baron, is entertaining some guests. But he should be able to visit you as well later." The maid then curtsied. "I'll see you again later, Milady."
The maid left, and a figure emerged from behind one of the giant thick black curtains as soon as the door closed.
It was no other than Ether herself. Her purple eyes glistened as her gaze landed on the girl sleeping. "This is where the thick concentration of dark magic is concentrated."
She walked towards the sleeping girl and stopped just a meter away from her. "This…" She scoffed. "I can't believe this is really what I thought it would be. Now I get it…."
However, the door burst open, revealing the breathless Baron. Behind him was the maid before.
"Who are you?! What are you doing to my daughter's room?!"
Ether remained calm as she looked at the Baron.
"Baron Gredon, isn't that right?" Her voice was cold, and her gaze upon them was pressuring. This made the Baron and the maid step back.
A white, black mist surrounded Ether. "What-what are you planning to do?"
"Baron Gredon," Ether started to speak. "You should not have played to those who have died and let them have eternal rest."
"Death?! Are you crazy?! Call the guards!" Craziness and fear started to dwell in the Baron's eyes.
Ether let out a sigh. 'It never changes, this world and that world.'
"Even if you sucked out dry all the lifeforce of the old people, you can't revive a body whose soul had long been gone. If this continues…."
All of a sudden, the ground started shaking. 'I guess I'll let them just see the results of their actions themselves.'
The girl lying in bed started to glow with dark energy. Her body started convulsing.
"My daughter!"
"Milady!"
Both the Baron and the maid ran towards the girl in the bed. A girl who didn't look more than twelve years old. While Ether, she stepped back away from them since she knew too well already.
Reasoning with these types of people was useless and just a waste of time. It seemed they even forgot that she was there.
"Call the physicians!" The Baron desperately cried. While the maid immediately dashed out again, heeding the baron's words.
The dark energy concentrating on the girl continued to grow.
'It's too late, I guess.' However, at the exact time, from one of the windows where Ether was standing.
Shatters!
Boogsh!
Ether was a bit surprised as she stopped a sword right with her right hand glowing with faint blue magic before it sliced her face. From the shattered window, two crimson eyes glared at her.
"Oh goodness, Milord." Ether sarcastically acted like she was surprised. "I heard Duke Clarence was crazy, but I didn't think to this extent. Isn't it common sense to enter through the door? Why come you need to break through the window?"
'But to think he will be able to pinpoint where I am standing from one of these windows despite being covered by one of the thick curtains? Ruth, your second male lead, is truly something. I didn't even feel his presence before the window shattered.' Then Ether's gaze landed on the jeweled ring glowing vibrantly in her fingers. 'Oh right, the ring detection. Maybe I am just too focused on the Baron's side that I didn't notice it glowing already.'
With those crimson eyes, Clarence even glared at her more. "What have you done to this place?"
"Don't look at me like that; I am not the enemy you face right now?" The grin on Ether's face grew, which only caused more annoyance to Clarence.
However, he, too, stopped when he felt a solid sinister aura behind him. He looked behind and saw a girl floating and covered with dark energy. A strong gust of wind surged inside the room, shattering and sending away every piece of furniture.
"Kaboom…" Ether said with all smiles.
Boom! A massive explosion occurred, destroying the whole mansion of the baron.