After hearing no sound of footsteps anymore; I cautiously peek my head out, turning my head left and right. Seeing no one and only an empty hallway, my tense heart relaxed as I sighed in relief.
Now, I only need to concentrate on controlling this white blade, then I can go and meet that bloody woman again.
I stared at the obedient white blade, and slowly, I released my grip from restraining it. After letting go, I found that it's not moving at all. My brows creased as I raised my right wrist, lifting the white blade in front of me as if it was my own hand, and it moves according to how I want it.
I feel a little sceptical, so I strike and slash it in the air, and it is indeed moving to how I will it. I knitted my brows, feeling puzzled since I thought I would have a hard time controlling the white blade.
But seeing that I can control it, I shrug as I decide to brush off the confusion in my heart. With the white blade under my control, I went out of hiding and started to walk to where that bloody woman was.
I stride out on the hallway confidently as I started to strategize how to negotiate with Alexandra's aunt. Wait, speaking of that bloody woman, how do I find her?
My brows furrowed as my footsteps slowed down. I roamed my eyes on the hallway as I tilted my head, standing with visible perplexity on my face. Like a flash of light, my eyes widen as I realise something. I pinch the bridge of my nose as I let out a small sigh.
"Haaah, dumbass…" I blurted in a faint voice, scolding myself.
Now that I think about it, I actually don't know how to find that person; nor do I know where I'm currently at. With another deep deprecating sigh, I sauntered back to where I hid myself earlier, sitting down on the cold floor as I pondered to myself. I closed my eyes as I tried to visualise the locations I had been earlier, then I laid out a map in my head.
The moment I woke up, I found myself inside a room, and if I'm not mistaken that room should be located on the fourth floor. Outside that room, there is another room which should be the parlour or the sitting area, and outside that parlour room is the hallway.
The hallway has three paths: the left leads to the lower stairs, the right leads to the upper stairs, and the straight path that leads to another corner.
Recalling where Joan led me earlier, I'm confident that we turn left and walk down the stairs. And down the stairs, there are about three floors that Joan and I passed as we went down straight to the underground floor.
Afterwards, I met Saint Agatha, Pula, and Alexandra.
So after I discovered that they gave up on Pula's life, I decided to look for that blood woman that I don't want to see.
My brows weaved together as I kept my eyes close recalling these memories. Now that I'm a little more sober. My action of walking out from the underground floor is an impulsive decision.
I couldn't accept that Pula only has a little time left, and that led me to think of that bloody woman. Not to fight but to negotiate.
Still, that was reckless considering how it seems that no one still knows my real identity as a noble. Which means, I might end up being captured once more if anyone sees me. I bit my lower lip, feeling anxious because I know what might happen if I ever showed myself in front of the guards again.
So, I am well aware of how rash my decision is, however, I would still risk it since Saint Agatha seems to have already given up on Pula's life. I'm just a little thankful to my luck that no one saw me till now. Even if I don't know what will happen between me and that bloody woman once we meet again, I would still risk negotiating for Pula's sake.
Anyway, this time I'm confident that I can negotiate with that bloody woman. It's just that, right now, I don't know how to find that person's whereabouts.
Which is why I'm trying to map out the places I've been, so I could locate where I'm currently at and where to go next. At the current time, I've already mapped out four places in my head which are the following: the underground floor, the first floor, the second floor, and the third floor.
Earlier, after I went up from the underground floor, I passed a hallway which I think leads to the exit, to the kitchen, and to the dining hall of the Mansion.
I actually wanted to go to the kitchen earlier because I'm starving, and I need a knife or something, so I thought I could find something in the kitchen. However, I found guards walking in from outside, and I had no choice but to just go straight to the second floor to look for any sharp pointed tool.
But when I went up on the second floor, I only saw a corridor with paintings and statues of that bloody woman. Meanwhile, the rooms on the second floor are empty and only have luxurious beds inside them. I think those rooms are reserved for guests.
Not finding a single weapon on the second floor, I decided to go to the third floor, and it was then that my right hand transformed into a white sharp blade.
Which means that right now I'm on the third floor of this mansion.
After mapping out the places I have been inside my head, I open my eyes with some clarity. Now that I know where I'm currently at, I think I know where to go next.
First, I have to discreetly explore the whole corners of this third floor, and if I still can't find that person here; it is either that bloody woman is on the upper floors or she is just really not currently in this mansion.
Which means, if I don't find that bloody woman here, then I have to go outside and find her whereabouts in this city.
Well, I just hope that I won't need to go outside to search for Alexandra's aunt. Because I don't think I have enough time to waste and search for that bloody woman.
Saint Agatha said that there's only a little time left. The saint didn't specify the exact time, but seeing how Alexandra even went as far as to start some kind of ritual to prolong Pula's life; it could only mean that Pula only has a short amount of time left.
I feel an intuition that Saint Agatha means to say to me; that Pula only has about a day left. Which is probably why Saint Agatha mentioned that the ritual will be finished tomorrow, so in other words, I only have a few hours left to find another way to save Pula's life.
Tension spread in my heart, making me feel ill at ease in my stomach. With things sorted out in my head, I stood up from sitting and went to check the unexplored areas on this third floor. I walk sneakily on the hallway as my eyes roam, glancing at each corner.
After half an hour of careful searching, I didn't find the figure of that bloody woman that I'm looking for, however, I found out that this third floor is the guard's quarter area.
At that, I decided to go up to search on the upper floor, but just when I was about to walk on the stairs leading up, I heard two guards talking as they walked down from it. Not wanting to be discovered, I hid behind the corner, waiting for those two to pass.
"It's a good thing that we're under the command of general Amana, right?" Said the smiley-face man, stretching his arms out.
"I agree, if we were sent to another division then we might not have a relaxing life like this even if we come from a noble's family," the man with droopy eyes replied.
Afterwards, those two entered one of the guard's quarter's room. Hearing those two talk about that bloody woman, I tiptoed my way on the edge of the guard's quarter's room to eavesdrop. I peek my head slightly on the corner, and I saw the guards stripping their armors.
"Ora! ora! change shift, it's our turn to rest!" said the smiley-face man I saw earlier, shouting inside the room.
The other two men sleeping on the bed woke up with a grumpy face. "Why do you need to shout everytime you wake us up?!" said the cranky man with a bad temper, standing up as he started wearing his shiny armour.
The smiley-face man didn't respond but only snickered with mischief in his eyes.
"Arrrggh, you're really irritating, I…"
"Ignore them," the other man lying on the bed said, interrupting the cranky guy with an indifferent face, then without glancing at the smiley-face man, he also started wearing the shiny armor on the side of his bed.
The cranky guy seemed to listen to the serious-face man as he went to ignore the smiley-face man.
However, the smiley-face man stuck out his tongue provocatively at the cranky guy. The green veins on the cranky guy's forehead bulged as he stride forward to the smiley-face man, but the serious-face man pulled him back.
"Let go! I need to teach this cunt a lesson!" The cranky guy said, struggling against the serious-man's grip on him.
"That's enough, we still need to report," said the serious-face man sternly, pulling the cranky guy out of the quarter's room.
"Tch, consider yourself lucky," said the cranky guy, glaring at the smiley-face man.
On the other hand, the man with droopy eyelids didn't bother talking as he went to lie on the bed, and after a few short seconds, he started snoring.
Seeing the cranky-face man and the serious-face man walking out, I hurriedly left the area hiding somewhere on the corner.
"Let's go report to General Amana then eat in the dining hall afterwards," said the serious-face man, leading the cranky guy out of the quarter's room.
Hearing what the serious-face man said, I narrowed my eyes as I started to follow them up the stairs sneakily. They went up on the fourth floor, then they walked forward the hallway, then turned the corner again, and afterwards, the two stopped in front of the wooden door.
I went to hide on the corner as I waited for what those two were going to do next. I didn't hear what they said, but I think the serious-face man is asking for permission to enter. After a while, the two open the wooden door revealing the inside for a brief second.
Seeing the short red curly hair of that bloody woman, I gulped as I suddenly felt nervous. However, I only saw that person's back and nothing more; the door also went closed as soon as those two entered.
My heart thump as I felt my blood rushing in my veins, and the white blade on my wrist also started shaking violently. I raise my left hand, restraining my right arm, trying to simmer down the madness surging up in my heart. I inhaled and exhaled deeply, reminding myself that I'm here to negotiate and not for revenge.
After calming down myself, I felt my heart returning to a normal beat, and the white blade also soon stopped trembling.
With a serene heart and rational mind, I stood up straight. 'Doom to fail or not, here I go,' I thought in my head.
I stride my legs towards the entrance of the room, raising my left hand and placing it flatly on the wooden door to press it open.
To my utter dismay, the wooden door felt too heavy to push open, so I put my strength on my legs, leaning my body slightly to thrust the closed entrance open, but it didn't even budge the slightest bit.
I stood up straight again and bit my lower lip frustratedly. With a deep sigh, I decided to kick the door open, but the damn entrance still didn't move, so I kicked and smashed the door out of frustration over and over.
Yet, the entrance still didn't open. It didn't even receive a scratch, and it felt like I'm kicking at some kind of invisible field whenever my attacks would hit the door. My brows creased in frustration, staring at the huge thick wooden door.
Why won't the bloody door open?
I roamed my eyes on each corner of the door, and I found that there was nothing particularly strange, so I don't know why I'm having a hard time to push it open.
Those two guards earlier did not seem to be struggling when they pushed the entrance open. They even made it appear easy, but then why am I struggling to open this damn door so much?
I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling stress out with this door. Since I can't open the door, I decided to wait for it to be open inside, so I walked back to my hiding place beyond the edge of the wall.
I walk back and forth, waiting for the people to come out. However, about an hour has already passed, and yet, the people inside still haven't come out.
I bit my lower lip, feeling worried. Time is ticking, and so is Pula's life. I frown at myself, looking at the door with impatience. I don't have much time. I need to meet that bloody woman now. My face crumpled as I remembered what happened at the Dregs Arena again.
That gladiator woman and that silver haired man who must not be named. At least to me, I don't want to utter their name. Whether I'm only talking to myself in my head or out loud. I refuse to say their names.
At the same time, I want to remind myself that both of them are human beings, and by doing this, I could hold on to my sanity. As much as possible I don't want to lose my reason again, because for many reasons, I can't afford to lose my mind.
First, I won't be able to negotiate if I'm not in the right mind, and that's why I need to remain sensible and clear-sighted. Second, I don't want to meet Pula with a lunatic mind. Third, I won't be able to live a peaceful life here if I lose my mind, and also, I feel guilty towards my family on earth. Especially when I remember myself becoming a violent person.
So, there are many more reasons why I can't become like that again, but in the end, the main reason is because I feel scared of what I might become when insanity takes over my mind.
It felt like I'm no longer who I was.
No, I'm no longer who I am, and that thought itself is making me crazy; like there's two contradicting personalities inside me.
The moment I woke up; these two personalities have been in a constant battle, fighting who is going to win over my conscience.
Am I still myself? Or am I not? Who am I going to become?
That, I don't know.
I feel like I'm being swallowed alive by my own crazy thoughts, and I'm scared. I fear myself, and the only one who could bring me comfort is Pula. I need Pula. I can't lose her. If I lose Pula, If I lose my only family in this world, then…
My lips twisted into a smile as my eyelids shot wide open. "Hehehehehe…"
I will kill everyone. I will destroy this world.
No one is allowed to be happy if I'm unhappy, right?
"Hehehe…hehe…heh."
I frown at these notions as I realise what I just thought.
My heart accelerated, jumping in my chest. I panted as I felt out of breath. "Haaah, haaah…"
I raised my left hand, slapping my forehead. "Get a hold of yourself," I muttered, slapping my head once more.
The pain brought me back to reality as I snapped out of my thoughts. I swallowed, inhaling sharply and exhaling deeply. With clear eyes, I stared at the door again. I need to find a way to unlock this door even if I have to break it open.
I narrowed my eyes as I positioned myself in a running posture. "One, two, three…"
On the count of three, I placed the strength on my legs as I started running towards the entrance. I sprinted my legs so fast, but suddenly, the door opened.
My eyes widened as I saw those two guards opening the door, and in between those two in the middle is that blood woman. Short red hair and gladiator armour. No doubt that she is indeed that person.
Shit.
I gritted my teeth, feeling my feet unable to stop on time. There's too much momentum and speed exerted on my body, and I can't control myself from running.
The gladiator woman and those two guards stared at me with a dumbfounded face.
"Look out!" I yelled, but it was already too late.
Unable to stop my body, I collided against the gladiator woman.
"Ack!" The gladiator woman yelped as my body crushed to hers.
I winced, feeling a hard impact. We both fell on the stone floor, rolling inside the room, and the momentum only stopped when my back hit the wall.
"Uhh…"
I heard the person next to me groaning. While my face is also distorted, frowning as I endured the sore pain on my back. I prop myself up on my elbows, pushing my body from planking on the stone-floor.
As soon as I sat up, the gladiator woman grabbed my shoulder, hitting my aching back against the wall. The gladiator woman gnash her golden teeth at me.
I scowled as I shove the gladiator woman away. The gladiator woman glared at me, and I glared back as I stood up.
"Are you trying to kill me?" The gladiator woman gnash her teeth.
The cranky guy and the serious-face man came in front of the gladiator woman protectively.
"General!" The two guards exclaimed, looking at the gladiator woman in concern.
I sighed as I opened my mouth to explain, "No, this is just a misunderstanding, I'm here to…"
"Leg shackles!" The man with a serious face shouted. He raised his hand pointed at my legs, then the stone floor crawled like mud on my feet covering both of my legs, and afterwards, the mud hardened into a stone binding both of my legs.
My brows furrowed as I stared at him, then I saw the other guy with a cranky face striking a punch at me.
I raised the white blade on my right, pointing the tip of the blade on the cranky guy's neck.
"Step back," I said in a warning tone.
The cranky guy stopped on his track as he lowered his fist, stepping back slowly as he glared at me. Despite the cranky guy retreating, I remained vigilant as I kept the white blade pointed at them.
"I'm not here to fight, but…" I paused as I roamed my eyes at the three of them, then I narrowed my eyes at the gladiator woman and said, "If anyone here drives me to madness once more…"
Gulping down as I squinted the lids of my eyes dangerously, trying to restrain my rioting heart and quivering blade with a calm facade.
"I can't promise that everyone can escape here unscathed and…" I swallowed again, uttering the next word weakly and with great difficulty. "...alive."