Heavy rain poured down the dark sky, drenching the desolate alleyway. In this downpour, the weak glow emitted by the dim streetlights was the only source of light.
Under the relentless downpour, two figures stood before an ordinary looking house. The person in the lead was a young boy, his clothes drenched and clinging to his slender frame. A peculiar earring worn on his left ear emitting a beautiful glow.
Strange emotions flickered in his eyes as he gazed at the house. Raindrops cascaded down his face, at times making the water appear like tears from heaven.
He stepped forward, walking through the water. With the slight wave of his hand, the door swung open. The boy stepped inside the house that was filled with darkness.
Behind Raven, Zephyr also stepped inside the house. As soon as he took his first step inside, he was able to feel a scent of blood coming from within. The scent wasn't fresh, as if it had been quite some time since the blood was spilled here.
"This place is..." he mumbled, wondering who this house belonged to.
Along the corridor, he noticed the switch for lights. As he pressed the switch, the dimly lit house suddenly illuminated, revealing everything.
In the main hall itself, Zephyr saw signs of blood that still wasn't cleaned. The blood had even dried up.
His attention shifted to a photo frame kept on the nearby table. On the frame, he saw the picture of a woman. The woman looked beautiful, her smile filled with innocence and her eyes bright.
Curiosity piqued, Zephyr picked up the photo frame, wondering who this woman was? Why were they in this house? Was this house randomly selected by Raven? Something told him that wasn't the case. He wondered what connection this woman had with Raven.
After putting down the frame on the table, he stepped forward, observing further. Before long, he found another portrait. However, the moment he saw the next portrait, he froze in place.
In the portrait, he saw the same woman. However, she wasn't alone. Next to her there was a young boy, smiling just as brightly.
"It's..." Zephyr muttered, glancing towards Raven who was walking upstairs.
Raven moved his fingers, creating another set of golden words that appeared before Zephyr.
"I will sleep."
Before long, Raven disappeared in the darkness of upstairs.
Zephyr stood still, his mind filled with questions and curiosity. The portraits he had seen raised more doubts than answers.
As he looked up at the dark staircase, Zephyr couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something wrong. He was concerned about Raven.
He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead, and decided to explore further.
Zephyr entered a hallway that seemed to stretch endlessly. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the empty house, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
The walls were adorned with faded wallpaper, peeling off in some places, giving the impression of long neglect.
As he walked down the hallway, he noticed several closed doors on either side. Each door seemed to hold a secret, waiting to be discovered.
He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. Inside, he found a room filled with dusty furniture and old books. The air was heavy as if the place hadn't been open for years.
Zephyr's eyes scanned the room, searching for any clues that could unravel the mystery of this house.
Among the books, he found a worn-out journal, its pages yellowed with time. Carefully, he opened it and began reading the faded inked words.
"I feel so happy. I've been selected to work at Duke Ashborn's house. I want to do a good job. I never want to disappoint them."
In the starting few pages, the person mentioned how she was a maid and was selected to work at the House of a Duke in Camelot. She mentioned how she felt proud that she would be working for such a family.
"It's been three months since I started working here. And today I heard that the Lady is pregnant. I feel so excited. A new guest will be coming into the family. I wonder if it's a boy or a girl. Everyone in the Mansion seems excited by this news."
"I wasn't here when the First Young Master was born. But this time, I'll be here for the Second Young Master. The Lady even tells me that I'll be responsible for taking care of him. I feel so proud."
....
"The Lady gave birth. It's a boy!"
"The Lady and the Master seem absolutely thrilled. I could see their faces glowing with love and pride as they held their precious son in their arms. The atmosphere in the Mansion was truly filled with warmth and excitement. We all look forward to watching the Second Young Master grow and thrive."
"The Duke has also decided a name for the Second Young Master. He will be called Raven... Raven Ashborn!"
....
"It can't be... The Physician says that the Second Young Master can't speak. He's been born like this. Why? Why is God so cruel? Why did he take away his voice?"
....
"It's been two years since I've started taking care of the Second Young Master. Although he can't speak, he's always smiling, as if hiding away his pain."
....
"It's been three years since I started taking care of the Second Young Master. He has even learned to write. He's so clever. Then why? Why has the Duke and the Lady been neglecting him? Why have they never once come to see him?"
"Although he doesn't reveal it, I can see that he feels pain . Why don't they like him? He's the son of the strongest family in this land, yet he's been living like an orphan. I can't understand why this has been happening."
....
"Today I asked the Lady why she doesn't see Young Master Raven. She slapped me. I don't feel bad that I was slapped. But I do feel bad because for the first time, I saw hatred in her eyes."
"I would want to believe that the hatred was directed towards me, but I feel that wasn't the case. Instead, it was targeted towards him…"