On the other end of the hallway was a small room, located next to the library. Just like my room, it's far away from the other area, ensuring peace and most importantly, silence. That is the infirmary room. I asked Holly to give us a moment so I can talk with Irene. The room was quiet, no noise from outside can get in and neither will any noise can be heard out. It smells like chemicals in there and the only thing that's illuminating the room was a dimly lit lantern and the moon. Irene was laying on the bed next to mine, both of us were hesitant to say anything… but I decided to break the silence.
"Irene.." I said as I stared to the wall. My heart was pounding.
"My lady.." Irene turned her body to face me. I can't bear to look her in the face, it is too much..
"You're fired.. from here onwards, your service for the Corvus house ends here." I said, my voice was a bit shaking but I have to hold it in.
Irene was devastated, I heard her scrambling out of the bed and tried to get closer- "w-wait..My Lady.. l-let me explain.." her voice sounded trembling.. oh goodness it's breaking me apart just hearing her like this.. but I wasn't going to give her a second to sway me up.
"Take what you were looking for with you, I have no use of it. You came here for it, right? Now you've had it.. there's nothing left for you here anymore." My voice became stuffed, it's getting harder and harder to breathe like this.
That is right, it has always been a part of the plot of the game. Soon there will be a war in this world, and the goddess is needed to be revived, so they needed this book. Thus began the quest line: Mary's study book. You can go about it two ways with this quest, one road was built with Galium, the potential love interest, you get closer with him and revealed your secret. Then in doing so, you earned each other trusts and collaborated to find the book. If you've choosen this road, you'll experience more romantic scene with Galium. Whereas, the other road, was to suffer through your ways with the villainess, gain enough of her favors and steal it without getting caught. With this plan, you'll gain a bit of mercy from her until you realized she fabricated all of it, and was also trying to screw you over.
No matter how much I tried to stay away from the main plot, it is still progressing forward one way or another… but I can't get involved with her anymore than this… at this rate I'm going to dig my own grave soon..
Meanwhile, Irene was still trying to find an excuse for her actions. It's strange to see her being like this.. "My lady… I-it wasn't my intention to do a such thing.. please..give me another chanc-"
I turned to look her in the eyes, her face was red and her pupils was dilated and wet like she was about to cry. " Irene Briar, you were caught stealing from our house in the middle of the night. I could give you a severe punishment for embezzlement, you know?..Huu…. I won't repeat myself..Take the book and leave." I said with the most monotone and assertive voice I can muster up. I can't back away from this..
Irene was unable to respond any further, she knew what she had done, and she couldn't take it back. Irene looked down and nodded. "..I understand, thank you for your kindness, my lady."
*Click*
She slowly walked up and left the room and I was alone..again.. immediately after she's gone, the moon was tucked away by the cloud, and only the light from the lamp was liting the room, I curled up and buried my face in to my arms. I couldn't contain myself any longer and my eyes started to bawled out a storm, I thought to myself… how could I be so foolish.. to think that all of it was genuine feelings… you're the villainess after all, you'd think that she would actually care about someone like you? Idiotic.. so idiotic..
*Meanwhile, on the other side of the door*
Holly came back and found Irene collapsed and leaning her back against the door. Holly rushed to asked what was going on… Irene was weeping and sniveling, all she could say was "Holly…nghh.. I-I messed up… I-I really messed up Holly… nghh"
"Oh dear…" Holly didn't know what to do, all she could do was held Irene in to her arms. It must have been a rough conversation, I've never seen Irene like this before… her lady, just what has happened…Holly thought.
*Serveral Days later*
It was almost at the end of the summer. After everything that happened.. the manor was rebuilt twice, and Irene left for the capital after that night.
"What? Why did she leave?" Galium asked me.
"It is too dangerous here, don't you think?… Anyway the school's about to start... it wouldn't be right to let her stay any longer." I said while facing away to the window.
Galium was a bit skeptical about all of this but just sighed and agreed with it. This is fine, at this pace, I can have a bit of time to sort out my feelings.. and the totem… I have to figure something out about it. I went to my total waste of a room and look through the wooden cabinet next to my bed. I searched through it and at the second drawer, I saw it.
"..Here you are, and oh.. you're here too." The cabinet contained a few pieces of jewelry, the totem and somehow, the silver medallion I received from that old lady is here too. I didn't know what it was, but I felt drawn to the both of it. The crow totem, the size of my thumb is terrorizing my sleep, and this medallion, supposedly bring me luck? I don't know how effective it actually is… but I like it, it looks cool. As I examined the totem further… I felt like I was in a dazed or maybe, even hypnotized by the dark totem… I blinked and I ended up in the abyss again.
"W-wha…" I said confusingly.
Then the crow appeared in front of me… ".. How did it feel?" The crow asked, I couldn't understand what it was trying to say… but as I think back to that night, I was only half awake, but I know… that the crow did something and I…I was turning in to a beast.
"..Well?" The crow asked again.
"P-painful.. my throat.. it hurts like hell.." I told the crow.
The Crow laughed at me- "HAHAHA!! Of course it did! I didn't know you had in you try to use such a Voice!" Oh yeah.. well I told the woman to kneel.. my voice changed..
"W-what even is that?" I asked.
"Ah something that you don't need to be concerned about..mmm..Get stronger. Devour more.. only then can you have the qualifications to know." The crow said with a serious tone. W-wait.. this stupid crow!.. it's not answering my question at all.
*Gasps*
I woke up, the night has already fallen. I was standing in my room breaking in sweats, and my hand, holding the totem. H-how long was I out?… No matter, I have to get ready to leave for the capital. I'll bring this totem and medallion with me for now, the main scenario is about to start at the Academy… I am so not looking forward to it… and her… I don't want to face her like this…
*Fort Ophis*
Somewhere underneath the fortress, there lies a small room, with a built in transparent window wall on one side, facing a large space underground, that chained a gigantic creature…
"Your grace." The woman who was in black and her men bowed on one of their knees to the duchess.
The room contained a set of big red couches and armchairs, surrounding a wiggly circular shaped marble table in the middle. The only source of light, hitting the room was from the flames from the underground space, barely illuminating the room. The duchess was sitting in one of the armchairs facing to the window.
"Ahh- you've returned, Well? What have you got for me?" The duchess asked.
"We've found the heart, your grace… but unfortunately,we couldn't get our hands on it." The captain of the group spoke.
"Mmm.. is that so? Tell me Gaillardia… you're the proud captain of our newest Cardamine squadron… I'd expect to see results from your debut mission, no?" The duchess was maddened by this. Just from releasing her aura, the whole room was shaken… and the squadron in the vicinity was suffered by the dense mana in the room.
"P-please forgive us, your grace…" Gaillardia, the woman of the squad, spoke.
"Tsk... no matter, … I shouldn't be too harsh on you younglings, well..give me the overall reports." The duchess said and ceased from unleashing her aura any longer.
"..Thank you, your grace.. The wyvern's heart.. it got merged with the girl of the Corvus.. as a result, I suspect she somehow obtained the power of the wyvern… I barely saw it, but.. there was a tail growing out of her.. and even the tail has a venom like tip… just like the wyvern…she was almost like lizard-man.." Gaillardia reported.
The reports left the duchess speechless. She couldn't fathom that such a thing can truly be possible. "Mmm..I've only heard that it was through mating that beast-man, or lizard man was born.. but all of this is a miracle! It means that what we're doing is not in vain… the Corvus girl, wasn't it? There's only one girl in that house and she's attending at the Academy right now… Perhaps, Hedera can figure something out…" The duchess spoke.
"Please let us join in with the lord.. I will not let you down this time, your grace." Gaillardia said.
The duchess smiled- "Hah.. Alright.. I like your determination… send a letter to Hedera that you guys are enrolling in… Don't let me down no more.."
"Yes, your grace!" the squad said in unison.
There will be a mayhem rolling in.