[Moments Earlier]
"My partner… I'd like to see her. Where is she?"
Rey, currently disguised as Ralyks, was seated opposite Rebal, Kara, and Asher.
All three of them gazed upon him with respect and reverence—far more than what they would normally depict.
Rey ignored all of that and focused on his question.
'I haven't seen her since yesterday. She was very distraught back then…'
Rey could only hope that Esme was a lot better.
However, he soon realized—as soon as he saw the anxious expressions on the faces of the three—that his hopes were going to be dashed.
"The lady… said she doesn't want any visitors."
'H-huh?' Rey was surprised the moment he heard that.
"I'm not just 'any visitor', though." He responded almost immediately.
Rebal and the other two gulped, almost simultaneously. They must have thought he was offended when, in all honesty, he was just surprised.
"She also specifically mentioned that she doesn't want to see you, Sir Ralyks."
Rey felt something squeeze within his heart.
'Why? Why doesn't she want to see me?' His mind echoed.
Was it because of how he slaughtered all those people in the Dark Gathering? He didn't even torture them, and he made their deaths pretty much instantaneous.
They were all bastards who had it coming anyway.
'I thought she would finally understand after seeing what they did to her friends…'
Once Rey remembered her friends and the trauma she suffered, he considered the possibility that Esme could be grieving them.
She was most likely upset about their demise and blaming herself for their death.
'All the more reason to see her!'
"Show me her room. I want to see her." Rey pressed, his crimson eyes glowing brighter with every word that proceeded from his lips.
Needless to say, Rebal and his colleagues eventually folded and told Rey what he had to know.
*******
'What's going on with you, Esme?'
Rey had this thought as he finally made it to the entrance of Esme's room.
Ater, of course, maintained even more distance now that his Master had arrived at his destination.
He stood a few feet away from the doorstep, watching as Rey nervously stood in front of the door while drawing his hand closer to knock.
Before his knuckles could touch the door's surface, however, a sound gently echoed from within the room.
"I don't want to see you… Rey."
As heartbreaking as it was to hear that, Rey maintained a straight face.
"I know. But I want to see you."
Rey responded before the door, ensuring his voice got carried over with Sound Magic. The entire area was also isolated from everywhere else, so nothing they said would leak out.
Not even Ater could hear what they were saying.
It was just Rey and Esme.
"Well… we don't always get what we want. You're not an exception, Rey."
"This isn't about that. I just want to make sure you're okay."
"I need time. Time to process everything."
Rey felt like Esme needed more than time. She couldn't be alone at such a critical time.
"I know that's what you think you need, but you also need—"
"What I THINK I need? What makes you think you know what I need right now?"
Reg was a bit startled once he heard Esme raise her voice. It sounded like she was very upset with him.
'Has she ever gotten angry at me before?'
Somehow, it made Rey feel terrible, shitty even. 'I'm only trying to help…'
"I'm grateful to you, Rey. I really am. But… I can't see you or speak to you right now."
As heartbreaking as it was to hear, Rey felt like she was being genuine with him.
Perhaps that was even what made it worse.
"Please respect my decision and leave me alone."
Rey could easily break down the door and step in. He could phase through, and there were a few ways for him to even sneak in without her even knowing.
He could see her without her seeing him.
'Maybe I should just—'
"Master…" Ater's voice suddenly echoed in Rey's mind, causing him to promptly look in his direction.
Much to his surprise, he saw a stern expression from Ater, who shook his head slowly.
"… Just leave her be."
For a moment, he let it all sink in—everything that happened, and all he heard.
'I just… wanted to make sure she was okay.'
Rey knew that was his justification, but after mulling things over for a few seconds—especially with the cold stare that Ater gave him—he began to understand things better.
'I guess I was just thinking about myself, huh?'
He wanted to do what HE thought was best for her, rather than trust in her decision or ability to figure things out herself.
'I'm such an idiot. If I was in her position, I would probably want the same thing—some time alone.'
Yet Rey was ready to barge in just to satisfy his own conscience and sate his curiosity.
Of course, all of these things would have been done with Esme's well-being in mind, but Rey knew it was wrong.
'The road to hell is paved with good intentions, after all.'
Rey had almost fallen for the mistake of doing something horrible, while using the justification that it was the best thing for the person.
'I made a mistake.' He smiled and nodded at Ater.
The latter instantly changed his expression and beamed, returning Rey's nod.
"You made the right choice, Master."
Deep down, Rey still felt like it would be better to check up on her and see how she was feeling. However, he simply decided to respect her wishes.
"Let's go, Ater." He muttered, and the two decided to walk away.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but before Rey left the doorfront, he heard a whisper reach out to him.
It was low and stifled, nearly inaudible… but he picked it up right away.
"Thank you… Rey."
The boy smiled as he heard those words. He walked past the hallway, and eventually vanished from the mansion.
He had made the right choice, after all.