CHAPTER 42: PRICE OF GREED

Anna sat in a chair in the villa’s garden with a stupefied look on her face as she looked at the two grown men bickering with each other.

"Shut up." White’s voice cut through the air.

"You shut up." Blake followed.

"Heh... What do you mean, Miss Anieal can’t leave?" White said as he looked at Blake with narrowed eyes.

"Lord Damien is not here. How can we decide if Miss Anieal can leave or not?" Blake replied with an annoyed tone.

"Miss Anieal can make those decisions herself," White said as he turned to look at Anna, who only furrowed her brows at White’s words.

"Still... we need to ask Lord Damien," Blake concluded as he looked at Anna.

Blake bowed and continued.

"Please, Miss Anieal, take no offence, but I only have your good in my mind," Blake said with a determined voice.

White, too, turned silent on that.

"I know... Blake." Anna said as she stood up from the chair and walked towards the two brothers.

"But, I have to make my own decisions, don’t you think?" Anna questioned as she looked at Blake.

Blake, however, did not back down as he spoke.

"I do agree with it, Miss Anieal."

"But?"

"You became a Midnighter about a month ago, and I don’t believe it’s the right choice to roam around when there are people ready to kidnap on a moment’s notice," Blake said without any stop and in a louder than usual voice.

A frown appeared on Anna’s face when she heard. Of course, Anna too knew that, she wasn’t stupid enough to believe that she was safe after coming to Azor, and not after what happened in The Lunar’s blessing.

Anna heaved a sigh as she turned around and left.

White looked at the departing back of Anna as he spoke.

"When do you think the young master is going to return?" White questioned.

"I don’t know," Blake replied with a shake of his head.

"I see..." White nodded and turned towards Blake as he continued.

"Still as useless as before," White spoke with a grin on his face.

Blake turned towards White as he roared in fury

"You little-" However, his words were caught in his mouth as White just ran away from there while laughing to himself.

"Hahahaha!"

Seeing that, Blake just shook his head.

***

Anna sat at her study as she read about the continent of Azor.

*Knock* *Knock*

Someone then knocked on her door. Anna raised an eyebrow as she spoke.

"Come in."

As soon as Anna said so, a maid with long black hair tied in a bun and brown eyes, her face was average, and her body was above average. She had a plate containing sliced and peeled fruits. She walked forward as she placed the plate at the table on the balcony. After doing so, she bowed and greeted Anna.

"Miss Aeliana."

"What is this?" Anna asked with a small frown as she pointed towards the plate containing the fruits.

"I was told to bring fruits for you, Miss Aeliana," the maid replied in a calm voice. Her back was straight as an arrow.

"Told by whom?" Anna asked with a raised eyebrow as her frown became deeper.

"L-lord White," the maid answered with a flustered voice.

"Hmm?" Now Anna was even more confused because she knew White would never do something like this.

’Why would h-’ She began to think when suddenly the bells rang in her mind, when a single thought took over.

’I see...’

Anna looked at the maid with a bright and gentle smile on her face.

"What is your name?" Anna questioned, her tone sweet and gentle.

"I am Sakura, Miss Aeliana," the maid—Sakura— replied with a small smile.

"Sakura, huh..." Anna said as she stood up from her study and walked towards the table placed on the balcony, and sat in the chair.

She then patted the chair beside her as she spoke

"Come sit with me, Sakura," Anna said as she looked at Sakura with a warm gaze.

Sakura, flustered, replied in a meek voice

"B-but-"

"Sit, Sakura," Anna said once again. This time, there was no warmth in her voice.

Sakura trembled and sat on the chair beside Anna’s.

"Who was it?" Anna questioned once again, her voice cold.

"M-miss Aeliana-" Sakura tried to plead, but Anna cut her off.

"Who was it? Sakura." Anna’s tone was cold like a frozen river.

"T-they had a hood," Sakura replied with a stutter.

"They? So there was more than one?"

"I don’t k-know..."

"What do you mean?"

"I-I don’t r-remember how many and w-when we met, but I-I only remember g-getting paid to put something in your f-food and making sure that you ate it," Sakura answered as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

"Why?" Anna questioned once again.

Sakura, confused by the question, looked at Anna and asked.

"W-what do you mean? Miss A-Aeliana."

Anna looked at Sakura; her eyes were cold, and a hint of disgust could be seen in them.

"Why would you betray my brother? As far as I know, you have been working for him for over a decade, yes?"

Sakura, hearing that, lowered her head, ashamed of herself.

"Speak, Sakura," Anna ordered.

"I-I couldn’t control my greed..." Sakura answered truthfully.

"I see... greed, huh?" Anna said as she looked at Sakura with a bitter smile.

Anna stretched her hand to pick up a peeled apple from the plate. She brought it close and examined it. Her eyes glowed golden, and there she saw a black thread leaving Sakura’s body and connecting to the apple.

Anna stood up from her chair and moved towards Sakura. Sakura, scared of Anna, looked at her, but Anna just smiled at her with a bright smile.

Anna stood behind Sakura as she took a knife and began to cut the Apple into slices. Tears welled up in Sakura’s eyes as she watched

"M-Miss A-Aeliana." She called out to Anna, her voice shaky, her body trembling.

"What’s wrong, dear?" Anna questioned with a gentle and sweet tone.

"I-I am s-sorry." Sakura apologised and turned to look at Anna, who just smiled at her.

"I know..."

Anna picked up one of the slices and moved it towards Sakura’s pink lips. Sakura, terrified, looked at Anna, but only words left Anna’s lips, crushing all of her hopes.

"Eat."

Sakura’s body trembled, tears flooding from her eyes, her mouth went dry, the fear of death gripped her, but she still moved.

*Nom* *Nom*

One by one, she took small bites out of the slice and finished it, then Anna gave her another slice, then another and so on. Soon, the whole apple was finished.

Sakura finally turned and looked at Anna, tears streaming down her face as she spoke in a weak voice.

"I am sorry... so sorry..."

"I know..." Anna spoke as she rubbed her head with her hand.

Sakura showed a bright smile to Anna and then

"Bulgh"

Foam dribbled from Sakura’s mouth as her skin turned pale. Tears of blood streamed from her eyes as she breathed her final breath.

"White..." Anna called out.

White, who had been watching silently, stepped forward and knelt.

"Take her away," Anna spoke as she turned to gaze at the cold, distant moon.