Chapter 7: Sapphire Manor - 3
My face was still red. The image of my supposed adoptive-sister, half-dressed, was seared into my mind. And her voice, shouting "KAI!" – it echoed in the silent hallway.
I just wish for the floor to swallow me whole. How could I have been so stupid? So careless? I had just narrowly escaped the butler scrutiny, only to walk straight into an even more awkward, potentially compromising situation. My cheeks still felt hot, even as I forced myself to walk away, trying to project an air of nonchalance I was far from feeling.
I kept walking, putting as much distance as possible between myself and that particular door. The long corridor stretched out before me, lined with more of the Sapphire family’s exquisite taste. The walls were adorned with large paintings depicting serene landscapes, heroic figures, and stoic family ancestors, their blue hair a constant, vivid trait through generations.
Between the paintings stood elegant marble sculptures, classical figures frozen in graceful poses, their pale forms gleaming under the soft light filtering from the windows. Every detail established a deep appreciation for beauty.
As I moved deeper into the manor, the sounds of the household causally faded and was replaced by a hushed quiet. It was like entering a different wing, a more private, secluded area. I passed a door that was slightly ajar, and a low murmur of voices came from it. My ears perked up. One of the voices was unmistakably Lord Sapphire’s.
Curiosity got the better of me. I slowed my pace, trying to appear as if I were merely admiring a nearby painting, while subtly angling my body to listen. Lord Sapphire’s voice was a low rumble, difficult to understand. I couldn’t make out full sentences, just fragmented words.
I crept closer, my movements as quiet as I could make them. As I neared the door, leaning in ever so slightly, a few words finally became clear, chilling me to the bone.
"...let his will be done."
My breath hitched. Let whose will be done? The phrase hung in the air, with unspoken meaning. It sounded ominous, almost ritualistic. My mind immediately jumped to the darker aspects of fantasy novels – secret cults, hidden agendas, powerful entities.
My mind drifted with subtle thoughts: Was Lord Sapphire involved in something like that?