Darkness' Touch

Chapter 4: The cherished one

"Poor kid. Having trash for a sister is not something anyone would like. His inferiority complex is quite worrisome too." Avy said to herself as she walk back to the Mansion, thinking about the two boys fighting earlier.

In the novel, Ciel and the Prince who were the same age hate each other equally. They are mortal enemies, even though they do not show it to other people, they find ways to express their hate towards each other. Since the Arkwright Family is not treated as servants, but partners by the Imperial Family, they stand on equal footing and they were able to loath one another openly when they became a little older, which is the time when the story started.

And the reason behind their hate is the endless comparison of many people with them as the subject. Since both came from the two most powerful families in the empire, they were forced to be the best, and the second that they do not meet the people's expectations, they are thrown with countless criticisms from the rotten society.

The Prince is by far the strongest and the best mage amongst his age while Ciel holds the title of the smartest and the best in terms of swordsmanship when it was supposedly the other way around.

The Emperor favored Ciel for being the best in the art of sword for it is the strong point of the Imperial Family aside from their Lightning Magic, making the second Prince hate the youngest Arkwright more.

On the other hand, the original Avy was only nice towards her brother so that the second Prince would yearn for the love of a sister that he never had, giving her another card to the Crown Prince's heart. She also used Ciel to be close to the young Prince, and the former knew that, fueling his anger and jealousy towards the Prince.

"Children are complicated. And annoying." Avy breathed a sigh. "It feels like I need to deal with them from now on and act as their Mom or something." She added.

Most of the male characters in the novel that can be shipped with the female protagonist don't have a mother, it is to make an opening to their heart since Demi, the female lead has the aura of an angelic but at the same time tough that passes as motherly. And it's one of the many things that makes Annie frown while reading the novel.

"She should've built an orphanage and adopted all those stupid men to keep them as her sons." is something she would often say.

"Damn it. Where is the Dining Hall?" she mumbled, irritated.

"This house is already a Palace, how can they only hire a small number of servants?"

She stood in front of a much larger door and hoped that it would be the hall and reached for the knob when it opened without her touching it.

"What are you doing here?" came the voice of no other than her elder brother. She immediately looked up and was greeted by Ashton's stoic face.

"I... I got lost." She answered honestly but the man didn't seem to take her seriously.

"Speak your reason, Avy." He told her.

'I'm really lost, stupid.'  she cleared her throat before answering. "I was planning on eating with Ciel and thought of inviting you. But nevermind–"

"Why are you blocking the way? Move it, Arkwright." another voice interrupted, she looked behind Ashton and saw the same man that she met earlier.

"Oh. A pity. It seems like you have a visitor. I'll just eat with Ciel then." she looked at Zach and nodded her head in acknowledgment before leaving.

"What's her deal this time?" the blue-haired man said as Avy's figure became smaller and smaller and she walk away.

"See? I told you, your sister is getting weirder every time I see her." He added.