The Villainess' Resolve

chapter twenty four: hidden truths

:please be reminded that all of my chapters are raw and isn't edited. Will edit the book once I finish it.

[Scarlet's POV]

"To regain my trust again, you already know what to do." pagbasag ko sa nakakabinging katahimikan sa loob ng meeting room.

Ang lahat ay tumayo nang tuwid at nakatas ang mukhang sumaludo sa akin bago sabay-sabay na sumigaw. "Yes, master!"

"Catch the culprit alive, remember our rules, don't kill innocent citizens, and don't get caught." paalala ko sa kanilang lahat bago tumango sa kanilang lahat upang nabigyan nang permiso na magsi-alisan. Nang makuha nila ang aking pemiso ay isa-isa silang magsi-alisan gamit ang shadow call.

"Lucilia." tawag ko sa sekretarya nang oscuro albacea. Lumapit sa akin si Lucilia na hanggang ngayon ay mayroon pa ring ngiti sa kaniyang labi.

"You still have a copy of this, right?" She nodded in response when I pointed on the papers she gave me a while ago. "Then give everyone a copy too, they'll surely need it." utos ko sa kaniya na agad naman niyang tinanguan.

"Consider it done master!" masayang sagot niya at sumaludo pa bago ako tinalikuran at naunang lumabas ng meeting room gamit ang pintuan.

"Are you alright, your grace?" napatingin ako kay Delfin na nasa tabi ko at mayroong nag-aalalang ekspresyon. Binigyan ko ito ng isang ngiti at tumango.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just that, my head aches because of this incident." I answered and started to walk towards the door to leave.

"Leaving already?" napatingin ako kay Stark na nasa isa sa mga upuan sa labas nang pintuan umiinom nang tsaa. Bumuntong hininga ako bago dahan-dahang naglakad patungo sa kaniya gawi at umupo sa kaharap niyang upuan.

"Yeah. I need to leave, in an hour. Where's Crane?" I shrugged my shoulder and took a sip of my tea which was made already.

"Outside, helping Lucilia giving out the information for the operation: Find the Culprit." sagot niya. I don't know the appropriate prase or wards to answer that and so I just shut my mouth and continued on drinking my tea.

"By the way, you know Destiny right?" He broke the silence after 5 minutes. Inilagay ko ang aking tasa bago tumingin sa kaniya.

"The famous wandering designer? Yeah, what about it?" I asked as I scanned the documents given by Lucilia.

"Turns out that bastard was my brother whole left home six years ago." sagot niya na naging dahilan nang paglaki nang aking mga mata.

"What!? That bastard is your brother?" I asked in shock. That bastard never replied to my messages after that day and just like the wind, he went to the other side of the continent the next day.

"Yes, that bastard is my brother. Mom was so furious that he put him in house arrest for a month. Today is his last." He answered, laughing. Maybe remembering some funny moments or memories.

No wonder Stark's feature seems familiar to me, turns out he is the little brother of Destiny.He's in a house arrest huh? Maybe that's the reason he never showed up the day I invited the kids tutors. He is supposed to be their sword teacher.

"I'll be leaving now, Stark. Make sure to move silently, and report to me daily." paalala ko sa kaniya bago tumayo at nagtungo sa baba para umalis.

Hapon na at marami pa ring mga customer ang dining na ito. Well, it's a diner. Commoners get their everyday food here, so maybe that's the reason. Naglakad ako sa may counter upang magpaalam kay Lucilia at Crane na siyang nagbigay nang order.

"I'll try to visit again." paalam ko sa kanila bago tumalikod at tuluyang lumabas sa diner na iyon. Pumasok ako sa nakaparadang itim na karwahe at pina-andar naman ni Delfin patungo sa mansyon.

Hindi ko ma-iwasang tumingin sa labas at pagmasdan ang paligid habang tumatakbo pa rin ang karwaheng aking sinasakyan. Hindi ganoon ang kabilis ang aming pagtakbo kung kaya't klaro ko pa ring nakikita ang mga establishimento at mga tindahan nang mga commoner.

Maraming mga bata ang naglalaro sa gilid habang ang mga Ina naman ay nag-uusap sa kanilang mga tabi. Bumalik sa akin ang mga memorya ko sa dati kong buhay. Napaka-peaceful nilang tingnan at tila ba mga walang problema dahil sa malalakas nilang mga tawa.

Hindi nagtagal ay nakarating na rin kami sa duchy kung kaya't umalis na ako sa karwahe at papasok na sana sa loob nang makita ko ang paglabas nang isang lalaki sa loob ng mansyon.

"Good Evening, Duke Schurke. You're late." bati niya sa akin nang makita ako't yumuko sa aking harapan. My forehead creased as I don't know who this young man is.

"Oh forgive my late introduction. I'm Stravion Estrelon, also known as Destiny." pagpapakilala niya. Nanlaki ang aking mga mata nang mapagtanto ko ang kaniyang sinabi. 

'Speaking of the devil.'

"You're real name is Stravion huh?" usal ko sa hindi makapaniwalang boses at sinuri siya nang tingin mula upo hanggang paa. "I thought you're gay, but you're dressed up as a noble man should. Not bad." I commented.

"Who says I'm gay?" He furiously asked.

"Your clothe's shouting it." I answered pertaining to how he dressed the first time we meet. He gave me an annoyed look and rolled his eyes.

"It's what we call fashion, okay? And you don't have those." He stated. "Since it's already late, I'll come back tomorrow. Good night, Duke Schurke." He bid his farewell and went to the carriage that I failed to notice. 

After I lost sight of the moving carriage, I turned and was about to enter the mansion when I heated another carriage getting near. Another visitor?

After the carriage stopped in for of me, it's door opened and an old man in his late forties came out. Marquess Fleron failed to notice my present, but when he did he gave me his sweetest smile.

"Good Evening, Duke Schurke. I'm glad that you're the one welcoming me." masayang bati niya sa akin.

"Oh, I didn't know you we're coming. I just came back from shopping." I answered him so that he won't get the wrong idea.

"Oh is that so? I just came to get my daughter." sagot niya. Tinanguan ko ito't tiningnan si Delfin na kakalabas lang ng mansyon.

"Delfin, can you call Lady Celeste? Tell her that Marquess Fleron us here." utos ko kay Delfin na agad naman nitong sinunod. Hindi nagtagal ay lumabas na nga si Celeste.

"Good Evening, Your Grace." bati ni Celeste sa akin nang makita ako nito at yumuko pa sa aking harapan bago tuluyang naglakad papunta sa gawi nang kaniyang ama.

"Then we shall take our leave, your grace." paalam ni Marquess Fleron sa akin na tinanguan ko naman.

"Please take care as you go home." paalam ko at binigyan nang isang ngiti si Celeste na hanggang ngayon ay nakatingin pa rin sa akin.

Everytime this family is near, I can always sense something is off. The Celeste in the original novel has never been this friendly and cheerful, her family background was never revealed in the original story, and Marquess Fleron never have an encounter with the original Scarlet.

Even the murdering case that's currently in uproar right now is something that the Oscuro Albacea's doing that caused it to dissolve. But it occurred to me that the OA never did such thing. That's why something is off.

The author clearly hide some information to it's reader and put all of the blame to one party, giving the other party the benefit of the doubt and freedom.

author's note;
         Long time no seeeee Akumatians kooooo! Ngayon lang nagkaload si Tamad niyo, kung kaya't ngayon lang nakapag-ud. Two ud today, and baka nakapag-ud ulit ako bukaaaaaas. I Love Youuuu, and stay safe Akumatians. Happy reading!!