Darkness' Touch

Chapter 35: In the Dark

 Hayward Morris has been serving the Arkwrights all his life, he has been watching three generations of them grow up. He made it a point to memorize and engrave every single detail about his master on his brain so that he will be able to serve them more effectively. And that to be said, he also knows the difference between the auras they emit and he is able to tell which is which without seeing their faces. He knows them better than he knows any other people. 

Except one. And it was lady Avy. 

The Lady who refuses to leave her room unless Young Master Ashton invites the successor of the Harrington Dukedom over or Lord Alistair offers to be the said boy's sparring partner once in a while so that there would be a reason for him to step foot inside the Arkwright Mansion and their only girl would finally come out of her room. The Lady who never smiles unless the Duke talks to the Crown Prince and convinces him to visit her more often so that she would not be holed up inside her room every day without even knowing if the Empire collapses. The Lady who refused to take any personal servants until Young Master Ciel personally picked a maid and told her to only tend to his sister unless she wants her to.  And the very Lady who wouldn't come down to eat with her family unless Lord Alcasser orders every servant to stay out of her sight the whole meal. 

Hayward never had a chance to study her up close after she started distancing herself from the world and only welcomed a limited number of people inside. She was one of the many mysteries that reside in the estate. She lived in seclusion that she wanted, supported by the family that she treats as strangers. The old butler wondered why she hated them so much. Does she blame them for turning her life that way? He was one of the few that witnessed how everyone was deeply scarred by the Duchess' passing yet catered to her need despite having the same grief as her, discarded their own selves because everyone pitied the little lady for being blamed by the people outside the mansion because of a simple child's mistake. 

Why did she come to the point that she wanted to leave just to get out of the family who sheltered her from the dangers of the world?  How much hatred did she give them that one day, every single one of the Arkwrights no longer approached her and let her live the way she wanted. They stopped trying to talk to her and just did whenever it was necessary. 

But Hayward could never bring himself to hate the Lady. Not when the ones who received her indifference never laid their eyes on her with anger. The Lady was just a victim. And her family believed that it was their fault. 

The same lady stood still in front of him as he threatened her with a knife nearing to slit her neck. The old man only realized who it was when the person he was about to take out made a sound, a sound that is the same as the Mansion's only lady's voice.

"I believe this is my house. And I am not a visitor." 

Hayward quickly hid the small knife and acted as if he had never drawn it in the first place. The moonlight revealed the face of the girl, wearing her nightgown and a scarf on her shoulder that covered the rest of her arms. 

The sinister smile plastered on the butler's face faded and was replaced by an innocent smile from a normal old man. "I apologize, My Lady. My senses must be getting weaker out of old age and didn't hear any footsteps,  that was why I was alarmed." he bowed his head apologetically. 

That was half the truth. Hayward didn't hear anything despite having the sharpest hearing. It was a cessation, but cessation doesn't erase the mana of a person, and only blocks the flow so that one wouldn't be able to use their magic for a short while. Meaning, he can still sense the presence of a person with mana. But the odd thing was, he was able to sense someone but not hear any sound that a living creature would have. Unless of course, it was a trained assassin.