Anniversary

Chapter 18

"Is that all?" she asked when she saw I wasn't asking anything else.

"Well, you didn't answer my earlier question," I said with a teasing smile on my face, and she soon turned red after realizing it.

Before she could act though, "Bye." I said and ran out of the room. I passed the group of children sitting and ran out of the room while laughing.

I didn't know how Ruby was planning to come out of the room all tomato red and what the reaction of the golden-haired boy would be, but it was pretty great to imagine.

I returned to my room and for the rest of the day did nothing but eat and laze around.

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Next day. The day of the duke's anniversary. It was the day of my decision. Whether I would just run away or cause massive trouble for everyone, was yet to be decided.

I entered the ballroom which was decided to be the gathering place for all the guests. There were many people in the hall who were standing in groups and talking about various topics.

The duchess was standing in one corner of the room where the picture of a man was also hanging. I could only guess that it was John's father.

Upon my entrance, many eyes turned to me but all of them had nothing but disgust for me in them. Some even whispered a few things about me which I ignored.

The duchess was dressed in a black dress and a veil covering her face. She was crying as indicated by her swollen eyes which didn't seem to be an act. She was really mourning her husband.

I also found Ruby who was standing close. Her eyes were also red and when she looked at me, there was pure hate in her eyes. She had forgotten to look at me like that in the last few days, but I guess she was reminded of it again due to the ceremony.

I glanced around and found many people looking at me. Among them was the golden-haired boy who was looking at me with hate and anger. I guess Ruby's expression didn't change much yesterday when she left her room.

I also saw my fiancée standing with another older-looking man who was dressed in priest clothing. They both looked at me and the priest said something, 'Son of a whore.' I guess my lip-reading abilities are still the same.

Alicia turned to glance at me when she heard the man's words. She smiled at me as if she hadn't heard the man's words about me.

Something was about to happen. What? I didn't know. But it seems the scale of the picture was increasing little by little.

First, there was only the duchess. Now there was my fiancée, the people from church, the other children, and a man in the corner, who was looking at me like looking at a disappointment.

I didn't know who he was but from his demeanor, I could only interpret one word. Ambitious. This man would sell his family to achieve his goal.

No doubt he was in on whatever the duchess was planning but I still had no idea who he was.

I also saw Amanda standing with a black-haired, slightly fat man. I figured him to be her husband. She looked at me and smiled subtly while mouthing the words, "I didn't let him touch me."

I smiled in return and made my way to the altar where the portrait of the deceased man was. The duchess noticed me but didn't stop me. No one did.

The man in the portrait was my supposed father but he wasn't. He wasn't my father, and he never will be. I don't know how he died or how I was related to it, but I had no intentions of pursuing this matter unless it concerned me.

He had black hair and black eyes like me only mine were deeper. My previous appearance had vanished by now due to the nourishing of spiritual energy and a good diet. I was now starting to look more and more like this man.

But as I said. He wasn't my father. No matter how much I resembled him, I had nothing to do with him unless it concerned me.

I didn't stay there but left for the food which was on the other side of the room.

I filled my plate with different delicacies and avoided alcohol. While I was eating, my faithful maid came to me and said, "Lady Alicia wishes to speak to you in her room." There was a smile on her face which was a first.

I guess they have begun.

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I entered my room but found no signs of Alicia. I quickly moved and activated the four arrays in the different locations inside my room and sat on my bed.

A few seconds later a woman with navy blue hair entered with the same eye color. Her face was neutral, and she smiled at me.

She was dressed in priest clothing. So that was their plan and that's how the church was involved.

I still don't get it though. What is it I have that they want?

"Where is Alicia?" I asked her.

She smiled even further and started taking off her clothes. She only took her upper garments off and left her undergarments on.

"She won't be coming." She answered while moving closer.

My expression didn't change at her actions. "So, your friends waiting outside will only enter when you start screaming?"

I asked still seated cross-legged. Her movements stopped and the smile from her face faded.

"I will give you a chance right now. Stop and leave." I said with the same neutral expression. I was giving her a chance because she was nothing more than a pawn.

Sure, the other party would give her hell for not completing her task but that was better than being my enemy. Way better.

The smile on her face returned. "And if I don't?" She asked, her smile changing to a smirk.

"You don't want to know," I replied with a smile of my own which made her take a step back instinctually.

She collected herself after some time and said, "Gratitude for the offer but I am afraid I will have to decline."

So she had chosen.

"Then won't you at least tell me? Why are you doing this?" I asked and she stopped again. To help her make up her mind, I continued, "It's not like I am a threat to you anyway so why not just sate this little curiosity of mine."

She decided after a few moments and said with a contemptuous smile, "Your fiancée wants you out of the way. I heard she has an affair with that Williams boy."

The way she said was more like venting than trying to rile me up. Why would I get angry? I didn't even know who this Williams was.

"Then there is your mother. She is the one who decided this." She continued, involving the duchess.

"You mean the duchess? Why would she employ you then? You are a member of the church." I asked and elaborated on a part I didn't understand.

"I don't know but I guess it was your fiancé's idea to use me instead of some random whore." She responded with a disdainful smile on her face. It wasn't the disdain for me. It was for Alicia.

"But why would the church get involved in this? They get nothing out of it." I asked again.

"I have no idea. I am only doing what the Cardinal told me," She replied.

"Cardinal?" I asked, not knowing who he was.

"The old pervert who is in charge of all the churches in this empire." She replied to my confusion.

I see. Maybe it was the older man standing with Alicia earlier in the hall.

But what would they get out of this? The duchess hates me, I get that but even then, this plan is far too big to just sate her anger. There is something else going on and if I don't figure out what it is, I will have problems.

A knock was heard on the door. She turned to look at me and said, "Sorry. It seems my friends can't wait any longer."

"You still have an option. Don't." I persuaded her. But it seemed like I was barking in front of a deaf man. She wasn't going to listen to me. Very well then.

"Young master, please. Why are you doing this? No, let me go." She started saying loudly. Soon the door to my room burst open and a few men with different attires entered the room. They had angry expressions on their faces but there was a sneer hidden deep underneath.

"What are you doing?" one of them came forward and hit me on the face while I was still sitting.

"How dare you assault a follower of the goddess. You scum." And then he started hitting me. That's it. He is getting punished.

"What is happening here?" Alicia said with a loud voice. She was angry. Of course, it was fake.

"How dare you touch my fiancé?" She asked the man hitting me angrily.

"Please forgive me my lady but I have caught this scum assaulting a holy follower of the goddess." He replied respectfully.

"What?" she asked shocked and then looked at me with a disbelieving expression, "Is this true John?"

She's good. "Will you stop this drama if I say I didn't?" I asked with a straight expression.

They all looked surprised at my reaction. Even Alicia lost her composure for a moment.

"I guess not," I said afterward.

Soon the duchess entered the room and asked what was going on. The man from before again answered the same and she looked at me with disbelief in her eyes.

"I can't believe you would stoop so low." She said with disgust in her eyes while hitting me across my face and she wasn't faking it. That disgust was real. Her words were just false.

"Ahan," I said with half-closed eyes and a lazy expression. She was thrown off balance at my nonchalance but soon composed herself and signaled the man.

"John Michelson, you are under arrest for assaulting and trying to defile a holy servant. You will be judged according to the law of the church during the holy trial." He restrained me from my arms and dragged me out of the room under everyone's disdainful gaze, but some had little smirks on their faces.

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