Red

"Welcome to the Erilleian mansion, child."

I knew that I had certain expectations about the house being in the shade of red, but I did not expect that it would be this... red.

The whole interior of the house was red. The walls were usually dark red, to the point that it almost looked like black. The furniture was either in bright red or warmer tones of the color and though it complements the wall's color, it looked really creepy. Even the floor was covered with either a dark red carpet or made of red tiles. There were also lots of rubies and other red stones adorned in the ceilings which made me think on how much I'll gain if I take all of it.

Either way, this house is really horrifying.

Heck, if not for the aroma of red roses that scattered on the whole house, I would think that this mansion was some kind of murder or torture cell. Everything was in different shades of red, like it was coated with blood.

"Is there something wrong, child?" I snapped back to reality when I heard the lady's voice calling for me. Out of reflex, I immediately smiled and shook my head. "No! Nothing's wrong! Ruby's just amazed! Everything's so red!" I forced a bright and innocent laugh into which I almost wished for the ground to take me away. I'm not sure if she figured out my fake acting, but I guess she just let it be and smiled at me.

"If that's what you say. Then, shall we go?" She offered her hand to me, prompting me to hold hers, but I had a bad feeling so I tried to make some time. "Where are we going?" It seems that my action felt like a disrespect as I saw how her left eye twitched and her body stiffened a little. Despite that slight reaction, she tried to smile at me.

"Well, we're going to meet my parents, so shall we, child?" I knew that there's no way out of this and I'd rather not ensue a fight this early, so I took her hand and within a split second, we were in another place.

It was similar to an office, and goodness, finally, another color is present. The room screams the colors black and red, and though I got fed up by the red colors a while ago, I still can't help but admire the way they combined these two different colors.

"Hmm, you like the room, child?" The lady asked me and I simply nodded. "It's pretty! But, where are your parents?" I asked her cheerfully and she smiled at me, but I didn't miss the grim expression hiding underneath it.

"I'll call them, child. Sit here and wait for them." She prompted me to a red couch that was in front of the table and I followed her instructions. I continued to look at her movements until she entered a door that was on the right corner of the room. While waiting, I took my time to look around the place.

Hmm... Nothing seems unusual, except for the red colors. Like, really. Did the blood that splattered during the war triggered this family's obsession for red?

I looked at the table and squinted my eyes when I noticed some familiar engravements in the center of the table. At first, it would look like the crest of the family, which I saw on their carriage, but if I'd look closer...

Well, shit. I guess that fake and cringeworthy acting was worth it.

As if on cue after my confirmation, the door opened, revealing a tall man in his 40s with burgundy hair and brown eyes. He has a long scar from his right eyebrow which diagonally passed through his tall nose bridge, reaching his left cheek. His body was also bulky, probably thrice or four times the size of my disguise. His footsteps were supposed to be loud with his large stature, but there was an eerie silence that crept the area as he walked. I tried to look behind him, but there was no one else following.

I see. I was really right.

He must have noticed my actions since his sharp gaze turned to me. I acted to flinch, although I did quite expect that in the first place. My face contorted into a hesitant expression as I tried to make myself like an innocent lamb who knows nothing.

There's no time to waste. Let's act.

"Ah... Where is the lady?" I tried to ask him, my voice shaking and trembling. His sharp brown eyes continued to look straight at me and I stared back at him before turning my eyes to look at the ground after a few seconds.

"So you were the insolent child, huh?" His voice was deep and I flinch again. I bowed my head as I continued looking at the black floor. My hands held the edges of my skirt tightly as they trembled, as if afraid of his voice.

I don't like acting weak, but if it's necessary for a job, I can always be an actress.

"I... I'm sorry." My voice got softer and softer that it wouldn't even pass as a noise. I raised my head when I heard him clear his throat. He met my gaze again and smiled softly at me.

I knew it was supposed to be a gentle smile, but I could feel the chills from the way his expression was looking so kind.

It does not suit him, if I were to be honest. Especially since he's not even human.

"It's fine. There's no need for you to be scared. If you're seeking for my daughter, she's in the other room right now. We've actually prepared it to welcome you. Shall we go?" His tone sounded light even if he has a deep voice. He held his big hand in front of me and it took me a while before deciding.

Well, I guess it's time to see what's beyond this red house.

The moment I took his hand, I tried my best to conceal my excitement. The once black and red office turned into darkness and I could smell the putrid smell from the area. There was also some kind of liquid dripping from above and even before I looked at it, I knew that it wasn't water.

"I've got another prey for tonight, huh?" A light sparked a few meters in front of me and I realized it was a flame. The red flame illuminated the room, revealing the chains on the walls stained with both dried and fresh blood. When I looked up, I saw some red liquid dripping from the ceiling that had some spiked iron balls hanging on its chains.

So this is a torture room, huh?

I looked in front of me and saw a being with red hair. Well, it wasn't really red hair since I could see streaks of white on his head, but the abundance of blood in his head just made it look like he dyed it red. Even from afar, I could see a mark on the back of his palm, the same with the engravement on the table of the office, and another one on the floor between us.

A blood circle.

For the sake of power, one must continuously offer fresh blood on the circle, preferably young children. When it continues to be offered, aside from power, the contractor would also be able to produce more complex magic, like the disguise of this being in front of me.

Hah, a family who participated and greatly contributed during the great wars?

They must have been long dead.

Because the one who is right now in front of me was a demon.

A rogue demon.

The same being who pretended to be Lady Ruby and the master of the house.

"Which way would you prefer to die, child?" Just like that split second when I saw his true form a few hours ago, his eyes glowed red.

Savage red eyes that glowed brighter than any of the blood that dripped from the ceiling.

The same eyes that are ready to kill me any moment.

How interesting.

Unfortunately for him, I won't die.

But he certainly will.

Because Quezir and I will make sure of it.

I did not suppress the smirk that I was trying to hide ever since we reached the house.

It's time to start the show.

Everything shall turn red, just like this demon's disgusting taste for design.