Ch 14: The Wicked Contract - Part 3

With a lot of force involved, the temple master's stabbed body was finally broken out of the grab hold it was in, but the man was already dead.

The second-in-command who killed the temple master showed no sign of remorse, and he still talked about his 'god' and how this was the right path. His words made a lot of people question if he was right or not.

After all, the second-in-command was known to be a virtuous man and someone who had a lot of divine power. Surely someone like him won't cause this trouble for no reason?

The temple was shrouded in confusion when an elder finally decided to take charge.

"Our brethren have fallen into the devil's temptation. Now, he shall be purified so that his soul can return to our father. Hurry up and catch him! We need to burn him alive."

The old man was a well-respected figure and a cornerstone of the temple. As much as people trusted the second-in-command, they trusted and respected the old master even more. 

So, a few people lunged forward and grabbed the flailing man before they dragged him to the alter and lit him on fire.

The old man who gave this order sighed in relief as he watched the second-in-command die. What the others did not realize was the fact that the old man had wanted to do this forever.

He appeared to be a victorious man who was always kind and helpful to others. However, he also had a burning desire to gain power. 

The old man was well aware that he wouldn't be able to achieve his goal as long as the second-in-command was alive. So, he took this opportunity to get rid of his competition.

Now that the temple master and the second-in-command were dead, there was a vacuum in the temple's power. It was time for someone else to step in and take the mantle.

And the old man knew that it had to be him. It was his only chance to prove himself and show the world his capabilities.

...

"Fenrir, did you hear what happened at the temple? They say that the second-in-command stabbed the temple master, and they both ended up dying! First Rui, and now this? Do you think this village is cursed now?

Maybe the reason Countess Ann was cursed was because her curse moved to the village or something…"

The maid spoke before she stopped herself. She realized that she might have spoken too much, but Fenrir only smiled at her, making her feel relieved that he had not taken offense.

"Shh! I've told you before that you should be careful about what you speak. Even walls have ears, much less other humans. Besides, it is all a result of bad timing and internal struggles.

Now that the Countess has woken up, people are trying to hide all their misdeeds. This is just a result of that happening. You don't need to pay much attention to it."

Fenrir assured the female, but the maid still looked doubtful.

But she did not get to think about it much when Fenrir gave her work to do. She got so busy that she was not able to breathe until the end of the day.

Fenrir watched the maids gossip, but he did nothing to curb the rumors going around. Instead, he focused his attention on the guest list and moderating the space.

He felt excited to make a lot of sacrifices and get his power back soon. He quickly finished his work before someone from the temple visited him.

Fenrir expected this visit, so he quickly walked out to meet the person who came here to meet him.

He expected someone to come to him soon because of what happened. He knew that the temple was desperate for his help and the financial support the countess could provide them with.

This time, the representative was an old man who looked on the verge of dying. But greed shined in his eyes as clear as the anything else.

'It is funny how greedy humans are. No matter how much I give them, they manage to come back for more and ask for more. But this is why I like them as well. No matter how old they get, they are never able to give up their greed.'

Fenrir smiled at the older man to put him at ease before he wheeled himself in front of the older man.

"Did I keep you waiting? I apologize for that. I was a little busy, and I did not have time to come and greet you."

Fenrir apologized, but his words had no heat behind them. It was clear to anyone that Fenrir did not mean a single word when he spoke to the temple representative. He had nothing to be sorry about in the first place.

The old man felt sweat run down his face when he looked at Fenrir, but he kept his mouth shut and decided to press the matter he was here for.

"I know it is too much to ask you right now, but can you lend the temple some money on behalf of the Countess? As you have heard, we have fallen into hard times, and we are trying to recover. Any help you can provide us with would help us out a lot."

The old man tried to sound sad and he succeeded. After years of performing and fooling people, he had gotten good at this craft.

Fenrir wanted to laugh at the old man's audacity, but he decided to throw this man a bone and accept this request. This was going to be the last one this man would be able to make anyway.

"Of course, I can lend you some money. But in return, you need to do something for me. I want everyone in the temple to attend tomorrow's banquet. Can you make sure that happens?"

Fenrir asked in a kind voice, and the old man, who felt his heart skip a beat at the condition, finally calmed down. He realized that this condition was not to follow at all.

"Of course, I can do that. Please, leave it to me."

The old man agreed, not realizing that he was leading a lot of people to their death. The promise of money and power had blinded him to what was really happening.

"I see. I will ask someone to deliver your money tomorrow after the banquet. I hope to see you at the banquet, master."

Fenrir spoke softly, and the old man felt a little deflated. He had hoped to get his money immediately. Seeing his expression, Fenrir decided to throw him another bone.

"You can take a portion of the money today as well. I will ask the head maid to lend you some in a little while."

Fenrir promised, and the old man perked up once more before he finally left.

...

'This thrust…it will kill me! It was not this bad last night. Why is this happening to me? Fuck! It is all his fault. I will kill that man.'

Rui's thoughts changed between lamenting her misery and wanting to kill Fenrir. 

Her skin had started to turn from her normal color to an ash color and she could feel herself losing more and more of her morality. At this rate, she would no longer remain human and that thought terrified her to no end.

She knew she needed to get answers, but the thought of going out and being found terrified her. So, she remained hidden in her place for now.

Rui's only option was to head out and sneak into Ann's castle once the party was going on. That was the only time she would be allowed inside without asking any questions. So, she bid her time for the day, and when she could not control her hunger any longer, she decided to hunt a cat and drink it dry.

The remainder of the day passed at snail's pace and no one came to bother her in her hiding spot. Finally, she somehow managed to pass the day and it was the day of the banquet. 

Rui finally got out of her hiding spot and covered herself from head-to-toe in cloth so that she could blend in easily with the crowd.

She made her way toward the central castle and she snuck in before anyone knew it. Her throat burned, and it demanded her to drink something. But she had tried water before, and drinking water made her feel even more thirsty.

'I need blood! I cannot control myself any longer. Please, don't come near me. I won't be able to handle myself. Even now, I can feel my rationality leaving my head and demanding me to do whatever I can to fulfill my needs.'

Rui clutched her throat, which attracted a maid's attention.

That poor girl came over to check up on a sick patient when Rui stuck her fangs into the female's throat. She had not meant to do that, but once the taste of human blood hit her lips, Rui could not bring herself to regret her choice either.

___

I'm trying out a new writing style from the next chapter. If you notice it, ignore it. I just want to try and see if it reads better.