Victor really didn't slack.
Just after learning his nephew's wishes, he began preparations.
The best of the best horses were prepared. Money, carriage, and everything needed for the journey were taken care of in the most delicate way, down to the last minute detail.
Victor himself checked them, so not a single hitch can happen in the whole thing.
And like this, time blurred.
The sun sank below the horizon, the night covering the sky. The darkness enveloped the surroundings as the moon crawled its way up in the sky, shining amid the stars.
Its tranquil light glowed as the breeze of night blew, making the people of the barony start to drift into sleep, carried away by the peaceful dreams.
Elias himself was sleeping too, wanting to take as much rest as he could. For he would be going on a journey that could be long or short.
However, while his eyelids were closed, curtaining his hazel orbs with the sleep enveloping him, somewhere, something else was happening.
Clank
The door of the chamber closed, its sound echoing eerily and louder due to the silence of the night.
Step
Taking a step forward, the person moved and stopped after coming near the entrance of the balcony. Their eyes moved towards the man standing and basking under the silver light of the pale luminescence of the moon.
Contrary to the gentleness and tenderness of the glow, the man's face was devoid of emotion. The air that was blowing with coldness couldn't touch the man's whitish-black hair as he stroked his whitish beard with his hand.
Yet in contrast to his facial expression, the man's eyes, which were always dead, now had a certain glow to them.
A glow that suggested he had achieved something that he had so struggled for.
Tearing through the silence, the man spoke; his voice was rough yet charmingly soft as he turned towards the person.
"You are here, Ms. Sylphie."
Sylphie's body shuddered in disgust. Goosebumps rose on her skin as she saw the smile of the man before her.
Yet, she responded while bowing.
"Yes, my lord."
"You see, Ms. Sylphie, I am quite happy. And..." Victor spoke as his smile stretched grotesquely, almost reaching his ears. "The reason behind it is you."
Moving, he took his seat as he signaled with his fingers for Sylphie to pour him a drink.
Pourrr
Sylphie poured the drink as the red wine filled the glass.
Raising the glass, as it glowed red as if it were blood under the moonlight, Victor took a sip of the wine before swirling it. His black eyes stared at the red liquid before turning towards the standing maid.
"You have done something that makes me really happy, Ms. Sylphie. Really, really happy," he muttered, taking a sip once more.
Victor's eye after this comment of his stayed on the maid as he waited. Waited for something that he was sure would be spoken by this girl before him.
And the wait didn't last long.
"So," Sylphie said, her fingers curling around the maid's gown she wore. Her voice wavered a little as she tried her best to steady it while looking at the monster before her. "Am I free? Can I meet my sister now? Can you let us go now?... P-please."
"What do you think?" Victor asked, putting the glass down.
"...Y-yes."
"Haha, silly girl, wrong answer. I am, of course, not letting you meet your sister."
"..."
"Don't worry, though," Victor spoke, his fingers circling the wine glass. "You can meet your sister after this last assignment I have for you."
Ba-thump bad-thump
Sylphie felt her heart rate increase at the creature's word. The premonition that she had became true.
'I have to go with the baron, don't I?!'
She already knew that she had to go after the baron wished for it. But even then, a small, a tiny, a twinge of hope stayed that maybe... Maybe the monster would let her free, considering how happy he looked right now.
But... no!
"Go with the boy and keep reporting his every action to me," Victor said, his eyes settling on the maid. "He seems to have taken a liking to you, as he wants you to go with him.'
'Just do this, and you can meet your lovely sister."
'Why?'
Sylphie didn't want to go. She was afraid that if she went, something would happen to her sister.
So, without her knowing, she spoke up.
"W-why?"
"Hm, did you say something?" Victor asked, his voice suddenly chillingly cold.
"N-no."
Sylphie frantically shook her head, jerking her whole body in the action.
"Good. Don't forget that this is not a request but an order," Victor said before his voice once more returned to being rough yet charmingly soft. "And, as you have pleased me, here's a gift for you."
He threw the maid a translucent orb while standing up.
"You can watch your sister as long as you want," he said, turning to leave. "Listen to my orders, and you will get what I promised, or else..."
His voice drifted in the air as he moved out.
"... you know it."
*
The silence of the night once more settled, and the breeze blew cold and shiveringly. Seeping inside the bones of Sylphie as she helplessly watched the images of the orb.
The pictures tore at her heart as the scene of her sister made her eyes wet.
Drip
Sylphie fell on the floor, her knees scraping against it. Her body shook as every bit of emotion she had held inside started to leak out.
And...
In the darkness of the night. In the coldness of its air.
In the silver of the moonlight. In the boldness of her prayer.
The maid sat weeping for the only person with whom she had ties. The quality of the cloth didn't help; the luxury of the castle didn't suit her well.
As the silence of the night ate her and as the coldness of the air seeped into her bones.
Drip drip