Chapter 21:

Chapter 20

A Bloody Methodology


“Ahhhh. Yummy!” The children let out a breath of satisfaction after eating a spoonful of meat and soup.

“The meat truly tastes exquisite when you cook it, Esia.” Frianne complimented the stew that Esia had made.

“Really? It’s the same meat I’ve been using ever since I became the manager of this place.” Esia said so while also eating her food. “It’s just that they have gone through multiple sellers. The only exception is madam Lecia’s.” She added.

“Is that so?”

“It is so.”

“Where do you get them from though?”

“That, I cannot tell. My acquaintance’s request.”

“I see. But it is quite delicious. There’s some smell and a strange texture to it but it’s not as strong as it’s flavour. I can’t describe it, but it’s strangely good to say the least.”

Esia laughed it off as they peacefully ate their meals. The days continued on, following their normal everyday routines. Eat breakfast, reading and writing class, lunch, maths class, then play until dinner. Esia had recovered most of her former beauty and strength this past few weeks and has gotten back to her own daily routines. Frianne strongly protested as Esia hasn’t fully recovered but Esia insisted on doing them as a form of recuperation. Knowing Esia would just argue the whole day and not listen to Frianne, she gave up and let her do whatever she wanted.

“Rather than me, you should be sitting down and resting. Your belly’s grown after all.” Esia pointed the fact out. “It’s to the point you can no longer hide it with larger dresses.”

“I still feel fine, however.” Adamantly declared.

They bantered over it for quite some time that even the children were laughing.

The night has come once again with the deafening silence that surround the halls and corridors. Frianne and Aniem are sound asleep in their room in the orphanage and Esia at her desk, writing something on a paper. After she finishes, she stretches her body, picks the lantern, and heads towards her room.

When she entered, she started removing her clothes, stripping enough for a shadow to be made when illuminated with the light from the lamp. It was cold yet she still wore thin clothing, those were the thoughts of two men who were at a distance observing her actions. The window to Esia’s room had been opened so they could clearly see with their telescopes. They were excitedly staring at her changing but suddenly wore an expression of shock and fear.

Esia had directly stared into their scopes with a terrifyingly blank face. They wanted to look away but couldn’t and as their eyes were glued onto the scope while pointed to Esia, she made a disturbing smile like one of mockery and smug. She stood still, staring into their scopes until they finally removed their gaze on her. In the next instant, one of them immediately spied on her but now the windows were closed and frosted. He was terrified. Because of the eeriness and uncertainty, the two men never reported the event on Osar.


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The days have slowly become warmer. Although snow still falls occasionally, snow is starting to melt as the sun moves overhead. Frianne’s movements  drastically reduced and spends most of her time sitting down while teaching the children. Esia, who had fully recovered, has been doing all the housework when Aniem is out hunting. When he is at the orphanage, he helps out in cleaning while Esia cooks.

The children were currently studying their reading and writing, practicing how to write the letters or sentences. But the class was interrupted when they heard a knock coming from the door. Esia walked over to check who it was and found a person she never saw standing in front of her.

“Greetings.” The man gave his salutations. “I am Lord Pharazus Exol Kiyervi, court magician of Count Garthus Felk Idende.” He continued and introduced himself.

Esia had pinched both sides of her skirt, lifted it, and curtseyed in front of Pharazus.

“Greetings, Lord Pharazus.” Esia greeted him in response while holding her position. “This one is named Esia and I am the orphanage keeper.” With elegance and grace, she introduced herself like that of a noble and not of common birth.

“Hmph! Rare it is to see someone of common birth know manners and etiquette.” Pharazus spoke condescendingly, gushing a substantial amount of air out his nose.

Esia still held her position, lowered head, slightly lifted skirt, and curtseyed still. There was a brief pause before he spoke yet again with a loud and insufferable tone.

“Of course, I know your Esia. I have business with you and the orphanage. Men, begin the investigation.”

Soldiers that were behind Pharazus rushed inside in droves even pushing Esia aside.

“What are you doing lying there on the ground?! Not even leading the way inside, such disrespect.” He spoke so haughtily as he forced himself inside the orphanage.

Frianne was gathering the children behind and even argued with a guard but was just brushed off. Esia, as well, got up and followed behind Pharazus.

“Lord Pharazus, though you may be someone of standing and reverence, I have yet to confirm your permit to conduct and investigation that is duly signed by the Cou-!”

“Are you questioning my authority?! I am the court magician! I have authority second only to the Count’s. I conduct business only under the Count’s orders. I would never have come to this cesspool of rotting debris.”

Esia was suddenly cut off by Pharazus. With his loud voice, the children and Frianne, who were relatively far and masked by the noise from the soldiers, heard him loud and clear. Frianne wanted to step forward and let him withdraw his harsh comments but decided not to. She had noticed the dead pan face of Esia, devoid of any emotion. She shuddered upon that sight she has seen for the first time. She had opted not to step forward and just protect the children.

“Lord Pharazus, we sensed a slight discomfort coming from one of the rooms on the floor above and at the bend of the corridor. There might be some traces of magic.” A soldier came closer to Pharazus and reported his findings.

“Very well, lead me to the corridor. You, Esia, follow me.” He commanded Esia to obey his orders.

“Yes, my Lord.” Esia replied meekly.

“Tsk, that old fool. Pushing his work onto me that should have been his job. Osar no longer has uses and should be good for the grave.”

Esia’s eyes and face had darkened even further yet her expression remained indifferent.

“Now I have to come to this filthy place with all these vermin. An eyesore to the city. A waste of resource.” Pharazus openly declared his exasperation, all thoughts bare.

Frianne was in rage, she fumed so much so that she felt like she can lift the table and throw it over to him. Be she had calmed down seeing the even more frightening expression Esia had. She can no longer explain what Esia had felt or thought.

Esia, on the other hand, was as calm as water with no visible expression of disapproval or discomfort. She simply followed Pharazus and answered any questions he had if asked. Frianne and the children felt fear just seeing Esia walk.

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“What is in this area? There’s a faint trace of mana.” Pharazus demanded an answer from Esia who stood a few steps behind him.

“As you can see my Lord, this corridor leads to other rooms that-“

“I am not talking about those damned rooms or this corridor! I am referring to this wall!” Pharazus shouted, sighing in annoyance.

“I apologise my Lord, I know not of what you refer to.” Esia bowed her head slightly, apologising with a gesture.

“Tsk. Useless.” He sighed in displeasure once more. “Bring me to the other area where magic was sensed.”

“Yes sir!” The guard who had reported earlier to Pharazus walked and lead the way.

They went upstairs and stood in front of Esia’s room. Without even consulting Esia, they opened it and stormed the room.

“The concentration here is stronger than the one in the corridor. Who and what are you?” Pharazus demanded an answer yet again with an overbearing attitude.

“I am Esia, the keeper of this orphanage. Daughter and only child to-!”

She had been interrupted once again.

“I am not asking for who your parents are. What is your race?” He asked in a deep and low tone yet threatening.

“... I am a Sneipas of the Human race.” Esia paused before giving her reply with indifference.

“Can you not feel it? This nauseating feeling?”

“No, my Lord. I’m afraid I do not of what you speak.”

Pharazus tsked and sighed with great anger and disappointment. He walked closer to the wall of the room where he thinks the strongest magical concentration is and placed his palm on top of it. Then there was light being emitted from his palms and shortly after, it disappeared.

“It seems to be just residue. That old fool does his job so lousily and even can’t detect this level of mana. Useless, the lot of them.” Pharazus started to speak to himself and complain. No one in the room opened their mouth, let alone speak.

“Let’s leave. I’ll dispel whatever magic residue is down there then we head back to the Count to report.” He commanded his subordinates.

“My Lord, does this mean the investigation has come to an end?” Esia asked him but received no response but a ‘hmph’.

Pharazus had done the same thing at the corridor and the traces of magic and mana had disappeared. He had come to a conclusion that there might have been an item in those places that leaked mana. With just that, he up and left the orphanage without even giving any remarks.

Frianne had finally calmed down. Some of the children had just been ready to burst to tears when the soldiers left the building. Esia was just beside her at the desk, muttering something while staring at the door. Frianne had asked what Esia was saying but she got no response and continued her muttering. She had leaned closer in and heard terrifying statements.

“That bastard of a magician can’t even tell the difference of mana and magic and claims to be a court magician? Ha! Such arrogance typical of an aristocrat. I don’t care if he was rude to me, I can kill him anytime I want. I can kill all of them in just a few seconds even in the tight confines of my room. But that would be too suspicious. Bodies don’t just disappear. Unless I use that drug that liquidises anything, including human bones. Then maybe use that liquid and feed it to their families. Add in some of my other special concoctions, vegetables, and special meat and send it to them as a gift. Let them eat it and just say ‘Now even death will not part both of you’.”

Frianne shivered. She never knew Esia could say such things and frankly made her want to vomit upon hearing what she had just said. But that was not the end. She continued speaking without realising she was speaking her thoughts or even that Frianne had gone so close to her.

“Moreover, he insulted Frianne and the children. I don’t care if he insults Osar. He’s right after all, lazy. But had forgotten that he is a perverted old man. If he had his eyes on the children at their age, he would be a part of the missing people’s list. One by one I would send a piece of him along a letter to his family explaining each crime he did. One for one. But that doesn’t even come close to what that bastard of a narcissist said. I will make sure he chooses death. I will make sure he regrets living, regrets ever being born into this world. I will make sure he resents whichever god he believes in and begs him for his soul to be forever destroyed and never to return to the cycle. Ahhh, all these years, I could finally make your life hell. All the things you’ve done will come to light.”

Esia mumbled quickly that Frianne didn’t understand majority of what she said. But she understood that she hated that man known as Pharazus so much so that she would even dirty her own hands if it came down to it.

Little did she know that the words she spoke of would soon be a reality.

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