Chapter 3

"Ariella dear. I have the utmost faith in you. Do not disappoint me." Alaric held her delicate, milky fingers, rubbing them gently. Ella felt a surge of disgust and nearly pulled away as he finally let go.

"You can all leave,'' Alaric commanded, his voice stern as he watched them go. Once alone, he brought the hand he had touched her with to his nose, inhaling her unique scent of lilies with a perverted smile.

Guided by her cane and the flowers' auras, Ariella made her way back to her quarters. As she entered, she called, "Get me two bowls of water, quickly!" To her personal servant.

Within minutes, the bowls were placed down before her. She quickly picked up her soap and dipped her hands into the warm water, scrubbing each finger thoroughly until they turned red.

"Pour this away and prepare a bath for me,'' She instructed. "Then go to Lady Mary's quarters to fetch the things I bought." She untied the lace wrap over her eyes, her vacant icy blue eyes fixed ahead.

As she waited for her bath to be ready, she felt White's presence, he barked to her and rubbed his body playfully around her legs.

A smile broke out on her lips and she bent her hands and ran through his fur, "What a good boy. Are you hungry?" She praised him and petted his fur.

She looked in the direction of the dog and hoped she could take him with her tomorrow.

Her hands running through the dog fur stopped. She remembered her business associate and stood up.

Moving familiarly to her bed, she felt beneath it and retrieved a box.

Her hands went for her neck, and she brought out a key chain. She felt for the hole and slotted it into the keyhole, unlocking it.

A gold light shone towards the room, the box was filled with cold coins and a shell-like horn.

Picking up the horn, her finger dipped into the hollow of the horn, feeling the embedded mana stone. She rubbed the shell, and it shone with light.

"I will be leaving tomorrow and will not be able to do business. For your trustworthiness all these years of working together, I will leave two formulas of my balm, soap, and essential oils to you. If I can't take my dog, help me take care of him. Farewell." She put the formulas into the horn and rubbed the horn and the lights dimmed.

The shell like a horn, was gotten from a fallen abyssal beast; its function when mana stones are put in is to record words being said into it.

"White, here boy." She called out to the dog, putting the shell into a pouch, tied it around his neck, and patted his body to deliver the message.

White was already familiar with the route, having done this serval times. He ran out of the mansion and into the night to deliver the message.

Ella arranged everything in order and sat back, remembering she had asked the servant to bring her bath water thirty minutes ago.

She frowned wondering what was keeping her. She could only sit and wait.

Meanwhile, the servant was detained by Liora. The servant knelt on the ground and looked at the Duke's daughter with fear and confusion of being called here.

Liora sipped her tea without rushing and watched the servant on the ground trembling pathetically.

"My lady, how can I be of help? I need to prepare bath water for Lady Ariella." The maid stammered, her voice fearful.

"Huh? You are dedicated to serving her. We will be leaving tomorrow and you will be out of work. What if I told you I could change your life forever, with more wealth you have ever dreamed of? That's if you would do a little thing for me. What would it be?" Her gentle tone whispered like a devil's whisper, tempting the woman to fall in.

The woman was stunned by her words, just now realizing she would be out of work if Lady Ariella left, how would she save up money for her daughter's marriage or her son's education?

The words 'wealth to live out your life appeared in her mind, and a flash of greed shone through her heart. 'It is just a little thing, I don't have to worry too much.'

Her gaze turned firm, and she gazed at Liora, "My lady, what should I do for you?" She asked in an agreeing tone.

A dark smile tugged across Liora's lips, sending goosebumps to the woman kneeling.

"Very well. It's nothing much." Liora told the woman what she should do, and the woman's eyes widened; fear grew in her heart as she looked at the beautiful woman in front of her.

She was handed a vial filled with black liquid. Liora watched the woman go and called out her guard. "Follow her, once she done with the task. You know what to do." Her tone was chilly as she signalled for him to slit her throat.

The servant woman had wishful thinking she could enjoy wealth, 'what a delusional worm.'

The guard bowed and vanished into the air. Liora picked up her tea and a satisfied smile crossed her lips.

The woman went back, her heart beating loudly in her chest; the hand holding the vial trembled, but she held it firmly. 'Lady, don't blame me; I have to feed my family.' With these thoughts, her steps grew steady.

"What delayed you?" Ariella asked calmly, not bringing her anger to the surface but the woman felt ill at ease from her question.

"My lady, the kitchen delayed me from getting hot water." She lied, her tone trembling slightly but Ariella caught it immediately.

She stared at the woman's aura and saw the blue around her had a faint red to it. Her heart sank at this discovery, her hands tightening on her cane.

"My lady, I will go prepare you a bath.'' The woman said and left quickly, feeling uncomfortable under Ariella's blank stare.

She felt subconsciously that her dark thoughts were exposed to Ariella and didn't know how true her thoughts were.

'Why does my servant have evil intentions for me?' She thought, feeling confused, and disappointed. She wanted to reward this woman for all her time serving her. Why didn't she hold on long enough?

'Humans.' A sad sigh left her lips, but her heart flashed with coldness.