Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: An Unbearable Stench
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An unbearably foul smell assaulted her senses. Charlotte covered her nose with her hand. But it was no use.
If she could see, she would have fled the room. She groped around blindly for a moment before giving up.
This wasn't her home. She didn't know the layout of the room.
Over the past few days, Charlotte had gone through a bizarre ordeal. A deafening explosion had rung in her ears, she had lost consciousness, and when she woke, she was blind.
Terrified, she had called for her father and the butler. Fortunately, her father was by her side. At that moment, she caught a faint whiff of something unpleasant. Far from pleasant.
Upon arriving in the Holy City, she met various people, and with each encounter, the faint smell grew stronger and stronger.
Where on earth was this smell coming from? Why didn't it fade no matter where they went?
Charlotte pulled the blanket up over her face. She just wanted to sleep without thinking. When she woke, her sight would return, she'd go back to the mansion, and life would return to normal. It'll be fine. Nothing happened.
A breeze blew in. Ever since she started noticing the smell, she could feel the wind no matter where she was.
Even huddled under the blanket, the wind brushed over her body as if she were standing in the middle of a field.
"You already know. Where the smell is coming from."
A voice spoke. It came from very close by. She should have screamed in shock, but strangely, it felt comforting.
"Who are you?"
"You already know. Who the smell is coming from."
"What do you mean?"
"You're young. But you're not a fool. Right?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"No. You know. You just don't want to admit it."
"Be quiet. I'm going to sleep."
"How long do you plan to keep your mouth shut?"
Charlotte plugged her ears with her hands. The fierce wind stopped abruptly.
Rather than fear, she felt only curiosity. The voice even seemed friendly.
But she didn't want to hear what it had to say. She knew what was coming.
She wanted to cry. If she stomped her feet and wailed, her father would come running and comfort her. It'll be okay, in that soothing voice.
If she were home, that would have happened for sure. She would have called for her father over something so trivial. Or the butler.
But this wasn't the time. Acting childish was only allowed in a safe environment. As the voice said, she was young, but not a fool.
A loud thud came from outside. What was that?
Charlotte threw off the blanket and groped her way to sit on the edge of the bed. She stretched out her legs cautiously, swinging them side to side.
Her soles touched the floor. She gripped the edge of the bed and slid down.
In that instant, the foul smell hit her like a wave. It was impossible to endure. In the pitch darkness, some shape formed by the smell seemed visible.
It was strange. Her eyes were bandaged, yet she could see.
Ahead of her wavered something purple. The source of the smell.
Amid the nauseating stench, Charlotte desperately denied the familiar scent mixed in. No way. It can't be.
"You already know."
The voice came again. Charlotte reached out and walked slowly forward. Soon, her palm touched the wall. Then another thud.
"Daddy? Daddy?"
Charlotte called out urgently. The purple light beyond the darkness shook violently.
"Charlotte, what's wrong?"
"Daddy. Are you okay? I heard a noise. Like something crashing."
"Daddy just tripped by mistake. It's nothing, so go back to sleep quickly. You have treatment tomorrow too."
"You're really okay, right?"
The sound of a door opening. The purple shape stood before her eyes. The horrific smell soaked her entire body.
The smell spoke. In her daddy's voice.
"Why are you standing? Lie down."
Charlotte couldn't open her mouth. She thought no. She believed it couldn't be.
Charlotte turned her head slightly. A faint red light appeared. For some reason, seeing it sent chills down her spine. Like the time she watched the eagle that killed her pet dog.
Her body trembled. It suddenly felt cold.
Charlotte asked nothing. Why her daddy reeked of such a foul smell. What that red light was. She didn't want to know anything.
Knowing terrified her. She just wanted to sleep in ignorance.
The purple light lifted her body. She wrinkled her face trying to hold back the smell. The foul smell said, Does it hurt anywhere?
"No. I'm fine."
"Good."
The stroking hand was her daddy's, but the smell wasn't.
Charlotte lay rigidly straight. Her daddy, who had touched her cheek, told her to sleep now and walked away.
She turned her head slightly. Toward the door. She could see the purple light enveloping the fading red light.
Why? Why did she keep thinking of that eagle pecking at the dog with its huge beak?
Charlotte raised her hand to cover her eyes. She felt the texture of the bandages. She pressed hard on her eyes with her palm. But the light didn't vanish.
In the increasingly thick smell, Charlotte whispered her mother's name. It was scary. So scary.
* * *
It was an irresistible impulse. Silder stared at the wardrobe. Inside was a mangled corpse.
At least there were no witnesses. Renting out the entire inn had been a wise choice.
He stepped into the hallway. The bloodstains stabbed at his eyes. He had wiped them, but the blood soaked into the wood grain wouldn't come clean.
He smashed a bottle of wine and headed downstairs. He called for the innkeeper resting in the back room.
"Yes, Sir Silder."
"Sorry. I accidentally broke a bottle. On the second-floor hallway."
"It's fine. That's what I get paid for. More importantly, are you hurt?"
"No. I'm fine."
He went up to the second floor with the innkeeper. As the innkeeper scrubbed the floor vigorously with a mop in a bucket, he spoke cautiously.
"How is your daughter?"
"Much better. Her sight hasn't returned yet, though."
"It must be heartbreaking."
"She'll recover soon."
The innkeeper looked at the floor stains and spoke.
"It should be fine if we let it dry and repaint."
"Bill me separately for the cost."
"It's okay. I was planning to repaint anyway."
The innkeeper paused on the stairs while carrying the bucket and mop.
"Come to think of it, did the treatment go well?"
Silder glanced stealthily at the room with the corpse before answering.
"Yes. It just finished."
"I see. You said you'd stop by my room on your way out, and I happen to have something for you."
"The healer seemed in a hurry."
"He must have been busy."
The innkeeper smiled warmly.
"Let me know anytime if you need anything."
Only after the footsteps faded did he drop his smile and enter the room where he had hidden the corpse.
This was the Holy City. A murder would cause a commotion. He had to avoid getting caught at least until they left the Holy City.
Silder wiped his face. A one-time issue wouldn't matter, but from the state he was in, it didn't seem like it would end there.
Could he suppress the impulse? Of all times, for this to happen now.
No power came without a price, and he had anticipated side effects to some degree, but the timing was awful.
How were things at the mansion? Had Blue Button wrapped up? Had they found Gilliuud?
The scattered incidents hinted at the plan's failure, making him increasingly anxious.
He sat in the hallway for a while, not entering the room.
His heightened hearing caught his daughter's breathing. It was reassuring.
His cluttered mind cleared in an instant. Now wasn't the time to think of other things.
He had capable friends. He should leave Blue Button and the mansion to them and focus on his daughter.
Thinking to sleep it off, he stood. A faint blood scent teased his nose.
His gaze kept drifting to the room hiding the corpse. His body tried to move on its own. He barely held his feet in place with sheer willpower.
His throat was parched. Hunger struck suddenly. An intense, gnawing emptiness.
The corpse kept coming to mind. The lifeless hunk of meat felt like a perfectly prepared feast.
He prostrated himself on the floor to steady his mind. Cannibalism. Just thinking of it made him want to vomit, yet here he was salivating.
He kept suppressing the surging impulse. How much time passed? His body was starting to stabilize.
The inn door opened. A woman's voice followed. She was coming up with the innkeeper.
He pulled himself together and stood. He left the door slightly ajar, feigning exhaustion as if he had just come out of the room.
"Sir Silder."
The innkeeper said. A young-looking woman stood beside him.
"What is it?"
The desire he had barely contained raged the moment he saw them.
He clenched his hidden hands tightly. His nails dug into his palms. But there was no pain.
Even the pain that should jolt him awake had slipped from his grasp.
"This is the granddaughter of Healer Ben. She helps her grandfather with his work."
"Hello. I'm Celly."
Silder forced a smile as he acknowledged her greeting.
He wanted to lunge at them right then and tear them apart. How ecstatic would the sound of their flesh bursting be?
"Grandfather hasn't returned yet, so I know it's rude, but I came anyway."
"Not rude at all. I understand your worry as family. But I can't help. I don't know anything."
"I see."
"Sorry I couldn't be of help."
"No. Thank you for being so kind."
The innkeeper, who had been listening, spoke.
"You should search around. With this weather, I'm worried too."
"Please do. He hates going out except for appointments, and if he still hasn't returned, something must have happened. He collapsed on the road once before."
Celly bowed to Silder as she spoke with the innkeeper.
"I'm truly sorry for bothering you."
His mind went blank. He couldn't comprehend what the two were saying. All he felt was thirst and hunger.
His vision blurred, then sharpened suddenly. The most tantalizing treasure lay before him. A voice urged him not to let it escape.
His fading reason mustered its last strength to warn them.
"Get out of here!"
He barely shouted and curled up. His body burned. No, it was freezing. Heaven and earth flipped.
"Sir Silder, are you alright?"
The two approached. Faces full of concern. How kind they were. How approachable.
How delectable as prey.
Darkness came. Fragrant scents wafted from all directions. It felt as good as soaking in warm water.
He was intoxicated for a while. Like a perfect dream, he wandered in ecstasy.
Then, the chill on his soles snapped his eyes open.
"Kenia! Snap out of it!"
"Everyone, run!"
Screams filled the air. Gazes poured onto him.
He looked down. In his hands, he clutched round objects. The bloodied heads of the innkeeper and Celly.
(To be continued)