The Chronicles of Van Deloney-Chapter 22: AN INTERTWINED MYSTERY

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THE SUN had just begun to peak over the horizon, casting a soft, golden light across the room. Charlotte stirred awake from her slumber, the quiet rustle of the sheets the only sound in the room as she slowly sat up in bed. The warm, gentle light from the early morning sun bathed the room, and for a moment, she simply basked in the tranquility of the morning. The events of the previous day seemed so distant now, as if they belonged to another life.

A soft knock at the door interrupted her peaceful moment, followed by the entrance of a maid holding a tray of breakfast. Charlotte's eyes met the maid's, and for a brief second, there was something unusual in the maid's gaze—a look of unresolved tension.

"Seems like you've woken up from a wonderful dream, don't you?" Lindice greeted her with a frown, her voice carrying an edge of something darker. She set the tray down in front of Charlotte with a little too much force, the silver utensils clinking against the porcelain plates.

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"Lindice, right?" Charlotte asked calmly, her voice soft as she reached for the utensils. She had learned to maintain her composure in the face of such hostility, but it didn't go unnoticed. "I don't think it was a good dream, though," she added, her words spoken with quiet certainty as she took a bite of the food, trying to ease the tension in the air.

Lindice's eyes narrowed at Charlotte, her fingers twitching at her sides. Without warning, she drew a scythe from under her cloak and pointed it toward Charlotte, the weapon gleaming menacingly in the soft morning light. Charlotte froze mid-bite, her eyes widening with surprise at the sudden action.

"Yeah..." Lindce's voice was low, almost a growl, as she moved the scythe closer to Charlotte, her eyes never leaving her. "But don't be too comfortable in this house. I still have my eyes on you."

Charlotte's throat tightened as she quickly swallowed her bite, the food suddenly feeling like a lump in her throat. She stared at Lindice, her shock evident in her wide eyes. Her composure wavered for just a moment, but she quickly masked it with a calm expression. "I-I understand," she stammered, unsure of how to respond to such a direct threat.

Before Charlotte could find her words, the door to the room burst wide open with an abruptness that startled them both. "Lindice!" A sharp voice echoed in the room as a tall figure entered, his face etched with frustration. "How many times do I have to tell you not to bring your scythe around like that?"

Argentum, his twin brother, stepped in with an air of authority, immediately grabbing hold of Lindice's wrist to pull the scythe away from Charlotte. Lindice looked at her twin with an exasperated frown, but her resolve seemed to weaken under his grip. With a frustrated sigh, she lowered the weapon, her gaze dark and brooding as she turned to leave the room without another word.

"Pardon my twin sister, Lady Charlotte," Argentum said with a polite, though somewhat weary, expression. "She has... trouble trusting nobles, except for the Countess, of course."

Charlotte watched Lindice leave with a mix of curiosity and confusion, then turned her gaze back to Argentum. "Twin sister?" she asked, her tone light, though she couldn't hide the intrigue in her voice. "I didn't expect to hear that."

Argentum's lips curved upward in a soft smile, though there was a touch of sadness behind it. "Yes," he replied gently, "she is indeed my twin sister. It may not look like it, but we share more than just blood. We were raised together, faced everything together... It's just hard for her to trust people, especially those in positions of power."

Charlotte's gaze softened as she considered his words. Her mind buzzed with questions, most of them about Lindice, but she hesitated for a moment before speaking. "But... why does she hate nobles so much?" she asked with innocent curiosity. Her tone was one of genuine interest, her voice laced with concern for the troubled maid.

Argentum sighed deeply, his eyes clouded with a mix of frustration and understanding. "Lady Charlotte..." He paused, choosing his words carefully as he looked at her. "It seems you are still unaware of the reality of this world." His voice grew serious. "Not all nobles are as they appear. Some are kind, yes, but there are many others who abuse their power to hurt those below them. The homeless, the poor, the common folk. They exploit them, trampling over their lives as if they were nothing."

Charlotte's eyes widened, her heart sinking as she absorbed his words. She had always known that not all nobles were kind, but the depth of the cruelty he spoke of felt foreign to her, almost incomprehensible.

"We've seen it ourselves," Argentum continued, his voice steady but tinged with pain. "Lindice and I grew up in that world, and we encountered many who used their wealth and influence to do harm. But thankfully, the Countess... she was the first noble to show us kindness." His gaze softened, and a faint warmth touched his features as he spoke of Dorothea. "She treated us as equals. She didn't look down on us or see us beneath her. That's why she's the only one Lindice trusts."

Charlotte listened intently, her mind racing with new understanding. It was difficult for her to fully grasp the extent of the pain and betrayal that Lindice must have felt, but she could sense the sincerity in Argentum's words. He spoke from experience, and it was clear that the Countess had somehow become a beacon of hope in a world that had offered little.

"I see..." Charlotte whispered, her thoughts swirling. She lowered her gaze to her plate, not knowing what else to say. The realization was a lot to take in, and she could feel her own perception of the world shifting ever so slightly.

Argentum, noticing her quiet contemplation, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, offering a comforting smile. "I know this is a lot to absorb, Lady Charlotte. But the world is not always as simple as it seems. I only hope that, through time, you can understand Lindice better. She means no harm, despite how she may appear."

Charlotte nodded slowly, her mind still processing his words. "I'll try to understand her," she said quietly. "Thank you for explaining, Argentum. I appreciate it."

"No worries young lady," he said before adding "Anyway, her excellency wants me to inform you that Lord Saevionh had finally gained consciousness this early morning." He informed her with good news which made Charlotte breath in relief. "Thank goodness, I thought those won't work for him." She said with a small smile.

After a peaceful breakfast, Charlotte sat at her small desk in her room, flipping through her sketch pad. The soft rustle of pages filled the air as she revisited her drawings—delicate flowers from the fields of Hestonia. She'd spent many afternoons out there, finding solace in the colors and shapes, capturing their fleeting beauty. Today, the flowers seemed to offer her a strange sense of calm, but she couldn't shake the lingering thoughts of everything that had happened.

Once satisfied with the sketches, she stood up and walked out of her room, the sounds of the manor quiet in the morning light. She made her way down the hall, each step echoing softly on the old wooden floors. As she passed by Saevionh's room, her gaze unconsciously fell upon the narrow crack in the door. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed Saevionh sitting on his bed, eyes closed, his posture relaxed.

There was something serene about him in that moment—his features soft, his expression peaceful. The faint glow of sunlight filtering through the window framed his face, casting shadows that highlighted the contours of his jaw and the delicate arch of his brow. For a moment, Charlotte simply stood there, mesmerized by him, unable to tear her eyes away.

Her heart raced unexpectedly, and a strange flutter stirred within her chest. She found herself leaning just a little closer, as though drawn to him by some invisible force. His peaceful state was so different from the tension of the previous days, so different from the frailty that lingered over him like a shadow. She could only wonder what lay behind his closed eyes, what secrets and emotions were hidden within him.

But then, as if sensing her presence, Saevionh's head tilted slightly to the side, his lips curling into a slight smile even though his eyes remained shut.

Charlotte's breath caught in her throat, and a sudden panic surged through her. She quickly stepped back, her heart racing. Her face flushed, and she felt the overwhelming urge to escape from the hallway before he could confront her. She walked quickly, her steps brisk and unsteady, until she found herself outside in the courtyard, where the fresh air helped cool her flustered state.

She took a seat at one of the elegant tables near the garden, trying to regain her composure. She opened her sketch pad again, but the lines and shapes felt distant as her mind continued to race. Her heart was still pounding from the brief encounter, and she struggled to make sense of the feelings that had stirred within her. What was that? Why did his presence affect her so?

With a heavy sigh, Charlotte began to sketch once more, attempting to focus, but her thoughts remained tangled in the chaos of the moment. She questioned herself—why had she agreed to stay at the manor? Was this truly the peace she was seeking? Or was she only running away from the very things she should be confronting?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden voice, a familiar tone that made her freeze.

"I thought it was my imagination that you were watching me inside my chamber."

Charlotte's pencil broke with a snap as she was startled by his words. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned toward the source of the voice, only to find Saevionh standing just a few steps away, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

"Lord Grimoard," she said with a sigh, still flustered from the unexpected confrontation. "It was just you."

Saevionh chuckled softly, his tone playful yet calm. "No need for formalities. Just call me Saevionh." He took a step closer, and Charlotte couldn't help but notice that he wasn't wearing his blindfold. His eyes, though closed, seemed to pierce the space between them. His clothes were simple today—just a white long-sleeved shirt and black pants—yet there was an undeniable presence to him.

"Alright, Saevionh... Why aren't you wearing your blindfold today?" Charlotte asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. She couldn't hide the genuine question behind her words.

Saevionh paused, his lips curving into a faint, enigmatic smile. "I just wanted to free my eyes from that piece of cloth that restrains my face. Why do you ask?" he replied, the question laced with an air of intrigue.

"Nothing, just pure curiosity," she answered, turning her attention back to her sketch, but she couldn't keep her eyes from flicking back to him, watching his every movement, every subtle shift of his expression.

"I see..." Saevionh said, breaking the silence. "You like sketching, huh?"

Charlotte nodded, her hands moving automatically to draw another delicate flower on the page. "Yeah, it's what I do when I have time alone. This is the only thing that truly calms me, really."

As she spoke, she turned her head slightly, expecting to see him standing off to the side. But instead, she found him staring directly at her, his gaze fixed on her face, his lips curling into a teasing smirk. Charlotte's breath hitched in her chest at the sudden intensity of his stare, and for a moment, she couldn't look away. His eyes were closed, yet there was something in his presence—something unspoken—that made her heart race again.

"Say," Saevionh began, his voice low and almost casual, though there was an undeniable edge to it. He took a step forward, his gaze lingering on Charlotte with an intensity that made the air feel thick. "I heard that the Countess offered you an agreement to work with me. Right?"

Charlotte nodded, still slightly unsettled by the weight of his stare. "Yes, you heard it right."

Saevionh's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as though the very act of her speaking had required a deeper analysis. He didn't move for a moment, his attention almost fixated on the way the light caught her hair, the slightest shift of her posture. Then, with a slow step forward, he spoke again. His voice, though calm, carried a quiet, obsessive intensity.

"Why would you agree with her? And why did you escape from your family just to be with strangers like me?" The question was direct, but his focus was unshifting, a small frown pulling at the corner of his lips. He didn't wait for her to respond immediately. Instead, he stepped back, his eyes flicking around the room for an imperceptible moment before he returned to her.

His fingers twitched briefly at his side, an unconscious gesture that betrayed a deep-seated restlessness, as though he needed to align something in his mind or environment before he could proceed.

Charlotte's eyes followed his movements, feeling an undercurrent of tension, though Saevionh's demeanor remained calm. He suddenly bent down, just slightly, to pick up a small, insignificant object—a crumpled piece of paper that had been discarded carelessly on the floor. His fingers brushed over the edge of it with unnerving precision, smoothing it out before placing it neatly back on the table, not a wrinkle left in its surface. He paused for a long moment, staring at it as though his mind was completely absorbed in the small action. Then, only after a few seconds, did he return his focus to her.

"I suppose you find that," he began, though his gaze was distracted for the briefest of seconds, "...acceptable?"

His words came out in a soft, almost absent way, as if he were already distracted by another internal urge, one that kept drawing his attention away from Charlotte's response, back to the details that seemed so unbearably imperfect around him.

She put her pencil down, her hands trembling slightly as she reflected on his question. It was a simple inquiry, but it felt heavier than she had expected. "I... I really don't understand myself," she murmured, staring down at her sketch pad. "I just want peace. Away from those people who always take advantage of me for their own benefit. I've already encountered it once, and I don't want to repeat it again..." Her voice faltered, her emotions slipping into the words. "I'm afraid I'll just make someone miserable."

For a long moment, there was silence between them. Charlotte's heart ached as she spoke the truth she had buried deep inside, her vulnerability laid bare. She didn't want to hurt anyone, least of all Saevionh, but the fear of repeating the same mistakes haunted her.

Saevionh didn't answer immediately, but his expression softened. There was a quiet understanding in his gaze, a quiet empathy that surprised her. "I don't think you'll make anyone miserable, Charlotte," he said softly, his tone gentle. "Sometimes, we have to find our own peace in order to stop hurting others."

Charlotte met his gaze, feeling a rush of emotions she couldn't quite name. His words settled deep within her heart, stirring something she hadn't expected to feel.

Saevionh's gaze remained fixated on Charlotte, as the two of them stood alone in the quiet of the courtyard, the weight of their conversation hanging in the air. The atmosphere felt strangely intimate, the quiet only broken by the rustling of the leaves in the gentle breeze.

"But something bothers me about what Vladimir told me," Charlotte murmured, her voice almost lost in the serenity of the moment. Her eyes drifted to the blueish gray sky above them. "That I was one of the keys to the truth."

Saevionh gave a light laugh, though there was something contemplative behind it. "A key?" he repeated, his tone light but thoughtful. "I have no idea what in his riddle mystery he's talking about. But I'm sure there's a reason why he said that." His lips quivered into a smirk, but then he leaned back slightly, his expression becoming more serious. "But how in the world could a person tell you that you have the key to the truth, when it could just as easily be anyone else?"

She couldn't help but let out a soft breath, a slight furrow on her brow as she processed his words. But before she could respond, she noticed a change in Saevionh's demeanor. The playful edge in his voice faded, replaced by something darker, more contemplative.

Saevionh's expression shifted slightly, his gaze sharp as he looked at Charlotte. "But there's also something that bothers me most," he said, his voice quieter now, almost tight with an unspoken tension.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What is it?" she asked softly, genuinely curious.

Saevionh's eyes drifted upward toward the sky, but his hands moved nervously, adjusting the folds of his coat as if they weren't quite right. His fingers smoothed down the fabric again and again, each motion exact and careful. It was as though he could not focus fully on his words until the coat was arranged perfectly.

"I feel like there's something wrong within these walls," he continued slowly, his voice steady but deliberate. "Some mystery that hasn't been told to anyone, and I want to discover it." He paused, the air thickening around them, but he didn't look back at Charlotte. Instead, his hands tightened slightly on the fabric of his coat, fingers twitching at the collar, making sure it sat just right.

His words held a quiet intensity, but his actions suggested that his mind was caught in a loop, needing things to be in their precise place before he could move forward with his thoughts.

Her heart skipped a beat, a strange sensation crawling up her spine. She had sensed it too—this undercurrent of something hidden, something veiled in shadows within the manor. But to hear Saevionh's voice it aloud made it all the more real.

His gaze returned to her then, the intensity in his eyes undeniable. "Do you want to know it too, Lady Charlotte?" he asked, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Charlotte paused for a moment, the warmth of the sun mingling with the coolness of the breeze, a momentary peace settling over her. Then she met his gaze, her expression softening, a small but genuine smile playing on her lips. "Maybe," she replied, "and please, just call me Charlotte as well. It's unfair for me to call you so casually while you continue to call me with formalities."

He chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling as he gave a slight nod. "Alright, Charlotte," he said, the sound of her name rolling off his tongue with ease. "Now that I have a chance to talk to you, were your decisions to work with me final?"

She took a deep breath, her fingers tightening around the sketchpad in her hands. The weight of the question settled upon her, and she knew in her heart that this was no longer just about finding peace. This was about more than herself now—it was about uncovering the truth that lingered in the shadows, about standing with him and seeking the answers they both so desperately needed.

She met his gaze, her eyes steady. "Yes," she answered, her voice firm and resolute. "I'm sure of it. I will help you, Saevionh."

Saevionh's face softened, and a subtle smile curved on his lips. "A wise decision, my lady," he said, though the smugness in his voice didn't hide the underlying warmth that flickered in his eyes. There was an undeniable sense of satisfaction in his tone, as though he truly believed that having her by his side was the right choice. "I'm glad to know you're on my side. Together, we'll uncover the truth, no matter where it leads."

The words hung between them, laden with a promise that neither of them could ignore. Charlotte could feel the weight of her decision settle deeply in her chest, but there was a part of her that felt a sense of calm, of certainty, that she hadn't felt in a long time.

And perhaps, just perhaps, there was something more between them than the mystery they sought to unravel.

Saevionh's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, before he turned to look out at the courtyard, the soft breeze ruffling his hair. It was as if the world had fallen into place, their fates intertwined in a way neither of them could yet fully comprehend.

Her heart, still uncertain but growing steadier, echoed with a quiet hope that perhaps she had found a new path—a path that could lead to the answers she sought, and the peace she desperately craved.

"In this bargain, I shall consider putting my trust in you as you are my best counterpart in this matter."