Sin of Lust

CHAPTER 17

Sin of Lust by Swapie Achilles

CHAPTER XVII

OCTOBER

The whole day has passed and this makes Bernadette grew uneasy, she knew something like hideous monsters are real but they cannot be found in urban areas such as their location and they have wizards who can protect them so the possibility that someone like that is in here; this made her think that their sister Blanche is hiding something that she couldn’t let them know.

“Whatever it is, I’m going to find out.” she muttered inside her head.

“Wow, it’s a miracle that Bernadette became silent for once.” Vincent commented with a spoon on his mouth.

Raven shushed him since he can’t afford another round of being a referee between the two.

“What’s wrong, Det?” Corin asked her, “it seems like you’re thinking something, you can share it with us.”

Bernadette sighed and smiled at her, “Don’t worry about it, it’s not a big deal.” She replied but on the corner of her eyes she can see Vincent’s hand creeping on the table to get her bread thus she threw her hand on his shoulder. 

“Oh, you want it?” she asked with a smile that really looks suspicious.

“Well, only if you don’t.” Vincent replied with a smirk.

And so being said, she pulled him down and plunge her bread on his mouth, “Well then, eat up!”

Making poor boy choke on his food. 

“My, my here we go again…” Raven shook his head in exhaustion. “Can I have a peaceful hour on my own?” 

The dinner was done and it’s time for them to go to sleep when Bernadette saw Shaira creeping out of their room, “What’s the matter with her?” 

She pretended that she was asleep and let her get out, when she knew that she’s finally gone she threw the blanket off of her and proceeded to follow her.

“Where are you going at this hour?” she asked internally.

She stealthily followed her, making sure that her steps are as silent at possible. She followed her for a good few minutes before she finally stops at the certain door.

She stops and take cover from the nearest corner and he saw her creeping on the door of the library, “Wow, I never thought Shaira would be a bookworm? Heck, I never thought she would be into reading.”

When Shaira finally get in the library Bernadette walks towards there, hoping that she would learn something from eavesdropping. But it all went south when she heard a stern, deep voice of the high priest.

“Bernadette, is that you?” he asked and let the orange light of lamp shine upon her, “what are you doing here?”

Bernadette gasped from his sudden appearance, thus this made her thinking a little slower, she couldn’t respond as fast as she usually would tell him.

“You see father…” she paused for a moment, she wanted to tell him about the monster so he could help them but there’s something inside her that’s keeping her from doing so.

“What is it?” Daleon asked her.

Bernadette shook her head and smiled at her, “Nothing!” she chimed and give her a sweet smile. “I was just going to the bathroom but it seems like I’m lost, I can’t see the way.” She pouted.

Daleon laughs at her, and pats her head, “You should always bring a lamp with you wherever you go at this hour, look at you, you’re already lost.”

“Yes, father.” Bernadette replied and proceeded to walk to the opposite direction.

“Wait, Bernadette,” he called her before she could even take her third step.

“What is it, father?” she asked, looking over her shoulder.

“When you’re done, I just want to asked if you could help me, it seems like it’s only you who can help me.” his smile never wavers.

Bernadette doesn’t want to say yes, but she can’t do it, “Of course father anytime.” She smiled at him, “helping him to do what?”

“Great, meet me at my office, okay?”

“Okay.” She chimed and they both went in separate ways.

Before she could get away from him, she looks back and get a glimpse of walking away and let the darkness devoured the light of his lamp from afar.

Meanwhile, Shaira and Blanche are listening behind the door, and they heard everything. Their ears are pressed on the wooden door.

“What the hell was that?” Blanche breaths out in a shush tone.

“I’m sorry, sister. This is all my fault.” Shaira whispered with solemnity on her voice.

Blanche looks at her in confusion.

“I told bernadette and I didn’t know she would follow me here.” She shuts her eyes tightly afraid of what would Blanche do to her.

“You told her?!” Blanche whisper-yelled in utter disbelief.

Shaira nodded guiltily, thus this made Blanche rush out of the library.

“Sister!” Shaira called her out but she didn’t stop so she followed her. “Sister where is you going?!”

However, Blanche didn’t respond to her question for she’s too occupied by her own thoughts, “I thought it was Shaira?!”

“Wait, what if she’ll tell to Daleon about it?”

“Sister, wait!” Shaira stops when she couldn’t reach her anymore and their distance is getting farther from each other.

And just slumped on the floor as she sees Blanch running away from her, “What have I done?” she sighed as her shoulder slumps.

When Blanche finally got to the bathroom she saw Bernadette washing her hands on the sink, “Bernadette…” she called her out with a smile.

“Sister Blanche? What are you doing here at this hour?” she asked, and her eyebrows are creased, “you seemed, like you’ve just run a mile.”

“Well, I am… a dash from library to bathroom is a new record,” she said in head, “No, not at all I just happened to need to release at this hour.”

“Oh, me too.” She said and nonchalantly pulled a towel and dry her hands before walking away, “See you sister. Good night.”

Blanche took her time so Bernadette will not get skeptical from if she ever noticed that she’s following her. When she felt that Bernadette is now in Daleon’s office she went silently.

She takes here time to listen to their conversation even though most of that are just sounds of their steps and boxes along with papers. She didn’t leave even though she can feel her face getting numb the longer she planted her ears on the door.

Blanche sighed when it looks like there’s nothing wrong here going on, “Maybe I was just too paranoid.”

Yet her attention was caught again when she heard Bernadette spoke.

“Father,” she called out the priest as she keeps on dusting the books that was came from donations.

“What is it?” he hummed doing all the checking of all the boxes that was in need of enlisting for records.

“Are you…” she stops for a moment, “do you believe in monsters?”

Blanche’s eyes grew wide as she heard her. “Don’t tell me… Bernadette you…”

“Of course, I believe in monsters.” He replied, “that’s why wizards are there to help us and kill them. They are the ones who will face them to protect us, they are our heroes.” He keeps on scribbling on a piece of paper with a quill.

“So, monsters should be killed?” she asked as she remains stocking the books.

“Yes.” He simply replied. “Killing them would free them from the chain that binds them to do the things they shouldn’t do.”

“I see…” Bernadette whispered, “then, what counts to be monster?” she queried.

“That’s when you brought nothing but destruction and pain to others…” he said calmly. “Monsters are those who are usually living in the dark to the point where when they saw something beautiful, they will do anything to destroy it because to them, that’s ugly.”

“Monsters don’t like beautiful things, because what’s beautiful to us is ugly to them,” he continued.

“Then, no matter what you look like if you hurt someone and you destroy beautiful things then you’re a monste, and a monster should be killed?” she asked.

Daleon suddenly stops from what he’s doing, the ink from the tip of his quill drops on the floor for hanging for too long. He couldn’t reply as fast as he usually would and it took him a moment before he could muster up his words.

“Yes, that is. Or else it would bring more disaster. And cause more heartbreaks.” He proceeded to move his quill again.

“There are a lot of humans who hurt their own kind, so, are we also monsters?” she finished dusting and stocking up the books.

Daleon’s eyes are completely wide and Blanche behind the door can’t help but sweat bullets as she keeps on listening to the conversation taking place inside with her hand on her mouth, trying to refrain her gasps from escaping her mouth.

“Even if it’s a human should he be killed if he hurt someone?” she asked once again, pivoting her feet to turn around to look at him.

However, Daleon didn’t reply instead he stood up, his back remaining facing her, “I guess this is time for you to go to bed.” He said in the coldest tone Bernadette ever heard from him.

And this made her grew cautious, “Okay… tell me if you need me again, okay father?” she said before running to the door. “It’s a lovely night and lovely talk.”

Bernadette walks towards the only door of the room and to do exit, she needs to walk passed Daleon who’s on the way, she passed on him without looking back. She didn’t realize the Daleon’s façade held the storm inside him as his eyes are glued to the girl’s figure with an expression that only means one thing.

“Does this kid know something?”

The girl felt shivers crawl down to her spine as if she’s being watch by some kind of predatorial animal ready to devour her, but it didn’t stop her to get out of the room for she’s too afraid not to move.

On the other hand, Blanche took cover on the nearest corner before they can see her eavesdropping to them. She heard shallow sounds of footsteps nearing to her location, she knew Bernadette is going to see her thus she walks back to farther to conceal herself in the shadows of the corridor.

When she finally sees Bernadette, she saw her stops from her tracks, she thought that she was going to be found, but then what she didn’t expect it’s that she drops on her knees and hands with a loud thud.

This made her concern, she didn’t think about anything instead she hurriedly went to aid her, “Bernadette…” she breathes out. “What happened to you, are you alright?”

However, the kid wasn’t able to reply, for her breathing is hard and her sweat is cascading on her skin and drops on the floor. She can see her trembling and her breaths are shaky. 

“I’m…” Bernadette manage to mutter, as she puts her hand on her chest to feel the erratic beating of her heart, “scared.”

And this being heard Blanche help her to get up and carried her back to her room. The walk back to her quarter is silent that they could hear a pin drop until the terrified child spoke.

“Is he the monster?” Bernadette asked as she can still feel the piercing eyes wherever she goes, “you’ve been telling to Shaira?”

Blanche can’t respond and just kept looking on the hallway.

“Tell me.” The kid pleaded with her hand still shaking as she grabs her shoulder.