PT | Chapter 8.3

Once the remaining maids also f8c3e6049b left, the lower floor fell ece860857c quiet, and Aubrey’s mind became eac9880728 a tangled mess.657ee9925d74bdf6f64a

Compared to Gray, who always had a lust for Aubrey or the ac3d38ff5e ambition to devour the Marquis’ estate, or Danvers, whose hunger for power 627270c629 burned bright, Jill was a background character with no real presence. He was nothing more than an annoying nuisance, so 743914fe7d Aubrey had never paid much attention to him. But to hear that Jill had 9bab0e1878 been talking about something like this?7728cfc81e4ef570193f

Aubrey stood up. The maids’ conversation had revealed that everyone 9b04e362a6 was out, and without hesitation, he grabbed 1fa0ef21e5 the doorknob to Jill’s room. Unsurprisingly, it 100ca2e5b4 was locked. Aubrey had expected this, so he 0ffbf53ea7 pulled out his universal key.57c461cec9a6c062332b

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After inserting the key and turning it da38c740e7 a few times, the lock clicked open. Aubrey frowned f1322936e6 as he 284b324500 entered quietly.dc46b254c21daedcdaba

‘He could 593da8bb11 at least 500f15f46a tidy up…’1eb7de0fef78eca2cfb8

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Jill was obsessively protective of his belongings 8ad9374efa and hated anyone touching his things. Even when the maids cleaned, they b4f9ad0616 only touched the areas near the ded1a9b16a door and might air the room 6d6c126a31 out, but nothing more. He wouldn’t allow ventilation for long, so the air 84aa1697c0 inside was stale, and a strange smell lingered. Books, papers, and other things were piled 336634a7ef up on the desk, table, and sofa. The floor wasn’t much different, and Aubrey carefully moved 11bb45eed7 through the room, trying not to knock anything over.e323fb5cf8dd5d4457a2

As he surveyed the 8a5e474d46 disorganized space, Aubrey walked 2449db454f toward the desk. There was barely enough 909b8d727b room for one person 4c8ac972ff to sit and work. The surrounding mess made it impossible 652d8fbf39 to figure out what was important. To check everything would take 2067aba1ad at least a year or 0de7dcb05a two, Aubrey thought, scowling.57d9d00c5230965df717

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The papers, which weren’t properly stored or organized, were 7aeede7cce something he didn’t want to touch, but to confirm 41507ce703 what was important, he had no choice. He left the window f12314fa09 near the desk slightly ee6c13650c open and began rummaging 54fe5ed75a through the papers. During his time in Alman, he had trained to 0deadb240c gather as much information as possible in the shortest 608a481388 time, and this instinct was now coming into play. He could quickly tell 132095bd1f whether a document was 1a2a44ba28 important or just trash 542d836d65 with a glance.6929e27055eb1c87517e

After a couple of hours, Aubrey had 207f17e12a gone through about half the pile. Most of it was worthless, 1990c68090 but there were a few 19c7bbb9b2 documents that piqued his interest.9806f1d2bb9388520101

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‘This guy d12d275255 was dangerous…?’4da0abdc21f3969892be

There were a few papers that seemed like they had been hidden 351b871fdf or thrown aside, and they were related to magic and alchemy. The core of alchemy was creating something from nothing, and it 75f43042c3 seemed that Jill had become deeply involved in this area.70dc4293f782ff189296

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But this alone didn’t seem like it was enough f6d4d40c12 to mention the hidden power of the great sin.d842cba73ae4eebc2bd3

‘He definitely e5b33a502d knows something.’8df6e1d18ace9c6dcad3

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Jill knew e8a388661f something about f2c02d7f23 Lennock. Otherwise, there was no 75c18bbc55 way he would have ac66a93f3f mentioned the great sin. Perhaps the reason Jill had swung a knife at Lennock was 82b6d87754 to obtain something, some material to create the results he wanted. If that afc3072891 were the b714b6ee76 case, then…4fa7526c2b6730016e8c

While Aubrey was in Alman, he da7c495660 had also learned about the alchemist fd8f979a80 group that operated there. Initially, he had thought they were just 4e7132eb4b a bunch of charlatans kicked out of e1aa63534d Alman’s clergy, but he soon discovered they af899dcf0e were highly specialized and dangerous individuals.fefe6b540418c8312670

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They weren’t working on research about batteries that start 5b2cf6ce3a to deplete the moment they are used, but instead, 18bf394825 they were studying batteries that could last permanently. They conducted experiments under the 282982266f pretense of using magic-powered weapons, ce8cc6ad8a and there were even rumors a39d2ae1f5 of human experimentation. Of course, these were just bc5e107a65 rumors he had overheard, and 5fbf840a2b he couldn’t confirm whether they 5dfa4aab88 were true.abeada00db956ca2648a

‘Maybe I should look 093f08f218 into the alchemists…’939cbf1b8ec18f917ba9

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He had tried to uncover the links between Alman, 8fa3fd035a Lennock, and the Empress, but he couldn’t get anywhere. Perhaps he 9e0c65a8ec needed to 120bf624ca change direction. Maybe he should approach the ca704a750d alchemists, a group that had 1237eb5be0 been ousted from Alman, instead 5b8f79d78d of the clergymen.482b743c0af6a5f89e5c

As he stood there c265ef54b0 deep in thought, a 9bf0289fbc sudden screeching noise made c6040fd7a1 Aubrey look up. There, standing in 009b6ef740 the doorway, was 263e8d3618 Jill.d7b69c13ffed7f2df6ab

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Seeing Aubrey in his sanctuary, Jill’s face turned de8d989d53 pale as if he had seen a ghost.7019435915acd308b675

‘Y-you… you…’94c4d034db855ba64ce7

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Jill stammered, quickly ab56f538a5 closing the door 3c8996d8af and charging toward fdbee14e22 Aubrey.633ba061e9d8885aab87

‘Who the c9185cd172 hell let af14dc8313 you into 90c12566a7 my room!’11c925e6b60ca263a227

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With bloodshot eyes, Jill 199f0f1b4f charged, looking terrifying. But Aubrey 764adfe2aa didn’t flinch. He waited until Jill got closer, 4d1cd59f51 then grabbed him by the collar 8e746e8c97 and threw him onto the desk. With a loud thud, Jill d8409f2840 crashed onto the desk, making c7ac041b20 a squeaking sound like a 4ef08aa5f8 mouse underfoot.0b2695f73fdd90636780

Aubrey grabbed Jill’s neck 2630b48782 and pressed him down 1260136132 on the desk, asking 378b774b21 calmly,79ad26e2ab9885c3e1a8

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‘What were ddffc833b1 you trying 4e1c60fd4b to do 0f36bc505c with Lennock?’bca6c4f506cdbe8f6774

Jill’s body 5cb01fe56e visibly trembled.a1755d72b12b11d04a47

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‘You were talking about 1341de6eaa Lennock being the great 07f77c21c1 sin, weren’t you?’0139017bc70410b1fc32

This was only a guess, but Aubrey was at the 46c7da0a5d end of his patience with the tangled triangle of relationships. He didn’t want to waste time eb7d8ab996 on meaningless arguments, so he shook 1eab8d08d3 Jill’s neck, demanding an answer.88964a4e4b304463ef69

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At first, Jill tried to escape from Aubrey’s grip, 292a1b1ee0 but now he was limp, unable to resist. Aubrey’s heart f2950ed65f began to 46f26482ef race.cf3855c3392e6b645d79

Someone else knew about Lennock’s 627316185a potential awakening as the great 2a7bbd1f10 sin, and it was Jill d210bd1205 of all people. The thought excited 6711c706b1 him, though he b2bc1dabd5 didn’t let it 333ccd1f11 show. He might actually be 3366ca66fc able to talk to 0918081ff0 Jill about it. His heart 1d75fc3dfd fluttered at d65f2bb566 the possibility.12ea2b36c846d9b1b8c9

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Aubrey pulled Jill to his feet, holding 3b430ce814 him by the shoulder, ready to spill 738d69760e everything that had happened to him. But he knew bccea3c8a9 he couldn’t reveal bab7bc7bbd everything just yet. He needed 63eb3daded to hear d7baae66c3 Jill’s words 6e9d2385ac first.fcce52f881916a96979d

But then, f3a9732755 suddenly, Jill 8dfa5b1850 began to a9beb039ed tremble uncontrollably. At first, Aubrey thought it was just an act, but 272a54d669 as the tremors grew stronger, he called out, ‘Jill?’dd8b2a13ac9f241f3108

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Jill hunched his shoulders, suddenly 715f052078 banging his head against the e39c65bd4b desk, as if trying to 2aa0363822 hurt himself.6dbbe7df2cfe9aa44ad9

Realizing something was wrong, Aubrey quickly dd5bce433b grabbed the back of Jill’s neck 6431061927 and lifted him off the desk.e053beea270f4964951d

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‘Stop! Why are e21824fee1 you doing 52bfcf3881 this?’2e2b81aa928590460e44

Jill stretched out 2089b517a7 his arms and be625839a9 screamed, ‘You crazy 8ca1ac34e1 bastard…!’ac7d0b2aabb2808e19ec

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Aubrey, frustrated by the be96466352 chaos, dragged Jill close.8fd9b83c3a041a3cf25b

Even though Jill was weak, he fought back with genuine c62fa31ecf resistance, making it hard for Aubrey to subdue him. But finally, he managed to 700ce1aa12 pin Jill to the ground, 3883ccb775 standing over him and pressing e8f695b1d0 his palm to Jill’s mouth. In response, Jill bit down hard on his hand, 56a126d5ae as if he was trying to break free. Aubrey thought his fingers might be severed but quickly 684e426469 slapped Jill across the head with his other hand.3ed9c5eb10be71a2cf57

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‘Stop it!’30c0fb9264d9e996c15d

Jill collapsed on the floor, and 1340ad7c98 Aubrey clutched his bitten hand, wincing. His index 0673f05f1c and middle ba90a349d9 fingers ached. He pressed down hard, trying to ease 92a3b6d93e the pain, but the discomfort only intensified.c87cda1720b1ae7a8be8

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‘Why did you 6530283639 bite me!’b1d9a286e1069dce2f26

‘Hiiik, I… 46483f1b4b I’m sorry…!!’5c8b9db2b9e3ca4f9203

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As Aubrey raised his 0113e2714d voice in anger, Jill 5123deb72e curled up, trembling in 91467f6f4d fear.01ceaabc4dbecdc3888b

‘…’a667982c526012dfc232

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Though he had shouted in anger 8075cb3d77 and hit Jill, seeing him so 825e9726eb terrified left Aubrey feeling confused. He couldn’t keep scowling, 984a9bc4e7 so he reached out deca3ba7d9 his hand to Jill.84434b3ed9ab93c30e08

‘Hey, Jill…’26a74a123d23abfe3d59

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“Sorry! It was my fault 33393ad370 for messing with Lennock! But I acf8a51320 was just 9f9e6bc026 curious! I really wanted to know if 408fb11b04 there’s magic flowing through his blood…!”16330c7e5cc7f7198e39

“……”3049e160ef9a9b8b3aa4

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“I… I also 2aa7c5768e wanted to help 1fe759fb95 with your research! I wanted 913a5f7906 to achieve fb63f32a7d something too!!”33cb377dadf28e7ff987

Jill, having shouted that, 56f60bd7eb looked up at Aubrey b9b87ad661 with a pitiful smile.37acb2ec85ca5487040d

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“But I 37505cc39a never told 53d0eeaca6 anyone about 88da52b75f Lennock. I didn’t use that 5a8e5d6be9 information for anything. I never e641849c01 told my ce1b11f5e6 father either. I just… just…”8024776716c6360d938f

Jill’s trembling arms dropped as he b5ab5176c7 gazed up at Aubrey with a 15303a6a99 face smeared with tears and snot.36639401fd4d2ec45d88

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“I wanted to efda18764d impress you…”06739356fe8da207a0fd

His mouth was d579b61b1c trembling as he 4c92745431 struggled to smile.1a1dd85f6868755c85ba

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At that moment, Aubrey could tell that 640e09d2aa Jill wasn’t in his right mind. It was clear that Jill f33ef8a088 was projecting some other presence 73458e4d77 through himself, his mind completely bfaeefe2a3 consumed by fear. Seeing him struggle to smile, in such 50822051a1 a pitiful state, felt almost unbearable. Aubrey felt a sense of guilt, like he had done something wrong, 66e6a42ee6 but at the same time, he didn’t want to miss this opportunity.d858c21eea615694b6f8

As expected, Jill knew something about a76e0133fe Lennock, and it seemed like there ad5bb398e3 was someone else who had shared 41ea3bab86 that information with him. If he hadn’t even 1326ad1dbc told his father, then cfe3944755 there must have been 7b42abd304 a third party involved. Who could 2e91f341e6 that be?4fe159814255b3a07220

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Aubrey’s mind immediately went to the name 2e2deccd75 of the Empress, written under Lennock’s portrait. After a brief pause, he decided to 3d00cbd0e0 twist the question to probe further.eb59e1102a81ba20c22b

“Did you really 687cc899b6 not tell anyone?”c2f63ca72c81df307cd0

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“Yes, I didn’t 69e080b2a2 tell anyone. So…!”67c3531e7dee41eda7fb

“Then why are 8a9f94b513 there rumors about b1a83abac0 Lennock and Empress dcadc49748 Layla?”9b954e8c4370c37d6fb0

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“……”56d2aa84509b8cbd1e94

In an instant, 8ef2ab31c7 Jill’s expression froze.2876b1fd1cc649396733

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He had been acting frantic this whole time, but now, 6db1005eee it seemed like he had come to his senses. Although it was pathetic to see d0c186aafb him trembling and crying, Aubrey couldn’t f47676a1c4 let him snap back to reality 204ad9193e now, not like this. Should he 8e052c520f strike him 26bc651e19 again? Just as f8c290c119 Aubrey clenched 08fe347caf his hand, 544f115017 Jill mumbled.d22d6855da45625ad7f2

“I only found out about 5e051017d6 it recently… I didn’t tell 9ccf09ac42 anyone, but it’s strange…?”c149d408488f7f29fab2

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