"What was that? Did he just barge inside to ask me about the few wounds I got?"

After recovering from the surprise, Avy got up from being seated on the chair and walked out of her Father's study towards Clerivan who was still standing outside, he had the same reaction as her.

"You said he will be arriving tomorrow?" she looked at her Knight with questioning eyes. She was even confident to trespass the Duke's private place to read some books because she was certain that he wouldn't know what she did, and there she was, staring at the direction where the Duke went just a few moments after getting caught in the act.

"I was also not aware, Mi'lady. Lord Alcasser was the one who received the message, and it would usually take more than four days to travel from a neighboring country to the capital with Magical Beasts unless they wouldn't sleep or rest every night." Clerivan answered. "Perhaps he wanted to check on you as soon as possible?" he then glanced at Avy with an uncertain expression.

"Beats me." Avy muttered. "But he did look like he didn't get to sleep a wink for a whole week. I guess he cared for his daughter after all." she added before closing the door of the study and walking away.

"Will you be going back to your room Mi'lady?" asked Clerivan.

"Yeah. Sneaking inside a room with treasure when the owner's around is no fun. I'll just come back tomorrow, and maybe with permission then." she waved her hand and continued to walk as her personal guard just escorted her in silence.

On their way to her room, they came across Mariel who was running towards them in a hurry. She must've wanted to see her Miss after knowing that the Duke went to find her, she was one of the many people who were aware of their bad relationship after all.

"My Lady!" she called in concern, expecting her lady's face to be gloomy and unhappy. But she saw nothing but Avy's usual expressionless face, no brows knitted or lip formed in a tight line, no indications that she was in a bad mood.

"No arguments happened. If that's what you want to ask." Avy spoke without stopping in her tracks as if she had already read what was on Mariel's mind. The maid sighed in relief, she doesn't want to see her Mistress with a bothered face again, not when she has already started acting freer than how she does whenever she sees her before she got to serve her.

"Besides... Even if he got angry at me, I wouldn't make it bigger. I still want to sneak a peek from those masterpieces." she added with a mischievous smile.

They arrived in front of her room and she didn't bother to look back at the two before going inside and shutting her doors. It was already past ten and the people all over the Manor were exhausted after a long day of work and most of them were already getting ready to go to bed and rest.

"Ares." Avy called out with a low voice and her curse servant instantly appeared behind her from black smokes, wearing a white, button-up long sleeve tucked in a pair of black pants fastened with a leather belt that again, he stole from Ashton's closet. Some of his buttons were undone and his hair as messy as ever, holding a plate of strawberries in his hands.

"Have you been stealing food from the kitchen?" Avy raised her brows at him.

"What can I do? You don't give me food so I have to fetch them myself." Ares replied, popping a strawberry in his mouth.

"How would I know? You spent years living as a tenant in this body without anything to eat, and you want them now?" she scoffed at him and sat on the side of her bed.

"Why did you call me?" he asked her, pulling a chair near Avy and sitting comfortably with his strawberries.

"I just got a memory earlier. About a bloodied younger Avy being carried by a knight. Do you know anything about it?"

Ares squinted his eyes and furrowed his brows for a couple of seconds before finally looking enlightened. "Oh, that?" he said. "I do remember. That was a chaotic day. It's best for you not to know about it, an unnecessary fragment of memory that somewhat made its way back." he told her and continued eating like a child enjoying his midnight snack. Avy just stared at him with disapproving eyes as if she was witnessing something unpleasant before opening her mouth to speak.

"You know, you sound more mature when you were still a snake. Your manner of speech became like that of a teenager. Not someone who has been living for hundreds of years." she pointed out in all honesty.

"You should be honored, My Lady. I have only spoken like this to my owner, and to be honest, you do resemble her quite a lot." Ares threw a strawberry at her which she caught effortlessly.

"She must be capable then." she said, munching on the strawberry.

"You speak just like her that it's terrifying."

Ares watched her as she stood up and open the drawers on the side of her bed, rummaging inside and going through every single notebook she sees.

"Found it." she said, holding up an old black-colored thick notebook with golden linings that looked like it has been taken care of just to keep it intact.

"Found what?" her curse slave raised his brow at her in confusion.

"Diary." she answered before sitting back on the chair in front of the mirror and opening the notebook without caring for the former owner's privacy. She opened it randomly with a nasty grin, expecting to find something juicy inside, but the first page she landed her eyes on made her grin fade.

02-09-672

This house is becoming more and more suffocating as days go by. Judging looks and frightened stares greet me wherever I go, even this place is not an exception. They must be blaming me for what happened to this family, they must be whispering behind my back and speaking badly about me. I want to leave as soon as possible but I am powerless.

Avy frowned, reading every word that was written on the page. She turned the page to read more but it was the last one that was written. She was filled with an unsettling feeling before looking at Ares. "What's today's date?"

"Twenty-third day of the second month, year six hundred and seventy-two. Why?" Ares answered.

Avy paused for a moment to think before a realization entered her mind. 'This was written, two days before Avy had an accident.' she thought and continued flipping through the pages.

They can't blame me.

It wasn't my fault.

I'm lonely.

I want to leave.

Those hateful eyes again.

They're all the same.

Avy closed the book with a grimace plastered on her face after reading most of its contents, remembering every redundant sentence and phrase she read. It wasn't something that someone with a shallow hatred towards a person would write, it was like a grudge that has been inside a closet for years that continued to pester the owner every second of the day. It felt like the one who wrote them had been running away from something and denying it over and over again.

Avy took a deep breath and put the notebook back inside the drawer where she found it. As much as she hated looking back at the novel to guide her into her new world, thinking that she doesn't want to be a prisoner of the words that the author wrote, she had to know as many things as possible about the body was currently in. It was stated that the original Avy was lured out from her own family by the villain so that he could easily control her. But the question was, why did she break away that easily from the people who have raised her throughout the years?

The answer was simple. It was because she held a grudge against them. Aside from the promise that she could marry Zack, the male lead, and be the empress at the same time, she also had another reason for her to leave her safe zone on her own accord. The author did mention that the original Avy wasn't given enough familial love, for she was already distant after her mother's death, does that mean she resented her family throughout those years she has been keeping everything to herself?

She wanted to leave and go far away from her family as soon as possible thus she was trying so hard to get any power that would help her crawl out. It was for sure that she hated the thought of being under the same roof of the people she shared blood with, but another thing crossed Avy's mind that was backed up by the things she read inside the journal.

The real Avy was suffering from depression and mental instability.

And no one knew about it, even herself.

~~~

After being witness to the paper of the real lady's thoughts, Avy couldn't get rid of the uneasy feeling inside her that she even woke up earlier than usual, much to her delight. It was only four o'clock in the morning when she opened her eyes and thought of something meaningful to do before quietly sitting up on her bed.

"Ares." she stated as silently as possible and it only took less than a second for the creature she was calling for to appear before her eyes, not in his human form but as a black snake as big as a grown serpent.

"Good Morning." the snake spoke. "As to how humans greet each other to start the day. What do you need?" he added, wondering why his new master called for him early in the morning when the sun hasn't even shown itself yet.

"Keep an eye on Revie. Make sure he doesn't wake up until his time of duty." she answered him and got out of bed, moving slowly to minimize the sound she creates.

"I noticed these past few days that he's been with me, he's always the first one to respond whenever I call for someone. Not Marie. Given his job, he probably sleeps with his one eye open. He would surely come knocking on my door if he hears even the slightest of noise." she continued, walking barefooted towards the closet to pick out some clothes.

"Are you having a trip outside the walls again?" Ares asked.

"No." she said. "He goes to sleep so late to guard me and wakes up so early before I even go outside. Depriving him of sleep for my selfish reasons doesn't sit right with me. Besides, you're more than capable to kill someone in his stead."

Ares let out a short mocking laugh. "How rare of you to be considerate."

Avy shot him a side glance and snickered cockily "If you can't do it, just say so. I'm not forcing you to do something you're not capable of, you know?" she told him with a jeering smirk.

"Are you saying that I'm not strong enough to do such a simple task? Don't challenge me, mortal." Ares replied.

"Get down from your high horse, snake. Do it first then you can boast about it later." she smiled at him.

"Fine." Ares then slithered away from her, going out through the balcony.

Avy turned her attention back to her clothes, she took a simple black Bishop sleeve puffy dress that reaches the shin with a gray ribbon decorating the neck with little frills for design, a gray layer of cloth topped the skirt that hugged the hip part with three buttons. Even though it looked extravagant enough for her to go to a big party that only as people as wealthy and the president could host, it was so far, one of the few simplest gowns inside the big closet that she owns.

Taking a towel and the clothes with her, she went to the bathroom to take a bath.

"What an interesting family you have, Avy." she muttered to herself, admiring the flawless crafting of the shower attached to the marble wall, she stared at its simple mechanism with an intrigued smile. She remembered reading it in the book she picked up the other night and it was, to her surprise, an idea that the current Duke, Alton Arkwright thought of when he was eight years old.

The magic shower, as they call it, was powered by a magic stone that enables to make the water inside the water pipes to move from its source to the other end. And speaking of water, Avy also read about the big magic stone that stores the water it accumulated from the man-made lake that connects to the river outside the mansion, since magic doesn't necessarily mean it creates substances, its sole purpose is to control the element it has command on, just like a living mage, but make it a stone you can put inside your pocket.

"Brilliant." she said, touching the fire magic stone on the pipe that warms up the water before it goes out.

Most people may not know it, but even in her past life, she's more likely to talk to people who have the same interests as her. Unfortunately, not so many people have the same patience as her towards the things that involve boring studies, like how she has a short and tiny strand of patience for people in general.

She stepped out of the bathroom fully clothed while drying her damp hair with a cotton towel. She was still barefooted as she walk on her way in front of the mirror.

"I should cut this hair soon." she stated, looking at the mess of hair she has. "Sorry, not sorry." she shrugged, it was already hers and she was proud to say, as a thick-skinned woman she was, the original Avy no longer has a say on her body.

'May you rest in wherever you are.'

"Boo."

Someone suddenly said behind her, she looked back and raised her brow at Ares who was standing there.

"Do better next time." she pointed at his reflection on the mirror before picking up a book.

Ares just rolled his eyes. "I put your knight in a deeper sleep. It'll wear out soon if you don't hurry and go wherever you want to go." he said.

"Do my hair first. Please." Avy pointed at her still wet hair, not taking her eyes off the book.

"Thank you for the sincere request, My Lady." Ares said sarcastically and started using magic to dry his Master's hair. If someone enters the room and saw the two of them, they would be mistaken as twins with a great relationship. No one would suspect that one of them is from another world and one of them is already hundreds of years old.

It only took Ares no less than ten minutes to braid Avy's hair into two parts. Leaving some curly strands in front of her face, decorating her perfectly as if they were made just to look like them in the first place.

"You should open up a hair salon. You're really good at this." she stated, putting on a black pair of heels that Ares fetched inside the closet.

Ares just stared daggers at her, probably regretting the decision of making Avy his new master. Instead of going on more risky troubles like harming enemies, he was tasked to tie some noble lady's hair, much to the curse's dismay.

He transformed himself again into a small black snake and slithered his way to Avy's shoulder as she quietly exited her room after leaving a small note on her table that she will be going to the study in case Mariel comes to her room. She walked in the hallway, passing closed rooms with no one around. No sound could be heard other than the clacking of her heels hitting the marble floor that echoed throughout the dark empty hall. She excitedly made her way to the second floor where the Duke's study was located.

When she arrived, she slowly twisted the knob and pushed the door open, just enough for her body to enter. She stepped indiscreetly before closing it carefully.

"What brings you here, Avy?"

Avy froze, her hand still holding the knob when she heard a familiar voice. She felt cold and goosebumps made her shiver as chills run down her spine. She turned her neck to the direction when the voice came from and as expected, the Duke was there, sitting in front of his table where a bunch of papers was laid. Only the small lamp next to him illuminated the room.

"G-good morning." those words automatically came out of Avy's mouth. She never felt so nervous her whole life. It was like her body stiffened on its own, signaling that the man before her should be and is worthy of being feared.

"I have no need for pleasantries. Is there any particular reason why you decided to come here when you should be sleeping?"

Her father stated sternly, Avy couldn't help but swallow the lump in her throat. She could feel his cold gaze. Maybe she wasn't able to feel it when they first met because she was not in the right state of mind, and she didn't feel any the second time since the Duke only gave her a little attention, but now was different. It was understandable to be chilly because it was still dark outside, but the atmosphere was unexplainably cold, like a dessert in the middle of the night.

She rubbed her hands on her arms, she could feel the cold even through her long sleeve. But amidst the nervousness and the unsettling environment, she was able to notice the tired expression that was able to slip through the Duke's stoic facade for a moment. The light coming from the lamp showed the dark circles under his eyes.

"I could say the same thing to you, Dad." she said.

Duke Alton's facial features slightly moved after hearing the last word before it went back to normal.

"I-I mean Father." Avy stammered, she was used to calling her Father, Dad, or Daddy back when she was alive for they were undeniably closer than the real Avy and the Duke. She blurted out the same word out of habit after reminding herself that the man sitting in front of the table was her new Father figure.

"You should be resting and yet here you are, on your desk with a pen on your hand and papers in front of you." she sounded like a daughter reprimanding her father for overworking, an act that the real Avy would not dare to try, not as if she's interested in her Father's well being though.

'Damn, he's tough. His expression didn't change even a little. Is he a statue of what?'

"Don't avoid the question." Duke Alton said, like an unmovable mountain that didn't yield even after a blow.

"I am merely stating facts. And to answer your question, I just woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep so I decided to read some books." she was holding her breath as she spoke, she's mustering all her courage to stay on her feet, she couldn't deny that she was having a hard time standing straightly in the presence of her father.

"May I remind you that this is not the library but my study."

"But I wanted to read your books. And the library doesn't have them." Avy might've sounded like a child, but that was unintentional, she genuinely wanted to read the book that the Duke wrote himself.

Her father raised his brows, looking slightly surprised. "And why is that?" he asked.

"Let's just say that I somewhat developed an interest in learning those kinds of things." she smiled awkwardly, she may be rude to people, but there was something in her head that tells her not to disrespect that person. Even she herself doesn't know why she couldn't display her normal attitude to him.

"And...! I won't bother you and read quietly in the corner. I promise." she added.

After a couple of seconds of silence, the Duke finally surrendered with a sigh. He turned his attention back to the paper on his desk and said "Do whatever pleases you."

"Yes!" she blurted in enthusiasm before going straight to the bookshelves and taking a book from the farthest corner on the top where she remembered putting back the book she was reading last night.

She happily went to the corner of the study where a small table set was. That part of the room was dark and only a little light coming from the lamp next to her father reached the table, which in her defense, was bright enough for her to see the letters written on the pages. She doesn't want to turn on the lights for it might be a bother to the owner of the place. Given the fact that he only uses a lamp tells that he doesn't like the room too bright. Hence, she stayed quiet, she was already thankful that he let her stay in the study and let her put her hands on the books that he purposely didn't display in the library. She doesn't want to abuse his grace.

"You shouldn't read in dark places. It would affect your vision." she heard the Duke state, causing her to tilt her head up and look at him. "I am not against you coming closer, why are you staying in the corner where you could barely see anything?" he said, his eyes still focused on the documents at hand.

When he got no response from Avy, he paused for a while and turned his attention to her. "I was not aware that you prefer dark places when reading."

"Oh. I'll come closer." Avy finally snapped out of her thoughts. She stood up and walked to the couch near her Father's desk where it was brighter. She sat comfortably and opened the book again, it was easier to understand the words written on it after getting closer to the source of light.

It also became less cold, to be precise, the surroundings became much warmer. The atmosphere was silent, yet not in any way unsettling. She was used to people feeling awkward around her because she doesn't speak much often. Even though their presence itself didn't bother her too much, but the thought of them having a hard time dealing with hers made her feel uneasy.

But it seems like she found someone with the same type of silence as her. Only the turning of pages and the sound of paper could be heard and nothing else. It was peaceful and serene. Avy found comfort in the presence of the person that ironically, was the one who made her hold her breath just a few minutes ago.

The warm feeling she felt unknowingly brightened up her mood. In contrast to the dark sky outside the Duke's study.