Belle pushed the door open to notice there were no people inside the house, nor was there any furniture left. It was an empty house that was quiet and lonely amidst the snow-covered ground. As she thought, George's parents must have been killed not too far from the time when he was killed. 

She walked in further, running the surface of the walls with her hands but there was nothing in here. She ran her fingers, trying to find a speck or spark of death, but it was washed out. Taking a few steps back, she noticed how the walls were painted. They weren't new, but they were awfully clean for a house that she had already visited a few years ago when the walls were pale in complexion. 

"They must have predicted to clean the walls to get rid of any evidence," Lucas spoke her mind out. 

"I want to find which person killed George," said Belle, clutching her hands together. The person who she had met recently wasn't him but a fragment of him that was mixed with spirits, which was why he had turned vile and ready to slit her throat, "Not right away but after we are done putting Vivian's soul safely in the ghoul's world." 

"I will be there right behind you," replied Lucas knowing how important it meant to her. 

Belle was happy for his words, and she looked down at her hand, her eyes falling on the finger that had the ring made for her in such short seconds. She went to touch it, running her hand around the twig of dried grass. 

"My apologies that you had to wear that," said Lucas who knew Belle deserved to have something better than a ring that was made out of dried twig of grass.

"No, it's perfect," she answered, a smile coming to form on her lips and she looked up at him, "I don't need jewels. I am more than happy to have you by my side. I am happy with just that," answered Belle to have Lucas hug her, and she hugged him back. 

"Are you sure?" asked Lucas, "You're not looking for a wedding, then?" he heard the slight stumble of her heart. 

"I didn't mean I didn't want one," Belle said, this had Lucas chuckle, "But will it be okay? You're allergic to the church," she remembered how Lucas never stayed inside the church for a long time and often stepped out for some air. 

"I will be okay. I have spent years in the mortal world. A simple church won't do anything to me," he assured her. Belle stayed in Lucas' arm, her hand around his waist as she stared at the walls and doors of the empty mansion. 

They were yet to know where Vivian would be staying because the only information they had received was that she was going to meet her brother. They had to wait for Everest to return to them. 

"It still makes me wonder how the black witches have not found out that the stars are alive. There should either be a positive or negative effect when they run the spell," murmured Belle. 

"They probably don��t know how to read the signs right and must have mistaken it," replied Lucas and Belle pulled away from him. 

"What if its someone who is working for them is not loyal?" she questioned him. It was highly unlikely that whoever was reading the signs was doing it wrong, "What if it is being purposely ignored?"

Lucas stared at Belle over the words she just said, "Why would the black witch want to do it unless she hates whoever our main villain is and is trying to disrupt the current conditions so that they fail."

"Do you think it's possible?" asked Belle. She didn't know why but it felt like there was someone in the black witches circle who had not relayed the message that the three stars were still alive. 

"Maybe."

At the same time, the ghoul arrived in the hall where Lucas and Belle were standing in. Its voice garbling and Belle had to give her ear to make sure she could understand what it was saying. 

"She is here," spoke the ghoul. 

"Do you know where?" asked Belle for it to garble again. 

Lucas then stepped forward to say, "I will go check her time. We don't want any time skip to happen." 

Belle nodded, and she saw Lucas step forward towards the ghoul, placing his hand on the ghoul and then disappeared in a blink of an eye. While they were gone, Belle took a tour around the mansion that belonged to George's family. She doubted there was anyone in his grave, but that was the only remaining part in here of him and his family. When she reached the ground floor again, she stepped out of the house to see a woman who was walking past the house to stop and look at Belle. 

"No one lives there anymore," said the woman across the fence. 

Belle knew that, but she walked towards the fence so that she could talk to the woman, "Do you know what happened?" she asked the woman, noticing it was a lowly vampiress who was carrying a bag of vegetables and on the other hand holding a live chicken by its legs. 

"It was a bad tragedy," said the woman to shake her head, "The parents killed their son and then killed themselves. All the walls were covered in blood. They even killed the servants there. So much blood." 

Belle frowned, hearing this, "They killed their son? Why?" So far as she knew, George had spoken about going to the magistrate, but after that, he didn't remember what happened. Was she wrong to think that it was the magistrate who was involved in her dear friend's death? 

"Well I don't know, the council people don't allow us to get inside and see what goes on," answered the woman, "I heard the parents and the boy yelling at each other. Must have been a family feud. You must have thought they moved, didn't you?" asked the woman. Her eyes were looking at Belle curiously. 

"I…" Belle saw how the nonchalant woman had turned intrigued to know about her, "Yes, that's what I thought," she agreed on the woman's words.

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