Ian never believed in coincidences unless one had put in an effort to make a coincidence happen. The funny thing was Tracey's words before she died, where she shouted Elise had to die, but didn't pinpoint the reason.

"What about Cynthia's report about the town Elise lived in?" questioned Ian to move to the next topic. On the matter of Elise's relatives, he had planned to drop a surprise visit soon but seeing how the name of the village now came up, Ian thought to push the matter to be handled faster.

"Cynthia stated that she would come and explain what she had gathered tomorrow," replied Maroon and Ian tipped his chin.

"Fair enough. We can give her a rest for the night since she just arrived this evening. With what has been going on they didn't get plenty of rest either. Will everyone in Warine be invited to the Winter Ball held in Runalia?" questioned Ian.

Maroon questioned why but he didn't put the words in his mouth, "To my extensive knowledge, all nobilities of Warine have been invited there because you have never held one, I am sure they will all participate in the festives."

"Wonderful. The stage has been set without any need of my help. Next is for the show to play out," Ian said and he hummed in amusement. His mood was the brightest since he didn't mind not killing some people today, just so not to stain the day.

Maroon, on the other hand, was quiet. He had been the quietest person in the castle and perhaps the most silent of all being as he spoke only to Ian of the things that don't take account of his work. But today his eyes showed emotions even when his lips were set in a line.

Before he came, he saw Elise and the human girl smelled of Ian's demonic scent. The demonic scent would only come when Ian turned into his true nature as a demon and today he suspected the Lord had shown everything to Elise, the horns and the wings. Judging by the human girl's expression which was bright with brimming happiness and the red cheeks, everything seemed to be going well however that didn't please him.

"Milord, forgive me for being too forward," started Maroon whose dull eyes looked at Ian with emotions in his eyes.

"I don't like people being too forward with me but you are an exception that comes after Elise because of your quietness, so go on," Ian said, giving the butler permission. This was because Ian was curious to know what could make Maroon be cautious to speak.

"Should I assume you have chosen Elise? Milord, in your humble's view I do not think it is wise for you to choose her," replied the butler to receive Ian's expression of his smile slowly falling. "She is the bride heaven said will be yours but heaven had never given anything without taking a payment in exchange; and heaven sees you with one eye. If she is the bride that they gave, I have an incline Elise is given to put an end to you."

"In short, you want me to rethink my choice as Elise is dangerous?" questioned Ian for the butler to answer with a silent nod. "I could forgive you for saying anything else but not this Maroon. I have chosen her but not death, have heaven's words poisoned your mind?" Ian pushed himself from the chair, walking toward the window to open it and not long after, a crow with the same bright red eyes as him came over to settle on his arm.

"But we don't know Elise's origin yet," replied Maroon as he shifted his position to have a better look at Ian.

Ian brushed the crow's feather, "We are about to find out, aren't we? Everything needs a start and to know Elise I have commenced a study to learn more about her origin. What I can see, she is human, a lovely and beautiful one," replied Ian, "It would reflect me as stupid if you continue to prioritize heaven's words more than me Maroon. Since when has heaven ever stated a complete and exact future? Should I remind you of how I ascended to Hell and what Heaven predicted?"

Maroon stayed quiet, the thought in his mind. Elise sure looked human enough on the outside but was she as pure as she looked? Heaven said that she would be Ian's bride who was a demon. It had been passed since long before how the Demon's bride was given to end the Demon's life. Maroon believed that Elise was given power inside her to end Ian.

Maroon, more than being a butler, was also a person who was close to Ian because he had stayed far longer than anyone in the house, so he only had the best interests for the Lord.

"In any case she would soon be someone you would have to take care of. I don't think I have to remind you that despite everything between us if you disrespect Elise there would be no mercy between us, right Maroon?" In contrast to his question which sounded less intense, Ian's gaze was fierce, gouging the expression the butler rarely made.

Maroon bowed, bending one of his legs to the ground while keeping one knee higher, "I shall oblige to every of your words and the person you have chosen."

"Great, you can now go back. I have to keep a night watch," Ian waved his hand to cue the butler of the castle to leave. With one hand on his chin, Ian looked at the night sky. If Elise was asleep, he had to take precaution of her sleepwalking. It would not be an exaggeration to say that seeing Elise on the roof of the castle surprised him. He knows to what extent humans could die and falling was a one way ticket to death which he doesn't want Elise to ever experience.

On the other hand, Maroon who had just left the Lord's study room walked on the hallways where all candles had been blown out. He continued to walk around the castle when his grayish eyes frowned when he saw a shadow walking over the kitchen room. Walking toward the place, he opened the door to meet with Cynthia.

"Oh, Maroon. I was on my way getting this," Cynthia pulled the empty jar in her hand she was about to fill in. "Perhaps you thought I was a maid who was walking around in the night?"

"Elise said that she heard a woman singing in the castle, I was going around to see whether the singer would come again," replied Maroon passively making Cynthia smile.

"You know with your way of speaking, I would have mistaken you for a wooden doll. You spoke of Elise, how is she doing in the castle?" Cynthia filled the jar while listening to Maroon speak,

"She is doing fine," replied Maroon briefly. Maybe more than fine, thought Maroon after seeing the gleeful smile the human girl had when he passed Elise who had just left Ian's room.

"I know she must not be as fine as she looks. Losing family members has never been easy, especially in the hands of the dark sorcerers, you know," Cynthia stared at the jar she filled with water and the reflection of her face rippled when the water moved. "Unless they all die to the last being, this land could never be peaceful." A certain coldness and hostility laced her voice which Cynthia didn't hide.

Maroon knows what the woman spoke of. Her family had all died in the hands of the dark sorcerers and her anger rooted ever since. "I don't know about the family's death," replied Maroon, "I have never had one."

Cynthia pulled a small smile and she walked towards Maroon's side, putting her hand on his shoulders, "You got it hard just like Austin and me, also everyone else. I will be going now, good night."

Maroon bowed in reply. He then left the place to walk toward the rest of the hallways when his eyes looked up on the ceiling where there was an engraved pattern. Ten years ago, the castle didn't have this kind of pattern. It was after the Black Annises that came to the castle, killing almost half of the servants in the castle and narrowly killing Elise that Ian created the pattern using his magic.

At first, Maroon thought that Elise was just another person who would pass by in Ian's life, just like the rest of the women that had been involved with him in the past. But he was sure now after seeing what had taken place today, that the human girl would leave more impact in Ian's life and he hoped that the impact would not be on the negative side. Or else, "I would have to kill her," whispered Maroon who then left the hallway, tapping his shoes on the floor where his shadow failed to appear.

Edited: Riri_bb