Cel finished his meal but didn't stand up.
He waited for his father to leave with his stepmother before finally standing up to go to his room in a different wing of the manor.
The previous appearance of servants was starkly reduced –
While there was a butler, a maid and three maid servants in the main building, there wasn't a single person walking here.
He turned to the right and entered the first room of the wing.
With a rabbit in hand, he went to his bed.
He wrapped himself in sheets.
Tears formed in his eyes but they couldn't flow.
A moment later, his cold face returned.
It was difficult whether it came from the stiffness accompanied by winter, or whether it came from a gradual fall into coldness.
He looked at the rabbit again.
With a knife in hand, he reached out.
It touched the rabbit's fur.
In the end, he didn't push further.
…
Days passed in a similar fashion.
Sometimes Cel's father would teach him for half a course before his stepmother would call him.
At other times his step mother would act kind but interrupt him in every way possible.
If it had been before, Cel wouldn't feel anything else.
It was just…
"Blood is so beautiful," he said, looking at the healed wound on his finger.
It was the only 'new' thing in his life for several years.
Like a child getting a new toy, Cel wanted to play with it.
But he didn't want to cut himself.
He didn't want the bleeding to stop.
Several times he looked over to the rabbit.
Several times he stopped himself.
Should he kill it?
It, too, was a new toy.
He restrained his own bloodlust.
On a usual day, he just went out with the rabbit in hand.
"Do you want to leave?" he asked it, opening his arms to the outside.
The rabbit looked at him.
After a moment's pause, it snuggled in his arms, not leaving.
The gripped knife in Cel's hand became softer.
Yet the glow in his eyes didn't dwindle.
"Cel, are you out again?" he heard his stepmother come.
The snow had melted and it wasn't as cold as before.
"Why are you out? Don't you see the puddles of water? You might slip and fall! Come in!" she said when she saw him outside.
He looked at her curiously, his head leaning to the side.
"Mother, why can't I play outside?" he asked.
The stepmother was surprised when she heard this.
In all the years, this was the first time he asked her –
Even more, he indirectly refused her command!
A look of annoyance appeared on her face for just a second before it disappeared.
"Child, don't ask this and come in. I'm just worried about your safety."
"Mother, whether it's winter, spring, summer or autumn, I'm never allowed to go out. Why?"
"My child, like I said, I am worried about your safety!"
Cel looked at her.
Lowering his gaze, he patted his rabbit, putting it on the ground next to him.
It looked at him curiously, not moving away.
"Mother, I was just letting the rabbit go. It stinks and I don't want the manor to be disgusting."
"I know child, you're always so considerate. Come, let's go back in."
The stepmother didn't even pay a second of her attention, turning around with her coat swirling behind her.
Cel looked at her coat, then at his.
His own was an old, used coat with patches inside. To the outside it might look like a noble's coat, but inside, it looked like a commoner's clothes.
Her coat was pure white like snow, beautiful.
His hand gripping the knife trembled.
The image of before appeared in his mind.
Amid the snow, he cut his finger.
A ruby drop of blood fell on the expanse of white.
"Mother," he called out, but he saw his stepmother continuing to walk away.
Taking several large steps forward, he was just behind her.
She continued to walk, still ignoring him.
He took another large step and stepped on her coat.
His black leather boots left an imprint on her coat.
"You!" she felt a pull around her neck, quickly halting her steps.
Just as she was about to turn around, she felt weight on her shoulders.
"Mother, I want to see that colour again. Can you help me?"
He raised his knife to her neck…
"Father said that I should be careful about my neck, because it's very weak and can easily break. When it breaks, a lot of blood will come out, right?"
His eyes gleamed with curiosity and excitement.
"Wait! Stop-" his stepmother tried to speak, but the weight pulled the coat down, her neck strangled by the coat.
"Mother, I just want to see it." Cel said for a last time.
Without any hesitation, he swiped his knife across her neck –
Shhk
A sound of blood splattering followed –
Splttt
Drops of blood flew all over the place.
On the woman's coat, the ground, even the puddles she warned Cel about.
Her eyes were wide open as she lost her strength.
While the knife was still at her neck, she fell down –
It instantly pierced her neck.
The tip pointing at Cel who was hugging her neck.
Gulp
Cel looked at the knife.
Not in horror nor shock, but with excitement.
Blood seeped from the wound, colouring his face red.
The scent of blood overcame him, a metallic taste came from his tongue.
Just then, he suddenly felt something awaken.
From deep inside his mind, a memory rose.
It was like a mirror, showing an extremely similar scene –
From the vision of a young boy, holding a small dagger, he pierced the belly of the middle-aged man in front of him.
A shocked look spread on the man's face as he called out "Scelus –"
Blood fell.
Its crimson colour. Intoxicating scent. Metallic taste.
Cel felt like he was seeing the same thing twice, feeling the same sensation twice.
From afar, he felt a pull –