Hellish Obsession - Chapter 15：A Painter

“What did you two do inside the washroom?” Peter had asked the question thrice already. He didn’t know that Mr Xavier Grey was inside as well until Sam came and started calling him.

“We didn’t do anything.” Xavier was fast enough to retort, aware that the girl would never give a reasonable answer.

Peter pursed his lips and nodded. “Okay, I trust you. But… why are you here?”

“He is Sam’s cousin.” Ethy was the one to answer although she didn’t understand anything that happened. She called Sam to help her out with the heavy gift box and after delivering them to his mother, when they arrived here, he started knocking on the washroom’s door saying Xavier and Ave are together inside there.

“Actually, he is my best friend come brother.” Sam amplified and looked at Xavier in confusion. “But why didn’t you lock the door?” His cousin was really acting weird since he saw Aveline. He said he needs to use the washroom but now it seemed like he just wanted to hide. Matter of fact, Xavier was never a coward. It must be something so severe.

“He forgot to…” Ave replied but attaining their suspicious gazes, she cleared her throat. “He told me.” She paused and glanced at Xavier. “But why did I never see you with Sam before?”

Ave’s face obscured when he didn’t bother to reply, and instead, Sam did. “It’s because he doesn’t live with us.” It was obvious enough that he doesn’t live with them and that’s why she never saw him in this house before. But in these years, Sam didn’t even bring a single topic about him. He said he is his best friend come brother. So not talking about him, not even once – that’s not reasonable at all.

Her curiosity was digging her thoughts deeper but she didn’t let herself start nagging about it.

“What does he do for a living?” Peter queried and Xavier who was watching them silently felt like he was on remand. They were all judges and the juries, he was the only mute victim here.

Sam took a glance at him and loosened his mouth again. “He is a painter.” A soft sigh escaped Xavier’s lips. Finally, he found his attorney.

“A professional?” Ave continued the question and answer session.

This time, Sam sustained the silence for while before nodding his head. “Ah… yeah! Something like that.” He talked in reluctance as if he was trying to persuade his guilty client not guilty.

Xavier couldn’t help but put the book down and interfere even though he didn’t plan to. “I am not a professional. I paint for myself. I don’t sell my paintings. And for living expenses, I think I have enough.” His reply was sharp enough for breaking off the superfluous session.

After that, no one dared to talk, even didn’t dare to make a single noise until Sam broke the impression and let out an awkward laugh. “Haha, actually. His family has enough. But why are we talking about these things? We are here to talk about the trip, right?”

“Yeah,” Ethy said, backing her finance up to make the environment less awkward. “I think, we should go to Terra. It’s a nice place.”

Peter shook his head in disagreement. “The hills are very high there. I don’t want to risk my life.”

“I vote. Terra has hills and beaches. All in one. Great idea.” Sam smiled at Ethy and then looked at Xavier. “What do you think, bro?”

“Am I going?” Xavier blinked getting a nod from him. “I don’t want to…”

“Are you seriously my…”

“Okay, I vote Terra.” Xavier cut him off before he could start his non-stop sermon. Although he felt so pressured, he didn’t want to upset Sam.

Ethy let out a laugh seeing defeated Xavier and walked close to her mindless best friend. “What do you think, Princess?” Her voice pulled Ave down to the earth from the realm of her thoughts. With a soft decoy smile, she managed to pack them off and snapped her attention to the current topic. “I vote Terra as well.”

Qidan Castle…

The gates creaked open and Ave’s car rode into the castle. Chaos coursed through her brain as she glanced outside and saw some paladins, swarming like ants in the courtyard, dressed in blood scarlet robe.

Ave sighed as she dragged himself out of the car and sauntered into the great hall. Everyday happens something new here. She was being more frustrated than being stunned.

She heard descant enhancing from the Chapel and chased after the sound. She held the doorknob to open the door but someone was fast enough to open it from inside.

She was stunned when she glanced at the front and almost jumped in shock seeing someone in a black tunic tied around the waist with a grey leather belt, over the tunic was a scapula that consists of a long wide piece of woollen cloth over the shoulders with an opening for the head. A black cowl was attached to the scapula (the cowl is the hood worn especially by a monk). The front of the scapula was secured with a small piece of rectangular cloth that snapped the sides together.

Her eyes grew wider in surprise, she almost shouted. “Who are you?” Rubbing her hand on his chest that was thumping fastly.

“Black Monk. My name is Sia. I’m sorry for scaring you. Princess.” She voiced and bowed to her, the cross upon a chain around her necks hanging on.

Ave nodded and tilted her head a little bit to see her face that was shrouded by the hood. She was fair and short, there was a straight black mark on her forehead, her brown eyes were painted with dark shades to her black eyebrows.

“Are you still following medieval tradition?” She asked, raising her brows.

Sia nodded. “Yes, Princess.” She replied as she moved aside, giving Ave the space to enter the Chapel.

Medieval Tradition In Twenty Century. That’s weird. Ave thought before she entered the Chapel, searching for her mother.

As expected, she was talking with the brother of the chapel. Ave went there and bowed to her mother. “Mother, What’s happening?” She gestured at the monk.

Salena smiled when she saw her daughter. “The Fragile Monk, Sia is here to help the paladins. They will be working to wipe out the evil powers from Qidan.”

“Oh, alright. I am going to my chamber.” Ave said and getting a nod, she walked to her room. She was too much tired, needs to sleep.