Delilah was sitting in the carriage with a thoughtful look on her face.
Roy had grown on her.
She couldn't stop thinking about him.
'Because he had been overpowering and outsmarting every enemy we had met so far, I forgot he is a human just like me and can get hurt, make mistakes, or overlook important facts. I made the mistake of believing he knew everything. I have been a soul herder for years. If I had only stopped to tell him that you must pay a considerable price each time you use your soul herding ability, he wouldn't have ended up in a coma.'
She bit her lips, blaming herself for Roy's mistake, as if she was a silly little girl.
What she didn't know was that she looked extremely enchanting while biting her lips.
Delilah was in the disguise of a man with such unparalleled beauty that any woman would become envious of her.
The female carriage driver peeked at her occasionally, and her heart thumped extraordinarily loudly each time she got a good look at Delilah.
'I have never seen such a handsome man in my life. I am a girl and honestly have been praised for being quite cute by people of different walks of life, but he is more beautiful than me in every aspect. From head to toe, he is perfect. I feel ashamed to be in his presence.'
Just then, Delilah signalled her to lower its speed.
She pulled the reins connected to the horse, and the carriage slowed down.
"Stop here."
The carriage was stopped three streets away from the Count's Manor.
Steeping out of it, Delilah flipped a coin her way and walked into an empty alley.
The female driver caught it and then turned to her, but realized that the handsome man was nowhere to be seen.
Delilah teleported into a nearby alley.
She took off her disguise there and changed into a maid's dress.
She appeared otherworldly now.
Her clothes were unremarkable in comparison to her beauty; her beauty was unrivaled, and her smile was stunning enough to bring a kingdom to its knees.
….
The Count's Manor.
"The news of your fainting and becoming terribly ill reached the Count. He delayed the meeting with the Achlys by a day. This is the third time they have been put off. They will be here for breakfast first thing in the morning, seeing how impatient they are. I don't want to meet them. That's why we'll be leaving the County late at night. And I don't want you to be involved with them. They are villains, Roy. The further you stay away from them, the better your life will be."
Arlo advised Roy not to get involved with the Achlys.
Roy didn't promise him anything.
"The Count did that for me?"
"No, it's better to say he did that in order to not host the Achlys alone. He wants us to be there with him to welcome them."
"But that's not gonna happen, is it?"
"Definitely."
They both smiled like scheming villains.
The Count's headaches were his to bear.
He shouldn't think of sharing it with them.
Looking like a femme fatale, Delilah returned to her master with a backpack on her back; its strap hung over her shoulder.
"Master, I am back. Did you miss me?"
"Why are you here, dressed like that? Didn't I send you off on vacation?"
Roy was bewildered to see her before him.
They were just about to sneak out of the Manor.
She sweetly smiled at her lord.
"Since I have nothing to do this month, I will be going to the capital with you."
Roy blinked his eyes at her in confusion. "Don't you have kids to take care of?"
"I left them in the care of good people." Delilah replied to Roy, "There are servants and nannies to take care of them. An old friend of mine is also looking after them. Nothing would happen to my kids under their supervision."
Julian was drinking water when he heard that Delilah had kids.
He immediately felt so shocked that he choked on the water going down his throat so roughly that it spewed out of his nostrils and mouth.
"Cough!"
He coughed violently.
"Boy, what's wrong?" Arlo patted his back, comforting him.
Julian was too stunned to reply to the friend of his father.
"That can't be. She couldn't possibly have mothered multiple children. She looks too young for that." Julian was suspicious that he had misunderstood her.
He turned to the master and maid. "Biologically, whose kids are they?!"
Delilah was his actual crush, and he was desperate to know that she wasn't a mother to some kid or a wife to some man.
He wasn't even okay with the idea of letting Roy have her without putting up a fight.
He would feel truly defeated if he found out that she belonged to someone who he didn't know or admire.
"She's looking after orphans who have no one to turn to."
Seeing his heartbroken look, Roy didn't keep him in suspense for long.
"Ah... I see."
Julian finally closed his mouth.
Arlo looked Delilah up and down in surprise, "You're a good person that knows how to help others?"
He hadn't had her investigated, but he could "see" her "sins" and was quite confident that she was a villain working for his nephew because she was given good benefits in return.
But being told that she was taking care of orphans on the side came as a shock for him and changed his mind about her.
"No, I am not, and I hope the Lord won't mistake me as one."
Delilah knew nothing would ever change the fact that she killed people for money or that her hands were dirty with the blood of many, evil or not. That's why, even if she does good deeds on the same level as a saint, she will forever be a sinner. And she was not a hypocrite. She was willing to accept punishment for her sins in the afterlife.
Amelia came up to Roy, giving him a cup of hot milk. "Are we going to take the twins with us? If so, I will pack some clothes and items for them too."
A thoughtful look appeared on his face.
Leaving them behind wasn't an option.
What if they experienced a tragedy in his absence?
Wouldn't that promote them to accept the kiss of Chaos?
He had to keep an eye on them and make sure they wouldn't face any more tragedy.
Only then would Chaos lose two of its powerful but disposable servants, and he would gain two capable subordinates.
For Chaos, everyone except for itself was a tool.
It's just that its blind worshippers couldn't realize such a simple truth.
"I will follow you if you promise to train me."
Aydin stepped toward him and became a target of his attention.
"Why do you put forth such a condition?"
"I need strength to investigate the murder of my parents and clansmen! I believe they were killed unjustly. The people involved in the massacre of my people are the most powerful in the north. The Northern Heavenly Duke is one of them. But I remember all of their faces clearly.
"Accepted. Who would train you two if not your master? I need both of you to get stronger, for only then will you have the ability to serve me well. So, of course, I will take you everywhere with me and train you and your sister."
Roy told Amelia to help the twins pack up.
The twins were silent, but their eyes lit up when they heard that he was willing to train them.
They were hungry for power, especially Aydin.
"Master, we are done packing."
"Good job!" Roy raised his hand and stretched it towards the twins. They lowered their heads reflexively and accepted his pats like puppies.
Arlo snapped his finger, breaking the good atmosphere between the master and his soon-to-be subordinates and attracting the attention of everyone in the room.
Their eyes moved towards him consciously or reflexively.
"Let's set out."
Arlo got up to leave the County.
Everyone stood up to follow after him.
...
Author Note:- The will shed some light on Noah's condition.
Then, it will all be about the main plot line.
You will get to see what has been foreshadowed so far!
Thanks for the support!
