I Don’t Want This Bad Ending

Cassandra looks at the six adult men. Gil, Bern, Chrisfold, Gab and Adam who she was familiar with back in the Perspiru Kingdom and the new person who was with them which is Ricardo.

"Is this all of you?"

"Why? Is there still someone we need to wait for?" Gil asked.

"Yes…"

After Cassandra said that, silence befalls to them. And the men who were standing there in daze and looking at Cassandra, thinking that there was a follow up to her answer, it striked to them that she was not going to anymore.

Coincidentally, a maid knocked on the door and established the presence of the people Cassandra was waiting.

Standing up, Cassandra bowed while Silvester walked in with Sir Erich and his right hand man George.

"I greet your highness, may the moon goddess lead the light in the darkness."

Cassandra greeted him like how all the people in Perspiru Kingdom greeted the royalty.

"No need to be so formal, Lady Cassandra…" Silvester smiled while he made an entrance among the men that was inside the four walls.

"Shall we sit now?" Cassandra said as she was the host of today's meeting.

The empty long table inside of one of so many rooms inside the mansion of where Evelyn and her contracted spirits as well as the last witch Cassandra lives have now become more lively with the visitors that have come. 

The snacks were served and the hot beverages were placed in front of them. Alisha who was Evelyn's water contracted spirit also joined them.

"This feels like one of the meetings we have inside the deep forest…" Bern casually spoke.

Silvester turned his head and asked as curiosity got him.

"Meetings in the deep forest? Isn't that one of the forbidden lands?"

Bern looks at Gil who was sending him harsh words through telepathy.

"Really? Did I say Deep Forest? I just said we're having talks about the deep forest… meeting? Hahaha-"

"Really?"

"Yes… Ha-haha"

It was the first time that Silvester saw a flabbergasted Bern. He was usually a person who doesn't give a damn when people ask him questions and he will reply with a silly answer.

Clunk!

The tea in the tea cup slowly waves inside while Cassandra placed it gently in the saucer and all the people inside have calmed down.

"Your highness, I'll take the opportunity to lead this talk first." Cassandra humbly said.

"Please, don't mind me… I'm not here as a prince but as a relative of Evelyn."

"That's a good thought…"

Cassanra looked at the maid who was waiting and attaching herself to the walls of the room. When she nodded her head the maid immediately understood what she was talking about.

A chalkboard was carried by one of the male servants and placed beside Cassandra.

She stood up while her purple side hair hung down on her small face and the usual bun was neatly tied at the back of her hair.

"I'll discuss first about why Evelyn decided to go through with her plan.. Later on, one of the people here who has a connection to Eve will tell us what has been going on in her side…"

Cassandra was talking about the connection of Evelyn and her contracted spirits. Though a certain handful of individuals didn't have a clue of what she was saying. It was enough to understand for those who knew what it was all about.

"First, I'll talk about what she said about me the other night."

Cassandra calmly collected what Evelyn said with seriousness.

"What is it?" Gab asked.

Cassandra glanced at the spirits that were looking at her, it was enough for her to know that the spirits knew what she was about to talk about.

When she was about to talk the door suddenly burst open.

"Your Grace, you can't just barge in…" One of the maid's tried to talk him through it.

"What are you doing here?" Gil asked with a sharpness in his voice.

The people inside, especially Gab, Ricardo, Adam, Silvester, Sir Erich and Sir George became shocked at how straight forward Gil acted towards the Ducal Family.

They knew that Gil isn't someone to raise his voice towards people who he only met a few times.

Sure, for the people who didn't watch how Evelyn got neglected in that household, they will never understand why Gil acted like that.

"We're here because we also need to know Evelyn's status… I'm not here to ask for a fight…" Duke Keene announced while he still had that stern face expression.

"You-!"

Then, Chrisfold slammed the table, a gesture for the people inside to stop talking and to gain their attention as well as making Gil turn his way so that he can give him a warning.

"Stop acting like a spoiled brat and take a sit Gil… we're not here to be in each other's throat. Cassandra has been trying to explain to us what is supposed to be Evelyn's favor. Settle the debt some other time!"

Chrisfold remarked and looked at Gil and Duke Keene. A certain dominance was pressuring the people inside which they certainly felt.

It was because of the Earth attribute of Chrisfold which has a great effect in almost all other mana attributes.

"It's alright, his Grace and the Young Master should also participate in this." Alisha said, breaking the suffocating atmosphere in the room.

"Please, Duke Keene and Young Master Allan… join us." Silvester with his stern face said.

Duke Keene and Allan walked in without much of a small talk after what they said and let Cassandra continue.

"Whoo… what was that all about? That was kinda intense!" Ricardo mumbled beside Adam who still doesn't have a clue what was happening inside the crowded room.

"My question still hasn't been answered since I came here…" Adam asked, still pondering who was Evelyn.

"What?" Ricardo turned his head towards Adam.

Meanwhile, Chrisfold suddenly speaks which brought the attention of others to him.

"Hmm… Is Duke Cabel not going to attend this?"

And Cassandra answered him without missing a beat.

"He's busy.. He's probably searching for what Evelyn told him to do."

"So, he has a special mission or something?" Gab asked with an annoyed face.

Cassandra looks at Duke Keene and Allan before she answers Gab's whimsical question.

"Yes, he had something that was important to do and it was related to what Evelyn has said to me… the night before she made her move."

""Why didn't she ask me to do it?" Gab mumbled quietly.

Then, Cassandra begins to explain.

"As some of us are aware, Evelyn's mother… Duchess Monica's soul has been captured and sealed."

Cassandra didn't even let a heads up when she suddenly dropped the bomb.

"And it seems to be inside the underground of the St. Prisch Academy as a power supply for the barrier of the school."

The people who know about the cruel fate that happened to the Emsowrth family glanced at the seats Duke Keene and Allan were sitting on.

Their jaws were either open or they were clenching their mouth tightly. Their shock left them speechless.

Though Allan seems to have a different reaction.

"What?!" Allan punched the table after he processed the first intro of Cassandra. While Duke Keene was still calm.

Which surprisingly made Cassandra ask him.

"I suppose you know about this?"

Allan followed the purple orbs of Cassandra which bore on the direction of his father.

"What? You knew, Father?"

Allan was ignored which he accepts as the answer to his question.

"How could you… WHY didn't you tell me?!"

"Now, now… I know you have your own circumstances but it should let me finish first."

Allan became aware that he was in the presence of the others and it was uncalled for to cause an uproar in the meeting. So, he slowly let his anger go with slow deep breaths.

Sir Erich who was behind Silvester was getting anxious and getting sweaty at how big of a scale of news was being let on in this meeting.

"I apologize, please continue."

Silvester, Gil and Gab who heard Allan apologize were also shocked at how the man who had great pride suddenly became docile.

"Cabel has been locating where it is since Evelyn left to become the bait and stir up Prince Adley's side. And I assume that Duke Keene have known this as he personally tried to go to St. Prisch Academy."

Cassandra smiles. And Duke Keene sighs.

"You're right, Evelyn… that child has told me about what Carsillion did and about her mother's soul… I thought that it should be around that bastard side if he treasures it the most like what he always says."

Duke Keene was gritting every word that was leaving his mouth. He was trying hard to keep his cool as he knew that he was in the presence of the people who have helped Evelyn.

He wanted to keep calm but he couldn't hide it.

"Well, it seems that Nine.. the one who has become a spy in the Temple heard where it was as the Pope was trying hard to bring it back from their side. It seems that the power sealed in Duchess Monica's soul will become the fuel for the attack that was about to happen in the celebration of the King's birthday." Cassandra continued.

"I don't know what or how they do it but if Duchess Monica's soul became a sacrifice then she will never have a change to be guided to the river of life."

Silence continues inside the room. People who have learned the history of the black witches have a good grasp about what will happen to the soul that was sacrificed and as a result became a source of black magic.

Sir Erich who had a similar familiarity with the subject knew how cruel it is for the Emsworth Family.

"That's why… we need to divert the attention of the Temple and the… Royal Family."

"The Royal Family? Why?" Ricardo asked for the first time.

"It's because the King seems to also know about the sealed soul of the Duchess, and he seems to have interest in it."

"How the- how did you know? Are you sure about that? You knew that would be a capital offence if you slunder the Royal Family." Ricardo retorted.

Slowly, Cassandra sat where she had a clear view of the people sitting.

"It's because I saw it… the continuation of what will happen to Evelyn in the Palace."

"What do- What do you mean?" Duke Keene asked, worried about his daughter.

There was something in the purple eyes of Cassandra that he can't tell himself that she was only joking.

It felt like every word she utter was becoming reality.

Gil, Chrisfold, Alisha, and Bern… the four spirits that were left to support Evelyn's decision also knew what Cassandra was talking about.

Their eyes glowed dimly as they remembered a certain memory from the past.

Then, Cassandra with her long pause told them about why she knew.

"I don't know if you will believe me but, I have a skill that lets me see the distant future… mostly scenes that have cruel endings…"

Cassandra pulled her glasses and put them down at the table. The vibrant color of her purple eyes was displayed in full view which made the others can't get their eyes off of her.

"I'm a witch… that is enough explanation I supposed?... I have two dreams about Evelyn. One, it was something about Evelyn surrounded by guards in a white castle-like setting which I think was the temple… the second was, the King looking at a ball of light with energy that has the purest mana that I've ever seen… and I heard a man told him that it was Duchess Monica's soul."

Duke Keene stood up.

"I'll just kill the King. If what you said is right… it's better to move now and take action than to wait for that future."