"Young master, what are you doing!" Bran exclaimed when he saw Cel take out the silver dagger.
Gripping it tightly, Cel looked at Bran with a fierce look, "Move."
A look of shock appeared on Bran's face, but he moved to the side, allowing Cel to leave his room.
Cel was about to walk rapidly when he remembered something.
He gripped the dagger tightly in his right hand as he hid it behind his back.
Walking slowly, he breathed steadily.
A smile spread on his face.
He crossed the left wing to the right wing.
From outside the master room, he heard some chatter and laughter.
"Madam, you don't know how the young master reacted when he saw these sweets!"
"Hmph, it's just a book, does he need it? The master loves me most, so he will naturally take care of me!" the young woman acted spoiled as she ate the cake with relish.
"Madam, don't eat so quick." The maid stopped her, telling her to care for her weight.
"You're right. Then when the master comes back, tell him not to buy any more."
Anger once again rose in Cel's heart, but he forced his mind to calm down.
Creak
He opened the door, attracting the attention of the maid and his stepmother.
"What are you doing here, Cel?" the madam instantly questioned him in an unpleasant tone.
"Young master, you should go back to your class. Bran can teach you even without the book."
Cel's eyes twitched for a moment.
He turned to the maid, "Bran called for you in the kitchen. He said he needs your help."
"What? I was just there. Couldn't he have said it sooner-" the maid was about to continue complain when she realised that she was in the presence of the madam and the young master.
She curtsied in apologies before moving out quickly.
"Mother, you have to be careful with the servants. If you treat them too well, they might think they are of equal status." Cel said as he walked forward.
Bran was to him more like a father than his real father, so naturally what he said was simply to distract her.
"Heh, do you think I don't know? I was planning to tell your father that this maid stole from me.
When I do that, what do you think he will do?
I saw that she has quite a beautiful necklace. He could take it and give it to me, right?"
The madam seemed to have thought things through.
Cel thought for a moment before he remembered. The necklace of that maid was the one his mother had gifted her many years ago.
He didn't think she had kept it for so many years.
If his father knew of it, he would probably have sold it, or at least given it to his new wife.
As the madam was chatting, Cel already moved next to her.
He was barely a step away from the bed she was laying on.
"Cel, why are you so close? Move away. Hasn't your father taught you not to be so close to women?"
"But you're mother. Can't I be close to mother?" Cel said as he took the last step.
"No,-" just as she was about to reply, already adjusting her position, suddenly –
Cel's right hand jumped up, the silver dagger revealed in his hand.
"Mother, please, I just want to see it again." He said as he pushed the dagger downward.
It instantly hit her stomach.
"ARGHHH!" she started screaming, her voice breaking.
"You! What are you doing!" her voice barely escaped her lips when she coughed.
Cough
Blood splattered from her mouth, falling on the bed sheets.
Cel's eyes gleamed red as he looked at her stomach.
Blood seeped out from the corners of the wound, colouring the sheets a crimson hue.
Shhhrk
He pulled out the silver dagger. Blood had tainted it slightly, but most slid down right away.
"ARGHHH!" she screamed once more, her body squirming in pain.
Blood burst out of her body with each jolt.
The bed had turned a crimson shade.
Cel's eyes turned slightly red as he relished in her pain.
"Madam!" he heard a scream on the side.
The maid had returned, Bran right behind her.
She rushed forward to her madam in shock, but stopped a few feet away.
Bran's focus was on Cel – the silver dagger in his hand.
"Bran, hold her." Cel commanded when he saw the maid.
Even though shocked, Bran, instinctually, followed the command.
He reached out and gripped the maid with his hand.
Cel turned his head back to his stepmother.
On the side, the maid's initial shock receded. When she realised what was happening, she was already held down, unable to move.
Just as she was about to plead, a hand moved to her mouth, covering it.
Cel saw what happened from the corner of his eyes, nodding imperceptibly.
He observed the flow of blood.
The initial flood had stopped.
Only a few drops still fell.
His stepmother's eyes had already closed.
Cel heard her last breath leave her body.
Huff
Huff
Huff
He took three breaths. This time not of anger, but of excitement.
Right at this moment, from the depths of his mind, he suddenly felt a memory awaken.
It was a memory of a similar situation.
With a dagger in hand, he observed a corpse in front of him. Both corpses were bloodied, their stomach pierced by the dagger in their hand.
He heard himself muttering in that memory, "Beautiful."
Looking at the corpse in the memory, then at the body in front of him, he agreed –
"Beautiful, truly."
Like a flood gate opened, countless memories rose one after another –
Memories of growing up in an apartment, going to kindergarten to school, from young to the teen years.
Finally reaching the twenties, the body couldn't hold back anymore.
The ever growing resentment, anger and suppressed bloodthirst exploded in a single moment.
A dagger fell, blood flowed.