Chapter 41: Consequences

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"So...what happened?" Ivery asked him

"I received the visit, and it was just as you said, Xia came to converse." Luther sat on the chair beside Ivery's bed with his long legs crossed as he watched Ivery drink her tea that contained the reversal medicine

"And then...?" Ivery further asked

"And then...I met that fallen God, Eos." Luther said

"Y-You what?" Ivery almost choked on her tea

"You met Eos?" Ivery cleared her throat

"Yes." He nodded

"What happened?" Ivery asked him

"Well to quickly sum it up, after I ended the conversation with Xia, I threw an attack at Xia, but Eos appeared and blocked it...and proposed that we test out each other's power." Luther started explaining

"...." Ivery attentively listened

"Then Hades made an appearance as well and declined Eos's obvious attempt to kill me, and he challenged Eos to test each other's powers, Eos cowardly admitted defeat before anything started and left along with Xia." Luther said

"That's quite a bit of an experience...but what did she look like?" Ivery curiously asked

"Hideous." Luther sighed

"That...that's not what I meant.." Ivery smirked, wanting to laugh but it didn't seem like the right moment for it

"Can you give me any details?" Ivery wanted to know...just in case she sees someone similar to his description one day

"Let's see....she's pale, she had long black hair, a black robe that had an odd texture, she's very tall, four broken black wings, two black horns in her forehead, sharp black nails, and her eyes are completely black." Luther gave a quick description of Eos

"Sounds like the appearance a dark god would have..." Ivery could picture her but...

"Hey, Luther.." Ivery thought of something

"Hm?"

"Could you possibly...make yourself look like her?" Ivery wondered if it was possible

"Look like her?" Luther knew what she wanted but he was surprised by the strange question

"I...guess." He stood up from the chair

"Try." She looked at him, eagerly waiting

Ivery's eyes widened when she saw Luther slowly change...

He was at least 12 feet tall...and had the face of an extremely pale woman...it was as if he could be a ghost.

The long robe was indeed strangely textured...something she's never seen before..

His long pitch-black hair touched the floor, his eyes were pure black...almost as if Ivery was looking into a back hole of nothingness, a black liquid ran down from his eyes and stained his pale cheeks.

His nails were long, black, and sharp. Two curved long black horns stuck out of his forehead.

Four limp black feathered wings came down from his back, which definitely looked as if they were broken.

"I believed she sounded a bit like this.." Luther imitated her voice

"I didn't know you could alter your voice too..." Ivery was shocked, his voice was completely different...it sounded feminine but deep and ominous at the same time

"I did it when I posed as one of the maids." Luther thought he made it obvious earlier

"Oh..right." Ivery wasn't really thinking about it at the time...since she was too occupied with the female appearance he had taken...it just seemed natural..

"So...this is what she looks like..?" Ivery got up and walked around Luther, her eyes scanning this dreadful appearance...

"She's certainly...intimidating.." Ivery felt like she would've been some level of scared if she saw the real Eos...a god that intends to do her harm, it wouldn't be the best situation if she encountered Eos alone..

"You can change back now...." Ivery felt an eerie feeling just looking at Luther with this appearance...although she knew he wasn't Eos...this appearance just gave off that feeling alone

"Alright." Luther nodded and as black mist swirled around him

Luther retook his eight-year-old appearance.

"It's about time we went to sleep." Luther walked to the bed

"Yeah...I'm getting pretty tired.." Ivery climbed back on the bed and laid down on her pillow

Luther laid down next to her, and watched as she closed her eyes.

"I won't let anyone hurt you.." Luther leaned closer to her and kissed her forehead

"Mmm...thank you.." Ivery smiled

"Wait..I've been wondering for quite a while now..but I never had the will to ask.." Ivery never thought to ask him this question before because it didn't seem like her place to know..

"What is it?" Luther was curious as to what was on her mind

"Why are people immediately killed if they fail an evaluation, can't they just be demoted a class?" Ivery asked

"I would demote them instead if it were up to me." Luther responded

"Who's decision is it then?" Ivery inquired

"It was my father's orders to kill whoever failed an evaluation..even if they passed the ones before, his orders are absolute and he's the reason of many of my actions...my father's temper...is far worse than mine." Luther told her

"Oh.." Ivery was surprised to know this....what's with these parents forcing their children to do these sort of things...she was shocked to find out Julian was forced to do everything he did by his parents...and now Luther is the same way...constantly being forced to do something against his own will, and not having much of a decision of his own

"Now go to sleep.." Luther put his hand over her eyes

"I am...I am" Ivery nodded

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Ivery's eyes opened at the sound of voices outside of the door. She stretched her arms out and yawned as she got out of bed.

She rubbed her eyes as she slipped her feet in the black slippers Luther made her and walked towards the door.

She opened the door and she curiously peaked out to see the source of the noise.

Ivery noticed a boy standing in front of a maid...it was the same boy that holds a strange grudge against her for coming from the castle...

She witnessed the maid suddenly slap him.

"Do you not know how to clean properly!? I give you such a basic task and you still manage to do it wrong!" The maid shouted at him

Ivery noticed the sad yet angered look on his face and could see him fighting back his tears..

.....

"Was there any need for you to hit him?" Ivery asked as she walked out from her room and towards them in the hallway

"Mind your business child and get to doing your own chores." The maid said with her hand gripped on his shirt

"It's your job as maids to handle the cleaning and maintenance of this place, it's also your job to take care of the children in this disgusting place…" Ivery's eyes slightly glowed

"But it seems like you've been lax in all of those aspects…" Ivery cracked her knuckles

"How dare-" The maid angrily looked at Ivery

"How dare I what? You're the maid, I'm the resident, just because you all took it upon yourselves to give yourselves ranks doesn't mean anything to me, your status is still lower than mine regardless of where I live." Ivery shrugged

"You all really believe you have the authority to do these things? You're only strong against weak children, look how far you've all fallen…" She lightly chuckled

"After living in the royal castle for such a long time…I remember how things are done to wretched servants like you…so…how about I teach you what the punishment is for disrespecting your masters.." Ivery glared at her

"Masters? Such impudence! I'll put you back in your place right now." The maid released the boy from her grasp and walked forward in Ivery's direction

"I could say the same thing." Ivery said

"You'll regret using that tone with me, and then you'll make sure to watch your mouth after I'm done with you." The maid raised her hand

"Is that so?" Ivery sighed

She knew she wasn't supposed to use her powers….but who'd believe this maid if she went around and told that Ivery could use magic.

Ivery jumped up.

"!?" The maid was alarmed

Before the maid could react, a painful shock hit her face.

The shock jolted through her entire body like electricity. The maid was suddenly sent flying back down the hallway.

The boy's eyes stretched as he saw the maid that flew straight past him…

"Doesn't feel so great being slapped…now does it?" Ivery coldly looked at the maid who flew back

The maid crashed into the far distant wall, instantly rendered unconscious.

The decaying wall started to crumble from the strong impact.

…

"Y-You…" The boy backed up in fear

"These maids need a taste of their own treatment…even if it's amplified by ten times…" Ivery smirked

"H-H-How…?" The boy stuttered, at a lost for words

"I…physically trained…" Ivery didn't know how to explain this…after she told him her prowess core was broken

"….." The boy stared at her

"You could at least thank me…" Ivery felt like she did something unwanted

"Thank….you? Why would I thank you when you only did this for your own benefit?" The boy

"My own benefit? What makes you believe that I did it for my own benefit? It's the least I can do for my own relatives that are being treated like slaves.." Ivery didn't understand his incredible distrust of her

"You have a reason for everything and you know it.….but did you ever stop to think about whether or not I want to even be related to someone like you…." The boy said

"I could've just walked right past you, as if I didn't see anything and minded my own business and did nothing as she slapped you, but I didn't…what do you even think that I could possibly gain from all of this?" Ivery asked

"Then you should've minded your own business! I didn't ask for your help!" He turned away from her and shouted

"You.." Ivery didn't know what else she could do…

"Just do what you came here to do and leave….this isn't a place for a royal like you.." The boy started to walk away

"I used to live here before…you know.." Ivery said

"What?" He stopped walking and turned around

"Four years ago…I used to live here…in the Hollow's castle.." Ivery revealed

"You're lying!" The boy didn't believe a single word she said

"I'm not telling you any lies, I was born with little to no detectable magic prowess, so right after I was born….I was sent to live here like the rest of you." Ivery earnestly looked at him

"Then how did you happen live in the royal castle?" He suspiciously asked

"Prince Luther…helped me." She said

"Prince Luther? Why would a prince help a useless child?" His suspicions were rising

"One day, I suddenly was able to use magic…and my prowess core started flowing a special type of magic through my body, I had encountered prince Luther one day by fate as they say and he found out about the similar type of magic we had...and that interested him." Ivery explained

"I hope you know that this sounds stupid.." He narrowed his eyes

"I'm sure it does, but I'm speaking the truth.." Ivery understood his perspective of hearing this..

"I'm not asking you to believe me, I just want you to know..." Ivery sighed

"Whatever." The boy turned back around and walked away

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"Who is he?" Luther walked up next to Ivery

"One of the many siblings I have in this place..." Ivery told him

"That's some attitude he has to someone that helped him.." Luther felt irritated

"It's fine, his distrust comes from a good reason." Ivery looked at him

"That reason is?" Luther raised an eyebrow

"He knows he was abandoned by the Emperor, his father...he doesn't know his mother, this place is all they know and it's hell for all of them...and it was royals that caused them this miserable life....and I'm sure when Inanna died, she hated royals just as much if not more.." Ivery didn't know what else she could do for them all while in a predicament herself...she had a better chance of helping them with Eos and Xia out of the way

"But I also have a strong feeling that during the execution of the residents of the Hollow's castle that turn eighteen, my....Inanna's grandparents were always present...making sure Julian carried out the execution." Ivery said

"But now with Julian freed from their control, along with their lives in Julians and Cassandra's hands, the residents that turn 18 won't be executed anymore since that was ordered by Ilestrie and Grace...maybe so that the Hollow's castle won't be overpopulated?" Ivery didn't know what to think since all of this knowledge was all still so fresh to her

"For now let's just think that's the case." Luther rubbed her back

"The question is....what to do now.." Ivery was puzzled

"Hades and Hecate are working on a plan to help us get rid of Eos and Xia along with her." Luther said

"A plan? Why didn't you tell me yesterday?" Ivery asked

"I just remembered about it, but regardless, for their plan to work.....we're essential." Luther told her

"I wonder what it is then..." Ivery felt ready for whatever they were preparing

"Ivery..." Luther said

"Yes?"

"Wasn't there a maid over there?" Luther asked

"Yes.." Ivery turned around

"....." Ivery was confused

"Where did she go..?" Ivery didn't see the maid that was unconscious by the crumbling, far end hallway wall

...

Suddenly multiple footsteps were heard.

"There she is!"

Ivery and Luther's attention focused on a group of maids.

"That little girl did that to you?" One of the maids starred at the maid with a bruised mark on her swollen cheek and noticed the bits of missing teeth from her mouth as she talked.

"T-This wall is also proof." The maid limped over to the wall she crashed into

"How is that proof when this place is dilapidating?" Another maid asked with a chuckle

"You're sure you don't need your head checked?" Luther asked

"How could a little girl like this hit you so hard that you ended up looking like you've been beaten by several people?" Luther smiled

She angrily glared at Luther.

"W-Wait..there was a boy...that saw what happened!" The maid shouted to the others

"What boy?" The maids asked

"C-Child...t-twenty nine!" The maid exclaimed

"Go get child twenty-nine." A maid ordered with a sigh

Two maids went downstairs.

....

"We have child twenty-nine." The maids held a dark blonde haired boy with hair that touched his shoulders by his arm

His dark brown eyes looked at the maids furiously, he obviously was confused and angered as to why he was forcefully brought upstairs.

"Well, that's just great.." Ivery rubbed her forehead

"Now boy, tell them what you saw." The injured maid looked at him with desperate eyes

"What I saw? What exactly are you talking about?" The boy asked as he pulled his arm out of the maid's hand

"That girl over there, you witnessed her do this to me..." The injured maid pointed at her face

"...." The boy looked at Ivery and smirked

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