….
Arthur watched as the grand doors of the estate creaked open, revealing both Celestine and the head butler.
He had waited.
They had both returned late in the night, and Arthur had stayed awake, awaiting for their arrival.
He watched Celestine especially, not only did she look older than he remember, but she also had something else on her face.
A little bit of fear.
Their eyes met each other, he stared into her dazzling blue eyes for a moment before she abruptly turned away.
'She's afraid.'
He stood with his hands in his coat pocket, his eyes observing them.
"I've been waiting."
Arthur said simply as he watched them.
Neither of them answered him.
"Why is this place empty?"
He questioned.
Celestine exchanged a short glance with Adrian.
"The servants and maids have been dismissed for the evening, as per your orders."
The butler answered.
"I see."
He murmured in response.
'So supposedly it was me that ordered for the maids absence.'
His eyes went to the empty hallway and then back at them.
He was trying his hardest to act nonchalant. In order to make it seem like nothing had changed within him he decided to act as they seemed to expected him to act; cold and distant.
If he was going to change he needed to do it without anyone noticing, he needed them to think he changed over time.
An awkward silence reigned, neither side moving.
"Shall I prepare dinner?"
Arthur nodded slightly.
"I'll help."
Celestine said.
Arthur stared at her weirdly for a moment before sighing.
"Just get freshened up first, and call me when it's done."
Celestine nodded.
Without another word they both left.
"Adrian, wait."
Arthur called after him.
The butler stopped.
"When you're done please begin preparing the list."
Both of them left without another word, leaving Arthur standing in the dimly lit hallway.
….
It was warm in the kitchen, at least compared to the rest of the mansion.
Celestine now wore a set of more casual clothing, though it was a far cry from the usual considering her lineage.
Though, her excuse of joining Adrian in cooking was a bad one.
Beads of sweat formed at her forehead as she stared at the cup in her hands.
"He noticed."
She murmured to herself.
"It was my fault."
"It was both of ours, but even then he didn't press any further."
"He will."
Celestine nodded, her grip tightening every so slightly on the handle of the cup.
"But, if he drinks this, we might have a chance."
Adrian turned away and stared at the cup she held.
Whether he drank the contents depended on whether their plans would work.
"The poison could kill him."
The butler said quietly, more to himself than the young lady.
"We don't have a choice, its either we hope he doesn't die or he's gone."
Both were aware of the spirit.
Both were aware of the fact that the spirit was seeping not only his strength, but his soul as well.
And both had finally decided that if he didn't survive they would manage the results.
Celestine's hand went to the pouch next to the cup.
Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for it, inside it was a powdery substance.
"Are you sure he's going to drink this."
Celestine asked, pouring a little of the powdery substance into the cup.
For someone who not only smoked all the time but couldn't stay a day without alcohol as well, he surprisingly insisted that he would only have tea when eating in the mansion.
But if Celestine was being honest, it would be much harder to detect something slipped into alcohol rather than tea.
"My lady, have you done it?"
Adrian inquired, his gaze still latched onto what he was preparing.
"Yes."
Celestine murmured, nodding her head slightly.
Only she heard it.
"Alright."
Adrian said.
Celestine stared at the pouch containing the powder.
The powdery substance was a special poison.
One that could potentially kill not only the spirit possessing her brother, but also her brother himself.
'Please don't die.'
She thought.
A lone tear slid down her cheek.
….
Arthur sat at the long dining table, opposite to him was Celestine.
Their dinner was a quiet affair, one in which no one tried to strike up a conversation.
'She's scared of me.'
He had already come to that conclusion earlier, but he couldn't help but think about it again.
She did her best to avoid eye contact with him, her eyes were practically glued to the plates.
Until–
"Celestine, you're turning 17 this year, right?"
Arthur questioned, breaking the silence.
The girl didn't look up from her plate to respond.
"Yes."
Arthur nodded as he took a bite.
"So you're going to become a first year student soon."
The magic academy in the capital.
According to what he knew about his current situation, he had been a professor at the said academy for three years.
"So I assume that I'll be one of your professors, is that correct?"
He asked.
"No, I'm being transferred to a different class. In that class we're assigned with another Magical Arts teacher."
Celestine explained.
"Oh."
Arthur said before returning to his food.
'She knows something.'
Throughout the whole time she had answered his questions, she had refrained from raising her gaze from the food.
'I'll ask her before I go to bed.'
He thought as he grabbed the cup on the table.
Arthur didn't understand why tea would go with this kind of meal, but he had been offered it and to stay in character he couldn't deny it.
He raised the cup to his mouth.
He noticed as Celestine's head raised slightly before turning back towards her meal.
'Poison.'
He could recognize the scent of this one.
Arthur raised the cup closer to his mouth, then he dropped it back on the table.
He continued eating.
'So she tried to poison me with this.'
What was used wasn't just any kind of poison, it was special.
Tonyne Poison.
It was almost odorless, tasteless and completely colorless.
And was perfect for destroying someone's Mana heart.
The Mana Heart was an organ, specifically the heart when its functions had been amplified by mana. Along with blood it was able to pump something else throughout the body – Mana.
If the Mana Heart was damaged, the soul suffered some damage as well, though it was almost abysmal, as both were intertwined.
Tonyne Poison would damage the heart, killing the victim off.
However, there was a more popular belief of its uses. Even those who sold it illegally hardly knew of its true purpose.
They believed it was for destroying one's soul. That just a few drops were enough,.
'So they used Tonyne Poison for that.'
Arthur thought.
He knew the reason they had used it, he also knew the reason why both butler and sister had been nervous around him.
'They were trying to kill me, or more specifically, trying to deal with a spirit.'
Arthur quickly finished his meal, leaving the tea untouched.
"Celestine, when you're done with dinner can you see me in my office?"
With those words he left, a slight wind blowing.