Chapter 114: Outsider


    "The other maids, they took young master Zachary!"


    Every fiber of hair on Emi''s body stood up as her vision cked out. Why would the other maids take baby Zachary? Was it time for him to take fresh air? Wasn''t Antote with him?


    Several thoughts raced in her mind.


    She made sure that baby Zachary was safe, she let Antote take her to the room so he could stop crying.


    Wait, Antote!?


    Emi then turned her trembling eyes towards the maid''s hands, which were currently dripping in blood. "A...antote?", she whispered.


    "Madam Antote Madam Antote is in the room"


    Seeing the maid''s horrid expression, Emi''s feet moved on its own, her mind darkening by the second as she rushed with all her might to check on Antote. Karl, of course, was the same. He sat there with a nk expression on his face.


    Their baby was abducted?


    Could it be the people from the New Golden Pavilion? Does that mean there were already followers from the New Golden Pavilion inside his estate? What did they want with their infant son? Could it be they will use him as a bargaining chip to force him to join the New Golden Pavilion!?


    Several thoughts raced in Karl''s mind as he sat with his head down. What was he going to do now? Submit to the New Golden Pavilion?


    "Lord Karl"


    It was then that he heard Viel speak, "Should we check on Antote?"


    That was right! If they were going to use his son as a bargaining chip, that would mean that they would not hurt him at least he hoped so. Right now, he should focus on what he can do.


    "Take me to where Antote is", Karl ordered the maid to assist her, as he was still groggy from his head cracking open.


    "Y-yes!", the maid, although reluctantly, wiped her tears, the blood on her hands getting on her face. She then grabbed Karl''s arms and hurriedly assisted him to baby Zachary''s room.


    Viel followed them from behind. Although Viel''s face was calm, there was an obvious hesitation in each of his steps.


    His heart, beating heavily the nearer they got to baby Zachary''s room, the smell of blood already wafting through the air. And once they reached the hall, they heard screams.


    "No!", they heard Emi''s shrilling screams, "Wake up! Please wake up!"


    Karl could only close his eyes as he saw Emi hugging Antote''s motionless body. Emi''s tears fell on Antote''s face, almost enough to clean off the blood that covered it, leaving trails as they slid down.


    "...Are you sure the other maids did this?", asked Karl.


    "Y-yes", the maid nodded as tears also fell down from her face, "Madam Antote told me to get a new wrap for the young master when I came back...the others were already running...carrying the young master. I wanted to follow them, but when I saw... when I saw",


    The maid choked on her words as her tears could no longer be contained.


    Karl clicked his tongue as he approached his weeping wife. What are they supposed to do now? Just wait for the kidnappers to send a message?


    "Antote! Please! Please wake up!", Emi continued to shake Antote''s body. Karl could only ce his hand on her shoulder to console her. He was not really that close with Antote, but to see her wife in this state, he wished he could do more.


    The guards were already searching the whole city for any signs of their son, but if it really is the New Golden Pavilion behind this, then they already were long gone. The fiasco during the party was all but distraction. They nned to do this from the start to make him submit to their sect, Karl surmised.


    "Emi she''s already", Karl could not really finish his words. He could only stand there, not able to say to her wife that it will be okay, because it wouldn''t. Her friend is dead, their child was missing.


    "S-she''s still breathing!", Emi bawled, "She''s still alive!"


    "Emi she-", Karl was about to console his wife once again, but then he saw Antote''s eyes move, "She is alive. Call for a doctor, quick!"


    The maid immediately ran, slightly pushing Viel who was standing outside the door, to the side.


    She is alive, yes.


    But barely. Any strength she had left was only from the strength of her will. And Emi knew this, but still, this is her best friend. She was supposed to be there on her son''s first birthday. To give him gifts, and to teach him how to earn money.


    But now, both Antote and her son were flying away from her.


    "P-please Antote...please hold on", she whispered in Antote''s ears as she gently racked her body, swaying back and forth, "no...no no"


    The sedated breath that came out from Antote and the tears that fell on her face, both slowly creeping to the ends of time, both creeping to death. What should only be a second felt like a millenia.


    But perhaps for Viel, it was.


    Everything stopped as he stared at the blurry ceiling. Trying his best to stop the tears that were falling from his face. Afraid that if his tears were to fall, so will Antote''s life.


    He kept telling himself that he could have, and should have done more. In fact, why didn''t he? Why didn''t he stop the new Golden Pavilion? It was easy.


    He knew what he was capable of, he could have destroyed the two Elders if he wanted to. Avoided all of this.


    But he didn''t.


    He did not want to get involved. Was it really because they were sister Xing Cai''s friends?


    No. Of course not, he knew it in himself that he was lying.


    Then why!?


    <strong>''Why didn''t I do more!?''</strong>


    "V-viel...Viel!"


    It was then that Viel''s thoughts were disrupted. He felt a warm touch on his ankles.


    This was it. This is what he was so afraid of.


    Viel closed his eyes, causing the tears that he was holding back to be pushed out of his eyes.


    He looked down, only to see Emi kneeling in front of him. Her hands that were covered with Antote''s blood grabbing his feet.


    "P-please, Viel!", she wailed, her expression desperate, "I know you can save her! Please!"


    And slowly, Karl too, moved.


    Viel tried to shake his head, as if telling him not to do it.


    But still, Karl bowed down and kneeled.


    Viel could only look to the side, trying to avoid seeing the desperate look on their faces as they pleaded to him.


    And once again, the shackles that he has been trying to hide from himself was once again visible to him.


    "Please Viel!", Emi''s cries continued to echo throughout the hall. It did not stop until she felt a hand touching her shoulder.


    She wiped her tears, to see Viel''s face right in front of her, his face carrying a somewhat despondent smile.


    "You don''t need to beg, Miss Emi", he said softly, "You are my friends, right?"


    "Th-"


    "Friends don''t kneel to friends", Viel did not even let Emi thank him as he walked towards the fleeting Antote.


    This is what he was so afraid of. People kneeling to him, revering him as some kind of god.


    An outsider.


    He then looked at Antote, who was still clinging to life as her lips and eyes moved. Viel could only grit his teeth now that he saw Antote''s condition upclose, there were multiple stabs on her stomach, and her scalp was almost caved in. There were almost no color in her skin as her veins grew a purple color.


    "I am sorry, Antote", and with that whisper, Viel too, kneeled.


    [Lu Yi: Heal]


    Viel pped his glowing hands as a bright light filled the entire room. The light then slowly dimmed, until it was only as minute as a candle light. A candle light that was shining on Viel''s index finger.


    He then hovered his hands over Antote''s wounds, like a conductor in an orchestra, waving his finger gently in the air.


    And slowly, with the flick of his finger, Antote''s wound started to close. Her scalp, which was previously caved in started to return, with her hair returning to its usual glow despite the blood that covered it.


    The stabs on her stomach squirmed and also almost closed instantly as soon as Viel''s fingers hovered over them.


    Thest thing that Viel did was tap Antote''s chest numerous times. With each tap making Antote''splexion turn red.


    And with a sigh and a sweat falling from Viel''s face, Antote was fully back to normal, with only the blood that drowned her clothes to remind them that she was a hair away from death.


    "No!", Antote woke up from her own shout as she sat up. Antote then started to breathe heavily as she saw the pool of blood beneath her. Seeing her hands full of blood, she gasped as she touched her stomach and her head all over. But not finding any wounds, her face was soon filled with confusion.


    And then, she looked at Emi, who was covering her mouth, her eyes glistening.


    And finally, her eyes locked onto Viel.


    A slightly wry smile could be seen on his face as he looked at Antote.


    And there, it finally dawned on Antote. And before she could think of anything else, her arms automatically embraced Viel.


    "T-thank you!", she wailed, "Thank you!"


    Her cries resounded throughout the hall.


    "It''s alright, Antote", Viel whispered into her ears,


    "Friends don''t need to thank friends"


    *****


    <strong>VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR''S NOTE</strong>


    As advised by wn editors, I will be adding another Tier to the Privilege starting November 1. Right now I have 2. Might set up one more, thank you for the love and support!


    It will also haverge discounts on the chapters from thereon, also working out if I can make the chapters FREE or at least only 1 coin when subscribed to my highest tier. Thank you!