"Why . . . " Hyde did not reply immediately . "Just because you're a witch . . . "
There was no reaction of the magic string, which indicated that Hyde was telling the truth . In a second, Nightingale seemed to understand many things . The notion that witches were Devil's minions and the representation of the Fallen was so permeated among the public that people no longer viewed a person as a human being once she turned into a witch . The dehumanization process had thus further given rise to an alienation between the brother and sister . The so-called betrayal was simply an automatic self-protection mechanism . Perhaps, Hyde still believed he had done the right thing, and that was why he could blurt out his response so naturally .
Afterwards, Hyde said something else . He reproached himself for his ignorance and claimed that he had not known the rumor about witches was a fabrication created by the church . He also said he had truly repented for his sin and hoped that Nightingale could forgive him . Nightingale, however, could not really register his words, for she was still absorbed in her own thoughts .
So she shouldn't blame Hyde because everyone would have made the same decision under the same circumstances?
For Hyde, he was not betraying his own sister but a demon who would sooner or later lose all her attachments to humanity . Since he thought she was a demon, there was no trust between them whatsoever .
But . . . is it really true for everyone?
Nightingale thought of another person, although she was currently confronting Hyde .
That person was also a noble . If exposing a witch was a matter of course, he should have sent Anna, a witch to whom he was not related and had never met before, to the gallows a long time ago .
He did not fear witches, nor did he hate them, but was simply curious . His eyes were always so clear that she could always easily see through his mind . He had remained open to her even when she had held a knife to his throat .
All the memories came flooding back . Nightingale then remembered that snowy day .
It was the first winter after their encounter .
" . . . I don't think she'll die during the Months of Demons . "
"Why?"
"She said she wouldn't lose to the Demonic Torture, and I believe her . "
"You even believe a witch . We're cursed by demons . "
"Really? I believe you, too . "
The pictures in her head faded away .
Nightingale took a deep breath and pulled herself back to the reality . "Wait here . If anybody comes to look for you, do what you normally do like I've never shown up . "
"Hold, hold on . . . Where are you going?"
She put the dagger back to her waist and stepped into the Mist . "To do what I should do . "
. . .
Nightingale knew Hyde was right . She could easily invade Viscount Dott Somi's bedroom and threaten him to spit out all the truth with a dagger . Most nobles would lose their minds at the sight of a sharp blade and automatically disclose everything without further coercion . Some stubborn ones, however, might insist on their silence for a while, but would eventually pour their hearts out after she denailed their ten fingers . This was a theory she had developed after years of assassination experience .
If the death of her parents did have something to do with the viscount, she would definitely make him pay with his life .
Yet Nightingale did not want a brutal revenge at this moment .
Especially after she confronted Hyde .
She was now no longer alone .
She had a person she could trust her life with and a person who equally trusted her .
Compared to the traditional method employed by her as a Shadow Killer, Nightingale intended to solve the problem in an alternative way . She believed if it were Roland, he would definitely not want to see her cause so much bloodshed .
Nightingale walked out of the Mist and entered Dott's study . Several pitch-dark black holes, which resembled inky spheres, appeared in the black and white world . Ignoring the dozing guards at the door, she rested her eyes on the domain of God's Stone next to the bookshelf .
Nightingale slowly walked to the wall, and the wall soon twisted and distorted . The outline of the wall curled up like dry, tangled hair, revealing what was hidden beneath .
Through the distortion, Nightingale could perceive the details that eyes of ordinary people could not penetrate . She saw a metal rod hidden in the wall, one end connecting to the bookshelf and the other attached to a "black ball" .
It was a very common trap .
Nightingale broke the bell hung below the trap effortlessly . She then picked an ordinary-looking book and pushed it . Without a sound, the trap door was open .
The secret vault was embedded with God's Stones of Retaliation, but that did not pose an issue to her . Before she had entered her adulthood, old Gilen had hired a Rat leader to teach her all the skills that should be possessed by an experienced, cunning thief . After years of training, she had learned every deft trick of burglary, including how to open various lock catches with a copper needle .
After breaking open three or four iron vaults, Nightingale found what she wanted .
It was a recent ledger that kept a record of all the Dreamland Water transactions, including the order number, the name of the purchaser, and the quantity of the stocks for each transaction . As she had expected, nobles tended to hide important stuff somewhere they believed was most secure .
Both the ledger and the stocks in the mansion would provide solid evidence of the viscount's crimes .
Nightingale returned to the basement and reported everything to Roland .
The following day when it was scarcely past dawn, the First Army who had received instructions surrounded the whole mansion .
. . .
Three days later, when Hyde was just released from the prison, Nightingale came to him again . His frame was emaciated and his countenance expressed a deeper despondence . Wan and lost, he looked like a walking dead . It was the presence of Nightingale that finally brought some color to his cheeks .
There was a tinge of anger and hatred in his eyes .
"Viscount Somi is going to be hanged . His family members were sentenced to 20 years of hard labor . The two domains of his were subject to civil forfeiture . This is what you want me to have?" After they entered an empty alley, Hyde could not contain himself anymore . He growled at Nightingale, "You snatched everything from me and left me nothing!"
"You should feel fortunate that you haven't been treated as a member of the Somi Family . " Nightingale said placidly, "Compared to the viscount, you're at least alive . "
"That's because you want to see me continue to suffer, to live as laughingstock! You ruined my life eight years ago, and you did it again now . . . Do you know what life I had after you killed old Gilen? I finally got a chance to obtain the Somis' lands, and you ruined it! I was a fool to believe you would help me!" Hyde clenched his fist . "Now, I've no title, no land . Are you happy now? You've never forgiven me, Veronica! You're such a liar . . . you just want revenge! I should have known it long before!"
His hysterical hollering, in the end, yielded to a suppressed sob . He curled up his body and started to weep . "I've got nothing . . . nothing . . . "
Nightingale was silent for a while before she spoke, "You're right . I've never forgiven you, and I never will . A betrayal from a sibling is more intolerable than one from a stranger . " She paused for a moment and then continued, "But you do have something . At least, I've given you freedom . "
Hyde looked up, his face covered with dirt and snot .
"Nobody, neither old Gilen nor the Somis, can manipulate you now . Whatever path you choose in the future, whatever you're doing, they'll be solely on your own decision . You'll no longer live like a puppet as you did in the past . Whether you think it's a punishment or a torture, I don't care . That's your own choice — we're officially done as of today . "
With these words, Nightingale turned around and headed to the end of the alley before she disappeared from Hyde's sight a minute later .
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