Rosie's Games

"Lellana, you may leave us," Dorothy said.

"But Young Lady— "

"My mother doesn't know anything about this, please leave us."

"I understand," Lellan bowed and left them.

"Please… take a seat," Dorothy gestured towards the seat next to hers. "I especially brewed the tea for you."

Dorothy quickly poured Rosalind a cup of tea, smiling as if she wasn't just about to give Rosalind something that would leave her unconscious. Rosalind didn't hesitate to accept it.

The name of the drug was Lady's Sleeping and just as the name suggested, it was something that helps most noble ladies sleep. However, the amount of drug that Dorothy had added to the tea was staggering. Was she planning on killing her?

"Thank you," Rosalind said. "How have you been holding up, elder sister? I heard that you have been crying…" She put the teacup to her lips and then used the light from the room to create an illusion, making it seem like she drank the tea when she actually threw its contents behind her.

Sadly for her, the sun was already setting, and she no longer have the time to manipulate light more.

Yes, this type of ability only worked when there was light. Without the sun or a source of light, she couldn't use her Blessing as effectively as she could when it was bright.

She could use it when there was another source of light, but it wouldn't be as effective as the sun and it would be very hard for her to control. Since she had just received the Blessing, even this small manipulation was going to take a toll on her body.

A fever was inevitable.

She could only hope that she would not collapse and lost consciousness if she forced herself to use the light from the candles to create this illusion.

"I— " Dorothy bit her lip as she eyed Rosalind's empty cup. "I didn't know that Jeames would tell you about it. How could he betray me like that?"

"Please do not be angry. He was just showing how much he cares for you."

"But how could he ask you to marry the Duke in my stead? You just arrived from the mountains and now, he wants you to leave again? How could he— "

"Older sister— " Rosalind held Dorothy's hands. Luckily, even if her light Blessing was weakening, she still had some of her dark Blessing thanks to the curse from Alma. She could use it to defend herself now. "There is no need for you to think about it. I just— I want you to live your life. Knowing that you are happy will suffice for me."

"Rose— " A single tear rolled down Dorothy's cheeks.

'Magnificent,' Rosalind thought inwardly. 'It seems that they are indeed members of the same family.'

"How could I even begin to thank you?" Dorothy continued.

Rosalind just gave her sister a kind smile. "There are no thanks needed between us, elder sister." She lifted Dorothy's hand towards her then she kissed the back of her palm. This act was a sign of loyalty in the Southern Empires.

"Rose— "

"Promise me one thing, elder sister," Rosalind said. The darkness had now swallowed the light in the room. The only thing that illuminated the place was the candlelight. Sadly, this place was located at the edge of the maze, and not even the maids liked to frequent this place since it was so far back from the mansion.

Even the lights that were used all over the maze garden didn't reach this place.

"What is it?"

"Live…" Rosalind smiled. "I want you to live." Dorothy had to live and watch Rosalind from afar. She had to survive long enough for Rosalind to take everything away from her. "Please live for me… elder sister."

"I— " Dorothy frowned. "I feel dizzy— "

"What are you saying, sister?" Rosalind said as she smiled inwardly. Injecting a dark curse into a human's body was enough to shut down one's consciousness. After all, someone like Dorothy who had been sheltered all her life would never be able to fight against the sudden entry of an unknown curse in her body.

In her past life, Rosalind discovered that while the Blessing of the light did not have any aggressive effect on humans, the dark Blessing was the exact opposite. It was aggressive and sinister, and could easily make someone sick or turn them into nothing but a puddle of black liquid.

Until now, Rosalind didn't understand the scope of the dark Blessing, but she knew that it was very powerful and to be honest… very draining.

Using her dark Blessing would require double the amount of energy that the light Blessing needed. This meant that if she wanted to use it, she needed to stay in an environment full of darkness, an environment without the sun. Obviously, that was impossible unless she chose to live in a cave, but the closest thing that she could have was the North— a place that snowed for ten months of the year— and five of those ten months would be pitch black.

It would be the perfect environment for someone like her.

She watched as Dorothy's body turned limp. Rosalind's heart raced against her chest as she looked around. She couldn't sense anyone nearby. She stared at the bell on the table and wondered if Dorothy was planning to use it to call her maid or someone else that would help her with her scheme.

She bit her lower lip and used her dark Blessing to reinforce her body, making herself stronger and faster for a limited amount of time. Then, she carried Dorothy and started running towards the opposite corner of the maze. That place was as remote as this place., and to her surprise, someone was already on the other side of the maze.

She lowered Dorothy to the ground as she looked at the sleeping Anthony. The man was half naked and so was the woman in his arm.

A curse left her lips. She had no time for this!

With all the strength that she had left, she used another dark curse on Anthony's body and then on the woman.

She didn't recognize the woman, but she should be a noble. Rosalind then removed the woman from Anthony's arm and replaced her with Dorothy.

Wasting no time, she immediately lifted the girl and brought her near the center of the maze, making sure that people would immediately see her.

After that, she started walking towards the corner where she and Dorothy had tea. She wanted to clean up the place.

Sadly for her, using two Blessings at the same time immediately took a toll on her somewhat weak body.

Her head turned light and she felt her body sway. It seemd that the whole world around her started spinning.

She was going to faint.

She could only curse inwardly.

But just as she was about to hit the ground, she felt two strong arms catch her. She tried to open her eyes but to no avail.

Someone… just saved her.

But the question is… was it a friend? Or a foe?

She knew she would not know the answer to her question… now.

.......

The Duke stared at the unconscious woman in his arm. He frowned and picked her up in a princess carry.

"Come…" he said.

"My lord," Denys, the man with flaming red eyes, appeared next to him.

"Clean up the mess."

"What about the others?" Denys asked.

"Leave them. They will not be waking up soon," the Duke answered. "Come…"

A person wearing a long red dress appeared next to Denys.

"My lord?"

"Tell the Marquess I am leaving. I have some business to attend to. And… spread the news about two people having a rendezvous in this part of the maze."

"I understand."

The two individuals immediately vanished, leaving the Duke alone with the woman sleeping soundlessly in his arms.