The Butterfly Effect [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 1.15 ー The Enemy

❀✿

Hᴀʀᴜᴋᴀ

I walked inside the house, still in the process of performing routine repairs. While I had been overtaken by foreign sources before, I was forced to rupture the spine of the Von Faecero's late butler. We had stuffed the corpse into a closet in the attic, and that's when I had powered off. Due to evidence presented to me, I was given to the gardener to be looked after. That's surely what had happened.

February 20th | Year - X018 |Time - 19:57
</ All functions in order
/ Small irregularity in air quality

In the mean time, as I began to detect a contamination in the air quality, I decided the best course of actions was to find that menace of a demon and demand answers. I knew that a plan was in course, but it was completely out of my reach. The least I could have were some explanations. So on I went.

The layout of the mansion was purposely designed as a maze, but a shortcut through the library brought me straight to the entrance. I came into the middle of the grand room, with every decor shouting the word expensive. The stairways bordered me left and right, and the door stood just a walk away.

My course was immediately interrupted by the exclaiming screech of glass shattering. Up the stairs, to the left. Nevertheless, it did not matter. No disturbance could have kept me from continuing on.

I opened the door, and my optical display screens flashed for a moment, taking in the setting sun. Hibiki leaned on a statue of a child, lecturing a younger boy inaudibly. It was the other gardener, the girl who I had spoken to before's brother, I guessed. Glass littered the flowers, and I was glad I didn't stop to examine what had happened. Of course, he was one for grand exits. It was accurate to say, after the scene at my first encounter.

"Demon Lord, what are you up to?" I shouted as I walked towards them, stepping over plants of whatever sort, moving off the main path. It was like the others and I had come to this place moments ago, except then I wasn't blinded by artificial rage.

"Just talking some sense into this kid. You wouldn't believe it, but in such a small amount of time, he tied up one of the sisters. Looks like one of them is dea--"

"Get to the point." His nonsensical talk did not amuse me, but I made sure to pay attention, hoping I could use something in my favor.

The boy started to move away, but Hibiki pulled his hair before he could get very far. Although I should have kept my eyes on the foreigner, I squinted at the horns adorning Hibiki's head, taking a moment to consider if he really was a demon. "What I was saying, is that the mansion is burning. from the inside. Have you seen Sora or Tomoe?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

He frowned. "Ah, well, seeing that you have nothing better to do, could you go fetch them?"

"And what of the mansion? The other servants? Will it all just decay?" As I spoke, smoke poured out from the broken window.

"Too late for them now. Unless that prince decides to be a hero and save them, I don't give a damn as to what happens." He said, letting go of the boy and flashing him a toothy grin. "Now, would you like to confess to what you've done? I hope you know that this android records everything she hears." Hibiki, looking quite pleased with himself, crossed his arms.

The kid copied him, and turned to face me. "Prince Tomoe Yamada has murdered six people now. You have enough evidence to get rid of him.. so why haven't you?"

I raised my chin. "There is no proof that he is responsible for his both of parents death. I do not know who else has died. Besides, I am dysfunctional. I am no longer able to report back, or else I'll be reassembled and repaired."

"He killed the heir to the manor. There is no one left."

Hibiki punched the boy, but not enough to prove to have violent intent. "Liar. You tied her up in the boiler room. I caught you, and there's still time to save her."

I knew he was toying around now. His voice took a darker tone, and it seemed clear that this boy wasn't just a servant. "I know you don't care, Mister Akki Shadou. Hibiki Tsukino. You're a failure of a successor, and I hope you know that. Why else would you run off and try to polish your reputation with a group of freaks?"

Hibiki hit him for real now. His cheek was beginning to redden and swell.

He brought up a valid point, but it was foolish to press on the topic, even if I had my own issues to settle with Hibiki. The real question was how he knew such things.

"Daichi, shut up." He finally said in frustration. Daichi was about to laugh, but I placed a palm on his mouth.

My heat detectors skyrocketed. I turned back to the manor, and the previously costly building was smothered by fire. But that's not what took my attention. It was a piercing scream coming from the building.

I'm sure Hibiki noticed as well. He glared at me and said, "If Sora and Tomoe are dead, I'm holding you accountable."

I pretended not to hear him, and tried to take in the sights as much as possible. The smoke gave the sky a facade, like a false vision of the upcoming night, despite the sun setting behind us. I don't think I've ever seen a fire so big before then. To me, fire was simply a result of combustion. Carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen and nitrogen. A source of light, heat and power. I could never imagine how much destruction a simple flame could bring to someone's life. Sadly, I never did know.

But in an advantageous turn of events, a clear, accented voice greeted us from behind.

"Hey," Tomoe greeted, lacking his usual bravado. His shoulders were slumped, and his hands were by his side, instead of grasping the handles of his swords as usual. This was surely unusual, since his expression contrasted his profile data entry. I'd have to note this later on.

Sora was behind him, a sharp contrast to his expression. She was recognized as less glum, but more or less relieved, due to what my facial structure recognition told me. Her classic, short
yukata was stained by ash, and her lavender hair was ruddily tainted by as well.

Lastly, the gardener who I woke up to stood behind her, with a fearful pout on her face. Her and Daichi were definitely twins, with the same caramel complexions, and stoic blue eyes. She was even filthier then Sora, overcome by a series of coughing.

"How did you get here?" I asked Sora politely.

"We found our way around, and bumped into Kotone on the way."

Afterwards, no one spoke for a minute or two, and I was certain that no one knew what to say first. The only sound present was the cackling fire as it consumed the mansion like a hearty meal, the whistle of the wind, and a distant yell from the flames, that went ignored, once again.

That is until Daichi, the boy who Hibiki had reprimanded, suddenly clapped, prying everyone's attention towards him.

"Finally, I've gathered all of you here. You've traveled this far to meet me, so I'll go ahead and introduce myself." Daichi pronounced suddenly, with his hands on his hips. "You've all been waiting to meet The Enemy anyway, so why should I delay your admiration?"

Tomoe opened his mouth to protest, but only moments after Daichi collapsed onto the grass, tumbling down on his face as a fallen tree would.

Judging the looks on everyone's faces, this was not the usual human behavior. Again, I'd have to take note on these things.

"I'm over here, idiots."