Advent of the Three Calamities

Chapter 556: The truth [1]

Chapter 556: The truth [1]

I followed her quietly from behind. 

In the quiet corridors, she walked towards her room. In the meantime, I kept my breath in check while keeping enough distance between the two of us. 

She couldn't see me nor could she hear me, but one could never be too certain. 

I felt my heart press tightly as I followed quietly from behind. 

Time seemed to stretch endlessly as I became oblivious to everything around me, my focus fixed on her back. It was therefore a surprise for me to find her stopping right before Kiera's room as she stopped and looked around. 

For a moment, I thought our gazes met and my entire body tensed. 

Thankfully, it was only for a brief moment as her gaze moved past me, and she finally opened the door and entered. 

Clank—

It all grew quiet then. 

Suffocatingly so as I cautiously approached the doors to Kiera's room. 

I had just neared the door when it suddenly burst open and a pair of glaring red eyes stared in my direction. 

"—!" 

I froze and my heart started racing as my stomach tightened with a sudden sense of dread. 

I had to stay calm, but my instincts screamed for me to run.

My fingers twitched, and my chest rose and fell sharply, every muscle coiled. I took a step back, instinctively preparing to act in an instant.

Her gaze felt suffocating, but she looked away before I could react.

"...Hm, I guess I'm being overly paranoid." 

The door closed once again, leaving me standing in silence. 

I just stood there for the next few seconds, unsure of how to react. 

'So she didn't notice me?' 

I brought my hand to my chest and secretly sighed in relief while wiping the cold sweat from my forehead. 

'That almost gave me a heart attack.' 

For a split moment, I almost thought she had truly detected me. Those few seconds felt like hours and I almost found myself taking the initiative. 

It was a good thing that I was able to remain still in those few seconds. 

Otherwise... 

'No, it doesn't matter. I shouldn't waste any more time.' 

Stepping forward, I reached out to touch the wooden door. Closing my eyes, I visualized a purple orb, and slowly, my hand began to phase through the surface of the door.

Following up with a step, my entire body passed through the door and I managed to pass right through it. 

What greeted me on the other side of the door was a familiar yet unfamiliar room. 

It was one that I had seen before, but not in real life. 

'It's almost exactly the same as in her childhood memories. It looks like her father kept it like this for her...' 

The more I learned about this family of hers the more confused I became. 

From the way Kiera spoke about him, he seemed to be this big bad indifferent father who neglected her and didn't love her. 

And yet... 

What I saw and what I heard from her was completely different. Could it all be an act from her father, or was Kiera lying? 

...Or could there be more to it? 

Suddenly, the vision I'd had with the second leaf on Rose came rushing back, and my mind paused, fixating on the one figure who hadn't left my thoughts since that moment—Kiera's mother.

Something about her felt unsettling. 

But what exactly? What did she—

"Hey, Ki." 

The space around me rippled, and my head snapped toward the source of the disturbance, my gaze locking onto Rose's turned back. 

She seemed to be looking down, and when I stepped to the side, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure, sitting down on the ground with body tied up with some strange rope. She was awake, and her eyes were locked right towards her aunt's. 

At that moment, I saw it. 

The rage... 

...The pure rage and hatred she held for the figure that stood before her. 

It didn't seem like I was the only one who noticed. 

"Oh my~ There's no need for you to make such a face." 

Shaw dismissively waved her hand at her niece. 

"You know I love you, Ki. This... ehm, what I'm doing is just tough love. Yes, tough love." 

Her jokes didn't land well with Kiera, who shot her an even fiercer glare in response. If looks could kill, she'd probably have killed her aunt many times over. 

"Tough crowd..." 

Rose didn't take Kiera's seriously. 

If anything, the scene looked weird from an outsider's point of view. With her disguise on, she looked the same as Kiera. 

It was a good thing that I could tell the difference.