Chapter 4: What some Darkness Creates

Since that day, she stopped liking drawing and coloring pictures like she used to. She began hating the chocolate cookies and milk that she used to love.

And getting up from the bed feels too much of a chore.

One night, she encountered an onyx black blob that seemed to have a life of its own. It was clumsy and childish, but it was cute, so she decided to keep it as a pet.

It disappears at the break of dawn, though.

She wouldn't sleep at night and all her motivations were sucked off during the day. She was more entertained at night when she'd spend her time with that black blob pet of hers.

They would eat bread and noodles together, study and read stuff together, and wash together.

With each time she absorbs herself with the black thing in the darkness, the looming emptiness chases her during the daylight.

The black blob pet seems to be slowly growing under her care.

It didn't know any language and didn't seem to speak, so she couldn't get any information out of it. She doesn't know where it came from or if it's dangerous. But because she was somehow getting addicted to it, she let it stay by her side.

Camille got more reclusive when a younger brother named Arthur appeared, dominating the world with ease using his genius.

He was a natural-born child prodigy, free of worries and hardships.

With the birth of a genius in the house, the Rousseau family profoundly favored Arthur, almost slowly pushing the lady away, waiting to fade along the Paris fog in a certain April.

Camille's consciousness woke up from the dreamy nostalgia of the flashback.

She looked at her plate, halfway finished.

"Maybe… this is okay," She mumbled in an undertone.

--

Meanwhile, Haru stumbled upon an eerie solid double arch panel door from the maze-like hallways of the castle. It looked ancient and wooden, but the surface was thick and cold like metal.

Haru was contemplating whether to open it or not until he heard a familiar voice calling out to him from behind. It was Alicia. Beside her was the quiet young boy, Ali.

"Alicia? Weren't you headed in a different direction earlier?" He asked, confused.

"I'm not sure either, but if we met like this, the castle's hallways must be somehow connected," Alicia hypothesized. "Nothing much was going on around the castle too and it seems like we're the only ones here right now."

Haru became deep in thought, while Alicia began taking a peek and inspecting the suspicious door behind him.

"By the way," Alicia nudged Haru's shoulder. "Where's the pretty lady with you?"

"Uhh..."

"Hey, don't tell me you separated ways?"

Haru chuckled nervously, "Ah.. haha. Sorry, it just naturally happened."

"What do you mean naturally happened?! You were supposed to stick together! What if something happens to the both of you? Jeez, you kids are always reckless!"

"Sorry.." Haru scratched the back of his head, unsure how to react from her nagging.

They were distracted when they noticed Ali approaching the door and slowly pushing it open.

"Oh, Ali! Stop!" Alicia warned, reaching out to him.

Ali looked calm, though rattled trying to speak up. "I… I think it's fine." His voice was so soft and low.

Haru looked up and his eyes widened from shock at the sight of what's inside the room behind the door he was suspicious of.

"This is…"