Can You Call It Reincarnation?

Chapter Twenty

Purple Aster's represents wisdom and royalty.

~

Ijekiel was in a royal carriage, staring idly out the window, and absentmindedly fiddling with a charm Lucas had (reluctantly) handed over.

Athanasia was outside said carriage, casually flying along.

"Ijekiel, sir?" Athanasia turned to look at the man.

"Yes?"

"What was your household like?"

Ijekiel frowned, before sighing. "It wasn't a happy place."

"..."

Athanasia frowned. That was supposed to lighten the mood.

It obviously failed, but come on!

"We're here."

Looking upwards, Athanasia gasped. The manor was huge, although it didn't look like it was well maintained.

"This looks ancient."

Ezekiel let out a humorless laugh, before exiting the carriage. He motioned for Athanasia to head to the back, knocking on the door as Athanasia flew past all the dead shrubs. The manor looked lifeless, and hollow. If Lucas were here, he'd probably fix all this up in a snap of his fingers.

Flying around the back, Athanasia cringed as she flew past more dead shrubs, glass littered on the floor. Honestly, the garden looked like it was once beautiful.

Floating upwards to the second floor, Athanasia peeked through each window to try and spot an empty room she could enter safely. Most of the windows were dirty, cracked, and some were even shattered. Coming across a room with a decent window, Athanasia looked inside to see a chandelier shattered on the floor, torn up bed sheets, and shrapnel everywhere.

It's not like Athanasia has never done this before. She phases through walls and windows at the palace all the time. It's just...

This was different. This is a factor of whether or not Athanasia would come back to life.

(Or disappear forever, but she'd rather not think of that.)

Sucking up her feelings, Athanasia flew through the glass and inspected the room. It looked like the room had previously belonged to Jennette, with dolls everywhere and frills shredded all over the floor.

If it weren't for the carnage, Athanasia would have bet that this used to be a wonderful room.

Floating over to the door, Athanasia silently phased through and immediately heard voices.

"Ijekiel! My son! What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see my father, isn't that normal?" Ijekiel's voice.

"Y-Yes, but why didn't you send any message beforehand..?"

"I wanted to surprise you." He sounds cold, despite his words.

Athanasia shook her head before investigating the next room over.

It was filled to the brim with shredded books, a white cloth covering the bed. Floorboards were torn up, and Athanasia frowned. During one of Jennette's gushing sessions about her husband, Athanasia was aware that Ijekiel had gone to one of the most prestigious schools ever.

She doesn't remember which one, she just knows it is.

So that means this room is probably is Ijekiel's.

Murmuring from the next room.

Athanasia paused and glanced over to the door, before phasing through.

This room was practically glittering compared to the last two rooms. Everything was in perfect, mint condition. The walls were made out of marble- odd, since everything was basically made of concrete- and were lined with gold. The bed was grander than anything else she had seen in the house, and was cleaned and organized.

There was a man.

"That dumb ghost- she's ruined everything!" The man scowled, obviously upset.

"Calm down." Athanasia blinked. Another ghost? They felt wrong.

"But how?!" The man yelled. "The emperor isn't being weakened anymore! The evidence is right there!"

Athanasia looked over to where the man was gesturing, before silently gasping in shock.

The black magic jars- they were right there. This man was the thief.

And something about weakening Claude?

"Calm down- wait." The ghost- fog? -stopped, and glanced over to Athanasia's hiding spot. "Someone's here."

The girl blanched, before phasing through the wall and floor.

She was on the first floor again. Peeking past all the carnage, she looked over to where Ijekiel and Sir Alpheus were standing. Catching his eye, she gestured out of the house.

"Well, I'm afraid I must go. Duty calls, after all."

"Oh, that's fine." The man was wringing his hands. Looking closer, Athanasia's nose scrunched up.

He looked horrible.

"I thank you for your time." Ijekiel glanced over in Athanasia's direction before bowing before his father. Athanasia nodded, before heading out of the building and waiting in the carriage.