As the weight of the situation pressed down on her, Rachel's eyes welled up with tears, which she quickly tried to brush away.
She held onto Amelia's hands, the warmth providing a contrast to the chill of their surroundings.
"I'm so sorry, Amelia," Rachel sobbed, her voice catching, "I never should have... I can't even begin to imagine how hurt you must have felt," Her shoulders shook with the weight of her guilt, remembering the chilling moment when the knife had driven into Amelia's flesh.
Amelia's caramel-brown eyes, which were glistening too, searched Rachel's face. She sighed, a hint of pain in her voice, "Rachel," she began softly, "when it happened, I won't lie, I was devastated. The very idea that my best friend could turn against me based on the words of someone else... it shattered me," She paused, taking a deep breath, "But then I was told that you were under some sort of spell or mind control, that it wasn't really you…right?"
Rachel's heart ached. The explanation was a facade, one she knew all too well was false, but she couldn't bring herself to correct it.
The idea that Amelia believed her actions weren't her own offered a momentary reprieve from the guilt, but it also deepened the sting of deceit.
She nodded slowly, offering a melancholic smile, "Y-Yes…It couldn't have been me. I truly felt as if I was possessed by a demon…You know I would never hurt you."
"Of course…" Amelia nodded with a sigh, though her eyes briefly flashed with a cold light.
"With you by my side again, Amelia," Rachel said, her voice filled with renewed determination, "I believe we can face anything. But..." Her expression became mixed with doubt and frustration as she added, "...I don't know how we can get out of this hell."
Amelia's grip on Rachel's hands tightened, and her caramel-brown eyes bore into Rachel's with an intensity that reflected both her rage and her fear, "Listen, Rachel," she began, her voice hushed but urgent, "I'd like nothing more than to plunge a knife into that monster's heart, but we can't be reckless. Right now, he has the upper hand."
Rachel's face twisted with bitterness, "So what? We just play nice and pretend everything is okay? Pretend we're okay with being his playthings?" Her voice rose with a mix of anger and despair.
Amelia's gaze softened with empathy, "Believe me, it's the last thing I want to do too. But think about it. We need to be smart. We're in his territory, surrounded by his minions and a flood of demons outside. We don't know the extent of his capabilities. Our best bet is to stay on his good side... at least for now."
A scoff escaped Rachel's lips, "No, you are right. It's hopeless...Even if he suddenly drops dead, it's not like it would erase everything."
Amelia took a deep breath before saying, "Rachel, we're still alive. We still have a chance to get out of here and get back to our families who are waiting for us. And they don't know about any of this. We should try to keep it that way. Even if we know we have lost our dignity and are no longer fit to be a Hunter, the world doesn't know, and we shouldn't let them down."
Rachel's piercing eyes glistened, her lips trembling as she remembered their families back home, oblivious to the situation they were in now, "Then...even if we return, wouldn't we have to forever look behind our shoulders?"
Amelia shook her head and said with a determined glint in her eyes, "It doesn't have to be that way. If he knows how to exploit our weakness then we can do the same to him."
Rachel's brows raised, "But how?"
"His Deviar...The amulet...We can steal it from him and use it as a bargaining chip to hold him at bay and make sure he never comes after us again," Amelia said confidently.
Rachel's eyes brightened up with some hope, though her expression still held hopelessness as she asked, "But we are too powerless to even get past his defenses, let alone steal something he had hidden somewhere secretly."
Amelia nodded, though her expression didn't falter, "I know it's not easy. But as slaves, we can let his guard down and find out where he is hiding that amulet. He is probably hiding it in his room. So we just have to get in there somehow, find it and escape."
Rachel couldn't help but feel a little nervous hearing such a bold plan, "That's..."
Amelia nodded, "Yes, we will have to play along and be nice, but don't overdo it and make him suspicious. Just be yourself, except don't do anything to anger him. We have so many weeks left. And if we succeed, then we can regroup with our people outside and raid this place and kill everyone."
Rachel's lips slowly relaxed, her blue eyes gaining some strength, "That sounds like some plan...better than nothing. It's not like things can get any worse than this," She ruefully smiled, though her eyes were glowing with a ruthless determination.
Amelia nodded with a determined light, "Okay…you should be really careful though. For now, I will have to return to my cell."
Rachel nodded as Amelia put on her shirt and pants while she wrapped a sheet around her warm body and asked with a bitter gaze, "Do you happen to learn…what happened to Victor?"
Amelia coldly scoffed and said, "If there is one thing we have to feel grateful towards that sick demon, it is that he made Victor pay for his sins. We would never have to worry about him again, nor will he be able to hurt us."
Rachel let out a relieved breath and said with a wry smile, "I don't understand…How could my father have not known what kind of a man Victor was?"
Amelia softly sighed and said, "Rachel, maybe it's time you stopped blindly believing everything your family says. You are an adult who can think for herself, especially when it comes to your own matters. Sometimes, the people closest to us can surprise us in ways we could have never seen coming. Maybe once you return home…you should start seeking answers even if it's going to be hard and complicated."
Rachel knew what Amelia was hinting at, but to even doubt her own father's decisions…can she do that? She felt a heaviness in her chest just thinking about the worst-case scenario.
"But don't worry. I won't let you do it alone. Together, we will find answers," Amelia said with a comforting smile as she walked towards the door.
"Thank you, Amelia…" Rachel smiled and felt glad that her best friend was back. Now all she has to worry about was letting down the guard of that villain and escape his grasp.
The moment Amelia stepped out the door, her former warm smile was replaced by a cold detachment.
Her footsteps were the only consistent sound as she made her way down the dimly lit corridor of the dungeon.
Asher, with his ever-confident posture, suddenly appeared from a side corridor, his deep gaze locking onto Amelia's. The two women, Emiko and Yui, followed him, with Yui having a soft smile while Emiko had a softened gaze.
Amelia stopped in her tracks, her chestnut hair cascading down her shoulders, creating a stark contrast against the dark surroundings.
"She still didn't admit the truth, right?" Asher asked with crossed arms.
Amelia nodded with quivering lips and said bitterly, her voice betraying her hurt, "I can't believe I considered that woman as my sister," A rueful laugh escaped her lips as she added, "She was shameless enough to look me in the eyes and lie with a straight face. She only needs me to keep herself safe."
A sympathetic frown settled on Asher's face as he reached out to pat Amelia's shoulder gently, "Painful truths are hard to swallow, especially when they come from those we trust. But you're strong, Amelia. Don't let this break you. Instead, use it as armor…just like I did. Consider yourself becoming wiser from this experience."
The corners of Amelia's mouth twitched upwards in a grim smile, "I know…I won't be anyone's fool anymore."
Asher nodded with a smile, "I know you won't," He then softly sighed and said, "I will see you later. I have a lot of things left to do. It's not really a vacation when you see it like that," Asher said with a wink as he walked away while Amelia stared at his back with a warm smile.
It felt so good to be in his presence once more, though this time, she was closer to him than ever.
Maybe getting stabbed and realizing some hard truths were worth it.
Emiko and Yui, who had been silent observers until now, shared a brief look.
Amelia noticed and turned her gaze to them, a hint of aggrieved light still evident in her eyes, "You two," she said, a hint of playfulness creeping into her tone, "Were quite the surprise, you know. Sent to keep an eye on us, huh? I always knew something was up with you two," Amelia felt it quite funny that the two newbies she suspected at first turned out to be members of Asher's cult.
Yui wryly smiled as she gave a small bow, her long black hair falling forward, "So sorry…W-We were just trying to- "
Emiko briefly cleared her throat, interrupting Yui as she said with a focused gaze, "Apologies, Amelia. It was never personal. Just a mission."
Amelia huffed, shaking her head with a smile as she suddenly embraced the two for a hug, "I was just kidding. You guys don't have to explain anything. It just feels good to know that you two are working for him. I can't really complain."
Emiko had her eyes widen, slightly startled by Amelia's gesture, but awkwardly continued to remain in the same position with a hint of a smile hanging on her lips.
"Yes, yes. It feels good to know that you are also going to join our cult. I am sure Aunty Grace will love you," Yui excitedly said as she hugged Amelia back.
"Aunty Grace? You mean the famous Firestorm Huntress? I can't wait to meet a legend like her. It was a pity she got injured and faced tragedies before she could reach the peak…" Amelia said with a sympathetic smile.
"Don't worry. She is now stronger than ever, thanks to Master, and he helped her avenge her family as well," Yui said with a bright smile as Emiko nodded, making Amelia raise her brows with a soft smile, "Even after everything that happened…he really knows how to change people's lives for the better…" She then added in her mind, 'Those who deserve it of course...'
The mood lightened for a moment, as the group shared an understanding.
They were in this together, each playing their part in the intricate plans of Asher.
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