Landlord Wears A Mask

Chapter 8: Clara Arcadia

Jake wasn't himself anymore. A young man once known for being thoughtless was now endlessly emotional and distraught. His weak, hunched over figure looked at his room burning in his flames.

Then watched as the fires died down...

"I... We- No, why did no one stop her?" Jake thought like a fool. He couldn't help feeling all was simply a ruse. His feelings were a mess, and couldn't quite tame this feeling of 'wrongness' deep in his bones.

Why did he reject Linda like that in the past?

This question lingering in the air was sniffed out almost immediately. Footsteps could be heard. His heartbeats started to deepen the closer they got close. Heavy thumps betraying his mixed emotions.

Two eyes gleaned past the mist made of ash.

The golden blonde woman's voice rang out:

"What happened?" A graceful voice filled with feminine charm resounded. It was a simple question to him, but he was somehow unable to feel the same as before. Unable to see this person the same way.

It was as if something inside his head just clicked.

The cloudiness in his eyes had vanished, and he was finally able to see this woman clearly. Jake... His eyes widened in horror, and he tried to push himself back... only to be met by the solid wall behind him.

The wall only survived due to magic-proof materials.

"Don't... Don't come any closer!" Jake roared and pointed his crimson wand at her. Unable to make sense of it all. The mysterious woman stopped in her tracks. She did not look at him with warmth.

If the coldness in her eyes could be expressed with temperature, then he would be feeling the Antarctic winds right now. The flames were dying down after most appliances and objects in his room burned out.

Through the misty boundary of ashes lay a face that was the embodiment of innocent beauty. Not immature, not charmless... It was the figure and expression of an angel descended from heaven.

One that looked down on mere mortals..

Usually, Jake's mind would twist that expressionless face into a smile... but his 'vision' had returned, and so did his grip on reality. That skewed visual alteration was warping into the girl's face in reality.

Jake then realised that he was a mere immature brat in front of the fairy. Her gaze was unfathomable. A profound dread etched into his soul. Especially when the girl's usually emotionless face stared smiling.

Her almost whispering voice resounded:

"Who woke you up?" His 'real sister' asked like a mother. One who was trying to calm a child that was having his little tantrum. Her hands had been raised non-combatively. Signifying she meant no harm.

But being 'harmed' wasn't what scared him.

"W-what have you done...? Answer!!" Jake's wand started to burn a blazing ruby radiance of light. He was out of ammo. Having used his Spell Slot for the day on that assassin earlier. This was pure Ether.

External magical energy flowed into his wand, but it wasn't as bright as before. It was like comparing a raging flame to a spark. His current magic didn't seem harmful enough to cause damage to anyone.

"Brother... Are you trying to kill me?" Still, the girl who had replaced his 'fake sister' looked at him pitifully. Acting like she was threatened by his weak flames. Those sparks sizzling at the end of his wand.

"I'm not... LIAR! I am not your brother! We look NOTHING alike!" Jake could not accept it. At least Linda had some similarities to their father in hair and eyes. How did anyone think they're related?