Chapter 353: Take off your mask! (1/2)

”It was never my intention, believe me. If it were up to me, you could rot in your prison for all eternity before I would give any care…. sister.”

The room instantly turned dead silent after that sentence. Even Sarah, who could usually control her emotions, was looking completely stunned. Every eye was turned to the masked mistress still standing close to the door.

'Interesting… I had a hunch that she could be anything but simple… Still, I was thinking that maybe she had some connection to the royal family or one of the Big Four (AN: The 4 Big Noble Families standing just below the Royal Family).' Aiden thought.

He also couldn't help but think about his master more. All the strange items, artifacts, and her secrecy… he had a hunch that she was also connected to the royal families in some way. Not to mention that she also seemed to be doing her hardest to control herself and her voice every time she spoke to the royal siblings.

However, if she and this masked woman were truly related to each other, then he wasn't sure about his first conjectures anymore.

Suddenly a light chuckle broke the ensuing, quite heavy silence in the small room. The masked lady's hearty giggle lifted the sudden pressure almost instantly. She walked to the window, looking out of it, just like she usually did in her own study, she only spoke after relieving herself.

”Oh my, such hostility still after so many years… Sister? I can't even remember, the last time you called me that…” She sighed, calming herself. ”Still, you wanted me to remove this mask right? Are you sure you can accept what is lying underneath? Are you ready to witness the consequences of that night?” She asked looking at Number 3's dark, faceless mask.

”You see, even if you hide behind those emotionless rigid masks that your new Master provides your group with, you can't hide from my eyes, you should know that.” She continued, her voice carrying a hint of confidence that Aiden just couldn't understand. He had many questions already in his mind but decided to stay still for now and just watch where all of this was going.

Number 3 remained stoic, not saying a word, but her attention was glued to the woman at the window.

The Mistress paused for only a few moments before going further.

”Tell me, dear 'sister' of mine… Are you truly ready to see IT? After all, this is the eternal reminder not just to myself, but to you as well. The results of that night that scarred not just my skin, flesh, and soul, but also you as well.”

”Take it off.” Number 3 was curt, her tone cold, rigid, distant.

The mistress nodded, slowly reaching for the left and right sides of her demon-shaped mask, grabbing it with her hands. However, she didn't peel it off, but looked up and matched Number 3's gaze who was also holding the edges of her faceless, dark mask.

As if understanding each other, they moved simultaneously, and took off their respective facial covers at the same time, revealing something that caused another wave of shock to spread in the room.

Even Granny, who stood by the sideline, sitting on a chair at the corner couldn't help but revealing a curious smile at the sight.

'Heh, now this is turning weirder by the minute…'

Sara was already on the verge of collapsing, she plopped down on her chair with a face full of disbelief. She wasn't sure if she was hallucinating or not.

Could it be that this is all just a dream?

Lily and even Aiden couldn't help but be surprised when they saw Mistress's real face. After all, it was almost identical to Number 3's!

Well, apart from the fact that there was a huge, hideous scar going from the lower-left corner of her lips all the way through her nose and right eyes reaching above her right brows. She also seemed to be blind to her right eye, maybe as a result of the damage, maybe it was something else, only she herself knew probably.

Leaving that aside, she and Number 3's every other facial feature were matching. They looked like the exact copy of each other.

”So, what do you say, 'sister'? Do you like what you see?” The Mistress asked with a curious gaze and a thin smirk-like smile adorning her expression.

Number 3 took a couple of seconds, focusing mostly on the huge scar with an unreadable, complicated look. After a while, she sighed, as she responded with a strangely much warmer tone. Her previous coldness seemed to instantly vanish, replaced by this unfamiliar warmth that she previously only showed to Lily, Aiden, and Granny in private.

”You still haven't healed it…” Number 3 muttered.