Chapter 7 Compulsion Versus Conviction

Lord Carlisle observed Misella with a playful smile on his lips. "What is your name?"

His voice sounded so alluring that it could make anyone who heard him want to obey him. Misella also couldn't stay silent following his question.

"M-misella."

Lord Carlisle placed his finger under Misella's chin and applied a little pressure to raise her head so he could look in her eyes directly.

"So, Misella,  please tell me what you're doing here? Why did you come to disturb our important meeting?" Lord Carlisle asked.

"I-i came to serve your drinks," answered Misella.

"Serve our drinks in what? Do you have any glasses to serve us drinks in?" Lord Carlisle smirked, glancing at the empty tray in Misella's hands. All the glasses on the tray had already fallen on the ground, leaving none in the tray.

The entire hall was frighteningly silent. No one dared to make even the slightest of noise. Lord Severis didn't interfere either. He let Lord Carlisle do what he pleased.

"I-i..." Misella started stuttering but couldn't answer. Her tear-covered face was filled with horror and pain.

"Let's leave that aside. Tell me one thing." Lord Carlisle sat on his chair again. "Are you scared of me?"

Misella, being unable to lie, nodded her head.

"And why is it that you're scared? Do you think I'll eat you?"

Misella didn't reply.

"You know when you looked at me directly in the eyes. I thought I finally found another human that wasn't scared of us... someone who wanted to challenge us like those rebels that keep annoying me. Apparently, there have been more and more humans popping up who are drunk in arrogance. I thought you were one of them. However, listening to your answer, it seems that I was wrong, wasn't I?"

Even though Lord Carlisle asked, he didn't get an answer which prompted him to ask the question again. "Misella? Was I wrong?"

Misella didn't know how to react. This question was actually too complicated for her. If she said he was wrong, he might be offended that someone was calling him wrong.

On the other hand, if she said he wasn't wrong, it would mean that he was right in saying that she wasn't scared of him, then also he was going to be offended, thinking a human wasn't scared of him.

Standing in the back, Atlas wasn't sure how Misella was going to answer. He could only pray that she could somehow get out of this situation safely. It still wasn't too late.

Misella didn't reply. She couldn't reply as both answers were wrong. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Little girl, answer me. I'm asking for the last time. I don't like repeating a question. Don't make me use my compulsion on you again. Was I wrong or not?"

"Y-you weren't wrong." Misella finally opened her lips. "But it's also true that I was scared. We are mere humans. We aren't ones who can stand before the mighty Lords. It's also our first time meeting you all, so I was scared. I ask for forgiveness." Misella bowed her head, offering an apology.

"I didn't ask for an essay from you. It was just a simple yes or no question. However, you did say I was wrong. So let's just go with that." Lord Carlisle chuckled. "That boy in the back who was asking me to forgive you? Who is he? Your friend? Or your lover?"

Misella looked in Atlas's direction. Her eyes were already red as tears kept trickling down her cheeks. "Brother..."

Atlas wanted to console her and tell her that everything was going to be fine, but he couldn't even do that. He kept praying in his heart for the safety of Misella as he cried over his helplessness. She was the only family he had in this world, and she was so close to death! He couldn't do anything.

Even though he couldn't express his feelings through words right now, he was sure that his eyes were expressing more than they should've. The tears in his eyes weren't doing any good either. How could she be strong when her brother himself was weak?

"Ah, so he is your brother. That must be why he cares so much about you. It makes sense now." Lord Carlisle gazed toward Atlas. "So, Mr. Big Brother. What do you think I should do to your sister for calling me wrong and messing up with our celebration?"

Hearing his question, Atlas cursed in his head. 'This bastard! Why is he asking me? I can't even open my lips because of his last command! He needs to specially tell me to speak if he wants answers or remove my compulsion."

"Oh, how silly of me. I forgot that you couldn't speak. Hahaha." Lord Carlisle burst into laughter. "It's alright. I have a simpler way. Let's play a game. If you want me to forgive your sister, take one step forward. And if you don't want me to forgive your sister, then remain standing there. It'll be a fun game. Let's see how you do."

Even though he gave Atlas the option to decide, Atlas couldn't move! Just like he couldn't move his lips, he couldn't move his body either. The compulsion was still there. Carlisle hadn't removed it.

"Also, let me remind you one thing. You can't give me the excuse that you can't move either. You must have heard the saying of humans. Where there's a will, there's a way. If your love for your sister is strong enough to break my compulsion, I will free her. So you must move. If you don't, then I'll take that as my answer."

It was clear that Lord Carlisle was toying with him, and he was enjoying it as well! Atlas could see it in his eyes that he relished the thought of being able to control their lives! If it was that easy to break compulsion, why would he be standing still even now?

Atlas decided to try even harder, albeit no amount of determination could help his frail body move. It was already very weak. His body wasn't even listening to his heart and his mind! His entire body stood still as he watched everything like a spectator. He was like a statue there.

"Looks like you don't love your sister much after all. But then again, I'm not surprised. If there's one thing that's weaker than the humans, it's the bond between them."

Ultimately, Lord Carlisle turned to look at Lord Severis. "This girl... Is she someone you need in your palace?'

Even though he was a Lord and wanted to play around, he realized that this was still the Domain of Lord Severis, and he needed permission before doing what he wanted to do.

"I don't think I saw her before," Lord Severis answered. "You really want her?"

"Yeah. Since she came to serve us drinks, it's only fair that she serves us drinks. However, I can't use the broken glasses. So I guess I'll have to adjust to something else."

There was a scary smile on Lord Carlisle's face. Atlas couldn't shake off this bad feeling inside my heart. Something bad was going to happen! Was he truly going to kill Misella?

Now all his hope rested on Lord Severis! He was the master of this Palace! If he said no, his sister was going to survive! It was all dependent) on him! Atlas's eyes moved to Lord Severis with a pleading gaze.

"Go ahead." Lord Severis folded his arms, giving Misella's life in the hands of an outsider like she was his property. His two words were enough to shatter all the hopes of Atlas.

He couldn't believe that after serving this place for so long, they were tossed away so easily. That was the value of their lives.

"Good." Lord Carlisle's grin became even broader. He again glanced at Misella and commanded, "Sit on my lap."

This time, he used his compulsion since he didn't want to wait. Unable to resist the man's compulsion, Misella sat on the man's lap.

As she sat, her pale face faced Atlas. Atlas felt my heart shattering into a thousand pieces, watching the look on her face. He was unable to stop anything. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs.

'Bastard! Let her go!' His body kept failing him though. Even as all his nerves popped up, he couldn't move. It was as if he was tied in space and time.

He wanted to kill that bastard when he saw Lord Carlisle reveal his sharp fangs, which he brought closer to the pale neck of Misella. The thumping of his heart was going crazy. It was as if his heart tried to jump out of his chest as if it didn't want to stay inside the body of a coward who couldn't even protect his little sister.

The sharp fangs of Lord Carlisle finally stabbed the neck of Misella, digging deep into her veins in search of blood.

"Argh!" A pained scream escaped Misella's lips, reaching Atlas's ears.

Her thin body, which was already void of all the blood, started losing even more blood. Some of her blood even trickled down her neck as her agony-filled screams continued.

Her melodious voice, which was usually the sole reason for Atlas's happiness even in this hellhole, was enough to make him cry today.

The helplessness... He had never experienced it before! Even when they were captured by the Vampires, he was still hopeful, but today looked like the day when it was all going to end. He was in a literal hell!

He was sure that his sister was going to die, and he couldn't even talk to her one last time. He could've even console her. He could only look into her eyes as his tears escaped from his deep blue. He could only apologize to her again and again inside his heart for being such a weak brother that he couldn't even defend her.

Misella's eyes slowly started closing as her screams got weaker. Her cries soon stopped entirely. Her eyes closed as her head lowered. The hall returned to the scary silence where people could even hear each other's breathing.

Lord Carlisle moved his head back, bringing his fangs out of Misella's neck. He licked his bloody lips that were covered in Misella's blood as if he wanted to savor every last bit of the taste that he had experienced just now.

Misella's body fell off his lap and dropped to the ground.

"She was really tasty, I must say." Lord Carlisle smirked, turning in Atlas's direction. His smile felt like a sword that was stabbing the gravely wounded heart of Atlas. It was as if someone was rubbing salts on his wound.

For Atlas, Lord Carlisle didn't matter now. What mattered was his sister. He wondered if she was unconscious or was she dead?! He hoped it was the former! He was willing to do anything as long as she was safe!

"Hahaha, Kid. Why are you looking at me like that?" Lord Carlisle chuckled. He was really having fun at Atlas's expense. "You know you can't blame me for this. It was all your fault."

???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

"All you had to do was move to save your sister, but you couldn't even do that much? That only goes on to show that you wanted your sister dead. I just helped you. You can't blame me. Shouldn't you be happy instead?!"

Lord Carlisle stood up again and grabbed Misella's throat, raising her body in the air. His eyes remained focused on Atlas.