Before you read

Earl: a British nobleman ranking

above a viscount and below a

marquess, a female earl is called a

"Lady".

A demigod is an offspring of a

mortal and a God.

A demigod's powers are called 'Sila'.

Demigods are mortal, they have the

same lifespan as that of a human,

though, they can only be killed

by their star spirits or by suicide.

Gatekeepers are immortal.

Star spirits are servants to

demigods, representing one human

desire or emotion. Like hatred, lust,

happiness etc.

Purgatory is a place we go to before

reaching heaven or hell. It's a place

where it's decided whether you'll go

to heaven or to hell.

In the language of stars, a contract means 'Marriage'.

Other reference notes will be

provided within the chapters.

Phonetics

Vierne Obolensky- Vi- earn Ob-len-sky

Akagi Scheczalier- Aka- gi Sheh- sec-zalier

Lict- Lick- t

Melissa- Merri- sa

Happiness craves war.

It is a human instinct to feel afraid whenever one is too happy. Those who are ignorant to such a mystic reality shall perish. After all, dawn falls on those who have suffered the darkness of dusk.

Behind a silver moon, is the sky. But it's dark, so people don't usually look at it. One has to do one thousand good deeds to be a good person, but one bad deed to become evil and corrupted. How fragile the morals of this impudent world are—This world, what a disgusting affair to ignite.

I am Vierne Obolensky, the last surviving member of the Obolensky family after the Black blood tragedy. My father was an Earl—Rich enough to build an empire here in Russia. My memory has grown hazy, but not my vows. It was a fire that burned down everything, and I rose from the ashes of the dead.

What can the dead possibly give birth to? Another dead one I suppose. It had been a decade since my death to the world—The world who forgot my name. And now here I thrive, in the darkness of this abandoned mansion somewhere in the woods. Nobody knows that this place exists and they will never.

Every visitor had seen the same face as the last one. I've read books, books that talk about me and those that don't. Far away in the heart of Russia, among the fierce woods of Moscow, lies an abandoned mansion with a deadly curse. All that she touches will lose its breath, you witness a beauty followed by death.

Time has followed me to the path I've come. For the seventeen years, I've existed, I've only brought misery and death with sprinkles of bliss to fool those who thrive in it.

It made people wonder; how could something so beautiful be so deadly?

When I was seven, I suffered from an acute illness and lost my sensitivity to touch. I cannot feel anything from my hands anymore. However, that's not where it left me. Anything I touch with my right hand will break into thousands of pieces—as small as a grain of sand—be it an object, a plant or a human, anything living or nonliving.

Surprisingly, my left hand is worse. Anyone, who I touch with my left-hand beaks from the inside. My left hand can shatter emotions and precious memories, which is why my mother covered it with a black glove. It has been there ever since.

Nothing in this world can kill me. I can safely say I'm not mortal anymore. But then, what am I? I've asked the same questions to these four walls. But with every question comes that unexplainable silence and emptiness.

My body no longer performs any metabolic activities. I do not breathe, nor do I ever find the need to eat. Even my heart has stopped beating. It's as if I'm a living corpse. I have lost the ability to live as well as the ability to die. I'm stuck. Somebody please—Help me.

How pitiful have I become? Mom would be sad if she saw me now. But unfortunately, we don't get to choose what we feel. It was time to go out. I needed some new books since I had read everything I brought in the previous month.

So, I decided to pick up my black umbrella and walk out into the sun. I purchased books from the money my parents had left me. Because at that point, I was addicted to reading like an alcoholic is addicted to drinking. After all, I was living in the era of the great novelist, Akagi Scheczalier—A Russian parody whose name was familiar to every street of mother Russia.

His writings were powerful and yet elegant. What an array of sophistication that he possessed, the entire European and Asian continent was under the direct influence of this young man—From royalty to the peasantry.

I was busy having this literary conversion in my head while walking on that busy street and suddenly I bumped into someone. They must've been extremely hard-headed because they nearly winded me.

I groaned as I touched my stomach. What the hell was this guy thinking? I looked down at a boy in front of me. He looked like a primary school kid. He was too poorly dressed to have come from an influential family.

'Ugh, stupid curly hair!' was the first thing that came to my mind when I looked down at him.

If there was anything I hated most in the world, it was sticky things like honey, slouchy bugs, and some special type of guys. You know, the guys who are blonde or have curly hair or supernovae that attract attention like in those romance novels.

This bastard happened to be all three of them, so I developed instant hate for him, even though he looked like a mere five-year-old—A fetus.

The boy looked up at me with his dull brown eyes, giving an almost pleading look. He was frail, pale, and sported tattered clothes. His eyes looked dull and while looking at him, I felt an uneasiness within me.

For the first time in ten years, I almost felt as if my heart was about to beat. Was I alive after all?

He slowly moved his tiny hands towards me, reaching upwards. I waited to see what he was up to. Ladies and gentlemen, this brat's hands ended up on my very feminine chest and the nonsense he spouted was; "Oh! I can touch it!"

That's when I lost my very ladylike cool and did the only one thing which was obvious. I pushed that brat away and shouted at the top of my lungs, "What are you doing? I didn't know perverts started this young!"

Okay, that was unladylike.

I can't believe I lost my cool and composure to such a brat! In my defense, he was rude and invaded my personal space. I mean, who gropes you on the very first meeting, and when he's expected to apologize?

That's when he sprouted utter nonsense: "Oh! You can see me?" Had his mother not taught him manners? "Shoo!" I sucked my teeth and waved for him to go away, then turned around and walked away.

As I turned and started moving, I was pulled back by my shirt and that boy asked me to wait. He reached about to touch my right hand, so I pulled myself back and shouted at him to stay away, but he was reluctant, so I did what was the best at that time, "Stay away from me you little snot, if you touch me, your poverty may spread. You perverted pauper!"

I didn't regret my words because maybe this would keep him away from me. Coldness and hurt are better than death. I turned my face, and began walking back home when he called out to me saying, "Okay miss, I won't touch you, so please give me a moment of yours!"

"Not more than a minute," I responded begrudgingly.

"A minute will be fine, I just need to ask you a few questions, first-" He looked earnest, so I was curious what he would ask, he finally opened his mouth and said, "Are you sure you're a girl, tell me honestly, I promise I won't tell a soul."

Ever seen the human version of headaches? Now I present to you exactly what you think it is—A human version of a migraine so bad that it killed the man.

"I am a woman, at least biologically. If it's a joke, it's pretty distasteful if you ask me."

"How would I know—I haven't tasted you."

How shameful! I was seriously annoyed and just wanted to slap him right and left on the face.

"Say, miss, I have a request from you."

"A request, what is it? And why do you think I'd agree, pipsqueak?" I shot him a glare.

"Well, first off, I'm adorable. But my request is if you'd like to form a contract with me?"

What was this brat even saying? What kind of fucking contract? I knew nothing about it, so I answered "Sure, whatever."

A big bright smile lit up his face and he replied "Really? I was afraid you might reject my offer. Well, then let—" I cut him off and walked past him to the nearest police station.

"Officer, I think that kid is lost and maybe he is doped." As a concerned and good citizen of my beautiful country, Russia, I reported him to a nearby police station.

The police officer asked me where he was, so we walked outside and I pointed to the little boy who had followed me here, but the conversation between us didn't end well.

"Where, there is no one over there." The officer said, taking off his glasses only to squint. I swear people are getting dumber by the second.

"Over there, near that red car."

"There's just that red car, no one is near it."

"Are you blind? Put back on your glasses you dodo."

"There's really no one there. Have you taken your medication today?"

"What are you trying to say? Can't you see that blondie with the curly hair?"

"Calm down. Do you want some water? What did you eat for breakfast?"

"My intestines,"

"And now you're eating my head,"

As if you have one, you dildo. Can't even see a waste of skin and bones, standing as straight as an erect ***** on that road. This was nearly how the conversation went on though. It ended up with him thinking I was doped. I mean—Was I?

"Do you get it now? No one can see me but you, and so goes for touching or hearing" said that brat with a smile while I was feeling doomed.

"What are you?" I asked.

"Didn't I tell you yet? Oh. How irresponsible of me!" He clapped his hands together.

"Well, what the hell are you?" I snapped.

"I'm a star!"

"Yeah, right! How much coke did you sniff this morning?"

"Not really, I'm a star. The ones you see in the sky, I'm one of them."

"Then why the hell are you here on Earth?"

"I'm here for you."

"So, are you dead?"

"Sometimes, not today. Today, I just want to form a contract with you!"

I stared into his dull brown eyes blankly. "No."

"Why?"

"That's because it's a pain. It's going to be too troublesome. Besides, why are you bothering me?"

"Because you're beautiful"

"Beauty is a mask to lure the cursed"

After that, I simply walked back home without looking back. I decided to change my clothes, and while I was changing I was thinking about what happened today. What a persistent brat he was! Suddenly, I heard a voice nearby. I looked around my room and found the source of the voice at my window.

"You're literally the definition of a loner. Are you an extreme case?" I turned back only to find that brat standing at my window I shouted as it was the only thing I could think of, and then I ran and quickly covered myself with a blanket with my left hand.

That freaking brat basically followed me to my house and entered through the window! It was definitely trespassing, and above all that, he was violating my private space by entering shamelessly inside my room while I was still half-dressed. I'm starting to hate him more and more.

"How much?" I mumbled.

"Huh?" He gave me a stupid confused look.

"You know what I mean! How much did you see?"

"Oh, don't worry about it, I didn't see the details." He said with an irritating smile on his face.

"Do you take me as a fool?" I said, a bit relieved.

"Not a fool, maybe a dodo!" He started giggling.

Did I ever mention I am short-tempered? Well, now you'll know it.

His stupid laugh irritated me so much that I went to grab him by his collar and accidentally touched his neck with my right hand.

Oh crap!

What have I done?

"Alright, haha. Let's pretend I never said that." He said, pressing his fingers on my hands.

He's alive, but how? Has my curse lifted after all this time? Thinking all this I reached my hand towards a flower pot nearby. I was feeling slightly happy thinking that I was finally free, but maybe, I touched that flower pot with my right hand and as my finger touched it, it shattered into thousands of smaller pieces.

I was disheartened; I lost all hope all over again. That was just a moment of the past repeating itself, but this time the one to witness it was not my parents, it was this five-year-old looking menace who was a stranger to me. I had shown my powers, to the outside world, I could feel a terrifying omen coming my way, I knew this story wasn't going to end well.

"Say, why didn't you break when I touched you?" Now I was curious about this guy. Maybe he wasn't lying at all. Maybe he was actually a star. To this question, he replied, "So, you can break the things you touch, amazing Sila you got there!"

"What is Sila?" I asked curiously.

"Well, that is a special power possessed by demigods, of course."

"A demigod?"

"Yes, a demigod. It's the—"

"Offspring of a mortal and a God, I know. I read a lot."

"That's what a demigod is, and you are one of them."

I always knew I wasn't normal, I was born for something sumptuous! I am disconcerted.

"So then, what exactly is the work of a star?"

"Stars are mere familiars for the demigods who are destined to serve their master till they turn into supernovas."

"Basically die."

"Delure,"

"What's that now?"

"Stars don't die—Unless you kill them."

Is the air around me high or is it just me? Nevermind.

"So then, there are more demigods out there and not just me?"

"Precisely."

Others like me—I want to meet them.

"Then, why are you after me?"

"That's because you are mine!"

"How can you say that!"

"I can see people's red string of fate. Your red string meets mine. Plus, you're the only one who can see me."

"Are you serious? Do you have any idea how big of an age gap we have, you brat!"

"Don't worry, the age doesn't matter, what matters are the feelings attached!"

"**** you!"

"Now now, shall we?"

"Shall we what?"

"What do you mean 'what'. Now that everything's clear, let's form a contract!"

"What will happen if we form a contract?"

"Well, after we'll form a contract, you'll officially enter the parade to become a gatekeeper. A gatekeeper is a person who guards all the seven gates to hell and also the most important of all, the realm gates. Realm gates are shimmering portals used by inhabitants of the mortal realms to travel across between them. A gate that binds all the realms. The one that guards the gates has supreme power on all these realms and is called a gatekeeper."

"Is it like a war? Will I have to kill somebody? Hold up, that's if I even want this dumb job."

"What am I here for? I'll do the killing"

"That means people will be killed."

"Stars will."

"Does it matter? Somebody is dying—Be it human or star."

I just said that on impulse but I meant that. I can't watch anyone die. Suffering, sadness, death, I've had enough of it.

"Get out." I mumbled "And never come near me again. I'm never going to form a contract with you, you jerk!"

I had my eyes shut out of habit when I shouted. I felt a slight breeze and when I opened my eyes, he was gone. A demigod? I don't deserve such a divine status. Days went by, everything became normal again and I began spending my days reading. I believed that I would soon forget him.

But, I talked to someone after ten years. So, I still exist.

I looked up at the night sky while having my head filled with all these thoughts. The terrace was cold, but the cold can't be bothered. I sometimes have a body temperature lower than the temperature outside. I don't sleep. I just sit and read in the day and during the night, I stare at the moon, rise, and fall back into the horizon. I wish I could stand on the stars.

'Hey brat, could you come here and lay down so that I could stand on you?' I laughed at my own joke. Was it wrong to be this young and this tired? After a week, while I was reading a novel in the library of my house, I heard that familiar chirpy voice.

"Say, you're missing me, right?" That curly-headed menace was shamelessly standing at my window with a smile across his face. I couldn't believe it! What does he think of himself? He was so full of it, but, at the same time, it felt as if he read my mind. I was thinking about what he would be up to now.

"Absolutely not! My life is much simpler without you."

"Huh? Oh, you mean boring?" He smiled at me.

That brat, was he trying to hypnotize me or something? I was so not going to fall into his little trap.

"Why are you here?"

"To form a contract!"

"You are the pure definition of obstinate. No, I think I told you off properly last time, I can't, find someone else."

Suddenly, he got serious and bought his face really, really close to mine and said "I can't. It has to be you or no one, I want you."

He was so close to me, I felt, awkwardly weird. Even though his face was so close to mine, I couldn't feel his scent at all, as if he had none. While pushing him away from me, I asked;

"Why do you want to form a contract with me so badly?"

"That's because I want a body. If I form a contract with my fated demigod, I'll gain a human body and a soul. I'll become a star spirit rather than just a star. I've been waiting for this for a really long time!"

Like 5 years?

"I want to become your star spirit. I want to help you."

I should've realized that he wasn't five—All the knowledge that I gained by reading all these years told me one thing—Run. But, I never take orders—Not even from me myself. I agreed to form a contract. I agreed with specks of doubts lurking through my conscience. He moved his little finger crossing mine and I could see that red thread intervening our fingers together as they tangled. We looked inside a broken mirror.

We shouldn't have used a broken mirror.

-To be continued

Alright.

So, I guess I messed up quite a bit yesterday because when I opened my eyes this morning, I was lying beside a man. I guessed it right! It was that brat except he was not a little squirt anymore but had turned into a teenage boy about my age. This all happened when I formed a contract with him. It was suspicious how he exactly looked like my father.

He seemed to shine lightly with a tint of yellow and silver, the same colour as his hair. That ankle-biter, he was sleeping beside me on my bed holding my hands between his!

Wait—Sleeping?

I actually slept for the first time in ten years. I feel so refreshed!

However, that doesn't change the fact that this man was sleeping beside me! That's indecent! Henceforth, I decided to do the exact same thing a lady should do, which was to kick him out of my bed.

I was about to do so when he opened his eyes and lazily got up yawning and stretching his hands. I was waiting for an explanation when he said to me with a smile "Good morning, Milady. Yesterday sure was rough. Did you sleep well?"

"Shut up, you pipsqueak! What is this? Why were you sleeping with me!?" I shouted at him.

"Well, I had to protect the bed from your hands. If they would have touched it, then we won't have a bed anymore. Since your powers don't affect me, I decided to cover your hands with mine in order to save the bed.

And, I'm not a 'pipsqueak' anymore, I seem to have a body of a 17-year-old human boy. How convenient, I'm near your age. By the way milady, what's your name?"

I got up and stood up straight while pressing my chest with my left hand and slightly raising my chin while looking down at him.

"I'm lady Vierne Obolensky. The only heir and daughter of the late Earl, Avgustin Obolensky, and his wife Laura Obolensky. Nice to meet you. And, what is your name?" I had waited so long to do this! Now, I was waiting for an answer but he just blankly stared at me like an idiot.

Finally, after a good two minutes of staring, he opened his mouth and spouted,

"This means milady is nobility? Awesome! I'm so lucky. I'm going to serve a noble demigod, I just couldn't ask for more!" He squealed.

"You haven't answered my question yet," I said.

"Stars don't have a name."

"C'mon, that's not possible. You must have something by which people address you. I can't keep calling you 'brat' forever, now you're not even a brat!"

"I don't have a name but...I do have a title."

"A title? See, that's your name. What's your title?"

"The hour of music."

"Is that how people addressed you?"

"Yes."

"This really is a title, a weird one."

"But—now I'm not just a star anymore! I'm a star spirit, I have a demigod as my master, so I was wondering if..." He got all fidgety "If you could, you know, give me a name, Milady." His dull blue eyes looked into mine, and I could see a mixture of pleading and a bit of... Agh how to say this! Cuteness?

"A name? No problems, I'll give you a name, then. Let me think."

While I was thinking of something that would suit him, he was looking at me curiously. I could tell he was eager.

Looking into his blue eyes while thinking his name, I was lost in another world. It was as if I was drowning in the ocean, deep in the blue, staring at the golden sun overhead. Without any more thought, I just said,

"Lict."

As I said this, his chest began shining all of a sudden and then the light vanished just as suddenly.

"My name," He touched his chest.

"Your name is Lict. It means light."

"I love it! Lict, Lict, Lict, Lict, it feels so good speaking your own name, I have a name, I'm so happy!"

"It's easy to make you happy. You're simple, aren't you?"

"I swear I'm not what you're used to though." He smiled.

I was about to say something when my stomach started making weird noises. A feeling of discomfort covered me and I felt a strange emptiness in my stomach. It was as if my body was demanding something, but what? I haven't had this feeling in years.

"Oh! Are you hungry milady? I'll prepare breakfast." Lict looked at me.

"Hungry? What are you saying, I'm not a human, I don't feel hungry."

"Yes, but, you formed a contract with me, so now, your body needs to perform all the metabolic activities in order to survive. Basically now, you're no different from a human, Milady.

From now on you'll have to eat, sleep properly, bathe every day and carry out other human activities in order to stay healthy."

"You've gotta be kidding me!"

"Don't worry, I'll prepare the food and everything you need, Milady. Now, if I may ask, where is the pantry?"

"It is near the dining hall at the end of the—wait on! Don't try to change the subject, I'll kill you!"

"Well, dead people can't die,"

I grabbed his collar and like a fool asked him to take back all these human qualities I had now gotten within me. Feeling hungry would require food and food will cost money, I can't work so I won't be able to manage it for very long. He was so cute just a moment ago but now he's just acting like a jerk all over again!

Lemme just kill him inside my mind since its not legal to murder someone. He started walking towards the kitchen as I chanted inside my head—

I'll kill him I'll kill him I'll kill him I'll kill him I'll kill him I'll kill him.

He entered the kitchen which was a useless part of the mansion for all these years and was in a horrible condition. It was dusty and home of spider webs. In short, the idea of cooking in that kitchen made me sick to my bowels.

"Hey, how will you cook in here? We don't have any ingredients and this place is a wretch."

He simply smiled and said "Why don't you take a bath, Milady. I'll serve the food in a short while, you must be starving."

"Didn't you hear what I just said right now? How will you cook in here?"

"Don't worry. Serving you is what I'm here for, I'll clean it soon enough. As per the ingredients, I can always make them."

"Make them? What're you saying? What do you have a garden in your ***? You know what, fine then I'll take a bath."

I went to take a bath but even the bath was in the same condition as the kitchen. Just when I was returning to my room I could smell a wonderful smell, but what was it?

My body started acting on its own accord. I began following that smell and reached the dining hall. The table was cleaned and set just like how our maid used to set it.

It felt nostalgic. It was nothing but sheer perfection. Not even a speck of dust was seen anywhere. How could anyone possibly bring out such fine and neat work within such a small amount of time? I turned and found Lict holding a cloth.

"The breakfast is ready, Milady. Shall I set the appetizers?" Lict asked me with a smile.

Oh... So, now I'm gonna receive this white gloves treatment? And what's with this 'Milady'? So annoying!

"Lict, just what are you?"

"I'm music in human form." He smiled.

"Did you go to the market to get the ingredients?"

"No, I made them."

"Made them? How?"

"By using magic, Milady. I can make anything using the five elements of nature. I have control over them."

"You have powers?"

"But of course. I need to protect you after all."

"You are the opposite of me—You make things while I break them, how ironic."

"Well, then if the table's seated—Why don't you have some breakfast?"

"I will, thanks."

As I moved towards the table Lict pulled out the chair for me. I was surprised that he too had knowledge about basic etiquette.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" I asked.

"I'll only eat after Milady does."

"You're just like a butler!" I laughed.

"Well, that's a good job if that makes me see you every day, Milady."

"Yeah yeah sure."

I began with the appetizers. He made appetizer meatballs. It had been so long since I last tasted something that I was a little nervous bringing it near my mouth. As I smelled the meatball I had a stranger feeling of my appetite rising. My first bite was amazing. That was the first time I had eaten anything for the last ten years and it tasted amazing.

I could feel ice water and many other tastes like different spices and pork. By this time I knew one thing. I now had a personal butler who is amazing at cooking.

I ate breakfast as Lict arranged different dishes for me and all of them were amazing. He gave me the desert and told me that he was going to check on the bathroom.

While I ate the custard, he returned and announced that the bath was ready. In disbelief, I reached the bathroom and saw that the floor tiles were sparkling like diamonds. It looked really neat and well maintained. I was shocked. It hardly took him five minutes to clean up the mess and he had even arranged soap and shampoo.

He told me to take a bath while he was cleaning the entire house. As I hardly ever moved, my house had become like a haunted house filled with spider-webbed halls, a dusty lobby and broken furniture.

I went inside the bathroom and removed my clothes—I only ended up tearing them, thanks to my right hand. I noticed that I was sweating. I couldn't believe my eyes for a second but then I remembered that the metabolism of my body had started functioning again. I felt more human. I removed my glove using my mouth. I clenched the fingertip of one of my fingers with my teeth and pulled out the entire glove from my hand.

Then, I took the soap and it shattered to pieces. Great way to start a bath. Now, what could have I done? I was already ***** but I had nothing to wash with neither could I touch the fissure or shower with my right hand. You couldn't possibly take a bath without a bar of soap. Also, I didn't have any clothes left to wear. As I stood there in the bathroom thinking a way out of this problem, I heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Milady! I have finished cleaning the house, you haven't taken a bath yet?"

It was Lict. I was surprised it had been this long already. Damn, what else could have I done?

"The thing is," I hesitated as I felt that I would come rather foolish if I mentioned my silly mistake. But then I remembered that he was my butler so he had no right to judge me "I've lost the soap so could you get me another one." I was dead embarrassed having a guy do such a job for me.

"I couldn't hear you, Milady. Could you speak a bit louder?"

He was definitely enjoying me breaking my pride and begging him for a bar of soap but he hadn't seen the hell inside me yet!

"Fetch me a soap!" Okay, this time I practically screamed on top of my lungs. I felt like I suddenly addressed him like a dog—I didn't mean to.

"Understood, Milady," Answered Lict. After that, it was all footsteps. Maybe he liked it? Would he like it if I treat him like a dog—No, I shouldn't. That's just...not human. But I've read some humans like it—Being stepped on or being treated rashly. Yet again, Lict wasn't human. Humans are such a confusing concept.

"Milady, I got the soap." He had returned while I was lost in thoughts about humans and their pathetic pleasures. While I turned and moved towards the door to slightly open and take it—he slammed it open.

"Here, I got it, Milady." He looked at me into my eyes. I will tell you now, humans, I was wet.

Yes, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

-To be continued

Lady Vierne Obolensky