The touch of the creature was like the worst Winter as the hand was cold like ice. Belle could feel her body turning cold by every passing second as the creature was trying to get her soul out of the body.

"Your mother wasn't understanding, was she?

" asked the creature with a soft whisper.

Belle was trying to learn to keep her soul inside her so that it wouldn't be sucked in by the creature who was looking at her, the way her mother would have looked at her if she were still alive.

"She was not understanding but you have been so forgiving,

" said the creature, leaning forward to take a whiff of the soul that was in Belle and a smile appeared on her lips,

"She pushed you into doing things you were not comfortable with. Sitting with the relatives, talking to your cousins who often bullied you. She knew everything, yet she did nothing even when she knew how people were trying to embarrass you.

"

Belle had to remind herself that this was not her mother's memories and the creature was only trying to manipulate her by showing her the pain and loneliness that was trying to creep into her mind. Her mother had never been hurtful towards her but the way this creature adorned her mother's face and the way she looked, disappointment in her eyes, somewhere it broke Belle's heart.

She took a deep breath and then placed her hand on the creature's hand that was on her cheek,

"How dare you take her form and say things that were never on her mind,

" Belle said looking into the creature's eyes.

"

The creature who was smiling, its smile fell down when its hand started to burn and it quickly pulled away its hand. Taking a step back to see how the part of her hand started to disintegrate.

"What's happening!?

" asked the creature as it lost its hand, the residue of its hand falling down on the ground.

"I don't know,

" Belle answered, her voice quiet,

"...I think you're dying. Did you know...when a spirit comes here, dies and goes back again, they start from the very bottom.

"

The creature looked at her in an uncontrollable rage,

"Not if I eat you first,

" she stepped forward and a scythe came between them.

"Good luck with that,

" Lucas had appeared behind her and the creature didn't know how a reaper had appeared in this mansion.

"How about we share the soul?

" offered the creature. The face that she adorned started to break and crack like it wasn't able to keep up with its appearance,

"We can share the souls together and I will go on my way and you go on your own.

"

"You have quite some nerve to think that you can take the soul that belongs to me,

" said Lucas, a smile on his own face,

"The girl belongs to me. What makes you think I am willing to share something of mine?

"

In a single stroke, the creature turned to a heap of dust in front of them. Belle looked down at the minuscule particles that flew up in the air, in front of them like a heap of papers being burnt.

"What about the other person?

" asked Belle, her voice turning hollow with no emotion as she was emotionally drained.

"I took care of it,

" he answered, his scythe disappeared,

"You okay?

" he asked her and she gave him a nod.

"I am okay. The councilman?

"

"He's unconscious.

"

"He's seen things and so have the servants. One maid died and another is missing who must be dead too. What do you plan to do?

" asked Lucas to her and Belle frowned.

"They were not supposed to see anything.

"

When it was just Barron being caught, they had made up an instant lie that was believable. But right now, how were they going to explain about the creatures who had come here posing as her parents. They killed the maids...

Barron who heard the commotion die down, finally took a look at the councilman who was still unconscious. He then went to the kitchen to see the utensils and other things on the floor.

"Wow, looks like a hurricane in here,

" commented the rabbit,

"Good job, both of you,

" Barron said before asking,

"Any plans about what to do next? Are we going to kill the councilman to silence him?

"

"What? No,

" Belle didn't want to kill an innocent person who had nothing to do in this mansion,

"We are not going to kill a person. There's already enough death in this mansion.

"

Hearing this, Barron turned to look at Lucas who looked back at him as they seemed to have the same plan and intentions. The rabbit then said,

"You don't think the councilman is going to stay quiet now, do you? He's going to blabber once he finds the opportunity of what he saw here. It is going to reflect badly if someone were to hear that your parents are back from the dead.

"

"The maids know too much,

" Lucas added with his arms crossed.

"How are they not running from here?

" asked Barron, confused. It was a normal tendency to run for the hills and probably away after seeing what they witnessed today.

"I asked them to stay put.

"

"And they listened just like that?

" Barron gave a suspicious look.

Lucas didn't go to answer that he had threatened them with the same death as Mr. Adams who died in front of them.

"Did the councilman say anything more when he was here?

" asked Lucas to Belle.

Belle tried to remember if the man said anything more and she shook her head,

"Just that you were one of the suspects and he needed your statements to be recorded and sent to the council.

"

"What about the spirits who came in here?!

" asked Barron as they were shifting from the main subject.

"One thing at a time, bunny,

" replied Lucas as they made their way outside the kitchen and towards the hall and when Lucas' eyes fell on the space of the staircase, he turned to look at Barron,

"Did you shift him?

"

"I left him here before coming to meet you both,

" answered Barron and Belle raised her hand to rub the back of her neck. The councilman had got back his consciousness and had made a run as the front door was left slightly ajar.