'I wonder what happened?'
Raven's mind wandered to the sight of that wailing pig strangling himself. Had he wanted to kill himself? Not that she was complaining, but he should have asked her for an assistance with his death. It was a favor she could have done for him, since his voice had been quite annoying to her ears.
She had only stabbed his knee with a cutlery knife she stole from the meals delivered to her room in the sixth madam's manor. Well…she hadn't stolen a cutlery knife technically. She only hid it, albeit secretly, for safety reasons. Anyway, she had taken her revenge. There was no need to include that man in her thoughts.
Still with a grin on her face, Raven felt the stinging gazes. No one had to tell her that the obvious gazes belonged to the original owner's family.
Was she late? Raven turned her sight away from the double door.
Before she took a step further, Raven sensed something fast heading towards herself. Trusting on her instincts, she tilted her head slightly and a mirage of white smashed on the doors behind her.
Clank!
The loud sound of a breaking plate rang loudly in her ear. Raven threw a fleeting glance at the broken pieces clattering on the floor.
'I haven't even taken my seat yet.' Raven's gaze deepened before finding the long dining table with the original owner's family. Her eyes first landed first on a familiar boy standing a few feet away from the dining table. His arms were folded on his chest with an unapologetic smirk on his lips. His bold stance seemed to be announcing that he was the one who had thrown the plate at her. He appeared to be proud of that fact and not seeming sorry shards of that plate would have injured that Raven, his youngest sister.
'What an arrogant cutie.' Raven inwardly sized this boy. The gob- fish boy who almost kicked her on her first day in the original owner's body.
This was the apparent reason why she had hidden that cutlery knife without Jane's knowledge. From the memories of the original owner, if the older siblings ignored her, this particular boy was the one who tormented her.
As for the reason, the original owner had no idea.
However, Raven had a guess. Staring at his conceited self, and noting the glee in his eyes, Raven had a feeling that the latter must have enjoyed toying with the weak original owner.
Like a cunning fox cornering and playing with its prey before devouring it to death. The fear of the original owner must have fed the ego of this little boy on her front.
How did she know? Well...she was the same. Toying with her preys before they eventually die by her hands was something was one of many things she absolutely loved most in the world.
Raven momentarily shifted her gaze to her other siblings, who sat still as if nothing had taken place in the room just now. Two girls who looked the same threw glances at her, while the rest of her siblings kept to themselves. Even the servants in the room stood still like statues. Their gazes forward, not looking at the shattered plate or herself.
This had happened to the original owner several times. No one spoke up for her at times like this. They just kept quiet, as if they were blind to her bad situations.
'What an interesting family.' Raven was very certain that her time in this world would not be a waste of her new life.
''You gave such a warm welcome to this younger sister, fourth brother'' Raven's sweet and soft voice rang out in the quiet room. She slowly took a step and another, closing the distance between herself and the fourth elder brother of the original owner.
The fourth young master of the Langston family.
What was the best way for a prey like herself to tame such person deluding himself as a fox?
''W-What?'' Raven's lips widened at the sight of his confusion. He probably wondered why she, the original owner in his eyes, was not crying and trembling in terror? Or why she talked back? The original owner had never been one to talk back. She only lowered her head with fear emitting from her trembling body.
''This younger sister's heart is overjoyed that fourth brother remains the same.'' Raven inwardly patted herself on the back for the way of her words. She was getting used to the way of speech of this world little by little.
''But fourth brother…'' Raven stopped directly before the confused little boy with their heights almost similar to one another. She was only a head shorter than him.
Her smile naturally played on her lips, and her vibrant eyes on the person. Her fingers twitched to strangle his neck right now.
''You take your jokes too far.'' If this little boy wanted to kill the original owner, he should have done it directly and not taking corners. Raven suddenly wondered how the original owner survived in such family.
If she were him, she would have done swift without chances. Taking corners to end a life was very irritating.
''You….'' His eyes flashed in anger. How dare a weakling like her scold him for throwing plates? She was the one who deserved to die! She should have been dead on the battle grounds!
''Fourth brother.'' Raven interrupted in a clipped tone. Her gaze bore into his startled own, still with her smile. For a moment, Raven was a bit confused about the color of his eyes. Were they like the Grand duke's or a lighter color of his hair?
The colors of eyes in this world were very questionable.
''We are not on the battle grounds. This is the family dinner and you don't want to anger father, do you?'' Raven's voice was soft and light. For preys to fight against predators, they must find another to protect them from danger. The original owner's father's name was her protection in this place. Raven was shameless to use it without caring about the consequences.
She was his daughter, wasn't she?
''…..!"
As Raven expected, the fourth young master flinched upon hearing her words about his father. But he still remained unreconciled.
''H-How could I make father angry?! Ha!'' He sneered, looking down on her. ''Don't you know that father has praised my swordsmanship? Unlike you, a weak….''
''Enough!'' Another voice joined their conversation with a yell.
Raven turned her head a little to the side and stared at the man regarding at them with disdain in his eyes. Yes, he was a man, because he was the eldest brother of the original owner, someone much older than herself.
''Edwin, apologize to your younger sister.''
''Eldest brother! How can…''
''And Raven, don't carelessly use father's name. You and Edwin should sit down in silence. Both of you are disrupting the peace of father's manor.''
''…Yes, Eldest brother.'' Raven slowly accepted the admonishment. Her eyes curved so beautifully and twinkled like crystals. She watched the man, whipping his gaze away with a snort, after sending his warnings to them.
''You, clean that up before father's arrival.''
''Yes, first young master.''
Some servants hurried to clean up the shards on the floor and Raven returned her gaze back to Edwin; the fourth elder brother of the original owner, who was glaring at her with resentment that could kill on the spot. Her eyes flickered with amusement before passing him by the dining table.
''You must watch your back, Brother Edwin.'' Edwin flinched at the whisper that sounded so clear in his ear. He whipped his head around of his weak fourth young sister, only to face her back.
''...Hmph!'' Edwin disregarded those words as a fluke. There's no way this weakling would warn him to watch his back. He was a powerful swordsman for his age! His weak fourth sister could never compare to him, despite her pure blood.
Meanwhile, Raven's gaze flashed with amusement.
The best way for a prey to tame it predator was to become a higher predator. A predator that demand fear and respect from another.
That higher predator was herself and the nearby predators will never know what happens to them after crossing her way.
''Thank you for standing up for this younger sister, Eldest brother.'' Raven did not forget to appreciate the efforts of her eldest brother.
Eegan snorted in response. ''Edwin return to your seat. Father will arrive soon.''
He paid no mind to Raven's words.
Edwin snapped out of his daze and quickly replied. ''Y-Yes, Eldest brother.''
He returned to his seat in haste. In his heart, Edwin vowed to make his weak fourth sister's life hell. Did she think that she could do something to him when she had nothing in the first place? What a funny delusion.
Raven's smile did not falter when the original owner's eldest brother ignored her. She also ignored the glare from Edwin beside her. The little boy would be mindful of his actions since the eldest had spoken.
'Anyway…' Raven's looked at the plate in her front on the table. Her beautiful face reflected on the shining surface with a knowing glint in her eyes.
'I can't believe that this world, and these people, are inside a novel.'