Do Not Touch Me!

Chapter 7: Dinner at the Athanasius Mansion

Chapter 7: Dinner at the Athanasius Mansion

Mag-isa lang ako sa aking kuwarto. Nanibago ako dahil nakasanayan ko na ang puting mga pader at dingding, lalo na noong nasa main-headquarter ako ng RAGE, that was my temporary room where they conducted several tests on me to make sure that my cells and body is stable, since the virus called Lethalium inhibits my body.

Somehow, I found it ironic how a virus that kills anyone happens to be a cure for my illness. Binalik nito ang dating kagandahan ko, my porcelain skin, and the youthful glow that I once possessed. I feel like I was restored, but for a greater price. Was it wrong for me to want to live even though I got no one to live for? Because I wanted to survive, two people died already, and I know more will die in the future at the command of Dr. Achilles and RAGE.

I sighed.

Hindi ko alam kung kailan ibibigay ang aming unang mission, but I know when the time comes, it will be arduous and hard. Pero wala akong magagawa, kapalit ng buhay ko ay magiging alipin ako ng RAGE. I laughed at the idea of that. It is not like I had plans for my future, I was only existing. Perhaps this is my purpose? Kaya siguro sa akin pa natama ang success ng Project Lethalia, dahil para sa akin ang trabahong ito. This must be my purpose and what I was meant to do. Somehow, that gave meaning to my meaningless life.

I was always searching for something I am good at, and now this was given to me. They call it lethal touch. I closed my eyes after laying down on my queen-sized bed. Malambot ang katre, and somehow, it was soothing. I felt safe and sound in an unfamiliar room that is about to be my own personal space.

Matapos ang ilang sandali ay nakarinig ako ng katok mula sa pinto ng aking kuwarto. "Who is there?" I asked. It must be one of the Seven Deadly Sins member, but what do they want with me?

"Miss Mary, I am Thalia Red, a servant of the Dunkirk Household, " of course, Athanasius's family has servants, they are filthy rich! "This is to inform you that dinner is already served, and if it pleases you since it is your first time here, I will guide you to the Dining Hall. The rest of the members are already there and are waiting for you. Since you are new, please be aware as well that dinner is always served at 7PM, while breakfast is served at 7AM, on the other hand, lunch is optional and you can just have anyone in the kitchen to make any meal of your wish, or not."

Bumangon agad ako sa kama at saka ko pinihit ang busol ng pinto, pero bago iyon ay sinabihan ko muna si Thalia. "Make sure to keep a meter distance away from me. For your safety."

"No need to worry, Miss Mary. We were all informed beforehand already regarding your case."

So they are aware?

I see.

"Alright." I stated, lumabas na ako sa aking kuwarto at si Thalia naman ay siniguradong may distansya sa aming dalawa upang hindi kami magkaroon ng contact. Tumitig muna siya sa akin, tila nagulat sa aking itsura, pagkatapos ay tumalikod na siya at naglakad. Sumunod na lang ako.

Bumaba kami papunta sa unang palapag, lumiko at kumanan, sobrang lawak talaga ng mansion na ito at sobrang grande rin ng mga dekorasyon. Hindi ako makapaniwala na ganito kaganda ang aming sub-headquarter. It felt like I was rich, but I own nothing, only a life that was given and a power that means death to anyone I hold.

"Andito na po tayo," saad ni Thalia matapos nitong tumigil sa harap ng hall kung saan naririnig ko na ang tinig ng ibang mga miyembro ng Seven Deadly Sins. Hindi ko na rin pala namalayan ang oras kanina sa tagal kong nagmuni-muni.

Nanatili si Thalia sa labas ng Dining Hall, ako naman ay pumasok na. Malawak ang pahabang mesa at puno ng pagkain sa mesa nito. Si Athanasius ang nasa kabisera, at sa tabi naman niya ay sina Shinigami at Sayuri. On the opposite side was Portgas, and two chairs away from him was Sunhell.

Viveron was nowhere to be found, but I already figured she does not need to eat at all since she is in the virtual world.

Bumaling ang tingin ng lahat sa akin nang napansin nila ang aking presensiya, at halatang hindi pa sila nagsisimulang kumain. All of them waited for me.

"The princess is here," Sayuri smirked at me.

"Take your seat now, Mary. So we can start with dinner. It is a rule, by the way, that all members must eat together during breakfast and dinner, lunch is optional and up to you. Viveron must have forgotten to orient you with the basic rules and conduct of the Seven Deadly Sins, but is it safe to assume that my dad has already given you the three conditions?"

I nodded.

"Alright, it applies to all of us. Anyway, in case someone touches you and not you touching someone, that is excluded. Like the assassin a few hours ago who met his demise. That is beyond your control." Aniya.

I nodded once more. Tumingin ako sa kanilang lahat at sa mga upuan sa tabi nila. I decided to take the farthest table from them, and they all stared at me, but then I saw the realization in their eyes on how dangerous I was, and it seems like they were somehow relieved that they did not need to tell me to stay away from them, since they are also not immune to my virus.

"You don't need to stay that far from us, Mary. It's alright. You can move to the center of the table, just to be a little closer to the rest of us." Athanasius said, the rest were silent as hell. I know they did not agree. They must fear me after seeing what I effortlessly did to the assassin.

I faked a smile, "it is okay. I am doing this for myself too. I don't want to cause an accident here. Precautions are necessary." I stated.

"If that is what you insist," Athanasius said. "We shall respect that."

I wanted to open up, that I had the right to know what happened to the old member who also had the same name as mine, Mary, why I replaced her and stuff... Did she die? What was she like? Or to be more specific, what was her ability?

Nagsimula na kaming kumain lahat. Pinasadahan ko rin ng tingin ang lahat. I was an introvert, and because of it, I developed a habit of observing people. That is something I was good at when I was still normal, or human. Well, I am still human... But I am already an existence that defies the laws of nature, even the rest of the members who are with me in the Dining Hall. Kaya kailangang sikreto ang aming existence. It was for our own good too.

Naisip ko, we do the dirty work, but it is for a good cause. To protect the peace of the country. I always believed the end does not justify the means, but now, I think it does. It has to, given that there are things beyond our control, and that the concept of good and bad are just matters that direct our way of life. It does not mean anything at all. If it is for order and peace, I guess it is alright to take a criminal's life. I made myself believe with this notion, somehow, thinking this way made killing easier and less heavier on my part. I already did that to an arsonist and an assassin. If they lived, how many lives may have been taken away? Thinking this way, I might have saved a life.

I was too lost and deep in my thoughts, hindi ko namalayan tinatawag na pala ng mga kasama ko ang aking pangalan.

"Do you like the food, Mary?" Tanong ni Athanasius.

I smiled and nodded. Masasarap ang mga pagkain, pero hindi ko ma-enjoy sa sobrang dami ng aking iniisip. "Yes, the food tastes great."

"Aba dapat lang, kami ni Shinigami ang nagluto." Ngumisi si Sayuri matapos ang ilang sandali, "dahil dyan, plus ten points ka sa amin."

Ngumisi si Shinigami naman. Halatang proud sila sa kanilang sarili at natuwa pa dahil sa aking sinabi na masarap ang mga pagkain. I was surprised, to be honest, hindi ko in-expect na sila ang nagluto.

"We only have one servant here, by the way, and she is Thalia Red. She is the one keeping the mansion at its best state, especially while we are out. Mahirap kasing kumuha ng iba pang kasama na mapagkakatiwalaan, but do not worry, Thalia is trust-worthy as she also used to be an employee under RAGE, inatasan siya ni Papa na maging katulong natin." Biglang singit ni Athanasius, "speaking of, why is Thalia not with us?"

"You know why, she always prefer to eat alone. Kailan pa ba siya sumabay?" Portgas retorted.

"On point," Sunhell nodded in agreement.

They were all close, I can sense that. As someone who is new to this group, I felt like I was an outsider and that I did not belong. I felt like I was vacating a space that was meant for someone else. I wanted to know, I wanted to ask, but I could not. Naalala ko ang mga sinabi rin ni Athanasius sa akin, na mas mabuti nang may mga bagay akong hindi alam para sa aking ikabubuti. But I am a curious person, also, a stubborn one. Hindi ako matatahimik hangga't hindi ko malalaman ang totoo.

There is something fishy, and it seems like they are all hiding something from me. Only Viveron has spoken bits and pieces of the truth, but it was not enough to know the entirety of it. All I know is that I am indeed a replacement, and that the girl I replaced was also named Mary.

That was all Viveron can give me, and I understand that since as a system, she must have been embedded with strict limitations as well that restricts her free-will. Bigla kong nalala rin ang sinabi ni Athanasius sa akin na huwag ako magtiwala sa kanila, despite the fact that we must all watch each other's back. Sinabi pa niya na baka may pakulo lang si Viveron lalo sa assassin noon, imposible na hindi nito made-detect ang kalaban.

I shook all my thoughts away and decided to just focus on eating my dinner. Thinking too much is exhausting and draining in itself already.

Nang matapos kaming kumain ay nagpaalam na kaming lahat sa isa't isa at tumungo sa aming mga kuwarto. Sinabi ni Athanasius sa akin na maaari kong libutin din ang mansion bukas, maraming lugar daw dito na pwedeng pampalipasan ng oras. Hindi rin daw tiyak at sigurado kasi kung kailan ibibigay ang aming mission, and there are also times that it takes weeks until a mission arrives, at minsan, sunod-sunod pa.

All he said is that we must always be ready, just in case. He has the spirit of a leader, and that makes sense, it must be deeply embedded and running in his genes, given the fact that Dr. Achilles, his father, also happens to be the leader of RAGE, the top-secret organization under the Central Government, that we are working for. He also is passionate, I have observed that.

I was alone once more, and I felt safer this way, knowing no one will be harmed. I closed my eyes, I felt the exhaustion running deep in my body, and I closed my eyes. Somehow, it felt like I finally had the best sleep in years again. The last time I slept like this was when my parents were still alive.

To sleep with a purpose, this hits differently.