Disclaimer: This story was inspired by "Thank You For Being Born" on the Umineko soundtrack. Look it up on YouTube.
Frederica Bernkastel has a reputation for being the "Cruelest Witch in the Universe". And she is.
Doing everything in her power to force another witch to surrender, even if it meant involving innocent humans.
Creating a piece that frames an innocent woman for the murder of her husband and daughter.
Abusing that piece when it fails.
Forcing a six-year-old child to choose between a loving aunt and a beloved older brother.
That's just a few of the terrible things she's done. Really, it's quite ironic that the Cruelest Witch in the Universe has the title of the Witch of Miracles.
Of course, even she has her reasons for how she came to have that title. Being mercilessly slaughtered by the people she called her friends over and over. And once she'd finally won the game against Lambdadelta, she separated from the piece that won. She was no longer "Furude Rika".
Very few people know that Bernkastel still visits those kakera from time to time. Lambdadelta probably suspects it, but refrains from teasing her. After all, she does the same thing. She playfully flirts with Bernkastel, but it's clear to the Witch of Miracles that the Witch of the Absolute still has lingering feelings for the man with the camera.
Despite being slaughtered by them countless times, Bernkastel often visits her friends at night, as they sleep.
She visits Keiichi the most. With the others, she simply watches. Keiichi is the exception.
Bernkastel enjoys stroking her finger along his cheek, his neck, his lips, down his chest… And she has kissed him more than once. Sometimes she even lies next to him.
Bernkastel isn't sure if these are her own feelings, or if she hasn't quite separated from Furude Rika. And did Rika have special feelings for Keiichi? It's true that he had given her the hope of smashing the Endless June. Even if she claims to have separated from Furude Rika, the memories are still there.
There's no telling how warped Bernkastel would have turned out had he not given Rika that hope.
And she owes it all to the existence of this one boy.
"To tell the truth…" She says one night, knowing the boy can't hear him. "I'm glad that you were born."
He stirs slightly and for a second she is surprised, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he heard her.
But he rolls over, oblivious. She sighs and prepares to return to Beatrice's realm. The next game will be starting soon.
"I met an idiot not unlike you recently." She says before she departs. "I wonder if my piece in that realm will love him as my piece in this realm loves you?"
Keiichi still snores quietly. Bernkastel sighs once more.
"I wasn't lying a moment ago. I thank your parents for giving you life. And…" She says quietly, planting a small kiss on his forehead. "I thank you for being born."
And she's gone.