Where am I ? It had happened so fast that I completely lost my bearings : a second ago, I was outside, talking to Maribel and Kinshou, and now... is this a prison cell ? Looking around, it looked like how I had always imagined the inside of a castle's dungeon to look like : cold cobblestones paved the floor, building up to form solid, slightly damp walls, interrupted only by a sliding grid of metal bars forming an entrance on one side of the cell. Through the bars, I could see a hallway, dimly lit by gas candles lining the walls. The cell itself had nothing : no beds, seats, or even a toilet. I hope whoever put me here doesn't indent to keep me long...
Worst of all, they've taken Maribel somewhere else. I felt my heart pounding in my chest as questions started overtaking me. Why did they take her somewhere else ? Why not put us here together ? Did they want her for something ? Remembering the events of last night, I started hyperventilating, leaning on the wall to try to stay on my feet. Oh god, they're going to eat her, aren't they ? They're starting with her, and then, they're going to-
...
"Will you shut up ?" A gruff, male-sounding voice rose from the back of the cell; I looked up at where it had come from, and, barely distinguishable from the darkness in the corner of the cell, I noticed who it was : Segare. Damn it ! I don't want my last moments to be with him !
"They're not going to eat her," he said in a moody, disinterested way. "They want her for something, so it won't be that." Oh. Oops. I must have been panicking aloud. I straightened up, trying to conceal my embarrassment. After taking a few deep breaths and sitting down with my back against the wall, I decided to try and get the most out of him possible.
"How do you know ? Were you able to talk to them ?" I hear an annoyed grunt from the shadows, but he decided to answer me anyway. That's right. It's not like you have anything better to do.
"I was thrown in here a few hours ago. Some kinda maid eventually came in, asking 'bout some blond haired chick. I thought she meant my sister, but her description didn't fit. Your friend, though..."
"Is that all ? Did she say what she wanted her for ?" The brief vision of the person I saw as I got transported here crossed my mind. "Oh, did the maid have silvery-white hair ?"
Another grunt, affirmative-sounding this time. What an eloquent person. "Yeah, that's the one. And no, that's all she said." He seemed to hesitate for a bit, before falling silent again.
...
I didn't have anything else to say to him anyway, as he shuffled around in the darkness to turn his back to me. Knowing that Maribel hadn't been taken away to be eaten, or something equally... fatal, reassured me a bit, but I was far from able to say that I wasn't worried. They could have lied to him, or wanted something from her and end up killing her anyway, or...
I felt empty. They had separated us, the one thing I was most afraid of. Without her, what am I even good for ? She's the one who gives me energy, the one who gives me the motivation to do anything. If they separate us for good, I don't even know what I'll do... I was feeling the effects of Maribel-withdrawal already. Without her shining smile, her golden hair, her warm, gentle kindness, I quickly grew dull, withdrawing into myself. It was her who reached out to me and got me to open up, who managed to make me to smile with her; she lit up my days, and now... I felt tears choking me up, despite doing everything I could to suppress them. It wasn't just the despair from being separated, though; the tears were also tainted with bitter frustration. I knew something was going to happen ! I told myself, since we're in danger, that I might not get the chance to tell her how I feel for very much longer, but no, I waited anyway ! And now look what's happened ! I couldn't hold them back any longer, and, hunched up in a ball, I buried my face between my arms, starting to sob quietly. This isn't an adventure anymore. This isn't fun. I just want to go home. I just want to be with her, without having to fear for our lives. I want to wake up from this nightmare !
...
I sat there, crying, for what felt like ages. Eventually, the tears ceased, but the emptiness inside me and the resentfulness I felt towards myself remained; I started trying to rationalise the situation, in an attempt to feel better. It might not be that bad. After all, I know nothing about the people here. They might not eat people ! They might just want to talk to her, and then they'll let us go, and we'll be together again ! I laughed nervously. I was never good at calming myself down when Maribel was potentially in danger. When I learned that she had to go into quarantine after the chimera attack, because she had an "unknown disease", my reaction had been similar : the worst-case scenarios had clouded over my usual level-headedness, despite how much I tried to tell myself I was being unreasonable. This situation is just terrible, though. Not only am I separated with here, but we're in her stupid, dangerous dream world, and to top it all off, my last contact with humanity might well be... him.
I had already decided that not talking at all was better than trying to talk to him, but I kept feeling compelled to ask him meaningless questions, not because I thought he knew the answer, but to seek reassurance, confirmation : will she be alright ? Will I get to see her again soon ? Does she feel the same way about-
...
Just then, the iron bars slid open slightly : a maid with silvery hair had walked right up to our cell without me even hearing her coming. She placed a tray on the ground, and was about the close the cell again when I leapt to my feet.
"Wait !", I called out, trying to seize the only link I had between myself and Maribel right now. She carried on closing the bars, but turned to face me once it was securely shut again, staring at me through the gaps in the bars, silent.
"Why are we here ? More importantly, what have you done with Mari... with the blonde haired girl in the purple dress ?" She stayed silent for a while, and I was worried she was going to leave without answering; finally, though, she spoke up.
"The Mistress has a proposition for Maribel. Until the discussions are finished, you may not see her." She turned, about to walk away.
"Wait !" I was desperate; I needed to know more, to be sure she was safe; only then could I even begin to calm myself. "Will I get to see her after the... the discussions ? Will... will she be safe ?"
She remained motionless. "The fact that you two are here should be enough to guarantee her safety, for now." She then turned, revealing a sinister smile, made even more frightening due to the flickering light of the gas lamps. "As to whether you will see her again or not... That depends solely on her. Even if you do, whether or not you recognise her or not is another matter."
I blinked, and she had gone.
...
I sat back down, feeling heavy with dread. Whatever they're discussing, this isn't going to end well. What could they possibly to do her that would make me not recognise her ? Flashes of various kinds of torture passed through my head, but I quickly blocked them out; I couldn't even bare to think about that. Trying to forget what I had just thought, I remembered the tray that had been placed on the ground : crawling over to it, it saw that on it, there were two glasses of water, and two small loafs of bread. I grabbed one of each, before glancing over at Segare to make sure he wasn't about to yell at me for taking food; he seemed to be sleeping, from what I could tell. How ? How can you sleep here ? Without thinking any further, I took a bite out of the bread, and drank down most of the cup, before freezing. Oh no. This could easily be poisoned.
...Well, the damage is done, right ? Might as well not be hungry as I die, cold and alone.
Honestly, I didn't really believe it was poisoned, since it would be waste. The way the maid had said that the fact that we here certified Maribel's safety could only mean one thing for me : the "mistress" wouldn't go hungry as long as we were there to satiate her, which meant Maribel could continue discussing whatever it was they had taken her for. They feed the humans, and then they eat them. That's how cattle works, right ?
Well, I'm no idle cow. I'll be putting all the chances on my side.
Glancing over at Segare to make sure he was still asleep, I carried the tray over to my side of the cell, placing it in such a way that my own body almost blocked it from his sight. I then crammed the remaining loaf of bread into one of my pockets; it bulged out in a most conspicuous was, but with the lack of proper lighting, I hoped he wouldn't notice.
For Maribel, if they haven't fed her.
...
Nothing happened for the next few hours. Multiple times, I was tempted to eat the bread myself, but I resisted, reminding myself who it was for. If I ever see her again. I was also tempted to walk around the cell, in the vain hope that there was a loose stone in the wall or that the metal bars weren't properly closed, but Segare had made some noise, probably waking up, and I didn't want him to see the tray. I felt bad, depriving him from what might have been his only meal for two days, but I couldn't just give it to him now, after having hid it for a few hours. So, having dug myself into inaction, I spent most of the afternoon sitting on the cold stone floor, thinking, worrying, wishing I was reunited with Maribel.
Until now, I didn't realise how hopelessly in love I was with her. But now, seeing what a useless mess I am without her, there's no doubt in my mind about it. At least that'll make it easier to tell her if we both get out of this alive, right ? Despite the bitterness with which I reminded myself that I might have missed my last chance to tell her how I felt about her, those thoughts were my lifeline : over and over, I imagined our reunion, playing out different scenarios in my head. Sometimes, she came to rescue me, and we fled in the dead of the night, leaving this terrible mansion behind us; once we had gotten to safety, she would fall into my arms, and I would embrace her, telling her how much I cared about her... Or, even better, next time the maid came, I'd set some kind of trap for her, and burst out of the cell, finding Maribel, and bringing her to safety, maybe even carrying her ? Yes, and as I carried her, I would tell her, and, like in every one of the scenarios I played out in my head, she would reveal that she, too, had always loved me...
And every time, a little voice at the back of my head never failed to remind me :
You may never see her again.
...
Without any sign of daylight, I had completely lost track of time; it was only when the maid visited for a second time with another tray of food that I realised it must be evening. Noticing that I was going to talk, she cut me off before I even started.
"The Mistress has decided to let your friend think about her proposition overnight. There will be no new developments until morning. I suggest you go to sleep after eating. Tomorrow morning, your fate will be decided." And at that, she left, ignoring my pleas for more information.
Well, this is it for now, then. I looked at the tray : despite being terrible hungry, having only eaten a single loaf of bread in two days, the mere sight of it repelled me; I felt sick to my stomach, although I knew it was from worry. They just expect me to eat my dinner and go to sleep like a good little prisoner. Do they realise how difficult either one of those will be ? I barely paid attention when Segare went up to the tray, not caring if he took mine or not. I'd have deserved it anyway. However, before slinking back to his corner of the cell, I noticed him staring at me. Looking up at him, he appeared to be on the verge of asking me something, but couldn't seem to bring himself to do so.
"What is it ?" I asked, trying not to sound excessively cold.
"Did... did you see what they did to my sister." He mumbled, the end of his question trailing off until it became almost inaudible. So despite your prickly exterior, you do have a semblance of feelings, hmm ? He raised a good point, though : I had been so preoccupied worrying about Maribel that Kinshou had slipped my mind. Thinking back, I told him the little I knew.
"She was still in front of the mansion just before Maribel and I were captured. She had been hiding in the bushes for a few hours, but since the maid seems to be able to teleport, I was in here before I even knew what was going on."
"So if she got caught, it's because you two came along." After that remark, he went to sit back down where he had been all day, without another word. I was burning with anger, tempted to throw the tray right at his stupid face. You think I wanted us to be captured ? Maybe if you hadn't been so damn useless, none of us would be here ! I sat there, seething for a while, before deciding that I had more important things to worry about.
...
We didn't say a word the rest of the afternoon, preferring to pretend that we were invisible to each other. From having sat again the cold walls for so long, I was stiff all over, which only encouraged me further to not move at all.
Tomorrow morning. On the bright side, I have a deadline, now. Whatever happens, at least I won't be in this horrible state of uncertainty... So, bring it on. Either give me hope, or crush it out of me for good.
Somehow, I must have drifted off, because I spent the whole night haunted by horrible visions of what could be happening to Maribel. When I awoke, I barely felt like I had had any rest at all; my entire body was sore and cold, and it took a good ten minutes just to get myself moving without being in pain. I still had no way of telling the time; I remembered my phone, which I hadn't used since the bus brought us here, but the batteries had died anyway. Going by the feeling of anticipation that was boring a hole in my stomach, I guessed it must be morning.
...
The sound of the metal bars opening confirmed my hunch. The maid had appeared silently in front of our cell once again. This time , she opened the cell wide open, and, addressing both of us, said :
"Maribel will now make her decision. It will affect the both of you, so the Mistress wishes for you to be present. You will now follow me."
Segare had dropped his act of disinterest, scrambling to his feet now that there was a sign of hope. The maid started to walk back down the corridor. Not going to warp us this time, hmm ? I wondered if it was to built tension or something; if it was, it was working. The idea of finally seeing Maribel again was making me tremble, both out of excitement and out of fear that they had done something to her. The corridor branched out in other directions after a while : arriving at one of these intersections, we were ordered to stay put. The maid left, and, less than a second later, was back with Kinshou in tow.
"Segare !", she exclaimed, running up to him, but she was stopped by a flash of silver metal : the maid had taken out a dagger, and was holding it between the two siblings.
"No talking. Keep your distance from each other."
We had no choice but to keep walking in silence; despite the fact that they weren't allowed to talk to each other, I still felt bitter with jealousy that Segare and Kinshou were reunited : at least they knew that the other was safe and unharmed. All I knew was that Maribel was alive. Eventually the corridors lead to a staircase, bringing us out of the underground part of the mansion and into a different hallway, which was now carpeted and furnished : we were now in inhabited part of the mansion. What was striking about the interior, now that I was seeing it properly, was that, even though it was morning, the windows were all covered over with dark red curtains, giving the light in the mansion a scarlet tinge. Along the walls were the typical things I had imagined would be in an old mansion : suits of armour, large oil paintings, expensive-looking vases... At the end of the corridor was a large, wooden door, which our warden pushed open, leading us into a vast room : a red carpet led up to a small flight of stairs, which served only to elevate a throne, on which was sitting... a young girl.
...
As I approached, the young girl was staring at me, never breaking eye contact, smiling maliciously the whole time; by the time I was in the place the maid ordered us to stand, I noticed that her smile revealed a pair of large, sharp-looking teeth. She was wearing a pink dress with a red ribbon around the middle, with what looked like a night cap on her head. But the most noticeable aspect was what lay behind her. Are those... wings ? Sure enough, she had a pair of thin, fleshy wings, which reminded me of those of a bat. Despite her small stature and childish clothing, she still had a certain aura of imposing power around her, making me only more nervous. So this is the "mistress", then.
On the other side of the room, another door opened, and out came the maid (who seemed to have vanished as I was entranced by the young girl), followed by Maribel.
Maribel !
I started to run up to her, but the girl on the throne stopped me. "Stay where you are ! For now, you are my prisoner. You will keep your distance to her." Her voice carried a surprising air of authority despite its juvenile qualities; I stopped in my tracks, unable to defy her. The maid brandishing her knife also didn't encourage me to try anything daring. Maribel had gotten closer anyway : observing her as closely as I could, I couldn't notice any signs of physical harm. She seemed tired, though, and I felt my heart constrict when I noticed she was deliberately avoiding eye contact.
...
The maid led her to the bottom of the flight of stairs, before going to stand next to her mistress's throne. This put Maribel under a lot of pressure, both from her height disadvantage as well as being two against one. They clearly know what to do to put someone under pressure. Straightening up in her seat, the winged girl finally spoke.
"As you are well aware, I am Remilia Scarlet, the head of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, in which we are all standing." She glanced over at me with a sly smile : this was clearly aimed at me. "Yesterday, I made a proposition to Maribel Hearn : I could offer her the power to guarantee her safety, as well as the safety of anyone she cared for. In exchange, she would become... one of us. A vampire."
She paused for effect, a grin spreading across her face. A vampire ? She really is one ? It seemed obvious enough from everything I had seen, but I hadn't yet admitted to myself that we really were in a world where we could be face-to-face with a vampire. And yet, she wants to make Maribel one, too ? Why ? In a few short sentences, the vampire had completely shattered any expectations I had about what they may have been talking about, plunging me into a completely unforeseen situation. What would it mean, anyway ? The power to protect people ? Vampires must be powerful, but there has to be a catch... There was an obvious one right all around me, wherever I looked : the curtains blocking the sunlight were there for a reason. Would she never be able to go outside again ?
"As of last night, you were... not quite convinced by my proposition. I gave you ten hours to think about it, and now, I ask for your final answer." She stood up, flaring her wings. "Maribel, do you agree to my proposition ?"
Maribel had lowered her head : she had huge, dark rings around her eyes, and she was paler than usual; evidently, she had spent a good deal of time restlessly thinking about it. They were discussing it all day, as far as I know, so she must have had more to go on to make her decision. For a start, does she know what will happen to us if she refuses ? I shuddered : I could imagine a great deal of unpleasant things that could happen. But then, the only choice is... I started panicking again, starting to hyperventilate, thinking about the choice that was offered to her. Maribel ? A vampire ? She can't live like that !
She finally looked up : fixing Remilia straight in the eye, she started to speak, but her voice sounded different somehow, more mature, with an almost mysterious tone to it : it was barely recognisable as the Maribel I knew and loved.
"I have reflected on your proposition all night, and I have chosen to decline it," she answered, staring defiantly at the young vampire; her eyes almost seemed to be glowing with an eerie purple light. It must the strange lighting of this place, surely... "If I am to shape this world, it will be without allowing myself to be subjugated to anyone. I hold the power over this place in my own hands, so I will not be needing your help."
I stopped breathing so heavily, mostly due to once again being dreadfully confused. What is she saying ? The power to shape the world ? You don't have anything like that... A flash of surprise passed over Remilia's face, but she quickly hid it with another grin. "So, you say you have all the power you need already, is that right ?" She chuckled, until, all of a sudden, her face twisted into a frightening grimace.
"You three. Step forwards."
There was no resisting her orders, especially now that there was an enraged fire burning in her eyes.
"Human," she growled, addressing Maribel once more, "my offer was a generous one, one that few people have ever been graced with." She sighed, but it was an exaggerated sigh; seeing the grin on her face afterwards, this had all been planned ahead. "After rejecting my offer, you intend to simply leave this mansion, do you not ? As we both know, I have no choice but to leave you alive, but you must also realise that these three will die. Was I sufficiently clear when saying that ?"
A small gasp escaped from Maribel's lips : for a second, she seemed to return to her usual self. This impression was quickly gone, though, as she regained composure. "I would never forgive you," was all she replied, but she did in such a menacing way that it felt like a real threat. My mind was reeling under the circumstances. Since when is she important enough to be able to bargain with a vampire ? And what was that about the vampire having no choice but to keep her alive ? I felt like I was no longer watching the conversation between my best friend and a dangerous vampire, but instead, a struggle of influence between two powerful creatures, way above the level of a simple university student such as myself. What have they done to her ?
The vampire chuckled again, looking content : she was back in control again. "Ah, is that so ? Well, I wouldn't want that now, would I ?" She started approaching us, her smile growing more and more menacing as it came closer. "Well then, if it means getting on your good side, I suppose I can offer you my generosity... in a limited quantity, of course." She was now near the bottom of the stairs : she stopped as close as she could to us whilst keeping herself a head higher than us. "This is my final offer, human," She said, exaggerating that last word in a sarcastic fashion. "You may leave this place, without becoming a vampire. What's more, these three will not all have to die." She paused, revelling in the tension in the air, as if daring us to ask what the catch was.
"No. They will not all die here. Only two of them will, and it will be your choice who the lucky survivor is. Let's see how you like the feeling of shaping the world, hmm ?"
Her grin widened, as the impact of her words hit the group. We all fell silent : Maribel looked horrified, Segare has completely lost any semblance of composure, and I... I didn't want this for her ! Even if she does choose me, she'll be burdened with guilt for... forever, maybe ! She's trying to turn Maribel into a monster ! I glared at the vampire, my eyes burning with anger; she returned it with a smug smile on her face. This is exactly what she wanted to happen. That bitch !
"I accept." Maribel's words surprised me : once again, they had become unrecognisable from her usual voice. "As much as it pains me to sacrifice anyone, you present me with no other choice. It is Renko that I have decided to save."
Remilia nodded slowly, still smiling a sadistic, horrible little smile. She then signalled to her maid to take the siblings away : Segare tried to flee, but she appeared behind him, subduing put putting his arms into a lock behind his back and a knife to his throat to stop him from flailing around as he screamed for his life. Kinshou didn't even try to escape; her knees gave way and she crumpled to the floor in silence. I was rooted to the spot, too shocked to react. Soon, the maid had them both under control, and dragged them away; they soon disappeared, leaving only the echoes of his screams ringing in my ears. All I could think about was how, if it wasn't Maribel, I could have been with them. Deep down, very faintly, I felt a disgusting hint of joy because she picked me. Despite how different she seems, despite what they may have done to her, our friendship must count for something, since I was the one she spared. I was sickened by my own cowardice, realising that, at my core, I was still happy that others could die as long as it meant I would live and be reunited with Maribel. Humans are disgusting, selfish creatures, I thought, as I realised that I was trying to justify myself by thinking it's only a faint feeling, I'm not happy to let them die, and after all, I'm too shocked to think straight. I was shocked, but I could still think, and right now, I was thinking that, despite having survived, I may have somehow lost Maribel in the process. That was the thought that was really disturbing me to my very core.
...
"You are now free to go," resumed the vampire, as if nothing of consequence had happened. "Remember that, in the current situation, I could have killed the both of you where you stood, yet instead, I'm parting with two valuable sources of food by letting you go. Despite how you may feel about it now, I do hope you'll always remember the generosity I have shown you today." At that, she walked away, cackling cruelly to herself. "It seems you do have some Youkai in you, after all," she added with a spiteful smile, before disappearing out of my field of view.
I was still frozen there, motionless, when I felt Maribel take my hand. "Let's get out of here quickly, shall we ?" I let her drag me along behind her; I didn't feel any of the usual warmth from her touch, though, and were words rang hollow, as if void of any emotion. I was still in shock from what I had just witnessed, and from the fact that I hadn't even attempted to do anything to help them. But what could I do ?
We left the mansion in silence; I was unable to muster up the strength to ask her anything, and what's more, I felt intimidated by the presence of this person who looked so much like the person I loved, but who, inside, seemed completely different to her.
...
We eventually left the mansion grounds, and, finding a place to rest, she led me to a tree to sit under. I sat there for what felt like over an hour, still holding her hand, but feeling like I was holding the hand of a stranger, or, worse, that of a corpse.
"How..." The sound of my own voice surprised me, stunning me back into silence; I hadn't meant to say anything out loud, not knowing where I would even begin. She heard, though, and, turning to me, asked : "How ? How could I do it ?" I nodded slowly.
She sighed. "Renko, what choice did I have ?" Hearing my name said in her strange voice felt alien, sending a shiver of disgust down my spine. What choice...?
"Renko," she said again, now with slightly more emotion in her voice. "The truth is, from the moment we were taken into that mansion, I had no real choice. I was talking to her for hours, and the more she explained, the more I realised that, ultimately, I would have no easy way out." I took this as an opportunity to finally clear up some of the questions that were burning inside me.
"What was it you were talking about ? What is this power the vampire kept talking about ? Why... why ?" My voice was quavering, making me unable to finish talking. She answered anyway, in a patient voice that sounded like she had already thought of the answer a long time in advance.
"The vampire told me I had an important role to play in this world; that, one day, I would be of great importance, and would have the power to shape this world as I desire. She twisted her story around, though, saying that, without her help, I may not live long enough to gain that power, nor even be able to protect the people I care about." The people she cared about... As she said that, her voice had seemed to regain a bit of her old self in it, but that disappeared as quickly as it had came when she continued. "I was almost ready to accept. After all, all I had to do was sacrifice some silly things like going out in the sunlight and crossing running water, and, in exchange, I would be able to get us all home safely. It seemed like a good deal, right ?" I nodded absent-mindedly. What she says seems to make sense, but...
"I told her I wanted a night to think about it, though. I do lots of thinking by night, and sometimes I get the best ideas in my dreams, so I decided to give it a try. Unable to find a decisive answer, I ended up drifting asleep. And that's where I saw her again." She saw me look up at her, eyes full of shock. "Yes, that's right. Yukari came to talk to me during my sleep. She... she explained a lot to me, this time. She told me that this place is my dream world, and that because of that, I had the power to shape it. At first, I told her that I had no reason to want to do such a thing, but in response, she showed me... she showed what would happen if I didn't take control." She looked straight at me : there was sadness in her eyes, and the strange purple tinge I thought I had seen since she was in the mansion had gone. "She told me I couldn't become a vampire : if I did, I would be subduing myself to the young mistress, and she would end up manipulating me in order to shape the world as she saw fit. Plus, the weaknesses that come with being a vampire would have been too limiting, apparently..." She had a pleading tone in her voice as she continued. "Don't you see, Renko ? I didn't have any choice at all ! The vampire was trying to get hold of me when I was still naive and powerless, but now I know what kind of role I will play here, I couldn't just let her have her way ! She's powerful, though, and her pride surpasses even her power : after having talked with her most of yesterday, I knew that when she said it was her final offer, she wasn't joking. Besides, if this is really all just a dream world, it doesn't matter if he dies, right ? Right ?" She sounded desperate, almost shouting; when she saw that I didn't know what to say, she dropped back down into a barely audible whisper. "Besides, if Yukari's right, as far as everyone at home is concerned, we're already..." She was cut off by her own tears : "when it came down to the choice, Renko, whatever happened, I just couldn't bear to part with you," she wailed, burying her face in my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to comfort her : she was back to her normal self, for now.
...
This is what I needed to know, I thought, running my hands through my friend's hair as she sobbed, buried against my chest. The real enemy here isn't Remilia, or any monsters hidden in the forests, and it certainly isn't Maribel herself.
The real enemy is Yukari. Because of her, Maribel is losing her grip on reality. Just a dream world ? Doesn't matter who dies, since she'll have the power to shape the world ? Those are not her own words. She may have always had her own, strange view on the difference between dreams and reality, but she would never go this far of her own accord. Back there, those heartless words, that lack of compassion ? That wasn't Maribel speaking, it was Yukari. I felt a surge of anger at the thought that Maribel was being manipulated right to the very essence of her thoughts. I still had so many questions for her : why did the inhabitants of the mansion treat Maribel so poorly, after having been so hospitable the first time ? And why did she seem to trust Yukari so much ? I wanted to know, but I knew my questions would have to wait. Holding the person most dear to me in my arms as she cried her eyes out, at that very moment, I made a vow : the vow that, from now on, I would do everything in my power to prevent Maribel from losing herself.
She belongs to me, Yukari. I will not let you have her.