Chapter 19 - Withered Flowers
On the same night after Pride's execution in Milord Manor
Ram couldn't bear to look at it, unwilling to accept what lay before her: Subaru's lifeless
body. She fabricated an excuse about informing the others at the camp and fled the room.
Emilia watched her go with a sorrowful frown, understanding perfectly. She had never seen
Ram so emotionally vulnerable. Following Ram out the door, Emilia hoped to soothe her,
desperate to avoid a repeat of the outburst in the prison.
Ram ran through the halls, the strong moonlight piercing through the manor windows,
casting stark, long shadows that danced around her.
Her legs screamed in protest, weary from the long journey to the tower, but she pushed
herself to run faster, further. Her body still seemed to feel the chill of Subaru's lifeless form,
as if his weak body was calling out to her. "Nee-sama… why?" the phantom voice echoed in
her mind. "Why didn't you believe me?"
She retraced her path, from the hallways to the stairs, down to the ground floor. She didn't
know where she was headed, nor whom she might encounter, but she ran.
On the ground floor of the manor
The blue-haired girl finally managed to stand on her own after multiple failed attempts.
Previously, no matter how hard she tried, she'd stumbled back onto her bed. Now, hearing
loud noises from outside, she smoothed out the wrinkles in her nightgown and left her room
to investigate the commotion.
She walked out of her room with a stunned, yet confused expression, as if half-asleep. Still
adjusting to the new surroundings and the unfamiliar scent of the manor, she took tentative
steps forward.
A fated reunion
Ram's legs buckled beneath her, the elegant shoes now instruments of torture against her
strained ankles. She crashed to the floor, a ragged gasp escaping her lips. She stared at
her trembling hands, a bewildered frown creasing her brow. "Fear… guilt… rage… what is
this… this feeling?" It was alien, a chilling emptiness that settled in her chest, a gaping hole
where warmth used to reside. Her heart ached, a physical pang that stole her breath, and
her eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, caught the silvery glow of the moon.
Her heartbeat quickened, each thrum syncing with the sound of faint footsteps growing
steadily louder. Ram's mind, consumed by a whirlwind of emotions she couldn't
comprehend, left her utterly oblivious to her surroundings, let alone capable of assessing her
own precarious situation.
*THUD*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*THUD*
The magnificent moon, a beacon of light, was swallowed whole by the encroaching darkness
of the clouds.
The footsteps halted abruptly just inches in front of her. Ram was clutching her chest, she
remained kneeling in the middle of the hallway, vulnerable. As the ominous veil of clouds
parted, the magnificent moon emerged in its full glory, its light streaming through the
windows once more, revealing the figure standing before her.
Barefoot, she stood there in her cyan nightgown, the frills at its hem swaying gently. The
moonlight bathed her, illuminating her glistening white skin and revealing the vibrant blue of
her eyes. Her long, flowing blue hair, a testament to the passage of time spent in a
coma-like state, framed a gentle expression on her face.
Ram's eyes widened in disbelief, her jaw dropping. Tears streaming down her face, she
reached out desperately towards the figure before her. "SS…" she whispered, Memories of
her beloved sister flooded her mind, vivid and emotionally charged. The bond between the
sisters was so strong that it took mere seconds for Ram to recall her. Her voice was barely
audible. "Siss…" she tried again, the word catching in her throat, until finally, her heart
overflowing, she cried out, "Sissy!" She lunged forward, embracing her sister tightly, the
force of the hug causing them both to stumble and fall. In that moment, Ram felt complete.
The sudden surge of memory, the vivid image of her sister, felt like a blessing from Od, a
welcome reprieve from the dread that had been consuming her. It was a lifeline, a beacon in
the darkness.. A fleeting thought of Subaru, a pang of guilt, tried to intrude, but she pushed it
aside, burying her face in her sister's embrace. "Nee-sama!" Her sister spoke, shocked and
confused, a vibrant blush spreading across her face, Rem tried to soothe her distraught
sibling.
"Urgh..."
"Nee-sama?" her sister asked, confused by the unfolding scene.
"STOP!" Ram interrupted, her voice a raw scream. "Don't call me that anymore."
"I never was a sister," she continued, tears streaming down her face. "I always tried to act
like I was protecting you, but I avoided the truth staring me right in the face. The more I tried,
the harder it became for you. What good is a big sister who can't even remember her own
little sister?" Clutching her sister tightly, as if afraid she would disappear, Ram desperately
shouldered all the blame, grasping at any excuse, anything to keep her sister by her side.
Silence… a heavy silence settled between them, stretching for several minutes as they each
processed this new reality. "REM!" Ram finally cried out, hugging her sister tightly, as if afraid
she would vanish if she loosened her grip. "Yes, Ne... Ram," Rem replied softly, allowing her
sister to bask in the long-awaited comfort.
"Ne...Ram," Rem began hesitantly, caressing her sister's head. "I don't fully understand
what's happening yet, but I'm sure I caused you a lot of trouble again, didn't I?" Ram
remained silent, unable to respond. Even though she had lost her memories of Rem, her
heart had never forgotten her. And even now, she silently accepted the blame, shouldering
the weight of her own past failings and inability to make the right choices. Ram knew she
was like the moon, borrowing her light from the sun. She had taken that warmth, that
energy, and reflected it outwards as her own. And she knew, with absolute certainty, that her
sister completed her. Without Rem, she was nothing.
"Nee-sama," Rem said, her eyes meeting her sister's. "You are, and always will be, my
dearest nee-sama." Rem offered a gentle smile and patted her sister's head. "Ever since we
were born and deemed unworthy of the Oni clan, you protected me. I always looked up to
you, filled with admiration, wishing I could be just like my nee-sama." Rem spoke warmly, but
Ram listened with a pained frown, as if she couldn't bear to hear such praise.
"You always make sure my efforts don't go unnoticed," Rem said, her voice warm and
sincere. "I truly am grateful to have such a kind sister." She spoke in defense of Ram,
wanting to pull her out of the self-loathing spiral she'd fallen into. Rem couldn't bear to see
her usually proud sister in such a state. She knew something was deeply wrong. Ram
wasn't typically emotional, but Rem understood that this was different, that it had something
to do with her, and that made it all the more important to address. Rem's words were meant
to be a gentle nudge, a reminder of Ram's strength and value, a way to reignite the fire that
seemed to have dimmed within her.
"So don't hate yourself," Rem continued, her voice firm but gentle. "Because if I'm the reason
for your self-loathing, then I don't blame it on my Nee-sama." Rem's words were meant to
be a shield, deflecting Ram's self-directed anger. For Ram, the words were a shock, a
sudden warmth washing over the ache in her heart. The tangled threads of her thoughts,
the jumbled mess of emotions, suddenly straightened, aligning into a single, clear
conclusion: "She will protect Rem, no matter what".
Ram clutched the hem of Rem's gown as she walked back to her room. It was well past
midnight, and the unexpected conversation with her sister, her only remaining blood relative,
had been more than enough for one day. The simple act of holding Rem's gown, the
physical connection, was a comforting reassurance for Ram.
"Nee-sama, you can let go of me now," Rem said, breaking the silence. She noticed a faint
blush on Ram's face. "I will be accompanying you in your sleep tonight," Ram declared.
"Nee-sama, but it's okay, you're already tired. You need rest more than me—" Ram cut Rem
off, covering her mouth with her hand. "Ram needs to protect her sister," she said, her voice
firm. "She doesn't want her precious sister to be robbed from her again by Baru—" Ram
stopped abruptly, the name catching in her throat. The thought, once spoken, recoiled in her
mind, and she instantly swallowed the rest of the sentence, a look of horror flashing across
her face.
"Nee-sama?" Rem asked, noticing the sudden shift in her sister's mood. She didn't press for
an explanation, instead, the familiar weight of self-blame settled upon her. "Again, Nee-sama
just agreed with me to make sure I don't hate myself for her condition. I couldn't even
convey myself well enough for my sister to understand me." Rem frowned, falling silent.
Taking Ram's hand, she gently led her to her assigned room. After tending to Ram's injured
foot, Rem watched as her sister quickly fell asleep, still clutching the fabric of Rem's gown.
"Sleep well, Nee-sama," Rem whispered, gently wiping a smudge of dirt from Ram's cheek
with the edge of her own gown. Then, she lay down beside her sister, ready to finally
succumb to sleep herself.
Emilia walked back to her room, her mind still preoccupied, her thoughts a tangled mess.
She had lost track of Ram amidst the turmoil, a fact that only added to her growing sense of
guilt. "It's all my fault," she thought, the weight of her ignorance pressing down on her.
"Emilia-tan!" a phantom voice called out. Emilia spun around, her eyes already brimming
with tears. She caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure, masked by the deep shadows cast by
the moonlight. She lunged forward, her heart leaping with a surge of hope.
"SUBARUUUU!" she cried out. But her outstretched hands met only disappointment—a
vase on a stand, shrouded by linen curtains. The force of her momentum carried her
forward, and she stumbled, falling to her knees. Tears streamed down her face, the burden
of her failures, of her perceived inadequacy, too heavy to bear. The half-elf knelt there,
consumed by shame, haunted by the memories of her former knight.
"Subaru was always reckless," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling. "Getting into
fights, inviting danger... it was practically a hobby for him. BUT!"
"He always came back."
"No matter how hard someone pushed him, he never gave up."
"SO WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?"
"WHY AREN'T YOU COMING BACK, SUBARU?"
"YOU LIAR!"
"Mother Fortuna..." Emilia whispered, her voice cracking.
"Puck..." she called, a desperate plea.
"S...Subaru..." she choked out, the name a raw wound.
"Anyone, please, hear my calls!" she cried, her voice rising in anguish.
"Why does everyone always leave me behind?" she wailed, the sound echoing through the
cold, empty corridors of the manor. Bathed in the pale moonlight, she sat alone, utterly
alone, the weight of her isolation crushing her.
"Emilia-sama!" a maid with long, pale golden hair and gentle green eyes called out,She wore
a long, white chemise, layered with a green cardigan. her voice laced with concern as she
hurried towards the weeping half-elf. She was shocked to see Emilia. The last she
remembered, Emilia and the rest of the camp had left for the watchtower, searching for a
cure for the Gluttony's curse. She approached cautiously, relying on her heightened senses,
unsure of what she might encounter and ready to spring into action if needed. She
approached cautiously, unable to believe this was Emilia. Judging by her disheveled state
and the circumstances, she was certain this couldn't be Emilia. But then, her beastly senses
kicked in, recognizing Emilia's unique scent. "There is no mistake," she thought, a surge of
certainty washing over her. "This is indeed Emilia-sama!"
"But how?" The question echoed in her mind like a blaring alarm, a mystery she couldn't
immediately unravel.
She gently touched Emilia's trembling shoulder, trying to soothe her. Emilia, her voice barely
a whisper, repeated over and over, the chill of emptiness gnawing at her insides, "I betrayed
him. He was calling for me."
"Emilia-sama," Frederica called gently, trying to break through Emilia's despair.
"Emilia-sama," she repeated, her voice laced with concern.
"Emilia-sama, it's Frederica! Please, calm down, Emilia-sama."
But her efforts were in vain. Gently, Frederica draped her cardigan over Emilia's shoulders
and, supporting her weight, helped her to her feet. Emilia's body, almost instinctively, yielded
to Frederica's gentle guidance. Frederica slowly led her back towards her room, intending to
let her rest for the night. She didn't dwell on the suddenness of Emilia's arrival; Emilia's
current state seemed like a mere symptom of a larger, more troubling issue unfolding.
Anxious to prevent the situation from escalating, Frederica gently settled Emilia into her bed,
dabbing her face with a soft cloth as Emilia's eyes fluttered closed, her facial muscles finally
relaxing. Exhaustion claimed her, and Emilia drifted off to sleep.
Beatrice's gaze swept across the Milord Manor library. The contrast with the Margrave
Manor was stark and unsettling. There, flames had devoured Echidna's legacy, consuming
her invaluable texts and years of accumulated wisdom. Here, within these walls, a different
story unfolded. Roswaal, driven by a desperate need to preserve something of Echidna, had
entrusted a collection of books to Beatrice's care, imploring her to guard them. Beatrice had
hesitated. The burden of such a responsibility weighed heavily on her. Yet, the memory of
Echidna, the profound respect and affection they both shared for the vanished sage,
ultimately proved decisive. These books, more than just repositories of knowledge, were
tangible fragments of Echidna herself, and Beatrice, bound by that shared devotion, could
not refuse.
Her efforts to focus proved fruitless. Beatrice pinched her temple, a frustrated sigh escaping
her lips. Her gaze drifted, inevitably, to Subaru's still form. A pang of something akin to guilt,
or perhaps it was simply concern, tugged at her. Abandoning her chair, she slipped out of
the library, quietly procuring a warm blanket from one of the guest rooms. Returning to
Subaru's side, she carefully draped the blanket over him. Then, settling beside him, she
brewed a pot of tea, thoughtfully preparing two cups. As she waited for the tea to steep, she
picked up her book-cum-diary, the "Beako Endless Storybook", its familiar weight a small
comfort in the disquieting silence.
She turned the pages of her Storybook slowly, each word a bittersweet reminder of shared
moments.
"The time… you taught Betty about that strange custom from your hometown, 'Valentine',"
she read aloud, her voice catching.
Drip. A single tear splashed onto the page.
"The time… Betty's carefully crafted revenge plan for her stolen cookies was, I suppose,
thoroughly ruined by your interference," she continued, a faint tremor in her voice.
Drip. Another tear followed, blurring the ink.
"The… the…" Her voice trailed off, choked with emotion. "Why did it end? Wasn't it… wasn't
it supposed to be endless?"
"Didn't you promise Betty… you wouldn't leave her alone?" Her words were barely a
whisper, laced with a desperate plea.
"Punish Betty all you want… make fun of Betty… but please… please…"
"Don't… don't… leave Betty alone, I suppose."
Tears streamed down her face now, falling onto the open book. A wave of panic seized her
as she frantically tried to wipe them away, but the tears only smudged the ink, distorting the
cherished stories she had used to shield herself from the pain of Subaru's apparent demise.
The sweet memories, her refuge from reality, were now dissolving before her eyes, leaving
only a mess of blurred words and tear-stained pages. She stared at the ruined entries, her
heart a hollow ache. The book, once a source of comfort, now mirrored the emptiness within
her, an emptiness akin to the blank pages of her mother's Gospel, a book that had long since
ceased to reveal the future.
Clutching the Beako Endless Storybook tightly against her chest, Beatrice let the tears flow
freely. One hand remained wrapped around the book, a desperate attempt to hold onto the
fading memories it contained, while the other gently cradled Subaru's hand. She lay down
beside him on the cold floor, the chill seeping into her back, a welcome counterpoint to the
burning turmoil within her. Slowly, she drew Subaru's body closer, embracing him tightly. In
that moment, his presence, even in its stillness, became a strange comfort. Exhaustion, both
physical and emotional, finally overtook her, and she drifted off to sleep, clinging to Subaru's
form as if it were the only anchor in a sea of grief.
A dense, unsettling smog clung to the manor, its tendrils creeping through the gardens,
where flowers withered and blackened at its touch. The moon, hid its face behind a veil of
clouds, deepening the gloom. A stench, reminiscent of burnt hair and blood, permeated the
air.
Rem and Ram's bedroom
Ram slept soundly, until a disturbing odor tickled her sensitive nose. Even in sleep, her
senses remained sharp. Clinging to her sister, she kept her eyes closed, feigning slumber.
But the creeping coldness in the room, a chill that seemed to leech the warmth from Rem's
body, finally jolted her awake. Her eyes snapped open. Panic seized her, but there was no
room, no familiar ceiling above her. Instead, she was standing at the edge of a cliff, the wind
whipping her hair back from her face. "SISSYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" she screamed, her
voice raw with terror, the sound snatched away by the wind.
"SSIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSS!" she cried again, her voice cracking.
"SISSY, WHERE ARE YOU?" Ram's desperate cries were swallowed by the vast emptiness
around her. Tears welled in her eyes. "No, don't leave me," she pleaded, her voice a broken
whisper against the wind. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her maid uniform, her
mind, still caught in the strange logic of the dream, accepting the impossible. This is normal,
a small voice whispered within her. She looked down at the dizzying drop below, her knees
trembling, yet her dreaming mind didn't question the absurdity of the situation.
She walked towards the cliff's edge, drawn by the setting sun's fiery glow. Looking down at
the dizzying drop, a sudden, powerful gust of wind roared past her, a physical force that
shoved her back from the precipice.
*THUD*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*THUD*
Footsteps approached, growing louder with each thud. A gentle pat touched her shoulder.
Ram, her gaze fixed on the setting sun, didn't flinch. The figure stepped into her line of sight,
blocking the sun's harsh glare.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice soft. "It will all be over soon."
Ram's eyes, still slightly blinded by the sun's afterimage, struggled to focus. But even
through the blur, she recognized the smile, the face of the one she cherished as a brother.
"Ba…Rusu?" she breathed, her voice cracking, her eyes widening in disbelief. The thought,
unbidden and terrifying, flashed through her mind: "Is this… a ghost?"
"I finally found you," a familiar voice echoed.
Ram slowly turned her head, her gaze drawn to the source of the sound. "No… this… this
can't be," she whispered, her expression morphing into one of pure horror. Standing before
her was a mirror image of herself, her face contorted in fury, an aura of rage radiating from
her.
"I won't let you get away," her double snarled, the words directed at Subaru.
"Wha…" Ram stammered, her mind reeling. "What's going on?" She couldn't grasp the
surreal scene unfolding before her.
As her image-self stalked closer, a primal instinct took over. Against her conscious will, her
body moved, betraying her confusion. She found herself standing protectively in front of
Subaru, shielding him from her furious double.
Subaru poked her cheek, snapping her out of her daze. "I am going to save you," he
declared.
Before Ram could react, he sprinted towards the cliff's edge, his movements lightning fast.
She reached out, her fingers brushing against his tracksuit by a hair's breadth, but he was
gone. "SU-" Ram started to scream, but her voice was cut short.
"I AM GOING TO KILLL YOUUUUUUUUUUUU!" her double shrieked, the raw hatred in the
scream chilling Ram to the bone. Barusu? Why? The questions hammered in her mind,
demanding answers.
Subaru leaped. His hair and eyes, illuminated by the setting sun, shone with a sudden,
almost heroic brilliance.
*CRUNCH*
Subaru's body lay broken at the cliff's base, a gruesome tableau. Ram gagged, her breath
catching in her throat. A searing pain, as if she wanted to rip her own heart out, clawed at
her chest. An itching sensation crawled across her skin, a phantom whisper echoing in her
ear, "Why, Nee-sama?"
Ram jolted awake, gasping for air. Rem slept peacefully beside her, her brow untroubled,
her body slightly damp with sweat. The image of Subaru's broken form still burned in Ram's
mind. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she scrambled out of Rem's room, desperate
for the sanctuary of the bathroom. The nightmare's horror clung to her, refusing to release
its grip.
Emillia's bedroom
Emilia slept soundly, her body curled on the bed like a child's, now that Frederica had left the
room. The window, left half open for air circulation, allowed moonlight to bathe her face,
illuminating her delicate features and silver hair. The peaceful scene was gradually
disrupted as the moon slipped behind a thick blanket of clouds. A faint, disturbing scent, a
mixture of blood and burnt hair, drifted in through the partially open window, subtly tainting
the air.
A sudden gust of wind slammed the window open, jolting Emilia awake.
"Huh?" she murmured, disoriented.
"Where is this?" she thought, clutching her hands together, fighting back the rising tide of
panic. Despite the unsettling circumstances, her mind, still clinging to the remnants of sleep,
didn't question the strangeness of her location. The why of her presence here remained
unasked, a silent acceptance of the dreamlike reality.
She surveyed the area, taking in the makeshift houses and the broken carriages, now
reduced to firewood, scattered around her. Tents stood haphazardly, but the area seemed
deserted, devoid of any signs of life. She walked along the widest, most prominent road, a
growing sense of unease settling over her. Then, the location clicked into place. "This… this
is the Lugunican slums?" she whispered, the realization sending a chill down her spine.
The road ended abruptly before a large, imposing house. Smoke billowed around it,
obscuring the surrounding area. Emilia turned, a flicker of fear in her eyes, trying to retrace
her steps, but the smoke had become a swirling, impenetrable wall, cutting off her escape.
Panic tightened its grip as the smoke crept closer. She hesitantly approached the house,
climbing the three wooden steps to the entrance. Knocking softly, she called out, "Ummm…
excuse me?"
"Is… is anyone here?" she asked, her voice wavering. Social interaction had always been a
struggle for her, something she preferred to avoid at all costs. But this was different. This
wasn't mere awkwardness; this was a matter of survival.
Silence stretched out, heavy and unsettling. Emilia's patience frayed. She raised her hand
to knock again, but before her knuckles could connect, the door creaked open with a jarring
screech, making her flinch. The smoke outside surged forward, swallowing the steps one by
one. Hesitantly, she stepped inside, glancing back into the inky blackness of the house's
interior.
*THUD*
Her foot landed on something unexpectedly, throwing her off balance. "Argh!" she
exclaimed, clutching her hand, a sharp pain shooting through it. "Huh?" She shifted,
realizing she was sitting on something, something indistinct yet strangely familiar. The
darkness prevented her from seeing what it was, but she could feel it beneath her.
As her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark, the blurry shape under her became horribly clear.
The air smelled strongly of blood, and the only sound was the soft squishing of her weight
on… something. Then, she saw it. It was Subaru's dead body. He was lying face down,
broken, and his insides were spilled out all over the floor in a dark red puddle of blood. It
was so awful, so completely wrong, that Emilia's mind couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Huuh… no… Subaru… no," she choked out, pulling his body close in a futile attempt to
stem the tears. She turned him over, then recoiled, jumping back in horror. His stomach
was ripped open, a gaping, empty cavity where his organs had been. Her hands trembled
as she stared at them, now slick with his blood. Her breath hitched. "NONONONO
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed, her voice raw with terror, scrambling
backward, desperate to escape.
*SLASH*
A searing pain ripped through her back. Her white dress instantly bloomed with crimson as
she crumpled to the floor beside Subaru. She gasped for air, her breaths shallow and
ragged, like a fish out of water. Her nails scratched against the rough wood as she writhed
in agony, helpless. Her face landed next to Subaru's. His eyes, once filled with that heroic
light she so admired, were now dull and lifeless. His face… it was no longer the Subaru she
knew. Instinctively, her hand reached out, clutching his. A thick, dark liquid surged up her
throat, and she vomited blood. Her eyelids grew heavy; the blood loss was overwhelming.
She fought to stay conscious, but a whisper, chilling and accusatory, slithered into her ear:
"Emilia-tan… why? Why didn't you trust me?".
Emilia jolted awake, a chilling sensation clinging to her. Her skin crawled, and she gasped
for breath as if she'd been submerged underwater. She clawed at her ears, almost drawing
blood, the phantom whisper, Subaru's cry of "Emilia-tan," echoing in her mind, a haunting
refrain that pierced her to the core. Her eyes drifted to the open window. A cold breeze
stirred the curtains, and her face, now devoid of all emotion, stared blankly at the dark,
starless sky.
Beatrice blinked, her artificial body aching. Her once-glorious, drill-like hair was now a
tangled mess. Half-asleep, she slowly opened her eyes, instinctively reaching out for
something… something that wasn't there. She patted the space beside her, her brow
furrowing in confusion. Then, she glanced around. A wave of panic washed over her.
Subaru's body was gone. He had disappeared. "No… no… This can't… this can't be!" she
cried, scrambling to her feet. Driven by a desperate need to find Subaru, the Subaru she
both cherished and felt she had betrayed, she rushed out of the library, beginning her frantic
search.
Frederica, hearing the piercing scream, burst into Emilia's room. "Emilia-sama!" she cried,
the door flying open. Her eyes widened in horror. The bed sheets and pillow were stained
with splatters of blood. She rushed to the window, only to find the frame encased in ice. A
chilling realization washed over her. Something terrible had happened to Emilia, but her
mind struggled to grasp the what or the why. Then, it clicked. She snatched up the
blood-soaked sheet, inhaling deeply. "There is no mistake," she whispered, her face etched
with terror. "Th…this…blood…it's Emilia-sama's!" The sheet slipped from her trembling
fingers. Frederica stood in the darkened room, consumed by confusion and fear, grappling
with the chaos that had engulfed her and the other members of the camp.
Emilia and Subaru had vanished.
As the moon emerged from behind the clouds, casting its pale light upon the manor once
more, the staff were roused from their sleep, forced to confront the unfolding chaos. A dark,
ominous smoke crept through the mansion, slowly dissipating, leaving behind a trail of
withered flowers and blackened grass, a silent threat that promised death to anything it
touched.