Ram learns that Medieval XBDs are very bad!

The air in the study crackled with tension due to the raw, unfiltered grief that emanated from Hakuei's soul.Rem and Ram, their faces pale, their eyes wide with a mixture of pity and horror, sat silently on the plush velvet couch, their presence a comforting warmth against the chill that seemed to seep from the flickering black and white form hovering before us.Morgiana, still dozing peacefully on the adjacent couch, oblivious to the unfolding drama, seemed to sense the shift in atmosphere, her brow furrowing slightly, her breathing quickening, but she didn't awaken.Hakuei's voice, a hollow whisper that seemed to scrape against the edges of my soul, filled the room, painting a vivid picture of betrayal, of violence, of a cruelty so profound it made my blood run cold."My lieutenant general," she began, her words a slow, measured cadence of pain, "he disagreed with my decision to… show mercy to the tribes in the western plains. He believed that strength, that domination, was the only path to true power, the only way to secure the Kou Empire's future."She paused, her form flickering, a ripple of black energy coursing through her spectral form, a silent echo of the rage, the betrayal, that still burned within her."He tricked me," she continued, her voice gaining strength, hardening with a bitter resolve. "He pretended to agree with my plan, to support my efforts to bring the tribes into the empire peacefully, through diplomacy, through understanding.""But it was all a lie," she whispered, her form shrinking, dimming further towards black, as if the weight of her memories threatened to extinguish her very essence. "He planned to have me captured, killed during the negotiations. He wanted to frame the plains tribes, to use my death as a justification for a war of conquest, for the expansion of the Kou Empire's dominion through bloodshed and tyranny."Her gaze, a hollow abyss of pain, met mine, a silent plea for understanding, begging for a recognition of the injustice, the betrayal, that had shattered her world."He used… some kind of enchanted arrows," she explained, her voice barely audible. "Arrows that disrupted my Djinn Equip, that severed my connection to Paimon's power. I was helpless and vulnerable."Her form flickered again, a wave of black energy swirling around her, the shadows deepening, the air in the room growing colder, heavier."I won't… speak of the torture," she said, her voice cracking, a shudder rippling through her spectral form. "But… it was hell. A hell beyond comprehension."Her gaze, now filled with a terrifying emptiness, a void of despair that mirrored the abyss that had consumed her, fixed on me."Paimon… my Djinn… she told me, as I lay dying, that there was… another way. She spoke of you, Tereda. Of your power over time. She said that you could… prevent my death."She paused, her form solidifying, her voice gaining strength, a flicker of hope igniting in the depths of her despair."But I don't just want to survive," she stated, her words a firm, unwavering declaration. "I want to change my fate. I want to undo the mistakes I made. I want to protect my people, my empire-"She paused for a moment "I now see with hindsight that the Kou Empire is wrong. It needs not to protect its citizens by enslaving them. It needs its own protection from the darkness that threatens to consume it from the inside."She reached out, her spectral hand a translucent shimmer against the backdrop the opulent purple painted walls, her gaze piercing, her voice a desperate plea."Tereda," she said, her words echoing through the chamber, resonating with the weight of her shattered dreams, her unfulfilled ambitions, "go back. Go back in time. Take my memories with you. Smother the naivety of my past self, her blind trust, with the hard truth of what awaits her.""Remove the memories of the torture," she added, her voice softening, a flicker of compassion tempering her rage. "But leave the memory of my death. Let her know the cost of her choices. Let her understand the true nature of the enemy she faces."She paused, her gaze holding mine, a silent bargain hanging in the air."Do this, Tereda," she whispered, her voice a promise, a plea, a desperate gamble. "And I- the past me, will defect. I will join your cause. I will help you to take the Kou Empire. To build a world where justice prevails, where mercy is not a weakness, where the innocent are protected, and the wicked are punished."The weight of her request, the sheer desperation in her voice, the depth of her pain, pressed down on me, a burden I couldn't ignore.I looked at Rem and Ram, their faces pale, their eyes filled with pity and a look of support. They also knew the depth of my commitment to justice, my unwavering belief that even the most broken world could be healed, that even the most shattered soul could find redemption.I took a deep breath, the air thick with the scent of ancient parchment and the lingering echo of Hakuei's grief.—

Ram POV

"I'll help you. We'll go back. We'll set things right. I'm sure-""Absolutely not!" I snapped, my voice sharp, a wall of defiance slamming down between Tereda and the ghostly princess. "You expect us to believe this sob story? To just waltz back in time and meddle in the affairs of the Kou Empire based on the word of a random ghost?"My gaze locked onto Hakuei, red eyes narrowed, suspicion radiating from me like a physical force. "You say you're a princess? The Kou Empire thrives on slavery, on cruelty, on exploiting the weak. You think we're stupid enough to fall for this?"Rem, bless her naive heart, gasped, her blue eyes wide with disbelief. "Ram! How can you be so callous? Can't you see she's suffering? She needs our help!""Help?" I scoffed, turning to Rem, my voice dripping with disdain. "You think the Kou Empire is some kind of benevolent force in this world? They're our enemies, Rem! They've built their entire empire on the backs of slaves, on conquest, on the suffering of others. And you want to trust this… this apparition?"I gestured towards Hakuei, my voice rising in pitch, my anger simmering. "She could be a spy, Rem! A trap! A carefully crafted illusion designed to lure Tereda into a situation where they can capture him, exploit his powers, use him to further their own twisted ambitions!""That's ridiculous, Ram!" Rem protested, her voice laced with frustration, but a flicker of doubt shadowed her usually unwavering faith in Tereda's judgment. "Hakuei is clearly genuine. Can't you sense her pain? Her desperation?""Pain? Desperation?" I scoffed, turning back to Hakuei, my gaze unwavering. "Those are easy enough to fake, especially for someone skilled in magic. She could be a master manipulator or even if she is a victim her memories could be fake! Rem! She could be a puppet master pulling our strings or a Matryoshka doll of the same! Leading us down a path of destruction like some mockery! I've seen this kind of tactic before, remember that Nadu guy from Gosteko?! Those bastards would do anything to get their hands on power, to exploit the vulnerable, to crush anyone who stood in their way!""But this is different, Ram," Rem insisted, her voice softening, her gaze pleading with me to understand. "This is about helping someone in need. About righting a wrong. About fighting for justice.""Justice?" I snorted, my anger flaring. "You think the Kou Empire cares about justice? They're a cancer, Rem! A festering wound on this world! They need to be eradicated so their slaves can be freed! Their corrupt nobility is not to be coddled!""Enough, both of you," Tereda interjected, his voice a low rumble that silenced our bickering. He looked at me, his gaze steady, his expression a mixture of understanding and a firm resolve."Ram's right, Rem," he said, his voice soft, but his words carrying a weight that brooked no argument. "We can't just blindly trust Hakuei. Not when the stakes are this high. Not when the Kou Empire is involved."He turned to Hakuei, his gaze hardening. "Give Ram the memories, Hakuei. Let her verify your story. If you're telling the truth, if your intentions are pure, then we'll help you. But we need to be sure. "Hakuei hesitated, her spectral form flickering, her gaze darting between Tereda and me. Then, with a sigh, a wave of resignation washing over her, she extended her hand, a translucent shimmer against the backdrop of the study's opulent décor."Very well," she whispered, her voice a mournful echo. "Take them. See for yourself the truth of my words."A thread of energy, a gossamer strand of light and shadow, spun from her fingertips, arcing towards me, its touch a chilling caress against my mind. I reached out, my own mana swirling, forming a protective barrier, a mental fortress that would prevent any intrusion, any manipulation.The memories flowed into me, a torrent of images, of emotions, of sensations, a kaleidoscope of Hakuei's life, her triumphs, her failures, her hopes, her dreams, her betrayals.And then… the torture.I stumbled back, a wave of nausea rising in my throat, my stomach churning, my vision blurring as I felt the echo of Hakuei's pain, the raw, visceral agony that had been inflicted upon her.I couldn't… I couldn't bear it. The cruelty, the depravity, the sheer inhumanity of it all… it was too much."Excuse me," I choked out, my voice barely a whisper, my hand flying to my mouth as I fled the study, my legs shaking, my vision swimming, the memories of Hakuei's torture burning in my mind, a searing brand that I couldn't erase, that I couldn't escape.I stumbled into the nearest washroom, my body wracked with tremors, my stomach convulsing, the bile rising in my throat, a desperate attempt to purge myself of the horror, the disgust, that had flooded my being.I collapsed beside the porcelain throne, my head spinning, my breath coming in ragged gasps, my vision a blur of tears and the lingering afterimages of Hakuei's torment.I wanted to scream. To cry. To lash out. But all I could do was vomit, my body wracking itself, my mind a chaotic jumble of horror, of anger, of a despair so profound it threatened to consume me.Footsteps, hurried and concerned, echoed in the hallway.Tereda's voice, filled with a gentle urgency, reached me through the haze of my nausea."Ram?! Are you alright?!"I didn't answer. I couldn't.The memories, those vile, horrific memories, were still there, imprinted on my mind, a stain that I couldn't erase.I just needed to- destroy those memories.I reached into my mind, my mana surging, my will a weapon, determined to obliterate the images, the sensations, the echoes of pain that clung to me like a curse.I shredded everything that involved the moment after he- I didn't remember.I know it was horrible, I just don't know what it was.I don't want to know either.But one name I couldn't forget, in a lashing out before everything that man did to Ren Hakuei was erased. There was an echo of the knowledge that I absolutely must kill that person. Gu Ryosai. That name. It burned in my mind, a brand seared into my very soul."If she won't kill him, I will," I rasped, wiping the tears and bile from my face, my voice hoarse, my breath still ragged. Tereda was kneeling beside me, his hand hovering hesitantly, a look of concern etched on his face. "That monster… that… thing… he needs to pay. He needs to suffer."I stood up, my legs shaky, my body still trembling with the aftershocks of the memories I'd purged."Are the memories… clean?" Tereda asked, his voice hesitant, his gaze searching mine."Clean enough," I muttered, my voice flat, my anger a cold, hard knot in my gut. "The important parts are intact. Her betrayal. Her death. Her plea for help. The rest… it's gone. It needs to be gone."My mind replayed the fragments of Hakuei's story – the political machinations, the whispers of conspiracy, the betrayal that had shattered her world. And her plea, her desperate gamble, her offer to defect, to join our cause, to help us reshape the Kou Empire into something… better."She's telling the truth, Tereda," I said, meeting his gaze, my voice firm, my resolve hardening. "Her memories are genuine. But…" I hesitated, a wave of apprehension washing over me."But what, Ram?" Tereda pressed, his brow furrowing."Be careful, Tereda," I warned, my voice low, urgent. "This is a dangerous game we're playing. The Kou Empire is a viper's nest of intrigue and betrayal. And Hakuei… she's a pawn in their game. Even if she doesn't realize it.""I know," Tereda said, his gaze hardening, his jaw clenching. "But we can't just stand by and let her suffer. Not when we have the power to help. Not when we have the chance to change things."He reached out, his hand gently cupping my cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear."We'll do this together, Ram," he promised, his voice a low rumble that resonated deep within me, a comforting warmth against the chill of my fear. "We'll go back. We'll save Hakuei. And we'll make the Kou Empire pay for what they've done. I swear it."My heart pounded against my ribs, a frantic rhythm against the backdrop of my own simmering rage.I leaned into his touch, my anger softening, replaced by a surge of gratitude, a fierce protectiveness that mirrored his own.We would do this together. We would face the darkness. We would rewrite fate.And we would make them all pay.I stormed back into the study, my anger a tangible force that crackled in the air, my footsteps heavy against the polished wooden floor. Rem and Tereda looked up, their expressions a mixture of concern and apprehension, but I ignored them.My gaze locked onto Hakuei, her spectral form flickering, her eyes wide with a mix of hope and uncertainty."If you won't kill him," I declared, my voice a low growl, my red eyes blazing, "then I will. That monster, Gu Ryosai, won't escape justice. Not this time."I stepped closer, my mana surging, the air around me shimmering with barely contained power. I could feel the heat of my rage, the echoes of the purged memories, the burning need to make that man suffer for what he had done to Hakuei, for the pain he had inflicted, for the darkness he had unleashed.Hakuei's form solidified, her spectral hand reaching out, her touch a cool, gentle caress against my cheek."Ram," she whispered, her voice filled with a gratitude that transcended words. "Thank you."A genuine smile, the first I had seen since she'd materialized in the study, touched her lips, chasing away the shadows that had haunted her features."You can rest now, Hakuei," I said, my voice softening, the warmth of Tereda's promise echoing within me, tempering my rage. "We'll take it from here. This will never have happened. I guarantee it."I met her gaze, my own red eyes filled with a newfound determination, a fierce protectiveness that mirrored Tereda's own unwavering commitment to justice."We'll save you, Hakuei," I promised, my voice firm, my words a vow etched in stone. "We'll change your fate. And we'll make sure that bastard pays for what he's done."With a smile, Hakuei repeats herself. "Thank you. I hope this version of me never exists again." Then slowly, she fades into nothing but air.