CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Hours before the break of dawn, Leila had jolted awake wide-eyed, panting, and breaking out in cold sweat.

There was a small movement from beside her, followed by soft sounds of breathing. Leila glanced at her sister, Liese, who had insisted to sleep in her room. They had slept so late at last night, keeping close together, and whispering stories as they lay on Leila's bed, side by side.

The sight of Liese breathing calmed her nerves slightly. She had another horrifying dream that was completely different from the dreams that frequented her nights. Unlike those, what she dreamt right now was more like someone had paid a visit in her mind.

Leila slowed her breathing and tried to quiet the loud beating of her heart that echoed in her ears. But if refused to be controlled.

Leila sighed, parting the blanket that covered her body, and pulled herself out of bed. She went to the conjoining bathroom of her room, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. After that thing she dreamed of, there was no way she could go back to sleep.

Drying her face with a towel, she opened her dressing wardrobe carefully, pulled out a white blouse and black pants, and changed into it.

With her boots on one hand and her dual swords on another, Leila took one glance at Liese's sleeping form and closed the door behind her.

The hallways were slightly dark, moonlight peeking through the large windows as she quietly made way to the mansion's large training grounds.

As she turned on a corner, Leila saw a familiar figure sitting on the wide windowsill. He was quietly watching outside of the slightly opened window, puffing from a long-handled smoke pipe.

Senpai blew smoke towards the window, "You're up early."

"Yeah, an annoying thing visited me in my dream."

"An annoying thing, huh? Care to share?"

"I don't want to talk about it. Just consult the bond, you have access to my memories after all."

"You didn't dream." He said, tapping the content of the pipe out the window. "You went somewhere. Someplace even I couldn't enter."

Leila stilled, "What?"

"Someone whisked you away, I felt it. I've been spending quite some time looking for you because our bond was suddenly removed."

"What do you mean? I disappeared? That's impossible."

"Believe it or not, that is the truth. Now tell me, where did you go? And what did you do?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it, just look into my memories."

Senpai sighed, "I told you, the bond was forcefully removed. Even if I tried, that part was sealed with powerful ancient magic. That also may have to do with why you're not willing to tell anything."

"Alright, I get it." Leila let out a small smile. "Good work, you may rest now."

Senpai stood and bowed dramatically with graceful movements of a female. "Your wish is my command."

Leila watched as he approached and melted in her shadow. After a few seconds staring at the spot where he disappeared, Leila turned and went out to the training grounds, her mind disappearing to the strange, horrific scenes of her so-called dream.

"...ila."

'Who? Who is that?'

Though her eyes refused to open, Leila could feel her body lightly floating. She was void, she felt no emotion, no sense of who she was.

Just a little insignificant thing, with no purpose, existing in the abysmal dark.

'It's cold.'

She hugged her knees to her body tighter, scavenging for every little bit of warmth.

Leila felt something caressed her cheek and suddenly found herself enveloped with a warm embrace, it was kind and very affectionate, almost like a lover.

But somehow it felt sad, like it was grieving---desperate and lonely.

'Why? Why is that?' she continuously wondered.

"Leila."

She jolted awake, her mouth opening into a mute scream.

'Stop it! It hurts!' She screamed in agony as her body ruthlessly burned.

Amidst the endless extreme incinerating pain, Leila was struck with hundreds of voices. Old and young; beautiful and apathetic; they slammed me with fierce emotions.

Anger. Sadness. Pain. Loneliness. Helplessness. Happiness. Obsession. Love.

She was stabbed and hit on all directions so intense that she felt her whole being transform, recreating her into something unknown. Leila screamed as she continued to burn.

When she came to, she found herself being greeted with darkness once again.

Leila furiously turned, searching for any signs of light. 'Whe-Where am I?'

Hic...hic...

Her head automatically turned towards the sound of the sobbing noise, and there, she found herself staring at the familiar figure of a woman.

At first sight of her face, memories came crashing down upon her like a waterfall.

'That's right, I'll know that face anywhere.'

I held out my hand and reached towards her, "L-Liese."

"It's all your fault!" She cried, covering her tear-streaked face with her hands. "You killed me!"

She paled; her body unconsciously started trembling on its own. Leila felt her blood chilled, "Liese..."

"Get away from me!" She screamed. Leila had never seen her act like this, not once. She tried to approach her--to console her, but Liese scrambled away from her. "Don't touch me, you monster!"

Leila stiffened, slowly lowered my hand. 'She's right...it is my fault. She died because of me.'

She had... never felt so angry at herself. She was indifferent to her own arrogance and acted as if everything was alright even when it's clearly not. Horrified, Leila realized it was her pride and greed that caused Liese's death.

'...I should've died in that lab in the first place. Why...why the fuck did I survived?! Of all people...why me?'

"I-I'm sorry..." She forced out, her voice breaking. Leila felt all the strength in her body disappeared, like a wave receding back to the ocean. She collapsed on the adamant ground. "I'm so sorry...Liese."

Leila held her hand to her face and bitterly laughed. Dry.

How can she call herself human, when she couldn't even cry? Was she fooling herself all this time?

But... something's not right.

No matter how much Leila blamed herself for everything that's happened, enough that she accepted the fact that she was never going to end up somewhere peaceful, her sister would never blame her for it.

That's right, it wasn't her decision to have Liese accompany her. Leila never wanted to have her sister anywhere near her, for she knew all too well the danger that lurked around her.

She didn't approach her. It was Liese who tracked her down, it was Liese who persistently pestered Leila to bring her along, it was Liese who was determined to stay.

It wasn't her decision.

It was Liese's.

"Who are you?" All her senses snapped on full alert; Leila flashed the figure a menacing glare. "You're not Liese."

That's right.

How dare you impersonate her.

Its as if it felt that Leila was no longer fooled by its disgusting illusion, the crying ceased.

She watched as it slowly removed its hands from its face. The moment my eyes fell on the sight, Leila cringed.

Blood...blood everywhere.

Everything, to the pupils including the whites of its eyes, was pitch black. It wasn't crying tears, it was blood.

"Don't make me repeat myself." Leila snarled.

It opened its mouth and she had to watch the disgusting blood dripping out of it.

"For everything you did, for all the things you sacrificed..."

Leila recoiled towards the creepy collaboration of a thousand voices young and old echoing in the dark.

"For the blessings of those lives you have saved.

You will have everything, and you will do anything to get it."

She frowned, 'What the heck is this thing talking about?'

"This is the price that has been paid."

Leila gasped as she felt another burning pain in her neck. It felt as if it was branding her. Leila clasped the skin with her hand and tried to claw it out.

"Just what--ow! Stop it! Stop!"

She clawed, screamed, and cursed for it to stop. Amidst the pain, Leila felt everything tremble beneath her feet, and everything plunged into total darkness.

Leila's grip on one of her swords tightened. She didn't care whatever it was, or what it meant, as long as it stayed out of her way.

With that, Leila dismissed the dream as nothing but someone's mischievous prank and began her morning routine earlier than usual. It annoyed her that it bothered her that much. Leila's jaw clenched, she really had to get the strange adrenaline surging through her body out as fast as possible.

***

"What are your plans for the day, Milady?"

Leila looked up to the mirror reflecting herself and Misa, smiling as she brushed her hair. It was eight o'clock in the morning when Leila suddenly heard Misa's voice calling for her.

Her maid ran out at the sight of her, she had a panic expression which immediately turned to relief, and quickly nagged that Leila should've left a note. A little more and she would've reported to her father about her disappearance. Leila looked horrified at the image of the ducal family knights dispatching and searching for her all over the city.

Fortunately, Misa had found her the last minute, so Leila had got away with only a bit of scolding from her worried maid.

Misa had dragged her inside afterwards, stripped her naked, and flung her inside the bathtub already filled with water, with a shocking amount of strength. Looking back, her first encounter with the maid was she was fighting, and Misa had the skills of a well-versed hunter.

Seeing as her maid still await her response, Leila shrugged. "Maybe I'll take a stroll in the city or stay inside to read. Either way, I'm not sure yet."

"Hmm...you should take this chance to have your gown made for the incoming ball. It would be your first since your return, so we need one that would outshine all the nobles attending."

"But I don't really want attention at the moment, it's too troublesome."

"What are you saying, Miss?!" Leila flinched at Misa's sudden exclamation. "You're the first daughter and heir apparent. You need to uphold the honor of the duke and duchess of Amaryllis household! Not to mention, it would be your first-party since coming back! Everything should be grand!"

"Alright, alright." Leila sighed in defeat; she waved her hand. She stood, fixing the skirt of her gown and went for the door.

"Where are you going, Milady?"

She stopped with her hand on the door handle, Leila turned back. "Uh, shopping."

Misa placed her hands on her waist, "Wearing that?"

Leila looked over her knee-length dress of another shade of red, her brows furrowing in confusion. "What wrong with my outfit?"

"Miss, did you forget? You can't go outside wearing an indoor dress." Misa grabbed her arm and dragged her back into the room. "Indoor dresses are ankle length and without corsets, outdoor dresses are ankle-length also without corsets, tea party dresses are ankle-length with corsets and ball dresses are floor-length with corsets and petticoats."

Leila blinked. The dress attires jumping, running, and turning inside her head, making her dizzy "I did not understand what you just said. Speak English!"

She squealed as Misa worked her dress off so fast it looked like she ripped it off of her. "W-wait! Wait a minute! I'm pretty sure I don't swing that way!"

"What are you talking about, Milady?!" Misa threw a new dress over her head. "Be still, I can't get it in!"

"That's because the hole... it's too small!"

"Relax a bit, your struggling makes your head bigger."

"It's tight!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Liese stood, frozen shock of what she just heard. She was about to knock and give the cookies she just baked to her sister when she suddenly came across Leila squealing in her room.

At first, she thought Leila saw a bug flying in her room, as she knew of her sister's creepybugs-o-phobia, until she heard the words that came after.

'Could it be--! Is Misa a lesbian?!' Liese thought. There were a million things flashing on her mind. 'Oh no! Onee-chan is in danger!'

In a panic, Liese immediately slammed the door open. "ONEE-CHAN!"

Surprised by the sudden intrusion, Leila and Misa tumbled to the carpeted floor with a thud. When they came to, Leila was groaning with Misa on top of her.

As both master and maid were disturbed in the middle of dressing, Leila's clothes weren't properly fixed. Now she was showing bits of her skin as her dress hung loosely in her body, portraying quite a lewd sight.

And of course, after witnessing her sister with her maid in such a compromising position, the misunderstanding in Liese's mind worsened.

"Y-you---!" Liese started, her hand trembling as she pointed towards them.

Leila took one look at their state and Liese's horrified expression, and knew exactly what's going to happen next, "W-wait---!"

But it was too late, as Liese had already screamed on top of her lungs.

"Heeelllpppp! Onee-chan is being attacked by a perverrrt!!!"