The Masquerade (3)

Lizzy continued her conversation with Ferzen even after the somewhat heavy topic.

Every time he spoke, Lizzy felt herself falling a little deeper into his youthful voice.

In fact, Ferzen did not possess any special talent for captivating others with his words. His charisma simply had the power to make people listen.

But Lizzy couldn't walk away from the conversation for another reason. It was because Ferzen seemed to know her well.

Even though he dressed as a lamb, he still managed to entangle her in his webs.

Ironically, the offender slightly changed his image in the victim's mind by advising the victim.

On top of that, as the two-hour masquerade approached its end, Lizzy hinted at Ferzen. No, she directly asked for his opinion.

"If..."

She had to achieve something that seemed impossible. What should she do?

At that question, Ferzen laughed.

"You already know the answer, don't you?"

"Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not making fun of you. If it truly seemed impossible, you wouldn't have asked me."

"..."

"Aren't you seeking my advice because you already know it's impossible to achieve, rather than it merely seeming impossible?"

"That's…! You are wrong..."

"If it seems impossible, the chances are simply slim. I'm sure you already know that the chance of you achieving it is none."

Lizzy could only shrug her shoulders in response to Ferzen's words.

Even though she didn't want to admit it.

Even though she wanted to deny it.

"That's indeed correct...."

"..."

"Then, what should I do if I want to… achieve the impossible?"

"Wouldn't it be better if you give up?"

"..."

"In a world where you can break a rock with an egg as long as you put in the effort... asking for more is ridiculous."

The effort wouldn't betray anyone.

But dreams and ideals might.

If simply having a dream and ideals guaranteed their achievement…

Humans would not have become social animals.

"I can't give up… The condition has been set."

"There is no such condition in the world."

"..."

"If you truly couldn't give up, the egg you were holding would have already been smashed against the rock."

"..."

"Judging by the fact that you're still holding it, it means that you are hesitating. In that respect… the fact that you cannot give up is a contradiction."

Lizzy felt more suffocated as they delved deeper into this conversation. It was as if a swamp was engulfing her, dragging her down below the surface. Her entire body grew heavy.

Moreover, she felt displeased.

The lamb in front of her acted like a mirror, forcing her to confront reality.

It was only then that Lizzy realized just how much she had avoided facing reality.

'Brother is…'

Roer…

Had he always faced this reality?

"Thank you very much."

"..."

"Even though I feel repulsed by your advice… I now realize just how childish I have been."

"..."

"The saying 'good medicine tastes bitter' probably applies to cases like this."

11:55.

In just a few minutes, it would be midnight, and the masquerade would come to an end.

Ferzen reached out to Lizzy, witnessing her rejuvenated spirit, like dirt refreshed by the rain.

He held her slender hand with his small hand.

"You… seemed to be someone who has nothing to lose."

"What do you mean?"

"Those who try to challenge the impossible are those who have nothing to lose but themselves."

Was he worried about her, or not?

To his ambiguous words, Lizzy replied with a bitter smile.

"That's not the case. I only… have confidence that even if I have to lose everything, I will never give up."

11:58.

Inside the banquet hall, three Warlocks belonging to the Imperial Magic Corps entered through the main door.

They were individuals who had made a deal with a monster known as The Shy Guy, borrowing its powers.

And precisely at 11:59.

"How peculiar."

Ferzen spoke with a different voice than what Lizzy had heard until then.

"Pardon?"

His voice carried a subtle change, but from that slight difference, Lizzy was overwhelmed with a sense of familiarity…

"Among the people who were prepared to lose everything, there was no one who didn't feel regret when they really lost everything."

Lizzy's body tensed at those words.

Her eyes trembled violently.

As the boy raised his hand, the one not holding hers, and attempted to remove the lamb mask from his face…

Click-!!

The clock struck 12.

And darkness enveloped the world.

No sound reached their ears.

No light could be seen.

Everything was consumed by darkness.

People couldn't even hear their own heartbeats.

The effect of a mysterious Shy monster's ability, residing on the first floor of the underworld, caused all of it.

Within that pitch-black void, some individuals began to transform.

They did so to avoid any pursuit that might seek to uncover their identities as they left the banquet hall.

The Imperial Family extended this act as a courtesy to the nobles.

Since the only sense not obstructed was the sense of touch…

Lizzy felt the tiny hand holding hers gradually grow larger.

"Ah..."

When the brief curtain of darkness was finally lifted, revealing what lay beyond…

She finally saw.

A pristine black suit, a crisp white shirt, and a simple, patternless tie.

Completing the ensemble, the man wore a mask resembling a haunting wolf.

Thump-!!

The sound of her heartbeat, previously muffled, assaulted her ears.

"Ah… Ah..."

Lizzy knew instinctively.

No, her body told her.

The identity of the wolf in sheep's clothing stood before her.

"Lizzy."

He called her name.

It was a voice she could never forget.

"N-No… No…"

Lizzy summoned her magic power.

However, there were no corpses around for her to control.

Clack-!!

Following Ferzen's lead, as he forced her to stand, Lizzy buried her face in his chest, trembling all over.

Although the maid at the door noticed Lizzy's strange behavior and tried to approach, her steps faltered as she felt intimidated by Ferzen's crimson eyes shining behind the mask.

They were overbearing, menacing, and threatening.

Unable to withstand Ferzen's gaze and aura any longer, she quietly retreated from the terrace and closed the door.

"Even though a lamb is about to be devoured…"

Other sheep didn't even bleat.

Ferzen removed the mask from Lizzy, who couldn't even scream.

Gremory Elden Ishtar Elmark.

Despite seeing the face of someone who had reached the pinnacle of an Auror Knight, there was a pitiful expression stained with tears that shouldn't have been there.

No matter how strong the disguise, Ferzen effortlessly shattered it, bringing out Lizzy's true self.

"Ah… Ugh…"

Eventually, Ferzen licked the tears streaming down Lizzy's cheeks and sneered.

"If you truly intend to do that, Lizzy."

"Ah… Ugh…"

"First of all… Dig four graves."

One for me.

The other grave is for you.

And the remaining two for your brothers.

"You can't even prepare that much, so why talk about revenge?"

Still wearing a mocking sneer, Ferzen placed one hand on the terrace railing.

With his other hand, he traced the exposed white skin shown by her low-backed dress before gripping her waist and pressing his lips against hers.

A kiss on the waist symbolized bondage.

"Heu… Heuk…!"

Lizzy bit her lip, repulsed by the eerie and unpleasant sensation transmitted by her adversary.

Red blood trickled from her lips, yet there seemed to be no escape from the assault.

Fear and horror consumed Lizzy's body in Ferzen's presence.

Ferzen withdrew his lips from hers and gently pressed her lower abdomen with his right hand.

"Easy…"

Ferzen spoke softly as if desiring something.

"Ah… Ah…"

Fear.

Terror.

Anxiety.

Lizzy's body, consumed by these negative emotions, released a hot breath in response to the voice piercing her ears.

Even when she tried to close her legs.

It only resulted in staining the hem of her beautiful dress.

Drip-!!

Drip-!!

Something trickled down her thighs, forming a small puddle beneath her shoes.

"Good girl."

Observing her, Ferzen uttered a single word before quietly walking away.

One could only hope to light a fire to drive away the darkness.

But can a damp tree ignite itself to create a spark?

Ferzen glanced at Lizzy's motionless maid, filled with terror, before reentering the banquet hall.

Even though he wore a wolf's mask, the perceptive few immediately recognized him.

Therefore, people began to converge around Ferzen.

The sheep, who had remained silent, now started to make noise.

Meanwhile, the wolf, embraced by the other sheep, left behind a solitary lamb in tears.

"Ah… Ah… Ugh… Heuk…!"

And beside Lizzy, who continued to weep,

There remained only the lamb mask that Ferzen had previously worn.

It lay on the floor, seemingly mocking her.