The Ugly Truth

Both of them stared for too long from the still motion of the monochromatic grandeur of a place, as Claire's sweat drips down to the floor, Trolie introduces herself.

"You can address me as Trolie."

Not knowing what will happen to Claire as she stutters from moving, she has no way of escaping based on her position, so she had to introduce herself as well,

"My name is Claire Valentine."

Trolie responds,

"Nice to meet you, I'll have your data stored in my extensive hard drive. May I ask why you are here?"

"I was invited by Aliza Closs."

Claire answers Trolie as to ask the following question,

"Are you gonna kill me?"

With a long stare once again, Trolie answers,

"I was not ordered to kill the last protagonist, only the dominators has that mission to do so.

You are free to explore the mansion."

"I see…

Thank you for not killing me."

Claire responds with gratitude.

"May I ask why you are here?"

Trolie asks.

"I pretty much do not know either since I have no plan whatsoever.

But I plan to have a pact with Aliza.

But what I know, I have to meet the important people that Aliza told me."

Claire says.

"I see you want to meet my master as well.

Very well, do wait for him."

As she finishes her sentence, someone pats Trolie's shoulder from behind.

Seeing a guy in a creepy mask.

They are both tall to measure Trolie by this guy.

Then, Claire was seen by him, checking her physical body.

Mr. Smiley recognizes,

"A pleasure to meet you, may I know your name?"

He asks.

"My name is Claire Valentine. How about you sir?"

Claire politely asks back at him.

"You can call me Mr. Smiley."

Knowing who he was, Claire was shocked to know that this was the guy she was looking for.

"This is my master I was referring to earlier,"

Trolie tells Claire.

With a full embrace of jittery, she humbly says,

"Nice to meet you!!"

Mr. Smiley chuckles at her agitated behavior.

"No need to be so wary of me.

Just enjoy the show in which reminds me."

Mr. Smiley leaves Claire alongside Trolie.

Both of them went to the stage to cast away the spell of stillness.

Everyone starts to move again but this time they were both suddenly standing on the stage and being noticed by a few of them.

Trolie officially calls everyone to listen, by using a wine glass and fork to ring in which they heard.

Mr. Smiley makes an announcement,

"Everyone, I would like to address that our guest of honor has arrived, her name is Claire Valentine, the last protagonist of Ignis Fatuus!"

As he leaves his farewell on the stage, everyone applauds the face of Claire Valentine.

With cheers and applause from all around, Claire felt a bit embarrassed over the crowd and the music began to be heard.

With jazz music like trombones, trumpets, saxophones, and contrabass, the crowd was delighted by the atmosphere of such a beautiful place.

A shiny orange hue color that was based on light from all over the venue and also the food that was decorated from the side.

Claire picks a bunch of delicious treats and eats them with delight.

It took a while for Claire to realize that such attention was caught by many people as they further gossip about how atrocious it is to find such a person.

One little child with violet hair appears at Claire.

She pulls her red hoodie as finally noticing such a cute little fellow.

"Hello, there little girl."

Claire greets the little girl.

"Uhmmm, are you really going to save all of us, a heroine of this world?"

Out of spite from making her look bad from the little girl's regard of being respected.

Claire answers,

"Yes I am and I will.

What a cute little girl you are."

Claire gently brushes the little girl's hair.

"Can you save my twin sister?"

On second thought, the little girl does look familiar with Aliza's looks.

Both of them have the same hair color and differences in age.

She must ask Aliza later about this. As for the little girl before, Claire was jitters around as to explaining like,

"Do you have a photo of your twin then?"

"I don't have one… but she looks exactly like me.

I miss her. And also my big brother, I never saw him again when he left us…"

Then the girl was flooded with tears as Claire tried to comfort her with a gentle hug.

She brushes her hair one more time, the little girl cried loudly as her family came to retrieve her.

"Forgive my daughter for causing much trouble for you."

Her father asks for forgiveness from Claire.

"No worries, you must have missed them.

Don't worry, I'll try to find her."

"Really? Thank you, Onee-chan."

*Onee-chan means older sister*

After all that talking, suddenly Aliza enters the venue, with her gorgeous dress and make-up, she was more beautiful than before.

Walking stylishly, she moves closer to Claire.

"So, how's your day, Claire?"

Aliza asks Claire seriously as all the crowd including the little girl turned into ashes and was absorbed directly from Aliza's hand.

The little girl says her last goodbyes as she turned, Aliza explains,

"I have a meaning to ask you? Is she your sister?"

"You mean that little girl? It's a long tragic story but that girl, I killed her."

Shocked by such news, Claire grows hatred to Aliza.

"What do you mean by that?"

She stares daggers at Aliza.

"Each person around this venue, excluding my master and the chief maid, they were already dead, by my hands."

Claire was furious to hear that, and what's worse coming from her.

"Suffice to say, they were given the painless death. So I assure you, they have given their satisfying end."

And then, Aliza notices Claire's tears dripping from her cheeks as she was upset about the little girl's truth about herself.

"May I know about the little girl's twin sister. I heard she is somewhere, I don't know where to look."

"No clue.

Don't get attached to the dead, Claire Valentine."

Suddenly, Claire tosses her fox mask to Aliza.

Claire leaves the scene as Aliza was left in contempt, opposing her ideals like a used rag dolled that was discarded due to higher demand.

"She rejected my offer like master planned it would."

Walking step by step from the long stairs of the mansion, Claire got stumbled upon Mr. Smiley from below figuring he would like a chat with her.

"Hello there. You kinda looking upset, did something happen?"

Mr. Smiley asks.

"It's nothing." Suddenly he moves closer at a high speed saying,

"Heh, I know a burning sensation of resentment when I see one.

Oh, I see, it's because of Aliza. You don't worry about a thing. I can help, I know exactly where her sister is."

"Really? How? Where?"

Claire eagerly asks Mr. Smiley.

"I have the ability to do so.

But first, you have to do something for me.

You see many people want it, it is the same as you but we have a difference in power.

So it would be problematic for me when you will end up dying halfway through.

Thereupon, I have a deal for you. Become my maid."

Mr. Smiley says the whole trade with Claire.

"Become a maid?

How would that help me?" Claire wonders so she asks.