Month 5th, Day 20. Year XXX
At the mysterious room.

When Freya entered the room, she was greeted by the cold whispers of the dead wind. The room was dark despite the rising sun, and it was so silent as those asylum made for those insane people.

Looking at afar, there was no windows nor the contours of it and the walls. No, itself doesn’t seem to exist in the first place. Freya was not scared or at least, she was trance by the mysterious sight before her.

Before her was a pathway covered with cold thin ice and emits a bluish gleam. The ice was to thin that it might break at any moment and underneath it, there was no sign of the floor, it was endless darkness. Furthermore, a thin white mist starts to spread.

Additionally, alongside the pathway, there are numerous dolls lined up to the center. They all have different faces yet somewhat has similarities to Steph’s, all of which have silver hair and are sleeping in various positions. Freya shuddered, not in fear, but she couldn’t tell which is the real one.

No, she already knew that the real Steph had left earlier, but the thought of ‘Steph’ going out is out of her image. Why would Steph go out? This thought made her conclude that the real Steph is somewhere here.

Furthermore, it seems that Freya’s goal ‘make up with Steph’ had changed unconsciously to ‘find the real Steph amongst her dolls

Anyways, this wasn’t the only scene that made her daze.

At the center of the room, or it seems to be, has a ray of light came from the crystal chandelier that was suspended in the air, it shined down towards a thick land of ice with a greenish light color. The icicle under the thick ice was visible through the thin ice.

“Amazing” She uttered as she daze at it.

The dead silent struck her, making as if her gaze became eternity. Her breath was taken away and she realizes it but doesn’t seem to mind it like the dead silence that bestowed by the room.

Above the thick land of ice, which was covered with a soft texture - snow and the numerous roses were placed, it was transparent and has yet to bloom. Although, it can’t be called as a flower or a plant because that type of plant does not exist in the first place, which made Freya question about the strange object.

Lastly, there was a body similar to Steph’s in every aspect, long silver that almost her knees, slim body and creamy white skin peeking through her robe and skin, it was similar to a doll. But it couldn’t be compared to the original because Freya does not know the appearance of the original in the first place, however, Steph’s silver hair is a fact. 

The years that she spent in the school almost made her forget Steph’s appearance, the appearance when both of them were still a child. No, the days she spent with Steph when they were still a child. Was that the real Steph? There are no definite answers.

Did her silver hair grow? Did she cut her hair? Did she grow in terms of height? Did she become fat? Freya’s mind was searching through all the memories that she remembers and that she spent with Steph and trying to sort the facts of her original appearance.

In any case, after seconds of thinking so. Freya came back to reality and walk towards the thick ice land. 

Guided by the dim-lighting pathway while ignoring the fakes (dolls) and the horrifying cracking sound she makes whenever she takes a step forward, Freya arrived at the thick ice land and walk to the body that was face down, it was like the other dolls but has a somewhat different atmosphere around it. Profound and thick pressure around her. 

Slowly without knowing it, her heartbeats as if it was lonely and craving for someone. Her body becomes hotter for unknown reasons despite the cold harassing her. She moves towards the Steph’s body without any cautious whatsoever.

“Steph” She whispered as she made a thin fog.

While she was doing so, the spiritual form of the Spirit Queen had been released from its dead vessel and was forcefully transferred to the doll that was in front of Freya. Both of them didn’t know what happened.

To the Spirit queen’s perspective, she was pulled suddenly with a violent force and was shoved into the doll before she could roam around to search for another vessel. She was confused and unable to understand the situation. Her spiritual self became heavy to the point it was tired to move.

Freya, on the other hand, kneeled beside Steph and raise her head. Her heartaches. For some reason, this doll is different from others, and with just this reason. She declared it was the original Steph.

Freya cried and screamed that it resonated through the whole house of the Reign. She screamed repeatedly as if she was a broken record.

“Steph! NO!!! This can’t be!!”

The Spirit Queen could hear Freya’s voice and forcefully opened her heavy eyes. She could see Freya’s face, crying. The face of the angel had been destroyed.

‘Don’t cry little child’  The Spirit Queen thought.

(A/N: for now Steph is the doll, the one that the spirit Queen’s resides)

Soon, when Freya noticed the Steph on her arms, had slightly opened her eyes. She halts her cry for a moment and looks at her with a haggard expression, her eyes widen with a sense of relief. The spirit queen could see the reflection of herself within Freya’s pupil, she could see herself as Steph. And suddenly the negative thought invaded her mind.

‘I killed Steph!?’ 

After transferring to another vessel, the owner’s spirit will either disappear or be destroyed, unless one has a special catalyst, blood gem, that could store once spirit. But if it was that case, where would Steph be right now?

The Spirit Queen mourned for Steph’s death, but it didn’t escape through the Steph’s mouth or even just a change of her expression, it was expected of the expressionless child of the Reign Family. Although, her body is still heavy and all, it seems like she cannot control the body properly for unknown reasons.

Has the Spirit Queen fully taken control of the body yet? Or maybe Steph’s spirit is somewhere inside her body. The Spirit queen is confused and cannot obtain any good reasons.

“Steph” Freya uttered her sister’s name.

The Spirit Queen wanted to say something using the Steph, but simply cannot. However, she realizes that she could use the [Status] that were usually used by the heroes and the braves. She silently thought about it, and a semi-transparent floating window appeared before her. Of course, even if she wasn’t a hero, she possessed this power.

The window is corrupted - or at least that was the Spirit Queen thought. The status should be able to display everything that is currently happening in herself, her life points, mana pool, status, etc. Like the status that appears on RPG games, still, Spirit Queen doesn’t know about this fact.

However, the status in front of her now has a random symbol and numbers overlapping each other, which made it difficult to read. This phenomenon was unknown to the spirit Queen nor Steph does know about this [status], and it seems that Freya cannot see the window before her.

Freya started to cry for help, but the spirit Queen didn’t mind her and glances at the window to seek what her status ailments.

 

Status Ailment: [Bloodcraft Curse: Spirit paralyzation] [Mystic craft curse: Physical movement disorient] [Witchcraft curse: physical movement confusion] [numerology craft Curse:bind(slave) contract] [numerology craft curse: mind corrosion] [Magus craft: soul bound]

‘What are these?’ The spirit queen thought in confusion, she had never seen this many curses and debuffs before nor even know their effects. People in this world usually have one magic power, and rarely given at 2 or 3. Grey is a special case because she is the hero mage after all. However, this doesn’t explain everything in her status.

“SOMEONE HELP!” Freya’s scream made the Spirit Queen come back to reality, causing her status window to close down in the process.

‘Wait, I’m not Steph!’  The Spirit Queen screamed, yet still, it cannot escape from Steph’s mouth. No, that wasn’t the case, when the Spirit Queen tried to shout, every one of her words was changed to the opposite.

“hurry, I am Steph” Her voice was like a whisper, hoarse as if she hasn't drink for days, though it wasn’t enough to make it through Freya’s ears.

Freya saw the little motions that Steph made, and was a little relieved that she was still alive. At the same time, the Spirit Queen was trying to escape Steph’s body while ignoring the abnormalities on her status. 

It is as if swimming under the waterfall and trying to swim to the fall of it, in other words, it was completely impossible to escape Steph’s body. It was like her spirit has been bind into the body and cannot escape it. 

‘what do I do?’  The Spirit Queen was panicking and cannot think properly. If this goes on, she will have to play as Steph until the body is dead, while avoiding the suspicion that the true Steph is dead. Well, not that it matters because the real Steph is alive in the first place.

To Freya, she had a feeling that no one will come to this room. Servants serving the Reign family will never set-off inside this room, only the personal maid of Stephany will have to do so. Not because of fear getting kicked out from their job, but fear from the lady itself. The fear of losing her sister gets the best out of her.

She looked around the room, however, there was only darkness over the horizon. She tried lifting Steph’s body, but it was too heavy for her despite Steph’s fragile and thin body. It was also at this moment when the Spirit Queen is starting to lose her consciousness for some unknown reasons, it was as if the sensation of her body is fading away without control.

Until her sight final blackens, Steph’s body movement ended as well. Freya continued to cry, she was in a dire situation and has no choice but to decide on one thing and move on to progress. To get out and request help from other people, or just let her sister die while watching her suffer.  If this was the past, Freya would never leave Steph in any situation. She is a lovely child, but weak at everything.

“Steph, please wait here, okay?” She said, her trembling voice with shaking will. She can no longer bear it, but if it’s for her sister. She would do anything to save Steph “I’ll be saving you, so just wait here okay?” 

The spirit Queen could barely hear Freya’s fading voice from the darkness and until not a single noise was heard. It was completely pitch black, although she was still fully awake but in pained.

At the same time, Freya runs back to the entrance, ignoring the thin ice that might break any moment, but her bravery was fueled by her determination to save Steph. 

She arrives in front of the entrance with sweat dripping from her face and was running out of breath. She arrived tired and couldn’t help but to crouch forward and grasp air from the thin air, but it was too cold which made her lungs to slightly hurt itself.

However, her mind was telling her to not rest to save Steph. She continued her walk but immediately stop upon seeing her Father Alusu and her older sister Merry. They had a bewildered expression cast on their faces as their line of sight was directed to the interior of the room. Although, within Freya’s mind, something flickered.

‘THAT’S RIGHT! MY OLDER SISTER MERRY HAD CAUSE DISTRESS TO MY LITTLE SISTER!’ Freya thought atrociously, it was as if her dark side had turned on. She had remembered back when both Freya and Steph was still a child.

Merry had bullied them without taking a break, and now, she continues to destroy, not only Steph’s reputation but as well her mentality. This might be the reason why Steph became so lifeless, or so Freya had speculated .

Hatred and anger grew towards Merry, Freya glared at her and vowed without noticing her objective that had suddenly changed.

‘I will terminate everyone that makes my Steph sad or angry!’ 

Meanwhile, in both perspectives of Alusu and Merry, they saw a familiar library. The interior of it was similar to their library’s town, the one that is taken care of by Mike, it had a wooden floor serving it as the room’s foundation, while the entire ceiling was made out of stones and was almost filled with webs as it formed an arch.

The room was dark, but their eyes had instinctively adjusted itself. Fortunately, there is no table counter by the entrance, because if there was one, it would be seen as a complete replicate to their library. Sighting after the entrance is a bookshelf atop of bookshelves, books piling up here and there, and the books scattered beside the shelves. It was clearly Steph’s work. 

For they know her way of ‘arranging’ of books when she finishes reading it. But Alusu had no answers of how this library built. When Freya noticed their bewilderment, she followed and turned around to see the dark room had become the library. She’s one hundred percent sure that it was a dark room, but it was replaced by this library.

Her face became pale as cold runs through her spine. Did everything she did on that black room was just fake? A dream? No matter what, she couldn’t believe it. The matters with Steph earlier has slowly wiped out from her memories for an unknown reason. No, that’s not the case. She can remember what happened, but not clearly.

She doesn’t even know why or what she discussed with Steph. The only thing that she is certain of, she needs to terminate Merry, so that no one will ever disturb Steph, no one will ever give her pain. Her love - even if it means sacrificing her family, she would do it for the one that she loves. 

When Alusu came back to reality, he notices Freya, which had no abnormalities over her body nor changes on her usual self. He breathes in relief and immediately embrace her daughter. He was scared to lose another family member.

Freya was dumbfounded by her father’s sudden behavior, but nonetheless, she had received and replied the warmth from her father without a second thought. Alusu said, a soft voice.

“Don’t do reckless stuff, okay?”

Freya does not know about it, but she responded a nod as if listening to her father. Freya had decided to end Merry’s life in the future. Not now, not here. However, Merry, who just returned from reality, noticed the heart-moving scene before her.

 

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Meanwhile, in the situation of the Spirit Queen when she had lost consciousness. She was lost in the dark and there was nowhere to go. Everywhere she gazes at, there’s nothing more than pitch black. She felt herself to be isolated in this lonely world.

Her will to escape Steph’s body had faded and so as her problems. In this silent world, there was no trouble at all. The darkness was alluring in the Spirit Queen’s gaze, she might have fallen in love with it. In this world of darkness, a voice similar to Steph had resonated and ask.

“Will you accept me? This world of darkness will be granted to you” 

The spirit Queen doubted, however, she was charmed by this never-ending darkness and couldn’t help but to agree.

“Yes, o` darkness. Please grant me this world of darkness, the peace away from anger and hatred for every living being.”

 

 

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At the same time, in the situation of the Reign Family. When their small reunion ended, Alusu was about to enter the dark library, who was followed by her daughters, Merry feared if this sudden event would be the cause of the spirit Queen’s vessel demise.

The one beside Merry was Freya, glaring at her older sister with hatred and disgust. Although, it was all hidden behind her angelic face. 

When Alusu was about to enter the library, a figure appeared before them, the pale white smoke that rose from nowhere. It surrounds the entrance with cold air, as it tries to form a solid figure that won’t disperse by a small wind blow.

Alusu was taken aback, this feeling that made his heart race. The Spirit Queen he knew and adored, the one that guided both him and his wife, his eyes widen from this unexpected meeting. Soon, less than ten seconds had passed, the spirit Queen’s form was suspended in the air as it gazes down on them.

Fortunately, the entrance was big, almost comparable to those double gates heights and width. Merry trembles in fear, her mind had immediately registered the feeling of regret as the never-ending cold runs down to her spine, she couldn’t think properly and her knees went numb until she had lost the sensation of her legs.

She kneeled with despair cast on her face. Freya was trance by it, which made her completely forgot about Merry, although her vow did not. Freya gazed at the white mist forming its majestic appearance, her eyes and mouth were wide open as if she was giving an expression of getting a gift for the first time in her life.

“Wow” She unintentionally uttered.

Alusu ignored the commotion caused by his daughters and greeted the spirit Queen.

“Good morning, Spirit Queen,” He said with a pleasing tone as usual. “It is a pleasure meeting you again”

The spirit Queen nodded and said as she skips the greeting part of the conversation and cut short to the main subject.

“This,” She turns back to the library “This is a gift for Steph. Please let her be the one to use it first”

And just like that, she disappeared again from the mist as her fading voice echoed onto the room, Alusu was dumbfounded, this was his first time seeing the Spirit Queen’s behavior, it was like Steph’s way of being a tyrant. 

 

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Month 5, day 21, year XXX.

Princess Cristabel, the 2nd princess of the Demiurge Kingdom.

The gates of Cardin Town, setting towards the Demiurge kingdom when the sun rises.

The Princess, together with Linux, had set out this morning. The vivid greenish nature blooms upon basking under the sun, the pleasing sounds of the fluttering trees invaded their ears and made it so comfortable to sleep.

The princess had her head placed against Linux’s shoulder while her hands were entangled with his, she was taking her time off with her fiance. Her throbbing heart beats fast and the warm accumulating inside her is fighting the morning cold.

She yawned, not minding her manners and relaxing without worries. The royal carriage that they were riding had existed from the Cardin town.

After a few minutes of leisurely enjoying their peaceful nap, the carriage suddenly stops and the coachmen alerted them as it single-handedly destroyed their peace.

“Princess Cristabel!” The man’s hoarse voice echoed on the surrounding nature, not minding his behavior. His voice was shaking, clearly showing signs of panicking in urgent, “There is trouble up ahead!”

“what” Linux reacted first and opened the window beside him, the smell of blood immediately invaded the carriages’ room and made Cristabel wake up. 

Linux peeks through the window and could see that they were on a cliff, with blood-stained over the walls and a huge amount of corpse was laying down on the road. Although, the pathway was still usable but it may stain a little bit on their exterior.

“What the hell is this?” Linux uttered as he cannot believe what he sees.

It was like a large massacre had happened. 

 

(A/N: By the way, the last part is from chapter 17.5 if you forgot about it.)