"Lady Iris, why do you want to enter this place?" Barineer said, looking around. "It doesn't look safe or fun. What if ghosts were living in it?”
As her ominous imagination flared, Barineer grabbed Iris's dress. She was still a little girl, her heart fragile. Not just her, but the Scholar Girl, who usually maintained her disposition, also furrowed her brows. She pulled her thick tome close to her chest and grasped Barineer's shoulder with her free hand.
Iris, standing at the front, smiled. "Do you trust me?"
The Scholar Girl gasped. Her face, hidden under the hazy mist, betrayed a mournful smile. "You are trustworthy, Madam Iris. I trust you, but I cannot do the same for Barin. She has to make her decision herself."
"Then, Barineer, will you believe in me?"
"If it's Lady Iris, I'm willing you trust you." Barineer beamed. "You treated me well and didn’t hate my green eye. I have a feeling that you're an angel; you come from the sky!"
"Unfortunately, I'm not an angel. If I were, I should have white feathery wings on my back and a halo above my head." Iris covered her mouth, smiling. She could mimic the angelic appearance, but she didn't want to add to the fantasy.
Technically, I came from the sky, and the Lord sent me here. In a sense, I'm her messenger. I might really be an angel. Iris touched her lips, giggling. Sadly, even if I were an angel, I'd have already fallen. My wings would be pitch-black, my halo broken and corrupted. Sigh, this devilish thought is catching up to me.
While musing about her nature, Iris reached forwards. Her hands pressed on an old, worn-out door. From the gap under it, freezing mist spewed out, enveloping the red carpet. The candle lanterns on the walls flickered; the atmosphere dimmed. Even the windows, which revealed the outer sea of haze, grew dark.
"Both of you," Iris said. "No matter what happens, do not leave my side. Grab my dress, or my arms, and walk with me. I'll gift you each a small lantern, which will provide you with warm light. Do not lose them, and do not falter. Remember: I’m always beside you."
Iris lightly tapped the gate. It creaked, then parted, revealing a narrow corridor, which extended into the endless blackness. On the stone walls, torches illuminated only the tiny area in front of them, creating small, disconnected spheres of light whose path led into the unknown.
Barineer and the Scholar Girl huddled behind Iris, gripping her dress. They looked at each other, their eyes sparkling, and nodded rapidly. They stopped shivering as they stared into the darkness, feeling something calling out for them.
Iris drew back her hands and waved. A pair of delicate lanterns appeared in her palms. She handed them to Barineer and the Scholar Girl, then got herself another one. As she nodded at the Scholar Girl, she stepped through the gate, which closed behind her.
"Lady Iris, I'm scared," Barineer said. "Someone is calling me. I don’t know them, but they sound familiar."
The Scholar Girl raised her head, opened her mouth, then closed it. She leaned close to Barineer, her thoughts hiding in her misty face. Despite that, Iris still noticed the excitement mixed with regret around her.
"There is no need to worry. I shall protect you from those who wish to harm you." Iris gradually walked forwards. "In this place, you may see the impossible and hear the imaginary, but you need not fear. So long as your conviction remains, you will remain.”
Barineer held her lantern higher. Its light dispelled the darkness, revealing the cracked stone walls. There, a figure sat on the floor, hugging her knees. Her appearance looked like Barineer, but she lacked the childlike carefreeness and happiness. She only stared at the floor tiles, her thoughts concerning her uncertain future.
Plagued by horror, Barineer shuddered. Desolation crept inside her heart. Her hand, which held the lantern, quivered, losing its grip. She saw herself in darkness, locked inside her bedroom, unable to free herself. There was no one to help her, no one to talk to her, and no one to remember her.
Even if she went outside, they would gossip about her cursed green eye. It would be better if she disappeared. It would be better if she remained here.
"Barin, I'm right here!" The Scholar Girl yanked Barineer out of her trance. "Don't listen to their lies!"
The vision shattered, and the desolation ceased. Gasping, Barineer looked at the Scholar Girl, whose face expressed worry, and Iris, who beamed a warm, carefree smile at her. She was not alone, never alone, for her two best friends were by her side.
"I'm sorry," Barineer said. "I let my doubt infect me. I almost forgot that ——— and Lady Iris are with me."
"Even if you forgot, we would still exist." The Scholar Girl hugged Barineer. "I'll still help you even if you've forgotten about me."
"What are you saying? How could I forget you?" Barineer smiled. "I can't forget both of you when one is my best friend, and the other is an angel on earth."
Iris shook her head and started walking. "It seems you've recovered enough to joke around. We should increase our pace."
"Lady Iris, are you flustered? Are you really an angel?"
"Would you like to see my back and confirm it yourself?"
"Can I have one of your feathers? I heard that angel's feathers bring fortune and happiness."
My feathers will probably corrupt your soul and turn you into a lewd Monster Girl. In a twisted way, they also bring fortune and happiness. Wait. Why am I thinking about this?
"I'm not an angel; I'm more like a devil, a . . . succubus."
"Why did you lower your voice?" Barineer tilted her head and was about to press on, but the Scholar Girl diverted her attention.
The three pushed on, doing their best to keep their minds unwavering. Because of Artium's lessons and spells, Iris kept her calm throughout the experience. She faced her doubt and anxiety headed on, resolving their roots, purifying her mind.
On the other hand, Barineer suffered the most. If not for Iris's deliberately slowing down and the Scholar Girl's timely rescues, she would have succumbed to her painful memories.
"I might have said that we should increase our pace, but you don't have to push yourself," Iris said. "I can afford to wait. Your well-being means much more to us."
The Scholar Girl grasped Barineer's hand. "You should rest first. There is no need to be reckless."
"This is nothing; I have a feeling that I'm very close." Barineer gripped her lantern. "I'm about to remember something, but I can't quite articulate it."
Iris sighed, glancing at the Scholar Girl's profound look. "Then we shall proceed as you like. We're indeed nearing the end of our journey."
When all of this end, I'll have to leave this lovely Barineer and face the Master Assassin Barineer. We'll become enemies, the target and the assassin.
Will she remember what happened here? Is there a way to prevent our clash?
From afar, a wall of mist marked the end of the corridor. The trail of torches on the wall ended before the fog, illuminating only a part of the darkness. As Iris and her group walked closer, multiple unfamiliar voices whispered to their ears.
The temperature dropped; the light flickered.
"I think I can understand what they're whispering," Barineer said. "Behind the mist is where our destination lies."
"Will you be alright?" The Scholar Girl lowered her voice. "There will be no going back."
"With you and Lady Iris beside me, what do I need to fear?"
"Don't say that. You should have more confidence. Even without me, you'll live; I know you can."
Iris glanced at the Scholar Girl, then walked up to the wall of mist. She placed her right hand on it. Azure Corruption Power surged around her fingertips, seeping on the mist's surface, creating an intricate symbol of a garden of roses. The thorned vines crawled around and stabbed their roots under the wall, yet it remained standing.
Despite trying a few dream spells, Iris could not open the path. The symbol of the rose garden withered away as Iris stopped supplying her Corruption Power. She had tried her best, but she could not penetrate this strange barrier. There was no mention of this wall, even though she had exhausted her knowledge from Artium.
"Something is missing," Iris said. "I cannot open it."
"Lady Iris, please let me try." Barineer handed her lantern to Iris. "I feel very close to this wall."
Before Iris could stop her, Barineer stepped forth. Her body merged with the mist, which rapidly evaporated. The Scholar Girl ran after Barineer and disappeared inside the haze. Fearing for their safety, Iris, too, entered. Her vision blurred, distorted, and brightened as she left the dark tunnel.
She came into a large room decorated with lovely and sugary colours. The pink walls and pastel ceiling emitted a sweet fragrance while the white window frame exuded a milky scent. The soft sunlight of the outside glittered when falling on the luxurious furniture.
In the middle of the room, Barineer sat on her knees, staring at her palms. Her silhouette rapidly expanded as she aged from her current child appearance to her mature, elegant figure. Her petite dresses stretched, then tore apart, revealing her wan yet smooth skin, her private parts hidden under the sparkling light.
Hearing Iris's footstep, Barineer raised her head, her dull green eye glowing. A wry smile manifested in her face, accompanied by the welling sorrow in her reddened eyes. Her silent tears streaked her cheeks, wetting her cold, sensitive flesh.
"Lady Iris, you knew all along?"
Iris sighed. "She hinted it to me. It is her wish."
"Do you think she's correct?"
"My thought matters not. It is yours that will dictate her fate."
"Lady Iris, you're mean." Barineer clenched her fists. "You take the position of an onlooker, yet you still participate in this play. You know full well what the end will be, but you still patiently guide me to it."
"Do you hate me for it?"
"That's the worst part; how could I?" Barineer touched her chest, feeling her pulsating heart. "It hurts here, knowing that I've forgotten someone so important; it really hurts, but I cannot blame you. Instead, I’m grateful for it."
Iris sat down and hugged her knees. "Have you remembered?"
"You aren't someone around here, and this place isn't real."
"Do you hate the outside me?"
"I did, but now, I'm not sure." Barineer looked around. "But I don’t regret it."
"Will you give yourself another chance? I can help you begin anew."
"I've already achieved my dream. The Grey Hounds are no more. A third chance will only prolong my loneliness."
"Before you decide, look around you first." Iris chuckled. “I’ll keep asking until you agree.”
"Lady Iris, you're quite childish at times, but that's your charm, right?" Barineer laughed as she stood up. "I won't resist. Please take what you want."
"I want to know what the Order is plotting and, if possible, her name."
"You're cruel, heartless." Smiling, Barineer waved her hands. A diary manifested, then floated to Iris.
"That's because someone has already taken my heart."
Taking a deep breath, Iris grabbed the diary and flipped through it. It contained all information Barineer knew about the Order. After reading a few pages, she raised her head.
"Then, may I know her name?"
Barineer bit her lips. "You're an evil lady, a succubus disguised as an angel. You can forcefully take my memory, yet you make me reveal it myself."
"You're also a sly person. You acted like you didn't hear what I said." Iris faintly blushed. "You're too adorable for me to scold you."
There was a pause, then a giggle.
"You help me regain my memory; you deserve to know it. Her name is—"
All voices quietened. A foreboding sensation, which dulled the colours of the world and amplified the darkness, seized Iris. An incomprehensible horror had cast her gaze on Iris. A lady in a green dress stood between Iris and Barineer, her right hand holding a fan, covering her mouth. As she stared at Iris, her dark green eyes flashed.
"A mortal trying to pry into the secret of my Order?"
