It was surreal, and Bruno couldn't quite comprehend how he found himself back in the princess's room the very next day, as if nothing had happened.

There he stood, positioned behind the stunning girl with her light-brown skin, clad in a flowing deep blue dress, delicately brushing her cascading dark waves. Strand by strand, he executed his task with meticulous precision, akin to a master craftsman, deliberately avoiding catching a glimpse of Hallel's reflection in the mirror that adorned the desk before her.

She, on the other hand, used that very mirror to observe him, his every movement, as though there was something captivating about his actions or even about the boy himself. However, such details eluded Bruno, as his gaze remained steadfastly averted.

The young alchemist attempted to complete his duties as swiftly as possible, yearning to flee that room and find any other occupation that would grant him a plausible excuse to be as far away from the princess as humanly possible.

Upon finishing, he took a step forward, passing by the girl to place the ivory comb on the desk and make his escape.

"I want a foot massage," Hallel declared, rising from her seat. "Turn my chair."

"Yes, Princess," he acquiesced, promptly complying with her request.

She settled back into the chair, while the boy lowered himself to one knee. Hallel rested her feet on his leg, and the boy commenced massaging the first foot. With all his might, he focused solely on the task at hand, diligently averting his gaze from anything beyond the surface. She deliberately kept her legs spread before him, evidently tempting him to look underneath her dress.

‘Keep your cool. Don't make a mistake. She is trying to find an excuse to kill you,’ he repeated internally. Meanwhile, Hallel luxuriated in the massage.

Once Bruno finished tending to both of her feet, she finally granted him permission to depart, and without hesitation, he swiftly made his exit.

‘What is wrong with that girl?’ he pondered, repeatedly questioning himself as he swiftly sought out other tasks to distance himself from the princess. The vicinity surrounding the tower had been meticulously swept clean, but this fact hardly bothered Bruno as he seized the broom, embracing the sun-drenched weather as he diligently worked.

The day drifted by, and as evening descended, the young alchemist returned to the tower for his final meal before retiring to bed. Inside, he discovered Hadiza holding a tray of sumptuous food, clearly intended for Hallel, and awaiting her presence. The waning sun cast a crimson glow that permeated the kitchen through a small window, endowing the elderly woman with an air of enigmatic allure.

Behind her, Vere sat on his stool, methodically slicing pieces of apple and savoring each bite. Bruno couldn't help but notice his penetrating gaze fixed upon him. There was an unsettling air about it, a sense that something was off, and it made Bruno uneasy.

"The princess has requested that you bring her the food," Hadiza informed him, handing over the tray to the bewildered boy.

Without uttering a word, the young alchemist simply nodded and turned to ascend the stairs. Along the way, he discreetly checked to ensure the sharpened piece of wood remained concealed within his garments, right where it should be. Satisfied that everything was in order, he ascended to the very top and halted before the door leading to the princess's chamber.

"Your Highness, I have brought the food," he announced in a tone loud enough for her to hear.

"Come in," came her response.

As he opened the door, his gaze fell upon the princess, gazing out of the window. Her attire had changed; she now donned a pristine white nightrobe. Slowly, she turned to face him, and to Bruno's astonishment, it became apparent that she was entirely naked beneath the sheer fabric, her hardened nipples prominently visible.

"Place it there," she pointed to the desk where the mirror sat.

Bruno swiftly obeyed, setting the tray down as instructed, and prepared to make his exit. However, she halted him.

"Wait. My neck feels tense... I require a massage. Close the door," she commanded.

Bruno nodded and proceeded to shut the door, then cautiously approached the girl, his eyes darting everywhere but her form.

"You seem quite shy today," she observed, a teasing lilt in her voice. "Am I the cause of your discomfort?"

He detected a shift in her tone—a newfound confidence that made her question all the more audacious, even brazen.

"A lowly slave such as I should never dare to gaze upon a princess in her nightrobe," he replied, carefully measuring each word.

"You may look. I permit it," she declared, a mischievous smirk adorning her face.

"I wouldn't dare, Your Highness. I am but a humble servant," he responded, his voice unwavering.

She chuckled, the sound carrying a hint of amusement and something far more provocative, a tone betraying her temptation.

"Well, if you refuse to look, then I shall. Remove your clothes."

Bruno was taken aback, his gaze momentarily lifting to meet hers. The confidence exuding from her every pore was palpable—how she stood before him, how she looked at him.

"Do I need to repeat myself, slave?" she inquired when he failed to respond.

A tempest raged within his mind, his thoughts racing as he weighed his options. ‘Is this the moment? Should I kill her now and attempt my escape? No, it's too risky. I need to find another way out. But if I leave, she'll be furious and may still kill me. Is there any escape from this predicament? Should I undress and allow her to toy with me? Damn it... the tattoo. I must touch the tattoo and flee.’

In the blink of an eye, a storm of thoughts ravaged his mind before he turned away, covertly extracting the sharpened wood and concealing it within his grasp. Then, he began undressing.

"You truly are shy," she remarked. "Can't even face me while undressing?"

"I am but a slave, my lady. There is nothing within my form that could possibly captivate your interest," he reasoned.

"I shall be the judge of that," she retorted.

With her final words, Bruno became certain that something about her had changed. It wasn't solely her newfound confidence; it was also the choice of phrases she uttered—everything deviated from the ordinary.

As he pivoted, completely nude, his eyes fell upon her, one hand gripping a gleaming silver blade and the other clutching a rope.

‘When did she grab those?’ he questioned in the silence of his own mind, the answer emerging almost immediately. She had plenty of time while he struggled to surreptitiously manipulate his concealed weapon.

"Tie one end of the rope to the bedpost and throw the remaining length over the beam beneath the roof," she instructed. "I am going to test you."

He nodded and accepted the rope from her grasp, his attention momentarily diverted by the looped end he had previously overlooked in his preoccupation with the dagger

‘I need to stay composed,’ he reminded himself. ‘I'm beginning to overlook details. Deep breaths, Bruno. Deep breaths. There's always a way. Just think. Don't panic.’

He meticulously fastened the rope to the bedpost, allowing himself the luxury of time, before flinging the remaining length over the beam beneath the roof. Finally, he turned his gaze back to the princess, still avoiding direct eye contact and instead focusing on a distant wall.

"Now pick up that stool and climb it. Then put the loop over your head," she commanded, the blade poised firmly in her outstretched hand.

Bruno hesitated for a moment, contemplating the idea of knocking the weapon from her grasp and making a desperate run for freedom. Yet, he realized the futility of such an escape—without a plausible explanation for his nakedness in the presence of Vere, he would inevitably be caught. The lethal collar around his neck rendered any hope of evasion impossible.

Resigned, he complied with her order, his mind racing to find a solution. As the princess approached him, he stood on the stool, the rope encircling his neck. He positioned it in a way that, even if she were to kick the stool out from under him, the rope would catch on the collar, preventing instant death by neck-snapping or suffocation, albeit prolonging his suffering.

‘What are my options?’ he pondered, desperate for a way out. "I can't harm her; that would be a death sentence. She wields a weapon, leaving me at a disadvantage. Escape is futile with this collar. If anyone discovers my nudity in the princess's presence, I'm as good as dead. How can I possibly escape this? No, Bruno, you're approaching this from the wrong angle. Instead of escaping, you must find her intentions. That's the key.’

As she drew nearer, she rested the blade's tip against his neck. He couldn't help but steal a momentary glance at the weapon, but his attention swiftly shifted. With her free hand, the princess pushed aside the shoulder straps of her nightdress, allowing it to slide gracefully from her slender frame.

In response, Bruno immediately averted his gaze, fixating his sight on his own feet.

"Do you like what you see?" she asked.

"I wouldn't dare to look," he replied, his voice trembling.

"I'm telling you to look," she insisted.

"Please, princess, I beg of you. Do not force me to defile your body with my gaze. I am unworthy," he protested, resolutely keeping his eyes lowered.

"I said, look at me," she repeated, exerting a slight pressure with the blade.

A pang coursed through Bruno's neck, and for a fleeting moment, he considered succumbing to her demand. But then, time seemed to slow as adrenaline surged through his veins.

‘Every other boy here died," he thought, resolute. ‘I can't follow their path. What would they do in this situation? They would look. I cannot look. I cannot give her what she wants. Perhaps by refusing, I can incite a sense of challenge within her and buy myself more time.’

In the blink of an eye, these thoughts raced through his mind, and reality snapped back to its usual pace.

"Forgive me, princess, but I cannot," he firmly asserted.

"I said, look at me!" she bellowed, her fury escalating.

Contrary to her words, the blade on his neck relented, slightly retracting, perhaps even unbeknownst to her.

"I beg you, princess, kill me if you must, but do not force me to defile you. I am naught but a slave, and you are of royalty," he beseeched.

She erupted into an unprecedented fury, her screams reverberating through the room. Then, with an outpouring of rage, she flung the blade, which collided with the wall, shattering into two pieces.

"GET OUT! GET OUT! LEAVE! RAAAAAAA!" she shrieked, her voice piercing the air.

Bruno needed no further urging. Swift as lightning, he slipped his head out of the rope and snatched his clothes from the floor. He sprinted toward the door, hastily swinging it open, disappearing on the other side.

Meanwhile, Hallel continued to scream at the top of her lungs.

Once outside the chamber, the young alchemist swiftly donned his clothes and concealed the sharpened piece of wood, returning it to its hiding place. He then descended the stairs at a composed pace. However, as he progressed further down, he noticed Vere slowly ascending. The presence of the towering man sent a shiver down his spine, but Vere paid him no mind, simply passing by as he made his way upstairs.