[Zenith's POV]
'What is he doing?'
Leaning against the wall, I exhaled, my eyes flickering toward the tir overhead.
'It's been so long.'
Only five minutes left before the first cycle ends, and we're no closer to identifying the killer.
Everyone started doing their own things after Himl was gone.
"What's on your mind?"
A soft voice pulled from my thoughts.
Epione stood beside , her crimson eyes studying my face.
"Himl—"
I caught myself mid-word and quickly corrected,
"I'm not thinking about Himl!"
She flinched at my unintentional outburst.
"O-okay," she stamred, nodding awkwardly.
Silence stretched between us.
We both stood beside each other.
"..."
"..."
"...I really wasn't thinking about him—"
"Yeah, I get it," she interrupted with a sigh.
She huffed. "Geez, weren't you the big sister figure before? What happened to that?"
"I still act like a big sister." I replied, grinning as I straightened my back.
But reality hit fast.
The height difference between us was undeniable, and I deflated almost instantly.
Why is everyone taller than ?
Midget.
The word in Himl's voice echoed in my head.
I whimpered, shifting my gaze. "I'm not that small."
"You're not," Epione assured, her smile gentle.
I studied her for a mont before shifting my gaze away.
She's changed a lot.
I still rember our first eting—how we bickered over her terrible fashion sense.
She used to drape herself in layers, barely showing any skin.
I turned towards her with a teasing smile. "Still saving yourself for your future husband?"
She blushed brightly, grumbling. "Can you please stop?"
"Oh, how can I show my skin?"
I waved my hand dramatically as I mimicked her.
"My husband will think that I am not worthy of his love~."
"Stop it, Zenith!" she groaned, covering her face, pink with embarrassnt.
I clasped my hands together, continuing the act. "Oh, look, I must even hide my hands, for he shall cherish them—"
"My mother raised that way, okay?" Epione muttered, her voice softer. "Don't make fun of my naïveté."
A pang of guilt hit . "Oh, I'm sorry."
Epione just smiled, shaking her head. "It's fine."
I silently nodded, regret creeping under my skin.
I shouldn't have mocked her.
When we grew closer, she confided in us about her mother's condition.
And… it wasn't good.
She'd been forced to marry the Asura's current head's son, despite not loving him.
That bastard married her out of sheer jealousy.
I don't usually curse, but he deserved it.
That bitch couldn't even handle losing.
Subconsciously, my gaze drifted to Sibry.
She stood in the corner, flanked by her guards, with a group of girls fawning over her.
She's just as bad as her father.
I wished I could put her in her place for tornting Epione, but I couldn't.
If I hit a princess, it would bring my mother unnecessary trouble.
'Christina was so much better at taking care of her.'
She made her piss herself in public with a jolt of electricity through her body.
I giggled at the mory.
Christina was so much braver and bolder than I could ever be.
She was like sunshine, always lifting my spirits.
'She used to praise her fiancé a lot.'
...The sa fiancé who murdered her.
My heart clenched, I bit my lip to stop it from trembling.
One day, she was there.
The next, she was gone.
No goodbyes.
No warnings.
Just… gone.
Ugh.
How could he kill her when she loved him so much?
It's such a tragedy.
How could she love soone so cruel?
She used to tell to be soone who thinks a thousand tis before loving yet—.
She died by her lover's hand like a foolish woman.
I really hate her.
But.
I don't regret being her friend.
'I hope the stars are glowing brighter wherever you are.'
And rest assured—
Wherever your killer is...
I will find him.
And make him pay.
"Zenith?"
My gaze shifted as I heard my na.
A girl with long black hair approached, her sharp beauty accentuated by the small mole beneath her lips.
Epione slipped away without a word.
She and Siersha really didn't get along.
"Where have you been?" I asked, crossing my arms. "I've been looking for you."
"I was… busy." She leaned against the wall beside . "My bloodlust got the better of ."
My stomach twisted. "Are you okay? Should I call the teacher—"
"I'm fine," she cut off. "I have it under control."
I sighed in relief.
Never do I want to see her in a bloodlust state.
She just becos scary.
"Where's Himl?" Siersha asked, scanning the room. "I've been searching for him, but he's nowhere to be found."
I clenched my fists.
My annoyance spiked at her words.
How had she gotten so close to him?
We t him at the sa ti, yet they often disappeared together like they'd known each other forever.
'...'
I didn't like it.
"I don't know," I muttered, keeping my irritation in check. "He's just… not here."
"I see."
I narrowed my eyes. "Why are you looking for him?"
She gulped and licked her lips. "Nothing serious."
"..."
Why is she behaving like that?
Is she going to eat him or sothing?
"Don't hurt him," I warned, my voice colder than I intended. "I wouldn't like that."
Siersha stared at , her expression unreadable, but there was a flicker of annoyance.
"I won't do anything to him," she said, rubbing her temples. "And I won't stop him if he hurts ."
I frowned. "What's that supposed to an?"
"It's none of your concern." She replied, shaking her head.
I looked at her suspiciously but didn't ask anything else.
Maybe I should keep an eye on Himl.
That way, I can always be aware when he needs help.
'...'
Urgh.
Why do I sound like a stalker?
"How are the dreams?" Siersha asked suddenly.
I blinked.
"Still the sa," I lied, keeping the vision to myself. "Though I did see more children."
She stiffened, turning towards . "What kind of children?"
I frowned. "I don't know… they had horns. Maybe Asura?"
Her expression brightened as she asked, "Any vampire children?"
"No."
"....I see." She replied, disappointnt clear in her voice.
What's with her?
Then again.
'....What's with ?'
I saw Himl killing people.
Thousands of them.
And yet I hugged him.
My body trembled at the very thought of those vision.
How could he do such a thing?
What made him do that?
Will this happen again?
'No.'
Nothing like that will happen.
I will make sure of it.
For the sake of innocent people—
For the sake of this world—
I will be his moral compass.
"The first cycle ends now!"
******
"You called, Qais?"
My heart clenched, twisting in my chest.
Slowly, I turned my head.
A woman sat beside , gazing at .
Was that… a nightgown?
Her clothes were light, almost ethereal, and her body glowed softly—like a soul untethered.
But her face…
It was blurred, shifting like smoke dissipating into the air.
Ah.
"I forgot how you looked, didn't I?" I whispered, my voice cracking.
It's hard.
I don't know why, but I felt my chest burn.
Like my soul was trying to rember her but couldn't.
I'm being haunted by feelings of things that I can't rember.
But what can I do?
She laughed, her voice a lody. "You were always bad with faces."
"...Was I?" I whispered to myself.
Co to think of it.
I really am.
"You were." She replied, giggling. "But I let it slide. You always looked dashing when embarrassed."
I stared at her, a sharp yearning carving into .
I wanted to see her clearly or....see nothing at all.
Taking a slow breath, I asked, "You're not real, are you?"
Her hand—translucent and faintly glowing—reached toward my cheek but stopped just short. "Of course, I am."
I leaned into the emptiness where her touch should have been.
"Liar."
She giggled again. "I'm with you. Not in body, but in soul."
I smiled, leaning forward as if that could ease the ache in my chest.
But sothing about this felt wrong.
Why couldn't I see her?
Why couldn't I stop needing to?
"How have you been?" she asked, curiosity laced in her tone.
"Hopeless. For a long ti," I admitted, staring at the floor. "...It wasn't the greatest experience."
"Do you miss ?" she teased.
"I don't even rember you." I shook my head. "I don't even know who you are."
"That's…" she whispered, her voice suddenly fragile, "hurtful. But… expected."
I swallowed, steadying myself. "Why am I seeing you now?"
She smiled. "Because you've always been terrible at letting go."
I let out a quiet sigh, rubbing my face. "I don't know what's happening."
"Don't worry," she said, leaning closer. "The day will co when you'll understand everything."
There was so much I wanted to ask, but—
"How did you die?" My voice was softer than I intended. "What happened back then?"
She held her smile. "I died to rest."
I frowned. "What does that an?"
"To give you everything. To pour my soul into yours." "Was it necessary?" I asked, finally facing her. "Why would you do that?"
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze distant. "I don't know. But maybe… I've already lived many lives waiting for you."
I frowned, confusion creeping in. "What?"
She turned to , her voice gentle. "I'm still waiting to et you. Sowhere out there… without my mories."
I went still.
Was she… still alive?
"Be glad, Qais," she said with a radiant smile. "Soone loves you—before and after knowing what you are." My throat tightened. "I'm not Qais."
She kept smiling, but she didn't answer.
"I love soone else." I continued, looking away. "I don't love you—."
"I know." Her voice was quiet. "But whatever is left of you will always love —though not in the way I wish."
I exhaled heavily, rubbing my face.
This was too much.
"Was it still too early?" she murmured, watching . "You're not ready."
"Lumi?" I whispered, standing up.
Her body flickered, fading like mist in the wind.
Softly.
Surely.
"Continue to solve the riddle. The next clue is in the room." She said, smiling brightly. "We will see each other again."
"You're already dead," I said, clenching my fists. "How will we see each other again?"
She smiled. "No grave can hold my body down. I will crawl ho to you." Then, she was gone.
I stood there, staring at the empty space where she had been.
Then, slowly, I sank back onto the bed, my eyes unfocused on the ceiling.
...Why did it have such a strange pattern?
A blue phoenix fluttered down and settled on my chest.
For hours, I lay still, gazing blankly above.
I didn't know her.
I didn't rember her.
But I missed her.
I just didn't know why.
Ti passed. I stayed unmoving.
Lumi wasn't from this ti.
Maybe I had known her long ago.
It didn't matter anymore.
Yet, I couldn't let her go.
Sighing, I finally stood up and looked around.
Nothing seed out of place—nothing that looked like a clue.
But just as I was about to give up, my gaze landed on a pile of shattered glass.
Slowly, I walked toward it.
"..."
Piece by piece, I started arranging the glass back together.
And when it was whole, I looked at its reflection.
Then—
My eyes shot up to the ceiling.
The strange pattern.
It was a map.
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