Libertas looked panicky around. Just how could that be? Where was that mirror? Did it just vanish? More importantly, how did he appear here? Why here out of all the places? His breathing hastened wildly, and he stood aghast there, frozen.

How could that be! How did he appear here!

A faint red mist pervaded through the entire air. A thick and sweet metallic smell swiftly assaulted his nose. It was nauseating and urged him to puke. Although he tried his best to ignore it, the red mist clung to him like a desperate lover. Moreover, a strange joy slowly spread inside him, and there was a heavy pressure outside, steadily crashing down at him.

After the passing of unknown duration of time, Libertas gradually calmed down again. However, it was only barely, the strange joy still danced happily around inside him, and the pressure crashing down only grew heavier. Nevertheless, his gaze wandered wearily up, staring at the man in front of him.

Dark crimson blood stained a white apron. Red gloves dripped blood into a bright crimson puddle. The blade of a cleaver gleamed a dangerous glint. A crooked smile distorted, appearing twisted and desperate. Turbid eyes looked resolutely into the far distance. Tears on the verge of breaking out, but in the end, they didn’t fell.

This man was the butcher out of Libertas’ Imaginary World! He had changed, but even then Libertas could unmistakeable discern, this man was the butcher! And this place was his Imaginary World! There were even the pixelated pigs with their decapitated heads.

However, how did he enter it? Thinking back, he was sitting in the class, looking at how the teacher revealed a plain mirror. Then suddenly, he was here. Was it all due to that mirror? But how could it possible connect with his Imaginary World? Moreover, if this was his Imaginary World, were the heads still there?

Gulping, Libertas shivering slightly, and hesitatingly he looked at the feet of the butcher. Six heads laid in the bright crimson puddle. Silently, they glared at him with their hollow eyes. Instantly, the strange joy burst forth inside him, and he began to chuckle softly. With time, it grew louder and louder. He began to laugh, laughing hysterical. Soon it resembled the wretched howl of an animal. 

Soon whispers emerged in his head. What did they say? Libertas couldn’t understand anything. Nevertheless, he didn’t need to understand it. He just knew that these were the voices of the dead. These were the voices of the six head. He had killed them, and now, they are haunting him for revenge.

He then remembered the scrawny boy. He killed that boy with a lucky hit, decapitating the head. However, even after knowing that boy was dead, he still ruthlessly pierced with his sword into the boy’s heart.

He too remembered how he skinned the knight’s child before he cruelly butchered the child into pieces. He remembered…, he remembered…, he remembered…, he remembered…! Even after all the time what had passed, he still remembered his own atrocity of how he mercilessly killed.

All of a sudden, the pressure crashing down on him intensified, and he slumped to his knees. However, a foot wasn’t any longer there. It disappeared. Even while his body slowly broke apart, he still laughed hysterical like the wretched howl an animal.

An arm scattered. The legs vanished. The more the pressure destroyed his body, the fainter the red mist became. Soon he saw through it, discerning a giant cat. It desperately wrestled against four heavy chains as they wreathed around and suppressed it.

The other arm broke apart, and suddenly, a chain cracked. Swiftly, the giant cat tore it apart. Biting on it, the cat threw it with a quick swing of its head away. With no care that chain fell rapidly down at him, Libertas hysterically laughed. 

However, at the moment of the collision, Libertas just vanished. Seeing this, the giant angrily growled before it continued to wrestle against the remaining heavy chains.

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Standing back in the class, Libertas looked dazed around. Why was he suddenly back again? There was no butcher here. There were no decapitated pigs here. And there were no detached heads. He wasn’t any longer in his Imaginary World.

Marcus was still quietly sitting on the seat beside him. Maria and Anthony were still sitting peacefully on their chair. Looking at the front of the class, Ms Angelica too still stood there. However, the piece of cloth covered plain mirror again.

After waiting for a while, she clapped in her hands and spoke, “The illusion of what you have just now seen, was the nearest experience you had towards a concept. Of course, it wasn’t the same as your true experience, but it had only small changes. However, all the changes were due to your subconscious. It only strengthened the concept you felt at that time.” 

She spread her arms while she smiled brightly, telling the class, “Please use the feeling you had during the illusion to draw a picture on the paper in front you. Remember, keep the feeling you had deep in your heart while you draw.”

As Libertas heard that, he began to chuckle again. It quickly grew and grew until he began to laugh hysterical. Then it turned into howl like that of a wretched animal. Suddenly, the world froze, and everybody was silent. Everyone could only hear the ticking of the clock hanging from the wall.

Tick Tack, Tick Tack, Tick Tack….

Everything in front of Libertas faded in colour until it turned black. His body wobbled unsteadily back and forth until he toppled to the side, crashing against Marcus. In the end, he fell unconscious.

The time passed slowly in the darkness. One lesson after another ended. The sun reached its peak and had now begun to fall. However, its rays still shined brightly through a window, illuminating the face of a young boy. He slept peacefully in a large white bed as curtains covered him from the sight of the world.

A mature woman sat quietly on a stool beside the boy. She had her wavy hair bounded together to a ponytail. Gently, they fell on her shoulder. With closed eyes, she folded her hands atop of her crossed legs.

Soon a groaning sounded before a faint silly chuckle replaced it. She opened her eyes, looking at the boy. Then she sighed, “Was the backlash too strong? No, it shouldn’t be. Sister wouldn’t harm, no…. She even did that to father….”

Libertas opened his eyes while chuckling foolishly. Raising his head, he ended his chuckle with a long and exhausted sigh. Then as he saw the founder on a stool beside the bed, he let his head plump back on the pillow. Wearily, he asked, “Where am I?”

Hearing that, the founder frowned. Subsequently, she replied, “Libertas, you didn’t listen to me, and this is the result you have gotten from that. You really should have listened to me. Well, as for where we are? Can’t you see that? We are in an infirmary. Anyway, I have strengthened the seal on your Imaginary World for now, but it is still weaker than before. A lot.”

Listlessly, Libertas stared at the roof. Slowly, the time passed without anyone of them speaking, and the frown of the founder deepened. Mildly annoyed, she then inquired, “Well, do you want to tell me about what has happened to you? Maybe I can help you there. You know, if you are like this, you won’t be able to offer any resistance against my sister.”

Once more, there was a long silence. Irritated, the founder glared at Libertas. Following, she helplessly sighed, “I really don’t know just what I should do with you. Speak! Ask me something! You aren’t mute. Don’t you want to go back to your home? Have your forgotten earth? Or even your home in this world? Answer me!”

Just as the founder wanted to hit angrily against a wall, she saw Libertas tilting his head to look at her. Her frown eased, but she sighed once more as she saw the eyes of Libertas. They were dead. With a hoarse voice, Libertas finally said something, “I… killed….”

Stunned, the founder unwittingly muttered, “Only this?”

However, immediately noticing her mistake, she shook her head and spoke, “Well, don’t worry too much. Haven’t everybody already killed once in their life? I even killed thousands upon thousands, and not a single tear fell from my eyes. Well, even if it isn’t me but a child. It likely killed an insect on the ground. We all are murders. Don’t think about it. Anyway, your friends are here. I will leave now.”

After she said that, her body scattered and soon someone pulled the curtains to the side. Swiftly Marcus walked to Libertas side and plumped on the stool. Following behind him was Maria. She looked worried over his shoulder at Libertas.

As Anthony wearily stretched his arms beside Maria, he saw that Marcus sat down on the only stool. Irritated, he grumbled promptly, “Hey, stand up. Where are y our manners? You should give the lady the stool, and not sit on it on your own.”

Annoyed, Marcus glared at Anthony. Subsequently, he spat out the words, “What do you want? If you have nothing to do here, then just fuck off!”

When Anthony heard that, his eyes narrowed. Irritated, he glared back at Marcus as he questioned, “What have you just said? Why don’t you fuck off from here?”

Enraged, Marcus jerked up. Instantly, the stool fell to the ground, as Marcus yelled at Anthony, “I said, FUCK OFF!”