Milo gives Natasha a tour of the castle and she happily follows him. She looks at each room as if she does not know them and asks questions to her new Master. She smiles and "discovers" this new place. She learns some things and enjoys Master Milo's enthusiasm. He is so happy to show her his new home, it's so cute. Natasha follows him around, right behind him, her steps tracing his.

She already knows what she sees. She hears the same things.

Natasha doesn't say much during this visit. She meets Sulman again and introduces herself; he does the same. She listens to him carefully, as if it were a new meeting. She doesn't say anything, not being able to tell that in reality—

Every room, every place and every corner. Natasha recognizes them. Some more than others, but deep down, she already knows this castle. From the left to the right, from the floor to the ceiling.

She has visited this castle enough times now.

She still loves it very much. It's so beautiful and spacious, it's hard for her not to get sparks in her eyes when she looks around.

Nevertheless, at the same time, a ball in her belly is growing.

She keeps smiling throughout the visit, until she arrives in her room with Master Milo. She already knows what he's going to talk about. She already knows the details of their discussion. She doesn't remember all the details exactly, but a big part of the conversation is burned into her head.

She talks with Master Milo.

She tells him that she doesn't know much about him. She hears about his dream.

He shows her his Recommendation.

He tells her what he wants to tell

Their discussion is rhythmic,

but Natasha already knows everything he says.

She tells him that she will help him in his dream, he thanks her with a big smile.

Master Milo finally leaves the room. He says before that he will call her for supper and she nods. When the door closes, she takes a pillow in her arms and hugs it tightly. Not to sniff it or to act happily, but to think.

..........

She experienced the same thing for the fourth time.

In any case, the same day.

The conversation was almost identical to my first time here... Natasha thinks. Not all of her answers were exactly the same as her "first life", so some of the answers also changed. Nevertheless, the content of the conversation was the same... She didn't learn anything new. She would have liked it, though..

I have to summarize my thoughts... I have to understand exactly what is going on. Natasha lies down in bed, but her eyes stare at the ceiling: resting or sleeping is out of the question. There is too much going on in her mind to hope to clear her head anyway.

So I can come back to life when I die, but I also come back in time. It seems that the moment I come back is always the same... Always the same moment when Master Milo asks me to trust him.

The first time, Natasha had a hard time getting over her death. The second time she understood her power and this time she accepted it. She still struggles and wonders if it's all a dream, but she knows it's not.

Even though I know it's reality, it's so... surreal. Going back in time when I die...? It doesn't make sense. Natasha is not the one who knows the most about the world, but she knows very well that such a power cannot be possible. It can't be her Tempus either— Besides, there is no such thing as a Tempus of Time. She has already seen the possible and known variations.

Afterwards, it's so surreal what's happening to me that focusing only on what I know and what is known is maybe a bad thing…

To accept that the "reality" that humans and living beings have defined is not right is complicated. Very complicated. For example, if another planet has no gravity on it, it would be unthinkable to just say "Oh, it has no gravity! ". Everyone would look for a "LOGICAL" reason for this phenomenon. This is the same for ghosts or supernatural events.

Therefore, to talk about it seems unthinkable to me. If I were to say that I can come back in time by dying, even if I can provide "proofs", I think that I would be taken for a crazy person…

Yet her heart tells her to try. The enemy who will arrive in two days has easily passed Jiax, Master Milo's guard, and he has not been able to defeat her quickly. Natasha hadn't helped, either... He had protected her as best as he could, so maybe he hadn't used his Tempus effectively?

I have no place in this fight... I am more of a bother for Master Milo than anything else.

This time she has to make sure she's not in the room at the same time. The slayer is there to murder Master Milo, so Natasha doesn't need to be afraid to stay in her own room while she waits. She doesn't want to be an inconvenience to her Master when he fights. He can't attack and protect at the same time without losing power and focus; she knows that very well. She hugs the pillow a little tighter.

This enemy... I know nothing about her. Not when she arrives, not how. Not her Tempus, not how much stronger she is than Master Milo…

They did not actually fight, the "last time". She was able to observe the woman's blade, but she did not use her Tempus during the fight. If she avoided being seen by Jiax and entered Master Milo's room without complication, she must have had one…

But which one? How to defeat it, with so little information...?

Even with her new ability, Natasha doesn't see how they can win against her. Master Milo is powerful, she is certain; but this woman... She closes her eyes as she draws her knees closer to her body.

Don't be pessimistic, Natasha... Your Master has a Recommendation, he can beat her...!

Having a Recommendation does not only mean being powerful, but she is sure that a possible future King of Izarel is necessarily someone very strong. She had seen that the Tempus of her Master is one of stone... Natasha doesn't know the one of the others in her faction, but maybe she can ask it... ? After all, it's an interesting and important piece of information... She's Master Milo's handmaid, so she should be able to ask without being punished or seen as a suspicious Kitta.

Well, I hope so…

She is lost in her thoughts. She doesn't know what to do and she doesn't want to relive the same days over and over. Dying is a pain more than unbearable and she doesn't know if her mind will bear it for long. Just thinking about it makes her stomach hurt... She sacrificed herself for Master Milo, but she starts to hesitate on one point:

I thought he was going to get killed, but if in the end he could have avoided it and won?

When she dies, the world turns back, which means that everything that was done between the time she dies and the time she comes back to life is erased from time.

But everything that was done before I died remains…

Natasha doesn't know everything about her new ability, but she doesn't plan to use it too often; in fact, she wishes she never had to use it. Dying hurts too much and her mind can't take it for long. Going back and doing what has already been done bores her... Conversations repeat themselves and "new" encounters no longer have their magic. Even food will eventually disgust her, if she can't get out of this loop.

This ability... I'm going to call it "Revive Backwards".

This is the title of a book that she read in the large library of her Master Samus. It tells the story of a man who can go back in time when he dies, but his ability is quite different: he always comes back 72 hours precisely in the past and not to a specific point.

Why a specific point, here?

She doesn't know. The moment she goes back in time with Revive Backwards is shortly after her meeting with Milo, which means that if she had been killed before that…

Maybe that Revive Backwards only activated after meeting Master Milo...?

She can't be sure and asking him would surely be pointless. However, this question is on her mind. She can't be sure if she's had this ability since she was a child, since she's never been killed before — she's sure about that. She doesn't remember much about her memories before she met Master Samus, so she can't be sure, but she is almost entirely sure that she never died before meeting him. Did this ability come with meeting Milo, before, or even at birth? Natasha can't answer that question and probably never will.

Whatever happens, reality is in front of my eyes…

Master Milo dies on the twenty-first of May and I get killed right after. It's as if it's inevitable.

She must break this loop and defeat this killer. Without any information on her, except for her weapon, it seems complicated.

If I talk about her looks, say what weapon she has and when exactly she arrives... I'll sound too suspicious. I don't know if anyone will believe me.

She has to think about everything before she acts or speaks. If she says something wrong, she's afraid of the repercussions. On the other hand, she wants to save Master Milo and the members of the castle first, even if she has to sacrifice part of her relationship. She loves Master Milo, Oshio and Sulman very much, so she doesn't want them to die. If she has to look like a traitor just to warn them, she will…

But anyway, it doesn't seem to me to be a good solution.

She lets out a long sigh and opens her eyes again, looking at the beautiful ceiling. She's having a hard time keeping her mind together and no matter what she thinks, she doesn't know how to defeat this slayer. Natasha is aware that she's overthinking things, maybe a little too much, but she doesn't want to die anymore, or see Master Milo killed. In front of her eyes or not, the mere fact that she knows her Master is being murdered... A disgusting, disgusting thought. She turns a little to the right and hides her mouth behind the pillow she holds so tightly in her arms.

Now I have to ask myself what I am doing this time... Natasha wonders. She's already had a long talk with Master Milo, gotten to know Oshio, and had a chance to talk with Sulman a bit. Chris is not coming these days, so a conversation with him seems impossible. The same goes for Kenoze.

That leaves Harry and Jiax... she thinks. She already spoke quickly with Harry, but he did not seem to want to engage in a discussion. Mysterious and a bit sinister, she doesn't necessarily want to talk to him... Nevertheless, he’s still someone in the faction: Master Milo's personal trainer. She can't quite figure him out, but she doesn't want to criticize him too much. Master Samus has already told her enough times that she shouldn't judge a book only by its cover!

So…

—Jiax.

The guard of Master Milo, the black-haired Hourna. That's more or less all she knows about her: her looks. Natasha has never spoken to her and the only "discussion" she managed to have with her was at the cake. It would be hard to call it a discussion, though: Jiax welcomed her and thanked her for allowing them to eat such a delicious cake. Natasha, her, just said

"You're welcome".

Oshio has told her that Jiax is a good person to get along with, but Natasha has a little doubt in her heart. It's probably her own anxiety that's hitting her, because so far, she seems to be getting along with everyone. She closes her eyes again and takes a deep breath.

She needs to think.

I want to get along with everyone, but I also have to think about what happens in two days... On the night of the twenty-first of May, Master Milo is killed. So I only have two days to find a solution.

In reality, she has much more time. If she fails, she just has to do it again. She'll get killed and go back in time. Then she can look for another solution.

Nevertheless, this way of doing things does not suit her. She doesn't want that.

I'll use the same excuse to warn Master Milo... He'll believe me, I know it. I've seen it, even. I could talk to Harry about it too, but I'm afraid of his reaction... He doesn't seem to want to talk to me, anyway. So…

The only thing missing is Jiax.

Natasha remembers the slayer's words well: she didn't want to fight Jiax, so she avoided her.

If Natasha can get them to meet... then maybe they have a chance. If Jiax fights her and wins, Master Milo won't get killed and everything will be fine. She turns in her bed, opens her eyes again and blinks them.

If I can talk to Jiax about it, warn her... We can win. She doesn't have to fight alone, either. She can join Master Milo and fight alongside him. Two against one, this slayer should lose, right?

A pinch of hesitation creeps into his heart. This woman, the one who murders them every time, is not weak. She knows it very well. Neither is Master Milo. Nevertheless, there are possibilities that they can't win against her. At that point…

... No, I am too pessimistic!

She stands up and clenches her fists. If she tells herself they can't win, then they can't move forward. She must believe in her Master and her faction. If she can't trust their strength, then she is a bad handmaid. She has always trusted Master Samus, even for complicated tasks.

Then she will do the same for Master Milo.

Natasha puts down the pillow next to her and jumps out of bed. She doesn't plan on talking to Jiax as soon as tonight, but she can think of something... She needs to talk to someone before dinner.

???: "What do you want to talk about?"

Natasha is standing in front of the person she called. Both of them are sitting in the kitchen chairs and no one else is there. The handmaid apologizes for the sudden call and her eyes meet his.

Natasha: "Without prying, I would like to ask a question about this castle."

???: "Hmmm, what is it?"

Natasha: "Is there another entrance besides the big main door?"

The man in front of her squints. She knows it: such a question sounds suspicious. Natasha would be even more so when the woman attacked the castle. Perhaps she would be insulted as a traitor. Nevertheless, she doesn't want to keep quiet and let the tragedy repeat itself.

???: "Before answering, may I ask why you would ask such a question?"

Natasha: "Master Milo explained a lot about the castle, but he didn't tell me about the entrances and exits."

This is the truth. They came in from the front door, but he didn't show her any other place to come out from.

???: "And...?"

The man is not convinced of her answer. Natasha swallows, but she remains confident.

Natasha: "Master Samus had multiple entrances and exits, so that intrigues me... Especially since this castle is so much bigger."

A total of six entrances and exits, to be exact. The big main door, two in the back, two being secret passages, and one through the chimney. She had never needed to use one other than the large front door, but Master Samus had told her about it in case something terrible happened.

Natasha: "If I am unable to use the front door for any reason, I would like to know where to escape."

She knows her words are not precise, but she is confident in the way she speaks. The man in front of her continues to stare at her, eyes squinting. She shows no stress on her face: she has nothing to hide. Well, she does; but nothing bad. The man finally sighs.

???: "The big front door is the only "entrance", but you can consider the glass door of the living room as an entrance too. Nevertheless, in the evening, it is closed like all the others, and therefore to enter from outside

Is impossible... Unless you break something, but Jiax, Harry or even Milo will hear it."

He moved his hand as he spoke.

???: "You don't really have a secret entrance or exit in this castle... Well, nothing that I know of. The only one I know that can be a way to enter is the window of the tower of the west wing, as it has trouble closing. Nevertheless, you have to climb the tower, manage to open it without making any noise and be careful when falling, since the floor of this tower is very fragile."

Natasha remembers that she did not visit this particular tower for that reason. She touches her chin and thinks. If the slayer had entered the castle by breaking a door, such as the glass one in the living room, she would surely have heard her. Jiax, too, would have noticed the intrusion and then the slayer would have had to fight against her.

Nevertheless, she had managed to avoid this encounter and had entered Master Milo's room without difficulty.

She sees only three possibilities before her.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The first is that the killer managed to get in through the window of the castle and did not make any noise while descending the tower, which is only possible if she knows the place.

The second is that another passage is accessible, but that only Master Milo knows it. Or in any case, one that Oshio, the man in front of her, does not know.

The third is that a traitor lurks within the castle walls; or at least, is part of Master Milo's faction.

In my three possibilities, it seems that the killer…

Gets help.

Natasha doesn't like to think like that. She doesn't want to think that a traitor exists within Master Milo's own faction. She looks up at Oshio. She doesn't want to believe that he is that person. Master Milo himself is not a suspect, far from it.

Sulman, Jiax, Harry, Chris and Miranda. Even Kenoze and Arissa are all seven guilty.

She makes a little face and Oshio tilts her head.

Oshio: "Is something wrong?"

Natasha blinks and shakes her hands, apologetically. She wants to slap her cheeks, noticing that she looks even more suspicious now... If she comes to arouse too much suspicion at Oshio's, then she will be fired or even killed…

I still got some interesting information there! Natasha thanks Oshio for the little chat and gets up from the chair. She bows to the servant and leaves the room. Oshio watches her leave while squinting. He remains silent, but something tells him that she hides something…

The dinner goes just as she expected. The same meal, the same cake at the end. The same words are exchanged, the same smiles. Natasha enjoys the moment, but there are no surprises. She already knows what is happening and what will happen, but she says nothing. She does not complain. She stays in her place and enjoys the evening.

The day begins. It is now the twentieth of May and Natasha goes down the stairs. She passes the corridor, greets Harry and arrives in the kitchen. She eats next to Oshio, but this time, they hardly speak to each other. She tries to start a conversation, but she feels that Oshio is a bit colder towards her. He leaves first and she remains silent. She puts her bowl away and prepares for the day's work ahead. Natasha talks quickly with her Master and finally starts the cleaning.

Natasha: "H-Hello."

???: "Ya wanted to talk to meeeee?"

Natasha nods with a smile. They are both in the living room, sitting on the comfortable sofa. Noon has just passed and dinner has been served. During Natasha's short break, she asked Jiax if they could chat a little; something Jiax had directly accepted. A cute look on her face, she watched the maid as she waited for her words. Natasha cleared her throat and didn't play coy any longer.

Natasha: "Yes, I wish to speak with you, Jiax."

The Hourna sits cross-legged and holds her feet with a smile.

Jiax: "It is true that we couldn’t discuss yestarday! I hope ya’re well, ahah!!"

Her expression is jovial and the tone of her voice has energy. She sways as she talks to her, her two ponytails moving in rhythm with her. Natasha watches her carefully. So beautiful, so cute, so imposing. She shows a big smile on her face, no aggressiveness is felt, but Natasha knows that she should not be upset. Her black hair goes in all directions as if it is never styled. Her two ponytails are tied with pink ribbons. She wears bits of armor on her body, especially on the shoulders, the hands and a little around the hips. A dark garment sticks to her skin, strongly emphasizing her feminine assets. Nothing hides her arms, nor her elbows, but her forearms with her thumbs are armored. The rest of her hands are clothed in a gray glove. Currently, she does not have her golden boots that she usually wears. Natasha has never spoken to her, and they have seen very little of each other, but she has always paid attention to her long, beautiful boots. Her ears are quite pointy, hidden by her dark hair. Her thighs and legs are covered by the same clothing as her body and her skin is a little redder than normal.

But it was nothing strange. After all,

Jiax is a Hourna.

A person with Ancient attributes is called a "Hourna". Like Kittas or Renas, this race is very rare, but even more so than the others. Seeing a Hourna here is amazing to her, but she never said anything about being surprised... Pointed horns extending from her skull, a huge Ancient tail on her back. Her scales are blue, which doesn't totally go with the colors she wears on her body, but oddly enough, this style suits her. Jiax is very beautiful and her red eyes are attractive. Natasha could look at her for hours, but she can't waste too much time: her break is far from endless.

Natasha: "I'm doing pretty well, how about you?"

Jiax: "A beautiful sunny day, a new maid who is SO CUUUUUTE and who is a Kitta, waaah! How could I not go well!!!"

She rubs Natasha's ears as she fidgets. The handmaid smiles, Jiax tickling her. The Hourna lets out a cute noise and stops bothering the Kitta.

Jiax: "Nice to meet ya, anyway!"

Natasha has never introduced herself to Jiax, but Jiax already tells her such a thing.

Natasha: "The feeling is mixed."

Jiax: "What else do ya wish to talk about?!"

Natasha: "I just wanted to get to know you."

This is half true. Natasha really wants to get to know her, but she also wants to ask her how she watches Milo. If all goes well, she'll tell him about her "feeling." If she can warn Jiax too, that would make her happy... They have a better chance of surviving with her by their side. Jiax stares into Natasha's eyes.

Jiax: "Eeeeh, I see!!!"

So much energy radiates from this Hourna. She is joyful and not moving seems impossible for her.

Jiax: "I'm Jiax Itori! I'm Milo's personal guard and I won't let ANYONE hurt him!!!"

Natasha: "Nice to meet you, I'm Natasha. New handmaid of Master Milo."

Jiax: "I'm glad to see a non-human in Milo's group, honestly!!! I've never felt lonely, but to have a Kitta in our group... Mmmmmmh, it's so greaaaaat!!!"

She puts her fists in front of her chest before raising her arms in the air, her eyes closed and her smile huge. Natasha giggles as she watches her flail around like this, reminding her of a child's behavior. Nevertheless, watching her, Natasha knows that she is an adult.

Jiax: "I can't wait to learn more about ya!!! I want to learn more about yaaaaa!!!"

She takes her hands and looks her straight in the eyes. Their heads are so close that one movement and it's a kiss. Natasha smiles.

Natasha: "You make me happy. I will be very happy to get to know you too!"

Honesty.

Jiax: "There's a lot to learn about me, after all, hehe!!! Here, I was wondering... How did it go, with yar former Master?"

She pulls her head and body back, resuming her cross legged position. Natasha doesn't need to take her time to answer her, her heart opening on its own.

Natasha: "Master Samus was the best Master ever... So kind, friendly and caring. He never hurt me, never abused me or my body. I'm glad I could serve such a person, although I wish I could have done more for him."

Jiax: "More like what? If I may ask!"

Natasha: "Serving him more on certain tasks, being a little more helpful to him for work, but also pleasing him more with my body."

Natasha is not ashamed to reveal such things. It is natural and as a handmaid, it is not uncommon for such "activities" to take place between her and the Master. It is a private matter, but Natasha has never seen it that way. She would never go into detail, but she doesn't see why she can't talk about it with people closer to her. Jiax may not be her friend, but she is still in Master Milo's faction, the family she is now a part of.

Jiax: "Pleasing him with yar body, woaah!"

Natasha nods, no embarrassment present in her facial features. Jiax lets out a long "Eeeeh" and finally sits down in a slightly more elegant manner, legs crossed.

Jiax: "Ya must have loved yar former Master, then?"

Natasha: "He was much older than me, but I didn't care for that. I wouldn't call it love, but my affection for him flies above the roofs... I adored him. I still adore him."

Natasha's smile grows sad, but remains on her sweet face. Her red eyes droop and her Kitta ears don't hide how she feels. Seeing Natasha's heart swell with sadness, Jiax quickly changes the subject.

Jiax: "And Master Milo, do ya like him?"

Natasha's ears now point to the sky and her head lifts. She looks at Jiax and gives him a big smile.

Natasha: "He's... I mean, he seems like a fantastic person."

For Jiax, Natasha has only just arrived. It's as if she's known Master Milo for a little less than a day. Natasha has already witnessed the goodness and kindness of her new Master, so she can honestly say that she likes him a lot. Jiax chuckles.

Jiax: "Anyway, yar cat-tail admits that ya like it a lot already, ahah!"

Natasha's tail wags in all directions, showing Jiax's eyes how she really feels. The handmaid blushes weakly and holds her tail, embarrassed.

Natasha: "I... Aaah..."

Jiax pats her shoulder, smiling, still amused.

Jiax: "Thank’ for making me laugh and don't worry!"

Jiax: "I understand how it feels to adore Milo."

She nods blankly, as if agreeing with her own opinion. Natasha watches her face and their eyes meet. Both non-human, both with big, beautiful smiles. Jiax is taller than Natasha, but her face is a bit more childlike.

Jiax: "I hope ya enjoy living with us, I think we're a tight family!"

Jiax pouts and shakes her head.

Jiax: "No, I don't think so: I'm sure of it!"

Natasha giggles and puts a hand in front of her mouth. Jiax smiles as she looks at her and peers through the glass. It's a beautiful day outside... Adara is shining in the sky, her rays warming the surface of the planet. She wants to go outside to enjoy the beauty of spring, but she is currently chatting with Natasha, so she will wait until her break is over. The handmaid wants to say something to her, but her heart makes a leap that surprises her.

Finally, she thinks of something all of a sudden.

She quickly closes her mouth and pulls her body back onto the sofa cushion. She hesitates. Natasha doesn't know if she should talk about it... She stays in her thoughts, wondering what she should do. It is a solution, but there is a chance that Jiax will take it badly…

Yet, if I mention it…

Natasha touches her chin.

Jiax: "Natasha?"

Kitta looks up and removes her hand from her face.

Natasha: "Yes?"

Jiax: "Nothing, just that ya seemed to be in yar thoughts..."

Natasha: "..."

Admiring Jiax's beauty, Natasha makes up her mind. She is still not sure if she should do it, but after thinking about it, she thinks it is the best solution. She is afraid of the reaction that Jiax will have, but it is by remaining afraid that she will not advance.

Natasha: "... Say, Jiax."

Jiax: "Hmmm?"

Natasha calms her breathing and thinks about her words. She has to be careful what she says and how she says it. This is her first discussion with Jiax, they are not yet friends. They are part of the same family now, but Natasha is not so naive to think that she won't react strangely to what Natasha is going to say.

Natasha: "Will you believe me if..."

She swallows. Maybe this is stupid. Maybe she is making a mistake…

But she has to believe in it.

She lifts her head towards Jiax, she opens her mouth again.

Natasha: "What if I told you that I go back in time when I die?"

Chapter 6 : The truth hurts

Jiax looks at her with wide eyes. She stands still, silent and shocked. Natasha watches her with pursed lips, her breathing becoming excited again. Her irises stare intently into Jiax's, waiting for a response from her. She mentioned it out of the blue, but Natasha wants to know if it's normal. She wants to see Jiax's reaction, to learn from her if she can tell the others. If the Hourna reacts well and she can tell the others, Natasha will have an easier time fighting the slayer. They will have a better chance of winning against her. She can tell everyone!

Jiax: "..."

Hourna bows her head.

Jiax: "What—"

She thinks it's a joke. Jiax wants to ask her why she says such a thing without warning, but she is not allowed to. She doesn't know what took Natasha to drop such words, but she will, unfortunately, never know.

Explosion; stones and pieces flying in all directions. The noise is such that no eardrum can bear, but Natasha's ears assume.

Her body is thrown so far, through the windows and rolling into the garden.

The castle is nothing but ruins that fly in all directions, pieces bigger than others.

Falling on the ground, crashing or bouncing away. The scene is catastrophic, in less than a single second, there is almost nothing left of this magnificent building.

Natasha remains lying on the grass, her body bleeding, her breathing irregular.

Get... Get up…

What happened? Why did everything just explode...?

Natasha has no strength left in her arms. A piece of the roof of one of the towers goes into the ground beside her.

She raises her head with difficulty, her eyes want to close, but she resists.

What…

In front of her, a piece of Oshio's head.

She opens her eyes wide and quickly closes her mouth. Natasha manages to back up a little, ready to vomit if she opens her mouth. She shakes with fear, her left arm no longer works and part of her Kitta tail is damaged. She swallows the vomit in her mouth and coughs as she closes her eyes, tears forming at the edges of them.

??? : "Aaaa~nh, you see me so happy, MOTHEEEEEER !!"

A step touches the ground.

Natasha blinks slowly and looks up, her breathing complicated. The castle before her, all destroyed. Only ruins, smoke and fire reaching for the heavens. All around her, the remains of her new home, the bodies of her new family. Natasha grinds her teeth.

Wh…

Y…

Why….?!

She coughs blood and tries her best to breathe. Another step hits the ground, both his feet now on the cool grass.

????????: "I can't believe that finally, she's in front of me."

The man steps forward. A masculine voice, a touch of femininity embellishes it. Natasha puts a hand in front of her mouth and sits on her buttocks. She looks ahead to where the castle burns.

In front, a man stops a few meters away from her.

What a monstrous smile.

The one who smiles: "I found you, Time Bearer!!!"