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Condemned To Death
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17th September, 1507
In the dead of the night, at the dining table, 3 people sat quietly. Elise had a troubled look on her face as she contemplated silently. Across her sat her brother Dylan, looking at her with a mischievous look on his face and beside him was his mother watching her daughter with a playful smile on her face. Seren had already gone to bed saying he was tired from all the work they had done today.
Earlier, Elise in her flustered state had abruptly agreed to let Seren sleep in her room. She had completely forgotten that she could have slept with her mom while Seren got the room to himself. Her mom also didn’t take the chance to remind her of this as this was the first time she had seen her daughter acting this way after being a shut-in for most of her life.
Suddenly, Dylan got up from his spot and he said with a yawn, “I’m going to bed, it's getting pretty late into the night”.
Elise snapped out of her thoughts when she heard this, looking at Dylan and asked, “What? Why are you going to bed this early? You don’t sleep till at least like 12”.
Dylan smirked but he didn’t reply as he left her hanging. She couldn’t understand what he was playing at as she watched him leave. Her mother then also got up from her chair as she also said she was going to bed.
Before going, she leaned in closer to Elise and whispered softly, “Sweetie, the night is long but remember…. you are still too young” Then she left the room with her words still lingering in Elise’s ears, her mind a bit dazed from trying to understand her mother’s words.
And then it hit her like a truck as she realized the meaning behind the words. Her face and mind were immediately overloaded with embarrassment and shamefulness as she subconsciously imagined some unholy things.
‘Those rascals!’ Elise finally understood why both Dylan and her mom were acting weird earlier.
She then slapped her cheeks trying to keep her thoughts at bay as she took a deep breath. Ignoring the situation, she went over to the sink and started washing the dirty dishes as she contemplated on what to do next.
‘I will go upstairs after waiting for at least an hour’ Elise would purposely go late to bed so by the time she went in her room, Seren would already be sleeping. Just as she was rehearsing this scene in her mind, a question popped up in her mind
‘...Why am I being so self-conscious?’.
Confusion muddled her mind because up until today, she didn’t care much about this stuff but when it came to Seren she couldn’t help but be conscious of herself.
‘S-surely I’m not seriously falling for him….. right?’. Her gaze inadvertently turned soft when she thought of Seren, remembering when she had hugged him back there.
‘No no, you can’t be thinking like this. You already said to Susie that you don’t have any feelings for him and besides, you’re a 20-year-old adult, you should be more mature than this’ Elise had zero experience with the opposite gender. Even in her previous life, she had only ever been in business relationships with other people before she transmigrated.
She finished washing the dishes, cleaned her hands and then went to the couch and just sat there in silence, staring at the ceiling as she waited for the hour to pass by.
…
Elise stood in the dark hallway, her heart pounding in her chest. She had spent the last hour mentally sorting out her emotions, determined not to get riled up no matter what happened.
Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned the doorknob, careful not to make a sound. She peeked inside to see if Seren was asleep. The room was pitch black, with the curtains drawn tightly shut, blocking out any hint of moonlight.
‘Gah, so dark. I can’t see anything,’ she thought, squinting into the void.
She entered the room, relying on memory to navigate the familiar space. Holding her breath, she moved silently, careful not to wake up Seren. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and she could make out the vague shapes of the furniture. As she reached her bed, she noticed a dark shape on the floor beside it.
Elise breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that Seren had likely laid a blanket for himself on the floor and went to sleep. Feeling fully relaxed, she climbed onto her bed, adjusted her pillow, and reached for her blanket. She snuggled under it, her body sinking into the mattress. She lay on her side, facing away from Seren, and closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep.
‘Today was really a hectic day,’ Elise thought with a quiet yawn. ‘...Maybe I should renovate the shed to avoid accidents like that from happening.’ She liked to plan her next day out before sleeping, and just as she was thinking of improving her shed, she felt a slight tap on her foot.
In her drowsy state, she dismissed it and switched sides, now facing the other direction. Then she felt another tap on her foot. This time, she slowly opened her eyes, which had adjusted to the dark. She could clearly see what was touching her foot.
Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Seren sleeping soundly just a few inches away from her face.
‘???!!!’
Elise was baffled. She had thought Seren was sleeping on the floor, but now he was right in front of her!
Seren was facing the other direction, and all she could see was his long white hair cascading down his back. Panic surged through her as she tried to think fast. She decided to slowly scoot away from him, hoping to get off the bed without making any sudden movements.
But suddenly, Seren's body started moving as he switched sides in his sleep. Elise froze, holding her breath as she waited for him to settle. As he turned, he raised his left hand and did a giant scoop, trying to get more of the blanket. This would have been fine, except Elise was still too close to him. His hand inadvertently reached over her and behind her back, dragging her closer to him.
‘NO NO STOPPPP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! YOU ARE ACTING RIGHT NOW I KNOW YOU’RE ACTING. THIS OLD-FASHIONED TACTIC IS NOT WORKING ON ME!!!’ Elise screamed in her mind, but she stayed motionless, like a scared kitten, as Seren easily scooped her closer.
Now, Seren was tightly hugging Elise, her face resting against his firm chest. He still seemed uncomfortable, constantly shifting his legs to find a natural position. In his sleepy state, he lifted his left leg and draped it over both of Elise’s legs, his knee resting on her hips.
Elise’s mind was going insane with her thoughts a chaotic jumble. Then she heard Seren mumbling in his sleep. “...Eli…se,” he whispered softly, hugging her even tighter.
‘Yes! I knew you were acting,’ Elise thought confidently, but then she heard him say, “...gri..nd…the…charcoal…more.”
Elise: ‘...’
She didn’t know how to react to Seren sleep-talking about making gunpowder. Her arms were pinned between their chests, and she couldn't exert any proper force to push him away. He was much stronger than her, and all efforts to get free were futile. Still, she persisted, her mind racing with ways to escape this unexpected predicament.
But as the minutes ticked by, Elise found her determination wavering. The rhythmic sound of Seren's heartbeat began to resonate in her ears, its steady tempo oddly soothing. The sweet aroma emanating from his body, a mix of earthy notes and something uniquely Seren, wafted around her, making her feel increasingly relaxed.
'Why... why do you smell so good?' she wondered, her thoughts growing hazy. She tried to shake off the feeling, to summon her earlier resolve, but it was slipping away like sand through her fingers.
Elise's will to break free continued to erode, worn down by the warmth of Seren's embrace and the comfort of his presence. She found herself noticing the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the softness of his skin against hers, and the way his arms seemed to fit perfectly around her.
'This... this isn't good,' she thought, a last feeble attempt at resistance. But even as she formed the thought, she knew it was a losing battle. The tension in her body began to melt away, replaced by a growing sense of contentment.
'I should move... I should...' But the thought remained unfinished as Elise felt herself sinking deeper into the embrace. The line between resistance and acceptance blurred, then faded entirely.
With a mental sigh that was part frustration and part surrender, Elise finally gave in. '...forget it, I don't care anymore.' She stopped fighting against Seren's hold and instead allowed herself to relax fully into it, cuddling even closer to him.
As she did so, she became acutely aware of his body warmth enveloping her, seeping into every inch of her being. The sensation was unexpectedly comforting, like slipping into a warm bath after a long, cold day.
'This feels... nice,' she admitted to herself, the last vestiges of her resistance crumbling away.
She closed her eyes as a foreign feeling slowly started rising from her chest. She didn’t attempt to resist the feeling and embraced it in her ecstasy, eventually falling asleep in Seren’s arms.
…
18th September, 1507
Seren stood quietly under the ethereal glow of the blue moon, its light casting a soft, otherworldly sheen on his pale white skin and snow-white hair. His eyes, cold and emotionless, were fixed on a distant house—Elise's home. An eerie smile slowly crept across his face, twisting his features into a mask of malevolent glee.
‘Elise, you are one unlucky girl to have transmigrated into this world when I was to be born,’ he thought, a dark satisfaction settling in his chest. With a final glance at the house, Seren turned and walked away, leaving the village's periphery and disappearing into the dense forest.
The forest was alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, but Seren's thoughts were somewhere else.
'Did you really need to do that with Elise?' He asked himself.
'Yes' He answered himself.
Over the years of living and dying, gaining experience after each death, he had come to understand that he needed to be more critical of himself, more critical of his actions. So he developed a unique personality inside his mind where he would ask himself questions that didn't align with his true personality. This way, he would not be blinded by his own thoughts and could see things in a different light.
'Why? Because you don't trust her? Because you believe she will betray you in the future?' He continued to question.
'Yes' Seren answered to himself solemnly.
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'We can't be certain of that. We can't be certain of anything in the future'
'That is why I'm doing this, because I'm not certain of anything in the future that I must be careful of everyone, even Elise'
'This relationship you are developing with her is bound to end in a catastrophe and you know this. Trust built on lies is not trust but poison disguised as nectar'
'And what would you have me do? Bare my soul and risk everything?'
'Is that not the essence of true connection? To risk, to be vulnerable?'
'Vulnerability is a luxury I cannot afford. The world is cruel, and people are fickle but I must be strong'
'Yet you seek companionship. Why pursue it if you're unwilling to embrace its fundamental nature?'
'I don't seek companionship but loyalty'
'But in doing so, are you not denying yourself the very thing you seek? Can true loyalty exist without trust?'
'Trust is a fool's errand. It's a weakness others exploit.'
'Or perhaps it's the greatest strength one can possess. To trust despite the possibility of betrayal - is that not true courage?'
'Courage? Or naivety?'
'Can it not be both? Is there not a certain nobility in choosing to believe in the good of others, even in the face of potential harm?'
'Ask a dead man if his nobility matters in the end and see what you get. Understand that the moment of betrayal is the worst, the moment when you know beyond any doubt that you’ve been betrayed, that some other human being has wished you that much evil.'
'...Have you considered the consequences of your deceit? Not just on Elise, but on yourself?'
'What do you mean?'
'Our Lord is always watching. The decisions we make and the actions we take. Doing this to Elise and probably more to others in the future... you are just accumulating more sins for yourself'
'...Perhaps. But at least I will be safe. I can't complete my mission being dead'
'You will eventually lose yourself if you keep being like this!'
'As I said in the beginning, I'm just a man doing what need to be done, regardless of the consequences. I must sin in order to salvage my sins'
To be good and risk everything he has worked for, or to be evil and remain safe. Can a man truly be good if his goodness leads to the destruction of everything he holds dear? Or can a man live with the knowledge that his actions, while ensuring his survival, have caused harm to others?
This was the choice every man must make in his life. This was the choice Seren must make. The choice that defines who we are, who Seren is, and who he is meant to be.
The other voice in his head then went silent when he had finally reached his destination. In the middle of the forest in the dim of the night, he bent down and began to dig, his fingers easily breaking through the soft soil. It didn't take long before his hand struck something solid.
Carefully, Seren dug around the object and pulled it out—a white mask, the one given to him by the homeless man. It was covered in dirt and debris, its once pristine surface now marred by the elements.
Before going to Elise's home, Seren had decided to hide the mask in a secluded spot. He knew he would likely be unconscious from the gunpowder explosion, and keeping the mask on him was too risky. He couldn't store it in his artifact either, as Elise might have discovered it while he was incapacitated.
Seren quickly cleaned the mask before placing it over his face and entering the dark tunnel.
As he approached the glowing lantern, a warm, familiar light bathed the tunnel walls. Uncle Lantern, as always, was there to greet him, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "So how was the date? Hmmmm…" Uncle Lantern asked, a mischievous twinkle in his voice.
Seren's demeanor shifted instantly. He blushed slightly, his expression turning shy and nervous. "She said she liked my voice, so now we're going out," he mumbled, his voice low and hesitant.
"HAHAHA! I knew you had it in you," Uncle Lantern laughed heartily, congratulating Seren on getting his first girlfriend. Seren's face remained flushed, and he appeared genuinely embarrassed as he tried to excuse himself from the conversation.
Uncle Lantern, understanding the awkwardness of boys his age when discussing such topics, let Seren go without further probing. Seren walked outside into the cool breeze of Glowhaven, the ever-brilliant glowing streets stretching out before him. The moment he was out of Uncle Lantern's sight, his expression morphed from nervousness to one of cold calculation. An eerie glint flickered in his eyes, a stark contrast to the innocent facade he had just displayed.
...
"Hey Mila, you still haven't said anything about your date last night," Jenny prodded, her voice cutting through the ambient chatter in the relic shop as she stood behind the reception desk. She leaned closer, studying her friend's distant expression with growing concern.
"Mila!" Jenny's voice sharpened, finally breaking through Mila's reverie.
"Huh? W-what, sorry I didn't hear you," Mila stammered, blinking rapidly as she refocused on her surroundings. Jenny's furrowed brow came into sharp focus.
"Is everything alright? You've been acting weird ever since you came back from your date. It's not related to your injury, right?" Jenny's eyes flicked to the bandage adorning Mila's forehead.
Mila's hand unconsciously rose to touch the bandage, memories of the previous night flooding back. To Jenny's surprise, instead of wincing, a soft blush bloomed across Mila's cheeks. "N-no, I'm fine," Mila mumbled, her voice barely audible over the shop's din. "I accidentally got this injury when I suddenly tripped and hit my head on the floor."
As Mila fumbled through her explanation, a shadow fell across the counter. Before either could react, a blur of movement descended upon them.
"YAAHO!" A cheerful voice rang out as Lola, their exuberant friend from yesterday's locker room, pounced on Mila from behind, enveloping her in a tight hug.
Jenny watched with a mixture of amusement and exasperation as Mila, startled, tried to regain her balance. Lola's eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned in close to Mila's ear, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "From your reaction, it seems your date was... sexy."
Mila's blush deepened to a vibrant crimson, her heart racing as she struggled to form words.
Pa!
"Owwww! Jenny, why did you do that?" Lola whined, rubbing the top of her head where Jenny had lightly swatted her.
"Stop with your silly games," Jenny chided, her tone reminiscent of a disapproving mother. "It's making Mila uncomfortable."
Lola pouted, a flicker of irritation in her eyes, but she didn't argue further.
Jenny turned back to Mila, her curiosity getting the better of her. "So, are you going to tell us what happened on your date?"
Under the combined pressure of her friends' eager gazes, Mila's resolve crumbled. With a deep breath, she began her tale, her voice soft and hesitant. She recounted meeting Seren at the hotel, their dinner conversation flowing easily despite her initial nervousness.
As Mila spoke, Jenny and Lola became increasingly engrossed, occasionally forgetting to attend to waiting customers. The shop seemed to fade away around them, replaced by the vivid imagery of Mila's story.
"And then... we went to the room," Mila continued, her voice barely above a whisper. She described how Seren had removed his mask, revealing a form that seemed almost otherworldly: long, flowing snow-white hair, eyes that shimmered like the crimson moon, and a lean, perfectly proportioned body that seemed sculpted from marble.
"We then... k-k-kissed..." Mila's voice trailed off, her face burning with embarrassment and something else—a warmth that seemed to radiate from within.
"Mhmm! Just hearing about it is making my belly tingly," Lola giggled, her eyes sparkling as she lost herself in the romantic fantasy.
Even Jenny was now quite curious, wanting to see who this man that Mila spoke of looked like.
Mila then didn’t continue the story as she refused to speak any further, her voice tinged with some nervousness but both Lola and Jenny could already guess what scene unfolded next as their imaginations took off.
"Ahem," Jenny cleared her throat, her cheeks flushed as she pulled herself from the vivid imagery Mila's story had conjured. "We should get back to work," she said, her voice slightly strained as she attempted to regain her composure.
As Lola turned to leave, Mila's hand shot out, grasping her friend's wrist. Lola paused, noticing a sudden shift in Mila's demeanor. Gone was the dreamy-eyed girl of moments ago, replaced by someone with an air of seriousness that seemed out of place in the whimsical relic shop.
"Lola," Mila began, her voice tinged with apprehension, "your brother has been working for the Ravens for a few years, right?"
Confusion flickered across Lola's face as she nodded, unsure where this was leading.
Mila took a deep breath, steeling herself. "The person I went on a date with... he said he wanted to join the Ravens. I was wondering if you could ask your brother to recommend him?" Her voice grew meek towards the end, almost pleading.
Lola's usual cheerful demeanor evaporated, replaced by a darkness that seemed to seep into the very air around them. She glanced at Jenny, seeing her own concern mirrored in her friend's face.
Jenny's hand clamped down on Mila's shoulder, spinning her around. "Mila," she began, her voice grave, "I don't know how to say this, but... you should not go near that person anymore."
Stunned, Mila could only whisper, "Why?"
Jenny's eyes hardened as she explained, her words measured and heavy. "There are manipulative, evil people out there, Mila. I think... I think this person might be using you to get into the Ravens." She paused, considering her words. "With the current situation between the Ravens and the Enforcers, he could be an Enforcer in disguise, trying to infiltrate through the backdoor."
The air grew thick with tension as Jenny's words hung between them. Mila's gaze dropped to the floor, her voice barely audible as she murmured, "I was the one who approached him first. I was the one who suggested he join the Ravens, and I was the one who..."
Her words trailed off, leaving an uncomfortable silence in their wake. Jenny's stern gaze remained fixed on Mila, unconvinced by her friend's defense.
"Hey, come on, just relax," Lola interjected, attempting to lighten the mood. "It's fine if it was Mila who suggested the idea first, right?"
But Jenny remained unmoved, and Mila's gaze remained fixed on the floor.
"Mila?"
A familiar voice cut through the tension, causing Mila's heart to skip a beat. She turned to see a man standing at the reception desk, his face obscured by a white mask. Despite the disguise, Mila knew instantly who it was.
Both Lola and Jenny were confused about who the person was but then they heard Mila say "Did you get home safely?" her voice softening as a small smile graced her lips.
Seren nodded silently, the mask hiding any emotion he might have shown.
Mila turned back to Lola, her eyes pleading. "Can you help him get into the Ravens?"
Lola's gaze flicked between Mila and the masked stranger, noting the softness in her friend's eyes and the genuine concern in her voice. With a sigh, she relented. "Fine, but I can't guarantee he'd pass the new tests they've recently been using."
"Tests?" Seren's voice held a note of confusion, clearly caught off guard.
Lola's eyes narrowed as she appraised him. "I'm not too sure, but my brother said the Ravens have recently become stricter in their recruitment process."
As the words left Lola's mouth, Mila felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. She knew Seren had mentioned belonging to the Enforcers, and if the Ravens discovered this during their stricter vetting process, the consequences could be catastrophic.
"No problem. Just take me there. I don’t mind the tests," Seren replied flatly, his voice devoid of any emotion.
Mila was taken aback by Seren’s response because she knew there was no way to get past the tests and Seren’s identity as an Enforcer was just him asking for death.
"Hmmmmm” A light smile played on Lola’s lips as she sized up Seren. “Alright then," Lola replied, her tone light but her eyes betraying a hint of concern.
Mila watched as Lola moved around the desk, preparing to depart immediately. She wanted to stop Seren, to ask if he was truly confident, but the words died in her throat when she heard him say, "Thank you." His voice was unexpectedly appreciative.
An unconscious smile appeared on Mila's face as she nodded, looking down at her feet. The simple gratitude in Seren's tone warmed her heart, even as her mind raced with worry.
Jenny, who had been observing the interaction silently, ultimately chose to hold her tongue. Normally, she would have grilled Seren with tough questions, probing his character and intentions. But after witnessing the exchange between him and Mila, she found herself softening. Perhaps he wasn’t as bad as she had initially thought.
"Enough, you two lovebirds. We need to get going," Lola said, feeling some second-hand embarrassment from watching Seren and Mila interact. She gave Seren a gentle push, urging him towards the door.
As he was being nudged out, Seren turned back to Mila, his mask slipping just enough to reveal a genuine smile. He waved goodbye, a final gesture of his façade before stepping out of the shop.
Mila waved back, an affectionate smile on her face, her heart fluttering slightly. But behind that kind smile, a storm of conflicting emotions brewed.
Despite Seren’s acting, she knew he likely didn’t have any real feelings for her and was using her to get into the Ravens. Yet, despite the threats he had made the previous night, she couldn’t bring herself to dislike him. In the heat of the moment, she had cooperated with him and even suggested they go out. After leaving the hotel, she had spent hours trying to understand why she had acted the way she did. She realized she might have fallen for him the moment she saw those steely crimson eyes.
But Mila also felt a gnawing sense of finality. This might be the last time she would see Seren. He had no more reason to return to this place.
Jenny, oblivious to her friend’s true feelings, went back to work while Mila stood silently, her gaze lingering on the entrance door.
‘I know this is wrong, and I should let go of these feelings for you. I'm probably just another stupid woman in your life, barely noticed and easily manipulated. But even still, as my heart breaks…’
A deep sadness filled Mila’s heart.
‘...I can't help but desperately hope that some small fragment of me lingers in your thoughts, if only for a moment longer. It's all I have left as one of the many insignificant characters in your life.’
The relic shop buzzed with the usual activity, but for Mila, the world had narrowed to a single point of longing and regret.
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Condemned To Death
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