A rush of images flooded my mind, my replica body stabbed, lying on the ground with the knife Maid had given me.

I was flying upwards at an incredible speed, heading toward a bright light that grew larger with every second.

It was a white, glowing orb, suspended in a vast, open space.

As I drew nearer, I was pulled sharply in another direction.

The scene changed.

I saw Angel lying in a bed inside the prison, but before I could focus on her, I was dragged again,this time,

to where my real body was resting, cradled in Rose's arms.

Suddenly, I felt the cool rush of air fill my lungs.

*Gasp*

"*Cough*"

I shot up, coughing violently, as if I hadn't breathed in years.

My throat felt raw, parched beyond comprehension.

"Hey, are you okay?" Rose asked, her voice laced with concern.

I nodded after managing to catch my breath.

"Yeah, I'm fine now."

"Really?" Rose wasn't convinced.

"Just... a bit thirsty." I admitted, my throat still parched.

"Can't really blame him, This was a different experience compared to the other times." Maid said, appearing out of thin air.

"You! You took control of my body. You forced me to go through all of that!" I snapped, but my frustration got held in check.

"Oh, calm down. I thought it would be too much of a hassle to convince you, so I sped up the process." Maid responded nonchalantly.

"Sped up the process? You think taking away someone's free will and forcing them to act is just 'speeding things up'?" I shot back.

"I didn't force you, I simply altered your thinking so you'd prioritize my goals."

"You make it sound like you asked us to pick up groceries! It felt like I was watching someone else make my decisions for me, and you knew how dangerous it was!" Rose interjected, visibly upset.

"Oh, come on, you weren't the one doing the most dangerous part anyway."

"Does that even matter? I felt that way too." I said.

"But it ended well, didn't it? Now, we all get what we want." Maid replied, as though it were nothing.

"Right... where are my eyes?" I asked, trying to stay composed.

"You gave them to me, remember?" Maid replied.

"I didn't give them to you-" I started, but she cut me off.

"Oh, you mean your replica eyes? Here."

Suddenly, my vision went from black to an overwhelming white,

before gradually adjusting to the dim light of the lantern,

which was flickering as it neared its end.

"Wait! You just gave him his eyes just like that?" Rose exclaimed.

"Yes, is there a problem?" Maid asked, seemingly puzzled.

"Then why didn't you do the same with the original eyes? You could've just placed them in your body from the start!" Rose said, the realization dawning on her, and on me too.

Maid chuckled softly,

"Oh, that? I wanted to regain my eyes the same way I lost them. It was symbolic."

"You... put our lives in danger... just for that?"

I muttered, feeling a wave of emptiness wash over me.

I should've been furious, enraged at the absurdity of it all, but instead, there was nothing.

Not a single spark of anger.

Why? Why couldn't I feel it, even now?

Rose glared at Maid, but even she seemed unable to maintain the fury.

"You're unbelievable..."

Maid simply smiled, as if pleased with herself.

"Now, now, don't be sad, As I said, we'll all get what we want. You got your eyes, and now I'll release Angel from her prison. Let's meet up there." Maid said with a sly smile.

Her original body, the one I had used the ritual to give my eyes to, vanished the moment she departed.

Rose and I were left standing in an awkward silence, exchanging confused looks.

Finally, after a moment, Rose broke the silence.

"She's gone."

I sighed in relief.

"I feel like it's much more peaceful when she's not around."

"Don't say that, She might hear you."

"Oh, yeah, good point, But still, I got a new pair of eyes, even if they are replicas."

Rose smiled, her voice softening.

"I'm glad you can see again. There's no blur or pain, right? I'm asking for your sake this time."

"No, nothing like that. Thanks for worrying, and for pulling me out of that... death pool."

"It's not that big of a pit to call it a pool."

"You don't know the half of it, I'll tell you later."

"Now I'm curious, but you're right. We shouldn't linger any longer."

"Exactly. Let's get Angel and get out of here... as soon as possible."

"Onward to the next room, then."

As we entered the room where Angel was imprisoned, I couldn't help but wonder how she ended up locked in there in the first place.

I figured she'd tell us everything once she woke up, though Miss Pearl would definitely have an earful for her.

When we turned the corner, we saw the prison door wide open.

The debris that had once blocked the path was cleared, likely the work of Maid.

"Excellent service." I mumbled, noticing Maid standing by Angel's bedside.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

One odd thing caught my replica eye,the blue flower that had been on the table was gone.

Why would she take the flower?

"Hey again, Been a while." I said, as Rose and I approached Maid.

"Enjoyed your peace?" Maid asked.

"So, you've been listening?" Rose said, crossing her arms.

"Well, you took your time, I got a little curious about what you were up to. Sadly, you were just talking." Maid said nonchalantly.

"What else were we supposed to do? And what do you mean, sadly?"

"I was hoping for something more... entertaining, but let's ignore that." Maid said, settling onto the bed beside Angel.

"There's a problem, isn't there?" Rose shifted nervously.

"Oh, as always, quick to catch on, Miss Rose."

"What's the problem?" I asked, my own anxiety growing to match Rose's.

"We'll need a sacrifice."

"A sacrifice? Like a cellurk? Or... a cow?"

"Yes, A cellurk named Rose, or a big cow like you."

"That... doesn't sound great." Rose said.

"It's not, Angel's soul has been bound to the gate for far too long. If we try to wake her up now, we risk tearing her soul from her body."

"Which we absolutely don't want." I added, feeling the dread rising.

"Exactly, So, one of you could take her place, die in her stead. Problem solved. So... which one of you is it?"

A wave of cold despair washed over me.

I was frozen, trying to process the nightmare unfolding before me.

But then, Maid let out a low, eerie laugh.

"Heh, just a joke. You don't need to sacrifice yourselves or anything."

Her creepy chuckle hung in the air, making the room feel even colder.

I exhaled in relief, but the tension lingered.

"Seriously? That's your idea of a joke?" Rose asked, her voice wavering between frustration and disbelief.

Maid just smiled, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Angel is fine, don't worry. But I don't know when she'll wake up." Maid said.

"Huh? Why isn't she waking up?"

I asked, letting her joke slide for the moment.

"Remember that blue flower in the jar? It releases a scent that makes whoever smells it fall asleep."

"So, that's why she was sleeping." I said, beginning to piece it together.

"How long was she inhaling that smell? And how strong is it?" Rose asked, still concerned.

"She's been inhaling it for quite some time, probably more than half a day. The smell doesn't fade until the flower is completely dry, so I burned it." Maid answered.

"So, we have no idea when she'll wake up." Rose concluded.

"Right, but no need to worry. She'll eventually wake up."

"Good thing you burned it. Otherwise, we'd be waiting forever for the water in that jar to evaporate." I said.

"It wouldn't have evaporated. There's a pipe system that periodically drips water into the jar."

Maid explained, pointing to the ceiling pipes.

"Why the hell is there a system like that here?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know. Maybe your great-grandfather wanted to keep someone asleep, or... there was another gate, like Angel." Maid said, giving me a meaningful look.

"That's..." Rose murmured, shaken by the idea.

"I know what you're feeling, but it's not impossible to have more than one gate." Maid said, trying to dismiss the concern.

"Wait a second!" I exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Maid asked, tilting her head slightly.

"If Angel won't wake up, then the gate won't close either, right?" I asked, a sudden surge of anxiety hitting me.

"Oh, you don't need to worry, Angel is now in a more stable state, so the gate has already started to close." she replied with a calm smile.

"Really?" I asked, still not completely convinced.

"Yes,Even now, I can feel a disruption between my side and yours. This means my connection to your world is weakening."

"So... we can just leave?" I asked, relief starting to creep in.

"Yes, feel free to go. I've disabled all the traps, so you can leave through the main entrance." Maid said.

Rose, still conflicted, said,

"I don't know what to feel about you. Should I be mad at you for taking my friend's eyes, or grateful that you helped Angel?"

"You can't really get mad at me, so feel free to appreciate me." Maid responded with a smirk.

"And there's that. Aren't you going to remove your control over our emotions?" Rose sighed.

"I'll release you after you leave the mansion. Don't worry." Maid assured her.

"Alright, let's go already. I'll carry Angel. Rose, help me out."

I said, positioning Angel on my back with Rose's assistance.

I stood up and started heading out of the prison, but Maid called after us.

"One last thing."

"What? I'm not doing you another favor, so don't even ask." I groaned.

"How cold! That's not it. I'm giving you this." She handed Rose a brush.

"What is this?" Rose examined it.

"A parting gift. Whatever you paint with that brush becomes invisible, and it's perfect for an artist like you." Maid said with a grin.

"Are you suggesting my art is so bad it should stay invisible?" Rose raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't mean it that way, Miss Rose."

"You better not have."

"You're just giving us something like that for free?" I asked, suspicious.

"Yes. I can take it back if you don't want it." Maid teased.

"We'll take it." Rose said quickly.

"No need to thank me."

"I wasn't planning on it." Rose muttered.

Maid smiled and continued,

"That brush could come in handy if you're trying to hide from your mother or those strange people you've encountered."

"Do you know anything about them? They've been harassing our people non-stop, killing our livestock and horses, some even claim they tried to kidnap children." Rose asked.

"I can't help you there. I don't know anything more than you do. I only saw them in your memories." Maid shook her head.

"That's disappointing." Rose replied.

"Just try to avoid them. The unknown is dangerous for humans."

"That's the plan." I said, feeling the weight of her words as we moved to leave.

We took a few steps toward the exit of the basement before Rose suddenly exclaimed,

"OH WAIT!"

I sighed, my patience running dangerously low.

"What now?"

"We forgot the lungs."

"What lungs?"

"The lungs for the kid with Shrinkage Syndrome."

"Oh, right... I completely forgot about that kid."

"You wait here. I'll grab them from the ritual room."

"Be careful."

"And I'm taking the lantern with me, so don't move too much in the dark."

I nodded reluctantly.

"Fine. Just be quick."

Rose left with the lantern, plunging me into complete darkness.

"Are you afraid of the dark?" Maid's voice came out of nowhere, echoing through the room.

"I'm more afraid of you, and you know that." I replied.

"Good." she said with a hint of amusement.

"More importantly, you mentioned there could be other gates besides Angel?"

"Yes, it's possible. The gate itself is a mystery."

"And you don't know why Angel can open this gate, right?"

"No, I don't. It was possible for the dead to reach the living world before, but we couldn't use our powers here."

"But now you can because of the gate?"

"That's a no as well. We can't use our powers directly. I can only create things on my side and send them through the gate."

"So that's what you meant by your power being limited here."

"Yes."

"You just keep saying yes and no, don't you?"

"Well, you keep asking yes or no questions." she teased.

"Fair enough... wait, if you're able to come into the living world, does that mean you're peeping on people?"

"Yes, I'm there when you shower and when you're in the toilet. I'm always watching." she said with a mischievous tone.

"...You maniac! Leave people some privacy!"

"I'm just joking. Even if we come here, we can't see people. Only objects. Everything is black and white."

"What happens if I move a chair then?"

"I would see a chair moving on its own."

"That's creepy."

*Crash*

Suddenly, a crash echoed from the ritual room, the sound of shattering glass.

Rose must have broken something.

Before I could call out, something flew out of the room,a glowing leaf.

It zipped past me and disappeared into the dark hallway.

"What was that? Did you see that?" I asked.

"I did. A glowing leaf, how strange." Maid responded.

"This is officially the second most bizarre thing I've seen today,right after the vengeful spirit of a maid."

"Hey, now. I didn't kill anybody for vengeance." Maid said defensively.

"You killed Hope for being loud."

"That was justice."

"Yeah, I don't really care about him anyway. He broke Rose's nose... Where is she, by the way?"

Just as I finished speaking, I saw the lantern light approaching.

Rose returned, holding a jar with lungs inside.

"I'm here," she announced.

"What happened? I heard a crash."

"I broke the jar with the leaf you brought down here."

"So that's what came flying past me?"

"Yep. Quite the surprise, honestly."

"You don't seem that surprised to me," I noted.

"Well, it was just a leaf. Leaves fly."

"Yeah, when they're caught in the wind. Not in a basement with no wind, and it was glowing."

"There are glowing mushrooms too, you know." Rose shrugged.

"*Sigh* Never mind. You've got the lungs, so let's get out of here."

"Any idea whose lungs these are?" Rose asked, turning to Maid.

"No. Can't tell just by looking at them, can I?"

"Maybe you need to smell it or something?" Rose said.

"I still wouldn't know, even then."

"Well, whoever they belonged to, they're dead now. Let them do some good for the living." I interjected.

"I agree." Maid chimed in.

"I just thought the kid's family might want to know who to thank."

"Tell them the lungs are mine. They can thank me." Maid said smugly.

"They're not yours; your body disappeared." Rose replied, exasperated.

"Who's going to know that besides you two?"

"*Sigh* Let's just get out of here." I said, tired of the back-and-forth.

Maid accompanied us to the entrance, where we stood before the door to freedom.

A few more steps and we'd be out.

Come to think of it, we originally came here to collect wood for the boat.

I guess Miss Pearl will understand why we didn't get any after hearing what we've been through.

"Well, it's time to bid you goodbye." Maid said.

"Yeah, I won't miss you." I replied.

"Same here, and I'm sure Angel wouldn't either." Rose added.

"How cold. Even after I helped you." Maid said with mock hurt.

"Well, goodbye, you two. Stay healthy and out of danger." Maid continued.

"Thanks... I guess," I muttered.

As Rose and I turned to leave the mansion, Maid's voice called out one last time,

"Oh, one last thing."

I sighed and turned my head.

"This line again. What do you want?"

"Thanks for calling me beautiful when we first met." she said with a smile before disappearing into thin air.

I stood there for a moment, reflecting on Maid's parting words.

I had thought she was beautiful when we first met, but her personality was another story entirely.

"You called her beautiful?" Rose asked, her tone calm.

"Not exactly. I thought it, but she must have read my mind."

"Yeah... it's not fair that she can read minds."

"Let's hit the road already. We have a long journey ahead."

We began walking, exchanging occasional remarks,

"Looking at the moon's position, it's already past midnight."

"Yeah, it's tomorrow now."

"Why hasn't anyone come to search for us?"

"Everyone's likely on edge, dealing with the constant harassment from those strangers. They can't afford to waste resources searching for us right now."

"Still, we've been gone for too long. My mother is probably worried sick."

"Well, get ready for a lecture. But I think she'll understand once you explain everything."

"If she believes us in the first place."

"She should. We have Angel as a witness."

"Speaking of which, what happened to the fake Angel we saw this morning?"

"Hmmm? Best-case scenario, it vanished like Maid did."

"And in the worst-case scenario?"

"We'd have two tireless, mischievous cellurks to deal with."

"Imagine the pranks they could pull."

"On us or on each other?"

A few minutes later, I heard the distant sound of dozens of birds flying overhead.

It wasn't unusual for them to migrate this time of year, but they were heading south instead of north.

I have a habit of watching birds, so I know that most of them don't migrate in this village.

Some do, but they usually head north, not south.

It struck me as odd.

Were they fleeing from something?

"My head... is spinning." Rose said, her voice strained.

I noticed the same sensation beginning to affect me.

My vision blurred, and I felt like I was about to collapse.

I carefully lowered Angel to the ground next to a tree and then fell beside her, overwhelmed by the spinning sensation.

My head was reeling, and I couldn't control the torrent of emotions crashing over me.

I began to vomit uncontrollably.

"UGH!"

Anger!

Sorrow!

Fear!

All these emotions hit me simultaneously, making my head spin with confusion.

The feelings that Maid had suppressed surged back into me all at once.

I was experiencing everything I had been holding back.

I felt like crying, but there was also a fierce, unsettling urge to lash out.

My body was shaking with the weight of these emotions, and I was terrified of what might come next.

"UGH!"

My body hit the ground hard.

Pain shot through me, and my vision quickly blurred.

My head was spinning, making everything feel far away.

Then, everything went black.