The sky was blue. It appeared that Paul had returned to Earth, and the blue sky above lacked the usual greenish tint.

But beneath it, all was a crazed massacre. On one end, dignified, beautiful creatures were attacking nightmarish creatures that couldn't even fight back.

With his siblings tearing and biting the corrupted creatures left and right, the royals were the worst.

After the third prince was born, their parents had three girls in succession, but all three were silent most of the time and only spoke when necessary during their meetings.

They only talked to each other and were mostly closed off to everyone else except their mother.

But now they were worse than the rest of the family, employing various methods to eliminate their opponents while they were in the water.

They drowned these creatures, pulled their limbs, ripped their bodies apart, and even bled them to death with small blades.

"They remind me a lot of witches." The traditions of his family deeply disturbed Paul.

These beings' bodies were also weakened to turn them into cotton and tear them apart.

Only his father appeared to be moving calmly in the direction of the other bank, without killing any of the creatures.

However, any creature that got too close to him was mysteriously ripped to shreds by some sort of force.

The stench of blood permeated the air, and the water appeared to have turned dark red, and it was even darker in some places.

Flesh and bones were everywhere, with an eerie feeling slowly enveloping Paul's heart.

While the aasimarian in him was content and felt incomparably proud after seeing this, the human inside of him was hollering at him to flee from this place.

The crowd had already moved to the other side as the woman in red had vanished.

"Move! Move! Move!" exclaimed the knights in crystal armor at the same time.

When they heard the command, they all started crossing the river, while the smaller ones were held in the hands of the knights.

There were a lot of kids who needed to do the rite, so they all had to move in an orderly fashion when they heard the command.

On the opposite side, everyone who had fought and slain those animals had bloodied garments, and their faces were riddled with shreds of flesh.

When the children saw this, they immediately rushed with even more zeal and excitement on their faces.

Even though Paul followed the flow, he will never forget this scene.

A bald man in deep crimson robes emerged from the crowd. and moved in front of the young people who were standing in the water.

Galather Ianfir, the head of the illustrious House Ianfir, was the first minister in the royal court and the king's closest aide.

He wielded enormous power in the imperial court, and his family was one of the crown's closest allies.

Galather walked peacefully along the water's edge before turning around to face the audience.

"The coming of springeth shalt beginneth anon!" He spoke with assurance.

This was also his problem; the lord's voice was too formal, and he spoke in this manner no matter where they were.

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Soon after, a servant approached Paul and placed a small twisted creature near him, leaving him facing it.

It was the same for every single child, and in reality, this was also a decision. To kill or not to kill? They had the power to choose their fate.

As he faced the wriggling monster in front of him, Paul felt empty. It was restrained and couldn't harm him even if it wanted to.

One monster looked at the other, and one side's eyes were full of hatred and aggression, while the other was filled with confusion, struggle, and a hint of lunacy.

The crowd was roaring, and the space had been transformed into a gladiator arena.

The majority of the kids here were either ecstatic or terrified. Just because the race as a whole was bloodthirsty did not mean that there were no black sheep or individuals who did not kill in previous rituals.

However, regardless of their status, they had all been exiled and abandoned.

Paul was originally hesitant due to the ideals instilled in him from his prior life. But he realized that if he made this decision, all he knew would be over.

The warmth of his home, his status, and his protection would all vanish in an instant. The things that someone can do to defend their own life are horrifying.

"NOW!!!"

The crowd roared as one, and the excitement was at an all-time high.

The majority of the children, including Paul, went to the animals and began killing them with their small hands.

An adult cut the monster and poured the blood over the children who were too small to do it themselves.

This was a bloody baptism!

Paul disregarded the screams of the masses and the noises around him as he focused on the thing in front of him. It was still wriggling in an attempt to reposition its body, but before it could, a pair of hands grabbed it and shoved it down into the water.

But how can it be that simple? The thing twisted its own body to the extreme, causing Paul to take a few steps backward.

He watched the faces of the crowd as he landed in the water. Everyone was yelling at the top of their voices, laughing, and cheering.

He leaped on the creature, maddened and without thinking, and his vicious instincts took control.

He clawed, bit, and fought it in the water with everything in his arsenal. The thing struggled on, but he ripped its mouth open with two hands and destroyed it instantaneously.

Thud!

He landed in the blood-red water and noticed that even though dusk was approaching, there was still light in the sky.

Twilight has fallen.

***

A table was situated in the exact center of the dimly illuminated, lavishly furnished antique hall with flowers and other decorations.

It was circular, and a group of largely young individuals was dining there. There was unique food on the table, as well as rich meat and blood in elegant cups. In the center sat a man with combed hair and a crystal crown.

This was the meal on the night of the great festival, and the main royal family, with the exception of three people, had joined for dinner.

They were the Queen, Prince Alar, and the first prince. Paul had already retreated to his chambers, fatigued by the event.

But the reasons for the other two's absences were more complicated.

"Exquisite! What a taste! This meat is wonderful. Who knew such horrible beasts' meat could be so delicious? Not to mention this fantastic wine!" Galaden Ravalar, the third prince, was feasting and chatting with his family.

Unfortunately, he didn't sense the tension in the room. The second prince ate slowly with a poker face, while the first princess was glum and sometimes nibbled on the food on her table.

The three princesses, and lastly the second princess, were the most extreme. While the three princesses simply stared at the food, the second princess Nellothel had had enough and took action.

Thud!

She put her palm on the table and turned to face her father, who was watching his children eat with a loving grin on his face.

"This cannot continue!" This needs to come to an end!" She whispered, her gaze fixed on her father's face.

The tension in the room increased to the point where the third prince stopped eating.

"What exactly is your concern, Nellothel?" The king was unconcerned by her conduct and asked her calmly.

Nellothel nearly lost her mind when she saw this and retaliated against her father.

"How you treat your family, father! For the entire grand festivity, my mother was not present. She hasn't talked or met anyone in the last couple of years."

She then stood up and stated, "Then there's your treatment of Prince Alar. You've never talked to him! Everyone ignores and disregards him. Growing up, he had little familial affection. HE'S ONLY A CHILD!!!"

She couldn't control her voice or her screaming at this moment and began yelling at her father.

"I should also mention my so-called "elder brother." He has become traitoro-."

But before she could say anything else, her father got up in a rage and slapped the table.

Everything trembled. The table smashed into bits, and the entire room began to crack.

"I've had enough! Get lost, everyone!"

They all got up and departed right away. Even the irritated second princess went without saying anything. Only the king remained in the ruins, and he stepped out of the room and onto the balcony.

The night sky was dark, with a spectrum of colors moving in it, making it both mysterious and beautiful.

The enraged king cooled himself and quietly sat down in his seat, admiring the scenery.

He lifted his hand slowly and mumbled, "Only the sky is truthful my little ones. We are only flimsy illusions in the presence of the sky."