Black clouds blanketed the cold night sky, allowing a still darkness to seep into the air. Under the protection of twilight, a shadowy silhouette scampered from one wall to another.

I’ll help them escape, just for my own sanity. Then, I’ll turn back and find another way out of here.

After an exhausting year of living in Rose Manor, the young boy easily memorized the internal layout, including the lesser traveled pathways. Unless Madam Lexene tracked him with the soul contract, there was little to no chance of ever being caught while sneaking about.

The young servant crept along the walls, avoiding any sort of lighting. His destination—the seldomly used Northeastern entrance of the Rose Manor.

Although riddled with plant life and wild beasts, the Northeastern portion of Rose Manor was still a part of Madam Lexene’s property.

There were occasions, such as collecting herbs or hunting beasts, where the servants were required to enter the grounds. Due to the potential danger, these occasions often warranted a guard escort.

Close to his destination, the boy darted behind a batch of shrubbery and kept his body crouched low. Despite his confidence and his intention to stay at Rose Manor, he wasn’t willing to risk being caught and ruining the opportunity for Jun and Aines.

“There you are, Little X.”

The boy heard a whisper a short distance away—it was Jun.

“Have everything? We should get going.”

Jun turned to leave, but stopped when he felt his companion tug on his sleeve.

“Wait here a minute. I’m sorry… but I promised someone this chance.”

Jun frowned uncontrollably. Adjusting the sack slung across his shoulder, he was just about to convince the boy otherwise—but it was already too late.

“There you guys are!”

Aines came from around the corner with a cheerful smile. From the way he called out, to the way he carried himself, it was obvious that stealth was the last thing on his mind.

“Get down and be quiet you idiot!”

Jun hissed at Aines, who quickly ducked behind the shrubbery and joined his fellow escapees.

“Sorry.”

Aines lightly chuckled with an apologetic smile.

“You’re giving this chance to Aines? Your softness is going to be your downfall.”

Jun whispered to the young boy before turning away. The boy understood Jun’s disappointment, but the damage was already done.

The boy paid Jun no heed and instead beamed towards Aines with an enthusiastic expression.

“I’m glad you could make it, Aines. Although… where is your stuff?”

“Oh, that stuff? Ehh.”

Aines scratched his head.

“I didn’t want to bring bad memories with me, so I decided to leave with nothing.”

“I see… well let’s get going otherwise Jun will leave without us.”

The boy led the way and they quietly snuck through the open gate.

“Now that we’re beginning our escape, don’t speak at all since there are still some guards on patrol in this area. Okay?”

Jun spoke coldly to Aines, who merely nodded in response.

“We were able to slip a Hundred Nights sleeping pill to the guard on gate duty, but we were only able to acquire the one. The rest of the guards will still be active. So, let’s be careful.”

The boy explained to Aines while also giving him a reassuring pat on the back. It was easy for him to imagine how terrified Aines could be feeling deep down, and he didn’t want any mishaps to occur.

The group set out without wasting another minute—the great escape finally began.

Although littered with heaps of foliage and overgrowth, a devious and winding path had been predetermined by Jun long ago. At this point, they only needed to follow the hidden markers that were discreetly placed throughout the years.

Many times, the group hid in a panic during the long trek. Each time, the tension was palpable within the air as they held their breath, waiting for any given patrol to pass by their location.

As luck would have it, a rather scarce commodity for the poor boy, they soon found themselves on the last stretch, making it to a clearing full of overgrown grass without any incidents.

“So… this is where we part.”

The boy stood still, allowing the other two to step forward.

“Little X, what do you mean?”

Aines halted as well and confronted the boy.

Although Jun still had his back to the boy, he could barely hide the grimace on his face. Of course, the boy only felt peace upon seeing this.

“From here, you’ll meet up with our helper. Take the pill she gives you and it’ll conceal your soul from being tracked by the contract. Aines, the plan was only meant for two since we could only acquire two concealment pills. We planned to acquire more after the initial escape. I’m letting you take my place.”

Aines took a step back, his face full of shock.

“W-Why didn’t you say something??”

“Would it have changed anything? Don’t worry about it, what’s the worst that she can do to me? Afterall, I’m supposedly her favorite. She won’t be willing to break her new toy… at least not too much.”

With every word, the boy felt like a new set of shackles was being added onto his body.

So, this is what they call self-sacrifice. Huh… it doesn’t feel all that bad.

He already mentally resigned himself to this fate the moment he allowed Aines to join them. It was the least he could do for this foolish friend of his.

“Aines, please take care of Jun. He might seem scary, but he’s really not. He has a big heart and just doesn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

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The boy’s eyes flickered from Aines to Jun’s lonely frame. He could see Jun trembling, and he was confident that Jun was hiding tears.

“Alright, this is goodbye. I’m stronger than I look. I still have some years to find another way out, but you… Your family is waiting for you, so you must get through this. It’ll be painful—but do it for them!”

The boy patted Aines on the shoulder with a silly grin.

“Ahah, y-yea.”

Aines scratched his head once again and chuckled.

“Wait, what did you just say?”

Suddenly, Jun turned around with a piercing gaze. His former tears were overshadowed by his taut scowl.

“This is goodbye?”

The boy replied uncertainly. Although saying it out loud felt different, it wasn’t as if Jun was unaware that one person would have to stay behind.

“No… Aines’ family…”

Jun mumbled while glaring at Aines.

“Aines’ family died in a fire years ago.”

Upon hearing Jun’s explanation, the boy glanced at Aines in confusion. Aines nervously took a step back away from the group.

“Aines- “

Before they could question further, an ear-piercing scream echoed from across the clearing.

“M-My Xin!”

Jun shouted in panic as he rushed off towards the source. Both the boy and Aines quickly followed.

As the three of them approached, they could make out a group of men, led by a hooded figure, surrounding an unconscious woman at their feet.

“Stay away from her!”

Jun cried out to the group. Adrenaline surged throughout his body like a flooded river.

Along the outside of the clearing, small lights suddenly bloomed everywhere, leaving no gaps. Many figures soon encircled the group of boys—they were the guards of Rose Manor!

“We’re surrounded.”

The boy looked around with a grim expression. Although he never intended to escape that night, it would have been best to have never been caught, preventing unnecessary friction.

More importantly, he was worried about Aines, Jun, and Manager Xin, who was the woman on the ground.

“Aines, Jun, there’s still a chance. As long as- “

“Ah, my lovely servants have finally decided to show themselves.”

A clear and melodious voice echoed throughout the clearing, causing an air of hopelessness to envelope the escapees.

The hooded figure stepped forward, casually revealing herself to be Madam Lexene.

As long as Madam Lexene isn’t here…

The boy finished his sentence in his head now that the situation was quickly turning sour.

Aines briefly bowed upon seeing their hated master.

“Madam Lexene… as you requested.”

Jun and the boy glanced at Aines with strange expressions.

Is he trying to find a way out of this?

The boy speculated when suddenly, Madam Lexene replied in a sing-song tone.

“Good work Aines. It must have been tough on you, faking friendship this past year.”

Madam Lexene’s response was like a crushing anvil delivered straight from the depths of hell.

Betrayed…for so long…

The boy’s breaths grew shallow as an unknown feeling swept across his body. Everywhere, he felt a tingling sensation that he couldn’t care to understand.

“You… you, you, you…”

Jun stared at Aines, taking slow steps in his direction. Veins bulged throughout his body.

“Jun, calm down. It’s not like you guys could have escaped anyway. Madam Lexene always knew you guys were planning something, she just didn’t know when, where, or what.”

Aines coldly stared back at Jun. His smug smile explained the situation even more than his words.

“Even if you guys managed to get away from here—how were you going to deal with that traumatizing pain?! You know just how impossible it is to go against the soul contract!”

Madam Lexene’s blissful face showed how much she enjoyed the current exchange. All her underlings understood that she didn’t care whether servants fought, assuming none of her toys were broken in the process.

“You… are a fool!”

Jun shouted once more before reaching both hands to his sides. He seemed to grasp the earth itself and the ground started rumbling beneath Aines’ feet. Although Jun never had time to train, it must be said that he was quite a genius and commanded the most strength amongst all of the servants.

“You deserve to be buried alive- AAAGH!”

Jun fell to the floor and relief to washed over Aines’ face. Madam Lexene finally activated the soul contract.

“And you think I’m the fool. This is the exact pain you would have had to deal with every… ev..er..y… “

Aines paused, but not intentionally. He tried forming another word, and instead of his usual voice, blood surged upward from his throat and streamed out in front of him.

Was it the soul contract? Did his master decide to also torment him?

No.

His mouth and eyes twitched as reality set in.

Aines glanced down to find a shadowy hand extending outward from his chest. Everything around his heart, incinerated. All nerves, organs, and even the bones, magically evaporated in the blink of an eye.

All that remained within Aines’ chest was a youthful and delicate arm, enshrouded by the most demonic flame he had ever seen. Fear was the only thing he could feel.

“The pain… haah… of the soul… contract… haahh… is nothing.”

A voice, laden with hatred, was like the grim reaper’s scythe, consuming Aines’ final thoughts. His eyes rolled backwards as the final traces of life disappeared.

Both Aines’ corpse and the young boy toppled to the floor. As for everyone else—the events were too rapid!

Jun was still grappling with the crippling pain of the soul contract, while Madam Lexene and the guards remained in a circle, complacent in their false sense of security.

Looks of shock and horror soon spread throughout the crowd once they mentally processed Aines’ death.

“W-Wasn’t that kid wearing suppression cuffs?!”

A terrified guard exclaimed, still recounting the swift and deadly movement from before.

“Y-Yea, I think… you should go check it out.”

Another guard responded while taking a step back.

“No way! Are you crazy?! What if he gets up again!”

A commotion quickly spread amongst the guards, while Madam Lexene remained outwardly calm.

“All of you, shut up!”

Madam Lexene snapped before confidently walking towards the incapacitated boy. Stooping over him, she inspected his body with a strange expression.

“There’s a crack in his suppression cuffs… It seems his growth is even faster than I predicted. Good thing I prepared well in advance.”

Without any hesitation, the business-like woman viciously stomped on the young boy’s head, fully knocking him out. The dying flames around his hand were snuffed out and a wave of relief spread amongst the guards.

“You, you, and you.”

Madam Lexene pointed indiscriminately.

“Get these three in suppression chains. I want them fully bound. Also, someone clean up this trash.”

Madam Lexene casually ordered her guards around and gestured towards Aines’ corpse. Her once loyal servant had now been reduced to nothing but undesirable waste.

“Oh, and for the boy, use the higher quality chains. It seems mere cuffs aren’t enough to subdue him anymore—so we’ll need to get creative and train him properly if he’s to be walking around with only cuffs.”

Three guards stepped forward bravely once they saw Madam Lexene take charge. Their previous fear dissipated into smoke as they refused to believe that a former high ranker wouldn’t be able to handle the strange boy.

“Er… you want us to take Manager Xin as well? I thought we were just using her as bait.”

One of the guards glanced hesitantly at the unconscious woman at his feet. Her vulnerable state only seemed to enhance her charm, despite her face being planted in the dirt.

“Did I stutter?”

Madam Lexene glared at the guard with a frown.

“Don’t you dare forget who makes the rules around here. I want the three of them in chains… immediately!”

A powerful wave of energy exploded out from her body along with her shout. The flustered guard found himself knocked off his feet just from her voice alone.

“Yes… ma’am.”

The guard could only give a weak reply. If this was how Madam Lexene treated her allies, he shuddered to think how she treated her enemies.

----------------------------------------

The flower of the Lian family; a never-before-seen prodigy, stronger than even her own father, was currently enthralled by the magnificent scenery before her.

Her head tilted upwards, and her enchanting eyes reflected the endless sea of flickering lights shifting overhead. Shooting stars painted the dark canvas with trailing streams of white as they scattered about in all directions.

It’s even more beautiful than in my dreams.

With each step forward, a faint white glow would briefly appear below her feet, rippling outward endlessly. The light sunk into the black floor like wispy white tendrils of ink diffusing into the infinite abyss.

She focused her gaze on a lone crystal podium, above which floated a small token.

Finally…

She paused and inspected the token. Along the surface of the token were a multitude of lines etched into it as if it had been shattered and glued back together.

Each line, a life once lived, a story memorialized, another adventure with… him.

An airy feeling permeated throughout her body. Her heartbeat accelerated as she began to anticipate her future journey.

Although I enjoy every life with you, when do we move on? With each reincarnation we become stronger, and yet the tower’s trials become more difficult. When do we break this cycle?

She reached her hand out to the token and paused just before grasping it.

What secret are you hiding from me, my love? And how long will it be until you remember?

She shook her head, removing the unintentional frown that invaded her beautiful complexion. She beamed happily and clasped her fingers around the token.

Just as described in her dreams, bright lights soon cascaded around, enveloping her entire body. She knew that this place was an intermediary between her world and the tower—where her soulmate was waiting for her.

Another second later, she disappeared from her spot entirely, leaving behind the silent world of cascading stars painting their final masterpiece within the night sky.