“So, uh.. When do you plan to go home?” Rein asked as he sat on the table facing Rose.

“Tomorrow, i sleep here for tonight.” She sipped the tea on her hand.

“What?”

“What? Any problem?”

“N-no. I mean, your house is not too far from here, so you don’t really have any reason to stay here... right?”

“Tell me Rein, what if someone attack this place tonight?” She put down the cup.”If it’s only you i don’t have any problem, but Friede is sleeping here and your spirit is low on mana. If someone attack tonight i doubt she could do much.”

“Well you got a point there, but... there’s only three bedroom here. Two is already occupied by Elis and Friede.”

She got up from the chair and walked to living room.“I see no problem. You can sleep on the couch right?”

“Uh..” Rose left the dining room before he could argue. He let out a long sigh and took the cup in front of him to wash it.

He lost himself in his own thought as he washed the cup. Everything that happened so far was making his mind restless. He have no trouble if this ‘game’ only involve the participant, but that wasn’t the fact. Numerous innocent bystander were killed just in the apartment alone, but what really made him uneasy was that for some reason the other faction was targeting Friede.

Conflict waged in his heart. He wanted to keep Friede close to protect her, but at the same time she might be in danger if the curse decided to act. There’s also the problem of Friede’s feeling for him, something that he couldn’t just put aside.

“Hey do you have any snack?” Aldwin voice brought him back to reality.

“Uh.mm.. there are a few on the cabinet over there.” Rein answered and pointed his finger.

Aldwin opened the cabinet and searched for something to eat.

“So..uh.. Do spirit really need to eat?” Rein asked.

“Do you give your spirit something to eat?” Aldwin asked back.

“Yes.”

“Not really. It’s not like a spirit will vanish if you starve them, but we can still feel hungry and get a stomach ache. Also if we don’t eat food, our daily mana consumption to keep our form in this world would increase each day.”

“Oh.”

“Well i’ll be going now. Rose will be angry if i don’t watch the perimeter as she told me to.” Aldwin took a snack with him. “Don’t worry too much about your curse. It won’t act in the presence of a demonic spirit like me or that spirit of yours.”

Rein was surprised to hear Aldwin word. “Y-You know about my curse?”

“You can say that i’m kind of a curse specialist. Yours is a unique one. It’s dynamic, reacting to your condition and the condition around you. As long as you stick close to that spirit of yours then there should be no more problem.” Aldwin spoke as he went out from the dining room.

Rein stood silent, pondering about Aldwin word for a few second before continuing the unfinished dishes in front of him.

After finishing the dishes he went to his own room to take a look at Friede. When he opened the door she was sleeping soundly on his bed. She fainted not long after they saved her. Rein panicked at first, thinking that he doomed one of his friend again, until Rose told him that it was only exhaustion.

When they got home, Elis and Rose cleaned her body and changed her clothes before letting her rest in his room. Rein sat on the bed next to her, observing her sleeping face and stroked her head.

After that he went straight to the master bedroom, but stopped right before he opened the door.

“Oh yeah, Rose should be inside.” He spoke to himself. He knocked the door a few times.

“Who’s there?”

“Rein. I need to take something first.”

“Open the door.” She answered promptly.

Rein face lit up as he opened the door. Rose always appeared as a strict and formal person whenever he saw her, so seeing her in a pajamas and sitting on the bed was a surprise for him.

“What are you staring at?” She asked.

“H-How did you get your pajamas?”

“You said it yourself didn’t you? My home is not far from here, i can just tell Aldwin to get it for me. Anything more you want to say?”

“N-nothing.”

“Then get your things. I want to sleep.”

Rein walked to and opened the cupboard. ‘Is rose usually like this? She seems really irritable.’ He thought as he took a blanket out.

After Rein left the room Rose laid down her body on the bed. She stared at the ceiling for a while before writing symbol in the air and chanting a spell.

“Aldwin you there?” She spoke to Aldwin telepathically.

“Yes. Why do we need to speak like this? I can just come to your room.” His voice popped in her head.

“I want to be alone for now.”

“Why bother speaking with me?”

“I can’t sleep. I’m exhausted but my mind just won’t calm down.”

“Want me to sleep with you then?”

“Shut up.”

“Really? You’re the one who wanted to speak with me and now you tell me to shut up?”

“For god sake Aldwin, i’m being serious here.”

His chuckle resounded in her mind.“Okay-okay, is something bothering you?”

“A lot of thing actually.”

“I’m listening.”

“It’s about the game. It’s just like you said before, there are some A++ spirit. I know they are strong, but to see their strength up close i… don’t know how do we beat them or if we have any hope at all. I mean look at what the they have done to the side of the mountain. Lucifer, Heracles, Achilles, i bet that sun guy that interrupted Heracles is also an A++ spirit, not to mention maybe there are more out there.”

“You shouldn’t worry too much Rose. There are more to a war than just the strength of individual soldier. And you haven’t even see the full extent of my power.”

“You said that when you’re beaten to pulp.”

“For me Lucifer is the only true problem. I won’t lose on a one on one fight with a heroic spirit. With the exception of that sun guy probably, he is a also problem.”

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

“Who is that sun guy? And you can do nothing against Heracles before. Yet you boast that you won’t lose to a heroic spirit?”

“Hey, I’m trying my best to hide my power before. For that sun guy you probably know who he is if you’re as knowledgeable as you claim to be Rose.”

“Okay let me try… golden armor and earing mean that he’s either a very rich person in life or that was given to him by gods. His blazing aura and mark of the sun meaning that he had close ties with a sun deity. And his face look like he is from India…….. Karna!”

“Yes. The half brother and nemesis of Arjuna. He is probably the closest of anyone in this age to reach an S-rank, if he is not already one.”

“S-rank?”

“S mean that it’s over the limit. Though very rare, some spirit have an S rank on one of their perimeter or skill, and since a perimeter and skill could reach S rank it also make sense for a spirit to be able to also reach an S rank, but that is still just a theory.” Aldwin chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Well, since you summoned me you always give me the impression that you have no real goal in mind Rose. You gave me the impression that you only participate for the sake of it you know. Guess i’m wrong. I mean if you just want the attention of that Arthur boy, you don’t have to go this far.”

She blushed. “W-what are you talking about?! W-what i’ve done is not for him!”

“Yeah yeah whatever.”

“I-It’s true!”

”Not ONLY for him. But in all seriousness what is your final go. last of Acturus. My house and myself is the last of thousands years old legacy. I... want to save it, and if i can’t then, at least have my family name be remembered within the heroic faction.” She spoke with a mournful voice.

“Rose, if i may ask... what happened to your family?” She didn’t answer. “It’s okay if-”

“It’s fine. I guess i do owe you this much, after saving me and fighting for me…...thirteen years ago, the rest of my family went out on a mission with the heroic faction. I don’t know the detail, and never really wanted to know, but father, mother, uncle, they all left that day and they just.. never came back. After that, a friend of my father took care of me until i’m big enough to take care of myself.”

“I’m sorry for asking.”

“It’s fine. Thank you actually, for listening to me.”

Aldwin smiled on the roof. Rose didn’t let out a single word for a few minutes after that and Aldwin just enjoyed the silence.

“Rose, you still awake?” He asked. She didn’t answer. “Guess she’s already sleeping…. Wait a minute, if the telepathy link is still on, anything i think from now on will be heard by her. Geez, you’re such a troublesome partner Rose.”

-----

The whole world was split in two by a fissure. Two opposite imagery filled the opposite world and an invisible wall separated the two. She was standing on one side, unable to move, only observe.

On her side, a blue sky filled with cloud. The cold breeze swept her hair and fluttered it, giving her a sense of peace and calmness. Field of grass and flower spanned as far as the eye can see. Butterflies and birds flew and played around the peaceful land. A small and simple cottage stood in the middle of it all with a chimney that spewing out white smoke.

She looked over to the other side.The sky was scorched red. Mountains of corpse filled the land and river of blood runs through it. Golden and diamond castle stood in the distance, shining brightly like a beacon in the dark.

On the mountain of corpse 13 kneeled, eight men and five women. Crown sat on each of their head, but they all bowed low, almost making their crown fall. They laid their weapon and shield in front of them. Weapon and shield of unknown origin, yet she could feel their unfathomable power.

In the middle of it all, between the two world, a man stood. A man she knew, but somehow felt unfamiliar. One feet on one world, one arm on one world, one eye and one ear on one world. One half platinum armor, and other half a white trench coat.

He stood still unmoving like as till water. His eyes closed shut. Until, the sound of a wooden door creaked open woke him up. He opened his eyes and immediately turned his head toward the sound.

Without hesitation he stepped into the one world, the world of green field of grass and flower. With a smile on his face he slowly walked to the small cottage. The dark and red world of corpse and king crumbled as he pulled his foot off that world.

A woman came out from the house as he approached it with a broad smile.

Rose eyes opened wide. Her eyebrow raised and her mouth agape. Her heart skipped a beat and her chest burning.

She recognized the woman, of course she does! She saw her face everyday, every morning. Everytime she went to the bathroom, or gaze at a mirror, she saw the woman face.  

------

Rein body jerked as he jolted awake from the nightmare.

“Friede!” He screamed. He had trouble breathing. His heart in chaos. He took a deep breath and exhaled a few times, but to no avail. Realizing that his heart won’t rest until he confirmed that it was only a dream, Rein stood up and headed for Friede’s room.

When he opened the door he was surprised to see Friede sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked down blankly and didn’t notice his presence. Tears dripped from her cheek.

“Friede..” He speak softly.

She startled and wiped her tears. “Rein..”

“What happened?” He sat next to her.

“Nothing.”

“No way there is nothing.”

She hung her head and cried again. “I’m afraid Rein….. I’m scared….The image… what happened earlier.. I can’t.. get it out of my head… It’s haunting me.. When i sleep.. And when i wake up..it’s still haunt me. ” She held his hand. “Please.. Stay here...Don’t leave me alone.”

Rein hugged her. “It’s fine. I’m here okay. I’m gonna protect you. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“Don’t leave me.”

“I won’t.”

Friede rubbed Rein back and played her finger there.

Unknown to him, her finger glowed and she drew a magic circle on his back.

His body fell to the bed as he lose consciousness.

------

He vomited on his own feet. His body fell to the ground. His heart beated so fast it almost exploded. His lung burning, it screamed for air, air,air.

His leg muscle ripped apart from pushing it too hard. He had ran as fast as he could as far as he could for as long as he could.

Tears formed at the edge of his strange colored eyes. Fear and dread still linger in his heart. “You useless piece of shit ANGELA! You died before doing anything. If you die then better save your master first!” He punched the concrete wall.

It was still fresh on his mind. The horror that happened right in front of him.

He was chasing the brown haired girl, thinking she would be an easy target. He let her ran away before catching her. Exhausting his prey before killing or capturing them was his hobby. He love the fear in their eyes as he captured them after they thought that they could escape.

But she was different. The girl he thought to be a little lost lamb was actually a big bad bloody wolf.

The girl screamed and ran like any of his other prey, but she stopped moving when she reached the subway station.

Her scream turned into a giggle and then she bursted into a maniac laugh. When she turned her head to face him there was no hint of fear or something similar in her face, it was filed with joy and delight.

In fact, it was his heart that filled with fear when he saw that face of her. Scream broke the silence.

A creature as big as human that crawled on its four leg with skin as dark as night appeared from the shadow and mangled his spirit. It pulled her limbs apart from her body and bathed in her blood.

The girl with brown hair approached the creature and what left of Angela. The creature ripped out Angela heart from her chest and gave it to the girl. She then proceed to soaked herself with blood from the heart.

She took a broom, broke it,impaled one of the undead dog and brought it to a storage room. She went inside and locked the door. He didn’t know what she was planning, and he didn’t care, the creature red eyes were fixated on him.

He ran as soon as he saw the red eyes. That was how he ended in his miserable condition. He observed the darkness around him. There was no sign of the creature, or at least that what he originally thought.

A loud sound of metal banging a concrete floor slowly approached him from the darkness. He didn’t know where the creature was, or where it was going to show up. He paralyzed in fear and panic.

Something dripping on his head. ‘Water?’ He thought, but it was warm, and red... blood.

He looked above him. The creature crawled on the ceiling, its red eyes were directly above him. The creature fell and pinned his body to the ground.

For the first time he could take a good look at the creature appearance, but it wasn’t what he expected. It wasn’t a creature at all, it was a knight, with full black plate armor that covered all of its body from head to toe. From the hole in its helmet, two red glowing eyes stared directly at him.

The knight strangled him with both of its hand, but it stopped and let him go. The knight crawled back into darkness. He could still see the red eye staring him.

He was confused. What was he supposed to do, was the knight testing him? toying with him?

He laid still, couldn’t decide what to do. The knight growled. “WHA-WHat do you want?” He asked. The knight didn’t answer and growled. Its red eyes moved upward. “Up? Up? Stand?” He asked.

He slowly stood up. It stopped growling and began crawling toward him. He took a step backward, but the more he walked back the more it followed him.

“What do you want from me?!” No answer.

He suddenly tripped and fell to the ground. He covered his head expecting the knight to lunge at him for falling, but it didn’t do it.

When he opened his arm the knight was nowhere to be seen, even its red eye had vanished.

He laughed. He laughed in relief. He had never felt something like that before, the feeling of escaping death. He didn’t understand the knight or the girl motives, but it didn’t matter to him, he survived.

Bright white light filled his vision along with a rumbling sound of wheel grinding metal coming from his right.

He turned his head.

Trains.