"They did not obey me, Ellen."
The smile returned to Zen’s face. "Or more precisely, they failed to carry out what I said."
’Madness... insane... he is insane.’
At this moment, all Ellen wanted was to get away... get as far away as possible.
Even if the earth split open and swallowed her, she would have welcomed it with open arms.
But none of that happened.
All she could do was watch and listen to her brother’s pure madness.
Her brother, whom she thought was the most worthy of the throne... that they could remain a family, and there would be no need to fight him over power.
’Why... why.’
But why was this happening now... how had things turned into this chaos... Ellen did not understand...
She stood there while tears streamed from her eyes as Zen continued his mad speech.
"You must learn from this, my beloved sister. Learn how to deal with the mistakes of your followers."
He glanced at the corpses on the ground. "Do not be afraid. People like them will be replaced... others will take their place to serve us. After all, this is their life and the purpose of their existence."
He placed his hand on his chest while pointing at himself, his clothes becoming stained by the blood stuck to his hand.
"They were born to serve us and obey us to achieve our goals... nothing more and nothing less."
’Please stop.’ Ellen wanted to scream, but she could not.
Zen lowered his hand as he continued. "I think that is enough for you to understand."
With those words, he stepped toward her with slow and deliberate steps while blood scattered beneath his feet, until he reached her.
Then, with a warm smile, he extended his hand dyed red toward her head once more.
The veins along her neck tightened, essence surging through her body as it tried to retreat... but to no avail.
Zen saw that and smiled in amusement while his words rang with delight.
"Do not be afraid, Ellen... I will not hurt you."
"After all, you are my sweet little sister."
She felt his hand land on her head, the sticky liquid seeping into her hair.
Nausea consumed her consciousness. She wanted to vomit everything, but her body refused.
Zen’s hand moved gently over her head, showing his full attention to her.
"Perhaps you are thinking now, why does my brother seem like this... I must tell Father quickly."
"But it is useless... nothing will change even if you tell him, Ellen."
Slowly, his hand descended until it reached her cheek.
"Let us do one small thing so you do not go around everywhere talking about this little scene."
With those words, Ellen felt a faint pain in her cheek as a small wound formed there... so small and insignificant that it would disappear completely by tomorrow.
But from that wound, she felt something enter her body and mix with her blood.
’No, no, no, no, no.’
She wanted to scream. She wanted to run. But none of that was possible.
From the corner of her eye, she could see blood seeping from Zen’s finger and entering her body through that small wound, while his words echoed like a whisper full of amusement.
"Do not be afraid. It is merely a procedure that activates when you try to speak. It will not affect you in any way."
Between Zen’s madness and Ellen’s unrestrained fear, it bloomed... and just as it had in all the previous nightmares.
The flowers bloomed, and the world drowned in ethereal blue light before being rebuilt in a single instant.
...
In a wide and beautiful room, sunlight slipped through towering windows, washing the room in warm brightness.
"Huff... huff... huff."
The sounds of panting echoed through the place as Ellen knelt on the ground while clutching her neck.
Her beautiful face was tinged red like someone who had nearly suffocated, while the veins around her neck were visible as though threatening to burst at any moment.
All she had done was try to speak about her brother... only to herself.
But no matter what she did, her body simply refused.
Every time she opened her mouth, she lost control and froze in place without movement.
After moments of panic, Ellen managed to calm down as she rose from the floor.
With slightly unsteady steps, she walked toward the bathroom in her room before stopping in front of the sink and staring at her beautiful reflection.
Black hair and red eyes like a certain person.
Ellen clenched her jaw, and as the redness in her face deepened and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes—
"Why... why."
She muttered in a broken voice filled with sorrow.
And even loss.
"Why... how did things turn into this."
Ellen still did not fully understand what was happening.
Was her brother, whom she had always relied on, merely a deranged madman who loved bloodshed, or something else?
What was he planning... and why had he shown that side of himself to her?
Many thoughts swirled in her head, but among them, one thing was certain.
’He must never take the throne... ever.’
The fourteen-year-old girl raised her hands and covered her face while a torn sound resembling sobbing slipped from her lips.
"All... all I ever wanted... was for us to be a family."
...
Ellen walked through the grand and luxurious corridor of the imperial palace.
Paintings worth millions hung along the path beside many beautiful statues and vases... some of them even held flowers.
Beautiful blue flowers that had bloomed slightly.
Ellen passed by them indifferently until she reached the towering door.
Normally, guards would be there to open it, but they were absent today.
She did not care. Instead, she raised her hand and gathered some strength to push the heavy door.
A thin line appeared in the frame, widening with each passing moment until it opened enough for air to begin flowing through.
At that moment, a strong scent struck Ellen’s nose.
A familiar scent... metallic and salty.
’No... no... no.’
She felt her intestines twist together while her heartbeat accelerated, the door opening to reveal what lay beyond.
The throne room.
Where her father spent most of his time.
But now, something else was waiting there.
Her eyes widened as she watched the scene unfold before her.
A red liquid flowed down the stairs leading up to the throne, staining the marble floor that had once been white.
There above was her father and the emperor of this nation... not seated upon the throne as he usually was.
But lying lifeless on the ground... at least his body was.
As for his head, it was being held by a hand.
A hand she knew well and had trusted only a few days ago.
But now everything had changed.
Tears fell from Ellen’s red eyes as the person standing there turned his head, an amused smile on his face.
In the next moment, his voice filled the great hall.
A voice that made you feel as though the whole world were just a joke.
"Welcome, my beloved sister."
...
Just as not everyone is born equal, they do not all live equally either.
Not everyone who lived in this world possessed an old trauma... nor a hard life fit to become a nightmare.
Some had lived beautiful and happy lives.
Of course, their lives also contained some sorrow and fear, but nothing that could form a nightmare.
This was Leona.
A girl born into a noble family, and a girl who had lived a good and happy life.
But even she had fears, and the Nightmare Flower would not overlook that.
Especially after she recently glimpsed a part of the future.
That vision which warned her of the threads controlling Asfaria.
True, everything had already ended, and there was nothing left to do or think about.
But not for Leona.
For her, things had only just begun.
So ever since they left Asfaria, one thought kept repeating in her head.
Did the ability to see the future mean the ability to change it, or was she merely a witness to what would happen?
What if she saw the death of someone important to her and tried to change it... would she succeed?
Leona did not know the answer.
Just as she did not know that she was now inside a dream.
In a great hall, chandeliers hung from the ceiling spreading their light through the place, while the scent of delicious food rose.
And across a long table were dishes filled with every kind of luxurious meal.
On the chairs around it sat three people moving their knives and spoons while eating dinner.
One of them was none other than Leona, with her beautiful blue hair and clear eyes, a small smile adorning her lovely lips.
She looked more beautiful and happier than ever before.
Because this day was very special to her.
After all, she was having her first dinner with her parents after returning from the Ancient Earth.