'Why does everyone have a habit of death-staring a child?'
I gulp nervously, a thin layer of sweat forming on my back.
He starts to beam brightly.
'Why do they smile like that!? They look like serial killers!'
"I'll inform the others that we found you, so we'll wait here for now."
He tilts his head slightly.
"Do you want something like a dessert?"
"Or perhaps we could wait in a café if that would make you more comfortable?"
'Is he treating me like a kid?'
I stare at him in confusion.
'Either way, this isn't my goal! I need to find the Female Lead and befriend her!'
I clench both of my hands in determination.
'I can't waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!'
I sneak glances around while walking beside Silas.
Suddenly, a street catches my eye.
Flower bouquets line both sides of the road, native flowers, foreign flowers, flowers of every shape and color.
'Isn't that the flower street the FL always visits?'
Without warning, I bolt.
Silas immediately panics.
"Hey!?"
—Few minutes later—
I frantically search through the flower street.
"No..."
"Not here."
"Where is she?"
Suddenly, knights appear from both ends of the street the moment I turn around.
'Crap! The 4th Division… and Silas too!?'
'Are they seriously searching for me with this many people!?'
'What is this, a criminal investigation!?'
'They really didn't have to go this far…'
With no choice left, I snatch a flower from an open stall and dash into a nearby alleyway.
As I stare into the dark, eerie passage ahead, I quietly encourage myself.
'If they come after me, I'll just shove this poison flower into their mouths.'
As I continue deeper inside
I suddenly stop.
I'm now in front of the cathedral.
'What the?'
'I didn't realize it was this close!?'
I glance back toward the alleyway, mentally memorizing the route in case I need it for future escapes.
The moment I turn around.
—thud—
I bump into someone and fall backward onto the ground.
"Oh my, are you alright?"
I slowly look up.
A noblewoman reaches a hand toward me.
She has black hair, yellow eyes that strangely remind me of Elie, and a beauty mark resting near her lower lip. Beside her stands a maid holding a parasol above her head.
As I take her hand, the words slip out unconsciously.
"Pretty."
The noblewoman lets out a soft chuckle.
"What a sweet child."
"Oh dear, your dress seems ruined."
"You appear to be alone. Where are your parents? Your guards? Your escort?"
the noblewoman suddenly looks on a direction.
"Oh? There seem to be knights over there."
'Crap!'
Suddenly, a scream echoes from afar.
"VVVEEELLLORRAAA!"
"Hiik!"
A chill runs down my spine.
'…I feel like if I go back now, I'll get punished anyway, so why not go all out since I'm doomed regardless?'
I quickly bow toward the lady.
"Thank you, and goodbye!"
Then I run again.
The noblewoman watches in stunned silence before lightly tapping her fan against her cheek with a sigh.
—Few minutes later, Cathedral—
I slip through a random gate left slightly open.
Green grass stretches across the area, surrounded by tall stone pillars, stone floors and elegant scenery.
'Is this someone's garden in the middle of the city?'
I slowly look around.
'There are no flowers… so maybe this land doesn't belong to anyone?'
'Maybe it's some kind of public park? Though places like that don't really exist here…'
I place a hand against my chin.
"Hmm…"
'Either way, I won't stay long. I just need enough time for the knights to leave.'
I sit near the side of the gate, curling my legs slightly while hiding behind the hedges.
Relaxing a little, I inhale the fresh air beneath the warm sunlight.
'…It smells like fresh grass back in the countryside.'
Suddenly, distant chatter reaches my ears from deeper within the area.
"Eh?"
Carefully peeking through the hedge, I spot three boys surrounding another child lying on the ground.
They all look around 11 to 13 years old.
'Wait… short cloaks with hoodies? Aren't those acolyte robes?'
'Don't tell me I accidentally wandered into some church academy for priests!?'
One of the boys points angrily at the child on the ground.
"Your mom abandoned you! That's why you're here!"
The boy suddenly stands and shoves the one in the middle hard enough to knock him down.
"She did not!"
Immediately, the others gang up on him.
Without thinking, I rush forward.
"Hey!"
I snap and I punch every single one of them in the face.
As I come back to my sense, it's already done.
'Ah crap...'
'I just commit assault.'
The boys immediately burst into tears and flee in terror.
'My adrenaline kicked in. I should escape before adults arrive.'
I glance toward the bullied boy still sitting on the ground in shock.
"Ah—…"
Sweating nervously, I awkwardly try to comfort him.
"Tell an adult next time! Or the knights! Don't just let people bully you! Be a man!"
Panicking, I freeze in place, unsure what else to say.
"Ciao—"
I glance at him one last time before preparing to flee.
'Dark purple long hair and bright yellow eyes.'
'…He looks like the black market villain in the original stroy.'
As I attempt to escape through the gates, I suddenly notice knights outside.
I immediately spring backward and crouch behind the hedges again, lowering my head low enough to disappear beneath them.
Like someone suffering from severe back pain, crawling.
I notice a small marble building in the distance, shaped almost like—.
'A big bird cage? or a gazebo? but it seems to be a room.'
'This place looks way too elegant to be a storage shed.'
Hearing voices approach, I panic and quickly sneak inside.
'Please let nobody be here…'
As I open the door, the smell of books sits in.
'A room?'
I scan the interior.
A bookshelf stands beside the entrance. Near the window rests a small desk, while a bed overflowing with papers occupies the opposite side.
'No one's here.'
As I step backward, my foot accidentally catches the blanket draped over what appears to be another pile of books, nearly unraveling it.
I quietly sit near the side of the door, leaving it slightly open in case I need to escape quickly.
Then suddenly the chatter grow louder.
'Ah crap don't tell me they're going inside here.'
Panicking, I grab the blanket and hide beneath it, accidentally tangling myself among the scattered books.
The door creaks open.
Someone enters.
Then stops, the room suddenly fills with bright light.
'A! my eyes'
—slam—
Suddenly, the person leaves.
'…Is he gone?'
I slowly peek outside before carefully stepping out of the room.
"Red hair, bright as ruby… what are you doing here, my lady?"
Cassien smiles while leaning against the wall, his arms crossed leisurely.
'Ah fu—'
His gaze briefly drops toward the dirt staining my dress and the leaves tangled in my hair.
"I heard your older brother, Reynard, caused quite the commotion searching for you. Knights were sent everywhere under the assumption that you had been kidnapped."
His smile remains unchanged.
"Yet it seems my lady remains perfectly unharmed."
'…Is he not mad?'
"Were you truly kidnapped, my lady… or simply running away?"
"The cathedral welcomes anyone seeking refuge, however…"
His eyes narrow slightly.
"The children mentioned a red-haired girl suddenly entering the forbidden grounds and knocking out three boys."
Cassien tilts his head.
"Would that not be considered divine punishment?"
"So tell me, Lady Velora…"
His smile remains perfectly calm, impossible to read.
"What exactly are you doing here, hiding?"
'He... He's scaring me.'
'I can't read him at all...'
I immediately force a bright smile and bow politely.
"I greet the High Priest."
"I appear to be running away from… a bad person!"
"From Lord Reynard?"
"Ahahahaha… no…"
My shoulders droop as I fail to think of a proper excuse.
"C-can you please keep this a secret?"
I clasp my hands together and bow again desperately.
"I promise I'll accept whatever punishment it may be—as long as I don't become a nun, go to jail, or die… anything but dying!"
"Whatever it may be…"Cassien lets out a soft sigh.
"I shall overlook your reasons for fleeing your brother, provided you accept punishment under our guidance."
"W-well… can I perhaps do it another time? I have to go now."
Cassien grabs my shoulder as I try to make a run for it.
"You have to do it now." Cassien smiles.
"What is it...?"
Cassien points upward, then downward, and finally toward the room behind me.
"A confession."
"The entire forbidden hall must be cleaned since you dirtied the floors."
"also clean the room you entered."
'That many!?'
"And it will serve as an excellent alibi for your brother, don't you think?"
He smiles brightly.
"Simple, isn't it?"
'It would be… if he didn't keep saying forbidden.'
"Didn't you just say this place was forbidden? Why are you telling me to clean it?"
"Well, you have already seen it, nobody is aloud to come here except for me and the higher ups."
Cassien shrugs lightly.
"And besides, that is not your only punishment. I do not intend to let you off so easily."
His gaze lingers on me.
"So may I ask what your light element ability is?"
My eyes widen in confusion.
I scratch my head before letting out a scoff.
"Light element? I don't ha—"
'…Wait.'
'Is he talking about the time during my baptism?'
'That white aura is from me…?'