1

Oliver Zeppes was but a humble slave trader.

In the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko, slave trading was an ostensibly forbidden business
and not exactly a profession one could perform in broad daylight. However, slavery
was his calling.

In the harsh land of Gusteko, slaves were always in demand as a labor force. Many of
them were uneducated and did not know how to live except through performing manual
labor.
For this reason, Oliver truly believed from the bottom of his heart that his profession of
being a slave trader, which brings slaves and buyers together in a way that benefitted
both parties, was a trade that could be profitable while making everyone happy.
Although it was strictly forbidden by the Holy Church of Gusteko, it was a job that could
save someone in ways that the teachings of the Holy Church could not.
If anything, the slavers saved far more people than the teachings of the Holy Church
that ruled over the Holy Kingdom.
That was Oliver Zeppes's philosophy, pride, and conviction; the manner in which he
worked hard as an honest slave trader who priced human beings as commodities for
his buyers.
He did it all for the well-being of both those involved in the slave trade and himself.

Despite that...
Oliver: "Wait, wait, wait, wait, please wait! Why- why- why are you here again?!"
Oliver's face was pale as greasy sweat fell down his face in large quantities as he
stood in his room; the lights of the city and the faint glow of candles barely illuminated
the dark room.
He had just finished a long day of work and returned home after buying a drink.
Today, he had been able to complete a solid transaction; handing over a slave to a
paying customer who was willing to pay a comfortable, albeit not large, sum. The slave
girl who was taken in could read and write. The merchant who took her in would surely
treat her decently until she could eventually buy her freedom.
As long as slaves had work, they would not need to worry about food. It was important
for slaves to have something they could live on.
He returned to his room, humming from his good mood, and was just about to lay down
in his bed to have a good dream when Oliver noticed her.
A dark-haired girl sat on Oliver's bed, smiling sweetly at him…a former product that had
belonged to Oliver; a problematic and defective stock.
Oliver: "E-E-Elsa?!"
Elsa: "It has been quite a long time, Oliver. You reek of alcohol, so I hope you haven’t
had too much to drink."

The girl, Elsa, tilted her head in curiosity at Oliver’s astonished look. Oliver cleared his
throat as he watched her braided black hair cascade down her bare white shoulders.
Not out of lust, but out of simple fear and disgusted trepidation.
The shock of their reunion had sobered him up and destroyed his good mood.
Oliver: "I don't need you to warn me about my drinking! But more importantly, answer
my question! Why are you here?! There’s no way you…"

Elsa: "Fu fu, why do you think?"

Oliver: "Don't turn your answer into a riddle! Damn it, what an absolute mess!"

Holding his head in his hands, Oliver cursed his bad luck as he cursed the girl in front
of him. Though, the worst part about this girl who was such bad stock was that cursing
her wouldn’t do a thing.
Elsa had been a friend to Oliver as far back as when he had been a new slave trader,
just starting in the world of the slave trade.
Oliver: "Thirteen times! You've come back to me thirteen times! Every time you are
bought, the buyer ends up experiencing misfortune…you goddess of misery!"
Elsa: "It's really not that big of a deal. Don't give me too much credit, Oliver."
Oliver: “And you’re not even aware of what’s wrong! It's not a compliment! You know
that, don't you?!”
Oliver collapsed to his knees, barking at Elsa, who was blithely out of line. Their odd
exchange forced him to accept one thing. Elsa has returned to Oliver’s side once
again.
…as he had lamented before, Elsa was a repeat offender when it came to returning to
the slave trade.
Normally, slaves who had been bought were not returned to the slavers. There were of
course times when a buyer would attempt to return their product, but in most cases,
that return would not be accepted.
The fate of most slaves is decided the moment they are bought by the buyer. The rest
of their lives were up to whether they lived or died in the hands of the buyer…but there
were always exceptions.
For example, if the buyer died unexpectedly in some way and there was no reason to
keep the slave around, the slave may be sold back to a slaver at a considerably low
price.
For reasons like that, there were some unfortunate slaves who returned to the slave
trade in despair…but in Elsa's case, the situation was far more out of control.

Oliver: "Do you know how much trouble I've had because of you?! How many times I’ve
handed over a dangerous slave to a buyer, only for her to kill her master and steal
something valuable?! Just when I thought I'd finally be able to get rid of all those nasty
rumors about me!"

Elsa: "You're doing something so cruel knowingly? That's not nice. You should
apologize."
Oliver: "I didn't do any such thing! I haven’t done anything wrong, and now I look
suspicious because of you!"
For Oliver, who wanted nothing more but to be an honest slave trader, such rumors
would be fatal. Nonetheless, Elsa always kept a blithe face and returned right to Oliver
whenever her buyer fell into misfortune.
And then, with a completely nonchalant look on her face, she spoke once more.
Elsa: "I’m afraid that I’m going to be putting you in trouble once again, Oliver."
2
Oliver: "First- first of all, wasn’t your buyer a big shot from the church? That had been
why I thought this maybe this time..."
Elsa: "Yeah, you're right. I assume that isn’t too bad for you, Oliver."
Oliver: "The Holy Church is the one that makes the rules for this country! The very
people who forbid the slave trade want slaves. Of course, they don't want to disgrace
the name of the Holy Church by treating someone like you badly, right? But, but,
but…!"
Lying on the bed with a pale, red face, Oliver slurped down a cheap drink with
desperation clear on his face.
.
From what Elsa could understand, a business deal had gone well and he had come
home in a fine mood after a drink, only for his mood to plummet upon seeing Elsa.
Oliver: "..."
Oliver's collar was wet with spilled alcohol as he continued to mumble and complain.
As she watched Oliver, Elsa narrowed her dark eyes and pursed her lips.
Elsa and Oliver had known each other for four years now.
She hadn't bothered to count every time, but according to Oliver, she had returned to
him thirteen times already. Her homing instinct was no joke.
Oliver was in his late twenties, with reddish-bronze hair and a gentleman's face.
Although he was involved in the slave-trading business, he was a man who would be
better described as more “wet” than “rough”.
Oliver had never been a fan of violence and had survived his whole life through the
strength of his extraordinary verbal skills.
However…
Oliver: "It’s a skill that doesn't work at all on people who refuse to listen to others…”
Elsa: "Yes, I imagine it's quite tough. I personally can’t deal with people who never
listen to others."

Oliver: "I'm talking about you! You're a person who will never understand sarcasm, I
swear!"
For better or for worse, even his best moves were ineffective in the face of Elsa.
Despite that, Elsa trusted this noisy, pessimist of a man. It was likely because he was
the only one who had reached out to her when she was bleeding to death in the cold
snow.
Without his good nature, Elsa would have surely died.

Elsa: "That's why I’m willing to rely on you for everything. If you're going to resent
anyone, resent yourself."
Oliver: "Isn't that sort of line what people usually say about people who get rewarded
for despicable deeds? I'm cursed for doing good deeds; am I a millionaire or
something?"
Elsa: “I think the idea that you can be cursed at all when your rich is quite prejudiced…”
Instead of answering Elsa's murmur, Oliver covered his face with his palm and groaned
into it for a while. When he had finished groaning, he slowly raised his body up.
He then glanced sideways at Elsa, who was sitting next to him on the bed,
Oliver: "...so what did you have to through with the new buyer?”

He asked this in an extremely quiet voice.

That's the way it had always been. After lamenting and cursing his fate, Oliver always
ended up questioning Elsa again about her situation.
For the past four years, despite Elsa constantly pushing him around, Oliver always
listened to her side of the story. That was simply his way of being a slaver according to
him.

So, Elsa’s answer to him has never once changed in the past four years.
Elsa: "No, it's no big deal. It's just that my buyer had a small misfortune."
Oliver: "...I hope so. No wait, that’s not good at all. Shit, I thought I got a good
customer!"
Elsa: "Well, I guess he was a good customer. It sure was the most comfortable place
I’ve ever been bought into, so I'm sorry too."
Hearing Elsa’s words, Oliver sighed loudly.
Oliver: "...can I ask you something, Elsa?"
Elsa: "Something?”
Oliver: "Your collar is off. Why do you keep coming back to me? Why don't you just go
away?”
Elsa: "You mean, go where I want to go?"
Oliver: "Yes, yes, that’s right.”
Elsa: "Then that's what I'm doing. That's why I keep coming back here."
Oliver looks at Elsa with a sullen face as she puts her hand on his chest. He chewed
over Elsa's words, which sounded quite a lot like a confession.
Oliver: "It's not like you're in love with me, right?"
Elsa: "As in a love affair between a man and a woman? If so, that’s repulsive. You go
out of your way to sell a woman you love, only for her to come back to you every time
something happens…it's a scary thought."
Oliver: "That's the same kind of fear I'm feeling!"

Oliver shouted once more and stood up. He gulped down the rest of the bottle, wiped
his mouth, and looked up. Oliver's face no longer looked pathetic.
Eyes alight with intense motivation, Oliver nodded.
Oliver: “Okay. First of all, I can't help what decides to return to me. Depending on how I
look at this, I’ve got another sale in your pocket. I might as well try to make money off
you again."
Elsa: "Isn't that the reason why rumors spread about you being a crooked slaver?"

Oliver: "That's because of you! Why can’t you just be happy?!"

Elsa: "..."
Oliver: "Damn it, I don't know why I’m in the slavery business...."
Oliver put his hand on his forehead as he mumbled, a tired look on his face.
The phrase "be happy" had come out of his mouth. Elsa knows that this was his true
intention; a promise that she has heard many times over the past four years.
Oliver Zeppes was a foolish man trying to do nothing more than make people happy
through the slave trade.
Because he was such a man, Elsa would never think of returning to any other slaver
than him.
Oliver: "What is it?"
Elsa: "That's what you used to tell me, but I can't wait anymore for you to make me
happy. I'm tired of waiting."
Oliver: "If you think you can just wait it out and hope for the best, you're wrong! I'm
telling you, if you don't make an effort to be happy, you never will be!"

As he screamed and spat at her, Oliver put his jacket back on. He went straight to the
door of the room and looked back at Elsa, who was still on the bed.

Oliver: "I'm going to stay up all night rethinking the sales plan, so you stay here. You've
already stirred things up for me, so don't do anything you don't have to!”
With that, he left in a clatter of footsteps, not allowing any objections. Watching him go,
Elsa simply shrugged her shoulders and slipped into her bunk.
It had taken a lot of energy for her to get back here. She needed to rest and recover as
much as possible now. In that sense, Oliver's attitude of not asking too much about the
situation was helpful.
It was a relief for Elsa, who didn't want to get into trouble.
3
As Elsa closed her eyes for a brief respite…
???: "This is my quarry."
With those words, an object was thrown onto the white table with a sickening noise
.
It was an animal carcass that had been torn to shreds…a corpse of one of the hounds
of the Featherrun estate that had been released in pursuit of the runaway.

Surrounding the carcass were the sisters of the Featherrun mansion; the place where
Elsa had spent a brief moment of peace. The five sisters, now without Elsa, stood
together in the dining room, staring down at the carcass.
???: "All the other dogs were butchered too. I think it's safe to say she got away."
???: "Are you sure she went through the veins of the underground well?"
???: “There was a dead dog at the exit of the vein. I went down the same path, so I’m
confident that's where she went..."
Ornia sighed deeply as she puts her green dress back on.
In order to retrace the footsteps of their youngest sister, Sithonia had asked Ornia to
follow the vein the same way she did. In other words, Ornia had made her body as
small as possible and passed through the water current.
Although it was a terribly risky experiment, she trusted Ornia's unique attributes and
the latter was able to achieve it. If anything, after all, it was Elsa who had done it first
that should be marveled at for achieving such a feat.
Sithonia: "Unlike me, who doesn’t feel much pain, Elsa must have directly felt all that
agony…it's insane to think that she would cut her own head off of her torso."
Ornia: "But she did it. As expected of one of the 'Featherrun Sisters'-”
Dorothea: "...she's not our sister."
The painful conversation between Ornia and Sithonia was cut short by a gruff, hoarse
voice.
It was Dorothea, staring at nothing, who stated this coldly. The dining room table she
grabbed cracked as she sat there, mumbling vindictively.
Her cloudy eyes were filled with a fierce hatred for the escaped Elsa.
Saria: "Ara ara, Dorothea looks quite angry, Hildea."
Hildea: "Yes, Elsa is a fool, Saria."
The twins whispered to each other about Dorothea while giggling. Watching the
unrestrained exchange between the two sisters, Sithonia put her hand on her forehead
and sighed.
Ornia: "Sithonia, I understand what you're going through, but what are we going to do?
I'm sorry to tell you this, but our father is dead. Our position is…"

Sithonia: "It would not be good for the higher-ups to learn that our father has perished."

Sithonia swiftly interrupted Ornia’s on-coming remark. Hearing this, Ornia's eyes
widened as she understood the eldest daughter's intentions before she nodded her
head.
Ornia: "I understand. I have no objection. In short-"

Sithonia: "Our father, Holosseo Featherrun, is alive and well. Let's go with that story."
Dorothea: "...Sithonia! Sithonia!"
It was Dorothea, now done staring into the void until now, who immediately challenged
her statement.
Dorothea, the only one of the sisters who truly adored Holosseo, could not accept the
seemingly cruel conclusion reached by the eldest and second daughter.
Dorothea: "She killed our father...! If we tell our superiors right away, the entire Church
of the Holy King will go to find Elsa…"
Sithonia: "So, what happens even if we find Elsa? She'll pay for killing your father, but
after that, what about us? What happens to the ‘Featherrun Sisters’?”
Sithonia: "I don't even need to think about what would happen to cursed dolls they
would be unable to handle after losing their puppeteer. We’ll end up in eternal slumber
within the Vault of Sacraments."

Anomalies were not something that just anyone could control.

Sithonia’s freedom would be taken from her and she would never see the light of day
again.
Dorothea: "We can't just let go of our father’s death. Or do you want to take revenge on
Elsa and run away from the Church of the Holy King hand-in-hand with your sisters?
Do you want to live a life of endless running?"
Sithonia: "No, that's not the point…."
Ornia: "Dorothea, let me tell you something first. I agree with Sithonia. So if you
disagree with what she’s saying-"
Staring at Dorothea, Ornia proceeded to begin cracking her white knuckles. Dorothea
let out a small gasp as she realized that she was willing to act on her intimidating
threats.
Sithonia: "If you were to go toe-to-toe with Ornia, the strongest of the ‘Featherrun
sisters’, you would be no match for her no matter how hard you tried, she would crush
you and twist your opinions onto the right path.”

Dorothea: "Well, Saria and Hildea will-"

Saria: "You're asking Hildea? Don’t be an idiot, Dorothea."
Hildea: "Of course, Saria and the others are with Sithonia. It can't be helped, sadly."
Dorothea's clinging words had no effect on the two twins. Shut away in their own little
world, Saria and Hildea were completely unperturbed by the fact that Holosseo was
dead.
However, they didn’t want the Church of the Holy King to interfere and seal them away.
This seemed to be a common view among the Sithonians, with no one willing to
avenge Holosseo.
Dorothea: "...but, our father-"
Sithonia: "I owe our father a debt of gratitude. Do not doubt that. He will get his dues.
However, it won’t be due to the Church of the Holy King. It'll be due to us."

Sithonia spoke in a quiet voice to soothe Dorothea's trembling heart.

She was willing to plot against the Church of the Holy King and keep Holosseo's death
a secret. However, this does not mean that she despised Holosseo, the creator of the
"Featherrun Sisters".
She will make sure that Elsa, his servant, will get what she deserves.
*****
Ornia: "At the very least, Dorothea seemed to be satisfied with that."
After the meeting between the sisters, Ornia had chosen to speak with Sithonia who
had remained in the dining room.
Dorothea, Saria, and Hildea had already left the room; leaving only the eldest and
second daughter. The two who have known each other the longest would decide on the
future of the Featherrun.
There was no more Holosseo anymore. For now though-
Ornia: "Are you sure you want to avenge our father's death? For Dorothea's sake?"
Sithonia: "...What do you think, Ornia?"
Ornia "From the way you said it, I'd say it was a ruse."
As she ran her fingers through her green hair, Ornia looked away bitterly. Sithonia did
not deny Ornia's words. There was no way she could.
Dorothea, the fifth of the Featherrun Sisters, was deeply devoted to Holosseo. If she
hadn't said that, Dorothea wouldn't have been able to maintain her senses.

But in reality, Sithonia had no intention of avenging Holosseo's death. It was not
because she was unsympathetic, but because she had more practical matters to attend
to.
Sithonia: "I'm going to have to cram as much of our father's knowledge as I can into
myself in order to fool our superiors. Fortunately, I've had many opportunities to
accompany our father on his work.”
Ornia: "I can't see all that knowledge inside your head. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have
to rely entirely on you for this."

Sithonia: "That's fine. But I'll be relying on you more than ever to perform my duties."

Ornia: "I know…It's a responsibility I would have preferred to share with Elsa."
Crossing her arms in frustration, Ornia spilled her thoughts. As she listened, Sithonia
raised her well-shaped eyebrows and rubbed her fingers across her forehead.
Elsa's murderous act was so sudden that it caused everything to go wrong. She
wondered how it could’ve come to this.
Ornia: "Sithonia, I'm on your side."
Ornia spoke encouragingly to Sithonia, who was overwhelmed by taxing emotions. In
her hand, she held out the token of sisterhood that Sithonia had given to her.
A small amulet containing an incense stone, the same one that Sithonia has given to all
her sisters…Elsa being no exception.
Sithonia: "Her amulet is..."
Ornia: "It wasn't in her room or in the water vein. Considering the size, she could
probably carry it in her mouth. Maybe she's still carrying it around."

Sithonia: "...If so, then I wonder what she’s up to.”

She had killed Holosseo, to whom she owed a debt of gratitude; fought a merciless
battle against all her sisters, including Sithonia, and then fled with great determination
and pain, but also did so without giving up the proof of her sisterhood.
It seemed like there was no longer any boundary between her insanity and her
wickedness.

Sithonia: "...But still, you take good care of it, Ornia."

Ornia: "Huh?! What are you saying...?"
Sithonia: “That amulet has been repaired many times.”
Ornia had known her the longest and was the first to whom she had given such a
token.
Although they had only been sisters for a few years, their relationship was even deeper
than that of ordinary sisters, you could say.
That's why they have to prevent it from collapsing at all costs.
Ornia: "Don't worry. You and I aren't the only ones clinging to this place. It’s not just
Dorothea too, but Saria and Hildea as well."
Sithonia: "..."
Ornia: "Elsa's going to find out soon enough. When she does, she'll be sorry that she
was so foolish. You never know, she might even be fearful right now."
Tucking her amulet into her pocket, Ornia pondered this possibility.
Elsa, who has no way of knowing the outcome of the meeting between the sisters, may
still be spending sleepless nights thinking that she is being hunted. Perhaps that was
crueler than mere revenge.
If she feared the night, it would be some consolation to Holosseo.
On the other hand, Ornia began to think-
Ornia: "If she had been an intelligent girl, she wouldn't have made such a big deal out
of this…”

Sithonia: "Elsa… I'm not sure I really understand what she was thinking. It's not weird
to consider her as unusual as Saria and Hildea."
Elsa lived with a philosophy that was even more difficult to understand than Saria and
Hildea, two twins always confined to their own world.
Ultimately, the reason for this situation seems to be the unbridgeable gap between her
and her sisters.
Sithonia: "Anyway, we'll think of another way to properly convince Dorothea what to do.
Right now, our first priority is to get through this difficult situation together."
Ornia: "Yes…you're not wrong, Sithonia."
She watched as Sithonia smiled thinly, listening to her poor attempts at consolation.
Then, Ornia left her alone in the dining room, like the rest of her sisters.
Ornia headed for the chapel, the site of Holosseo's death.
The corpse has already been moved from the chapel to begin the process of hiding
Holosseo's death. Dorothea wanted it, so she was left in charge of disposal.
So what Ornia saw was nothing but a chapel wiped cleaned of blood, only the dregs of
death remaining.
Ornia: "Elsa, what are you thinking about?"
Instead of praying or repenting, Ornia simply asked this to her youngest sister who was
not there.
4
Elsa: "I'm not thinking about anything."
Elsa replied simply to the question as she bit into a piece of sweet bread slathered in
honey.

The man who heard her answer, Oliver, dark circles prominent under his eyes, twisted
his lips into a grimace. Although he had quite an attractive face, the perpetual dark
circles under his unhealthy-looking eyes and his constantly frowning lips had a very
negative effect on his reputation.
It was the morning after Elsa had returned to Oliver, and the two of them were now
having breakfast together.
Oliver, who had taken the trouble to bring breakfast to her room, had apparently
avoided sleeping all night, as he had previously declared. As expected, Elsa was once
again blamed by him for ruining his good sleeping habits, even though he had taken no
steps to rectify his problem.
The answer she had previously given was in response to a question he had asked her.

Namely-
Elsa: "I've just escaped from the brink of destruction. I have no real plans for the
future."

Oliver: "Yes, yes, of course; I was just asking, you know? I was just thinking over
various ideas last night when I realized that I needed to find out what you were
planning before I could implement anything."
Elsa: "Fu fu, so careless."
Oliver: "It's your fault though!"
Oliver yelled at Elsa, who just smiled back at him as she licked the honey off her
fingers.
Naturally, Elsa appreciated Oliver's efforts. Always doing his best was his greatest
virtue. The issue was just that Elsa lacked any sense of responsibility.

Sighing at Elsa's attitude, Oliver scratched his head

Oliver: "Either way, it looks like the situation is the same as before. I can’t put you back
in the store right away. I have to make sure every tie with the original buyer has been
severed."

Elsa: "You're good at this."

Oliver: "This is the thirteenth time! There aren't many slavers who know how to sell
runaway slaves as well as I do. Just to be clear by the way, I’m being sarcastic!"
Elsa: "You have a bad personality…”

Oliver: "You've run away from your master thirteen times!"

Elsa had no actual objections to his idea, even as they exchanged their usual banter.

It's not that she trusted his intuition as a slaver or anything like that, she just has
nothing else she could really do. Besides, Elsa already fully believed that she needed
to lay low for a while.
Elsa: "Until I can tell what the Featherrun sisters will do…”
Oliver: "Then again, that was the longest you’ve ever lasted in one place so far..."
Elsa: "Yes…about six months, right? It was a nice place."
Oliver: "I can see that. You've changed your attitude quite a bit, and you're much more
feminine."
Oliver looked at Elsa, who was sitting on the bed in her light clothing, as he spoke his
evaluation.

There is no masculine evil coloring his gaze. His was the gaze of a pure critic; a gaze
which values the next product of a slave merchant.
Compared to the last time she had met Oliver, Elsa has grown a lot. She was much
taller, become more limber, and her breasts and hips had gained feminine flesh. That
wasn’t even mentioning how the days she had spent in the Featherrun mansion had
made her into a demonic existence.

Considering the role of the “Featherrun Sisters”, good looks were one of their most
necessary qualities. Good looks could make or break their job. It was a very important
weapon to catch your opponent off guard.
That was why the “Featherrun sisters” were all beautiful.
Oliver: "...apologies. It's tempting to hold my head in my hands and dwell on the lack of
prospects for the future, but let's think about this positively and hope your restrictions
will eventually be removed. So…"
Elsa: "What should I do?"
Oliver: "As I said, I won't let you stand in the store for now. However, I won't restrain
you either. You can walk around town all you want…you can even disappear if you
like."
Elsa: "Don't worry, I'll be back before dark."
Of course, she understood that Oliver was being sarcastic, but Elsa didn't really care.
With a loud sigh, Oliver stood up and began to prepare to leave.
Elsa: "Where are you going?"
Oliver: "Fortunately, I've sold out of all the slaves I had on hand until my next stocking.
I’ve…been invited to a little party. I'm going to talk to my clients and ask what they
would like to see."

As he said this, Oliver took out a bag of money from his pocket. When Elsa took it, she
could tell from the feel of it in her palm that it contains a hefty sum of money.
It is not an amount of money you would usually give to a slave unchecked.

Oliver: "You're not going to use it anyway, are you?"

Elsa: "Yup. As expected, you know me so well."
Oliver: "Be quiet! Stay hidden! Please!"
Oliver seemed annoyed at her sarcasm and lumbered off in a trot. Watching him go,
Elsa shrugged her shoulders.
Then she looked out the window and felt the bag in her hand. As she had said to Oliver
earlier, it was not good for her mental health to be cooped up all day.
Elsa: "It's been a while since I’ve been here, maybe I'll take a walk around the city."
5
Inorandum, the City of Snowy Fields, is one of the major cities within the Holy Kingdom
of Gusteko.
While most of the country is covered in permafrost, even in Gusteko, there are varying
amounts of snowfall. Inorandum is considered to be one of the snowiest among the
cities. While in other cities the earth may sometimes peek out from the snow that has
been melted away, this was not the case here at all.
However, unlike other cities, Inorandum is located on a huge "Hallowed Land", and
thus the effects of the extreme cold are lessened even if it lingers for a long time.
On mild days, it only snows; allowing residents who are used to it to go out and enjoy it.
Such was the case today.
Elsa: "It seems to be quite warm today, so there's a lot of activity.”
Walking through the snow-covered streets, Elsa let out a small breath as she observed
the crowds.
On the occasional warm day, street vendors often set up shop in the streets. Since
they were only open during sunrise, Elsa felt tempted by the offer and considered
satisfying her hunger at a stall.
The meat was speared onto iron skewers, dipped in sauce, and had been grilled over a
huge fire. Enticed by the gushing flames, Elsa bought a few skewers and began to walk
around as she ate them.
As she ate, she started to consider what to do with herself going forward. Elsa was
quite anxious about the future and considered asking for an indicator of what to do.
Elsa: "Well, what happens will happen."
But that line of thinking didn't last long, as she quickly threw away such worries.
As she walked along, Elsa noticed a pair of eyes watching her. She followed the gaze
she felt and saw a group of ordinary men looking at her.
She licked her lips, which are stained with sauce.

She hadn’t cared about it much before, but now it seemed that she was very attractive
in the eyes of the opposite sex. Was this due to her growth or her training as a
Featherrun?
Elsa: "When I really think about it, I am being hunted. Maybe I should have worn a
hood to hide my face."
Before he had left, Oliver had left Elsa a change of clothes, including a hooded robe. It
had been a warm day though, so she had carelessly ignored his concern.
Elsa: "I would have understood you a lot quicker if you had explained it to me with your
words..."
And while shifting the blame for her mistake onto someone else, Elsa's feet moved
towards the cold, icy ground of the alley. When she reached a dead end, she turned
around.
And then-
Elsa: "I don't think it's polite to chase after a girl who is all by herself. Do you guys have
some business with me?"
As Elsa asked this, five men entered the same alley.
From their appearance, it was clear that they were not men who could walk in the sun.
They seemed surprised that Elsa had noticed them following her, being unable to hide
their agitation at the question.
…no, there was one man who was not upset.
???: "No way, I didn't expect such a young lady to realize we were following her."
Elsa: "Yeah? I don't think it's your fault. It was one of your other brothers who was at
fault. If I tell you which one, will it cause a falling out?"
???: "Oh, no, that's all right. It’s fine.”
The man who wasn't upset was probably the group’s eldest brother. He was a tall,
bearded man who looked Elsa up and down as she stood there casually.
???: "Young lady, you know Oliver Zeppes, don't you?"
Elsa: "...What would be the best way to respond to that?"
???: "Answer my brother's question! Do it or else…eh?!”
As Elsa fumbled to answer the bearded man's question, the bearded man's fist
smacked into the chin of the man beside him. The other man bit his tongue, blood
spilling from his mouth as he slumped.
Bearded Man: "The young lady and I were talking to each other. You're the one who
should know better."
The bearded man slapped his crouching subordinate on the head and apologized to
Elsa.
Bearded Man: "I'm sorry about us tailing you and their lack of training. I know you're
related to that Oliver guy. I saw you come out of his house."

Elsa: "I see, then I’ve been beaten. A pity."

Bearded Man: "This is the important part though...are you and Oliver the only ones
living in that house?"
Elsa frowned, unsure of the purpose of the question. Seeing her reaction, the bearded
man rubbed his hair, which was beginning to thin.
Bearded Man: "I'm sorry to tell you this, but the slave I bought from Oliver ran away.
Since they had nowhere else to go, I thought the first location I should check would be
his place."

Elsa: "That's a strange story. If a slave ran away from their buyers, they would try to
run away from slave traders too. It’s hard to believe they would come back..."
Bearded Man: "But that Oliver bastard is known as a ‘return merchant’. What would be
common sense for other slave traders doesn’t apply to him. I'm sure you understand
that, don't you, young lady?"
With one eye closed, the bearded man gave her a fierce smile. If she were a normal
person, the look would be intimidating and make them shy away, but unfortunately for
him, to Elsa it's was as intimidating as a breeze.
However, it is difficult to deny what the bearded man said. The other party already
seemed to know a lot about the rumors surrounding Oliver, so there was no point in
lying to cover it up.
In that case, all Elsa could do is-
Elsa: "I understand the issue with Oliver, but I assure you that there's no one in that
house but me. Oliver has gone out too, and he was completely unattended."
Bearded Man: "Can I trust that?"
Elsa: "If you don't trust me, why don't you come in and take a look?"
Now it was the bearded man’s turn to be surprised by Elsa's suggestion. However,
from Elsa's point of view, his suspicion was one she had no memory of, so she felt no
real pain over being probed on it.
Oliver would be furious if he found out that she had let someone into the house without
permission while he was away, but he would have no right to complain since she was
going to clear up any unnecessary suspicions towards him while he was gone.
Bearded Man: "Then I'll accept your offer. I'm glad you're cooperating, young lady."

Elsa: "The spirit of mutual aid is important. Maybe next time, you’ll have to help me."

Bearded Man: "You’ve got nerve in addition to being beautiful. My young men could
learn from you."

When Beard glanced with his companions, they could only agree in quiet voices. Elsa
didn’t understand the humiliation they felt at being beaten up and told to imitate a girl.
Elsa: "Well, it's only natural for you to correct them with violence. I've had the same
done to me."
Bearded Man: "Oh, you have? Oliver doesn't look like the kind of guy who'd do
something like that."

Elsa: "That was in another place. I've had my neck broken before."

Bearded Man: "Wahaha! That's a good one."

The bearded man smiled broadly and slapped his knee as if what she said had been a
joke.
Bearded Man: "Well, show me the way. Don't worry, as soon as we’ve confirmed your
words, we'll leave."
Elsa: "Yeah, sure. That'd be great. Let's go."
And with that, Elsa led the men back the way they had come to Oliver's house. She
walked them into Oliver's home, proving that the slave they were looking for was not in
the house before asking them to leave.
Bearded Man: "..."
Elsa: "I see..."
In Oliver's room, they found a white-haired girl sitting on his bed.

Naturally, this was unexpected even for Elsa, but these men didn’t live in a world where
they were naive enough to listen to that excuse.
So-
Elsa: "Let's just say that this was bad luck for both of us."
Before the bearded man could pull a dagger out of his pocket, a skewer pierced the
back of his hand. With his arm now pinned to the wall, Elsa's long leg quickly struck the
bearded man hard on the neck.
The bearded man's eyes rolled into his head and he lost consciousness. And in that
instant, the men grew just as upset as they had been alley at the apparent death of
their brother.
Elsa: "I feel really, really bad."
As it was though, Elsa’s violent actions plunged each of the men's minds into darkness.
6
Whether you were a nobleman, a gentleman, or a clergyman what is required in a
social setting is the ability to smile. This was something Oliver had a natural talent for
this.
???: "Hello, it's been a while. How's your back doing?"
Oliver: "It’s doing well, sir. Thanks to you, there's been no shortage of demand."
???: "By all means, call me whenever you want your next opportunity! Let's open up a
bottle of something special!"
While it was natural for one to vary the topic of conversation depending on who you’re
talking to, Oliver had also learned to change the quality of his smile.
Sometimes it was to put them at ease, sometimes it was to put down to them, and
sometimes it was to make himself look confident all in order to probe deeply into the
other person’s desires.
His smile that always satisfied the other person's need was Oliver's only exceptional
talent as a slaver.
Slavers and glamorous socialites may appear on the surface to be worthy of opposite
impressions to some people, but in any business, it is always a matter of having a good
face.
In addition, Oliver's business partners always had to be wealthier than he could ever
hope to be. As a result, it was only natural for him to actively show up at such events.
Nevertheless…
Oliver: “...today is not a good day."
While looking over at the dining room table, Oliver muttered this to himself.

Today was not very fruitful in terms of socializing or stocking. He had visited several
familiar vendors in an attempt to purchase new slaves but had been unable to find any
products of good quality. Oliver's requirements were simply that they should shine once
he had polished them, so today's purchases were off the table.
On the other hand, the people gathered in the ballroom were far from promising
business partners. The most he could do was talk to customers he was familiar with
and exchange light chitchat.
On this day, many people related to Gusteko’s religion were gathered. Since the
Church of the Holy King forbade slavery, they were not allowed to talk about their
business openly. After a moderate amount of conversation and drinking, Oliver was
considering just leaving early.
It was about more than just his professionalism as a slaver. He was worried about the
ticking bomb he had left at home. A bomb that could explode at any moment and burn
away everything in its path.
Oliver: "For God's sake, can't you keep quiet for at least half a day?"
???: "You there."
Distracted by Elsa's existence, Oliver was too late to react to the sudden attention.
Hurriedly looking back at the person who called out to him, Oliver forced a smile and-
Oliver: "..."
He gulped as he faced the empty eye sockets of the person standing there.
Oliver: "...ah, it's been a while. I hope you've been well."
But his delay was only for a moment. Oliver immediately came back to reality and
smiled. Then he remembered the person in front of him in his mind. A man of the Holy
Church of Gusteko, his name was...
Oliver: "Mr. Holosseo, thank you for your patronage."
Yes, it was Holosseo. Holosseo Featherrun.
He was a member of the Church of Gusteko, and he had an appearance befitting a
man of that rank. He was a former client of Oliver's and had been none other than
Elsa’s buyer.
Oliver's mind was filled with confusion at the thought of Holosseo standing right in front
of him. Elsa had told him that she had come back to Oliver because of her buyer's
misfortune.
Then why was Holosseo standing safe and sound in front of him?

Oliver: "How is your slave, sir? Is it working well?"

However, Oliver threw away his inner doubts and spoke out brashly. He wanted to see
how the other man would react to his statement.

???: "...ah.”

There was a reaction, but it was not from Holosseo. Instead, it came from a girl with
blue hair and a blue dress standing by his side - a girl who was also familiar to him.
This was the same girl that Holosseo had brought with him when he came to buy Elsa.
The lovely-looking girl glared at Oliver with a terrifyingly vicious look in her eyes.
If hatred could create heat, Oliver's whole body would be on fire with the fury she
seemed to possess.

“Holosseo”: "...that thing is doing what a Featherrun is supposed to do."

His response to Holosseo was delayed for a moment due to the girl’s rage.
Understanding that this was an indication of Elsa's work ethic, Oliver quickly regained
his composure.
Oliver: "I'm glad to hear that. I'm relieved the two of us made a good deal together.
What do you say? If you have the opportunity, you may want to contact me again…”

“Holosseo”: "I'll think about it. You did a good job."

With that, Holosseo casually turned his back to Oliver.
If this had been a business meeting, Oliver would be lamenting his failure, but as it
was, Holosseo's contact had left him sickened. It was not, by any means, an attempt to
negotiate something with Oliver.
As proof of this, the girl's hateful gaze did not stop until the very last moment.

Oliver: "I made a mistake in the heat of the moment..."

What kind of mischief has Elsa caused with Holosseo? First of all, according to what
Elsa had said, there had been some misfortune in regards to Holosseo’s life.
But even if the eerie and ghastly gaze of his empty eye sockets did not change,
Holosseo was most certainly alive. That was a clear contradiction to Elsa's testimony.
Oliver: "Oh, this is really difficult to take in."
If there was someone who was trying to find out about Elsa’s current whereabouts,
Oliver would have to think about what to do.
This was the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko…a country where people lived only for the Holy
Church of Gusteko.
Conflict with a heavyweight of the Church of the Holy King was not a part of Oliver's
plan for a happy future.
7
Elsa: "Oh, welcome back. You're home earlier than I expected."
Elsa’s voice welcomed Oliver as he hurried back into his house after leaving the
meeting.
For a moment, Oliver hoped that what he was seeing was a sick optical illusion, as she
sat there as if nothing was wrong at all. But it couldn't be.
It was just that this girl, Elsa, was someone who could take a bloodbath in stride
without a care in the world.
Oliver: "No, no, no, no…"
As soon as he had opened the door to his house, the smell of blood in his nostrils had
given Oliver a bad feeling.
He was a slaver, albeit not a skilled one. In this neighborhood, violence was not
uncommon. Smelling blood, though quite unpleasant, was a regular occurrence.
But not in this quantity. Not to mention the multiple, stacked corpses of men-
Elsa: "Oh, don't get the wrong idea. I didn't kill them. I just knocked them all out."
Oliver: "Whew, that's good. If you didn't kill them, that's a relief at least...how can this
be? How can this…how can this happen in just half a day?”
The reason Oliver had rushed home was to interrogate Elsa about her history with
Holosseo. However, this pile of strange men had robbed Oliver of his composure.

Either way, he wished problems would stop rolling in one after the other. Oliver was an
ordinary person, so he could only deal with them one at a time.
Oliver: "Elsa! Who are these people? Where did you get them from?"
Elsa: "Well, I don't know the details, so…"

Oliver: "So?"
Elsa: "I think it's best to ask a girl who might know more."
With that, Elsa cocked her chin toward the other end of the living room; just across the
room from the pile of men. Oliver was startled when he looked in the direction she
indicated.

There was a young, white-haired girl hugging her knees. The girl was familiar to Oliver.
After all, she was his merchandise.
Oliver: "Tatiana! What are you doing here?”
Tatiana: "...ah?"
As soon as her name was called, the white-haired girl, Tatiana, looked up. The girl’s
big eyes filled with tears before she jumped into Oliver's chest.
After quickly catching her light body, Oliver stroked the girl's back before he spoke
once again.

Oliver: "You were supposed to have been taken in by the Lexant family a month ago.
Why are you here…?"
Elsa: "These people, they came after the girl who ran away, right? She probably had
no one to turn to, so she ran to you."
Oliver: "These guys are Tatiana’s...?"
Elsa: "She’s what’s called a returner…it looks like I'm not the only one who's coming
back to you."

Oliver: "That's a bit too venomous to be sarcastic…”

With Tatiana in his arms, Oliver looked over the fallen men. He didn't recognize any of
the men who had fallen into a coma with blank eyes. Elsa then told Oliver to wait a
moment and went upstairs.
A few moments later…
Elsa: "Does this man look familiar to you?"
Elsa dragged a large, bearded man down the stairs. The man had bruises all over his
face from what he had been through up there, and he had an iron skewer from a food
cart speared through his hand.
But even in his battered state, Oliver could somewhat make out the man's features.
Oliver: "You’re from Mr. Lexant's place…so, Tatiana ran away."
Bearded Man: "Yes, it's true…I was ordered to bring her back…but this young lady got
in the way, and here we are."
The bearded man crouched limply on the floor, taking in a series of deep breaths.
Oliver hadn't really thought about it, but it seemed that the bearded man and his men
were sure it was Elsa who had beaten them.
Since when had she become so strong? In response to Oliver’s questioning gaze
though, Elsa only tilted her head.
Oliver: "Anyway, I understand the situation. Let's see, Tatiana escaped from Mr.
Lexant's place, and Elsa beat up the people who were chasing her…is that right?"

Bearded Man: "...yeah, that's right."

Elsa: "Apparently."
It was normal for Elsa to end up a victim of something unrelated to her, but this was a
different problem.
Oliver: "So, Tatiana…why did you run away?"
Tatiana: "..."
Oliver: "Tatiana?"
Oliver's question wasn’t answered by Tatiana who was still in his arms…no, she
couldn't answer.
A puzzled Oliver dropped to his knees, putting himself on eye level with Tatiana. Then
he looked her straight in the eye.
Oliver: "Tatiana, take off your clothes and let me see. Now."
Tatiana: "..."
Without saying a word, Tatiana removes the white undergarments that she was
wearing. It was painful enough that she was wearing only undergarments in this cold
country, but her nakedness was even more so.
…as Tatiana's brown skin was etched with countless scars in places which they could
not normally be seen.
Those scars hadn’t been there a month ago when she had been a commodity in
Oliver’s possession, so her scars had to have been from the past month…
Oliver: "...I've made a fool of myself. I’m not a slaver."
Oliver apologized to Tatiana for his rottenness and hugged her. Tears streamed down
from Tatiana's big eyes onto his chest.
Oliver should have been more careful in his dealings to avoid this, but this was his
reality. His mistake had ruthlessly damaged Tatiana's young body and mind.
The fact that she could no longer speak was proof that she had suffered horribly.
Oliver: "...I’ll make this right."
Elsa: "How? What can you do, Oliver?”

Oliver: "Take this story to the union and..."

Oliver looked up and began to answer the question, but his words trailed off mid-
sentence. It was natural. It's hard to make people believe something you didn’t believe
yourself.
Not to mention that this dark-haired, defective slave had a keen sense of smell that
could detect the lies of others.
Elsa: "We could silence her pursuers, but then you’d be screwed."
Elsa glanced at the bearded man and his men, cynically noting Oliver's situation.
In fact, if Elsa arranged it, it would not be difficult to silence the men who were pursuing
him. However, it was also true that would leave him in a bad position.

Tatiana's buyer was Hayken Lexant, a member of a long line of Gustekan priests who
has no intention of negotiating on equal terms with slavers.
…but Oliver couldn't just sit by and let a slave get hurt.
Oliver: "That's not how I do things."

Elsa: "Hmm, what then?"

Elsa stepped forward and looked into Oliver's face, almost seeming as if she was
testing him. Her dark, penetrating eyes held a hint of anticipation as she waited for
Oliver's decision.
She was waiting for Oliver to order her around. Whether it was a favor, repayment, or
just a whim, he couldn’t tell.
He wasn’t sure how, but her smug face let her get away with it.
Oliver: "You keep talking about me, Elsa, but they're after you too."
Elsa: "Oh, me as well? Who’s after me…?”

Oliver: "At tonight’s meeting, the guy who bought you and one of his kids was there. I
thought I had the wrong guy at first, but I didn't. There's no way I'd forget a guy that
prominent."
As he said this, Oliver tapped his eyelids with his fingers. That clearly indicated to Elsa
that he was referring to Holosseo's missing pair of eyes.
Elsa: "...”
Elsa heard this, and for the first time since she'd come back, she looked confused.
Oliver: "Elsa?"
Elsa: "...no, I was just thinking, but that's enough of that. Maybe, just maybe, your
problem and my problem can be taken care of at once."
Oliver: "What?"
Oliver raised his eyebrows in surprise at Elsa's unexpected words. Elsa clasped her
hands in front of her chest and smiled,.
Elsa: "You want to make amends with the person who hurt your slave. I want to talk
peacefully with the man who is after me…I think we can work together on that."
Oliver: "...tell me how."
Oliver held his breath as he waited for the black-haired girl’s suggestion. Hearing
Oliver's quick decision, Elsa smiled even deeper before nodding.
Then, she smiled and said.
Elsa: "It's simple. Sell me to that bad buyer, Oliver."
8
From the start, she hadn’t exactly been enthusiastic about that day’s task.
…no, in terms of being unenthusiastic, that applied to more than just that day. For a
long time now, Dorothea had been unenthusiastic about her role, even about her life.
And yet, Dorothea has taken on the role of a "Featherrun Sisters" because it is the only
way she could serve Holosseo Featherrun, the man who had changed her life.
Holosseo had been murdered at the hands of Elsa, and they had never been able to
each other again. He was Dorothea's benefactor and foster father…but the Featherrun
Sisters have covered up his death and continued to operate under the guise that he is
still alive.
Dorothea was not happy about that either, but she could understand Sithonia's concern
about the fate of the Featherrun Sisters, who had lost the protection of Holosseo. Of
course, Dorothea wouldn’t dare weigh the importance of such an appearance against
Holosseo's life.
However, if it was to be exchanged for Holosseo's honor, Dorothea would have
hesitated to act rashly.
…Holosseo had been murdered by Elsa, one of his “cursed dolls”.

No matter what the facts were, Holosseo's honor would be ruined if it became known
that he had been murdered by his own tool. Everyone would have ridiculed him,
forgotten his exploits, and spat on him.

Dorothea, a great admirer of Holosseo, could not bear to put him through such
humiliation.
For this reason, Dorothea's life lost its luster and her days proceeded to pass on in
emptiness.
The cover-up of Holosseo's death had been done well by Sithonia, who leads the
process. Thanks to her efforts, the activities of the "Featherrun Sisters" had continued
as before.
Dorothea has been called upon more and more often to perform her duties, and her
fragile appearance has come in handy. It was ironic that the secret to her success was
that she was not overthinking ways to try and achieve as much as before.
Dorothea: "..."
In spite of Dorothea’s feelings, work only came for her again and again.

Dorothea's world has lost its passion and color. Dorothea knew that her sisters did not
want to avenge Holosseo as desperately as she did.

This was supported by the fact that they put more effort into maintaining the
“Featherrun Sisters” than finding Elsa, Holosseo's murderer. In the past, Dorothea's
feelings for her adoptive father had always been greater than anyone else.
No one had really loved Holosseo. She was the only daughter of Holosseo.
And so Dorothea, having lost her path in life, became a corpse living only in her
memories. A corpse who reminisced endlessly about the few memories she had of
Holosseo to warm her cold heart.
So…
Elsa: "...long time no see, Dorothea. How have you been?"
As she recognized the greeting while walking into the mansion where she had come to
fulfill her duty, her vision became vividly colored once again.
9
Hayken Lexant had indeed been an easy man to deal with.
A beautiful black-haired slave was offered to him as a token of apology by a slave
trader who had sold him a runaway slave. Upon being offered a much better slave than
the original, the man became overconfident in his own good fortune.
With a new beautiful and obedient slave in his possession, Hayken felt on the verge of
worldly bliss. After all, in only a short period of time, his legendary extravagance and
debauchery had wasted away nearly half of the Lexant family fortune.
The Lexant family was a prestigious family that had held important positions in the
Church of the Holy King for generations, and Hayken was destined to become a leader
in the Holy Church of Gusteko within the near future. However, as is the fate of most
prodigious aristocracy, a person with such a promising future had many enemies.
And they all came flooding onto him in one fell swoop during his short-lived
extravaganzas.
Indulging in hedonistic pleasures with little foresight, Hayken continued to play around
without heeding the advice of those around him; and eventually, the Church of the Holy
King abandoned him.
He became considered a man who would become a blight on the Holy Church of
Gusteko if he were left alive. Such people could not be allowed to live in the Holy
Kingdom of Gusteko.

Therefore, Hayken Lexant's days of debauchery came to an end…

Elsa: "So you were sent to this house."
As she stared at Dorothea, who was frozen in surprise, Elsa started smiling
menacingly.
The location was the private residence of Hayken Lexant. The surrounding area is lined
with rows of books, many of which the Lord has no interest in. Originally, the Lexant
family had been in charge of documenting and storing the sacraments of the Church of
the Holy King, but that role has now become obsolete.
Hayken has no regard for the accumulated work of his family. Therefore, Elsa had
possessed no hesitation in choosing this place as the place for her reunion with her
sisters.

…yes, her long-awaited reunion with her sisters.

Elsa knew the full extent of the role the “Featherrun Sisters” served. She knew they
would be dispatched eventually if she could locate an inconvenient existence for the
Holy Church of Gusteko.
That's why she used the debauchery of Hayken Lexant to her advantage.
Dorothea: "...why?"
Dorothea's hoarse voice as she looked at the nostalgic Elsa, who was awaiting her
response.
She was so upset that her emotions had yet to seep into her voice. Hearing her
question, Elsa slowly tilted her head.
Why, was a vague question. Why did you do this? Why were you waiting for me, why,
why, why-
Elsa: "Because it was the quickest way to talk to you guys."
Dorothea: "..."
"I was so desperate when I ran away that I didn't even realize I didn’t know where the
house was. That's why I never showed my face there. I had no way to contact you, so I
took this roundabout detour back to you. Are you impressed?"
The existence of the” Featherrun Sisters” was a secret, a darkness that the Church of
the Holy King was hiding. That's why no one knew the location of the “Hallowed Land”
they lived in.

It was a secret that cannot be uncovered, even with Oliver's connections. So, Elsa
immediately gave up her search for that “Hallowed Land”. Her goal was not the
“Hallowed Land”, but the sisters who lived there.
Dorothea: "..."
Continuing to stare at Elsa, Dorothea remained silent. However, looking at the passion
swirling in her eyes, it became clear that it was not from the hesitation to ask a
question.
The rage swirling within Dorothea', the true nature of which was pure hatred…
Dorothea: "Elsaaaaaa..."

Elsa: "...did you miss me?"

Dorothea: "-HA!"
At the moment Elsa tilted her head in the opposite direction, an unintentional
provocation that shot Dorothea into action, Dorothea's figure disappeared…no she had
just lowered her stance and launched herself at Elsa.
From behind her dress, Dorothea pulled out two long blades. She connected them
together as she flew through the air, transforming them into a pair of giant scissors.

The scissors had cut through the flesh and bone of many people, with even Elsa
having tasted their sharpness. With them, Dorothea moved closer; eyes wet with
murderous intent. Elsa, bathed in the hatred of the fifth sister of the Feather Run
sisters, jumped away from the desk on which she was resting.
Then she lightly tapped the floor with her toes,
Elsa: "I've missed you too."
Immediately after, a crack in the floor spread, and the study collapsed in the blink of an
eye.
Dorothea: "Wha-...huh?”
Elsa: "That's why I've prepared for this so carefully."
Dorothea's voice, filled with shock, overlapped with Elsa's, who knew she was about to
fall.
Dorothea felt her footing disappear and was engulfed in a floating sensation, helpless
to do anything. If it had been Ornia, she would have been able to use her chain weight
to overcome the situation she was in.
But with Dorothea's large scissors, that would be difficult. Honestly though, even
though Elsa had been able to find one of the “Featherrun Sisters”, she couldn’t have
predicted who would take on the task.
So, the arrival of Dorothea, who couldn't handle this situation, was a result of good
luck.
Yet the fact that it was Dorothea, who would be the most difficult to talk to, was also a
result of bad luck.
Elsa: “...”
As she fell downwards, Elsa quickly used a collapsing stack of books as a foothold to
get closer to Dorothea. Dorothea, who was turning herself around to deal with the
situation, stiffened in surprise at the sight, but it was too late.
Elsa smashed her foot into the center of Dorothea’s torso. Her slender body was blown
away with an agonized cry before Dorothea's body was swallowed by the falling
waterfall of books.
However, this had only guaranteed Elsa’s safety for a moment. Dorothea's large
scissors sliced through the stacks of books that pressed down on her, before she stood
up, blasting them away.
Dorothea: "...come on out, Elsa! Aren’t you going to kill me too, just like you killed
father?!"
Elsa: "I think there's been a misunderstanding here."

Elsa responded to Dorothea's barking as the books around her were cut up and
scattered about. Slowly, Elsa emerged from behind a stack of bookshelves to gaze at
Dorothea with her dark eyes.
Looking at those dark eyes, Dorothea's whole body felt like it was distorting from the
sheer fervor of hatred.
Elsa: "Dorothea, I think it would be best if we could maintain a pact of mutual non-
interference with each other. That's why I brought you here to talk today. Well, not you
specifically, technically."
Dorothea: "Mutual non-interference…? You ambushed me with excessive preparations,
and now you're saying this?”

Elsa: “It's impolite to wait for someone unprepared. Besides, it had turned out to be you
who came, I could’ve seen a scenario where would kill each other without this."
With a dismissive wave of her hand, Elsa insisted that she had no intention of fighting.
However, this did not comfort Dorothea, merely deepening her suspicions.
Still immensely tense, Dorothea continued glaring at Elsa.
Dorothea: "...I'll take you at your word. What are you doing?"
Elsa: "I told you already, didn't I? Mutual non-interference, that's what I want. It
would've been nice if we'd just ended things at the mansion and parted ways…but you
seemed to be looking for me."
Cutting her words short, Elsa met Dorothea's gaze head-on.
Elsa: "I couldn’t imagine you finding me and talking this through peacefully."

Dorothea: "Of course not…! You killed our father…! The one person in the world who…
the man who found me! That's it, that's it, that’s it-...!"

Dorothea, who had finally been ready to listen, was once again seized by rage and
forgot herself in anger.
Sighing, Elsa shrugged her shoulders and spoke once again.

Elsa: "I see. I knew we couldn't talk. This was what I was afraid of."
Dorothea: "Enough. I don't think of you as my sister anymore…I'll kill you, Elsa!"
Wielding a pair of large scissors, Dorothea leaped through the rubble, over the books,
and at Elsa.
The absurd speed at which the girl sprinted around in her blue dress was an
expression of her lack of fear at having her own body destroyed, which was typical of a
being who had been awakened as a "cursed doll". This was especially true of
Dorothea, who did not hesitate to let her own body be crushed and scattered.
It was proof the only value she had in herself was related to the thoughts of Holosseo.
It proved that she didn’t care what happened to her as long as she was useful to
Holosseo.
So…
Dorothea: "Huh?"
Elsa: "You can't be Ornia, or any of your other sisters."
Dorothea’s voice was faint compared to the angry one she had possessed before.

Right in front of Elsa's eyes, Dorothea's step was suddenly disrupted. Her body lost its
sense of balance, but that was understandable. After all, her body was split in half at
the center of her torso.
Dorothea: "..."
Dorothea's face morphed into an expression that made it clear that she didn’t
understand what had just happened. On the floor, the upper and lower halves of her
body rolled apart simultaneously.
The severed torso was bleeding profusely, and the pain that came immediately after
made her scream. Her deafening voice echoed through the house, sounding as if an
old woman was being strangled.
Elsa: "You were too emotional."
As she continued to scream, Elsa passes between the two halves of Dorothea and
traces her finger in the air…no, it was not in the air, but on a steel wire that ran through
it.

The steel wire, now with a few drops of blood visible on it, is stretched taught at the
height of Dorothea's torso. Dorothea had jumped into the wire and been cut in two.
Elsa: "Ornia would’ve noticed. Sithonia would fall back at some point. I don't know what
Saria and Hildea would do…but you've fallen for it."
Dorothea: "Ahhhhhh....”
Elsa: "You can't regenerate your split torso, let alone your arms and fingers. Since your
regenerative powers are much weaker than mine or Ornia’s, is this the end for you?"

Dorothea struggled desperately, spilling her intestines from her severed torso. But the
more she struggled, the more blood she lost, and there was nothing she could do about
it.

When she had come to this house, she had made reasonable preparations for her
sister’s hospitality. Dorothea had fallen right into the trap that Elsa had set for her.
Elsa: "I told you, didn't I? It would be more disrespectful to you if I greeted you
unprepared."
Dorothea: "...ah."

As Elsa walked up to her, Dorothea immediately tried to strike with her scissors. But
her arm was stomped on from above and her attack was blocked as she had no lower
body to support her.

Elsa then crouched down and peered closely at Dorothea, her appearance that of a
monster.

Elsa: “I don’t want you to misunderstand me.”

Dorothea: "...misunderstanding?”
Elsa: "I'm not doing this because I hate you guys. Rather, I actually loved you. I was
happy to get this opportunity, just like you were. So-”
Elsa continued.
Elsa: “-that’s why I'm truly sorry that it turned out this way."
Dorothea: "..."
Dorothea's expression froze as she heard Elsa's words of pity.
Dorothea then pressed her forehead to the floor and sobbed painfully. Elsa turned
away from the painful sobs, only to suddenly realize something.

The lower half of Dorothea's body lay only a short distance away. Separated from the
upper part of her body that controlled its action, it had only been twitching up until now,
but the quality of its movement had changed.
…from meaningless twitching to intentional movement.
Elsa: "This is…”
This change frightened Elsa, and she tensed up.
In an instant, the bleeding, which had been slowing down, resumed vigorously as fresh
black blood flooded the floor like some kind of curse. The situation intensified in front of
Elsa, who was transfixed by the sight.
Then Dorothea’s fresh blood became a sharp blade that slashed at Elsa.

Elsa: "Ah!"
Quickly jumping away with a quick shove of her feet, Elsa dodged the solidified blood.
However, the speed and momentum of the blood, which could not be judged by sight
alone, caught up with Elsa as she flew, touched her pale skin, and exploded.
Elsa: "Ah…! AH!"
The spot where the steam of blood touched burst open, and Elsa's throat let out a high-
pitched scream.
Dorothea's blood seeped into the skin where it had touched her, exploding her body
from the inside out. Her right arm, her right leg, and roughly half of her body were
blown to pieces, causing Elsa to collapse in shock.
There was only pain, pain, piercing pain and Elsa’s face writhed in agony.
Dorothea: "Elsa!"
With the sound of an angry cry, Elsa was trampled into the floor by a hard heel.
It was Dorothea, stomping Elsa’s face into the floor and messing it up further with her
heels. Dorothea, who should have been cut in half by her torso, looked down at Elsa
with a gaze of hatred, teeth bared.
Her body, which should have been torn in two, was still firmly connected.
Elsa, with her caved-in face, gazed up at her.

Elsa: "...how are you up after I cut you in two?"

Dorothea: "Blood, I’m connected with my blood…I was amazed too. This is the
potential of a ‘cursed doll’."
Hearing the low, haunting voice so similar to that of an old woman, Elsa suddenly
remembered Dorothea's sobs. It had not been sobs, but laughter.

Dorothea’s rage had made her laugh, and Dorothea’s passion had given her new
strength.
It was-
Elsa: "You manipulated your blood to reconnect your torso…that's lovely."
Dorothea: "You’ve got room to grow…you can imitate this, too."
With that, Dorothea slashed at her own arm with her a pair of scissors. A large amount
of blood dripped from her wrist, soaking Elsa's abdomen. Considering what had just
happened, it would not have been surprising if Elsa's torso exploded from the inside,
but that was not what Dorothea is aiming for.
Immediately after, Dorothea's blood began to seep into Elsa's abdomen as other parts
of her body began to stir.

Elsa: "Aah! Aaahhh! Aaahhh!"

Elsa’s body began to visibly be destroyed by the inside by the blood. The blood
crawling beneath her black dress and white skin was a visual act of violation.
It was as if small insects were burrowing through her body. It was as if said insects
inflicted pain on Elsa with a clear intent to torture her, traveling inside her with sharp
blades.
Elsa screams out in hellish agony as her entire body is torn apart from the inside by
what felt like 10,000 insects.
Elsa: "Uh-eh-Aaaahhhh--!
Dorothea: "How is it? How is it? How is it? How is it? How is it? How is it? How is it?
How is it?!”

Elsa’s vision turned bright red and her brain became unable to even process her own
screams. Noise blended together with noise, and the world began to fade from her
comprehension.
Dorothea's heel stomped hard once again on Elsa's face, but the pain and indignity
were minor compared to the blood coursing through her body.
The situation was turned completely around. Looking down at Elsa, Dorothea smiled
wickedly.

Even though she had been cut in two, Dorothea had refused to give up her will to fight.
It was this determination that had sprouted forth new possibilities in Dorothea's body.
Dorothea: "How is it, Elsa?! Suffer! Scream! For your father's sake! You will-"
Elsa: "...ah!"
At the feet of Dorothea, who was still commanding the blood, Elsa swung her leg wide.
The tip of her long, sinewy foot came close to Dorothea's temple, but Dorothea avoided
it with a tilt of her head.
However, Elsa was able to slip out from under Dorothea's heels without a moment's
hesitation. She crawled on all fours and leaped across the floor, leaving the room filled
with what remained of the study.
Dorothea: "You’ll be horrid all the way to your death…! Do you really think you can get
away with this?!”
Dorothea stepped over the wreckage, began chasing after the fleeing Elsa. As she
leaned forward though, her cheek was ripped wide open by a sharp cut.
Taking a closer look, she could see that it was the same steel wire that had cut her
torso in two. It was only one of the many steel wires that stretched across the space
and had sliced through Dorothea's cheek easily.

Dorothea: “...URGH! You annoying asshole!"

Howling with rage, Dorothea released a blade of blood from the wound in her wrist and
slashed at the steel wire. Dorothea's rage didn't stop there, the destruction from the
blood blade not ending there either.
In order to destroy the trap Elsa had set, the blade of blood overran the room; raging in
all directions as it ran through every steel wire with its power.
And then, trying to once again pursue Elsa-
Dorothea: "Geh...ah.”

An iron stake speared her from the front and pierced her torso, Dorothea coughing up
blood as more of her entrails spilled out.
Even if she had looked for it, it was impossible to see. It was part of the same trap as
the steel wire, an iron stake designed to be shot forward when the wire was cut.
Elsa had carefully and painstakingly prepared to kill one of the “Featherrun Sisters”.
Dorothea: "...that's it!"
She pulled out the iron stake and cut it in two with her blood. The fresh wounds on her
torso dripped even more blood, and Dorothea left the room, dragging her large shears
behind her.

Dorothea: "..."
Elsa was nowhere to be seen in the hallway, but the droplets of blood told her where to
go. Even from a distance, she could feel that her blood was driving her to the edge.
Following the bloodstains and the tingle of her blood, Dorothea chased after Elsa. On
the way, she encountered many more traps, including the steel wire and iron stakes
like before, but she smashed them head-on and kept going.
Finally, she cut through a door and stepped into the room where Elsa had escaped to.
Dorothea: "A dining room..."
Looking around at the space with its massive tapestries and chairs that would never be
used, Dorothea wondered why all the dining rooms in mansions looked the same.
Elsa: "Why does every mansion's dining room have to look the same?"
Dorothea turns around at the repetition of my inner thoughts.
At the far end of the dining room, Elsa stood in front of a door that led to another room.
Dorothea wondered if she would attempt to escape again through that same door, only
for her to close the door behind her, blocking her own escape route.
Dorothea: "...did you decide to stop running?"
Elsa: "I've gotten used to the pain by now. Even if I keep running, I doubt that I could
escape you."

Dorothea: "Right. Then you'll die here gracefully. For our father's sake...!"
With a long table between them and her large pair of scissors ready to go, Dorothea
gave Elsa a wary glance. If she jumps at her boldly, it would likely end the same way
and she would be cut in two.
She was sure there was a good deal of trickery in this room as well since she had
escaped all the way to here. While keeping a close eye out for it, Dorothea makes the
blood in Elsa's body surge.
At the same time, she launched an all-out blood attack.
Dorothea: "No matter what traps you have set, I will destroy them all!"
The raging blade of blood cut the table in two and pounced at Elsa, who was standing
on top of a bar. Elsa moved sideways to avoid it, enduring the intense pain in her body
as the blood continued to follow her.

The blood blade would slash at Elsa's legs and then she would follow it up with her
scissors when she stopped moving. Just as Dorothea was about to put her plan into
action though…immediately after-

Fire erupted and covered Dorothea’s vision in red.

.
Dorothea: "...”
The heat of the flames was so intense that Dorothea tensed up in fear.

A moment later, a table knife was thrown from behind a curtain of flames, aiming for
Dorothea's face. Dorothea ducked and tries to put out the scorching fire.
But just as she began to brush away the fire, a shadow pierced through the curtain of
flame again.
It was-
Elsa: "Now we can finally be even."

Dorothea: "...ah! Elsa!”

Not caring that she was being burned, Elsa jumped over the flames and grabbed onto
Dorothea. She quickly ordered blood to make her arm explode, but Elsa's expression
did not change. With a fierce glint in her eyes, she grabbed Dorothea by the neck and
threw her to the floor.
Then, as Dorothea twisted and writhed on the floor, Elsa kicked away her scissors and
stole the weapon. That wasn't the end of it though.

Dorothea: "If I need a weapon…urgh.”

Even without the scissors, the blood flowing through her veins was a weapon that could
kill Elsa.
Glaring at Elsa with a furious expression, Dorothea ordered her own blood to flow
through Elsa’s body. She knew that the regenerative power of the "cursed doll" would
repair it anyway. If that was the case though, why not cut up her organs and make her
writhe in agony with great intensity until she no longer cared about living?
Indeed, Dorothea's blood began to ravage Elsa's body in an attempt to do just-

Elsa: "I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

Immediately after those words, Dorothea was doused with a tremendous amount of
something all over her body. This was not limited to Dorothea, as some kind of liquid
also covered Elsa head-to-toe.

Dorothea sniffed the odor that hits her nose, and for a moment, she paused as she
realized what the liquid was.

It was a liquor of such high strength that it emitted an overpowering scent, and there
was only one reason why Elsa would’ve covered her with alcohol at this stage.
Elsa: "Well then, let's have a little contest of endurance.”
Dorothea: "Wai-ah!"
Dorothea attempted to shout, "Wait!" but it was too late.
Still pressing down on Dorothea beneath her, Elsa reached behind her and pulled off
the long, burning tablecloth and pulled it towards them. The next moment, the liquor
ignited.

Dorothea: "..."
The liquor roared and burned with tremendous force, and it scorched the bodies of
Dorothea and Elsa.
The glowing flames burned the skin of the two girls, burning their clothes, torching their
hair, and ruining their beautiful forms. In an attempt to escape the intense pain,
Dorothea struggled and looked to her blood for help.
However, her blood was consumed by the burning flames, losing its edge, and
disappearing altogether. No matter how much outrageous power you put into it, after
all, blood was still blood. There was no way for her to beat the flames.
Dorothea: "AAAHHHHHH—”

Such thoughts were then consumed by the fire and extinguished.

Her screaming throat burned, and her voice, the source of her inferiority complex,
disappeared. As she scream, her lungs swelled up with the need for oxygen, and the
fire she took in burned her internal organs.
Her eyes imploded from the heat, as her tongue and mucous membranes bubbled. Her
white skin wasted no time in turning black, and her long blue hair and dress of the
same color were hungrily devoured by the fire.
And yet, even then, she couldn’t die from the pain she was enduring.

Elsa: "Fufu, hahaha, HAHAHAHA!"

She could hear Elsa’s insane laughter right above her as she burned as well.
Why was she laughing when she was in so much pain? Why was she laughing? No,
she knew why. The youngest sister, Elsa, was crazy. She had always known.

Even the “Featherrun Sisters”, who could never live a normal life, could not understand
the thoughts of Elsa. They could never accept her. She was unacceptable.

Dorothea: "You're not a Featherrun…ah!”

It burned. Dorothea, with her inferior regenerative powers, could not recover from the
same damage as Elsa.

Once the fire died down and the situation ended, there would be nothing left she could
do. As a result, this was the only moment to fight back. The pain took over her
thoughts, as she burned with vengeance.
With an obsession that overcame even the scorching heat, she dared to try and
avenge the murdered Holosseo.
Dorothea: "Fuck you…AH!”
With the last of her strength, Dorothea's placed her palm on Elsa’s chest. The blood
that was dripping out was burned by the flames. Then she shot the blood that remained
directly from her hand into Elsa’s body.
If she destroyed her heart, there was still a chance for a comeback.
She had aimed it the best she could and shot a bullet of blood into Elsa's heart. The
blood would travel through her body and destroy her heart before it burned from the
heat of the fire.
Elsa: "...a pity."
Her voice disappeared.
Dorothea could see that Elsa’s face, burned so thoroughly that her skull was almost
visible, was still smiling.

As usual, an evil smile that rejected everything in the world.

Dorothea: "..."
In front of Dorothea's fuming face, Elsa pulled off a remarkable maneuver. She sliced
her own torso to halt the blood bullet that was approaching her heart.
Dorothea: "AAAAH, AAAHHHHHH—!"
Elsa: "I'm sad, Dorothea…this is the last time I'm going to be able to have a sisterly
quarrel with you.”
She further opened her own torso with her hand knife, savoring the pain of her spinal
muscles being burned as the flames scorched away the blood bullets that would have
been fatal. Still, Elsa remained smiling from the pain.
Elsa: "-ah, I'm tingling."
She shuddered as she was scorched further by the heat.
10
The Lexant mansion was engulfed in flames and collapsed without a trace.
The sight of a mansion built on "Hallowed Land" burning down in the middle of the thin
layers of snow was absolutely fantastic. In the dark and white world where the light was
scarce, the falling, powdery snow was illuminated red.
People could not hide their surprise at the tragedy that had occurred at the mansion of
a famous man within the city, only being able to watch the scene from a distance,
stunned.
Elsa: "..."
Away from the sight of these onlookers, a shadow walked barefoot in an alley beside
the burning mansion. It was a girl, naked and stained all over with black soot.
She was stealthy, but not out of any shame over exposing her naked body. She only
did so because she was pragmatic, aiming to avoid being stopped.
As proof of this, when the girl exited the alley and found a man waiting for her, she
smiled and waved to him without bothering to hide anything.
Elsa: "Oliver, you've been waiting for me."

Oliver: "...why are you coming back to me naked? Shouldn’t you have covered up a
little?"
Elsa: "I couldn’t. Everything in the house was burned, and we couldn't have afforded
any of it anyway."

The girl, Elsa, replied nonchalantly and Oliver, who had been waiting for her, puts his
hand on his forehead. But he seemed to have given up on a proper response, quickly
taking off his jacket and throwing it on the naked Elsa. Elsa took it and gratefully puts it
on.
Elsa: "Naked with the exception of a man's jacket...I think I might attract the attention of
some strange men."
Oliver: "Even though you don’t care for it, you’ve been accumulating useless attention
like that for a while…though, I’d rather focus on the flashy thing you just did.”
Elsa: "I didn't mean to set it on fire, but it just sort of happened. Do you think we'll be in
any trouble with the Lexant family?"
Oliver: "Don’t worry about it. The person who asked me to take care of the prodigal son
in question was the head of the Lexant family…Hayken father."

Oliver made a bitter face as he revealed the dark circumstances surrounding Haken.
Oliver was unable to rejoice in the success of his plan, as he had chosen to take
advantage of a customer. However, he refused to feel sympathy for people who treated
their slaves horribly. This was the compromise the clumsy man had to accept.
Oliver: "So, did you achieve your goal successfully?"
Elsa: "Yes…but negotiation ended up breaking down. I lost the wager."
Looking towards the burning mansion in the distance, Elsa let out a sigh of
disappointment at her poor luck.
On this day, there were two main bets that Elsa had made. The first was whether or not
the Featherrun Sisters would show up at the Lexant estate.
The second was which of the sisters would be entrusted with the task of killing Heiken.
The first bet, that the “Featherrun Sisters” would come, she had won. The other wager
though, she had lost. If it had been Sithonia or Ornia, she could have discussed this
with them.

Elsa: "Of all the sisters, I thought Dorothea would be the most difficult to talk to…I knew
it would turn out the way I thought it would."
Oliver: "Well, it looks like it was a mutual…no, it was a one-sided, unfortunate story for
the other side.”
Elsa: “I was hurt very badly too, you know?”
Oliver: "It's wrong for the winning side to compare themselves to the side who lost their
life."

Shrugging her shoulders, Elsa found herself agreeing with Oliver’s words.
It was a pity to Elsa that they had been forced to fight to the death in the end. In
preparation for this, she had set various traps in the house, but that was one thing, and
this was another.
Elsa: "Even so, it was a close call…"

Dorothea, who had obtained the art of manipulating blood, was a powerful opponent in
the last phase of their fight. If she hadn't obtained her power at the last minute and
hadn't been overconfident in it, Elsa would have lost.
If she had been able to master the art of manipulating blood, she could have turned the
tide of the war in her favor. It would have also prevented her impaired judgment from
massive blood loss.
In any case…
Elsa: "What's done is done…let's leave from here. If Dorothea, who wanted to kill me,
is dead, the rest of the sisters will probably back off."
Oliver: "That's what I'm hoping too. I've had enough of this kind of thing."
Not just onlookers, but also firefighters were now gathered in the main street in front of
the mansion. If the temple knights associated with the Church of the Holy King were to
find them, trouble would be inevitable.
Elsa and Oliver used the escape route they had decided on in advance to get away
from the mansion. On the way, Elsa looked back only once and thought of Dorothea,
who she had left behind in the burning house.
She was a girl who hated to open her mouth because she was worried about her
hoarse voice. She worked hard at the tasks she was given, and the flowers in her
garden bloomed beautifully as a result.
With her knowledge of just how devoted of a person Dorothea was, Elsa couldn’t help
but feel disappointed.
Elsa: "It would have been best if you had just let it all go."
Elsa shook her head as she muttered quietly to herself.
Oliver: "Elsa! Don't just stand there, let's get out of here! Come on, this way, this way!"
Elsa: "Yes, I understand."

Not allowing herself time to get too sentimental, Elsa answered Oliver's call and
resumed walking.
With her in her mind, Elsa walked through the snowy alley.
She moved across the town, her dark eyes wet with dim emotion as she left her heart
behind.
…Elsa passed on through the white city.