“But… but…”
“I don’t want this—!!!”
Sylvie’s body trembled more and more violently. In the next moment, her voice suddenly rose sharply, turning into a nearly piercing cry.
It was no longer the suppressed and broken sobs from before, nor the hollow despair, but a wail that had been pent up for far too long—from the day she stepped into Eternal Night City, from the day she put on the collar, from the day-to-day fear, obedience, and numbness, from the despair of Nia and Lynla’s departure, from the cry above the blood flowing like rivers on the streets.
All the pain, fear, despair, and anger that had been forcibly hidden, forcibly endured, forcibly forgotten—mixed with the most helpless remorse—erupted together in a mournful scream.
She jerked her head up, revealing a face already streaked with tears, pale and twisted in agony.
Her emerald eyes were no longer empty; they surged with helpless tears, unbearable pain, and confusion.
“I didn’t want them to die! I never thought it would turn out like this! I just… I just wanted to feel a little less cold! To feel like a person again, even just a little!”
She cried incoherently, her hands clutching tightly at the heart hidden beneath her thin clothing—cold yet burning.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Nia… I’m sorry, Lynla… I’m sorry… everyone because of me… because of me…”
Her broken cries echoed in the empty room.
She was like a girl stripped of everything, not even granted the right to grieve, letting out a howl of complete collapse after realizing her very existence was a catastrophe, one that brought death and disaster…
In this moment, she was no longer that perfectly obedient doll, nor the empty, numb shell, but just a girl drowned in immense pain and guilt—desperate and helpless.
She cried her heart out, and in the midst of the chaos and screams, she recklessly stretched out her arms, tightly embracing Cassia’s waist—who had remained silent all along—and collapsed entirely into her cold embrace, as if seeking the last shred of comfort, the last bit of warmth she could feel in this despairing city of Eternal Night.
And throughout it all, Cassia simply sat quietly on the bed, watching everything.
She stared blankly at the hysterical girl in her arms, feeling Sylvie’s burning body heat, mixed with the temperature of tears and blood flowing over her.
Feeling… that surging flow of emotions called despair and powerlessness.
The second time… unfolding before her eyes.
In the deepest depths of her profound crimson eyes, as they reflected Sylvie’s utterly collapsed state, a flicker of extremely complex light flashed for an instant.
Almost unconsciously… Cassia tremblingly raised the pale, soft hand that had been resting at her side.
Then, slowly reached toward Sylvie’s violently shaking hair, wanting to pull that body—on the verge of shattering—into her embrace…
But she stopped.
She stopped that tentative hand, stopped the compassion and stirrings in her heart that even she hadn’t admitted to.
Just like six years ago…
…
Until her throat was completely hoarse, until the last bit of strength was drained away, she gradually calmed down, leaving only uncontrollable spasms in her body and intermittent gasps.
Before rising from Cassia’s embrace, she even hugged tighter, as if reluctant to let go of this sole confidant, and only then forced her exhausted body—worn out from crying—to sit up.
Her gaze was unfocused, her face a mess of tear streaks, but the collapsed emotions from before were once again replaced by emptiness and numbness.
“I’m sorry… Lady Cassia, I… couldn’t hold back.”
Her voice was hoarse from the screaming, yet carried an eerie calm.
In the end, she didn’t know why, but whenever she faced Cassia, her disguised facade would unconsciously fade away.
Even amid suffering and despair, she would instinctively want to seek out Cassia, to approach her, thinking that might bring some small comfort.
It was as if a vague voice echoed faintly in her heart.
Get close to her… approach her… just like you did in the past.
But there was no comfort, no interruption, not even any change in expression.
Cassia had shown no reaction from beginning to end, not even… not even glancing her way.
Sylvie had so hoped that, during her cries, she could receive even the slightest bit of consolation from Cassia…
But that was ultimately a luxury.
Cassia sat on the bed, still silently turning her head to look out at the thick, flowing darkness beyond the window, her profile obscured by the dimly falling silver hair, making it impossible to see her expression at this moment.
Lady Cassia today… for some reason, seemed even more indifferent than usual.
Sylvie said nothing more, simply taking out a bowl and a blade slowly, just like countless times before—slashing her arm, filling half the cup with blood, and placing it by the bed.
After doing all this, she stood up, bowing her head slightly.
“Lady Cassia… Sylvie is leaving.”
Her tone was flat, and with that, she left the place, stepping once more into the cold streets of Eternal Night City.
The empty room was left with Cassia alone again…
Cassia still maintained her pose gazing out the window, motionless, like a frozen sculpture.
After a long while, she stiffly turned her head, looking at the blood quietly placed by the bed—the calm surface like a cold mirror, reflecting her expression shrouded by silver hair.
Her body trembled imperceptibly.
Then, a low, hoarse curse filled with disgust spilled from her lips, echoing in this dark, damp room.
“… Damn it…”
——————
Boom—
A dull thunderclap exploded in the black clouds, reverberating layer upon layer over Eternal Night City.
Torrential rain poured down with biting cold winds onto the icy streets, but the good thing was that the bloodstains hard to clean from those streets were quickly diluted and washed away by the rainwater.
At the same time, the heavy scent of earth and dampness also covered up the pungent smell of blood.
Sylvie wandered aimlessly through the city; she didn’t want to go back, didn’t want to return to that small house filled with darkness, loneliness, and pain, nor did she want to see Utia’s face.
“…”
Her cloak was heavy and cold from the wet, soon soaking her entire body with rainwater.
Just like that, unknowingly, she arrived beneath a collapsed stone wall.
This place was in the western district of the city.
On the day the vampires invaded this city, the fierce fighting had caused all the buildings here to collapse, and after the vampires occupied it, their arrogant and conceited nature meant they would never rebuild these ruins. The frail, young blood livestock lacked the skills and ability, so for a long time, it had remained uninhabited—rarely visited by vampires or blood livestock alike.
And this place… was also where she had encountered Cassia back then.
Boom—
The thunderclouds rolled, and the rain fell even harder.
Her soaked clothes clung to her body, the icy, sticky sensation making Sylvie feel uncomfortable all over.
“… I’ll take shelter from the rain for a bit.”
Thinking this, she turned her head, looking toward the spot where Cassia had once lain, but she froze…
There, beneath the stone wall, another blood-soaked, disheveled figure was leaning once more.
It was an adult woman, wearing tattered leather chest wrap and shorts; her wrist was twisted as if brutally broken. She propped herself up, head hanging, looking on the verge of death, as if she might stop breathing at any moment.
And what surprised Sylvie was… it wasn’t silver hair?
A hu… man?
She suddenly recalled what Utia had said to her earlier.
“Ah… I’ve seen a troublesome thing…”