The rest of the trip wasn't as eventful. After my father brought me back, Queen Luna and my father obsessed over me so much I almost puked up blood.

The next day Queen Luna decided to cash in that promise William made, which was to drag me into town for "girl time". Apparently she thought I needed it after the kidnapping. I tried telling her it was unnecessary, but she wouldn't listen.

I thought the amount of guards was extreme with William, but I wanted to scream when I saw how many Queen Luna brought along. It was like an army marching through the street.

I guess my so called kidnapping scare put fear into them. They even made sure to rent out each boutique and restaurant we went into to ensure we would be the only ones there. It was an over the top display of the amount of money and power the Royal family has.

I didn't think my body could handle much more abuse. Even though I was half passed out, Queen Luna continued to dress me in much too tight dresses. It was truly torture.

If Queen Luna wasn't tiring me out, then Simon was. The entire time he knew I had lied about the events that occured. I thought he would surely tell the King, making it game over for me. However, he didn't say a word.

Truly, he was a frightening man. I can't help but feel like he was planning something.

So I was more than relieved to finally go back home. Dante kept pestering me for what happened so eventually I ended up telling him. Then he forced me to give him a back massage as payment for his silence.

Why does that boy love back massages so much?!

Honestly. These days I feel like I have to be on my guard over every little thing.

After a few weeks passed, everything started to slowly go back to normal. I realized the days began to pass by in the blink of an eye. I almost feel as though I'm wasting my childhood like this.

Sitting in the library, I sighed while my head was perched on top of a table.

Millie looked from her book down to me, "What's wrong Seri?"

I mumbled, "Nothing."

"It can't be nothing. You've been sighing all day."

William looked down at me with his annoying look of superiority, "That's right. Usually you're all hyper and annoying, but today you're being all mopey."

I sighed again and looked out the window. Rain smacked the window so hard it sounded like it would shatter. Thunder could be heard in the distance with the occasional lightning strike.

I frowned watching the rain, "It's just that... I don't really like the rain."

Millie tilted her head, "Are you scared of storms?"

I shook my head, "No it's not that. It just reminds me of..."

Of unpleasant memories.

I sighed, "Rain just makes me feel gloomy."

Millie nodded, "I understand. Usually the weather in the city is warm and fair no matter the season. Maybe a bit windy. But we rarely ever have storms. Only the occasional rainy cloud. So of course it makes you feel gloomy seeing it like this."

William glanced out the window, "Today it seems as though we are getting a really bad thunderstorm. No wonder they canceled classes and are still forcing us to stay here. The grounds outside are already flooding. There's no way a carriage could travel outside right now."

We all glanced outside watching the storm rage on. Millie spoke quietly, "Do you think we'll be fine?"

Dante nodded, "We'll be fine. But anything caught out there won't be."

He spoke strangely. Almost as if he was thinking about something specific and was having an inner war about it. His voice reminded me of someone who was numb to the world.

His actions seemed a bit more exaggerated than usual. He leaned against the window and looked out with dull eyes. I followed his line of sight and noticed he was staring at a shack.

Wait. Why does this scene seem so familiar to me?

My body sprung up when I recalled the scene. I remember now! It was a scene from the original novel!

I recounted it from memory:

Mary kneeled on the floor sobbing. She looked up to see Dante staring at her with those cold, unfriendly eyes. He was covered in blood, but didn't even notice. Blood dripped from his sword onto the floor.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Mary wiped away her tears, but more continued to fall. Her body shook, "H-How could you just k-kill them so effortlessly?"

Dante stared down at her in confusion, "What do you mean? They were weak."

She shook her head. Her voice came out raspy from fear, "That's not what I mean. How could you just kill them?! Why couldn't you just tie them up?!"

He tilted his head, "Why do you pity them? They kidnapped you and were going to hurt you."

She shook more, frightened at the coldness in his voice. As he stared at her now, she knew he could kill her without any trace of guilt. She couldn't stare into those cold empty eyes any longer. Her eyes fluttered to the ground, growing blurry from the tears.

"It doesn't matter what they did to me. You didn't have to kill them so cruelly." She whispered almost afraid to talk and make him angry.

She couldn't get the image of him toying with the kidnappers, slowly torturing them until they finally died. It was like watching a cat play with a mouse before eating it.

The metallic smell of blood was so strong she felt like she was choking on it. A low chuckle resounded in his throat, "Do you fear me?"

She looked up startled and was met with his smile. But his smile had no friendliness behind it. It was as empty as his eyes that pierced into her flesh.

Even though her body shook, she couldn't help but think. How could such a person turn so cold? What could have happened to him to turn him into the person who stood before her?

She stood up ignoring the tremors shuttering through her body. She took each step, forcing herself to get close to Dante, ignoring her body's urge to run away.

This was a man who could kill indiscriminately without any feeling of remorse. She was terrified of him. She wanted to never see him again.

And yet... She couldn't help but be drawn into those empty eyes.

Despite wanting to run, she wanted to gently caress his cheek.

She wanted to help him feel again.

With each step, she drew closer. Dante stared at her without showing any trace of emotion. He raised his sword and she was certain it would pierce into her stomach.

Yet, it never did.

He wasn't moving away. Instead he was only watching her carefully.

She reached her hand out and caressed his bloody cheek. She stared deeply into the void of his eyes. The only thing she could see in them was her own reflection.

She spoke in a soothing voice, "Rather than fear... I feel more pity."

More tears streaked down her face as she looked at the pitiful man before her.

Dante raised an eyebrow, "Pity?"

She nodded lightly. Her voice was like the call of a siren, "One who feels nothing at destroying a human life is truly pitiful. Those empty eyes look as if they never knew love."

He ripped her hand off his cheek and tossed it. His voice was full of self loathing, "I wasn't always like this."

She watched him as he stepped away from her. He stared down at his sword with empty eyes.

He spoke as if he was somewhere else, "When I was 10, there was a horrible storm. We never got many storms, but this one was the worse I ever seen. It flooded everything. Many people's houses were destroyed because of it.

But that's not why that day stayed in my mind. The morning before it started, I was walking across the grounds. I heard meowing coming from a nearby shed. When I checked, there were four kittens in a box, but no Mama cat in sight. I just shrugged and left them there thinking about nothing more.

Then the storm started. I watched through a window in the library as it began to flood. I knew those kittens were still in there. I didn't feel a single thing as the water level rose. I knew they'd die, but still I felt nothing.

I just watched from that window realizing how futile life is. The world will always kill indiscriminately. It doesn't matter who you are. So why should one care?"

He stared down at his sword dripping with blood and muttered, "This world is cruel and unforgiving."

Mary's heart ached after hearing this story. She held her heart and began to sob. She fell to her knees once more, "H-How unfair."

She wiped her eyes and force out a determined voice, "The world isn't cruel and unforgiving. It is filled with love. You just need to look harder."

Dante watched her shed tears for his sake. The cold emotionless Dante felt something stir in his heart while watching the interesting girl.

On that day, Dante's obsession was born.

If Mary had known the consequences of his obsession, she would have never pitied him.

....

I scratched my arm hectically as I watched Dante stare out the window.

F*ck! Today's the day he realizes the world is cruel and unforgiving so he too becomes as cruel and unforgiving!

BUT F*CK!

Is he really not going to save those poor kittens?!?

I paced back and forth, still scratching my arm.

He's seriously not going to save them.

Oh. My. F*cking. God.

Why is he really not going to save them?!

What should I do?!

WHAT SHOULD I DO?!

Should I go save them?!

But I really hate water....

But f*ck man! Those are poor helpless kittens out there!!!

As I was pacing, I couldn't feel the concerned gaze from the three of them. I was too busy arguing with myself in my mind.

Oh f*ck it!

I threw my hands in the air, "SAVE THE TITTIES!"

Before anyone could say "What?" I ripped the window open abruptly, causing it to crack. I flung myself out the window without hesitation and landed in water.

The wind whipped across my face making me squint my eyes from the burning pain. I pushed through the knee deep water enduring the cold rain smacking me relentlessly. With all my strength I waded through the water towards the shed.

What the hell is this sh*t?! This is like a f*cking tornado or something!!!

Do we even get tornados here?? Where the f*ck am I?! I mean... The town is awfully flat, but d*mn! This is too much!

I finally got to the shed and struggled to open the door. My body felt so heavy as my clothes were being weighed down from being drenched.

I struggled to open the door and managed to get it open slightly. I squeezed into the opening.

*Mew* *Mew* *Mew*

I followed the poor meows and found the box of kittens. Sure enough, there were four kittens with no mom in sight. The box was already taking in water and the poor kittens were screaming helplessly.

I took off my shawl and wrapped them in it. I petted them soothingly, "There, there. Sister Seri has you now. Don't worry, I will protect you."

Water continued to pour in and came up to my waist. I held the shawl full of kittens above my head.

"Tch. Why the hell is there so much water?! Where is it even coming from!?"

I tried to go to the door, but the wind pushed me back. I couldn't fight against it.

My face fell, "WHAT THE F*CK WIND?!"

I glanced up and saw rafters on the ceiling. Well if you can't go out... Go up?

I stood on a nearby table and climbed up with one arm holding the kittens. I sat on the rafter and watched helplessly as the water filled up the shed.

I glanced down at the kittens shivering in the shawl. I rocked them, "We should be fine up here.. Right? The water won't rise this far up... Right?!"

I stared at the kittens who looked at me with sparkly eyes. I sighed, "I don't know why I'm asking you."

Meanwhile, the three I left behind watched me jump out completely dumbfounded. Then it all dawned on them that I had ran out during the storm.

William screamed, "WE GOT TO GO FIND A TEACHER!"

Millie stood up, "I will find Bertram."

Dante didn't wait another second before jumping out the window. Millie and William exchanged a glance but knew there was no way they would go out during a storm that bad.

Dante pushed through the water and came to the shed. The door was opened slightly, so he squeezed in while fighting the wind.

I looked down at him, "Dante! What are you doing here?!"

He frowned, "I want to ask you that."

I could barely hear him over the thunderous wind. A loud crack rang out and then *BANG*. A tree landed forcefully against the door sending a wave of water into the building. Dante was knocked over by it and sent underwater.

I watched for him anxiously. Finally, he burst above the surface. I sighed in relief. He went back to the door and shoved it. It wouldn't budge an inch no matter how hard he tried.

The water was now up to his chest. He scowled while staring at the water.

I reached out my hand, "Dante!"

He looked at me and grabbed my hand. I pulled him up. He stared at me with those golden eyes.

His voice came out coldly, "Why did you save them?"

I stared back into those eyes, "The world may be cruel and unforgiving, but that doesn't mean we can't lend a hand to change that."

As I stared into those golden eyes, I realized just how wrong Mary was.

His eyes weren't empty.