~Helix Vanguard Clan~

One day before the wedding.

Inside Nini's room in the manor.

The couple had finished eating lunch fifteen minutes ago.

They looked at each other.

"The sinister voice hasn't visited your head again?" Zero asked.

Nini nods her head. "Yes. The moment you start sleeping in my room, it hasn't visited me yet. I hope it won't come back again," she said solemnly.

"How do you feel every time that voice urges you to kill?" he asked again.

"I feel fire consumed my entire body and make me want to kill anyone within my sight, but I'm fighting the urge with all my might," she explained.

Zero released a deep sigh. "We need to find someone who can do something to fight that urge you feel every time that voice ordered you to kill," he commented.

"W-who is that person?" Nini inquired.

"We will try Granny Menedelia. Maybe she can help us with your problem," he suggested.

Nini smiled. "Okay, I'll agree with your decision. When can we see Granny again?" she asked eagerly.

"Now!" he said.

"Y-you mean, we will leave this room? Right now and go to Granny's place?" she asked.

"Yup..." Zero replied. "We won't be gone for a long time. We'll visit her and consult her about your condition. Maybe she has a way to deal with these mysterious things that are happening to you," he stated.

"Okay, let's go!" Nini said enthusiastically.

Zero holds Nini's hands.

They vanished from the room in the blink of an eye.

...

Meanwhile, in the forest, at Menedelia's fortress.

Granny was busy cultivating the plot of soil she made yesterday because she will plant Mustard Greens and Bok Choy. After all, they're nutritious green leafy vegetables to be added in a delicious chicken and pork soup. They are easy to plant and cultivate and can be harvested within one month. Her Spinach and Kale as well as Leek are growing nicely in the corner.

Suddenly, she received a signal from Zero in the form of a flash of light in the air informing her that he wants to talk to her. He's probably on the hill right now, waiting for her.

She looked at Rebecca, the pregnant woman was admiring the Daffodil flowers growing abundantly in the front yard.

She put the machete in the corner under the shade of the tree and went to Rebecca's side. "I will be gone for a few hours. I'll be back right away if I'm done with my business outside. Do you want me to buy something for you in the market?" she asked.

"Just milk and fresh fruits," Rebecca answered in a bored tone.

"Okay, I'll buy them for you," Menedelia responded. She turned around, heading to the door of the house.

Meanwhile...

At the top of the hill.

The couple watched the picturesque ocean below them.

"Wow, I never know such a beautiful place existed in this area! I like it so much! It's my first time here, and I fall n love with the place already!" Nini gushes, as the wind kept blowing her hair away from her face.

Zero looked at his companion in amusement. "You fall in love with random things so easily. You haven't fallen in love with me yet?" he asked the question, meant as a joke.

Nini looked at him and smiled in amazement. "You don't know yet? You're so clueless!" she said.

Zeto brows knitted together. "Huh? Since when?"

Nini erupted in peals of laughter and ran away from him.

Zero bolted after her, chasing her around the hill as he joined in her merry laughter.

A moment later.

Menedelia arrived at the hill. She was greeted with the couple's happy moments. A smile broke on her face. It's nice to watch the young couple having a good time in this tranquil place. She watched them for a while in her invisible form.

Zero managed to catch Nini. They both stumbled in the grassy area of the hill, laughing their hearts out. They lie on the grass staring at the blue sky above them.

Menedelia made herself visible and walked to the location of the couple. "Hello, lovebirds!" she greeted them.

The couple sits upright.

"Granny, did you just arrive here?" Zero asked.

"I've been here in a couple of minutes admiring the amazing view of the ocean while you, guys, are playing hide and seek," Menedelia joked. She looked at Nini. "How are you, young lady?" she asked.

Nini's face turned serious, she released a troubled sigh. "I have a nightmare the other night. My hands were filled with blood because I killed my family and the whole clan. After that, a sinister voice keeps whispering in my head, urging me to kill anyone in sight," she said.

"Oh, that must be horrible for you, dear!" Menedelia exclaimed in horror.

Zero looked at Menedelia. "Your vision is slowly unfolding, Granny. And I'm scared of what's going to happen tomorrow on our wedding day. What if the voice will urge Nini to kill again and she can't control herself, then starts killing people during the ceremony and the dinner party?" Zero said worriedly.

Menedelia nods her head. "That is a possibility. Ruining a beautiful day just for revenge is a possibility..."

Zero sighed heavily. "I was thinking to just go on with the quick wedding ceremony and then leave afterward without joining the people in the dinner party to prevent the tragedy from happening," he said.

Menedelia was surprised. "Huh? What do you mean? Leave the guests to enjoy the dinner party without the bride and groom? What kind of wedding party is that?" she said, not liking the idea.

"We would love to enjoy the happy occasion with our family and guests, but going away can help ensure that everyone will go home safe and sound," Zero said.

"I know, but what a pity that you are going to leave your wedding party just because of fear. I have a better plan though, do you want to hear it?" Menedelia asked the couple.

"Yes, please... what is your plan, Granny? Please tell us!" Zero said eagerly.

"I have a feeling that tomorrow... something is going to happen. If I put my shoes on the enemy's side. I would love to cause mayhem in the happy occasion of my enemies so that the pain will quadruple and my revenge is more satisfying," Menedelia expressed her opinion.

Nini was getting scared. "Then we should cancel the wedding! I don't want anyone to die on my wedding day!" she lamented.

"But we can also use tomorrow's occasion to find out who the enemy is! If we can make a wise plan ahead of time to counter the enemy's grand scheme instead of running away from the problem... then why don't we try to find out who is the hidden enemy?" Menedelia suggested.

A gleam appeared in Zero's eyes, liking Granny's plan.

Menedelia looked at the couple. "Do you want to know who is the enemy behind all these? If he or she will attend the wedding tomorrow, we will know who that person is! You have to cooperate with me for my plan to work," she said, trying to convince the couple to give her plan a try.

The couple looked at each other and nodded their heads.

"Let's hear your plan, Granny! Bring it on!" Zero said.

"This is what's going to happen tomorrow..." Menedelia explained her plan to the couple.

The couple listens attentively to Granny's plan. After hearing the plan, they like it. Then they bombarded Menedelia with questions to make sure the plan will succeed.

Two hours later.

They finally have a solid plan in hand for tomorrow's wedding event.

"Guys, go back now to the capital and explained my plan to your parents. If they agree, then I will be there in the manor today and tomorrow to put my plan in motion," Menedelia said.

"Okay, Granny," Nini replied.

"Granny, I will return here right away to let you know if they agree to your plan," Zero told her.

"Go now," Menedelia said.

The couple hold hands and vanished from the top of the hill.

Menedelia sighed. She always knows that running away won't solve the problem. Since she already made an enemy out of someone, then it's better to face that enemy head-on so that she will know who it is and be prepared all the time to protect herself and Rebecca. Besides, it's tiring always hiding in the forest. Time to face the enemy!

She teleported back to the forest to make some preparations.

...

Nini and Zero are back in the capital. They appeared inside the bedroom of the manor.

"I will go out to bring the lord and the lady here," Zero said.

"Okay, I'll wait here," Nini responded.

Zero walked towards the door and exited.

A few minutes later, Zero returned with Nini's parents.

They lowered themselves into the couch, facing each other.

"What is this plan that Granny Menedelia suggested to both of you?" Tony asked.

Nini looked at Zero. "Go ahead, tell them everything," she said.

Zero looked at the couple. "My lord, my lady... Granny's Esmeralda's plan goes like this..." he began his long narration.

After Zero finished explaining, the couple flooded him with questions. He answered their questions the same way Granny would answer them.

Finally, the couple has no more questions left to ask. They looked at each other.

"What do you think of Granny's plan?" Evelyn asked her husband.

"It sounds good. Granny has a valid point. I will agree to it!" Tony replied.

"I also agree to it!" Evelyn said. "Alright, I will instruct the servants to go to the market and buy the things that Granny needed for tomorrow's event..."

Tony looked at Zero. "Go back to the forest and inform Granny that we agreed to her plan," he said.

"Aye, my lord!" Zero replied.

The couple left the room to make preparations around the house.

Zero teleported back to the forest to bring Granny to the capital.

Twenty minutes later.

Menedelia arrived at the manor with Zero.

Evelyn and Zero accompanied Menedelia to tour around the house. They went to the storage area where the foods, fruits, and wines were stored for tomorrow's events.

The cook and her assistant were already cooking some sweets desserts for the event. They will wake up early tomorrow morning to start cooking the main dish and other side dishes so that when afternoon arrives, the food was already cooked and ready to be served to the wedding party.

Tomorrow, the wedding ceremony will begin at 4:00 in the afternoon. The dinner party will start at 5:30 and ending at midnight.