Author note: This isn't part of the main story but it concludes Kalda and Siana's past. As always, let me know if you spot any errors.

◇

It was the next morning after Siana and Kalda's first date and "night as lovers".

Kalda was running around the villa following out her orders given to her by the head manservant.

"Did you take out the plates of the boxes like I told you to?"

"Yes, Sir…"

"What about silver cutlery? Did you bring the ones from the royal palace?"

"U-Uhm, I forgot…" Kalda lowered her head with a blush.

"You imbecile!" the butler knocked her on the head, "Do you expect the Young Master to eat with plastic cutlery!? Her highness will be left with a red face from shame! You're supposed to be the errand maid! Act like it!"

He slapped her with his backhand this time.

Kalda just stood there and took it. It's not like his hits hurt anyway. Still, she felt embarrassed for screwing up like this.

"Harassing her again even after being warned last time?" The head maid suddenly appeared next to the butler.

"Ahem, Lady Brenna. I did not mean to take my frustrations out on Kalda." The butler bowed to the glasses wearing mature woman.

While the butler was the head of the manservants, that doesn't mean that he holds more authority than the Head Maid. In fact, Brenna was once the Queen's personal handmaiden and had served the royal family for two decades, ever since she was 26 years old.

Every servant—knights included—of the royal family respects Brenna. She's gentle, but strict, and very loving towards the younger servants.

Kalda breathed a sigh of relief.

"Please handle the cutlery on your own. I have another job I wish to give Kalda,' said Brenna with a smile.

"Yes, yes. I will get right to it."

Before leaving he glared at Kalda.

He never did like her. He made that obvious in these last three years.

"I-I'm sorry for being so incompetent even after Lady Brenna taught me so much…"

"Don't worry, dear. I haven't heard many complaints about you anyway so I am not upset in the slightest. No one is perfect. But remember that the gravity of your actions will fall on your superior. Me."

"Yes…"

"Here's your new schedule. I'll take your old one and give it to one of the other servants since you're needed elsewhere."

Brenna handed a clipboard to Kalda.

"Uhm, why did you go through the trouble of bringing it personally? I could have fetched it myself, Lady Brenna."

"Hmm, it's because I wanted to see this cute face of yours again," she trailed her finger down Kalda's face, "I work long hours in the palace and don't have a lot of time on my hands to visit the villa—despite it being my responsibility to manage the villa."

"Uhm, so you come here often just to see me…?"

"My, did I stutter when I said I wanted to see this cute face?"

'Why does she keep flirting with me…'

"I almost changed Her Highness' duvet and blankets this morning but I noticed that she had an extra pair on the ground next to the bed. Meaning that she changed the bedding on her own. That bedding was very wet and smelly. Are you eating well? Depending on which food you eat, it can cause your—you know—to smell different."

"W-Why would you ask me t-that? I-It's not like I—"

"Stop, Kalda. You're very bad at acting and lying for that matter. I know the two of you are together. But I want you to know that the two of you will never be able to start a life together. She might be fine with becoming a submissive wife but that will change. Her life will slowly begin eating away at her existence until she can't stand it anymore. You might even find yourself a nice girl to setting down with while she stays married. What do you think she'll do once she realized that her life as a princess is a dead end even if she is financially secured?"

"…"

"She'll kill herself. I know because my mother did the same thing. I grew up in nobility and have seen many things. She sold me into slavery to buy drugs. When that wasn't enough she sold her organs to pay off a loan shark. Eventually she became a cheap whore for other nobles. I didn't even attend her funeral because I despise people who become depressed because of their own actions which leads to suicide."

"….."

"Her highness is travelling across the country to go visit her fiancé. She might never come back."

"W-What do you mean?"

"She knows as much as I do that it's best for both of you. At least this way she can focus on other things. If she goes through with this farce while still thinking about you then—well—you know what will happen."

"…."

"You may wait at Fetherkit's Highway. She still needs to go around the capital greeting everyone. Like I said, this will be the last time we'll ever see her."

Brenna then got closer to Kalda. She held Kalda's hair in her hand and sniffed it.

"You always smell like a bundle of flowers. Such a young aroma." She then whispered in Kalda's ear, "Come visit me at my house once you've made the right decision."

"Right decision" as in abandoning her love for Siana.

"I'll be there for you." Brenna pulled away as if nothing happened, "Complete your duties for the rest of the day then you are free to do as you please. Just remember to be back at the villa by morning if you plan on going out."

"Lady Brenna…"

"End of discussion, Kalda. Get to work. No, I assume you want to check in on Her Highness?"

Kalda nodded without a word.

"Then hurry up and finish your goodbyes. Today is the last day you'll see her."

She bolted up the stairs, not wasting a second.

"Hey! Watch it!"

Kalda almost bumped into a servant.

She continued running.

"Oh, Kalda. There you are. Do you wanna catch dinner sometime—"

Kalda ran past the knight who was trying to talk to her.

"No running in the hallway! Look at what you did to the rug!"

"Sorry! I'll fix it later!" Kalda shouted to the maid who complained.

The door of the room she was trying to reach finally came into view.

Kalda swung open the door without a second thought.

"Siana!"

"Kyaah!?" Siana—who was busy putting on a bra—got such a fright that she dropped her bra, exposing her milky white breasts and perky pink nipples.

"W-Why did you suddenly barge in!?" Siana threw a pillow at Kalda, "Close the door!!!"

Kalda looked back and noticed that there were two male servants staring blankly into the room. Their eyes were look straight at Siana's exposed chest.

"S-Sorry." Kalda hurriedly closed the door.

…

Siana—now dressed—was standing in front of Kalda—who was now sitting on one of the chairs.

Kalda was too embarrassed to talk while Siana was busy putting on her clothes so she remained quiet until now.

"Kalda…" Siana began speaking, "If you're here about last night…"

"Isn't there another way! Why should we have to be apart for your marriage to work!? I can work for your husband, right!? That way the two of us don't have to be separated. Yes, yes. That could work. We… We can buy a small house not far from the main household."

"And do what?"

"W-We can… you know…"

"So I'm supposed to run around with my lover like a 12 year old girl? A girl who's too scared to show or tell her parents about her lover? Am I supposed to go to this house of ours just so we can have dinner and then sex? What kind of life is that?"

"…But we'll be together."

"We'd tire of running around like that eventually. It doesn't sound like a life I want to live until old age."

"Yes, but..."

"Enough, Kalda. We can't do it."

"Why… Why can't we do it? C-Could it be that you actually love that man? Is that it?"

"No. What I think of him doesn't matter. But you should know how men of nobility feel about their wives having lovers outside marriage. Especially if his wife swings the other way. I promised his family that I won't have affairs outside the marriage."

"…Why don't you just kill him once the two of you marry? You'll get his money and territories that way quicker without having to wait for him to die, right? Right? We can stage his murder and make it look like an accident."

Siana looked at Kalda with widened eyes.

"How could you say something like that so casually…?"

"I… I…."

She just noticed that she blurted out her true intentions.

Siana held up a hand for Kalda to stop.

"My carriage will be here at noon. I'll let the head butler know that I've given you the day off. I'll also arranged someone to deliver a thousand gold coins to your room. My fiancé has given me access to his money sooner than I expected so I want you to have some. That's enough money for you to start a new life. But you may continue working here if that's what you prefer."

Siana picked up her suitcases.

"Goodbye, Kalda. Should a day come that my husband does die either from accidental or other reasons, and you still love me, then you may look for me at the Brickle House's territory north of our kingdom."

Siana left the room.

Kalda could hear her heels tapping on the floor for a few seconds before they went silent.

Kalda remained standing there for a few minutes just staring at the door.

She wordlessly walked towards the window and opened the curtain to look outside.

A carriage was standing next to the fountain.

Someone was standing next to the carriage, looking up.

Siana and Kalda's eyes met. Siana only held eye contact for two seconds before looking away and boarding the carriage.

Sceptim also entered the carriage.

Why does he get to go along with her, thought Kalda as she crushed the window pane with her grip.

The horses neighed and the carriage began moving.

◇

The tall grass of the horizon rustled as the strong winds blew.

There was little to no coverage from the blazing heat of the sun.

The well-maintained highway road was devoid of any carriages, which was a strange thing since there's always a few carriages that pass through here daily, either belonging to fief lords or merchants.

Normally it would feel strange but Kalda didn't have that in mind at all.

She was standing under the shade provided by the only tree in the area.

Just as Brenna told her to, Kalda was awaiting Siana. No, more like she was waiting for the carriage to pass by.

There's no reason for this. Siana will never come back. She'd probably already crossed this highway. Meaning that Kalda came here for no reason.

No, maybe she came here to clear her head about everything.

She was always around people after Siana took her in. There was never a moment where she wasn't alone with her own thoughts. She craved people's attention back then since she had been alone for two years.

Alone with only her thoughts. Alone with her mother's voice criticizing her.

-Why did you steal that bracelet from that woman? It could've been an heirloom from a dying relative.

-Why did you use your power to cut out the pockets of people's clothes? Now they have to stitch their clothes and wonder where their money went.

-Why? Aren't you a good girl?

-Why…

The voices had long since stopped. Kalda didn't even know what her mother's voice sounded like anymore.

Her mind was only preoccupied with Siana.

Her touch, her warmth, her skin, her smell, her voice, her laugh…

Why didn't Siana stay?

Couldn't Kalda have done something to make her stay?

"What if… I forced her to stay… Would she still have loved me if I imprisoned her in the middle of nowhere, with me to take care of her and love her? Would she hate me if I chained her up on a bed forever?"

Kalda clutched her head.

No. I shouldn't think like that.

There was no way that Siana will still love Kalda if she actually acts on these urges.

It's just… the thought of a man's thing being inserted inside her… It made her body tremble and her chest feel tight.

Creak—

Kalda noticed that the tree she was holding onto had a chunk of its bark burned off by her power.

She sighed deeply.

Kalda suddenly had several horses galloping this way.

She looked towards the knights that were coming from the kingdom's gates.

"—Hey, you there!"

It seems they're here for Kalda.

The captain who called out to her stopped his horse near the fence that was below the tree. He climbed off the horse and over the stones and approached Kalda.

"Lift up your sleeves." He commanded.

"What's going on?"

"Do as I say, lass."

Kalda listened and rolled up her sleeves one after the other.

"Hmm. No markings of a fox."

Hearing "markings of a fox" made Kalda frown.

Where had she heard this before? She couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"Sorry if I frightened you, lass. One of my men over there, the one with the red balaclava over his face, mentioned seeing a girl walking down the highway. We've a strict rule to not let anyone out of the walls when there's trouble on the road. You should head back."

"Oi, Capin. Maybe we should take this lass to back to the barracks instead. She might know something or at the very least saw something." The guy with the red balaclava said.

"Good idea. Something you might've seen could help us. Come on, lass. I'll take you on my horse." The captain of the knights took hold of Kalda's arm.

"What the?" The captain was forcibly pulled back with incredible strength when Kalda stood like a statue.

"What kind of trouble is on the road?" she asked impatiently.

The captain gave her a strange look, "We found several bodies further down the road," he pointed down the highway, to the forestry area, "The wounds on the victims are clean cuts, meaning that they were killed by other people."

"Doesn't that often happen on the road though? Isn't that why people aren't allowed to leave the kingdom during nighttime?"

"Aye, that's what I thought too. Bandits are more likely to attack passersby when patrols head back to the barracks come nighttime."

"The wounds were fresh so we concluded that they weren't killed last night or any other night 'fore it." Another knight spoke.

"The victims didn't look like the average travelling merchant or village girl going to draw water at a river. Nay, these were rich folks. Problem is that we haven't found what House they belong to. Any sign of their affiliations are gone, 'cept their expensive luxury clothes and polished metal weapons."

A horn suddenly sounded.

"Seems like our boys found something." The captain sighed in relief, "C'mon, lass."

Kalda followed him this time. He picked Kalda up and put her on the horse.

Kalda looked at the road behind them as she was carried by the horse.

She infused Soul Essence into her eyes.

Soul Essence is the energy she gained after awakening her soul power. It can help her see trails left behind by other people through their scent, sweat or even footprints. These three things are highlighted as green molecules.

Kalda could see several trails going in different directions. They all seem to meet in that forestry area.

Meaning, this was a planned attack on those people.

The reason the knights checked Kalda's arms was probably to see if she belongs to some gang.

Even the most innocent-looking women can be part of a dangerous gang. They can lure their victims easier that way.

"Capin'!" A knight opened the gate right when the group passed over the bridge.

"Oi, found anything yet? Yer better not be calling Capin back coz ye want him to remind ye what yer orders are." One of the knights remarked with a chuckle.

"That was one time! I was a rookie learning the ropes! " the knight approached the captain, "Anyway, we found a witness, Capin'."

"Alright." The captain looked up at Kalda, "See that the lass returns home safely. Don't get any ideas, yer hear?"

"Actually…" Kalda jumped off, "I'd like to help."

"With what exactly?"

"Uhm… I… I'm a journalist s-so I was looking for a scoop."

"Is that why you were outside the gates? To look for trouble?"

"....Mhm."

The captain sighed, "I'll never understand why there are journalists that hate our profession for being dangerous but they can't help but seek out danger. Aye, you can go with us but stay close. I've no doubt that a fight will break out once we find the perpetrators."

"Yes, yes. Thank you." Kalda bowed.

"You better include my name in next week's paper, lass. I heard the king likes to read the Kingdom Blues Times. He might consider hiring me as a royal knight once he sees how I've delivered justice to these cretins. Captain of the Northern Gate entrance—make sure to include that."

Kalda could only nod with a wry smile.

"Let's go." They began moving again.

"Did the witness say anything yet? It's odd of them to come forward this quickly right when everything is happening." The captain said.

"No, Capin'. They's not said a word. Only that he'll wait for the capin'."

"Prrr, alright. I hope this isn't just some beggar taking advantage of the situation to earn some coin."

The group passed through the opened gate.

"Captain!" a squire ran over with a man in tow. The man had a big strawhat on his head and a fishing hook on his back.

Kalda suddenly made eye contact with the fisherman. He hurriedly lowered his head but there was a smirk on his face.

Odd, thought Kalda.

"Sir, might I unload me findings upon ye?" the fisherman asked.

"Do it quick." The captain sat down on a chair and folded his arms.

"I'm but a humble fisher-catcher who was wenting out on me mornin' root-teen this mornin'."

"What does your morning routine have to do with us?" the captain spoke impatiently.

"I is getting 'dere, Capin. Ehehe…" the fisherman then continued, "For the past fortnight I been seeing shady inviduals lurking inna big warehouse near the port's plaza. They change guards every two hours, meanin' dere's somepin' important goin' on dere."

"Look, we don't have the time to look into a possible gang committing crimes in the docks. People have been killed along the highway. A party of what might've been twenty soldiers were wiped out. Which begs the question: Were they escorting someone important? There were three nobles and one of the princesses who were scheduled to leave the kingdom today. Thing is, we have no idea who took what gate."

'There's a possibility that Siana's escort party was attacked…' Kalda clenched her fist.

"Aye! That's what I's getting at! I spotted a noble carriage taking the route I take each mornin' and take my fishin' equipment and go to fish and—"

The captain held up a hand for him to stop, "While nobles aren't exactly fond of poor neighborhoods, it's not rare for them to be seen in commoner districts, either out of curiosity or merely to take a different route."

"'Tis diffetent, I tell ya! The carriage, twas' being pulled by a bunsch of big burly guys and had no horses!"

The captain of the guard frowned.

"That does sound rather strange. Did you see an insignia on the carriage?"

"In-cig-nia?"

"A big logo at the back of the carriage." The captain pointed at the flag hanging overhead, "That right there an example of one."

"Oho, I see, I see. Dere was somethin' like that."

"So we can rule it out as being a rich merchant's carriage. What did it look like?"

"Uhh, dere were two hands holding each other like dis."

He put his left hand under his right and opened both, with the thumbs pointing left and right and the other fingers pointing upwards to the left and right side.

Kalda's eyes widened. Her throat clogged up and she couldn't breathe.

In a second she was standing in front of the man.

"Eh!?" the man couldn't even let out that idiotic cry before Kalda lifted him up by the collar with one hand.

The man was twice her size but she could easily lift him.

"Are they still there?"

"O-Oi, what are you doing, lass?" The captain hurriedly got up.

The fisherman panicked, "Aiii, this girl is choking me! Akh, akh!"

The guards grabbed Kalda and tried to shake her off but she pushed them all lightly. While she was sure she pushed them lightly, they flew so far as if they were thrown.

"C-Calm down, lass." The captain approached Kalda, "You don't need to go to the docks for your scoop. We'll make a report and give you a copy for the newspaper."

Kalda ignored the pleading captain. She glared at the man for a second before letting him go.

He coughed for a moment and opened his mouth.

"Melis Cynaria. Where do all that strength come from when youse 'ave only skin and bones..." The man rubbed his throat.

"Tell me where the docks are." Kalda asked again, this time less threateningly.

"Jus follow me, lass. I can take youse there."

"Oi, we can't mobilize a unit to investigate right now!" the captain screamed at the fisherman.

"—I will go with them on my own, Captain." Said someone from the side.

It was the balaclava man. He was leaning against a wall, seemingly watching how everything unfolded.

"Hmm. It would help if I can send one of the soldiers to do recon and report back so that we don't waste time sending a unit. Alright. Lass, this man right here will go with you. He may look like a skinny nobody but he's one of my strongest soldiers."

"Thanks for the fascinating introduction, captain." The man rolled his eyes, "We should go as soon as possible so that I can return to my duties."

Kalda didn't even stay to listen further. She merely grabbed the fisherman and pulled him away.

"H-Hold on, lass!"

The large man was helplessly dragged by a girl half his size.

◇

Some time later…

The three were walking down a quiet road. It seems this part of the city is abandoned since there wasn't a single light inside any of the houses.

"You're sure you didn't spit anyone in that carriage?" Kalda spoke to the fisherman.

"Aye. The doors was barricaded with wood planks. Someone's prolly been locked inside or the doors is hinges are broken so dey improvised how to keep it closed."

'The second reason seems unlikely.'

Then again, she was speaking with a fisherman with probably zero education. How could this buffoon make am educated guess?

The first one is the most likely. Granted, it would be useless to keep someone inside the carriage this way if the windows aren't reinforced with metal or aren't too small for the average person to fit through. They could easily break the windows at the right time and escape.

Nobles reinforce their carriage windows and doors with metal to stop unwanted people from getting in. If the bad guys were smart then they would've checked to see whether or not the carriage was reinforced with those things.

Meaning that the carriage they took belonged to someone who needed that much protection for a long trip.

That and the fact that Kalda recognized the insignia as described by the fisherman lead her to one conclusion.

The carriage belongs to the Olivaire Royal Family's seventh princess, Siana.

This begs the question: what would anyone want from Siana when she's but a seventh princess? She could offer no value except being used for pleasure.

The balaclava man—who had been walking in front this whole time—came to a stop.

"What's going on?" Kalda looked up at him.

"It seems another knight order caught wind of the situation. Tch."

Why does he sound displeased?

"…Dammit, we can't let anyone find out…" he muttered something that Kalda couldn't hear, "Let's take a different route."

"A-Aye! I know a way!" the fisherman shouted before bolting down the alley to their right.

The soldier followed him.

"C'mon, girl. We've no time to share the details with another knight order."

"Why?"

"…Err… Mm… They'll force us to go back and take the witness into custody. You'll also be turned back regardless of being a journalist or not."

"Ah…"

True, there would be nothing the soldier could do to stand against them if they wanted to take this case off their hands and take all the glory. Naturally having made up a story about being a reporter, Kalda couldn't refute the soldier's reasoning.

She won't be able to confirm whether Siana was caught up in all this.

"T-That makes sense."

She followed the two down an alleyway.

They walked for a while.

Kalda could smell the salty ocean and hear the waves crashing against rocks. Not just that but she could hear people announcing the price of their fish loudly.

They entered a market immediately after stepping out of an alley.

"Warehouse's tis way." The fisherman pointed to the plaza up ahead. Kalda could hear the ocean coming from behind the row of buildings.

Kalda and the soldiers followed along.

'The plaza seems quite empty during this time of day. Even a commoner district plaza should have some people setting up shop and a few customers. What's going on?'

Even the market they left earlier had people.

"That's far enough, ain't it Master?" the fisherman suddenly spoke.

"Indeed. Take your coin and fuck off," the soldier responded before throwing a purse towards the fisherman.

'Wait, there's no warehouse here.'

Why would there even be a warehouse in an area meant for commerce and trade?

Kalda was just so blinded by worry that she couldn't see through this obvious trap.

She looked up at the soldier. No, was he even a soldier?

"It seems you've trained yourself quite well in the last three years. You can even lift a fully grown man like it's nothing. Alas, I doubt you can stand up against our numbers."

Kalda could hear snickering coming all around her.

Multiple people stepped out of the shadows, every one of them carrying a weapon.

The man took off his balaclava. There was a tattoo of a "fox" on his face.

"!"

Kalda then recalled where she had both seen and heard of this.

It was the brand given to the Pig King's gangs.

"Wha… How…"

"You think the boss will give up on a woman he pursues? He's been looking for you for three years with a pain in his heart."

"…How did you find me…?"

The district she was from is literally on the other side of the kingdom, two cities away. How could they find Kalda in this densely populated nation?

"The boss had us scour the entire kingdom for you. Just so happens that one of my cousins works at a certain princess' villa. Imagine our surprise when we found out that you were working for that princess. Getting you alone was the hard part. The royal family wouldn't take it well that a servant went missing, specially since they give their servants health insurance. I don't know about you but I would also be pissed if my servant's spouse or relative killed me just to get that sweet insurance money. Our plan had no flaws in the end."

"….." Kalda eyed the people who were slowly surrounding her.

Should she run? Why would she?

She was the strongest person in this kingdom—no, the world. She has nothing to fear from these people.

What's important right now is…

"…Does Siana have anything to do with this plan of yours…? Is the carriage hers?"

Even an idiot would be able to arrive at that conclusion. Kalda was only trying to confirm it.

"Indeed."

"Take me to her."

"Hoho, it seems this little girl has grown bold over the last three years."

"Please take me to her."

"Hahaha, she's even saying please!"

The man's goons laughed with him.

"Guess you didn't change, after all. Well, you grew a little stronger. That strength that you showed earlier today was no joke. Still, I would advise you to comply with Boss' condition to release that woman."

He unsheathed his sword. His body was covered in Ki.

"…What does that pig want?"

"Oi, careful with your words, lass!" one of the goons shouted.

"Let's fuck her up so that she'll know what happens to people who insults the boss."

"Yeah!"

"I don't want to hurt you."

Kalda's hands were clenched so hard that her nails dug into her skin. All she wants is to see Siana. Entertaining these scum isn't important right now.

"Such arrogance, ahahaha. You know what? I'm going to be generous and take you to the boss without hurting you. Now then, will you comply?"

Kalda inhaled and exhaled deeply. She wiped her hands on her dress.

"…Yes…"

◇◇

They headed further into the plaza. There was a lone warehouse standing on the end of one street.

The place looked abandoned. There were various graffiti markings on the building and lots of holes in the walls. One would assume that some dangerous people live here.

"Boss!" the man with the fox on his cheek shouted.

The front gate of the warehouse was opened.

"Well, well, well. You finally decided to bring her. You didn't fuck her on the way, did you?"

A familiar but unpleasant voice came from inside.

"Haha! Never, Boss! We know you like them freshly delivered!"

"Umu, good. I was starting to get bored with that princess girly." The pig appeared. He was even fatter than how Kalda remembered him.

"What did you do to her—?" Kalda interrupted the two.

"Not even a 'Hello, Master. I missed you'?"

"….."

"Sheesh, okay. She's fine. Well, I got so bored that I decided to play with her a bit. You know how I get when I'm bored, right? My Holes aren't here so my dick had to go in something."

"Y-You raped her…? Y-y-you took Siana's virginity…?"

Kalda's eyes turned bloodshot.

"Oh no, no there must be a misunderstanding, lass." The pig grinned. He lifted his shirt.

His thing was there for all to see. It was full of blood and his disgusting semen.

"Oops, it seems I forgot to zip up. This blood on my dick isn't virgin's blood. Well, it's the blood of a virgin technically but you know what I mean, kakaka! I left that bitch gaping out of her hole!" the pig continued laughing.

Kalda's body shuddered. She didn't know if it was fear or anger.

What could she possibly be afraid of when she's the strongest being in this world? What could they do to her?

No, that fear was meant for Siana.

Is Siana still alive….?

That was what Kalda thought before the door to the warehouse was opened.

A single girl walked unsteadily out of the warehouse and towards the pig. There was blood between her legs.

Her eyes were hazy.

'He… He drugged her…'

Kalda could sense the drugs in Siana's bloodstream.

The pig grabbed Siana.

"Oi, bitch. Clean my dick. I gotta look presentable to my new wife. I can't propose with my dick out like this!" he slapped Siana across the face as if it were her fault.

"…Yyyyeshh…."

Kalda had just about to enough of this.

She was just about to charged at the pig and cut his head off before a voice interrupted her.

"—Found you, Kierk Henton!"

'This voice…' Kalda turned to look in the direction the voice came from.

"Sceptim…?"

"Kalda?" Sceptim looked at Kalda in surprise for a moment before immediately focusing his attention on the pig, "Release Her Highness before I cut you down. The law states that I must take you in. You forced yourself on a defenseless woman—one who's royalty no less. The Royal Family will decide what they'll do with you."

"Oho, you think I'm scared? I got a few dirty secrets I can spread to clear my name, y'know? This bitch's family has a lot of those beneath that palace of theirs that few people know of."

"Surrender, I say!" Sceptim drew his longsword.

Likewise, the pig's goons drew theirs as well.

"Hold on, boys," the pig stopped them from attacking, "Perhaps we can come to an agreement. I want Kalda. I only raped this little bitch here coz I was bored. Fighting and plundering is rare these days so I gotta entertain myself with women. You understand, right—actually, I guess you don't." he said while looking down at the monster that acted as Sceptim's legs.

"I will walk away with both of them by my side. Why would I make a deal with a criminal?"

"Tch, didn't you hear what I said about the royal family? Either you give me that bitch and forget you ever saw what I did to the princess or I chirp to the people like a birdy."

"No deal." Sceptim got into a stance.

"Heh. I warned ya, kid. What are you going to do against 50 men alone?"

"You underestimate me, Kierk. 50 of your men won't be enough for me. Besides, more knights from my unit will be here any minute now."

The pig scratched his bald head, "Aiiie, kids sure are arrogant these days."

Kalda moved in that moment.

Time slowed down—no, she moved so fast that it looked like time slowed down.

The goons who were charging at Sceptim were frozen and the birds flying overhead remained in mid-air.

Kalda appeared in front of Siana.

She waved her hand in front of Siana silently. A strange energy came out of Siana's body. It was the drugs in her system.

Kalda picked Siana up and walked over to Sceptim.

She looked at Sceptim.

'Why couldn't you have come sooner…?'

Then Siana wouldn't have been defiled like this.

Kalda spread her energy to surround her and Sceptim.

"—Haaah! Eh?" Sceptim was just about to charge but he stopped once he realized what was going on, "Your Highness!"

He then looked at Kalda.

"Is this… your doing, Kalda?"

Kalda silently put the dazed Siana down.

"Mm. Please protect her. I'll be back in a minute."

Sceptim looked at her for a few seconds.

"…What are you planning on doing?"

"I'm taking care of filth."

Kalda began walking towards the pig.

"Eh, eh? Where… What's going on? Ouch! Ouch!"

Siana quickly snapped out of her daze and looked around in confusion.

"My butt hurts… Sceptim?"

"We should get going. I can't leave you here, Your Highness."

"Where are we…? What's going on?"

Kalda didn't look back.

Time flowed normally again.

The goons continued charging, bellowing at the top of their lungs while drowning out Siana's confused cry.

Kalda spread her energy throughout the area.

"[Expand Essence]." She muttered under her breath.

Not even the droplets of rain hitting the water or the ground could be heard.

The world went silent for those within range of her domain.

The confused gang members stopped rushing after realizing what's going on.

-In shadows cast by love's dim light

Two goons lost their legs and they fell over, their screams drowned out by the overwhelming force of soul essence. Their organs were forced out of their mouths before exploding into chunks of meat.

-A heart once whole, now filled with night.

Another's eye popped out of his head. An explosion from his anus caused his guts to be shot out of his lower body. Same as before, his screams were silent.

-Promises broken, dreams laid to rest

Five of the goons were lifted off the ground by an invisible force. They were smashed into each other so hard that they became a big ball of bloody flesh and bones.

-Love's bitter tears upon my chest.

Only Kalda's artificial voice could be heard within the domain of soul essence.

-With every whisper of your name

Her eyes were drawn to Siana.

-A silent ache, a lasting flame.

-A love that's lost, a soul left scarred,

-In this sad tale, our love stands marred.

Kalda walked over to Siana while the massacre was ensuing behind her, everyone except the pig being either gutted or exploded into pieces.

Kalda put her hand against the thick wall of soul essence.

She wanted to touch Siana. She wanted to smell Siana's sweat and kiss her….

Siana's blank expression slowly became distorted.

Her body trembled when she made eye contact with Kalda.

Tears rolled down Siana's cheeks as she tried to back away from the barrier. Her expression was anything but welcoming.

Siana screamed something but Kalda couldn't hear it.

-Yet through the tears, a glimmer gleams,

-The hope of healing in future dreams.

-For love endures, though pain may stay,

-In the depths of night, there's still a way.

The song ended.

One man lay amongst the bloodbath and dozens of corpses.

The pig's pants were stained with both piss and shit.

Kalda turned away from Siana. She wanted to continue looking at Siana. That expression of hers made Kalda shudder with joy.

Siana was so happy that she came for her that she was crying. Kalda had a gentle smile on her face as she approached the pig.

"no, no" he seemingly shouted, barely able to put enough strength in his legs to get away.

Kalda touched the man's cheek. He continued crying and saying something.

In the next moment, his body disintegrated into nothingness.

….

It's over, she thought.

….

The domain of soul essence disappeared. The smell of innards drifted after a strong wind blew by.

Kalda was standing amidst that bloody scene of carnage.

She was silently looking up at the sky.

Someone approached her. She didn't need to then around because she knew it was Sceptim.

It felt as if Kalda could see, feel, and hear everything. She could feel the approaching soldiers two blocks away, she could see the dragon flying high in the sky behind clouds and she could hear Sceptim's beating heart.

He's afraid. His heartbeat told her so.

"How is Siana?" Kalda asked quietly.

"She… fainted. I cannot let her remember this day so I'm going to see a few magicians who are hiding away in the slums. They will need to erase all Her Highness' memories from today."

"Mm."

Kalda didn't really care whether Siana saw what she did. All that matters is that the two of them can be together again.

She won't let Siana slip through her fingers.

"Kalda… If you had the power to cause all this… couldn't you have just saved Siana and escaped before I came here…? Why… Why would you kill all these people?"

"They were the ones who hurt Siana. I couldn't let that go. Maybe it could also be that I yearned for revenge."

Kalda turned around.

"If you have a problem with me protecting the one I love then do something about it."

Kalda said as a matter of fact before walking away, with the sun on her back.

"That's not love…" Sceptim stood now alone as he looked at the massacre, "It's something even more twisted…"

Sceptim hoped for something that day…

It was...

-I hope that one day I'll be strong enough to end you, Kalda....