A girl clad in a dark veil walked silently through the shadows. Only her eyes were visible, and those brilliant blue eyes seemed to shine even within the darkness itself, like precious sapphires reflecting faint light.
She was inside an ancient temple, a structure both majestic and aged by time.
The temple was shrouded in darkness, yet countless candles illuminated its halls with a dim golden glow. The girl approached a grand staircase and began ascending one step at a time. Her footsteps echoed softly through the silent corridors as she climbed toward the upper floor.
Eventually, she stopped before a massive chamber.
As she pushed open the heavy door, the creaking sound seemed unnaturally loud amidst the overwhelming silence.
Inside stood a long table surrounded by numerous chairs.
Every chair was empty.
Except one.
A lone figure sat there with her back facing the entrance.
The veiled girl stepped forward.
The woman seated in the chair was dressed entirely in black. Without turning around, she spoke in a calm voice.
"What is it? Why have you come at this hour?"
As the girl approached, the woman's appearance gradually became visible.
She possessed long jet-black hair that flowed down her back like a dark river. Black lipstick adorned her lips, while black earrings hung from her ears. Tall and elegant, she radiated an intimidating presence.
She was the leader of the Seven Witches.
For now, however, her name remained unknown.
The veiled girl stopped before her.
"I bring news."
The woman's gaze shifted toward her.
"Oh? If you've come personally, then it must be important."
"Yes. The matter was urgent enough that I had no choice but to disturb you."
"Then stop wasting time and speak."
The girl lowered her head.
"In the Polard Kingdom... Rin has been killed."
The woman's expression did not change.
"I see. Then they proved stronger than we expected. Has that scientist managed to stay one step ahead of us?"
The girl immediately shook her head.
"No. The one who killed Rin was not the scientist."
For the first time, the woman's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Then who was it?"
"The Second Princess of the Polard Kingdom... Shakky."
The moment she heard the name, the woman fell silent.
"Shakky..."
As though recalling something familiar, she lowered her gaze and a faint smirk appeared on her lips.
"That girl is different. Far different from the others. Could she be...?"
Before she could finish, the veiled girl quickly answered.
"Yes. She is an Otherworlder."
The woman's smile widened slightly, as though she had expected that answer all along.
"Time never remains the same. Our plans may have failed for now, but eventually they will bear fruit. Until then, we need only wait."
The girl bowed her head respectfully.
"Yes. The Seven Witches... now reduced to six... will do anything for you."
The woman rose from her chair and slowly approached her.
She gently brushed a hand across the girl's cheek before lifting her chin.
A mysterious smile formed on her lips.
"You truly are special to me."
Her fingers traced the edge of the girl's face as she continued softly,
"Those beautiful blue eyes of yours can see things that even I cannot."
Hearing those words, the veiled girl lowered her head respectfully.
"I am grateful for your praise. Our duty is to serve you whenever the time comes."
The woman chuckled softly.
"Good. I have complete faith in your loyalty. As long as you stand by my side, I can defeat any enemy."
As she spoke, she walked back and sat down in her chair.
"Your ability is truly extraordinary."
Her sharp gaze shifted toward the girl.
"Sometimes I wonder... if you ever turned against me, you could probably defeat me with ease."
The girl blinked.
"We are alive today because of you. We could never betray you. We would rather embrace death."
The woman tapped her fingers against the table and stared at her for a moment before letting out a long sigh.
"So, what should we do next?"
The girl glanced toward the window before looking back at her.
"One of our sisters has already fallen. Therefore, I suggest we do nothing for now."
The woman's eyes narrowed.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
The girl blinked again.
"From what I have seen, there is someone even more dangerous than that princess. Someone we must be cautious of."
"And who might that be?"
The girl stepped closer and whispered into the woman's ear.
"The Princess's Dog."
For the first time, genuine interest appeared on the woman's face.
"Oh? And why do you believe this 'Princess's Dog' can oppose us?"
The girl answered calmly.
"That dog is incredibly powerful despite its young age. I carefully analyzed its battle and discovered that its combat ability is far beyond what it should be."
She paused.
The woman noticed her hesitation. Reaching out, she took the girl's hand and gently pulled her onto her lap before brushing a finger across her cheek.
"Why did you stop? It seems something is bothering you."
The girl immediately stood up again.
"Forgive me. What I meant is... there were two moments I could not see clearly. The first was when the princess activated her power. The second was when Rin died."
Her expression grew serious.
"Because of that, I can now say with certainty that the princess possesses one of the Four Great Powers. A power capable of making her stronger than us."
The woman rested her hand against her jaw.
"Interesting. Someone is blocking your sight. That means they know we are watching them."
A smile slowly appeared on her lips.
"Very interesting."
She rose from her chair.
"As far as I know, your Divine Eyes cannot be obstructed by ordinary magic. If your vision was blocked, then it is certain they possess one of the Great Powers."
She folded her arms.
"If that's what you're saying, then we must proceed carefully."
The girl nodded.
"Of course. I'll investigate which Great Power she possesses."
She then tilted her head.
"But you seem troubled by something else."
The woman's eyes lowered.
"Yes. I sensed an unusual energy recently. Something... strange."
She looked up.
"Can you identify it?"
The girl nodded.
"I already have."
The woman raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
The girl answered calmly.
"His name is Kondo."
The woman's eyes widened slightly.
"Kondo?"
"Yes. He is the son of Sam and Lawine."
A faint smirk appeared on the woman's lips as she fell into thought.
"Lawine's son... Kondo."
Her smile deepened.
"And that energy..."
She leaned back.
"It seems something significant is about to happen."
Suddenly, the girl turned toward the window.
The woman noticed.
"What is it?"
"It seems a message has arrived."
The woman frowned.
"What problem could possibly appear at this hour?"
The girl approached the window where an owl had landed. She removed the letter tied to its leg and handed it over.
The woman opened the letter and began reading.
The moment her eyes scanned its contents, the color drained from her face.
For a brief second, anger flashed across her expression.
However, she quickly calmed herself.
"I never expected something like this..."
She folded the letter and looked at the girl.
"We'll need to make some adjustments to our plans. First, I'll handle this matter."
Her voice became softer.
"For now, go and get some rest. I have important work to attend to afterward."
At that moment, a magic circle appeared beneath her feet.
Black lightning burst from it.
In the next instant, she vanished without a trace.
The girl turned around and left the room.
Closing the door behind her, she walked down the stairs before stopping in front of another room.
She quietly opened the door and stepped inside.
Several children were sleeping peacefully within.
Her gaze settled on a pink-haired girl sleeping soundly among them.
The veiled girl approached her, lay down beside her, and closed her eyes.
---***
A man dressed entirely in white stood beside a bed.
His face was blurred, impossible to recognize.
A small girl lay unconscious before him.
The man looked down at her and spoke coldly.
"This child is a failure."
A woman's tearful voice immediately responded.
"What are you saying? She's your daughter."
The man slowly extended his hand toward the girl.
Suddenly—
Shin's eyes snapped open.
She sat upright, breathing heavily.
Sweat covered her forehead.
She had been sleeping on the floor, and beside her was Vain, who woke up after hearing her movement.
Vain immediately noticed Shin's condition.
She gently grabbed her shoulders.
"Shin, what's wrong? Did you have that dream again?"
Shin trembled slightly.
"I don't know, Sister."
Her voice shook.
"Why does that dream keep appearing over and over again? I don't know who that man and woman are. I don't even know why they keep showing up in my dreams."
Seeing her distressed expression, Vain gently comforted her.
"Nothing's going to happen. It's only a bad dream."
She softly patted Shin's head.
"Now go back to sleep, or Mom will wake up."
Slowly, Shin calmed down.
Holding tightly onto Vain, she lay back down and closed her eyes once more.