That night, as promised, the three of them slept together. But something felt off. The maid who was supposed to be there was nowhere to be seen, as if she had disappeared without a trace. They shared Ophla's soft bed. Celine and Ophla looked happy, talking until they were exhausted before finally falling into a deep sleep. But not Olivia. Even though she smiled like usual, somewhere in the corner of her mind something was still bothering her.
The thread was still there. Still clear. Still alive.
Olivia only watched it from a distance without daring to touch it or try to understand it further. After a while, both of them fell soundly asleep, but Olivia's eyes were still wide open, as if she wasn't allowed to close them.
Her gaze slowly drifted toward the ceiling, and there a web of thin threads filled the space, glowing faintly and pulsing slowly as if breathing. Her heart beat a little faster.
"...what exactly is this thing..." she whispered quietly.
