"IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!!"
The scream was saturated with the deepest disbelief, causing the woman who was its source to grow even paler. It was as if she were expelling every ounce of strength from her shattered heart through that single cry.
Hearing it, Rose snapped out of her reverie. A smile began to carve itself onto her lips, clearly relishing the shrill sound she had just heard. She felt no surging anger; instead, she felt an exhilaration—the scent of victory spreading from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head.
"Oh, why not?" Rose said, her voice dripping with enjoyment.
She felt like an adult snatching candy from a baby's hand. Perhaps this was the pleasure of superiority that comes from bullying the weak. Ah… perhaps this is why there are more villains than heroes in this world. After all, the ultimate satisfaction comes to those who remain safe while watching others suffer—especially when that suffering originates from themselves.
Shiki, who had been born into an abundance of gold and silver, now lay weak before her without a shred of honor left to defend.
She no longer had a mother and father to adore her—parents who once feared that even common dirt might touch their precious daughter's skin. She no longer had a sprawling mansion that made one's legs ache just to move from room to room. She no longer wore expensive fabrics that repelled heat and banished cold as if the world knelt before her. She no longer had lavish banquets served in excess, where more was wasted than consumed. She no longer had servants whose lives were dedicated to her slightest nod. Nor did she have guards willing to die first so that her breath might continue.
Now, she was merely a frail body, sprawled valueless before a girl who had been baptized by misfortune since birth. A girl with no father to speak of, and a prostitute mother who couldn't be bothered to care. A girl who survived in a foul tenement no larger than a pigsty, with a rotting roof that collapsed every time it rained. A girl who wrapped her skin in tattered rags, sewn from the scraps torn and discarded by the world. A girl who filled her stomach with the dregs and crumbs tossed into the trash bins behind restaurants. A girl who learned to shut her eyes and lock her mouth tight just to avoid being killed sooner. A girl who lived life on a wire as thin as a pulse, with a bottomless black abyss yawning below, waiting for her to slip.
"Aaaaahhhhh..." Rose sighed.
She savored Shiki's murderous gaze, full of resentment. It was like an aphrodisiac, absorbing into her blood and traveling to every cell in her body. This was better than sex… far better!
"You know…" Rose's voice sounded calm, almost tender. "In my dreams—or whatever you might want to call a previous life—I heard your name. Shiki."
She paused. "The most expensive doll… and the most miserable."
Rose's lips pressed together, holding back a smile—or a laugh—that nearly overflowed.
"I truly thought you would just vanish," she continued. "Ending up in a trash heap—the place where everything whose value is spent, everything no longer useful, is buried and forgotten." Her tone was flat, almost objective. "But apparently, you managed to dig your way out. Interesting, isn't it? I must say, the influence of that purple-eyed man… is truly miraculous." Rose sighed softly, as if admiring a rare phenomenon.
"And that is precisely why I began to worry." Her gaze hardened. "When I saw you starting to form the Four Seasons, gathering powerful people just like in the previous life. In Ignisira, the Ganko Family is the hand that can cover both heaven and earth. If you discovered that I also remembered the past life just as you did, the conclusion would be simple—you would undoubtedly eliminate me."
She smiled thinly. "This is the Bride War. Two Brides have no end other than the death of one when they meet."
Rose shook her head slowly. "But it turns out… I was too hasty back then." Her smile widened slightly. "I overestimated you."
"At first, yes, you were cautious. You brought the habits of the Procession Tower with you—vigilant, controlled, trusting no one. But slowly… so slowly… you grew accustomed to soft mattresses and a full stomach once again." Her voice dropped, almost pitying. "And once that happened, you began to feel special again."
"It's only natural," she continued casually. "It is far easier to walk from hardship toward comfort than the other way around."
Rose's gaze pierced through her. "And that was when the character of the 'Noble Lady' returned. You stopped watching the people beneath you because you felt you already held their lifelines." She sighed softly. "What you forgot is one fundamental thing." Her tone turned ice-cold. "All that power stood upon their lives in Ignisira. Not here."
Rose leaned in slightly. "In this city. In this tower. Everything starts from zero." Her smile was now full of mockery. "Even a god must bow their head inside the Procession Tower. Especially you."
"Well…" Rose tilted her head with a smile too sweet for such a cruel situation. "Do you think my explanation was clear enough?"
Rose received no reaction from Shiki. The girl only stared at her with bulging eyes full of vengeance, as if she wanted to tear Rose's body apart with her gaze alone. Yet Rose remained untouched by it all. She had won—utterly—and there was no longer any gap for Shiki to escape her grasp.
For a moment, the urge to finish Shiki right then and there crossed her mind. But Rose knew she wasn't done using her. Besides, a daughter of the renowned Ganko Family was no cheap commodity. That great name, that noble blood, and the arrogant attitude that had long choked the throats of their generation would serve as the sweetest seasoning. Especially for men. The feeling of conquering a girl like Shiki in bed would only make their desires swell.
Rose sat in silence, weighing things with a cold head. Risks… and rewards. Which carried more weight? In the end, she chose the safe path.
After all, this was the Bride War. There was no such thing as being overly cautious. If Shiki hadn't wallowed in her pride and maintained her vigilance, then Rose herself would be the one lying on that bed right now. She would not repeat that mistake.
Furthermore, Rose knew one vital thing—Shiki wasn't the only Bride candidate. Even if she hadn't found traces of other Brides in Ignisira, it didn't mean they didn't exist. They might simply be more cautious. Just like her. She must not feel special. Yet, she also must not forget the advantage she held over the other candidates.
"It seems I've enjoyed this situation a bit too much," Rose said finally, her voice flat. "Shiki… it's time we ended this."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a syringe. The transparent tube was filled with a murky green liquid, shimmering faintly under the light.
"This is a poison I bought from an apothecary," Rose continued casually. "It's cheap. But it's lethal enough for someone with a low blood purity like yours." She smiled thinly. "Its effect causes no pain until you meet the Angel of Death. Consider this… the only kindness and gratitude I can offer."
Without hesitation, Rose injected the fluid into Shiki's arm. Shiki stared at her without blinking. Her voice was raspy, filled with hatred.
"I hope that poison truly kills me. If not… prepare yourself to never sleep soundly, Rose. Believe me, my knife is already aiming for your throat."
"Well," Rose smiled lightly. "In that case, it means I've made the right choice."
She turned around. "Goodbye, Shiki. It was a pleasure to meet you."
With a light step and a thin smile on her face, Rose walked out of the room. Just as the door was about to close, a shadow appeared behind it. Rose saw nothing—only a muffled sound of shock that managed to escape from within the room.
Rose stopped for a moment, glancing back. Then she resumed her stride. She dismissed it as nothing more than the final cry of someone refusing to accept defeat. After all, the room was heavily guarded by members of the Summer Division—her confidants. No one could enter a locked room with no windows and a concrete ceiling without her knowledge.
There was still much business awaiting her. Taking full control of the Four Seasons was the top priority.
However…
"Hm… Mujun?"
Rose frowned slightly. "Who is that?"
She shook her head slowly, not understanding why Shiki had screamed that word as her final utterance—before finally disappearing behind the tightly closed door.