Beast Castle

“Episode 55”

“Me, right now.”

What did I just do? The moon condemned Ray standing in the forest, shining its light on her as if passing judgment. Until now, she had been drinking blood as if it were natural. Her vision cleared, and she saw a white hand under the moonlight. Since when had she thought it was okay to drink blood? She remembered the comforting touch on her back every time she craved blood. The owner of that touch, too.

“No. Surely not.”

She fell into the swamp of denial, wanting to deny the memory. The thirst for blood still lingering, she regretted missing the rabbit. Ray reflected on why she had wanted to tear into the pitiful rabbit’s neck. As she retraced her steps, a scene twisted in her mind. Her husband. Clothan was holding out a red vial and laughing.

It couldn’t be true. Clothan was her lifelong companion. Maybe strange things happened in the mansion, but she was unlucky to be caught up in this. He had no reason to make her like this. Even if there was a reason, it was akin to a curse. Her husband wouldn’t do this. She had to believe that.

She had to go back to Clothan. Suddenly rushing out would confuse him. She slapped her cheeks to clear her mind. She had to go back and ask calmly. She couldn’t lose her mind anymore.

“Uh…”

Standing alone in the lonely forest, she saw white wings fluttering in the distance. The fairies who had been persistently restraining her were unmistakable. But unlike before when they proudly displayed both wings, one side was dripping blood now, and their flight was unstable.

Ray quickly ran to the fairies and created a landing spot with her hands raised. The fairies, looking unwell, landed on her palms as if waiting, and started crying with a sorrowful voice.

Something was wrong. Carefully holding the fairies in her hands, Ray leaped into the unfamiliar path.

***

Things unseen by others. Things others shouldn’t see. Things others shouldn’t hear. It’s written in the book that seeing and hearing all of these is the mark of a sorcerer. Like something mysterious and wondrous. But reality wasn’t so rosy.

“Him?”
“It seems so.”
“Did he turn that woman into a monster?”
“Pity.”

Seeing the fairy hanging from Ray’s feet, begging with tears, turned his insides upside down once again. Ever since he kissed her cheek with those similar lips earlier, he had wanted to do this.

“How could this happen…”

Ray, holding up the fairy with torn wings, trembled. He knew she would resent him for his kind-heartedness, but he couldn’t help it. How could he stand by and watch? He’d rather hear her scold him, so much better than listening to the insane fairy’s whimpers.

“No matter how much I want to believe it’s not true, I understand now.”

But she was acting strange. Normally, she would be berating him with tears streaming down her face. But now, she was distancing herself from him as if afraid.

“Why are you acting like this, Clothan?”

It wasn’t about the fairy. Her hesitant lips were saying something else. Already? It seemed too soon. Was it because of the magic lake nearby? This… was an unexpected outcome.

“Tell me. Why… or maybe it’s not Clothan.”

“Because I wanted it to be.”

“What?”

.