n

n

n

n'Tristan Mortel' was the name engraved on the tombstone. a woman with her white hair laying down on the ground since she was sitting in front of that tombstone staring at it. Her eyes held no emotion, not even a hint of sadness.

nAnd yet, she kept coming and coming. One day to one day, the rainy day, the late-night after her work. The woman who didn't cry at his funeral kept coming to visit him, sometimes talking with him like he was in front of her.

nIt's been months, a fall season has already passed, she still came with a white flower every time she visited him.

nIt was the little girl he used to hate, the one he hated for his entire life, it was Marinette.

nThat day, rain poured down on her black dress as she also left the funeral. There was still a stain of the tomatoes they threw at her still left on her black dress.

nShe and only her was the one one who didn't forget him, unlike his beloved sister.

n

"...brother...this is my last time visiting you...I hope you'll rest in peace now...since your beloved sister becomes the duchess instead of me.

"

nIn the present day,

n

"Sir Tristan, what are you doing here?

" I asked that guy who rushed outside the duchy in the night for me of all people.

nWhy did my heart throb at that moment when my teary eyes met with his?

nThat wasn't the real question, the real one was what were the memories that keep coming into my head ever since I came back into this world? When did it start? It was from when I was in the cavern.

nThe memory was Marinette sitting in front of Tristan's grave, it felt so real as if I was her herself. I felt what she felt, the sensation of tears falling from her eyes, I also felt it.

nWas it the first timeline?

nIt was really hurt, every second passed by in the moment of silence between him and me, kept making my heart ache.

nI wished it to stop.

n

"Are you crying? You can cry?

" on his face, it was anger, mocking, and a smirk seeing me crying.

nI took a deep breath, keeping silent for a moment. That day was a very exhausting day, I really wanted to rest as quickly as possible.

nI thought and thought should I take my anger out on him to make my chest feel light? I didn't in the end since the guy in front of me will die in the next five days at most.

nDiana already traveled back in time, she will save him even if she couldn't. I didn't need to feel guilty since I was the one he hated.

nI covered the scratch on my hand glancing at him for a brief second and walked away from him.

nI didn't want to feel any sort of attachment with that guy. He was a disposable character, I clenched my hands using all excuses just wanting to escape from him that night.

nBut his stubbornness pulled me back when he raised his voice at me,

"Is that how you treat your brother? Did I teach you to be this way?

"

nI wondered why the moon at that time was so bright tonight.

nI could feel the wind blowing the white hair of him and me. I stomped my feet on the ground almost breaking the street road toward him.

nMy hand stopped before it touched his face, if I didn't stop...I might be back in that basement again. I told myself that, I heard something snap, I finally opened my lip replying to his question.

n

"You didn't teach me anything.

"

n

"You're only helping me with work, don't think you could--

"

n

"Tristan, no your grace. Sorry for addressing you wrongly too a moment ago. I don't need your cheep-a*s worry. I prefer you ignoring me just like how you treated me before.

"

nWithout noticing, it turned out me talking all the way, it was as if his lip has been sealed completely.

n

"Was there ever a time when you acted like a decent brother to me? I told you what!! I was never angry at Diana about getting your stupid love and the duke's love. You!! You were the one I hated the most.

"

n

"I really don't way to say to you, but you were the one who forced me. Till this time, I don't care a bit even if you die tomorrow or the other day.

"

n

"Remember that little girl?? The one who felled on the ground watching you leaving her bleeding on her knees?? Does it ring a bell?? That girl died. Even if I died, even if this was another soul in your sister's body, you would never know.

"

nSlap--

n

"Enough is enough. I treated you nicely these past few days, I thought you change, but you're still that brat in my eyes. How about answering this question? Do you remember killing the people in the house? Mother? The nanny? The butler? All the knights ten years ago? Half of the guests of my birthday party?

"

n

"Yes!!! I was waiting for that question!!!!

" my nose was running, I cried hard in front of him no longer caring what kind of image of me he saw, I raised my voice with my eyes became big glaring at him.

n

"My mother, yes...but do you even try to know what it feels like for me?? I...I was raised in the basement for all my life so far. Did you really think I want to grow up without a mother?? Being treated like an outcast? You and the duke, you all only know that I came out of the basement because I could control my magic but I--

"

nCough cough

nMy hand covered my lip as blood came out of it, I wiped it off on my dress and continued...

n

"Stop saying, I don't care about your answer.

" his hand touched my shoulder supporting me from falling but I pushed his hands away.

n

"I spent years in that basement...draining all my blood out, experiment, days and nights, fainting from bleeding, eating rotten food, drinking the leftover rain that came from the mud pouring down from that iron bar. Catching a rat to eat when no one gave me food.

"

n

"You're ly...lying...don't say nonsense, nanny and butler always brought you food!!

"

n

"Yeah right, you mean Diana's nanny, you who was always at the academy and the duke who was always busy with works would never be able to see her necklace she used my allowance to buy. She only took it off when you were around.

"

nCough cough

nThe damn coughing, I didn't want to look pathetic in from of him. I wanted--I wanted to give him a piece of my thought.

n

"She was killed because she didn't listen to my warning. And don't even let me talk about that hardworking butler.

" I laughed loudly like a psycho in front of his face, I could see his expression when he saw me laughing. It was like him saying, 'Am I crazy?'

n

"Haa...I did kill him and half of the guests at your birthday party, right??

"

n

"...

"

nA silence wall between us, as he keep approaching me to check my condition, I took a step away from him.

nMy feeling was a mess, I hated him, I resented him, but at the same time, something kept reminding me he was my brother, I had to endure him no matter how he treated me.

n

"That butler tried to r*pe me. As we talked about our old memories, why don't I ask you about that time?? That night, I ran to you asking for help but do you remember your response??

"

n'It can't be true, the butler was the most loyal to me...he won't even do that. That night, I thought she just need something small from me--'

n

"You told me to go away, and you left your study room to the ball. And do you know what happened after that??

"

n'Don't...'

n

"He came into that room with his belt loosened, and his pant was unzipped when you left. I was hiding behind the table but he pulled my hand and pushed me on that couch and took off his shirt, do you know what his word saying to me??

"

n'Liar...the butler...never would--'

n

/

/Flashback

n

"Young master, tomorrow you will hold the ball at the royal palace, right?

"

n

"I really don't want that, but Diana kept insisting.

"

n

"You should go, I can take care of the young lady.

"

n

"I was going to invite her--

"

n

"Young Master, you do know that's impossible, right?? His grace won't allow her to ruin your coming of age ceremony. Don't worry, I'll buy her favorite chocolate cake for her.

"

n

"...okay, I trust you.

"

nLater that day, when Tristan left the study room, he was going to leave Marinette there alone but his heart wouldn't let him. He rushed back to the study room but the door was locked, he couldn't get inside.

n

"Maybe, I'll apology tomorrow...

"

n

"...help...

"

n

"Huh?? What was that? Did I hear it wrong?

"

nTristan left.

n

n

"He said no one gives a f*ck about me. Everyone wished for me to die. I still remembered his disgusting cologne till these days...when I couldn't find any words to deny his words...and I was helpless even his thing pressed against me, his lip kissing my finger as I pushed him away...

"

n

"Why didn't you shout for help!!!? You idiot!!!! You stupid!!! Shout for help!!! I will cut his thing off, chop him alive if I knew--

"

n

"Haha...what a joke...if I shouted at that time...you must be thinking that I tried to get your attention again...so I decided to kill him.

"

n

"...I...I didn't know...

"

n

"Yeah...so please shut up, you do your work as the new duke and I'll just stand out of your way.

"

nI fell to the ground, his hand reaching to help me again. Before his hand was rejected by me again, he took it back himself. His hands were trembling, he avoided my eyes when I stared at him.

nWhen I walked away from him back to the dukedom, he still stood at that spot under the streetlight.

nBy the time I arrived at the gate of the household, I realized something was missing.

n'Just how did I know all of that?'

n

nIrene's POV

n

"Irene, I'm sorry...I hope you will get along with that white-haired lady...I know she won't betray you as I did.

" Sofia stood in front of me, it wasn't the real Sofia...it was just part of her lingering soul. Her feet didn't touch the ground as she said those words to me and when she finished her last words, she smiled and faded away into ashes.

nMeanwhile, her real body was under the big rock in front of me, none of my tears came down no matter how much I wanted to cry. I just felt really betrayed.

nI never knew our friendship would end when she ran away leaving me alone like that.

n

"Rest in peace, Sofia.

" I didn't bother to move her body, I already lost all my energy. I was tired. Money, friendship, and even love...all of that, I was really tired of it.

nI wished the money would just fall from the sky, I wished people won't get sicked--

nHaa...was there really a god in this world? My mother always called me the child of God but I never once saw a god only all of those ghosts.

nThe innocent priest I put all my trust in him, as soon as I stepped out of the church, he rushed toward me trying to choke me when he pushed me on the ground.

nHe laughed when I stared at him indifferently.

n

"HAHAHA, she will give me the antidote if she knows you're in danger!!! I don't need to ask for that ungrateful brat, when I got the antidote, I'll kill him and that b*tch!!

"

nWas the person he talked about the one who ordered him to do all of these??

n

"Hey, take your hand off me.

"

n

"You b*tch, it's also your fault.

"

n

"If that lady didn't tell me to keep you alive, you're already dead by now.

"

n

"Hahaha--

"

nThud!!

n

"Right, I never told you about this power.

" he fell asleep on top of me, I tried to control my emotion because just a few more inches, the hairpin in my hand will pierce through his throat.

nStep step

n

"Philip??

"

n

"Huh?? Is that old man already dead?? Wow, Irene!!

"

n

"How are you here--

" I asked with my mind in the mess when I saw the same man who saved me that day walking to me with his sword full of blood on it. The crying soul and the dark aura behind him...he was the real...mastermind.

n

"I only came here to kill all of the remaining allies of Marinette. I did my job now, so I might as well go back.

"

n

"Did you really think I'll let you off easily?

" he turned his head back to me putting the sword back in its sheat and smiled at me.

n

"You love me, Irene. You love Philip...You didn't see me tonight, you love Philip...and a person behind all this is Philip...the second prince of the empire...

"

n

"I love you, Philip...the mastermind...is the second prince of the empire, Philip...

"

n

"Good girl...keep that in mind...

"

n

"Yes...

"

nLost Magic: Hypnosis Command

n'Pfft...just as stupid as ever, Irene...', Richard.

nTo be continued....!

n