Chapter Text
I stared at her in disbelief.
Why?
Just… why?
Had she and the others remained corrupted?
Were they never purified? Did the light never reach them?
This had to be a mistake. A nightmare.
Mococo.
Fuwawa.
Bijou.
Shiori.
And… her.
My Nerissa.
No. No, they must have been corrupted again. That’s the only explanation. Why else would they turn their backs on the Libestal? On the people… on us. On… me?
Everything was going so well. We had just celebrated. We smiled. We fought side by side.
Why...?
Why...?
Why now?
Why did it have to be her?
Elizabeth’s thoughts spiraled, a storm of betrayal and confusion, until a voice pulled her violently back to reality.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Mordan Ramsey muttered through clenched teeth, anger bubbling beneath her skin.
“I KNEW it! You guys were evil all along!” Rao Pandora shouted, her voice echoing off the walls like thunder.
“Brother, stop it! What are you even saying?” the hot pink one cried out, desperation laced in her voice as she tried to approach.
But it was too late.
“Foolish brother,” Bijou said coldly, raising her weapon with steady hands. “You don’t understand. We’re doing what’s right.”
“Bijou, stand down,” Shiori murmured, stepping forward. Her voice was gentle, unnervingly so. “They’re just blind. They haven’t seen the truth yet.”
“Miss Novella… Please… stop.” Gonathan’s voice trembled. Her hands clenched around her sword, but she didn’t raise it. Not yet. “This isn’t funny.”
Shiori tilted her head, eyes filled with pity. “Oh, Gonathan. The humble knight the loyal one. The kindest of fools. But unfortuanately I am not joking my humble knight.”
Her steps were slow and deliberate as she approached, and Tam Gandr immediately drew her weapon.
“STAY BACK!” she roared, shielding Gonathan with her body.
“My Queen!” Gonathan gasped.
“Please… There must be some misunderstanding!” Gonathan begged, placing a hand on her Queen’s arm. “Maybe they’re still corrupted—maybe they’re not thinking straight!”
Shiori laughed. But it wasn’t her usual laugh. It was broken, bitter, empty.
“Corrupted?” she sneered. “No, Gonathan. We’ve always felt this way. Long before any of this. We were just pretending.”
To prove her point, Shiori reached toward Kronii’s blade and let it slice into her skin. A thin trail of blood ran down her finger like a vow.
Elizabeth could only watch, frozen in a world that no longer made sense.
“Shiori, thats enough” Nerissa finally said, stepping forward with a calm demeanor. “We don’t have much time left.”
“Come with us,” she added softly. “If you still want to.”
Before Elizabeth could respond, another voice broke through the tension.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Immerkind shouted, watching with horror as the peasant Baelz walked forward, her small figure shaking but firm.
“I never wanted to be here....” Baelz snapped, glaring at the ground like it had betrayed her. “Every time we try to help, we just keep losing! Again and again!”
She turned to Immerkind, eyes sharp with pain.
“I should’ve left a long time ago… But I didn’t. Because you were here.”
She took a shaky breath. Her voice dropped.
“But not anymore.”
Elizabeth flinched. The air around them felt heavier.
“You just kept chasing after her,” Baelz whispered, her voice cracking looking at fia. “You never even noticed the people beside you. You didn’t care about those who stayed.”
Then Ina stepped forward.
“Ina?” the hot pink one gasped.
Irys rushed toward her, grabbing her wrist. “Please, don’t go…”
“Let go.... my consort,” Ina said firmly, not avoiding her glaze.
“My eternal consort—” Irys began, panic rising.
“They’re dangerous—”
“And you’re not?” Ina shot back. Her voice trembled with anger. “You hurt me. You betrayed me. You made me feel small. And I stayed silent. Because I loved you.”
“I love you too! I know I messed up bu—”
“No,” Ina whispered. “You don’t love me. You love her.”
She pointed at Tam Gandr. “I’m not blind, Irys. I see the way you look at her. The way you talk to her. The way your hands tremble when she’s near.”
“I see everything.”
“So please… just let go. I’ve loved you enough.”
Irys didn’t move. Tears spilled down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice barely audible.
The silence was crushing. Fuwawa broke it.
“Bau bau, is there anyone left?” she asked softly.
“Elizabeth,” Nerissa said, her voice laced with the familiar sweetness that once made Elizebeth’s heart flutter. She pointed at her. “My knight… are you coming with us?”
Elizebeth’s breath caught. Everyone was watching.
“I…” she stammered. Her heart pounded in her ears.
“Lady Bloodflame,” Nerissa said, voice cool and distant now. “Time is running out. You swore your loyalty to me. Are you taking it back?”
Her gaze… it wasn’t the same. Cold. Unfamiliar. Or maybe it had always been this way, and Elizabeth just too blind to see it.
“You’re breaking my heart, Lady Bloodflame,” Nerissa added with a mock pout.
“Nerissa…”
“Yes, Lady Bloodflame?” Her tone dripped with condescension.
“What Shiori said… is it true?”
“Yes.”
The word slammed into Elizabeth’s chest like a hammer.
She could barely breathe.
“So… everything we did,” she whispered, trembling. “Was that all fake?”
Her fingers brushed the ring Nerissa had given her. All those memories every touch, every whisper, every promise.
“Was it all pretend?”
“Yes,” Nerissa said coldly.
Elizebeth’s knees nearly gave out.
Tears spilled from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks like rain on shattered glass.
“I see…”
She didn’t care who saw her cry now. Her world was collapsing, and the one who built it was the same one tearing it apart.
“Don’t cry, poor knight. You did this to yourself,” Nerissa said, her tone devoid of sympathy.
“You made me this,” she added, each word like a dagger.
“I…” Elizabeth opened her mouth, but no words came. Her voice was gone. Her spirit was crumbling.
“I’m sorry,” she managed.
“You don’t need to apologize again,” Nerissa said with a smile. “You already did that earlier.”
“In fact, I should thank you. You reminded me who I truly am. Without you, I never would have found my purpose.”
Each word Nerissa spoke was like ash in Elizabeth’s mouth. It burned......it hurt so bad......
So it was all my fault i had hurt her, she wouldn't be like this if i didn't push her away.......elizebeth thought to herself as she look at nerissa infront the beauty carefree girk she once knew was gone replace by a cold and cruel women..
“THAT’S ENOUGH! I WILL NOT ALLOWED YOU TO HURT LADY BLOODFLAME NO MORE” Rao shouted, stepping forward with fury in her eyes.
“Pandora,” Nerissa said mockingly. “You always pined for Lady Bloodflame, but in the end, you found your happiness elsewhere. Congratulations on your marriage to Lady Shakira.”
She clapped slowly, sarcastically.
“You—WITCH!” Rao lunged, but Shakira held him back.
“Nerissa, that’s enough,” Shiori said. “We have to go.”
A portal shimmered open behind them.
“Wait—Nerissa, please!” Elizebeth cried, reaching out.
Nerissa paused, pulled out the ring Elizebeth had given her.
Without a glance, she tossed it aside.
“It was never yours to keep.”
“Bau bau, see you later,” Mococo said as the portal closed behind them.
And then…
They were gone.