Chapter 13


    From time to time, Elizabeth would dream.


    And after waking up she would always tell her mother about it.


    Mom, I met mister elephant in my dream yesterday!


    Really? Then should we go to the zoo today?


    Wow! Really? Ill get dressed now.


    Her mother had always fulfilled her dreams.


    When cotton candy appeared in her dream, her mother would buy her cotton candy, and when dolls appeared, her mother would buy her a doll.


    So before going to bed every night she would eagerly wish for a pleasant dream.


    Hehe. Its like magic! Mom always makes my dreamse true.


    You didnt know? Mom is actually a magician~ So my darling, what kind of dream do you want to have today?


    HmmOh! I hope pork cutlets appear in my dream today!


    Then we better buy the ingredients in advance, right?


    Right! Right!


    That very night. In her dream, she saw her mother hospitalized.


    My darlingIm sorry mom is sick. I was supposed to make you pork cutlets today.


    N-no! Its my fault that mom is sick because I keep making you tiredSo Ill make you pork cutlets when you get better.


    HuhuWhat a good daughter.


    But her mother grew weaker and weaker.


    A rare disease without a name.


    No matter what treatment was used, it was all useless.


    Her appearance became like that of a nt whose roots had already dried up.


    My darlingif mom diesUncles wordsYou have to listen well, okay?


    No! Mom wont die! You cant say that!


    Huhumy lovelydaughter, Imsorry I cant stay with you longerKeuk!


    M-mom! No! Y-you cant die!


    And thenThe day she saw her mother die in her dream.


    Elizabeth knew her dream had be a reality.


    From then on, she became afraid of the night.


    * * * * * * * * * *


    A certain kind of dream. An irresistible nightmare that repeated every day.


    It always began with a green mist appearing above a city.


    Light green powder continues to fall from the sky as it mysteriously wraps around the city as if being blessed by a fairy.


    All the while its citizens watch on vacantly at the beautiful scenery.


    [No! Quickly run away!]


    Elizabeth cried out. But her voice couldnt reach them.


    Meanwhile, the green powderpletely nketed the city.


    Children, adults, men, women. Everyone breathed in the green powder.


    [Ah, no!]


    People copsed helplessly on the ground as dark green grass began to sprout from their bodies.


    Keuaak!


    S-save me!


    Screams filled every corner of the city that had fallen into chaos.


    [P-please stop! Stop!]


    There was nothing she could do as she watched the ongoing horror. It was just an empty scream that no one could hear.


    Waah! Mom!


    A child who had lost his parents was crying by himself.


    [Its dangerous here! Please run away!]


    But the child didnt move. He cried and embraced the pine tree next to him as the screams around him grew.


    And soonThe child too, had turned into a pine tree.


    [Whywhy is this happening!?]


    Facing the sight, she closed her eyes tightly.


    Meanwhile, nts continued to sprung up endlessly. The world was gradually dyed by the color green.


    [PleaseSomeone please help me!]


    Even though she knew no one could hear her, and even though she knew it was a dream that she would soon wake up from


    She yelled.


    However, like always, her dream was running toward its end. Everywhere was being overtaken by the forest, and the gray city was gradually returning to nature.


    The nightmare would soon end. And maybe someday, thisndscape in her dream would be a reality.


    [I couldnt stop it this time either]


    A dream that always repeated. An unpreventable fate.


    She was helpless in front of it. The only thing she could do was experience the pain ahead of others.


    [I cant even stop it anywayWhy show these scenes to me only?]


    At the moment she became frustrated, in front of her, she noticed a different scene than usual.


    There was an unidentified beast. A monster emitting an ominous energy that was difficult to describe in words.


    It was leisurely looking at the growing trees in the middle of the green city.


    [Theres never been a scene like this before]


    She carefully approached the beast.


    [By any chanceCan you hear me?]


    She looked at the beast and wondered if it could really hear her voice.


    It was a small change, but it was the first difference in this world.


    So she shouted.


    [Please help me!]


    [If this continues, everyone will die!]


    [We dont have much time left!]


    The beast opened its big mouth andughed. Before long, it began spewing hot mes from its mouth.


    ck smokes covered the sky as the fierce mes burned the forest from all sides.


    ThenThe unknown beast smiled brightly at the burning forest.


    As if I was going to burn everything in the world.


    After everything was burned, the beast turned away without care.


    [S-save me too!]


    She shouted desperately.


    [Please take me out of here!]


    But the beast disappeared farther and farther away, as if it couldnt hear her voice.


    Soon, Elizabeth slowly woke up.


    * * * * * * * * * *


    Ha


    Elizabeth let out a small sigh with a disappointed look.


    <em>In the end, it didnt show up today either.</em>


    A strange beast had suddenly appeared in her dream one day. So over several days, she had forced herself to sleep with the hope of meeting it again.


    However, after that day, only the same nightmare repeated and the beast she had hoped to see never appeared.


    <em>What the hell was that?</em>


    Scenes from that time were still vivid in her mind.


    The way the beast was happilyughing alone in the huge me as if it was going to swallow the world.


    She thought maybe it would be the one to release her from this curse, but seeing that nothing had changed in her life since then, she realized that her expectations might have been unwarranted.


    I want to live freely too.


    She got out of bed and stood in front of a mirror. Reflected in the mirror was an adult woman with full features.


    <em>My body has grown this much, so why am I</em>


    It had already been 20 years since her mother passed away and she began living with her uncle.


    For an elf, she had reached adulthoodst year, but she was still afraid of theing nights like a child.


    <em>Why am I the only one suffering like this?</em>


    Even though she asks herself this every day, she still couldnt find a reason.


    Others might be envious of her who could see the future, but to her, it was a curse that couldnt be escaped.


    Knowing the future but still powerless to change itRather, it seemed to only be an emotional burden.


    Haa


    A deep sigh leaked out. And then,


    <em>Click</em>


    Someone opened the door without knocking and entered the room.


    An elf in his mid 50s who gave off a schrly atmosphere. It was her uncle, Rastus.


    U-uncle?


    He looked at her standing in front of the mirror silently for a while. Soon, he closed the door and approached her.


    Youre bing more and more like your mother, Elizabeth.


    Saying so, he slowly swept her hair aside.


    I-is that so?


    Wait a little longer. That day isnt too far away now


    Thinking of the day he was referring to, she trembled a little. She felt as if her whole body was crawling with bugs.


    Gently pushing away the hand that had been caressing her, she changed the subject nonchntly.


    Wh-what brings uncle here this morning?


    Im here to regte your physical condition.


    R-regte?


    In front of the nervous Elizabeth, Rastus took out an ampoule bottle containing a ck liquid.


    ***


    [ Trantor  Yasi ]


    [ Proofreader  Karane ]


    Oh


    After seeing it, she spat out a small groan.


    The bottle he was currently holding in his hand was extracted from a nt called the Flower of Shadow that hade from the otherworld, and it was one of her least favorite drugs because of the terrible pain.


    You might not like it, but endure it. This is a necessary procedure.


    Yes.


    For his personal goal, he has been molding his young nieces body for a long time.


    And because of that, she had gained numerous mysterious abilities, such as being able to listen to the voices of nts and controlling shadows. However, she had never wanted such abilities.


    Okay, take off your clothes and lie on the bed.


    N-now?


    I have a lot to deal with today. It wont take too long, so hurry up and lie down.


    As the nned day drew near, the frequency of him regting her body had gradually increased.


    She hated these times of entrusting herself to her uncle.


    I understand.


    Her long ears were dyed red as she began to take off her pajamas piece by piece.


    The beautiful and immacte white skin was explicitly revealed under the bright sunlight.


    If someone had been watching this secretly, they would never have been able to avert their eyes.


    However, like a dry tree, Rastus looked at her body with an emotionless look.


    It was as if he was inspecting a machine for repair.


    Lying on the bed with her chest covered, she asked in a trembling voice.


    T-today How long will it take?


    Didnt I just say? It wont take too long.


    Rastus said as he opened the lid of the bottle and poured the liquid over Elizabeths body.


    Sticky, ck liquid flowed down the curve of her body little by little.


    Shortly after.


    Keuk!


    From the pores all over her body, liquids of the same color as those from the bottle began to flow out.


    She frowned and bit her lips to endure the pain, but soon after, with the feeling of her body being ripped apart, she screamed.


    Aahh! S-stop!! I-it hurts, uncle!


    Ignoring her cries, Rastus calmly checked the data on his tablet.


    Hmmthe assimtion rate is quite stable, and the output remains unchanged as well. If its this much, its okay to push the limit for the time being.


    Agh! U-uncle! P-please


    For a while, her cries continued.


    By the time the endless screams seemed to have subsided, Rastus had put his tablet away.


    Good job. Theres nothing else on the schedule today, so take a good rest in your room.


    After saying so, he left the room without batting an eye.


    And soon, the ck liquids that flowed out of Elizabeths skin slowly permeated into her body.


    Haakhaak


    It was only then that she could catch her breath. In the lone room, only the sound of her panting resonated.


    Her face was covered with sweat and tears.


    <em>I dont want to do this anymore.</em>


    Hellish days that began after her mothers death. Like what her mother had said, her uncle definitely cared for her.


    But it wasnt warm love. It was closer to taking care of a cherished tool.


    And as a tool, she might one day be used to kill countless people.


    <em>Id rather disappear than let it happen</em>


    If that was the case, she thought at least she would be able to dy her uncles n a little longer


    Without wearing any clothes, she stared nkly at the ceiling for a while.


    She wasnt thinking about anything in particr, but strangely enough, tears began to flow.


    As if she was in a deep swamp, she felt as if her whole body was slowly sinking into the bed.


    <em>I wish someone would take me out.</em>


    After an unknown amount of time. She sensed that the outside had be noisy all of a sudden.


    <em>What is it?</em>


    She slightly turned her head and looked out the window.


    A fire was seen rising from far away. It was a huge me simr to the one she had seen in her dream.


    W-wah?!


    Surprised, she wiped away her tears and jumped to her feet.


    <em>Why is there a fire all of a sudden? Over there is the garden, so wasnt it thoroughly managed by uncle?</em>


    All sorts of thoughts passed her mind, but none made sense.


    F-fire! 119! 119! N-no! First of all, I need to wet a towel


    The moment she was in a hurry and recalling her evacuation training


    She noticed an unidentified liquid seeping through the venttion window.


    W-wah?!


    The liquid was moving from ce to ce and flowing down slowly as if it was alive.


    <em>Whats that? What did uncle do this time?</em>


    Wary of the liquid, she slowly stepped back.


    Once the liquid finally invaded the room, it gradually fused together and its form began to change.


    Then at some point, the liquid had turned into a boy who looked to be 12 years old.


    ?!


    The boy looked around the room slowly, then he asked her.


    Are you Elizabeth?


    B-before thatWho are you?


    The boy stared at her for a moment before curling his lips and smiling.


    That smileElizabeth thought it somehow resembled the beast she had seen in her dream.


    * * * * * * * * * *


    After setting the garden on fire, I took advantage of the confusion to infiltrate the mansion.


    Fortunately, there were no traps or traces of magic inside.


    Thus, I decided to start from the upper floors and make my way down for now.


    I climbed up to the third floors venttion window.


    However, the mansion was sorge and spacious that despite me having searched for a long time, not even half of it had been explored.


    This was going to be troublesome


    As soon as I thought to change my strategy,


    <em>Aahh</em>


    I heard a faint scream in the distance. It hade from the west side of the building opposite to where I was. It seemed I better start there.


    As I slowly moved towards that building, I saw a man leaving the room inside just as I was about to enter.


    The scream from earlier had belonged to a woman, so there were at least two people.


    Fortunately, the timing was good. If I had entered a little earlier, it might have been a 1:2 situation.


    But just in case, I waited for a moment before sliding into the room.


    And then


    There was an elf woman, who looked to be in her early 20s, standing naked.


    At that moment, I heard a pleasant notification in my ears.


    <em>Ding!</em>


    [ Condition for the Challenge  Flower of Shadow (Chain Quest) has been met. ]


    [ Find the Flower of Shadow (Completed). ]


    So it was here.


    There seemed to be a Flower of Shadow somewhere in this room. But unfortunately, the Challenge wasnt over yet.


    [ Challenge updated. ]


    [Challenge  Flower of Shadow (Chain Quest)]


    Condition: Save Elizabeth.


    Time: 3 months.


    Reward: 1x Random Box (Medium).


    Like I thought, there was no way it would end so easily


    For a Challenge that rewarded a medium-grade box, it would have been strange for it to end here.


    Ignoring the woman in front of me, I read the exnation again.


    Then


    Elizabeth? I think Ive heard of this name somewhere before. But where was it?


    It felt like it was on the tip of my tongue. So for now I asked the woman in front of me.


    Noona, is your name Elizabeth?


    Th-thatWho the hell are you?


    Fortunately, it seemed this woman was dense. Anyway, looking at her now, her appearance looked somewhat familiar.


    I looked her up and down.


    Long ck hair thates down to the waist, a gentle face that was hard to look away from, andeven the bright red eyes that sparkled like rubies.


    Although she was a good-looking woman, there was no one in particr that came to mind as I stared at her.


    But, her ck hair and red eyes were strangely annoying.


    WaitAn elf with ck hair?


    At that moment, the voice of a deep husky woman passed through my mind.


    [Huhu. Baby, to meet you here again?]


    The first viin to have the ck grade before me, and a leech-like woman who once followed me around in a disgusting way.


    The ck Witch, Elizabeth.


    Once again, I looked the elf in front of me up and down.


    The air waspletely different from then, but slowly looking at her features, my guess seemed to be right.


    But, what the hell was this woman doing here?


    Because of the stark contrast, I stared at her nkly for a while.


    Soon, she covered her body with her hands and blushed.


    C-can you not stare at me like that?


    The infamous witch was acting like a little girl.


    To be honest, it was unimaginable even though I was seeing it with my own eyes. This pathetic woman who would grow into an SS viin in the next 15 years


    As expectedIts fun.


    My brain started to move as I thought of ways to deal with the fellow in front of me.