In my astonishment, I jolted awake.
Surrounding the room was a single, pure white color, the corners of the walls were almost unobservable, giving the feeling of infinitely wide.
A man sat across from me, in an unknown space, just like that dream.
"Sorry, but you are..."
He stood up and turned his face away.
"I'm Certilian, but maybe you should call me Elinor from now on."
My heart tightens when I hear that name, Elinor...
The eldest daughter of the family, Elinor was once forced to participate in the Zerciel ritual due to our family's suspicion of her being a Saintess.
Before the ceremony 5 years ago, she left me her notebook.
Everything I know about our family and this damn ritual comes from her.
I would not have been alive if Elinor hadn't sacrificed herself.
Her needless death drove my father insane, and in his desperation he demanded that the ritual be performed at any cost when I turned 20, and that Elinor was taken to be executed.
Raymond tried to act to the end, but he himself probably couldn't stand his feeling being hidden.
And now, the person standing in front of me called himself Elinor. This mysterious man.
Is Certilian really Elinor?
How is it possible…
I struggled to lift my legs, trembling step by step forward.
"Certilian… what are you talking about? How do you know about Elinor?"
He turned around, a smile on his lips, and to my amazement, the man's face was exactly like Elinor's.
"Because I'm Elinor, your sister."
I rubbed my eyes repeatedly, punching myself in the arm, trying my best to get out of this monstrous dream.
The one who died when it was discovered that she wasn't a Saintess, my older sister, was standing in front of me, with the face and identity of a complete stranger.
Why… my life up to now is full of monstrous and cruel jokes.
Not knowing what was real and what was a dream, tears began to leak from the tear glands.
Am I crying…
What am I crying for?
My dead sister suddenly stood in front of me, nightmares continued one after another, eyes of judgment, contempt, the suffering of a miserable girl with no support...
All those damn jokes were for me, for a weak girl, nothing more.
"You are not weak, Cecile. I believe in you. You fought day after day. You did not give up."
I rushed over and hugged her.
"Elinor! Where have you been all this time? I thought you were dead…"
"I really are dead... Well, leave it for later. We don't have much time left."
I squeezed my sister tightly and didn't let go, almost crying.
"But we just met again… I still have a lot of questions!"
Elinor rubbed her hand gently over my head.
"Don't worry, Cecile. I will find you. Definitely, my little sister. Stop whining like that, you're stronger now, aren't you?"
I wiped my tears with my hand, trying to smile as brightly as I could.
"Yea! Just believe in me, I'll stop this curse!"
Elinor nodded, leaving my embrace.
She turned back, raised her hands, and shouted.
"Aš skiriu savo sielą, atidaryk Zarciaus vartus!"