Time had passed like an endless dream—long and lonely. The isolation in the past was so overwhelming that Rae began to feel she was teetering on the brink of insanity. Would she be trapped in the past for eternity? Would she ever return to the present?
A soft, familiar hum pierced the silence, faint as a whisper in the wind. Rae froze, her breath hitching. It grew louder, a voice she hadn't heard in so long that it almost felt unreal.
"Liza… is that you?" she croaked, her voice rough, frayed like an old rope.
["Yes, Master."] The calm, melodic voice resonated in her mind, soothing the cracks in her sanity.
["Your body required extensive repairs, so I went into sleep mode to preserve energy. That's why I couldn't reach you sooner."]
Rae's throat tightened as relief washed over her like a long-awaited rainstorm. "It's good to hear you again. Do you… do you know where I am?"
["Not yet. Your brainwaves indicate you're trapped somewhere in the past, but I'm still determining your spatial and temporal coordinates. Once I locate them, I can synchronize our positions and pull you back to the present."]
The despair that had chained Rae's heart shattered. She swiped at her damp cheeks, a watery smile tugging at her lips. Hope. Finally. "Thank you, Liza. I'll see you soon."
A spark of hope ignited in Rae's heart. The desolation that had consumed her for so long was finally beginning to vanish. The thought of returning home filled her with warmth. She couldn't wait to tell Merle and the vampires about her experiences. Her mother was probably beside herself with worry—she could already picture the tearful, suffocating embrace awaiting her. Mr. Harold and the others must be concerned as well. Time worked differently here, and although Rae had spent nearly two years in the past, she wasn't sure how much time had passed in the present.
After what felt like an eternity, Liza's voice returned, breaking the silence.
[I've pinpointed your coordinates. Synchronizing now.]
Darkness swept over Rae once again, but this time, it felt different. It wasn't cold or suffocating; it was warm, comforting even. Joy flooded her heart as the faces of her loved ones drifted through her thoughts. She was going home.
Seconds later, a soft light broke through the void. Rae blinked her eyes open, letting them adjust to her surroundings. Her heart leapt—she was back in her room. Nothing much had changed. To her left, Eleanor sat beside the bed. When Eleanor noticed Rae stirring, her face lit up with relief.
"My lady, do you recognize me?" Eleanor asked hesitantly.
"Of course I do. Why would you ask such a thing?" Rae replied, frowning.
"It's just… lately, you've been acting quite peculiar, almost like you were a different person. But it's good to have you back."
Rae processed Eleanor's words, realizing what must have happened. Liza must have been in control of my body while my consciousness was stuck in the past.
"You're probably wondering where the others are," Eleanor continued. "Don't worry—they're out searching for Miss Trina. She's been missing since the duel."
"Wait, what?!" Rae exclaimed, alarmed. "How long has it been since the duel?"
"It's been about six days," Eleanor answered softly.
Six days. Rae's eyes widened in shock. She had spent two years in the past, yet only six days had passed here.
"Thank you for looking out for me, Eleanor," Rae said, steadying herself. "Do you know where Miss Merle is? I need to speak with her—and my mother, too. I thought she'd be here waiting for me to wake up."
Eleanor hesitated. "Well… I think we should see Mr. Harold first."
The long pause and the tone of Eleanor's voice sent a chill through Rae. Nothing good is about to happen, she thought uneasily.
Eleanor helped her out of bed, but Rae's body betrayed her. Her legs wobbled, unable to support her weight, and her arms felt leaden, as though she had spent days lifting heavy weights. Even standing required immense effort.
Seeing Rae struggle, Eleanor knelt beside her. "Allow me to carry you, my lady."
Rae didn't argue. Eleanor lifted her onto her back, and they set off toward Mr. Harold's office. The walk was cloaked in heavy silence, each step amplifying Rae's anxiety. Her mind raced with questions she couldn't bring herself to ask.
Finally, they arrived at the office. Mr. Harold looked up as they entered, relief softening his features. "Eleanor, what can I—Rae! You're awake. I was so worried. I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Thank you, father. I'm still recovering, but I'll be fine in a few days."
"That's good to hear," Harold said.
Then Rae noticed the hesitation in his eyes. "So Where's my mom?" Rae asked, cutting to the chase
"… your mother isn't here, " Harold replied in a low voice
"No, I was expecting her," Rae replied, frowning. "Where is she?"
Mr. Harold sighed deeply, his expression darkening. "There was an incident while you were… away. A large horde of monsters—two or three times the size of what we'd ever seen—appeared out of nowhere. We had little time to prepare. Many adventurers were injured, and some… didn't survive."
Rae's heart pounded as dread seeped into her bones. "What are you saying?" she whispered.
"We had to evacuate the town. The best of our forces stayed behind to hold the monsters off so the townspeople could escape. Your mother—Miss Crystal—chose to remain. She wanted to heal the injured. I tried to convince her to leave, but she refused. She said she couldn't abandon the town her daughter calls home."
Tears streamed down Rae's face before she even realized she was crying. She could feel the weight of his next words before he spoke them.
"I'm sorry, Rae. She… didn't make it."
A wave of grief crashed over her, paralyzing her thoughts. It was unlike anything Rae had ever felt—a despair so intense it left her body writhing in pain. The sensation was strangely familiar, yet entirely foreign—a deep and consuming sorrow.
"No," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "She can't be gone."
A thought suddenly pierced the haze of her grief. This was a world of magic—so there had to be a way to bring back the dead. And if there was, only one person would know how.
"What about Merle? Where is she?" Rae asked desperately.
Another voice entered the room. Maggie stepped forward, her face pale and her eyes glistening with tears.
"I'm sorry… she didn't make it either," Maggie whispered. "It was my fault."
The grief was unbearable. Rae's chest tightened, and a storm of emotions she had never known erupted within her. Anguish. Rage. Despair.
"Rae! Calm yourself—you'll cause a mana storm!" Mr. Harold's voice barely broke through the chaos.
But Rae couldn't hear him. Someone—something—had taken her loved ones away. She didn't know how, but her feet carried her toward the forest of Monsters. Every monster that appeared before her met its end in her blind, unrelenting fury.
"Rae, stop!" Eleanor's voice echoed in her mind. "Please, my queen! This won't ease your pain. It won't bring them back! I feel what you feel—the bond we share is stronger than we realized. But killing these monsters won't help you. Come back to us."
Eleanor's plea broke through. Rae stopped. She was trembling, tears mixing with blood and dirt.
Killing monsters won't bring them back, Rae realized. I need to find the one responsible.
Back at the mansion, after much thought Rae pieced it together. Demons could manipulate monsters, forcing them into armies. But to control such a massive horde, the culprit had to be an archdemon—one of immense power.
The answer was clear. It was the Demon King or one of his servants.
Rae clenched her fists. If she wanted vengeance, she would have to become strong enough to defeat him.