Elise stared into the distance, her heart heavy with worry. Where was the princess? She was there one moment, and then, just as suddenly, she disappeared.
Elise thought to bring her favorite flowers, hoping they might cheer her up. But when she arrived, the princess was nowhere to be found.
She had to find her, but where should she even begin?
Caring for the princess was the final task the Duke entrusted her with, and Elise couldn't afford to fail him. She couldn't repay his kindness with such incompetence, especially after everything he did for her—saving her from the nightmare that was her life.
Her thoughts drifted back to those days, remembering them as if they happened only yesterday. Her life at the orphanage and later at the church still haunted her.
It all started when she was five years old, a church representative visiting the orphanage for the first time. At such a young age, Elise didn't know what would come of that visit, but it set the stage for the hell that awaited the children there.
The orphanage's benefactors slowly pulled their support, and the church offered to take over the care of the orphans. It took two long years for the orphanage to fully integrate with the church.
During her time there, Elise made friends, the closest of whom was Therese. Therese was like an older sister to her—loving, protective, and always caring. Despite their age gap, they formed a bond that felt as strong as family. Elise admired Therese deeply and often imagined she would grow up to be just like her.
But as the youngest, Elise endured her fair share of teasing from the other children. She was different—unlike the others—and that made her a target for suspicion. While the other children kept their distance, Therese accepted her without hesitation. She defended Elise from the bullying, and over time, the other children began to warm up to her, though Elise suspected Therese's influence was behind that change.
When the children were moved to the church, Therese disappeared without a trace. Elise wondered where she went, but every time she asked, they told her she went off to "do the work of the gods." But as the days passed, more and more children disappeared, and each time, the same excuse was given: they had gone to do the work of the gods.
Eventually, Elise found herself alone. The day arrived when she, too, was told to go and perform the so-called work of the gods. She was washed and prepared for something she didn't fully understand, but she couldn't shake the sinking feeling that something terrible was about to happen.
Her suspicions were confirmed when she overheard church officials discussing the sale of children as slaves. Elise began planning her escape, but the church's security was too complex for a child of her age to navigate.
And then, her fate took a much darker turn.
She was led to a room with an ominous apparatus, a casket-like structure with a circular device at one end and a large box on the side. They placed her inside the casket, and everything after that became a blur. What remained in her memory was the berserk-type ability she gained from the procedure.
It was a traumatizing experience, one that left nightmares in its wake. Elise couldn't help but wonder how those responsible for her suffering could sleep at night. If they slept soundly, they could only be described as pure evil.
The horrors didn't end there. The remaining orphans were placed in what seemed to be a dueling dorm, and Elise was relieved to reunite with them, though that relief quickly turned to sorrow when she realized Therese was not among them.
Then, the command came: they were to kill each other. Elise's blood ran cold as the words echoed in her mind. Children were being forced to kill one another for the amusement of the onlookers.
At first, the children stood frozen, too shocked to move. But then came the chilling ultimatum: "If any of you have not taken a life in the next five minutes, you will automatically die."
What followed was a massacre. Children scrambled to pick up weapons, attacking each other in a frenzy. Most of them turned on Elise, and she did her best to evade their attacks, but her small, eight-year-old body was no match for them. She was wounded multiple times, her vision dimming as she thought she might die right there.
Then, something changed. Rage clouded her mind, and when her senses returned, she found herself standing amidst the bodies of the children she had just slaughtered. She became a monster in their eyes.
The spectators, instead of showing horror, seemed to delight in the bloodshed. Elise was taken back to her room, but that was far from the end of her torment.
Next, she was forced into a duel with Therese. Seeing her sister again should have been a comfort, but the knowledge that she was being made to fight her made it unbearable. Elise couldn't bring herself to hurt Therese, and for a moment, they simply stared at each other, unwilling to follow the command.
But then, something was brought in—some unknown force that stripped them of their senses. They fought like beasts, and when the fog lifted, it was too late. Therese lay there, fatally wounded, while Elise had only minor injuries.
With her last breath, Therese told Elise not to worry, that everything would eventually be well. Elise couldn't hold back the tears. She had killed the sister she loved with her own hands.
The guilt was overwhelming. Elise felt like the pain would consume her, and for a time, it seemed like nothing could silence it.
The church's grip on her was absolute. She had no choice but to obey, to become their weapon, indoctrinated into their hateful doctrine. They taught her about the gods of the sky and their advanced magic, and instilled a deep hatred for demons.
Her life was filled with bloodshed, all in service to the church, and she became their weapon, known as a paladin. But it was just a title—she was nothing more than a tool for them.
That is, until the young duke came to the church and rescued her from the nightmare. He insisted on making her one of his knights. The church protested, but eventually, she was sent into his service.
The duke gave her a new life, rescuing her from the living corpse she became. For that, Elise would be forever grateful. He fought for her freedom, giving her a chance to rebuild her life.
He showed her kindness, and now, she couldn't let him down. Finding the princess was her mission, and she would see it through, even if it meant sacrificing her own life. She owed him that much.