{Name: Reese (Reese Rine);

Race: Intelligent Blood Homunculus;

Age: 0

/

Attributes:

[S] Vitality

[A] Strength

[A+] Dexterity

[A] Agility

[S+] Mana

[A+] Intelligence

/

Gifts:

[Passive Trait: Hero’s Researcher]^^;

[Shadow Magic: Shadow Empress]^^^;

[Charm Magic: Transient Servitude]^^}

/

“Even her stats got buffed.”

“Is her soul still inside?”

“I guess? There’s a bracket beside her name which says it’s her true name,” Risa muttered with arms crossed. “Seriously, what happened? Earlier in the afternoon she said she wanted my brother’s baby, now she’s a homunculus?”

“...” Evelyn lowered her head.

Gather in the pagoda’s living room, Sequencee, Risa, and Evelyn studied this creature before them.

“Whatever. If she’s fine, then good. Keep a look out for her for a while, I need to find Schwii,” Sequencee got up.

“Master, where are you going?”

“You stay here and obey Risa.”

“Affirmative. Risa is set as the second master.”

“Reese, revert to your previous personality and use that,” Risa said.

“No history of previous personality.”

“I mean the one before you died and became a homunculus.”

“Affirm.. eh? I'm a homunculus now?” Reese blinked. She touched her face, pulled her nostrils and puffed out her cheeks.

“That’s good. You’re back,” Risa heaved a relieved sigh.

“This feels odd.. Seque.. I mean, master. What happened?”

“Don’t bother. I’ll fix it myself.”

“So something happened? What happened?” All Reese knew was that something didn’t go as planned. She didn’t know the details.

Sequencee walked out of the room. A beat later, Reese turned to Risa.

“Risa, it’s a bummer how I need to ask you permission for this but let me go. I need to protect my master,” Reese said seriously.

Risa nodded.

“Yes!”

Reese sank into the shadows and whizzed out.

Risa turned to Evelyn with a frown.

“What did I say?”

“Sorry..” tears formed in her eye.

Risa sighed. She shifted herself over to Evelyn’s side and stroked her back as she sobbed.

‘There’s so many things going on, I wonder how big brother is doing?’

===

“So what’s the plan?” Reese asked.

“Go back.”

The elevator stopped at the floor of their apartment.

“I don’t know much about Schwii. But what I do know is that I can use my gift to change her opinion. I think this is the best option you have.”

“Through manipulation?” Sequencee glared.

“Manipulation? I’d like to think of it as advanced persuasion. Saying that it’s manipulation is no different from saying that you’re being manipulated by her to stop her from leaving you.”

The two of them got out of the elevator. Sequencee stood in front of apartment A312. Memories of his time spent with Schwii flickered like photo albums in his mind. He didn’t want to part with it.

“So? Should we try?” Reese prodded once more.

“What are you going to change about her?”

“What needs changing?” Reese tilted her head.

“...”

“It’s just to bring her back to her normal self, right?”

“Where’s Iona?”

“Why the sudden topic change? Iona was teleported to the depth of the Norcto’s forest. I’m not sure where she is now though. Maybe she’s back.”

“She’s probably back then..”

Sequencee took in a deep breath and opened the door after scanning his student ID.

The living room was dark. A familiar yet distant sense of nostalgia.

‘Ro and Lilian will be coming back soon.’

Sequencee turned on the lights and walked in. He looked at the door to Schwii’s room which was closed.

Sequencee and Reese looked at each other and nodded. They sank into the shadows, seeing the other side, Schwii in bed. They rose from the dark, and a dagger was held to each of their necks.

“Leave,” Iona said in a low, cold voice.

“Iona. Did she tell you what happened?”

“I’m telling you to leave.”

“Which means you’re not afraid of killing me then?” Sequencee locked eyes with her.

“Stop disturbing Her Highness and her rest. She’s been through a lot today, I’m sure you have too,” she said.

“...”

“What should we do, master?” Reese asked as if oblivious of the threat before her.

Sequencee said nothing and took the door out, Reese followed him. He limped his way to his room.

Reese looked around. She thought to ask if it was alright to even be here, but refrained. In this situation, Reese was to Sequencee what Iona was to Schwii– a servant. Which meant that she had to be able to act accordingly.

‘I suppose I should learn about my master's life a little bit more.’

Sequencee laid dead as a log, unmoving. He probably didn’t even care for Reese’s presence by this point.

Reese helped him shut the door, then silencing her footsteps using shadow, she walked to his shelf of books.

She picked them out one and one and sank into her domain to read them.

‘I don’t need sleep anymore, it seems.’

Reference books for magic, an unusual grimoire containing complex hex formulas that even Reese couldn’t decipher. Lastly, Sequencee’s gratitude journal.

“Oh, he keeps one just like me too.”

– I’m grateful that Schwii is always looking out for my flaws.

“How sweet.”

– I’m grateful that I had a mother.

– I’m grateful for being able to talk to the hero as friends.

– I’m grateful that Reese isn’t as bad of a person as I thought.

Reese rolled her eyes, “Am I that dangerous?”

“Reese, hand me my journal,” Sequencee’s voice reverberated all around.

“Whoops, my bad. Here.” She poked her hand out of her domain with the book, feeling Sequencee take it, she pulled her hand back.

‘I wonder where he learnt to keep a gratitude journal?’

It wasn’t something many people of their culture practiced.

Sequencee dropped his journal into the shadow and it fell on Reese’s head. She thought he did it on purpose so she flipped it open.

A new entry for today.

– I’m grateful I didn’t lose sight of what is important even after everything that happened today.

“Why is this familiar..?” Reese tilted her head.

===

“Let’s begin by straightening the facts,” Reese said.

“For what reason do you need to involve yourself in a matter like this?” Schwii queried.

“For master of course.”

“I don’t know what it is that happened to you. Please understand that doing anything to alter my thoughts will not solve the root issue.”

“And what is the root issue?” Sequencee tapped on the table to gather attention.

“That is the decision of our father in order to prevent a world calamity. There is no escape from it.”

“Then tell me what about this world calamity can we help prevent? How certain are you that by following everything he says that things will turn out alright?”

“Sequencee, let me ask you this. Why do you think you’re able to prevent the worst of it?”

“What is the worst of it? If you’re going to argue using questions, I’m going to answer back with questions.”

Schwii still in her nightgown, Sequencee in yesterday's clothes. The skies outside was still dark, dawn was to arrive soon. There was a cup of water placed before Schwii which Sequencee had prepared beforehand.

“That is true. The negotiations wouldn’t come to a conclusion if one keeps asking. In this case, I’ll allow you first the privilege to question me,” Schwii said with a smile.

“Why can’t you just ignore whatever decree father gave us?”

“It is my own decisions that I came to-to accept fathers decision.”

Sequencee clenched his teeth, “You’ll only make yourself suffer if you agree to it, you’re aware of that, right?”

“If I follow father’s words, your safety and security will be guaranteed. That’s first and foremost for me. After that it would be establishing peace between the human nation and the demon nation. My goal for coming before you initially was to release my mother from father’s ordinance. Now that I’ve achieved this, any more would be seen as greedy.”

“So will you say that everything you’ve done for me was an act?”

Schwii showed a troubled smile, “Sequencee, you do realize that it’s unrealistic to expect all love ends well, right? That many failures to persist can come about from family incompatibility or social-political situations, not limited to their depth of feeling to each other, right?”

“You said I would ask you first. Don’t dodge with a question.”

“You’ve asked enough now haven’t you? Isn’t it time that I ask mine?”

Reese sighed inwardly. ‘This is really getting nowhere..’

Schwii was amazing when it came to negotiation and reasoning. Persuading her when she was convinced of something isn't easy. So what exactly was the trigger to her change? Reese wasn’t involved completely in yesterday night’s discussion, so she hadn’t a clue over what key statement it was that flipped her entire life's plans over.

“Sequencee. I do love you, sincerely. But that in itself shouldn’t be an excuse to relieve me of my duty as a demon lord. While you may value your freedom, the ability to do what it is you wish whenever you wish, I don’t have such privileges. I would suggest you find someone who shares your world view. I’m not suitable for you Sequencee, sorry I even tried.”

“Why are you so stubborn? Why do you keep trying to protect me? Why can’t it be the other way around? Why do you have to keep suffering? Schwii, can’t you just, this once, let me fix things?”

“How do you intend to fix something you know nothing about? Sequencee, I appreciate your concern and worry, but some things are just meant to be, you know? I’m sad and anxious about the future just as you are. However, I’m sure after this, although things might not be the same, you will return to living how you were.”

“Are you really happy with this Schwii?”

“Of course I’m not,” she waved her hands dismissively, “I’m not happy. I want to kill my suitors so much that perhaps I should make that my new goal when I return. Ah, I think I can relate to your feelings now Sequencee, why it is that you wished to kill father. I feel it, it hurts..”

A path that guarantees temporary happiness in exchange for an unknown future? Or a path of despair towards the fading starlight of hope?

“I’m sure tens of hundreds of years later, we might be able to come together again. But until then, I believe this is the right move. I know you may not like it, but I’m sure Evelyn can bring you the companionship you need in your life. Leticia too, would be glad to be with you. Please take care of her. Nurturing relationships take time and work, I’m sure it’ll work out fine for you Sequencee, believe me.”

“Can I ask a question?” Reese raised her hand.

“What is it?”

“Which do you think you find more important a decade from now? Your power to influence the world, or the relationships you build?”

Schwii pondered about it for a moment, “Would one render the other invalid? Say if I chose power to influence the world, then I would be unable to build relationships?”

“No, it’s simply a question of which you think is more important on the surface level. To put it in other words, will you fight to live, or die to live?”

“...”

Fight to live, or die to live.

Would it be better to suffer so that you can live as long as possible out of fear of death, or would you face fear and death so you can truly live the life you wish? Desperation, or hope. That was the implication of Reese’s question.

“How about you, Iona? Which one do you think is more important? I’m sure my master is willing to die to live. His reckless behavior wouldn’t make sense otherwise.”

“I will decide depending on Her Highness’ answer.”

“Which is it Schwii?”

“.. what’s the point of living if you can’t stay alive? If you lose everything by only looking at the current pleasantries?”

“To achieve what she had, do you think Hero Rika fought to live, or died to live?”

“She fought.”

“Even though she built this entire city of her dreams?”

“Then she fought to live before she died to live.”

“It’s too bad we don’t have the person here to answer,” Reese sighed. “She was willing to risk her life to save the world so that she can create the life of her dreams, yet it’s undeniable she was scared to die, so she fought in order to survive. While you may be right that she had a bit of both, which side was it that she leaned towards? Think about it carefully, Schwii.”

Schwii fell into a deep, pensive consideration.

“So, can you reconsider your decision? It is very possible to keep peace between both empires while staying with Sequencee. If you believe you’re so weak, then perhaps you are right for choosing to leave. Though, I think you’re much stronger than you yourself think.”

“Are you implying that making this decision is a show of weakness?” Schwii’s voice quivered.

“Yes. You are being cornered like a rat. If it were me, I’d smack my father upside down even if it kills me. Moveover, let’s not forget that we’re only one small piece of the world. Many factors drive the outcome of the future. Of course with one exception,” Reese giggled. “And that lies with the hero. So how about we take the spotlight off ourselves and focus on supporting their cause? I’m sure the demons are nothing before the heroes. It has been proven in history.”

“Do you really think they would be able to resolve something of this nature with their naivety?”

“Then comparing their joy of ignorance to your constant displeasure for knowing too much. While I don’t believe being ignorant is a virtue, some things are best left to the higher order of the universe to decide. In the end, aren’t all of us going to return to the earth? It’s really a matter of when we’ll leave this plane of existence.”

“Reese, did you perhaps use your gift on me?”

“Nope, not at all.”

The two girls smiled at each other.

“Logically, it is easy to see which is the correct path to take, emotionally.. that’s another story,” Schwii giggled. “Sorry.”

Sequencee got up and stood before her.

“Huh?”

He lifted Schwii by the collar.

Iona was about to interfere when Reese had already acted to bind her using her shadow.

Sequencee planted a deep kiss on her lips.

A minute, two minutes. The sounds of their tongues intertwining.

Slowly, they parted.

A string of saliva connected their mouths, a tear streamed down her cheeks.

“Stop it Sequencee.. stop trying to change my mind..” she pleaded softly.

“Reese is right. Why the hell do you let them decide your life?”

“It’s not that Sequencee.. it really just isn’t..” she grabbed his shoulder and pulled herself close to him.

“I’m not going to let you go.”

“You will be engaged to the princess.. that is already an inevitable truth. I don’t foresee the royal family revoking this perfect opportunity.”

–The promise that Schwii will be Sequencee’s only one.

If she wanted to be by his side, she would have to accept that Sequencee’s official wife would be Evelyn. While it is possible to seek protection under the royal family of the human empire, it was unknown when this would lead to romantic conflict that would burn for a lifetime.

While not to the point of being enemies, Schwii and Evelyn never really got along.

“And then we’ll live a life of unhappiness forever. I don’t want that Sequencee.. I don’t want to make you suffer..”

Schwii’s deeper truth– the denial of being part of a harem. That was basically the root of her decision. Not the fear of what would happen to the world, or what he thought of her.

There was no advice Sequencee could give as he himself knew what would become of them in the future– just like how his mother was killed by Schwii’s mother.

“Welp, then you just have to let the princess have it her way until she passes away to old age. She’s not going to live longer than the both of you after all.”

“That would still be around two hundred years or so.”

Reese shook her head to Sequencee’s words.

“Despite Her Majesty being an elf, Her Highness was born a human. Her lifespan shouldn’t be that long. Half it, a hundred years let’s assume.”

‘That’s a messed up way of putting it.’

Schwii didn’t say anything more, she merely hugged Sequencee tighter.

Iona shifted her body to face Reese and bowed deeply.