Lillian spends the next thirty minutes getting to work. She did not bother with conversations after that and it seemed Bridget did not have the strength to talk anymore.

‘Have you disfigured another person before so badly that they wish you would kill them instead? Have you broken their limbs so slowly that they want to rip it off themselves?’ This was her sister Bridget’s current state.

‘I cut up her arm several times, and moved her body parts around. For example one of her eyes was now on her neck, and her entire body was badly burned. One of her fingers was on her mouth- hmm maybe I can do more. It seemed that kid already did something to her face so I simply added a few additional touches.’

How corrupted can a person fall? How much evil deeds does it take for people to refer to that individual as a devil?

Lillian already understood that there was no turning back for her. Doing something like this is so simple for her, and she enjoys it. She takes pleasure in watching people fall into despair, their anguished cries sound like music. It sounds like a gorgeous melody that she would dance too.

‘I already knew, but this is the first time I am acknowledging how crazy I can get-‘ Her gaze fell on Bridget. If it is easier to do this with somebody who shares the same blood as her then she wonders if she could do this to him too.

Lillian closed her eyes as she recalled what she did to Aaron. Was it painful for her when she hurt him? The answer was no. She just felt like it was the right thing to do. It did not matter what method she used but she had to get him to give up on those naive thoughts.

He wanted to take her away and run away? She laughed at the memory. What on earth was he thinking pulling such a crazy stunt?

Twelve entire years have passed, she is no longer the same as she was before. But he must have realized that too and still came.

‘What a fool.’

How much despair does it take to look so broken? She is curious what Bridget did to him. Even during that day he learned her true nature, Aaron’s eyes remained the same. What did Bridget do to him to make that cheerful man filled with hope fall into so much despair?

Her thoughts broke off when she heard a frantic cry of Lillian.

Lillian turned her head and saw Lucas standing there at the doorway. He moves past the wall of flames easily.

“You’re here, you’re a bit late.”

“…”

“Then again I did change the plans.” Lillian trailed off and saw a familiar scroll on Lucas pouch. “It seemed you understood that I was a mere diversion.”

Lucas didn’t reply but he gradually got closer and draped his cloak over her shoulders, surprising her.

Huh?

“You know I am not against you having your fun. But you said it yourself today is Natalia’s special day.”

At Lucas reminder she frowned. ‘That’s right, that was the reason why in the original plan I was not supposed to use my flames. But, when I realized Aaron would come I went overboard.’

It was a bad habit of hers when she was younger to show off in front of him whenever she got stronger.

It seems there are habits that do not die no matter how much time passes by. She destroyed Natalia’s birthday and made her beloved sister witness a sea of blood and flames.

‘That girl will eventually grow to resent me. No matter how much she tolerates my behaviour now it will not last long.’

“Where is the Empress?” Lillian quickly changed the topic.

“I sent her home, the idiot Ramon is escorting her alongside that Orion fellow. Then I snuck to your father’s office and got the scroll.”

“Good work.”

Lucas looked towards Bridget on the ground. “I have to say though, are your tastes getting worse?”

“Then you should do something too, you always leave it to me.”

At those words Lucas flicked her forehead. “Rather than waste my time on that, give me your hand.”

For a moment she is puzzled before Lucas mumbled injuries. “It’s only a small cut.” She grazed the center of her hand when the red spider lilies surrounded her blade earlier.

“Tsk, those things are infected in darkness.” Lucas trailed off and tore his sleeves.

Lillian watched as he made a makeshift bandage and wrapped it around the wound.

“We can treat it later, but for now we should stop the bleeding.”

‘Why does this person continue to treat me with such kindness? I have always wondered why he stayed by me all these years. I am more than aware that he could leave at any time. I stopped him that one time but if he truly wanted to go he would have done so a long time ago.’

Why does he stay when he clearly dislikes her methods?

What an unusual person, even though he is supposedly the coldest magician in history. He is a very kind and gentle person. He does have a rude mouth, always insulting her. But he only lectures her whenever she does something careless.

This person is filled with so much kindness. When she realized that she wanted to pull away from him and distance herself from him. But it did no good, her actions seemed to have drawn them closer.

…

She was bedridden with a fever for the next four days, but on the fifth day Lillian could no longer take it. So she put on her knight uniform and made her way towards the training grounds in the imperial castle.

It was early, so there were not many people there. She managed to easily slip through the sleepy guards at the gate. Lillian appeared at the training grounds to see some familiar faces.

“It’s the commander!”

People immediately surrounded her.

“General welcome back!”

“I see your all so spirited early in the morning.”

“But general rumor had it that you had a terrible fever.”

“Idiot if that was the case she wouldn’t be here now. It takes ages for people to heal from a fever.”

‘If these idiots knew she still had a fever, they will most-likely send me away.’ She does not like being cooped up in her room for so long, since it gives those things an excuse to invade her mind.

“Without you the vice commander has been acting strangely. The other day he was reciting an unusual set of numbers.”

“Right, right he gets lonely when your not here-” At those words somebody hits the ginger haired soldier across the head. There standing behind her was a familiar man with violet coloured hair wearing an unusual cape.

“Alex.” She addressed the man. “It’s been awhile.”

*UNEDITED*