The fog began to dissipate.
Slowly. As if it were in no hurry.
The soldiers of Avernor lay scattered throughout Dreisburg. Some sitting. Others on their knees. Several simply… staring into nothingness.
There were no screams.
No tears.
Only a hollow silence.
The silence of those who have lost something they will never recover.
Their purpose.
Kaito descended from Raven Hill with measured steps.
Adelheid walked at his side, rigid as always, yet there was something different in her posture.
Tension.
—Commander —she said quietly—. Are you certain you want to meet her… now?
Kaito did not answer immediately.
His eyes were fixed on the figure waiting at the center of the square.
Lilith.
Standing. Motionless.
Chains hanging from her body like macabre ornaments.
The crucifix dragging behind her.
—She is my summoning —he replied at last—. I cannot avoid her.
Adelheid pressed her lips together.
—That's not what worries me.
Kaito glanced at her.
—Then what does?
Adelheid hesitated.
—Commander… you summoned me first because you needed order. Structure. Discipline.
She paused.
—But her… —she gestured toward Lilith with her gaze— …she is the opposite. She does not build. She destroys from within.
Kaito smiled faintly.
—That is precisely why I need her.
Adelheid stopped.
Kaito kept walking.
—A kingdom is not conquered by order alone, Adelheid. It is also conquered by sowing doubt. Fear. Uncertainty.
He looked back at her.
—You are my sword.
Then he looked toward Lilith.
—She is my poison.
Adelheid said nothing.
But something tightened in her chest.
It's not just that… is it, commander?
You also want to know… how far you can go.
---
Kaito stopped five meters from Lilith.
She did not move.
She merely observed him with those golden eyes—bright, empty.
—Commander Kaito —she said in a soft, almost sing-song voice—. At last, we meet.
Kaito studied her in silence.
Not with fear.
With curiosity.
—Lilith.
She tilted her head.
—Disappointed?
—Should I be?
Lilith smiled.
—Most men are. They expect a witch. A monster. Something easy to hate.
She took a step forward.
The chains clinked.
—But I am only… a woman who learned how to survive.
Kaito did not retreat.
—By poisoning peasants and kings.
—By surviving —she corrected— by understanding that blind faith is more dangerous than any toxin.
Her eyes locked onto his.
—Don't you agree… commander?
Kaito held her gaze.
—I do.
Lilith blinked, surprised.
—Well then. How honest.
She moved closer.
Too close.
Kaito could smell her perfume.
Sweet. Floral.
With a hint of… something else.
Something rotten.
Like flowers laid upon a grave.
—Tell me —Lilith whispered—. Why did you summon me?
Kaito did not look away.
—Because I needed to break something swords cannot cut.
—And that is…?
—Conviction.
Lilith smiled widely.
—Ah… —she exhaled, as if tasting something exquisite—. Then you truly understand me.
She turned, circling Kaito.
Chains dragging along the ground.
—Conviction is the most dangerous weapon in the world, commander. It makes people kill without hesitation. Die without questioning. Obey without thinking.
She stopped behind him.
—But it is also… the most fragile.
Kaito felt her breath at the back of his neck.
—Because all it takes is a single question —Lilith whispered— for everything to collapse.
—Why?
Kaito closed his eyes.
—Exactly.
Lilith laughed softly.
—I like you, commander. You are… refreshing.
She returned to stand before him.
—Tell me, what do you want me to do?
Kaito looked straight at her.
—I want you to break the kingdom from within. Not with battles. With doubt.
Lilith tilted her head, intrigued.
—And how do you propose I do that?
—By letting the soldiers return.
Adelheid, who had remained silent, stepped forward.
—What? Commander, that is—
—Intentional —Kaito interrupted.
He looked at the scattered soldiers.
—If we kill them, they become martyrs. Fallen heroes. The kingdom will use them as propaganda.
He turned back to Lilith.
—But if they return… broken. Empty. Unable to explain what happened to them…
Lilith finished the thought, her eyes shining.
—The kingdom will be filled with fear.
Kaito nodded.
—Exactly. Fear is not fought with swords. It spreads. Like a virus.
Lilith clapped slowly.
—Brilliant. Cruel. Effective.
She stepped closer and extended a gloved hand.
—I accept, commander. But on one condition.
Kaito frowned.
—What is it?
Lilith smiled.
—That you allow me to whisper your name. Just once.
The air grew tense.
Adelheid stepped forward instinctively.
—That is unacceptable. Commander, she could—
—Could what? —Lilith interrupted, never taking her eyes off Kaito—. Erase him? Control him?
She laughed.
—Oh, dear Adelheid. If I wanted to do that, I would have already done so.
Adelheid stiffened.
—Then why ask?
Lilith finally looked at her.
—Because I want to know… whether he trusts me.
Silence fell.
Kaito studied Lilith for several seconds.
Then, without hesitation, he stepped forward.
—Go ahead.
—Commander! —Adelheid protested.
Kaito raised a hand.
—I trust her.
Adelheid opened her mouth… but said nothing.
Do you trust her… or are you testing her?
Lilith smiled.
—How brave. Or how foolish. I haven't decided yet.
She moved closer until their faces were mere centimeters apart.
She raised a hand and gently touched Kaito's chest.
Right over his heart.
—Kaito Yukimura —she whispered.
The voice echoed.
Not in the air.
Inside him.
Kaito felt something strange.
A chill.
A hollow sensation.
As if something had opened within his chest.
But nothing vanished.
He did not forget.
He simply… felt.
Lilith stepped back, surprised.
—Well now… —she murmured—. How interesting.
—What? —Kaito asked.
Lilith looked at him with a mixture of fascination and… respect.
—Your name is… protected.
Kaito frowned.
—Protected?
—Not by magic —Lilith clarified—. By conviction.
She smiled.
—You know exactly who you are. And why you are here. That certainty… is a shield.
She turned away.
—Congratulations, commander. You passed my test.
Kaito exhaled slowly.
It wasn't a test. It was a warning.
Adelheid approached, watching Lilith warily.
—If you ever do that again without permission…
Lilith glanced at her.
—What will you do, dear? Order me to kneel?
Her golden eyes gleamed.
—I already tried that with you. Remember?
Adelheid froze.
She… she whispered my name.
Lilith smiled.
—Relax. I didn't erase you. I merely… tested your will.
She stepped closer to Adelheid until they stood face to face.
—And I must admit… you are strong. Stronger than most.
She inclined her head.
—But not invincible.
Adelheid clenched her fists.
—If you ever try to harm the commander—
Lilith laughed.
—Oh, dear. If I wanted to harm him, I wouldn't use poison.
She turned away, walking toward the edge of the square.
—I would use the truth.
Chains dragging behind her.
—And that… is far more lethal.
---
When Lilith disappeared into the shadows, Adelheid turned to Kaito.
—Commander… that woman is dangerous.
Kaito nodded.
—I know.
—Then why…?
—Because danger aimed at the enemy —Kaito replied— is an advantage.
He looked toward where Lilith had vanished.
—And because… I need to know how far I can go.
Adelheid watched him in silence.
You are changing, commander.
And I don't know… whether that is a good thing or a bad thing.
---
Far from Dreisburg — Temporary Camp
Among the trees, the soldiers of Avernor who had fled watched from a distance.
They had seen the fog.
They had heard the screams.
And now… they saw their comrades.
Walking.
Like living dead.
Aimless.
Without purpose.
—What… what did they do to them? —one whispered.
No one answered.
Because they all knew.
Something worse than death.
---
At the Center of Dreisburg — Eldric
The hero remained kneeling on the ground.
His sword planted in the earth.
His eyes… empty.
—Who… am I? —he murmured.
A soft voice replied.
—No one important.
Eldric looked up.
Lilith stood before him.
She knelt to his level.
—But you could be… if you choose to remember.
She touched his forehead.
—The question is… do you want to remember?
Eldric trembled.
—I… I don't know…
Lilith smiled.
—Then rest, hero. When you awaken… you will decide.
She stood.
And vanished into the fog.
Leaving Eldric alone.
With a question he could not answer.
Who am I?