Chapter 83 - Bound By Fate

[The family of Lawyers: Is this a fraud?]

[Those who were supposed to serve justice were criminals! Masses in an uproar!]

[Masses are questioning the court of justice and law.]

She closed the articles containing the latest scandal where her friend was involved. She tiptoed and quietly looked outside from the tall window. Then, on the other side of the building she saw her friend standing atop of the railings with a blank expression on her face. Her friend—the look on her eyes from behind the dry and unkempt hair were dull and lifeless. Her thin and malnourished body was swaying lightly. A slight nudge could make that person fall from the high building.

As she looked at her friend with a worried look on her face, their eyes met. Her friend smiled slightly then a single second pass, like a strong wind blew past her, she fell.

She looked down and saw her friend's face. Her friend was smiling as if sneering at her while her eyes were blaming her, saying 'This is all your fault'

That's right… this was all my fault. If only… if only…

There is no what ifs. What already happened has happened.

There is nothing I can do to change it…No matter how many times I repeat… As this is her fate.

✦✦✦

Ayami covered her eyes using her forearm and let out a deep sigh. After a while, she got up from her bed.

She had been having the same dream every night, though each start was different, all the endings were the same. It really made her mood plummet after having that dream, especially since that dream involves an important someone; the person she needed to save right this very moment.

Celine.

It must have been because she heard that Celine was captured yet she didn't do anything about it. It would really ruin her plans if she went and saved her.

Ayami rolled to the side of the bed and asked Marie, who was sitting not far away from her. "Marie, do you think I'm a bad friend?"

"Young miss, you're pretty dense. You wouldn't even notice that someone likes you until they straight up say it. Oh no, maybe not. You wouldn't even notice that you are already dating with how dense you are."

Ayami raised her brows: ???

"Tsk. What I meant to say is, you don't know how to read the feelings of others. Even a dog can know their owner's mood. Young miss, you're pretty cruel, you know? You left your friend to fend for herself." Marie sneered at her, at the same she felt helpless. It can't be helped. Ayami ended up that way because of the house she grew up in. The people who raised her were inhumane.

"Young miss, it has been two years since you left. Do you still not know how to get along with others? No, are you still treating humans as tools?"

Marie let out a sigh. The memories of the past flashed through her. The young emotionless Ayami who needed to follow orders like a puppet.

"Please remember this young miss. You are not in that house anymore. You don't have to act like the way you were back then. You are free, young miss… At least for now."

There was no saying that they wouldn't take her back. Looking at the situation now, they would forcefully take her back.

Ayami smiled bitterly. She could not do it. Even after years of living she felt she was bound in shackles, restricting her every movement. It felt like she needed to bow down to her fate…

Wait…

Ayami held her throbbing head, her pupils shrinking and she saw a memory.

"You cannot escape. This is your fate, Ayami."

This voice… That peculiar smile and strange clothing… The Guide!

"Soon… you'll lose your memories. Isn't this what you have always wanted? Once you lose your memories, you will be just like a puppet following your fate. You will repeatedly die. You will suffer for eternity. You will be bound to fate until you are sealed in this world. Then, I'll return your memories. Until you break, you will continue to suffer."

The guide laughed, there was a trace of madness in her eyes that gazed upon Ayami, who was chained from all over. Purple glowing letters were inscribed on her body. It told her story and her fated end.

"W-Why…?" Ayami asked, her consciousness dwindling, fragments of memories disappearing.

"You chose this yourself. Don't blame me. I tried to guide you towards your destination but you deviated from the path. Now look at your state… Fufu… what a sight to see~"

"Now then, don't worry. You're in good hands. I will guide you to the right path, to your 'End'."

Ayami sneered, "You just want to seal me away and take this 'thing' away from me."

"Eh? No, no. The 'higher-ups' ordered this. This is your punishment…" Then the Guide pointed at the center of her body. There was a large distortion and a powerful energy was leaking through it. "As for 'that'… It's such a shame that I'll have to wait for you to weaken. If you only gave it to me, then this wouldn't have happened."

Such a bitter smile was expressed briefly through the madness. Maybe it was just her imagination.

"Yes… this wouldn't have happened if you just let me do what I want… ~~~" The Guide mumbled to herself. She couldn't hear the last part.

"Young miss! What's wrong?" Marie shook her body. Her whole body was trembling while her eyes were unfocused. Marie was worried about the Young Miss' state.

Ayami blinked her eyes. Memories continued to flow. She could not stop it. Each repeats. Each tragedy. They continued to flow. Various strong emotions filled her heart. Anger. Madness. Grief. All she wanted to do was destroy everything.

However, they suddenly stopped like a restriction was put. A wall was there and she could not pass through it.

"You can't. At this rate, you'll be corrupted."

This gentle and familiar voice woke her up. Ayami felt a thing dangling down on her neck. When she looked down, her eyes widened.

From behind, Kayden had a serious expression on his face.

"I was just gone for a month and you're already in this state.." He said with a sigh.