I opened my eyes, my body drenched in sweat despite the cool night air.
Something felt wrong.
I sat up immediately. Liese wasn't there.
My chest tightened as I bolted out of the house. My mind raced through the possibilities—was she taken? Did she run away? No, no, she's just a kid, she wouldn't—
Before I knew it, my feet had carried me to her house.
Bang! Bang!
I knocked hard, barely giving the old woman a chance to react.
A few more knocks, and finally, the door creaked open.
"Dorak, you took quite long to come back. Why didn't you visit Granny for so many days?"
Rosa's wrinkled face beamed with warmth.
I didn't have time for this.
"I don't have time. Tell me—where's Liese?"
"Oh, Luna? She hasn't come either? Why don't you come in? I'm making breakfast."
Her voice was kind, completely unbothered. I didn't even know if she understood me.
My jaw clenched. I wanted to yell. To grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she answered properly.
But I didn't.
"I have to go, Granny. Bye."
I turned and ran, leaving her behind. As I glanced back, she was still smiling, waving at me as if nothing was wrong.
A strange feeling gnawed at my chest. Guilt?
But I didn't have time for that.
School.
The thought came to me out of nowhere, like an instinct buried in my mind.
That's right. Liese—
The real genius between the two of us.
It wasn't Heide who got adopted because he was educated. It was Liese who taught him how to read in the first place.
That's why the baron came.
That's why the newspapers were being handed out.
He wasn't searching randomly—he was looking for her.
Damn it.
I ran faster.
By the time I reached the school, she was already outside.
The moment she saw me, she ran toward me and wrapped her arms around me.
I hugged her back without thinking.
Relief crashed over me like a wave.
I didn't know why I felt so tense before, Maybe because this is still heide's body I too am worried just like he would be
"Heide! Teacher told me I did excellent today!"
I barely processed her words.
I exhaled. "Today? Wait… school is already over?"
"Yeah!"
That fast?
My memories stirred again.
This wasn't a real school—just a failed scholar teaching kids when he had time. If Liese finished early, then that meant—
The scholar must have gone to the baron.
Everything clicked.
The baron wasn't just distributing newspapers.
He was here for her.
He came to this town because the scholar probably recommended liese, well it's a given seeing how she is a genius and all, But the scholar most likely left to tell the baron about liese today.
I took Liese to Rosa's house, The old woman was delighted to see her, as always.
I didn't stay long.
I needed to know more.
As I walked away, I picked up today's newspaper, From the center of the town
This time, when I looked at the text—
I could read it.
Plague in the Lower District: Lord Advises "More Prayer, Less Complaining"
Baron's Cattle Vanish Overnight—Witchcraft or Common Thievery?
Archbishop Declares New Tax a "Holy Duty"—Peasants Less Convinced
Merchant Convoy Ambushed by Bandits—Local Lord Offers "Thoughts and Prayers"
Alchemist Claims Philosopher's Stone Discovered—Immediately Arrested for Fraud
King's Council Divided Over War Plans—"Might Just Pray for Rain Instead"
Monastery Burns Down—Some Say Divine Punishment, Others Say Drunken Monk
Warlord Proclaims Himself King— Beheading declared.
...
What in the actual fu—
I stared at the newspaper in disbelief.
This is supposed to be news?
What is this nonsense? Do people read this to learn something, or just to entertain themselves?
I kept skimming through, half-annoyed, half-amused, until my eyes landed on something at the bottom of the page.
"Warlord Proclaims Himself as King."
Warlord?
Oh yeah… that was a thing in the visual novel.
The warlords—major antagonists. Some of the worst people in the continent.
Just as I kept reading, the noise of a crowd snapped me out of my thoughts.
A lot of people were chattering in the distance.
I turned toward the main road and—
Knights. Horses. Nobles.
Typical.
One of them stood out—a ridiculously good-looking noble, dressed like someone who could buy this entire town without a second thought.
Why the hell is he here?
I tugged at the leg of a man standing next to me.
"Sir, why are they here?"
He glanced down at me before scoffing.
"Says he's here to help us. Well, that's utter bullshit. Pretty boys like him can't do shit about people like us. Don't get tricked, kid."
I nodded. Makes sense.
There was some kind of celebration happening.
Half the people were cheering, excited to see the noble.
The other half? …Not so much.
The tension in the air was easy to understand. People like him didn't just 'help' people like us.
I watched for a while, but eventually, it got boring.
I turned and walked away, making my way back to Rosa's house.
I knocked on the door.
A moment later, it creaked open.
"Where is Liese?"
Rosa gave me a kind smile.
"Oh, Dorak. Luna left a long time ago."
Long time ago?
A chill ran down my spine as I turned on my heels and ran. The house—empty. The school—empty. My thoughts swirled, trying to piece together where she could've gone, but nothing. No clues, no answers. And then—
A scream.
I dashed toward the sound, legs moving before my brain could catch up. Turning a corner into a dark alley, I saw him. A noble in fine clothes it wasn't the one on the horse it was someone else, two knights flanking him. And Liese—on the ground. My body moved before I could think.
"LIESE!"
I reached her, shielding her with my body. The noble glanced down at me, expression twisted in amusement.
"And who are you?"
I didn't answer, just held Liese close, my body shaking.
"Why are you doing this?"
He scoffed. "Why? Hah. Your little rat of a sister disrespected me. How dare she try to correct me?"
Correct him? So that's it. He must've been spewing bullshit, and Liese—being Liese—called him out. And that hurt his precious noble pride.
I pressed my forehead to the dirt. "I apologize. Please let her go."
I could feel him smirking, well as long we live a little humilation is fine. "She is immatu—"
Before I could finish, his boot smashed into my head. Blood splattered against the ground. Pain exploded in my skull, but I barely felt it. Maybe it was the adrenaline.
"You think an apology is enough?"
He grabbed my hair and slammed my head into the ground. Again. And again. Liese was crying, begging. I could barely hear her, just broken sobs—
"P...lease... let... h..m live..."
Liese, you idiot. You got yourself into trouble, and now your big brother is getting beaten to death. Don't do this again. If I live.
The knights pinned my arms. My blurred vision caught the noble's smug grin as he turned back to Liese—
And struck her across the face.
Everything stopped.
What.
"HEY, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"
My voice roared louder than I expected. The noble barely reacted, just smiled as if entertained. He grabbed Liese by her hair, yanking her up. Her tiny body trembled. She sobbed, her face red and bloody.
And I realized—
This is it.
This is how Heide lost his sister. This is what drove him mad. This is why he hated nobles so much. Because he had to watch—helplessly—as his sister died in front of him.
No.
NO.
FUCK NO.
I ripped the knife from the knight's belt and drove it into his hand. He howled, releasing me instantly. The second knight lunged, but I got away. My body was moving on its own.
The noble turned, eyes widening—
That arrogant face twisted into fear.
I pounced. The knife sank into his eye.
And I didn't stop.
I ripped his face apart. Again. And again. Blood splattered. Flesh tore. Not enough. I was going to kill him. I had to kill him.
Didn't realize I was screaming like a madman. Didn't realize people would hear.
Didn't care.
I raised the knife again—
"Heide, stop!"
Liese grabbed my wrist. Her whole body shook. "P-please... this is scary..."
Her voice barely held together she was terrified of me, i froze and Looked down.
The noble's face—if it could still be called that—was unrecognizable.
I let go of the knife Got up and realized—That's it.
I changed the main story.