"Are you ready?" Seraphine's bright eyes rested on me, watching me silently.
"I see your mood has improved quite a bit. That's good—you'll need it," she said as she started walking.
"Alright," I replied, keeping up with her pace. I glanced around at my surroundings. We were in what could only be described as a forest brimming with life. Beneath my feet, I noticed a small rabbit with white fur—it was following me. Behind it, there were many more, and ahead, even more animals. But they weren't just rabbits—there was even a tiger, nearly two meters tall, trailing Seraphine. They were clearly following her!
I couldn't help but feel cautious. Even though these animals looked like the cutest creatures in the world, I had the distinct feeling that, at her command, they'd pounce and attack me without hesitation.
This place, though, was remarkably peaceful and serene. Small rivers flowed in plain view, surrounded by trees of varying heights.
"This is my favorite place," she said, her voice softer. "I love being here… it's so calming. It's a space where I can just relax and think about nothing. You could say I adore this haven I created for myself."
She walked through a beautiful field of flowers, letting her hands brush gently against the delicate petals without harming a single one. Closing her eyes for a moment, she asked, "Do you smell that?"
"No?" I replied, puzzled. What's wrong with this woman? Why is she saying things I couldn't care less about? We've been walking in this forest for over 30 minutes!
"It smells like a demon," she said with a mocking smile.
"Anyway," she continued, "this is the path I've designed and created to reach the heavens. Isn't it beautiful?"
With a snap of her fingers, something shifted.
"What the—!" I jerked my head around, looking in every direction. Beneath me, white clouds stretched out endlessly, and the ground was nowhere to be seen.
"No," she said, pointing ahead. "That's the path."
"There's nothing there..."
It was true—there was absolutely nothing.
"Hm..." Seraphine thought for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Ah, I see. You can't see it. I guess it's because you're a demon." She shrugged. "They're stairs. Stairs to the heavens, or the gates of heaven, to be precise. But…"
Her gaze shifted upward. "It's very far away… So, you're not afraid of heights, are you?"
"Are you serious?" I sighed, widening my eyes. "No. Not at all."
"Good." She nodded, and from her back sprouted two magnificent, pure white wings.
With a swift motion, she grabbed my hand, her expression one of clear disgust. With a quick impulse, she shot upward, soaring through the clouds at an incredible speed.
She definitely hates me. Or I disgust her. Probably both.
Looking down, it felt as though I were riding a rocket. For anyone afraid of heights, this would undoubtedly cause a heart attack.
"I wonder how they're doing…" I thought aloud, my mind drifting to Evelyn and Daniela. "I hope they liked the gifts I gave them..."
"What gifts?" Seraphine's voice rang out clearly, even at this speed.
"Nothing," I replied, startled. I hadn't expected her to hear me.
"Hm..." She glanced at me before looking away again.
Setting aside her sharp hearing, I genuinely hoped they appreciated the gifts. If you're wondering how or where I got them, it was on my way back to the empire. With Lilith's help, it was easy to acquire those gemstones. Using a very handy ability, I modified them into feminine artifacts.
The reason I didn't give them the gifts right away was that I knew Evelyn would lose control during the second event. And what better way to boost a young woman's self-esteem than with a beautiful accessory?
Still, I felt a bit guilty. Originally, the gift was just for Evelyn, but Leslie would have gotten jealous, which would've caused problems, and Daniela would've felt bad about being left out. In the end, I had to make gifts for all three of them.
Smiling to myself, I thought, I really hope they like them.
"Who are you talking to?" Seraphine frowned.
"This is so pretty…" Evelyn stared with bright eyes at the brilliant red bracelet in her hands. Sitting on her bed, she held it gently in her palms, simply gazing at it in silence.
"I'm such a coward," she murmured to herself. "I didn't even say goodbye to him out of fear... I'm such a coward..."
Hugging her knees once more, she swayed gently from side to side.
"I was scared that he might be scared of me… scared that he'd see me as a monster too. Am I being stupid?" she whispered. "Maybe he doesn't even know it was me who caused all that chaos. But… something tells me he does. Or at least I think he does… Honestly, I don't know!"
Frowning, she glanced at the bracelet again.
"It really is so beautiful..."
Leaning back on her bed, Evelyn felt a deep emptiness and loneliness settle over her. After a moment of hesitation, she murmured,
"Huh!?" Leslie's eyes widened as she saw the red-haired girl walk timidly through the door. Setting aside her ice cream, she quickly wiped the corners of her lips with a random shirt lying nearby (Arthur's shirt, to be exact).
"Hmmm… Hi," Evelyn said timidly, raising her hand in a shy wave. For some reason, she felt deeply embarrassed.
"Oh! Hey there!" Leslie's mood brightened at the sight of her friend returning home (or rather, to Arthur's room).
Evelyn glanced around as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
"No..." Leslie said with a hint of sadness. She stood from the bed and walked over to Evelyn, taking her hand. "Do you want some ice cream? There's plenty! Look!" Leslie grinned proudly. "I bought it with money I found!" (Arthur's hidden stash of money, to be exact…)
Evelyn's eyes lit up, and she nodded. "Yes."
"Here, take as much as you want," Leslie said, shaking her head a little with a chuckle.
Evelyn noticed something different. "Those earrings are so pretty," she said with a small smile.
"Aren't they!? Hmph!" Leslie puffed out her chest with pride. She had also noticed Evelyn was wearing the bracelet Arthur had given her.
"That bracelet is so beautiful too," Leslie said with a sparkling smile, tinged with a bit of envy.
"Yeah." Evelyn nodded, gently brushing her fingers over the bracelet. "I really like it..."