He said, *“Oh dear… we seem to be in a bit of a hurry!”*
With a snap of his fingers, a guard disintegrated into a pile of ashes.
The fox’s relentless advance continued as she fought her way through the chaos.
Finally.
She reached the lowest level.
A vast space opened up before her.
Countless cells lined up in neat rows, reminiscent of an underground menagerie or a slave auction house’s dark cages.
*Hic, heehee… your hand’s so warm, Sister.*
In this place.
There was someone she had to find.
With a determined step, the fox moved between the rows of cells.
The cold air clung to her skin.
Inside each cage was one of the “failures.”
*<Kreeek-!>*
*<Gurgle, grooo…?>*
*<Ahhh… ughhh…>*
Once human, but no longer recognizable as such.
They were the remnants of twisted ambitions.
Desperately, Irene scanned the cells.
Part of her hoped the girl wasn’t here.
It was a bittersweet contradiction that filled her heart.
*<Hehe… hi hi hi hi hi?>*
*<Screeeeech!!>*
And then.
After searching for a while longer, she saw her.
In a corner cell, lying still.
“…Anne.”
She whispered her name.
But it was a cruel joke.
The figure beyond the bars was no longer the girl she’d once known.
The fox silently looked at the ground.
*<Groook… grook>*
What lay there was a warped mass.
Its form was vaguely reminiscent of slime, but witnessing it up close was far more horrifying than words could describe.
Irene couldn’t bring herself to describe it.
“….”
Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the ground.
The sight she’d tried so hard to deny had now become reality.
*<Groook…?>*
The creature that was once Anne wriggled in place.
Though it had turned into a monster, it showed no signs of aggression.
If anything, its lack of hostility was even more heartbreaking.
“…Ha.”
A hollow laugh escaped her lips.
Her vision blurred.
Tears began to fall, one by one, rolling down her cheeks.
It was overwhelming despair.
*“This is just… too much…”*
She’d known.
Some part of her had expected this outcome.
Ever since she was trapped in this nightmare, it had felt like an unavoidable tragedy.
But.
*“Even so, isn’t it okay if… sometimes… good things happen?”*
She had clung to the words Anne had once said.
Even if only for a moment, she’d allowed herself to hope.
“Irene.”
“I was… I was too late.”
“You did everything you could.”
“But… why would something like this happen to such a sweet girl…?”
The world was unfair.
It was also merciless.
Each person seemed bound to a predetermined fate, playing out their role on a vast stage.
Sometimes, it made life feel devoid of meaning.
“Irene.”
And yet.
Despite it all, people continued to search for hope.
“There’s still time.”
“…What?”
She looked up at him in confusion.
He met her gaze with his ever-smiling eyes.
The snake spoke softly, his voice like a lullaby.
“I’ve always preferred happy endings.”
*Thud, thud.*
The boy approached the cell.
Before the fox could stop him, he placed his hand on the writhing mass that was Anne.
He muttered a single word.
“Break.”
*Shatter.*
A sound like breaking glass echoed in the air.
A shadow at his fingertips spread quickly, wrapping around Anne’s body.
“What… what are you doing!?”
“Shh. Just wait.”
*Crack, crack—!*
A strange noise filled the air.
The silhouette, veiled in shadow, twitched.
After what felt like an eternity, the shadows dissipated, crumbling to dust.
Irene couldn’t believe her eyes.
“A… Anne?”
Inside the cell sat the girl.
The one she’d been so desperate to find.
The girl who’d stayed by her side these past days, completely unharmed.
Anne let out a small yawn.
*“Yaaawn…”*
Blinking sleepily, she rubbed her eyes as if she’d just woken up, then looked up and met Irene’s gaze.
“...Huh? Sister Fox?”
“Anne…!”
Irene wrapped her arms around the girl.
Warmth filled her embrace.
The sensation of life in her arms brought her back to reality, and tears welled up again, rolling down her cheeks.
Her face burned with the weight of her emotions.
“Pfft.”
The snake stood there, watching them quietly.
He looked almost nostalgic.
Even if life often felt like a tragic tale.
Sometimes, a miracle could erase that tragedy.
And today.
Today was that miracle for the two girls.