The Hunters have apparently fled... And... Cossette, Melina, Chloe, and Sternenlicht have to go to school or the academy because they failed. Cossette and Melina go to school because it was their first time failing, while Sternenlicht and Chloe are sent to the academy because they have failed multiple times. And... Lily Moon gains a new member: Rosika, the blind girl who was abandoned by Daisy.
Rosika: "Mmm..."
Sophie: "Hey... are you hungry?"
Violet: "She has such beautiful eyes."
Lina: "Mhm... she's really pretty..."
Rosika: "Mm..."
Sophie: "Hmm..."
Rosika: "...Could I... have a moment to myself... in a room?"
Sophie: "Of course... come on. I'll take you to my room... for now, okay?"
Rosika: "Okay."
Rosika stood up... and followed Sophie.
Sophie: "Hmm."
Rosika: "You don't have to keep looking back... I can hear... and smell very well."
Sophie: "Oh... sorry."
Rosika: "It's okay..."
They went upstairs.
Fiona: "Hmm."
Lina: "Poor thing."
Violet: "Mhm."
Siegfried: "But... why is she wearing those clothes?... I mean... they look like the ones in Prussia. Where is she from?"
Fiona: "If I'm not mistaken... she's from Budapest. A kingdom allied with Grazburg."
Siegfried: "Ohh..."
(A few minutes later)
Rosika came back out.
Sophie: "Oh... hey."
Rosika: "Hey..."
Fiona: "Hey, Rosika."
Fiona stood up and gently placed her hand on Rosika's head.
Fiona: "I wanted to go for a walk... want to come with me?"
Rosika: "Huh?... Is... that okay?"
Fiona: "Of course."
Rosika: "Hmm... (...Strange... your hands... are warmer than I expected... your voice... is beautiful. Not too deep... not too soft... slightly low, but pleasant... and you smell like churches...)... Fiona... may I... just call you Fiona?"
Fiona: "Sure."
Rosika: "Mm... okay... By the way... I can't see. Is that okay with you?"
Fiona: "Yeah."
Rosika: "...Okay."
The two of them went outside.
Rosika: "Mmm..."
Fiona: "...By the way, Rosika..."
Rosika: "Hmm?"
Fiona: "I wanted to tell you a little about us... Lily Moon... Well... even though I'm part of it... most of the members are inexperienced."
Rosika: "It's still a new group after all."
Fiona: "Unlike the other Dark Umbrella groups, we take in talented people who don't necessarily come from our academy. To put it simply... we take in cursed people like you and me... as well as Arcane users... and maybe even mages... to help them. So for me... it's normal to take care of people... who... well... have physical problems. By the way... are you blind because of a curse... or were you born that way?"
Rosika: "Mmm... Our family suffers from a curse called Thorn Eyes."
Fiona: "Thorn Eyes."
Rosika: "Yes... Inside our eyes... thorns grow within our blood vessels... These thorns make us blind."
Fiona: "Ugh..."
Rosika: "But... I can still see a little... at night, for example."
Fiona: "Oh... wait... you're not completely blind."
Rosika: "No. When the moonlight isn't too bright... and there isn't any strong light... then my eyes can actually see... but only about thirty percent."
Fiona: "I understand..."
Rosika: "I saw you once... in the hospital. It was dark there... so nothing irritated my eyes..."
Fiona: "Wait... can't you just turn off the lights?"
Rosika: "Hehe... no. Whether you turn the lights off or not... the thorns in our eyes are like plants... they know whether it's truly night... or if someone simply switched off the lights."
Fiona: "I see..."
Rosika: "Why... did you take me in?"
Fiona: "Hahhh..."
Fiona stopped walking for a moment... She leaned down slightly and gently held Rosika's cheek.
Rosika: "Huh?"
Fiona: "...Don't laugh."
Rosika: "Okay."
Fiona: "Mmm... you... I... felt sorry for you... Besides... they probably would have killed you... because you know too much..."
Rosika: "I know... someone once told me."
Fiona: "That's why I had nothing against it... because... I've seen it before."
Rosika: "Huh?"
Fiona: "What happens... to people nobody in Dark Umbrella wants anymore."
(Flashback)
Unknown Girl: "Please... please..."
Fiona: "Huh."
Lady Natasha: "Kill her."
Executioner: "Yes, ma'am."
Several weapons were aimed at her.
Fiona: "Ugh... wait... are... are you serious?... She's not even thirteen!"
Lady Natasha: "She knows too much... and nobody wants her anymore... What are you waiting for?... Kill her!"
Fiona: "Ughhh!"
(Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!)
Fiona: "Huhh..."
Lady Natasha and the others walked away... Only Fiona remained... staring at the bodies. This was before she became a Crow.
Fiona: "Hahh..."
Lady Natasha: "Fiona... do I see... emotion?"
Fiona: "Ugh!"
(Trauma!)
Fiona: "No... no... it's fine. I'm coming."
She followed her... but looked back one last time.
Fiona: "...Ghhh... One day..."
Lady Natasha: "Huh?"
Fiona: "Hmph."
She walked past her.
Fiona: "...Hmph."
Lady Natasha: "Hmm?..."
(Several years later)
Lady Natasha: "Ugh."
Fiona: "I told you... one day... I would kill you!"
(Bang!)
(Back to the present)
Rosika: "Huh."
Fiona: "Even though Ms. Valentine is better... there are still others who would support it... Sophie and I knew that... we were afraid most people would agree that you should be executed... That's why... we didn't tell anyone... okay?"
Rosika: "And... why shouldn't I tell anyone?"
Fiona: "Uh... (blushes)... (cough)... just because... (cough)."
Rosika: "You don't want people... to know you pitied me."
Fiona: "Ugh... mm."
Rosika: "Hmm... I understand... Daisy taught me one thing... and I guess she was right... you're actually kind."
Fiona: "There are no kind people here, Rosika... anyone who is truly kind... doesn't work for Dark Umbrella... or at least not as one of the Crows... Sophie stopped being a Crow for exactly that reason... Um..."
Rosika: "Mmm..."
Fiona: "I have to say... you really do have beautiful eyes."
Rosika: "Oh..."
Fiona: "Golden... and bright."
Rosika: "Mmm..."
Fiona: "Come on... let's keep walking."
Rosika: "Okay."
They continued walking.
Rosika: "...Did you know those children?"
Fiona: "The ones who were murdered?... No... Well... actually... I knew one of them... She was Lady Natasha's sister."
Rosika: "She killed her own sister?"
Fiona: "Mhm. Her half-sister... Personally... I think nobody wanted to take her in because Lady Natasha wanted it that way. She hated her stepfather... she probably wanted revenge on him."
Rosika: "Mm."
Fiona: "She really was... a horrible woman..."
Rosika: "And you killed her..."
Fiona: "Mhm."
Rosika: "And you even left Dark Umbrella for a while."
Fiona: "Well... I ran away to find Cossette back then... nothing more."
Rosika: "Hmm..."
The city resembled the Victorian era. Although most cities and kingdoms in Grimmhoth looked like that... Villicia embraced it even more, just like Dukewood. They had almost no modern buildings, while other kingdoms had a few exceptions. One unique thing about Villicia was its trains. There were two kinds: one that traveled across the ground... and another that traveled upward, for example toward mountains or tall buildings. Instead of long staircases, elevators were commonly used. They looked like small trains... only much smaller.
Rosika: "Hmm."
Fiona: "How tall are you, anyway?"
Rosika: "Me?... I'm 168 centimeters tall."
Fiona: "Hmm... so you're a little shorter than me."
Rosika: "Oh... how tall are you?"
Fiona: "173 centimeters."
Rosika: "Oh..."
Fiona: "You have white hair like me."
Rosika: "Yes."
Fiona: "Is that normal in your family?"
Rosika: "Not exactly... but only the women. The thorns aren't just in our eyes... they're throughout our veins. That's why they damage our hair and skin... but the curse also regenerates our wounds."
Fiona: "I didn't know you were with Tom Fog."
Rosika: "Not for long... He said... he wasn't the right person for me... Daisy would be better."
She stopped walking.
Rosika: "...Hmm."
Fiona: "Hahhh..."
Fiona gently pressed Rosika's small nose.
Rosika: "Mmm."
Fiona: "If you keep looking that sad... you'll end up with sad wrinkles... even worse than normal wrinkles. Daisy isn't here anymore... but we at Lily Moon are... If something's wrong... come to us."
Rosika: "Ugh..."
Fiona: "Come to me too... but... if you want to cry... comforting people isn't really my specialty..."
Rosika: "Mmm..."
Fiona: "All I can really do... is pat your head... and stroke your hair..."
Rosika: "I don't want to be comforted... I'm not a child anymore."
Fiona: "That has nothing to do with being a child. Even I should have been comforted many times... Whoever thinks adults aren't allowed to have fun or be comforted... those kinds of people are either know-it-alls... or people pretending to be strong... when in reality they're just idiots. Sometimes the best thing you can do with people like that... is refuse to help them... because they make life harder for everyone else just because they think they're strong."
Rosika: "Oh... you're harsh."
Fiona: "Sorry. Get used to it."
Rosika: "You shouldn't make fun of people like that."
Fiona: "Yeah? And people shouldn't play with other people's feelings either. Do you know how many people take their own lives because they think they always have to be strong?... Crying is a blessing for the heart. Fear proves we still have things to learn. Mistakes prove we're human, not machines. Taste and joy remind us that everyone deserves happiness... as long as they don't hurt others or go too far. That's why I can't stand people who tell others not to cry because 'it's for children,' or 'you're an adult now.' Adult or not... nobody has the right to decide how you're allowed to feel... Remember that... I'm telling you because you're still young. For me... it's not as easy anymore... but even I still want to enjoy parts of my life."
Rosika: "So... it's okay... to show emotions?"
Fiona: "I'm human... and so are you... of course it is."
Rosika: "Hmm..."
Fiona: "And stop putting yourself down because you're blind... I still think you look wonderful. And the fact that both Tom Fog and Daisy taught you... says a lot. Oh... that reminds me..."
Fiona turned around.
Fiona: "What's your ability?"
Rosika: "Hmm..."
Fiona: "Are you only cursed... or are you Arcane too?"
Rosika: "...Um... I have both... a curse... and Arcane powers. I use both."
Fiona: "Good... then now would be a good time."
Rosika: "Huh?"
Five thugs with bats appeared.
Thug: "Ohooo... what do we have here?... Two beautiful women... both with white hair... hehehe... old and young at the same time, huh?"
Fiona: "Your mother's old and ugly too, so what's the problem?"
Thug: "Hmm!?... You're really rude..."
Fiona: "And you smell like crap... get out of my sight."
She shoved him away. As he tried to hit her, Bob suddenly appeared and sliced him in half.
(Splash!)
Thug: "Aaaaargh! She killed him!"
Fiona: "Bob, damn it! What was that?!... You weren't supposed to kil..."
Bob looked different...
Fiona: "Ugh..."
The other thugs prepared to attack.
Fiona: "No. Stay where you are."
Rosika: "...Jeges Tövisek... (Frozen Thorns)..."
Countless icy thorns erupted and trapped them.
Thug: "Cold... cold... cold..."
They were frozen solid.
Rosika: "Hmm."
Fiona: "Ugh."
Rosika: "Don't worry... the ice will melt and they'll be free again... What's wrong with your... guardian spirit?"
Fiona: "I have no idea... He killed that man even though... normally... he only kills people who attack me and have an ability or a curse... He even appeared without me calling him."
Rosika: "Hmm..."
Fiona: "...Let's head back... before someone sees this."
Rosika: "Okay."
They quickly started heading back.
Fiona: "Sorry... I only wanted... to spend some time with you."
Rosika: "It's okay..."
Suddenly Rosika grabbed Fiona's jacket.
Rosika: "...Thank you... Fiona."
Fiona: "Huh?"
Rosika: "Thank everyone in Lily Moon for me... I'll do my best..."
Fiona: "Hmm..." (smiles softly)
She held Rosika's hand.
Rosika: "Mm."
Fiona: "You could've just said you wanted to hold my hand."
Rosika: "Sorry... I do that sometimes... because I get cold... because of my ability."
Fiona: "It's okay... Wait a second."
Fiona took off her jacket and placed it over Rosika's shoulders.
Rosika: "Mmm."
Fiona: "Better?... And yes... you can keep holding my hand... Don't forget... it's okay... to be comforted."
Rosika: "Mm... okay."
(Meanwhile)
(Patch!) (Patch!)
The Finger: "I'm sorry, Master."
Noe: "...Hmm... You all... are truly pathetic."
Four eyes opened within the shadows.
The Finger: "Mmmmm!"
(Zzzzz)
He slowly walked down the stairs.
Noe: "For now... stay out of sight... but afterward... you will return... and find the keys... And next time... you will not fail. You and Joker did well... but you..."
The Undertaker: "Mmm."
Eliska: "Mmm."
The Undertaker: "But Mast..."
(Splash!)
His lower jaw was sliced off.
The Undertaker: "Mmghhh!"
The Finger: "Wait, Master... it wasn't their fault... it was The Glove... his arrogance toward Dark Umbrella ruined the plan..."
Noe: "...And where is he now?"
Satella: "Here."
The Glove: "Ghhh."
Noe: "...So... you've become... her toy."
Satella: "Yes."
She held him up in one hand.
The Glove: "Master... please give me another cha..."
(Splash!)
Noe ripped him apart, blood splattering across the floor.
Noe: "No... forgiveness. Not only did you ruin the plan... because of you, Joker is injured and trapped... And because of you... you dragged our name through the mud by losing... your very first... real battle... Normally you only fight children and women... And someone like you... actually believed... you could kill... Schneider?!"
He tore him apart even further.
The Glove: "Ghh..."
(Splash!)
This time... completely.
Satella: "Mmm... My toy..."