"What are you doing?" A boy opened the door and walked into a messy house.

Bottles and jars were scattered all over the floor, emitting a strong smell of decay and rot.

A "body" lying in the garbage suddenly made a sound and turned over.

"Do you eat this stuff?" The boy picked up a small bag containing some red powder residue and carefully sealed it.

"I mean, you don't eat during the day and you don't know what you're doing when you go out at night. Now you look like neither a human nor a ghost. Are you planning to die?"

"Quiet." The "body" forcefully threw a bottle of unknown contents at the boy. The boy didn't even try to dodge, knowing the "body" wouldn't hit him. "I have a bad case of morning grumpiness..."

"I'm here to inform you about the horse racing event." The boy picked up the thrown bottle. "Maria, the bishop, organized a horse race for the girls to commemorate their ancestors."

"The boys will be responsible for various other tasks, including taking care of the horses."

"If you don't go, the nuns will definitely punish you." The boy placed the bottle back on the table. "But I can see that you probably don't care at all right now."

The boy rolled his eyes, didn't even look at the "body," turned around and left, closing the door.

The "body" watched the boy leave, took off the mask hiding its face, revealing dark heavy eye bags... and a chin without skin.

It was Hamlet.

"To think there's still going to be a horse race... How much longer do I have to wait?"

Day and night, guarding the door of the data room had already taken a toll on Hamlet both mentally and physically. Combined with his involvement with drugs, Hamlet's appearance had strayed far from that of a normal person.

Irregular sleep and minimal food intake caused excruciating headaches for Hamlet, but in order to alleviate the pain, he had to increase his drug intake.

Soon, the supply of drugs ran out.

"Just hold on a little longer... The day of ending fate will come soon."

Hamlet originally sought revenge.

But now, it seemed that he just wanted to be free.

The orphanage that had raised him had become his shackles.

Even though he had obtained the Holy Relic of the original Othello from Merka, gaining self-sufficiency, he still had to repay the debt of this rotten orphanage. He couldn't escape, couldn't run away.

His meager salary, apart from providing for the orphanage children's food and drugs, high debts, and even his own drug expenses.

Hamlet would never have the chance to live a normal life.

But through a fortuitous encounter, Hamlet learned that the former cursed child wasn't living poorly at all. The real nightmare began with Oedipus' extreme policies.

The orphanage children paid such a great price for you, the Altria family! I will not allow you to act like nothing happened. Hamlet thought to himself.

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I apologize for deceiving you.

To be honest, I have never had a good impression of snowy days.

Damp, cold, and the crystalline snowflakes freezing the skin.

Different from rainy and windy days. During heavy snowfall, the cold is unstoppable.

Animals hibernate, plants wither, birds go hungry, and flowers wither.

Everything in the world dies quickly, entering a dormant state. Inevitable death is like sand in the palm of your hand. If you hold it tightly, it will slip away, and if you let go, it will also slip away.

Fate, with no omissions, is an vast quicksand. No matter where you are, it will eventually attract you, leading you to a deep downfall.

What makes people helpless is that the cold winter with snow is a basket filled with hardships.

Life dissipates here, and destiny ends here.

That's why I never liked romantic things, Turing.

Someone's enjoyment means someone's sacrifice, freedom and unconstraint means recklessness.

However, my dislike of snowy days may also be a response to painful memories. Surprisingly, I might also be a sensitive person.

For you... so enthusiastic and proud, the experience of playing in the snow by the shores of Anhun Lake...

For me, it can't really be considered as happiness.

As for why you can't see through my deceit, maybe it's because I have been lying since I was a child.

Lying for the children, lying for the believers, but actually, I was lying to myself.

I would say any lie that had a reason, without any psychological burden. But now, things are different.

I am tired of dealing with everyone, I wasn't like this originally.

I have become unreasonable, weaker, and more dependent on certain things.

Is it because I have fallen in love with you?

As I see your character becoming more perfect day by day, I also become stranger day by day.

I don't know what secrets Turing has, but I am certain that they are not as hidden as the ones I have from you.

Yes... the reason why I said I lied to you was not because I also lied about liking snow - after all, I truly came to like you.

What I lied to you about was that I approached you solely because of Maria's request. I could vaguely sense that she had some ulterior motive. Maybe she wanted to win you over, or maybe she wanted to use you as leverage - after all, you are the duke's child.

But I didn't hesitate and created many coincidences to get closer to you. Because I believe that Maria's decision is definitely the one that benefits the majority.

But now I am uncertain.

You are so warm, so innocent, so outstanding, so lovable, like a genuine deity - born with all knowledge, yet still holding onto a child-like sincerity.

Should I sacrifice you for that possibility of benefiting the masses?

I don't know Maria's intentions. Whether you will suffer something more terrible than heartbreak in the future, is also unknown.

Should I make a decision for one person's fate, for the happiness of the majority, just like I did when I was in the orphanage?

I don't know.

But on the day I decided to leave you, I didn't consider all of that.

I was simply afraid of experiencing the same cold and lonely snowfall from my childhood again.

Our story, perhaps worth reading in a knight novel, I know.

But I still hope that you can live in reality.

Even if it's a bit boring, even if it's more serious, it's okay.

At least, you will still be your duke's princess, better than wandering, better than falling into traps.

...That's how it was supposed to be.

That's how it was supposed to be.

——————————————————————————

"Merka, are you done over there?" a man leaned against the fence of the stable, casually looking in Merka's direction.

Merka and the man took care of the horses together, but Merka stopped at Turing's horse stall.

"You're taking so long, not like you at all," the man said.

"You go ahead, I'll catch up with you soon." Merka's tone was unexpectedly filled with uncontrollable laughter.

"Hmph~" The man looked meaningfully at Merka, with a slight smile on his lips. It had been a long time since he saw that refreshing smile on Merka. "Alright, hurry up then."

Nodding, Merka watched the man leave, then turned the gaze back to the wooden board in front of the fence.

A pencil filled with Turing's exclusive frenzy, ferocity, and destructive magic pierced through the board, nailing a small piece of white paper in front of Joseph.

"A joyful sacrifice."

The elegant font lacked neither wildness nor fierceness. This was something Merka was already familiar with, Turing's handwriting.

Merka touched their own face and realized they were smiling without realizing it.

Yes, why should they always wear a grim expression?

Even if they accepted the ideals that Joan gave them, wasn't that also their own choice?

Before perishing in an untimely manner, I could have fully embraced this process.

"Hehe... perhaps you understand me better than I understand myself."