"Then what about you? Do you ever think of me? Do you ever miss me so much that you can't sleep, hiding under your blanket and crying in secret? Do you like me even a fraction of the way I like you?

"Go ahead. Take my foolish devotion as a trophy and show it off to other girls. Tell them how cheap, how shameless I am. Then, pull whoever she is into your arms and tell her, 'Thank god I found you.'

"Don't worry. I won't cry, and I won't make a scene. Because I know now… I'm no longer your exception."

Miracle, Blood Blossom Watermoon!

Countless threads sliced through the air as a curtain of blood-colored blossoms erupted across the set. Amidst the crimson veil stood the Scarlet Swordswoman. Droplets of blood fell onto her face, tracking down her cheeks like streaks of tears.

"Beautiful! And that's a wrap!"

The suffocating tension on the set evaporated instantly. Sonya let out a long, grounding breath and walked over to a folding chair to rest. Her assistant hurried over, gently wiping the fake blood from her face before handing her a cup of lemon water. Nearby, the crew's illusionist and Earth Class sorcerer immediately set to work, reshaping the terrain according to the production blueprints. The low, rumbling groan of shifting earth became the background noise for the actors' break.

The director approached her. His six-lens glasses obscured his eyes, but his admiration was unmistakable. "Miss Selby, that was an exceptional performance. To be frank, given your lack of formal training and life experience, I was worried you would struggle with a character driven by such twisted love and obsession. I never expected you to tap into that headspace so quickly.

"You might not be matching the industry's top veterans just yet, but for a newcomer? The audience is going to be absolutely stunned. Casting you was the right call. Tell me… are you drawing from...