Volume 1, Chapter 49 – A Fleeting Light, Wished to Be Eternal

“Mmm.”

“Though it’s a bit late to bring this up now—no, I just want to confirm one thing.” Yisi forced a smile, though it was clearly strained. “Camilla, when you said earlier that you’re no longer a doll… you weren’t lying, were you? It wasn’t because you’ve grown to dislike me or something like that, was it? If that’s the case, I’ll work on improving myself.”

“……No. I’m grateful to you, Onee-sama, and I… I do like you.”

“Then why leave?”

“A master has no need for a doll that disobeys orders. I no longer have the right to stay by your side.”

“Even so, you don’t have to leave so soon. You could take a few more days to think it over.”

“My decision is made.”

Camilla took a step forward, her crimson eyes devoid of any discernible emotion. Once a decision was made, hesitation was unnecessary—this was knowledge instilled in her by the late Count Pescia. Even if her heart was in turmoil.

Instinctively, Yisi wanted to plead for her to stay. But the one who had declared “Camilla should live freely” was none other than herself. By all rights, she was the least qualified person in the world to stop Camilla from leaving—no matter how much she didn’t want her to go.

A sense of helpless frustration filled her chest. She had no valid reason to keep Camilla here. She could use force or command to restrain her, but how would that make her any different from Camilla’s parents or Count Pescia, who had always treated her as nothing more than a doll?

Suppressing the storm of emotions inside, Yisi maintained a calm expression as she asked:

“Do you have a destination in mind, Camilla?”

“No. But there must be a place for me somewhere. Perhaps one day, Onee-sama and I will meet again.” As she spoke, Camilla placed the other winterbloom—the one that hadn’t flowered—into Yisi’ hand, offering a sorrowful smile. “Thank you, Onee-sama. Goodbye.”

Without another word, Camilla left the manor under the cover of night.

Yisi stood silently in place, watching through the window as Camilla’s figure grew smaller and smaller in the distance.

She didn’t want Camilla to leave. Whatever the source of this reluctance, all she wanted now was to stop her.

But this was Camilla’s own decision. She had no right to interfere with Camilla’s will. To imprison someone else for her own sake would be nothing but selfishness.

And yet, even knowing this was the right thing, an inexplicable fury rose in Yisi’ chest.

Was she angry at her own powerlessness? No, that wasn’t it.

Then was she resentful of the cruel reality? Not that either. She couldn’t put this emotion into words.

Abruptly, a question surfaced in her mind:

Was it really okay to let Camilla leave like this?

True, staying or leaving was Camilla’s choice. But the reason she was leaving was because she believed that, no longer a doll, she could no longer fulfill a doll’s duties—that she had lost the qualification to remain by Yisi’ side.

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Yisi took a deep breath. The chill of early winter sharpened her thoughts, clearing her mind.

At its core, Camilla still saw herself as a doll. The conflict born from gaining emotions—the contradiction between being a doll and being human—was tormenting her. That was why she had chosen to leave.

If Camilla were truly human, she wouldn’t have left at all. Just as she had said earlier, she was grateful to Yisi and held affection for her. Though it might be presumptuous, Yisi couldn’t shake the feeling that Camilla didn’t want to leave.

Perhaps even Camilla herself hadn’t realized it. The fact that she hadn’t slipped away while Yisi was asleep, but had instead deliberately chosen to meet her one last time—wasn’t that her subconscious crying out, hoping to be saved?

“……You wanted to be saved, and yet I failed to respond.”

The moment this realization struck, Yisi found herself stepping into the hallway without thinking. Before she knew it, she was running.

The scenery around her blurred as she sprinted, the wind howling past her ears.

She had an obligation to save Camilla. No—she wanted to save this girl who had fallen into the abyss. She hadn’t noticed it before, but somewhere along the way, she had come to see Camilla as family. And so, to prevent someone so precious from losing her way, she had to act.

Like a drowning man suddenly seeing light, a fire ignited in Yisi’s chest.

The next question was how to make Camilla realize that she was no longer a doll, but a true human—one with emotions, thoughts, and the ability to strive for what she desired.

“I won’t let you off easy for this.”

Humans were never creatures of pure reason.

Clicking her tongue, Yisi quickened her pace. On her omniscient map, Camilla had already passed through the city gates. And now, as Yisi’s vision locked onto the gates, they were closing—Camilla had slipped out just in time.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Without slowing down, Yisi charged straight for the gates. The guards, of course, rushed to block her with their spears.

“Move!”

Her body became a streak of light. A golden radiance enveloped her, and with a deafening explosion, the three-meter-tall gates were obliterated.

Ignoring the guards’ shouts, Yisi continued sprinting forward. Camilla’s figure soon came into view, her shocked face rapidly growing larger in Yisi’s vision.

Was she surprised by Yisi’s sudden appearance? Or by the gate’s destruction? Yisi didn’t stop to think. She simply grabbed Camilla’s wrist.

Cold to the touch.

“……Huh?”

“Camilla, you still obey my commands, don’t you?”

The shock faded from Camilla’s face as she averted her gaze.

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“……Yes.”

“Come with me.”

Without waiting for a reply, Yisi tightened her grip on Camilla’s wrist and activated Advanced Teleportation.

Before them stood a brightly lit three-story building.

It was a brothel Yisi frequented—one Camilla recognized at a glance.

“Go inside.”

For the first time, Camilla hesitated. She didn’t move, instead lifting her head to stare at Yisi in confusion. She had never seen Yisi like this before.

“Onee-sama, you want to…?”

“By the name of Loiswell Edith Pescia, I command you: From this day forth, Camilla Pescia is hereby enslaved and shall work in this brothel.”

Camilla’s entire body trembled. Yisi could feel the turmoil within her.

“Why?”

“This is an order.”

Again, Yisi didn’t wait for a response. She forcefully dragged Camilla toward the brothel.

But things didn’t go as smoothly as expected.

Just before entering, Camilla’s free hand grabbed the doorframe.

“Onee-sama, wait!”

“Do you intend to disobey me? Get inside!”

With no room for argument, Yisi yanked Camilla forward with enough force to tear her in half. But Camilla didn’t let go of the doorframe. Instead, she clung to it desperately, her expression shifting from confusion and fear to outright terror.

Yes, Camilla didn’t fear death. What she feared was never seeing Yisi again. After tonight, Yisi would leave the vampire lands and never return to human territory. Becoming a slave meant being trapped in this brothel forever.

“No—”

In a voice so quiet it was almost inaudible, Camilla begged.

Expressionless, Yisi continued pulling, even as Camilla collapsed onto the ground in an undignified heap.

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“This is my command.”

“No… no!”

Camilla’s pleas grew louder. Tears streamed down her face from the pain of being dragged, and her grip on the doorframe creaked ominously, as though her fingers might snap at any moment.

But Yisi remained impassive, her voice devoid of anything but cold authority.

“Get in here!”

“No! I don’t want to be a slave!”

Yisi didn’t respond. Instead, she increased the force in her arm, heedless of whether Camilla might be injured. With her 427 strength stat, she effortlessly ripped Camilla from the ground. Camilla’s grip on the doorframe couldn’t withstand such force, and she was dragged into the brothel like a corpse.

But Camilla didn’t give up. Fighting against Yisi with all her might, she flailed wildly, grabbing at tables, chairs, even people—anything to slow her advance. Yet it was futile. The sound of objects crashing to the floor filled the air, but it did nothing to halt Yisi’ momentum.

In a final, desperate struggle, Camilla even pulled a staff from her inventory and swung it wildly at Yisi.

“Let me go! I don’t want to stay here!”

Her voice was thick with tears. Snot and tears mixed with the mud caking her face from being dragged along the wet ground. Her delicate features were twisted in agony, and blood trickled from the corners of her mouth, likely from biting her tongue too hard.

Yet Yisi didn’t release her. She continued dragging Camilla across the floor until, at last, Camilla’s strength gave out. No longer able to resist, she could only sob weakly, her voice hoarse from screaming.

“……Let me go… I want to stay with Onee-sama.”

Yisi’s pace slowed slightly, but Camilla, lost in despair, didn’t notice. All she knew was that once she became a slave, she would never see Yisi again. No matter how hard she fought, she couldn’t change her fate.

Choking back tears, she forced out the words buried deep in her heart, even if they would change nothing.

“I want… to stay with Onee-sama…”

And then—

Yisi stopped. Turned. Released Camilla.

“What did you just say?”

As if unaware that the ordeal had ended, Camilla whispered weakly, her voice barely audible.

“……I just want to stay with Onee-sama.”

Silence.

One second.

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Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Time seemed to freeze. Then, at last, Yisi let out a breath.

“……Fine. If that’s what you want.”

“……”

Like an electric shock, Camilla’s body jolted. Her tear-filled eyes widened in disbelief, as though a drowning woman had just seen light at the bottom of a well.

“Onee-sama…?”

“If you can voice your own desires, then my goal is achieved. If you need a clear answer—then from now on, Camilla is no longer a doll. I won’t sell you into slavery. You can stay by my side, just as you wish.”

Camilla sat frozen on the ground, staring blankly into Yisi’s clear blue eyes.

“Ah…”

Her lips trembled. Tears welled up once more in her crimson eyes—but this time, they were tears of overwhelming emotion.

“Uuhhh.. Uwaaaaahhh!”

In an instant, quiet sobs became a wailing cry, a raw outpouring of emotion with no purpose other than release.

Yisi knelt and pulled Camilla into an embrace.

“Let’s go home.”

“……Y-yes… Onee-sama.”

Shooting a glare that silenced the brothel’s approaching manager, Yisi helped the unsteady Camilla to her feet and led her outside.

The cold winter air bit at their skin. Like every winter night before, it was frigid and lifeless—but tonight was different.

As Yisi glanced at Camilla, who was gasping for breath but walking forward with newfound determination despite being covered in mud and tears, she saw something she had never seen before—a glimmer of light in Camilla’s eyes.

Suddenly, Yisi felt something cold on her cheek. She looked up—

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky.

The winter spirits had arrived at the perfect moment.

The long winter had begun.