The Crystal Ball

“What exactly… are Viola and the Baron talking about…?”

On the third night after Daisy and Viola arrived at Baron Bolus’s estate, Baron Bolus had suddenly requested a private conversation with Viola after dinner.

Viola had agreed immediately.

The two of them left the dining hall one after another.

The moment they were gone, Pelinda immediately leaned toward Daisy and lowered her voice.

“Little Daisy, adorable little Daisy, come to my room?”

“Eh? But Viola…”

“It’s fine.”

“You can go back and sleep with her later.”

“Come play for a bit first.”

“I still have lots of fairy tale books I haven’t shown you yet.”

“And there’ll be plenty of cake.”

“…If you put it that way…”

Although Daisy was still worried about Viola and Baron Bolus’s conversation, she was quickly defeated by the mention of cake.

So under Pelinda’s guidance, she became the second person to leave the dining hall.

“Miss in Black… that matter about Viscount Clyde suddenly dying in his own mansion… could it have been… you…?”

Outside the chapel of the mansion, after walking through dim candlelit corridors, Baron Bolus suddenly stopped.

His voice was hesitant.

His expression was nervous.

But his eyes remained determined as he asked the question.

“…”

Viola looked at him coldly.

Tonight she wore no veil, and her dragon horns had once again been hidden by her transformation.

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she slowly walked toward him.

“M-Miss in Black?!”

Baron Bolus immediately retreated several steps, looking like someone who had just seen a ghost.

Yet Viola walked right past him.

Click.

She twisted the chapel door handle.

Unfortunately…

The handle came off.

“…”

“…”

Baron Bolus silently stuffed the key he had just taken out back into his pocket.

“Earlier I said there were many things worth discussing.”

Viola pushed open the door.

“Come inside.”

She walked into the dark chapel without looking back.

Baron Bolus stared blankly for a few seconds before nervously following behind.

The chapel was filled with stained glass windows, rows of seats, confession booths, and statues.

Everything was there.

Except light.

The room was swallowed by darkness.

“It was me.”

The moment Baron Bolus stepped fully inside, Viola calmly spoke her first sentence.

“I killed him.”

Baron Bolus’s face instantly lost all color.

“M-Miss in Black…”

“T-That’s not appropriate…”

“Yes, he was unreasonable.”

“Yes, I was angry.”

“But maybe…”

“Maybe it was only some terrible joke…”

“There was no need to kill him…”

Viola let out a cold laugh.

“A joke?”

“Things had already reached that point and you still call it a joke?”

“You really do assume the best of people.”

Her eyes sharpened.

“That night, you almost died.”

“If you died, who would protect your family?”

“What would happen to your wife?”

“To Pelinda?”

“To your children?”

“Can you not imagine it?”

“Or perhaps you’ve already seen it in nightmares these past two days?”

Baron Bolus’s body trembled.

“I…”

“I only…”

“Enough.”

Viola turned away.

She walked deeper into the chapel and arrived before a small wooden stand.

Then she produced a crystal ball from her sleeve.

“Come here.”

“I’ll show you your family’s future.”

Baron Bolus looked pale.

To him, Viola already resembled some terrifying demon.

Yet after hesitating for several moments…

He still approached.

Within the crystal ball, dim lights slowly began to swirl.

And on Viola’s face there was a cruel smile.

Meanwhile, far away in Pelinda’s room—

“…And so, with the swallow’s help, the prince statue gave away all of its gold and jewels to the poor.”

“The statue became ugly and worn.”

“The swallow stayed behind and eventually died during winter.”

“But in the end, both souls went to heaven.”

“The end. Happy ending.”

Pelinda closed the storybook.

Meanwhile Daisy was still stuffing cake into her mouth.

Nom nom nom…

“I know this one!”

“Viola told me before!”

“It’s called The Happy Prince!”

“Little Daisy knows a lot.”

Pelinda smiled softly.

But strangely…

There was sadness in her eyes.

“I don’t think it should be called The Happy Prince.”

“Huh?”

Daisy looked up blankly.

Pelinda sat down across from her.

“The prince sacrificed himself for everyone.”

“He gave away everything.”

“That’s noble.”

“But in the end he lost everything.”

“He couldn’t even protect the swallow beside him.”

She lowered her eyes.

“Helping others is good.”

“But if sacrificing yourself only leads to losing everything…”

“Can that really be called a happy ending?”

“Maybe…”

“The Unhappy Prince would fit better.”

Deep within the mansion—

A scream suddenly tore through the night.

“AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”

Then another.

And another.

The sound came from Baron Bolus.

Normally calm and hardworking, he now sounded like a child abandoned in darkness.

“STOP!!”

“NOOOOOOO!!”

“LET THEM GO!!”

“LET THEM GOOOOOOO!!”

Inside the chapel—

Viola held up the crystal ball.

Within it, terrifying scenes played out.

A future where no one arrived to save them.

No one like Viola.

No miracle.

Only tragedy.

“This…”

Viola said coldly,

“…is your family’s future.”

Baron Bolus collapsed to his knees.

Cold sweat covered his face.

Fear completely overwhelmed him.

Then—

for the first time—

the gentle Baron roared with all his strength:

“YOU’RE LYING!!!!!!!!”