The quiet of her chamber was heavy once Alicia left.
The muffled sounds of music and celebration outside only made the silence louder.
Ophelia lay back against her pillows with her eyes half-closed until her gaze turned to the window.
Somewhere beneath this palace, far below the revelry, Tanimoto sat in darkness.
A smile slowly crept over her lips.
("Why should I wait until dawn? I want to see that miserable face of his.")
She rose from the bed, standing on her feet before slipping silently across the floor.
She could sense a presence directly behind her door, it was likely her father's men guarding her bedroom, but they were easy enough to deal with.
Releasing her Eldritch aura, they were captured in its radius and immediately slumped over.
Exiting her chambers, she stepped over their unconscious figures and began walking through the castle, eventually finding downstairs.
She descended into the lower regions of the castle, feeling the air grow colder the deeper she went.
Torches burned, casting more shadow than light.
She moved quickly as her bare feet were silent until she eventually smelled mildew and rust clinging to the air, now reaching the last step.
Down below, a single jailer was slumped against a desk near the entrance, snoring.
She approached him, brushing her fingers across his temple, and suddenly he became angry.
Walking up, he scowled, thinking of his worst enemy.
"My wife… I'll cave her head in!"
Completely ignoring Ophelia, the jailer stood up and approached the door, leaving his post.
"That fucking bitch!! I hate her guts!"
"Amplifying one's wrath sure does come in handy." She snickered.
Ophelia proceeded to open the door that led to the prisoner's cell before walking inside.
Row by row, cells lined the corridor.
Prisoners were in the dark, talking to themselves, but fell silent as they noticed the figure gliding past.
At the very end, in a heavy iron cell, she found him.
Tanimoto sat on the floor with his back against the wall.
His clothes were torn from the fight, and a thin line of dried blood trailed from the corner of his mouth.
He lifted his head at the sound of footsteps until he finally noticed Ophelia.
"What the hell?!" He stood up, shocked to see Ophelia.
She stepped close enough for the torchlight to catch her face.
"Surprised?" She asked with a sadistic smile, her tone almost sweet. "You thought you'd killed me, didn't you?"
His eyes narrowed.
"What do you want with me?"
She tilted her head, as though pondering.
"I only want to see the look on your face, knowing you're the one behind bars, and I'm the one who did this to you."
"You killed those people without remorse! I tried to save them! You're nothing more than scum!"
"Oh, spare me."
She interrupted him as her voice sharpened.
"They believe in me. That's all that matters."
She leaned forward so her eyes met his through the bars.
"You'll burn at dawn, Tanimoto. And I'll be there, smiling. You should be grateful, at least you'll die knowing exactly who put you there."
For a moment, the cell was silent except for the drip of water in the distance.
His jaw tightened.
"What does the princess have to do with me? You have to be someone else… this doesn't make any sense!"
Ophelia's smile lingered, but her eyes sharpened.
"Oh… it makes perfect sense, Tanimoto."
He frowned, trying to read her expression, but she stepped closer to the bars until there was nothing but an arm's length between them.
"You really don't recognize me? Even after all the fun you had with me?"
"What are you talking about?"
She tilted her head before her voice dropped into a colder register.
"My name… isn't Ophelia. Not really."
Tanimoto's brow furrowed.
"In another life…" She continued. "I was known as Yuto Alltear."
Almost immediately, the color drained from his face.
"...What?"
"You heard me." She said as her smile widened just enough to show her teeth. "Yuto. The one you mocked. The one you humiliated. The one you pushed until there was nothing left but hatred in my chest."
He shook his head, backing away as if the distance could make the words untrue.
"No, that's fucking impossible! How the hell are you Yuto? What the fuck is going on?"
"You brought me great pain." She said in disappointment. "But I was given a second chance in this body, in this world! And from the very moment I drew my first breath here, I swore I would see you suffer."
Tanimoto stomped forward as his hands gripped the bars.
"You're insane! Yuto is too much of a pussy to do this!"
"Maybe." She said with a soft laugh. "But now I've changed. I'm the one who's going to watch you die at sunrise."
For a long moment, they simply stared at each other; his eyes wide with disbelief, and hers with satisfaction.
The sound of the dripping water between them felt deafening.
Finally, she straightened her posture and chuckled.
"Sleep well, Tanimoto. You won't get another night."
She turned and walked away, leaving him in the dark with nothing but her words and the weight of his own thoughts.
His breathing grew heavier, and his mind scrambled to process what he'd heard.
Ophelia didn't look back.
By the time she returned to her chambers, the festival music was still playing outside as if nothing had changed, yet in the dungeon below, the foundation of her enemy's world had just been shattered.
("Now. Let's see how fear tastes when it stews overnight.")
+
Ophelia walked inside, shutting the door behind her with a quiet click.
The air in her chamber felt warmer than the dungeon's chill as she made way to her bed, letting her mind replay the moment Tanimoto's face drained of color.
That image alone was worth the trip.
Sitting on her bed, she crossed her legs and extended her palm.
"Come forth, my Sins."
A magic circle was fabricated into existence.
First was Invidia, calm and composed, manifesting into existence as Ulysses did the same from behind.
"You've been busy." Ulysses said, grinning. "And you didn't invite us?"
Invidia's lips curved slightly.
"She was playing with her prey, as always. It's not unlike Master Ophelia to savor their fear before the kill."
Ophelia's gaze fell upon them both.
"I had business in the dungeon. Tanimoto needed the truth about who I was, and now he's in utter shock."
"Oh?" Ulysses stepped closer with her broadsword on her shoulder. "So you broke him already? Ah man, I wanted to see his face when he realized the truth! I bet it was priceless."
Invidia's green eyes lingered on Ophelia with that admiring look of his.
"I'm glad you're enjoying this, Master. Tanimoto has caused you great pain, and we can feel it in your heart. He must suffer for his actions."
Ophelia gave the gentlest smile.
"Of course, only my loyal sins can understand me."
He nodded.
"I envy your position and influence, and the way people cling to every word you say. But I'll use that envy to sharpen myself for your sake, Master Ophelia."
Ulysses rolled her eyes.
"Here we go with Envy's yapping again. Me? I just want in on the action. You're out there making history and I'm stuck waiting in your nucleus like a bodyguard who doesn't get paid."
She smirked, leaning forward.
"So next time, you bring me. Got it?"
Ophelia met her red eyes evenly.
"Very well, my dear."
Ulysses's grin widened.
"Thank you, Master. I'm sick of holding back all the time!"
Invidia gave a small, almost imperceptible sigh.
"Holding back, for her, means delaying a swing by five seconds instead of one."
"I heard that!" Ulysses snapped, though her smirk never left.
("This is much better. Both Ulysses and Invidia now have personalities. They can act on their own free will while remaining loyal. Tampering with their nucleus for this to happen was no easy task.")
Ophelia stood up and stepped forward as her presence drew their attention like gravity.
"Both of you will have your roles to play after dawn. Tanimoto's execution is not the end, it's only the first step. Once the kingdom cheers for his death, and once the heroes gain their weapons, we start our new plan."
Invidia bowed his head with his eyes sharpening into focus.
"Then we'll be ready, Master Ophelia, just lead the way."
Ulysses slammed the flat of her blade against her shoulder.
"And I'll make sure they feel my wrath!"
Ophelia allowed herself a small, genuine smile.
"Good. Then rest while you can within me. Tomorrow, we shall start going after those pesky heroes."
Ophelia snapped her fingers before both Wrath and Envy were turned to mist and pulled inside of her.
Ophelia now turned, her bare feet walking against the floor as she approached the tall, arched window.
The sound of festival music came from the Kingdom below.
Lanterns floated in the distance like drifting fireflies while long carpets were being rolled out to line the path for the ten virtues to walk upon when the heroic spirits come.
Servants had even hurried between torch posts, checking decorations and making space for their arrival.
The ceremony for the Heroic Spirits would begin soon.
"There is far too much happiness. A little more despair should enlighten the mood. If I cannot be happy, then what gives this world the right to laugh with joy?"