On the continent of Arta, elves were an extremely rare race.
They possessed relatively long lifespans, typically had detached temperaments, low desires, and poor reproductive capabilities.
With human prosperity flourishing and the gradual development of martial skills, magic, and technology, the elves' slight natural racial advantages completely disappeared. Their communal villages were destroyed, and their numbers dwindled.
Even worse, some wealthy and powerful individuals viewed elves as precious pets, forcibly capturing any elves they discovered, making their living conditions increasingly harsh.
All along, Kassy had believed that her tragedy began on that summer evening.
Her family had been sufficiently low-profile and careful, simply wanting to live peacefully.
Why did humans still intrude? Why did they kill her parents? Why did they force her to sign a contract?
It was all because of that person, that adventurer named Sercis.
Sercis had cast a spell on her, trying to make her forget everything from before.
Unfortunately, she hadn't forgotten at all.
During their subsequent time together, Kassy had been somewhat moved by his kindness, thinking he might be a good person.
But no matter how much Kassy pleaded, Sercis always refused to release her from the contract and grant her freedom.
Fake, it was all fake. If he wouldn't even give her freedom, how could there be any sincerity in his proclaimed love?
If you won't give it to me, then I'll fight for it myself.
When she saw those eyes lose their light and gradually close, Kassy felt only infinite satisfaction.
She just wanted freedom. Since you wouldn't give it, then please die.
As the blood contract was severed, the pointed-eared elf spread her arms, embracing the distant wind, tasting freedom for the first time.
Lips curling upward, Kassy's typically cool face broke into a smile of pleasure.
The next moment, her expression suddenly froze.
"What is this?"
Her heart pounded rapidly as some uncomfortable power, as if freed from restraint, spread from deep within her body, irresistibly occupying her entire being.
"Ah-Ah—"
Kassy painfully covered her face. Starting from her face, patches of black spots appeared all over her skin.
Her long, sharp nails broke through her skin, but Kassy seemed not to feel it, scratching at her face again and again.
Fresh blood continuously flowed from the wounds, smearing that once beautiful face. Skin and flesh turned outward, white, black, and red colors intertwined, looking especially grotesque and terrifying.
"Help me, Kristin!"
Kassy sought help from Kristin, who had just completed their collaboration.
But Kristin only looked at her face in horror, frantically retreating several steps.
"Liar! You promised me that if anything went wrong, you would definitely help me!!"
Kassy screamed, her emerald eyes filled with anger and terror.
She extended her blood-covered hand, staggering toward Kristin.
A strange power surged around her, and the space behind her twisted into a black hole, enveloping Kassy within it.
The elf's advancing steps had to stop as she trembled all over, using all her strength to resist the mysterious pulling force from behind.
But it was all in vain.
First her floating light blue hair, then her dress hem, then her arms, and finally her entire person disappeared into the black hole.
After devouring the elf, the black hole seemed to give a satisfied belch before gradually dissipating without a trace.
Everyone on the battlefield, friend or foe, was stunned by this sudden anomaly.
No one knew where Kassy had gone.
Kassy herself didn't know either.
She only felt that everything around her was pitch black, impossible to see clearly.
Her body felt as if it was being gnawed and torn apart, like ten thousand ants devouring her heart, unbearably painful.
Only one extremely faint thread of clarity remained.
It was the blood contract connecting her to her master, not yet completely dissipated.
For some reason, there was still an extremely tenuous link between them.
Clinging to her obsession with life, Kassy painfully crawled toward that sole light.
Suddenly she felt her body lighten, and she fell downward.
The sudden brightness made it impossible for Kassy to open her eyes.
She only knew that the person standing before her somehow felt vaguely familiar.
"...Master… Master..."
She struggled to crawl forward, wanting to grasp those feet, to kiss the toes within reach, to beg the other person to extend a helping hand.
"...Save me… please..."
Hearing the elf's painful pleas by her feet, Celitia held her broom and indifferently stepped back half a step.
She lowered her eyelids slightly, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows on her pale face, hiding the complex light in her eyes.
Celitia knew that she had indeed kept some things from Kassy.
But her original intention was to prevent Kassy from being shackled by past shadows, to allow her to face future days purely and happily.
Who could have expected that this well-intentioned concealment would become poison in Kassy's heart?
Although Celitia was somewhat surprised that Kassy could find her and even seemed to recognize her,
She wasn't a fool.
When sincere devotion was repaid with a knife in the back, no one would be foolish enough to repeat the mistake.
Not immediately smashing Kassy's head with the broom was already the extent of Celitia's consideration for the last bit of old feelings in her heart.
"...Save me… Master..."
Kassy couldn't actually distinguish who the girl before her was.
She only had a feeling that the closer she got to the girl, the more her pain lessened.
With strength from an unknown source, Kassy suddenly propped herself up with both arms, lunging forward and firmly grasping Celitia's lower leg.
"...Mmph!"
Celitia let out a muffled groan as pain instantly activated throughout her body, causing her to tremble uncontrollably.
She had thought that after her rebirth, her contract with Kassy would be completely severed, and she would no longer bear the curse for her.
Who knew that power would still affect her?
"Let go of me!" Celitia struggled forcefully.
The disturbance in the manor had attracted the attention of many passersby. After the black hole disappeared, people continued to gather, curiously observing them.
As Celitia was drenched in cold sweat from the pain, about to bend down to pull Kassy's hair, a figure leapt over the outer hedge and appeared before her.
It was a girl about the same age as Celitia, with golden wavy curls, wearing a ceremonial hat and an elegant blue and white dress that was clearly expensive.
The girl lifted her skirt, revealing small leather boots with black straps, and kicked Kassy, who was still clinging to Celitia, sending the elf flying.
"Hmph," the girl raised her head proudly, her tone full of disdain, "so many people watching, yet not a single one willing to help."
"No need to thank me, I was just passing by—oh, what's wrong with you?"
The girl had been speaking to herself for a few sentences when she suddenly noticed Celitia's pale face covered in cold sweat, clearly in a bad state, and became flustered.
The girl hurriedly tried to grab Celitia's shoulders to examine her condition more closely.
Unexpectedly, before she could touch her, Celitia forcefully slapped her hand away.
The crisp sound of a slap rang through the air, and the girl's originally jade-white hand was reddened by Celitia's sudden strike.
"Don't touch me!"
Celitia clutched her chest, forcing the words through gritted teeth.