Franucci gritted her teeth, mixed emotions painted all over her face as she took in the words Ludwig spat at her. The Officer seemed to consider the facts laid down seriously since her hold on Ludwig's neck loosened, giving just enough room for the doctor to move free.

"What the—"

Ludwig slipped away from Franucci's arm choke and flitted behind her. With both hands, he slung them over the woman's neck and left armpit before locking the hold in one swift motion.

Franucci tried to break free from it—twisting her body and made a few attempts to elbow Ludwig, but it proved futile.

"I'm sure you know what I'm implying here, Miss Tergett," said Ludwig with a veritable smile on his face, "That Aegis will kill you even if you take me hostage. But... now that our role has reversed, I guess that doesn't matter anymore."

"...You!" Franucci screamed and used her glove to escape Ludwig. It shone, slowly changed color from sapphire blue to arctic blue in seconds, and then, those two appeared next to a wall. A grin flitted across Franucci's face, her right foot planted further to the front and their back facing the wall. She fell forward slightly and then, she used the slight momentum to slam her entire body against the wall behind them.

Ludwig gritted his teeth from the pain, but still, he never did let go of Franucci and instead, tightened his hold on the woman.

"...Go away, go away, go away, go away," I said while crying, my Aegis congealed and coalesced into a large, crimson scythe, "You all lied to me... It hurt... Why would you do that..."

Franucci caught sight of the ominous scythe hanging in the air. Her eyes widened and then, she hollered her lungs out. Franucci hastily activated her glove to elude everyone in the hallway lest she would be killed by my Aegis. However, Ludwig had another plan for her. The doctor loosened his arms wrapping around Franucci and threw her to the floor.

"What are you—"

The glove's glow dissipated in intensity after a gunshot resounded throughout the narrow space. Franucci's pupils dilated, and not a moment sooner, her body slumped and crashed down.

Ludwig and I looked in the direction where the gunshot originated from and saw Gawain, a gun in one hand aimed at Franucci.

"Hah! I knew you would come...!"

Ludwig coughed blood and crouched on one knee. Gawain rushed to his side and helped him got back up on his feet. As I watched them with teary eyes, my scythe shone in pale red before it began to dissolve into thin air. As for the evil Officer, Franucci Tergett had her eyes opened while her mouth agape, all life lost from her body. I barely registered the fact that she had been shot by Gawain a few moments ago.

"..." Gawain stared in my direction, or more accurately, the dissolving scythe as Ludwig explained about what happened. After the scythe disappeared from sight, Gawain's eyes fell on me. A hint of sadness was evident in it as our eyes met.

"I knew someone would check on the little miss sooner or later... Hsstt... Ouch... My jaw feels like it's melting," said Ludwig.

"...I merely followed the Boss's order. And you, Ludwig. To gamble on my arrival is very risky considering you were up against someone like her," said Gawain, his eyes still on me.

They approached me afterward and Ludwig quickly crouched to check my injuries. Gawain breathed a sigh and looked elsewhere.

"...Go away," I whispered.

"Did you say something?" prompted Ludwig.

"Go away!"

Elongating crimson claws and thorny vines emerged from my back and came down at the duo. At the last moment, Gawain pulled Ludwig out of harm's way before he dodged the Aegis.

"Ava!" called Ludwig.

"...She has lost it. She's beyond our help. It's better if we retreat and call for backup."

"Go away, go away, go away, go away... GO AWAY!!"

The claws and vines spread itself as it raked and slashed the walls and floor beneath. Loud, incomprehensible shrills from the weapons filled the entire area.

My eyes cried out blood. I killed again. Even though I despised such an act, I had killed again. Why did this have to happen?

I took the soldiers' lives within the blink of an eye. What about their families? Someone important to them must be waiting, and yet, I crushed their hope of ever seeing their loved ones one more time. I killed, killed, killed, killed, killed, killed, killed, killed... and KILLED!

"Tch." Gawain held Ludwig back and dodged a claw cutting through the air above him. He grabbed Ludwig by the collar and threw him far back, however, a sharp claw arrowed towards Gawain at the same time. He did not see it coming, and when he turned to look at me, the jagged claw pierced his chest.

"Gaaakh!" Blood poured out from Gawain's mouth as he too retreated away from me before his entire body crashed to the floor. The wound on the left side of his chest took no time to soak his shirt blood red.

"Ah..." I stared at Gawain, my body trembled at what I had done. "I-I'm sorry, s-sorry... I didn't... mean..."

The sight of Gawain lying on the floor as Ludwig tried to bandage his wound was the last straw. I couldn't stay here with everyone. Ayesha would hate me for hurting one of her friends. Hope would stay away, afraid of being hurt. And Ludwig, for him, he could harm me for what I did if he wished to.

Grandpa; someone austere like him wouldn't tolerate this kind of action even from the likeness of his own granddaughter.

In the end, I would be alone by myself.

"Mommy... Daddy," I said, walking away from the scene as tears fell out of my eyes, "Mommy... Daddy... Where are you...? Pl-Please, Ava needs your help."

The claws and vines I produced mingled and shifted form into large, curved swords. It dug into the floor and gouged the cement as I dragged myself along the hallway, my own cries repleted my sense of hearing.

I could no longer be with these people.

They reneged on their promise—that they would keep me safe from those evil soldiers. But... it didn't matter, right? Only Mommy and Daddy would love me for who I was.

And so, clinging onto this thought, I walked limply as my mouth never ceased to call for Mommy and Daddy. Tears of blood wetted my cheeks.

"Mommy... Daddy..."