Farah''s POV

    The girl stands beside me and asks.

    -Is this girl the one you want to find?

    I nod and reply to the girl.

    -Yes... (Farah)

    The girl frowns and watches the small Sora closely. I immediately call out to the girl.

    -You can''t be sure that she is the one who makes your city disappear.

    The girl sighs and reassures me with a calm voice.

    -I''m fine...I''m not like that time...

    However, her glare gradually turns sharp as she watches over Sora.

    -But she is one of them...Watch out.

    I nod and step inside the room. The small Sora notices my approach and runs to my side.

    -Hey! Hey! Are you my new friend? (Sora)

    -Stay aw...

    The girl tries to move in front of me to protect me from Sora.

    -Stay away...

    Sora lets out a creepy laugh and points at the girl. In the next few seconds, many hands come out from the ground and pull her away.

    -Heyy! (Farah)

    When I try to reach out to save the girl, Sora has already hugged me and whispers into my ears.

    -Leave her alone! Let''s play with me... (Sora)

    -But... (Farah)

    -She will be fine as long as you play with me... (Sora)

    I can''t really believe the current Sora, but I have no choice but to play along with her now. Since it''s not a good idea to fight with the current Sora when I have no method to save her.

    -I will play with you! (Farah)

    Sora jumps up and laughs happily.

    -Hooray! I have a new friend now! (Sora)

    Sora points at me and says in a loud voice.

    -Since you are taller than me, I will call you sister. (Sora)

    -Yeah? (Farah)

    The current Sora gives a different image from herself when she is a queen. But it''s not too unfamiliar since the current Sora looks like the one I saw in her bedroom.

    -What''s wrong, sister? Don''t you want to play with me? (Sora)

    I shake my head to deny it.

    -No, I want to play with you! (Farah)

    Sora smiles as she hears my answer.

    -Let''s go then! (Sora)

    Sora grabs my hand and pulls me away. We pass through many corridors and eventually arrive at the castle''s garden.

    -Sister! Sister! (Sora)

    Sora points at the sandbox in the middle of the garden.

    -Let''s build the sandcastle. (Sora)

    -Okay? (Farah)

    We sit inside the sandbox and start building many things. But I can''t fully concentrate on playing with Sora and glance at her from time to time.

    -Sister! Your castle looks so ugly! (Sora)

    -Ahh... (Farah)

    I look at my collapsed castle and let out a wry smile.

    -Let me try again. (Farah)

    Even though when we are playing together, the monsters wear royalty clothes, stand from afar and watch over us. I point at them and ask them.

    -Should you tell your parents to take a little break? Are they tired of watching us? (Farah)

    Sora stops her hand and looks at me with a confused face.

    -It''s alright, sister! I''m still a small "princess." I need extra care for them. (Sora)

    Sora glances at the monsters and says in a passionate voice.

    -I want them to look at me forever...like an ordinary family. (Sora)

    From the hint given in the previous conversation, I felt the current Sora may be the emotion she hides deep inside her heart.

    -Is this good? I can play for the entire day while having the family on my side. (Sora)

    -... (Farah)

    -I can be happy forever in this place. (Sora)

    Sora suddenly holds her head as if she has remembered something.

    -And the "prince" won''t leave me here. I hate that betrayer... (Sora)

    -Sora... (Farah)

    Sora bites her nail and mutters repeatedly.

    -I can be happy...That betrayer... (Sora)

    I can think of one person when Sora mentions the betrayer.

    -But Sora...? (Farah)

    Sora looks up and stares at me with irritated eyes.

    -What...? (Sora)

    I swallow my saliva and take up the courage to ask out loud.

    -Are you fine with throwing away your dear citizen? (Farah)

    -Citizen? What are you talking about...? (Sora)

    -What I mean is the people outside of this illusion... (Farah)

    -They are all living happily under my parents'' rule. Why do they need me, a princess? (Sora)

    -Sora... (Farah)

    I need to break her illusion and make her realise the truth.

    -Sora, this is just an... illusion. (Farah)

    Sora blocks her ears and shouts out loud.

    -Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! (Sora)

    -Sora! (Farah)

    Sora pushes me away and glares at me with eyes full of hatred.

    -I thought I would make you a friend. Then, you would become my prince. (Sora)

    -... (Farah)

    -But I never knew you were a mean person. (Sora)

    -Sora... (Farah)

    Black tears come out of her eyes and wrap around her body. For some reason, I feel this black water is very familiar.

    -This... (Farah)

    -Betrayer! Get out of my life... (Sora)

    Right, I have encountered this black water before.

    -Transform... (Farah)

    It seems like fighting is unavoidable.

    -The water that used to take over Hina''s body. Why did it appear in this place? (Farah)

    Madeus

    Thanks for reading OwO

    Sorry for no chapter yesterday, I was  alittle busy so I didn''t have time to write yesterday.