Bang!

First hit.

Bang!

Second hit.

Bang!

Third hit.

They all followed quickly and consecutively. The throwing knives pierced through the short distance from where Ashnah stood to the very center point of the third bullseye mark on the board with ominous whistling sounds.

The newly settled villager who was tending to that game stall had fallen onto his backside with his hands pressed against the ground as cold sweat trickled from the sides of his hairline. A frosty shiver slithered down his spine as he gulped.

He couldn't believe it. A little girl who looked no older than ten years of age had played an adult game with throwing knifes and had accurately hit the mark nine times on the three bullseyes marks on the game board.

The child had handled the throwing knives dangerously and chillingly like a pro, that it gave him more than a fright.

"Mister." The brunette child adorably smiled, revealing her deep dimples. "How many prizes do I get?" Her voice was so soft and cute, that he would have thought that she had not been the one who had thrown the small knives, but he knew all too well she had been.

The sound of several loud guffaws was heard. Then one of the villagers finally decided to tell him, "seems like you're just learning newbie! Our cute Ash is like a beast when it comes to these game-stalls! That's why we always bring at least two of our biggest prize than give her one before she starts the game!!"

All the game-stall people who were adjacent and in front of him held big toothy smiles.

'You guys should've told me that this little girl had an inner beast within her!' No wonder why he had seen them just handing her over prizes to put in the red wagon she was pulling behind her. He had thought it was just peculiar.

"Ah. Yes! Yes! Welcome to Misty Village!"

"Mister." Ashnah called out to him.

'Aren't her parents afraid to sleep night? She may be the type to kill as she smiles.' He thought as he cautiously eyed the girl.

After making new additions to the inside of her wagon, Ashnah pulled it along as she ate some sweet pink cotton candy on a stick. The treat melted instantly when it came in contact with her tongue. She gazed up at the dark night sky.

In a short thirty minutes, it was going to be midnight. But for some reason, the girl felt that this festival was going to be different than the ones held in the past. "Hey Ray, is it just me or don't you sense something just ..... strange?"

Ray knew exactly what Ashnah meant when she had said that. "Once midnight comes, you will see Princess."

"....Midnight, huh?" Ashnah murmured.

••••

Blood splattered on the framed picture of the smiling Ellen and Ashnah in a flower meadow.

The last body had finally dropped.

Corpses and blood was littered everywhere, outside and inside of his wife's and daughter's abode.

Anzor sheathed his blade. "Those two .... it seems like they cannot wait." There was no warmth in his eyes or voice whatsoever as he thought about the dear uncle and aunt who had raised him.

"Anzor-sama. I have confirmed; all of them are dead. A total of forty-two bodies." The purple haired aide reported.

The Archduke trekked over to and picked up the framed picture he had tainted with another's blood. Warmth once again refilled his azure blue eyes as he gazed at it, cleaning the blood off the glass portion of the frame with his sleeve. "Seems like they are from the Thanos Assassination Guild." He remarked.

"Indeed, they are, Anzor-sama." Cole agreed.

A memorizing cold smile adorned his face, his dimples etching on his cheeks. "I want that guild destroyed. All of them. Within three days."

Cole's emerald eyes grew large in magnitude at the preposterous time limit his master had given! There were at least seventy-four branches of the Thanos Assassination Guilt throughout the entire Kingdom of Emphraim and the main branch was still hidden, okay! How was he suppose to get that done in three days?!

"You may use whatever resources I own. And you know what to do." He indicated by glancing around the house that looked like the angel of death came to pay the home a visit. "Forty-minutes." Before Anzor could see Cole thoughts on his sleeves about his seemingly impossible demands he stepped outside, not at all avoiding the blood as he walked through it.

The cool breeze of the night caressed his cheeks.

Midnight stroke.

The large golden bell within the tower that could be seen from anywhere within Misty Village rang three times.

Dong!

Dong!

Dong!

The voice of the old bell was louder than ever before when it had stroke midnight. The rings of the bell resonated over the entire village.

Then Anzor sensed it.... rather them and there were a lot.

The atmosphere that was blanketed over the rural land of Emphraim quickly became abundant with extremely strong mana. Second,  the booming sounds of movement within the skies were heard causing the land to shake. Finally they were seen, not hundreds like there usually had been, but this time there were thousands.

Majestic powerful magical beasts soared through the sky of Misty Village with a thin white heavenly mist encircling them. Left behind them a beautiful aurora with hues of pink, purple and violet materialized as shooting stars rained.

Meanwhile, Ashnah who was with her mother gasped in exclamation. "Amazing!" It was the most magical and beautiful sight she had ever seen ever since she had been reincarnated in this otome game. Now she knew what Ray had meant. The strange feeling came from her sensing all of those magical beasts.

An aurora or shooting stars never occurred when the inhabitants of Misty Village viewed the migration of magical beasts. This sighting would surely go down in history. Just the number of magical beasts would make anyone astounded and mark this day.

As she watched the bright look on her child face, Ellen was happy but that was quickly overrode by a feeling of anxiousness. Why did she feel like something was going to happen in the nearby future?

••••

With the incense burner holder boxed as a gift along with several sticks of incense, Tazanna stepped one foot onto the elegant carriage of the Morley Family. "Father, mother, make sure not to give too much sweets to Lila while I am gone, please." She softly reminded.

"Now my lovely Anna, you don't have to worry about Lila." Emma remarked. "Have you forgotten how I raised you and Anzor, myself?"

Vincent questioned. "Why is there only 'you', in that sentence? Dear, are you implying that I was not apart of that process as well?"

The retired Duchess fan opened, covering her lips and chin. She said, "isn't it obvious?"

Tazanna smiled than laughed at her parents' interactions. "I will return home soon, father and mother. Take care of yourselves." The carriage door closed. It's destination was Misty Village.