The Awakening Of Clarisse von Fahrmann

Wait, maybe those questions aren't that complicated to begin with.

I finally pieced the puzzle together, bit by bit, until a single, definitive conclusion formed:

So... basically, she didn’t know it was poison—because she exchanged it through her saliva.

Why did I say this? Well, both cups had lipstick stains. Therefore, that was the first clue. 

An identical, and deliberate setup.

And then… the flavor. Could she have used some kind of subtle magic to mask the poison’s taste? Erased its scent, its texture, its bitterness? Something hideous, perhaps?

If so, she likely savored the drink for too long in one sip. And by the time she excused herself—perhaps to the restroom—it was already way too late for.

However, I guess that didn’t add up at all.

I mean, if she were poisoned, why did she even bother walking to the destination on her own?

Unless... she refused to walk beside Elysia and insisted on going alone?

Wait.

No—of course not!

If that were true, Elysia wouldn’t have been standing so close to her as the servant. She probably wouldn’t have even known her drink had been tampered with.

And that’s exactly when it hit me: they were walking side-by-side.

Clarisse on her arm. Elysia pretending to be the loyal companion, the innocent servant.

She orchestrated all of it—down to the last step.

But what kind of poison was it? And how did she make Clarisse drink it so easily?

I exhaled, sniffed the air near the cup… then froze.

Wait. Could this be—

A sudden burst of maniacal laughter echoed through the clearing, loud and shrill like a banshee in a twisted fairy tale. The kind of sound that could serve as a soundtrack to a horror film. Or the climactic scene in a villain’s reveal.

“So… you knew.”

Wait—how did she know?

I turned, my expression flipping a full 180. Her tears were gone. What replaced them was a wide, exaggerated grin stretched across her face like a mask from a gothic tragedy.

Elysia's hands gripped her cheeks, and her expression—wild, delighted, utterly unhinged—told me everything I needed to know.

She had revealed her true self.

The psychotic murderer.

“I knew you were hiding something, 'Clarisse.' Or… whoever you are.”

She stepped toward me, slowly, deliberately, as if performing for an unseen audience. Every footfall carried theatrical weight, like the stage beneath her dictated her rhythm.

And then, she grabbed my chin—forcefully—and locked eyes with me.

“No, that’s not it. Who are you really, Milady Clarisse von Fahrmann?”

For most of this confrontation, I’d felt in control. 

Domineering, observant, and ruling the game ruthlessly. 

But now? I was pinned down by her instead.

Ugh, where was that Panel-kun when I needed him the most?

I swallowed hard, lips sealed shut. I never dared to respond.

And then—she kissed me all of a sudden.

Nope. Not romantically. Let alone it was done out of loyalty.

It was ferocious. Forceful. An invasion to my lips.

Her tongue invaded my mouth, drawing out my saliva… and swallowing it.

She licked her lips afterward, almost casually. Then smiled.

“Interesting. So that’s what happened.”

Wait… what?

Was my saliva a… sample? Did she just extract my memories like that?

What in the dark magic was that absurd ability?!

[Elysia von Schmidt possesses the ability to retrieve memories through the consumption of bodily fluids. Her mouth is naturally poisonous, but she herself is immune—allowing her to refine, modify, and nurture toxins within her own saliva.]

Seriously, Panel-kun? Just now? Where have you been lately?

[Apologies. I wasn’t able to interrupt mid-scene, especially with you crafting your own deduction sequence by creating those panels on your own.]

Great. So it indeed was my fault.

“Your eyes look so curious, ‘Clarisse.’”

I flinched back. She saw through me.

But I couldn’t let her win this mental chess game—not yet.

I shoved her away, straightened my posture, and slid back into elegance like slipping into a silk glove.

“My dear Elysia,” I purred, “What are you even talking about? Or is it just your delusion?”

“And that kiss... are you truly so romantic for a lowly servant? Oh my, how silly.”

Her face then twisted to something else entirely. Rage took over.

“Do not even pretend anymore!”

“I know who Clarisse is. And you—you are not her!”

So I was caught. After all this time, she had been watching me. 

Testing me by those questions and replies instead of being sincere.

Quietly studying my behavior, waiting for the perfect moment to confront me.

And somehow, out of the blue... I felt it.

That old spark brimming once more.

That lost fire I thought I’d buried long ago.

It came roaring back—passion, adrenaline, danger.

Perhaps, I was made for this role.

So, I guess... let her taste the truest form of fear.

I let out a jagged, gleeful cackle at first—low and deliberate.

 Each breath carried the weight of revelation.

 Then, all of a sudden, it swelled—rising, cracking—until it burst into a maniacal, joyful crescendo. I shrieked with laughter. 

Louder than her. Ferocious. Relentless. 

The kind of laugh that curdled blood as my veins surged with life. 

The thrill. The chaos. The taste of war.

My smile turned vicious—one of pure villainy.

A villainess who would not only destroy a kingdom…

But rule the world.

Because the danger was me.

I whispered to myself, breathless, exhilarated: “I’ve never felt so alive.”

And Elysia? She stumbled backward in terror. 

Trembling. Pale. She fell—clumsy and stunned.

Pathetic.

I stared down at her, disgusted. My gaze dripped with superiority, the kind of condescension that could make a child wet themselves.

Not that I cared.

[You have received a message from the original owner of this body, Clarisse von Fahrmann. She is preparing to enter your soul and briefly take control.]

[“It’s time,” she says. “THE AWAKENING.”]

So I get to meet her after all.

A shadow fell over me like a stage curtain closing.

From beyond, a hand reached through—touching my soul with the weight of legacy.

And then a voice, whispered in my ear:

“So… how does it feel, Yui Katagiri?"

"To truly come alive in my body… during your second life?”