Chapter 23: The Truth.

Helena returns to the orphanage, where she talks to Anna about what happened, and her mistress comforts her.

Anna: "I know what it's like to lose your friends, your love, and ultimately your dignity. Helena, I'm so sorry, but I already suspected something about Mary."

Helena sadly hugs her mistress and thanks her for the respect and affection.

In Anna's head, another voice says: "How long will you continue with this lie, you murderer?"

Anna's expression turns to despair, and she tells Helena that she has something to say to her, but it wasn't the right time.

Helena, crying, thanks her mistress for being by her side.

At dawn, Anna goes to talk to Helena in her room.

Anna: "Helena, can I talk to you?"

Helena: -Of course, master.

Anna: -Are you feeling better?

Helena: -It was a whirlwind of emotions. High Priest Gray said he wouldn't bury Mary since she's classified as Lith, so she was an infiltrated enemy. We also didn't find Isz and Hyogo's bodies.

Helena, with a sad expression, recounts this to Anna.

Anna: -What I want to talk to you about is a secret. Maybe you'll understand, or maybe you'll hate me.

Confused and scared, Helena asks: -What do you mean, master? I wouldn't hate you for your secret.

Anna: -This secret isn't just mine; it's yours too.

Helena sits on the bed with Anna, and she begins to tell her story.

Anna: -Helena, do you remember the day your parents were killed?

Helena: -Yes, but we've already talked about this a long time ago, master, you already know everything about me.

Anna: -I killed them, Helena.

Helena: -What? What kind of joke is this?

Anna: -You lived in the castle near the central city, that castle belonged to the Andor family. They were a clan of vampires, but the difference is that they didn't feed on human blood like the Lith.

Helena stares at her master with a look of despair.

Anna: -The church didn't know about this difference, Gray suspected that the children disappearing in the surrounding area were due to your family.

We started a campaign where the queen went along and ended up being possessed by a Lith. I killed her parents, but along the way I discovered they weren't like the Liths.

Your father asked me to spare you. I didn't know they weren't like the Liths, but the raid was done. Your mother couldn't survive, so I slit her throat.

I looked at you hidden under the bed and remembered my daughter. I asked an alchemist to put you under a sleeping spell and left you with a nun in the center of the city. We reported that everyone died.

Helena, with her hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes, says: -So you were the hooded person that day.

Anna: -I can't bear this burden anymore and I had to tell the truth. I don't want you to forgive me, I just want you to understand my situation. Irineia told me you consumed some blood that was in the ruins.

You're not a Lith, you're an Andor, please don't consume any more human blood because you could decay into a Lith and become our enemy.

Helena laughs at Anna and says: -Hahaha, You're already my enemy, how could such an admired and professional woman make such a mistake? You killed my parents and you want me to follow your advice? What kind of cruel person does that? So you were feeling guilty about what you did and used me to ease your remorse, and even knowing that Mary was a possible Lith, you left her with me.

Anna: -That's not it, Helena. I truly wanted to care for you as if you were my own daughter. I will never forgive myself for what I did, but your father wouldn't want you to become a demon like those who accused you.

Helena angrily shouts: -SHUT YOUR MOUTH! YOU ARE A MURDERER LIKE ALL THE OTHERS!

Anna lowers her head and leaves the place with tears in her eyes. Irineia passes by her and gives a slight smile.

Helena locks herself in her room, unable to believe what her mistress said. She lost her love, her master, her friends, and everyone close to her. Her hands could no longer hold any weapons, and she heads to the High Priest Gray's chambers and asks to work as an assistant at the orphanage. He finds it strange but accepts her request.

On her way to the orphanage, Helena meets Alphonse. She approaches him and confides in him, but Alphonse ignores her with a cold look and continues on his way.

Baron calls Helena to the orphanage and tells her that from today on she would work assisting him and Nina.

When Helena saw the smiles of the orphans, she felt more relieved seeing that she was fighting for the innocent who lived there and joined them.

Anna, still hallucinating and now with more remorse for what she did in her past, begins to see her husband calling her back home along with their daughter.

Anna was on top of a very high hill that was next to the orphanage.

Baron watched from afar, wondering what Anna was doing staring blankly at the edge of the hill.

Anna began to see the butcher meeting her daughter and saying, "Mom could join us, couldn't she?"

Anna saw Helena with them, saying she forgave her, the butcher taking her hand along with her daughter's.

At that moment, Anna fell from the hill; a shrill sound could be heard.

Baron arrived at the scene, but it was too late; Anna was dead.