Himitsu 12 - Is This Reality?

As Jun makes his way through the forest, he suddenly falls to his knees, clutching his chest in pain. He feels overwhelmed by something that he can't quite comprehend. Despite not having left the forest yet, his body feels cold and he struggles to catch his breath. However, after thirty seconds of agony, the pain suddenly disappears and he feels fine. It's only then that he realizes what happened. Jun has exceeded the limit of being connected to the Gem Pod. Though he can't see his reflection without a mirror, he's not too worried. He remembers Remiel's words about finding the white door and leaving Caspien. Jun stands to his feet and continues to walk, the many trees all look identical. It seems as if there's no end to them. He wonders about his father Caelum and his sister Leonarda, and whether Caspien has always looked so strange or if it has changed somehow. The simulation he once thought was real and secure has turned out to be a lie, and he realizes that coming back here has only made things more clear.

The sky overhead is a foreboding shade of red, devoid of any sign of life. It's almost as if he's trapped in a barren wasteland, with no way out. The landscape around him is eerie, and Jun can't shake the feeling that something is not quite right about this place. 'There's no time to be having negative thoughts. My priority is to find Atsuko. Hmmm.....how do I go about doing that?'  Jun thinks to himself as he stops walking. Jun takes a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. Suddenly, he feels an intense wave of exhaustion wash over him.

Without realizing it, Jun teleports himself to a deserted park, surrounded by towering trees. He lies down on the bench, feeling the cool breeze on his face. When he opens his eyes, he's surprised to see that he's back in the park where he and Atsuko used to hang out. He sits up, confused and disoriented. “Really!? What's the meaning of this? Why am I back here again?" He asks no one but himself. As he looks around, he notices that his half-angel wing pendant is glowing softly. He feels a jolt of recognition as he realizes that this park is in his true reality. This park is special to him and Atsuko because it's where they first met. Jun's mind races as he tries to piece together what happened and how he got here. He remembers the day they met, on a stormy afternoon when the sky was black with clouds but no rain fell. Atsuko was sitting on a blue swing, lost in thought, and Jun joined her without saying a word. They swung in silence for what felt like hours, lost in their worlds. Now, with Jun's sudden burst of clarity, he knows what he has to do. He mutters two words under his breath, "επίνειο" and "φωτεινός", not knowing what they mean. Suddenly, a bright light emanates from his chest, enveloping him and the entire park in a blinding white glow.

As the light fades, Jun sees that the park has been transformed into a mysterious building, surrounded by a dense forest. The building is called Weavers' Dream.

****

Atsuko, the sleeping maiden, slowly opens her eyes, and as she does, her mind becomes a clean slate once again. She forgets everything that she had learned previously, and the truth about everything flees from her once more. In front of her stands Kenzo, looking enchanting and inviting, as he asks, "My lady, please dance with me." Without a word, Atsuko accepts his offer, and the two of them start to dance in the bright and royal ballroom.

Meanwhile, sitting at a table of refreshments, Hideo, Ms. Lia, and two young children watch the pair dancing from a distance. The little girl, who looks like Kenzo, has long white hair and amber eyes, while the little boy, who looks like Atsuko, has short brown hair and blue eyes. Kenzo is excited inside, but his happiness is not a pure emotion; it's a feeling of greed and power. He enjoys tricking his prey, as he has been doing for centuries, killing women who are lovely paragons, lying to them, and promising them false hopes until they meet their demise. He needs lovely paragons to survive, or else he could grow weak and potentially die.

Hideo, on the other hand, is not the same as Kenzo. He doesn't need to feed on others to gain power. He's keeping Ms. Lia as a prisoner, and he's a Daten-shi of revenge. Hideo asks Ms. Lia, who looks beautiful but unhappy, "Are you enjoying the refreshments?" Ms. Lia replies, "The refreshments are tasteless." Hideo then coos at the two small children, "Go along with the mommy and daddy." and they run over to their parents. He did this only to speak to Ms. Lia privately. He glances at Ms. Lia, "This is all according to plan. Are you tired of acting the part? Don't you remember the deal?"

Ms. Lia puts down her glass of tasteless punch and says, "I remember, okay? I know that we are destined lovers for all eternity. We were just like Lady Atsuko and Lord Kenzo at one point." Hideo doesn't say anything, but he recalls his many memories of Ms. Lia. He then secretly adds flavor to Ms. Lia's punch, using some of his powers. He is growing tired of these charades and his evil nature. "Momma!!" The little girl and little boy cling to Atsuko's pink skirt. "What is it, Ashley and Kita?" Atsuko questions, it's as if she's speaking but it's by force. Kenzo is keeping her from acting on her own free will.

"We want to dance with you," Ashley exclaims happily. Kita agrees with his sister and just like that Atsuko ends up dancing with her two children. Kenzo merely watches, making eye contact with Hideo before leaving the ballroom. Ms. Lia, who is watching them, rolls her eyes with jealousy. Kenzo has always treated Atsuko differently from all the other girls, and Ms. Lia doesn't understand why. Atsuko looks at Hideo who is walking towards her, "Lord Kenzo wants you to wait for him at the courtyard."

"What for?" Atsuko asks, suddenly widening her eyes. Her previous memories return and her expression darkens. In the blink of an eye, Ashley and Kita vanish as if they were never there in the first place. "Kenzo wants to give you an offer."

".........." Without saying a word, Atsuko rushes to the courtyard to meet Kenzo. What could this offer be? Will it be a sweet or bitter experience for her? Only time will tell.