On the other hand, while Celestina was enjoying time with her friends by a lake, one of her friends came rushing in from outside and shouted,
"Hey, Celestina! Your master...! I heard the elders killed her in front of your mansion and imprisoned Tristan inside, bound by the magic shackles created by your master Estelle. They're planning to kill him next!"
Celestina frowned. "What do you mean by that? Come on, let's just play. Don't ruin the mood," she replied casually.
"You should go check it yourself," the girl insisted. "I heard it from my father."
A sudden fear gripped Celestina's heart. She rushed toward her mansion immediately. Upon arriving, she used her power 'Wolfram' on the place her friend had mentioned.
In an instant, a vision unfolded before her — showing everything that had happened.
Celestina collapsed onto her knees, tears pouring down as heavy sobs escaped her lips. Her heart broke. But amidst the grief, she suddenly remembered her master's final request — to protect Tristan.
But even through the pain, her mind clung to the promise she made: protect Tristan.
Wiping her tears, she stormed through the mansion, searching every corner — but Tristan was gone.
Desperation clawed at her, but she forced herself to stay calm.
She spent the whole night investigating, her emotions burning silently inside her.
By the next day, she finally tracked him down — imprisoned deep within the highest-security jail of Aurora Aether.
Celestina, now fueled by grief and rage, crushed through the prison's barriers like they were paper.
And there, she found him — Tristan — unconscious, bloodied, barely breathing.
He had been tortured for a full day under the cruel hands of the elders, left to die slowly.
A wave of fury surged through Celestina. She didn't hesitate for even a second.
With a single strike, she shattered the powerful shackles once forged by Estelle herself — breaking them as if they were made of nothing.
As Celestina unleashed her true powers, a dramatic transformation overtook her. Her fangs protruded from her mouth, and her once-normal eyes shifted to a deep crimson red — a reflection of her raw, uncontrollable power. Her red fox ears appeared, followed by a long, sweeping tail that swayed with the intensity of her emotions.
After waking Tristan and freeing him from the shackles, Celestina didn't waste a moment. She conjured a portal that would take him directly to Branchworld. She wasn't done yet, though.
Celestina calmly conjured a chair, sitting down next to her spell as she waited — waited for the elders to come. Her intention was clear: to destroy them all.
And soon enough, they arrived, intending to continue torturing Tristan. But the scene they walked into shocked them.
The shackles had been broken. And there, sitting in the chair with her crimson eyes glowing with rage, was Celestina.
Fear gripped the elders. The sheer aura of anger emanating from her made them tremble. Her fury grew with each passing moment, and soon, her power surged uncontrollably.
Her crimson eyes, glowing brighter than ever, seemed capable of annihilating everything in her path without a single movement. The air around her cracked with the intensity of her rage.
But as the power spiraled out of control, a system error occurred. The entire atmosphere around her warped, and she was chained by the very system that once empowered her.
Seizing the opportunity, the elders cursed her — a curse that stripped the 90% of her power and erased her fox-like appearance. They cast her out, banishing her from Aurora Aether entirely.
After the war, Celestina was sent to Branchworld, isolated from everything she had known. When the war between Tristan and Aurora Aether erupted, her powers were still being drained by the system in the prison. That was why she hadn't been able to help Tristan, leaving him to die alone.
But when Celestina finally arrived in Branchworld, things began to shift. Prince Lucien, aware of her tragic story, took her in. Understanding her pain and potential, he gave her a purpose — offering her the role of an official "Informer" for Branchworld.
Though her past was dark and painful, this new role was a chance at redemption. And Celestina would carry the weight of her decisions, looking toward the future, determined to make things right. ]
"Wait... So this is not your true appearance!" I said, my face was full of shock.
"Of course not. Why do you even think that? Red ginger is my original hair color, and look at this gray skin. Have you ever seen it anywhere?" Celestina replied.
"No, I mean, then where did this appearance come from?" I asked.
"I made it myself. Well, they only took my fangs and powers. But they can't take my whole appearance, right?" Celestina answered, a smirk forming on her lips.
"What do you mean? Why did you even do that? What's wrong with your original appearance? Why did you change it?" I raised my eyebrows in confusion.
"Because this is unique and cute. Don't you think so too?" Celestina winked at me, a playful smile creeping onto her face.
"Ekkkk... Noo, it's not!" I said, making a weird and annoyed face.
"What do you mean by that?! This gray skin and purple eyes—these are totally cute! Don't you dare underestimate them! I changed my appearance because people would definitely fear me in my original form. I don't want them to fear me like the people from my homeland." Celestina's voice took on a more serious tone.
"Well..." I couldn't finish his words.
"I look so dangerous in that appearance, even Lucien agreed," she added, her voice softening slightly.
𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩.. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘣𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨. Sergio thought.
"What's your original eye color?" I asked.
"Black," Celestina replied.
"I think you would look amazingly beautiful in that appearance, not monstrous at all," I said with sincerity.
"Finally, someone spoke the truth," Sergio remarked with a royal air about him, his tone dripping with authority.
Now that I think about it, Celestina is really pretty. Even with her weird skin, hair, and eyes, she looks so cute when she smiles. How come I never noticed it before?
For some reason, I looked at Sergio for a moment... ehh?? Then I looked at Celestina, and then back at Sergio again. Wait, something's not right. My sixth sense is telling me that Sergio might like Celestina somehow. What the heck!! I never noticed this before!!!!
"I really hate them," Celestina sighed.
"Hate whom?" I asked, tilting my head.
"The people of my motherland, Aurora Aether," she replied quietly.
"Eh? Why?" I blinked, surprised.
"They're incredibly manipulative, even when they appear so warm and friendly. You'll see when you get there. They seem easy to handle, but beneath the surface, they're the most dangerous of all," Celestina said, her voice calm, yet laced with a bitter smile.
"Then you? And your friends—" I hesitated.
"Yeah, I know. That blood runs in my veins too, so maybe you should be wary of me. They say teens are the boldest. At least… my friends never betrayed me back then." She smiled brightly, but I could feel the shadow behind it.
"Right. I suppose this is exactly why I hate you," Sergio said, his tone sharp and noble.
"Of course you hate me because I'm more powerful than you." She smirked, flipping her hair and added, "If I were in that war, all of you would've been my slaves by now."
"That is not the reason I despise you," Sergio spoke with a composed, royal weight in his voice. "I despise you for your immaturity… and your glaring lack of responsibility."
"Yeah, yeah," Celestina waved him off like she didn't care. Then she turned with a flicker of excitement. "Anyway, I'll go gather the others now. I have a special announcement for everyone."
"Okay," I said, still watching her with mixed thoughts.
After Celestina left to gather the others...
"Well, it's good that she's gone. Now, I wish to share something with you in her absence," Sergio said, his voice calm yet deliberate.
"What is it?" I asked, sensing the gravity in his tone.
"It concerns Riku—are you aware of any developments regarding him?" Sergio's expression was solemn.
"Ah... now that you mention it, I was about to ask Inaya about this. Last night, Riku deliberately pulled Ryu into danger to save himself. I don't trust him anymore. But what is it that you want to say?" I inquired, my concern growing.
"Inaya... she ended his life," Sergio replied, his face impassive.
"What? What do you mean?" I was truly shocked. "No, wait, there must be a mistake, right? That's not true—I know Inaya acts without hesitation in the games; I witnessed her actions last night, but this—"
"She took his life before sleeping again. I was left to manage the aftermath. Regarding Inaya's condition, I suspect there is a connection," he said, his voice sharp and unwavering.
"How is that related?" I asked, now fully serious.
"I do not yet know. I am endeavoring to discern the link—" Sergio began, but he was interrupted as the others entered the kitchen.
Sota, Satoru, Hana, and Brother Cheng Hao all arrived, their expressions shifting to surprise upon seeing Sergio present.
"Whoa, Sergio's here? That's rare!" Sota exclaimed, eyes wide.
"Is everything alright? You usually don't leave your work," Satoru added, concerned.
"Indeed, it's unusual to see you here," Brother Cheng Hao noted, his brow furrowed.
"Is she still sleeping?" Hana asked, her face etched with worry.
"Who?... Uh... well, yes, she is. She hasn't awakened yet," I responded, trying to maintain composure.