PWSHCB 01

Chapter 1 …

“Please Let This Be a Nightmare”

In the midst of roaring flames, Elze was running desperately.

The castle she had been familiar with since birth was engulfed in fire, and around her lay the servants who had always been kind to her—collapsed in pools of blood.

(Why… why is this happening…!)

What on earth had they done to deserve this?

This was a tiny country—so small it barely deserved to be called a nation—and everyone had simply lived peacefully together, supporting one another.

That peaceful life had been crushed in an instant.

“Someone… is anyone there…?!”

Elze cried out in search of survivors.

But no voice answered her.

Eventually, she arrived at the throne room.

With her last hope, Elze opened the heavy doors.

And the moment she did—what came into view was——

“…!”

“Father… Mother!”

There, near the throne, were her parents collapsed together.

“No… that’s impossible…”

Staggering forward on unsteady legs, Elze saw yet another unbelievable sight.

“Big brother…? Big sister…?”

On the blood-red carpet, were her older brother and sister—who had protected her and helped her escape earlier—lying as if shielding each other.

—“Listen, Elze. Stay hidden here until things quiet down.”

—“You must be the one who survives…!”

“Ah… ahhh…”

As she reached out trembling hands, their bodies were already cold.

“Why… why…”

Through tear-filled eyes, she saw outside the window.

The lively castle town that should have been filled with cheerful voices was now swallowed by crimson flames.

It looked like the end of the world.

(…Please tell me, God. Did we commit such sins that we deserve to be cast into this hell?)

As Elze was broken down in despair, footsteps approached her.

Slowly turning around, she saw an unfamiliar young man.

“That outfit… you’re the surviving princess.”

Both his clothing and the sword in his hand were drenched in blood.

His appearance—and above all, his cold gaze that looked down on her without a trace of emotion—spoke clearly that he was the one who had caused all of this.

Who he was didn’t matter anymore.

Elze glared straight at him and asked:

“…Why are you doing this? What did we ever do to you…!”

Even in response to her fury, the young man’s expression did not change.

As if delivering her final words before death, he said coldly:

“You ‘Seer Clan’ are beings that bring disaster. You must be completely eradicated here.”

“What… did you say…?”

To be denied existence itself—such a thing should not be allowed.

While Elze stood frozen in shock, the young man slowly raised his sword.

And just as the tip of the blade was about to pierce her heart——

—

◇◇◇

—

“Ah…!”

With a gasp, Elze opened her eyes.

Before her was not the burning castle filled with flames—but a peaceful scene.

By the spring, birds chirped, and beyond it trees swayed in the gentle breeze.

The distant castle town was not burning at all; it looked as if cheerful voices could be heard at any moment.

(What… what is this…?)

As she blinked repeatedly, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.

Thinking it might be that young man, she turned around sharply—but what stood there was an elderly priest she knew well.

“Oh my, Princess. That face suggests you fell asleep during meditation again.”

At the teasing voice, Elze blinked in confusion.

“Fell asleep…? I was sleeping?”

“No doubt you got your hands on a book you were looking forward to. Reading is fine and all, but staying up late is not commendable.”

His words slowly brought her back to reality.

That’s right. This was the meditation area behind the church.

Just as he said, she had finally gotten the book she wanted to read and stayed up all night reading it.

Because of that, she must have fallen asleep during her daily meditation.

So then, what she just experienced was——

(Just… a nightmare?)

The smell of blood, the heat of flames engulfing the castle, the despair of touching her family’s lifeless bodies—she could still recall it all vividly.

Noticing that she wasn’t her usual self who would normally brush it off with “I-I wasn’t sleeping! I was just too focused on meditation!”, the priest looked at her with concern.

Peering into her face, he asked seriously:

“Princess… did you perhaps see the future?”

At those words, Elze’s heart skipped a beat.

—The “Seer Clan.”

Indeed, the royal family of this country was called that.

But she couldn’t tell anyone that the apocalyptic scene she saw might be the future of this country. She didn’t want to.

“…No. I just ate too much at lunch and got a stomachache. My meditation is over, so I’m going to go take a nap~”

Stretching as she stood up, Elze smiled.

The priest narrowed his eyes gently.

“My, my… at this rate you will never become a fine princess like your elder sister.”

“My sister is special. I’m fine just being her supporting role.”

Waving goodbye to the priest, Elze ran down the path leading from the church back to the castle.

Perhaps she should have consulted him.

But she didn’t want to worry the priest, who treated her like his own granddaughter.

(I’m fine. That was just a dream. It will never become reality…!)

She convinced herself that it was simply exhaustion from staying up late, and hurried along the road back to the castle.

—

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