For You This World I'll Destroy

Noctis Labyrinth (4)

The hand touched my cheek, but far from soft, it burned my skin. Each touch made my magic circuit seem to explode. When I open my eyes, I wake up. It was not a hand but a chain full of rust.

The chain that was born from a figure of darkness, sat cross-legged before me. The chain shackled his body, his hands, his feet, his neck, with a lock locked everything. And in my hand now is the key to unlock it.

But the curvature of the smile that my dark figure showed immediately awakened me. That the creature locked up before me is not something that can be freed in the world. I don't know why I feel, if I do, I will bring destruction to this world.

“Why do you doubt? Didn't.. you say you want to save this world, Moon?” asked the figure of darkness in a voice that was very familiar to me. But at the same time foreign.

The dark figure also opened his two empty eyes, “You have my amt. You have my form. You have every aspect of me. Why is it so long for you to realize it?” ask the dark figure.

“What do you mean?” I asked back, clutching my keys tightly.

The hands of darkness immediately rained down on my body, pulling my dress violently. I tried to escape, but the hand of darkness was too strong and dropped me. He dragged me closer and closer to the figure of darkness, so that he could whisper in my ear,

“Let me go.. Then this world I will save... and your wish will be granted, Meine Dotter.”.

Shaken me, I woke up in a big bed with a thick white blanket. The roots of darkness sprouted on both my hands, slowly breaking and disappearing. My body was soaked in cold sweat, along with my heart beating too tight. But my mind is so calm and peaceful. I don't know why I feel like I just met the death.

There was a door open, along with the blue light of the lantern that someone was carrying behind it. He sat down on the bench next to my bed and asked,

“You're up, Moon?”

“Monitor..?” muttered.

A sweet and refreshing aroma, as if to take me to a beautiful little flower field. Silence without the slightest sound that used to make me feel calm, dark purple colored curtains decorated with beautiful gold embroidies, and also all furniture made of expensive teak wood. It struck me that I was now back in the Noctis House, Glasglow Palace.

But what surprised me the most was the eclair figure. Unlike the cheerful and smiling girl I remembered, the figure of the girl before me stared at me with dead eyes. The coldness of her face flowed along with her beautiful and well-kept hair, presenting a gripping nightly atmosphere.

It's just.. Why do I always get the scent of blood, covered under my brother's black gloves? Am I just imagining?

“Healing Ayahanda is your doing is not it?” asked Eclair coldly.

I hesitated, feeling unable to answer another.

“Why?” ask Eclair again.

I held my chest, held tightness in my heart and did not answer.

“Haah.. Not answering when asked, it must be nice to be a free bird in the sky, huh,” said Eclair who then took my chin and forced me to look into his eyes. His eyes watched every detail of my face carefully before releasing it and going to the window, staring at the perfect full moon of the night.

“You're tired of living? How careless you are to use Judas Anguish. Wh-wh-what for? Save someone who doesn't thank you? Heh. If I don't stop the flow of that curse magic, chances are that you're dead now,” Eclair said without turning to me.

Judas Anguish unsealed the abilities of my cells, maximizing them so as to grant me immense power. But that great power will eat my body, crush it greedily. In the literature, not all Malaakh Daemons can use that ability, especially those who have not reached maturity at the age of twenty-first. Many ended up dying in vain trying, crumbling into terrible blood clots.

I was surprised to hear Eclair find out. Indeed information about the Malaakh Daemon can be read in the very complete Noctis library. But, wasn't Eclair the laziest person, the most reluctant to read? After all... stop the flow of magic, what does my brother mean?

"I want to save the world" I said.

Eclair furrowed his brows, "Saving this broken world? You must be kidding, right? wh-wh-what for? So that Mutter can see you and give you affection, like a child should?" ask the girl who then laughed a little,

"Truly two years, you never change. Stay like a naive girl who can't see the truth" said Eclair, who later saw a new family painting on display in the room. The painting depicts her and Mutter, side by side like mother and son.

"What you want is not as sweet as you might imagine, the Moon" said Eclair.

... "What do you know..."

"What's? Talk louder!"

I clenched my jaw and forced myself to stand. But my feet betrayed my intentions. I fell down and fell in front of Eclair. Even so, I still looked him right in the eyes and snapped at him,

"People who only feel warmth like you won't understand what I'm feeling!"

At first Eclair was stunned when he heard me say that, but then he laughed out loud. The girl lowered her head and grabbed my chin, "Then why don't you feel it for yourself?"

“Until the next full moon, the name Eclair Cadenza Noctis is yours and I will be the Moon Daemon. I promise, in this one month, you will definitely find what you have been looking for all this time.  My stupid brother."

—————+—————

After morning came and silence came, I realized that now, I was not dreaming. No birds chirping, no insects flapping their wings, no dishes or kitchen noise, but everything was perfectly prepared.

A salad rich in fiber and nutrition, tempting-looking with its bright colors, is available at long banquet tables. Complete with shiny eating equipment without stains, just like the floor or walls in the palace was clean without stains though. However, the empty scenery without anyone in the eye fertilized me fully realize that I was really in the Noctis Residence.

“This... is too quiet,” my murmur that sees the reflection of myself in a spoon.

The black hair that I have now, has been colored by Death Flower essences and Yor roots.The perfect mixture that creates dark stains is hard to remove. Even in One Month. With my jade-colored eyes and my skin that was quite brown after a long journey, now, I was like a mirror from Princess Mentari.

No one will believe that I am not Eclair Cadenza Noctis. In addition to my short hair, it can also be easily switched by following the latest fashion.

“What does Eclair plan to do?” my murmur ate the salad, although actually wandering life got me used to going through breakfast.

Is she tired of being the Crown Princess and want to feel freedom? What a stupid reason. If that's true, then I don't have the obligation to play the role of Eclair. I'll take advantage of this opportunity, of course, to open the connection and press Mutter.

“Hihihi, what is this golden opportunity? I'm so lucky,” my murmur.

It's just…

This breakfast alone reminds me of my childhood. True too, almost never in this house the three of us ate at the same table. Mutter was so busy with his duties as Queen that he rarely returned to Glasglow Palace. If I go home, it's too late. In fact, our meeting can be counted fingers in one month.

Even so, deep in my mind, was it that by becoming Eclair, those cold memories could turn warm?

“Araraa, you are definitely not Princess Eclair, if you wake up this early,” a foreign voice sounds beside me.

I was shocked when I almost fell out of my chair. A woman with dark hair looked at me with a curious smile. He was wearing a maid uniform, full of lace that did not match the elegant Noctis style. More than that, the visible lines of joints all over his body made me wonder..Why does he look more like a puppet than a human?

The doll stroked her chin, “Ho, your surprised face was my answer. Are you the body double that my daughter prepared yesterday? Arara, then it's really rude of me not to introduce myself,” she said who then cleared her throat and lowered her head,

“The most perfect creation of Queen Noctis. Homunculus Battlemaiden-type IV, Code LUNA. Be your assistant starting today. May I have my new Miss's name today?”

“U-Uuh, call me Clair,” I replied nervously.

H-Homunculus, so this guy is really a doll? I've read about magic dolls that have recently been found, helping with menial jobs such as transporting goods and other trivial jobs! His facial expression, his lithe movements and his overconfident personality were! It was as if I was talking to a human.

K-K-If I kidnap him and sell him on the black market? Uh, if I could unravel the secret and create the Homunculus en masse, wouldn't I have earned more money? Hehehehe.

“A-Anu, may I ask Miss Clair not to stare at me with a drool so?” said Luna who immediately wiped my lips with a handkerchief.

“J-so what can you do?” askaku with passion.

“Many things than yourself,” replied Luna bluntly.

“W-W-Whoaaa, a doll taunting me! Really cool. B-Can I dismantle your body and learn it?”

“Cannot!” push down Luna who was pinning my head hard. He took a deep breath and opened his notebook, saying,

“Which is more urgent, today Princess Eclair advised me, while she was on vacation to the island of Hamaii and relaxing there for a month, you should replace the Princess in her busy schedule!”

“T-Wait, on vacation?” many wonder. S-So Big Brother wants me to take his place as Crown Princess, while he is taking a nice vacation? D-Damn it! I guess he had a better reason than that.

“Focus! Jeez, this Body Double one, it sucks. The face may be exactly Princess Eclair, but this nature. Haaah, if it is found out Queen Noctis can be chubby,” reprimand Luna knocked on my head with her pocket book.

Little laugh me, “Aman, safe. I'm good at skating. Then, what was my first assignment today, my assistant?” I said that sipping my delicious tea. Well, even if I were to step aside, I would use illusion magic to brainwash everyone who met me today.

Luna cleared her throat and replied, “How do we start today with a light breakfast with Prince Axel, your fiancee?”

I spewed my tea in disbelief, “T-T-Wot engaged?!”