WILL YOU RUN FROM THE TRUTH?

Raizen stood with a smile on his face, clearly reveling in everything that was unfolding. He looked at Leyla as if she were prey served to him on a silver platter.

"Oh, my dear," he said, clasping his hands behind his back. "Do you really think you can run from the truth?"

Leyla was still in shock, but anger was slowly beginning to boil within her.

"I am not Akari," she snapped, cutting through him with an icy glare.

"Oh?" Raizen chuckled. "Then tell me, princess, why is your body trembling? Why do you feel things you can't explain?"

Naru growled and stepped forward, but Leyla caught his hand, subtly stopping him.

Raizen noticed and raised an eyebrow.

"I see they actually listen to you," he mocked. "How delightful. A shame you don't even know what you've tied yourself to. Because, you see…"

He took another step closer, and again, Naru moved to block him, but this time, Leyla pushed him aside.

"Enough," she gritted through her teeth. "You said I was Akari. You said you loved me. You said I took my own life and transferred my powers to someone else. If all of that is true, if you really believe I am that person, then what do you want from me? To be yours? To love you?"

Her sarcasm sliced through the air between them.

Raizen smirked and tilted his head slightly.

"Would that really be so terrible?"

Naru lunged toward him, but Akihiro grabbed his shoulder.

"Not now," he murmured. "Not until we know what else he's planning."

Leyla took a deep breath, crossed her arms, and lifted her chin.

"First, you say I was the girl you loved," she continued. "But then you say my life was a curse. So tell me, Raizen, if I was a prisoner of my own fate… where were you?"

For a moment, Raizen was silent, but his smile never wavered.

"Good question," he said. "But I'll answer that later. First, I have another piece of information for you."

They watched him cautiously.

"The artifact isn't here."

Silence.

"What?" Leyla blinked.

"You heard me," he said nonchalantly. "I was here before you. I searched every corner. And the artifact isn't here."

Naru immediately cursed and turned to Kaito, but Kaito already looked frustrated.

"Impossible," he said. "Reliable sources said it should be here."

Raizen laughed.

"Well, clearly, your sources are useless."

"You're lying," Naru hissed.

"Oh, of course, I must have brought you all here just to play with you and then send you away empty-handed." Raizen raised his arms theatrically. "Oh, wait! That's exactly what I did."

Leyla clenched her fists.

"You enjoy this."

Raizen winked at her.

"Well, it's not not fun."

Naru took another step forward, but once again, Akihiro lifted a hand to stop him.

"What now?" Leyla asked.

"Now," Raizen said, "you can return to the palace and think about everything you've just learned."

He leaned in closer.

"And you, princess… can wonder how much longer it will take before you remember who you truly are."

Leyla met his gaze without blinking.

"And what if I don't want to remember?"

Raizen's smile widened.

"Oh, believe me… you will."