Lady Evergreen

Noir! Wake up! Noir!

The smell of dead creature, and an authentic perfume-like smell. It's a combination of collecting dead insect as a hobby and collecting flowers.

Smells like fringed iris...

I open my eyes to see myself tied, onto the corner of this place. A dim crimson light hang in the ceiling, in this narrow room, even light couldn't move much.

I couldn't scream nor anything, my mouth was silenced by a rope. Just as i was trying to move, a shadow in the corner of my eyes started to move. Someone's coming.

"Boy, how did you find this place?" A lady, coming from the shadow with a knife in her hand.

Witch? Seeing from all the things in this house it's pretty clear.

I cannot open my mouth and she demands my answer?

"No, i don't need an answer for that," she puts the knife on the table, bringing the light closer. "You, awakened your magic prematurely too, right?"

Me using mana vision is pretty clear sign of being able to use magic early, even though i haven't use it at all.

She untie the rope in my mouth, allowing me to talk. But what's her plan?

Looking around, i couldn't find anything that can help me untie the knot in my hand and foot. Even my knife is away, on the table four meters away.

Should i dislocate my thumb and try to slid my hand? But what if it doesn't work?

"I will answer it, after you agree to answer one question from me as well..." For this time, i need to delay her actions.

"Very well," she whispered. "What's your question kid?"

I smiled.

"Well, because tonight your probably going to kill me... Should i know why are you doing this? The answer is yes by the way."

She looks at me dead in the eye, the lady had a glowing emerald eye. Her hair is covering half her face.

"Money... Is that enough?"

I sigh.

"So someone told you to do this? Who is it?"

"I'm not-"

"Ah, it's a rhetorical question, i don't need an answer. I know the answer."

She smiled, proudly she takes the knife and stick it to my face.

"Don't lie..." She sliced my cheeks. "Who sent you here?"

"I come here all by myself... Do that satisfy you?" I ask.

"Yeah..."

She inserted the knife through my skull, in an instant she killed me.

So no, that won't work...

...

The smells of dead insect become more pungent than before, this place is still as dim as before.

The creeling shadow in the corner make an appearance, the lady with a green hat... And a glowing emerald eyes. Her next words are...

"Boy, how did you find this place?"

My mouth tied by a rope stayed silent, i cannto answer.

If this feels familiar it really is, guess vuja de is really more creepier than i originnaly thought.

The Cynic has told me, and there's two possible way of interpreting this power. In which, either one you pick is going to drag you into the rabbit hole full of question that ask and question that answer.

"No i don't need that," The lady put the knife on top of the table, again bringing the dim crimson light closer. "You awakened your magic prematurely right?"

She untie my mouth...

The first way of interpreting this is, if i die i will go back into the past to restart. And everything that happen is real, and every pain i feel, like the slicing and stabbing really does happen.

The second one is...

"Yes, the witch who kidnap kids for money." I looked her in the eyes. "Did you make this daughter of Mr. Bootes to be unable to use magic?"

She laughs hysterically, holding the knife aloft. With a half shocked half scared face she puts on, she throws the knife beside me.

"How did you know, no, how far do you know?"

"I don't know... Let's see, the noble who quest you to do this either revenge but i don't know what the Bootes family do. Maybe they think of them as a enemy or possible threat knowing the amount of string Mr. Bootes have around the nobility."

"To drop down the family reputation could be possible, because then it will snowballed to hit all the other reason."

The lady bite her tongue.

"You, disrupt my night. After this i should hurry to give him and then go on a date..."

Even though this lady looked 35, i don't think she's that young to still go out dating.

"Well kid, what's your name?" She asks, holding the knife up at my neck.

"Blanc et Noir, and you?"

"Lady Evergreen, remember that..."

One second later, that knife has gone through my neck, slashing them. Blood splitting everywhere but once again, it didn't happen.

...

The smell of dead insect again, it feels like I'm one of them.

It hurts Noir! What are you doing?!

I know it hurts! It hurts! IT HURTS!

Why do i feel like beheaded 4 times? I've only died twice... Is it?

I'm dead, amd the pain transfer to you so do your death. I die two times, with you so 4 death...

Oh, i understand it now-

What's going on with my stomach, it feels like something's coming. I really want to throw up...

It's the side effects... Hold on Noir!

"Boy, how did you find this place?" The lady asked once again, i cannot endure this anymore.

My mouth still tied.

She do the same set of movement, everytime she comes exactly five seconds after i woke up. Then she walk with a knife in her hand, put it on top of the table and ask the same question.

If the things that The Cynic said was true, that i actually experienced death four times instead of two... I don't like this anymore.

I want to throw up.

Even though any of it isn't real.

The second way of viewing this regress power is actually a simulation, and everything I felt in that simulation is real.

This just view that if from this point, i just sit answer her question I'll be killed. Just as before.

Something felt wrong in my throat, i coughed it out, some blood.

It's like the analogy of math and computers, i go down one equations, find an answer that don't macth, go back and try another. What answer should i pick?

"Disgusting!" She-The lady said.

I looked up, this route has already differed. Probably because of the cough earlier...

"So, You awakened your magic prematurely, right?"

I bite my tongue, even so, it did not feel as if it differs that much. I did get back to the 'main route', the one where i will be executed by my own knife.

"Yes, shouldn't you be hurried? You have a date tonight right? After giving Mr. Bootes to someone... Right? Lady Evergreen?" I ask.

Well, i think the things that differs in each one needs to be significant, tho change the answer completely. If i keep answering question here, i couldn't go anywhere...

She picks up the crimson light lantern, walk up past me and into a darker room on my right.

The lights that come out reflected by a person, a girl with greenish hair.

I always thought that she was not Mr. Bootes daughter, atleast, until i realized the gray hair in Mr. Bootes head are because of stress. His hair was also green.

She picks up the green haired girl, kicking her into the ground.

"You-"

"Who sent you here boy?" She holed the girl haired girl by the head, blood slowly dripped down. "Tell me!"

Ah, this a bad end, again. No, this wouldn't work. Should i just ram at her when i start.

No, i was tied remember? But luckily i now know where Mr. Bootes's daughter position.

From the looks of the rope, it was only our mouth, hands, and foot. No other rope holding into the building or whatever.

"Answer my question!-"

"I come here by myself"

She smiled, and become more crazy, i felt my head becoming more dizzy hearing her talk.

"Well it's too bad," she points a wand towards me, new end. "Goodbye little one, it's nice seeing you here, Samsa."

A blueish magic circle appeared before me, the wind around me started to move. And at last, it launched towards me, a blade-like attack made from wind.

...

Yeah it wouldn't really eork like that...

One more thing that i know is she uses wind magic, and preferably one or two more.

Why I couldn't found out from before? Because somehow, i couldn't use my mana vision.

My head ringing again, it hurts!

What's happening?

"Boy, how did you find this place?" The lady finnaly entered.

I moved my hands and legs, jumping like a frog. I try to kick her, a miss.

She turns back, try to hit me with the knife. Opportunity!

I directed the knife towards my hands, specifically the rope around it. The witch's face becomes red, started to attack me.

I executed the plan, take the swing of the knife using the rope and now my hands has been freed.

I punch her face, resulting her pushed back not by much. But the knif now is left airborne. I reach for the knife.

"Oh no you won't!" The witch, creating yet aother magic circle. But it's to late, i have my knife-

I turned around, trying to defend my body from the magic. But then some thing happen, my head started ringing again...

What happened?

Noir! Wake up Noir!

What do you mean? The stench of dead insect fills the room, become more putrid.

The dim light makes the situation more creepier, i sat on the floor, hands tied, so is my foot.

Noir! Wake up! Noir!

I'm up...

I didn't die but i reset? What happened?

"Boy? Where did you find this place?" Same question, no answer. This again...

Cynic! What happened?!

Veritas-7 was an experimental drug, there aren't any testing behind it.

So you're meaning to tell me, i could just accidentaly sent back to the past? Or worse yet, die... Actually die for real?

I don't know...

No, it's a matter of perspective. Being sent back to past means that, the simulation is forcefully closed. If going the second way, that's what happens...

Ah! It hurts!

How many times have i died?

I bite my lips, it's now or never!

I dislocayed my thumb to make for it, the knot was loose enough that if i do this my hand could slipped right through...

"Boy, where did you-"

I lunged forward at the witch, trying to punch her in the face-

Wait Noir, Your foot!

I fall flat in front of the witch, i forgot!

"Oops! It slipped out of my hands!" The witch dropped the knife from above.

The knife hit my chest, accurately hit my heart. As the floor was flooded by blood...

Huh, another failed one.

This is going to take a while isn't it?

...

Smells like fringed iris, i couldn't bother wasting any time.

Five seconds until she shows up, it's crazy that i need to dislocate my thumb everytime i start over, let alone die over and over.

I feel like throwing up again...

Yes! It's a little difficult to take down but, I'm finished!

"What are you doing?" The witch peeks from the door frame, "eh, how did you do that?"

Why does this feel so bad, there's something different here that turns the overall atmosphere of this place. What is it?

Cynic, this is a different route! Can i start from this route instead?

I can but...

Do it!!

Are you sure Noir?

Oh come on... Why are you acting like this? Not the usual you...

I hear The Cynic sighs. Now, before The Cynic puts a checkpoint here, i couldn't bear to die again.

I don't want to untie myself ever again

The witch summon one-no, two magic circle. One wind, one darkness. I finally knew what's her affinity, this is great!

Hurry up Cynic!!

She attacks, launching blade-like projectile over and over again.

I couldn't get any closer, my move set to dogde is also limited. All those projectiles hit the walls, painting, the collections of dead insect and much more...

"You! Don't joke with me!"

Get ready Noir!

The ringing sounds arriverd at my head, vivid eyesight starting to make a return.

A headache? Or more than that! My head is twitching like crazy, it's also feels as if it was burning.

This is what you wanted Noir! Now, the rest is up to you...