Soon after, I slipped out of Sakurazuki’s room and started hunting for that “doll.” The old manor breathed mildew; every corridor stank of spirit-things.

A zombie lurched from the shadows, its dried, rotten hands clawing like dead branches. Panic hit first. Then I cut loose—Sword Aura flared, whoosh.

I sliced it apart at the last possible heartbeat. If it had touched me, my mind would’ve shattered like thin glass. Cough. I can’t stay here.

No use combing this ruin. If I can’t find it inside, I’ll search outside.

I sprinted down to the first floor and burst out of the manor. Hah… hah… my legs burned, my chest a forge.

I wiped sweat from my brow and lifted my eyes to the sky.

Does the Garden of Eternal Sleep never have daytime, just this endless bruise of weather?

Clouds pressed down like lead, moonlight a thin gauze with no other light. The fifth layer felt empty as a tomb.

Nothing living but spirit-beings, drifting like cold mist. Every layer of the Nine Cold Labyrinth is sparse like this.

Honestly, the Lake of Trials was lonelier—only Jing was there. Here at least, the spirit-creatures come in droves.

Stop brooding. I need to find that “doll” fast. I don’t want to linger on the fifth layer.

If the scenery were as lovely as the Enchanted Forest, maybe I’d tolerate it.

The hint was “flowers,” right? Then I’ll check wherever flowers grow.

Wild blooms speckled the ground, bright against the gloom. They swayed to the breeze like sorrow dancing.

I went to the thickest patch, crouched, and parted grass and petals. Nothing but damp earth.

I reached deeper. My fingers hit something hard, rough as old bark. I lifted it, puzzled.

I gathered Sword Aura into a small orb of light to see.

Ah—!

When the shape came clear, I screamed. A human skull. A swarm of worms wriggled over the bone like living rust.

I flung it with all my strength and scrubbed my hands against the dirt, shuddering.

Please tell me I didn’t pick up some nightmare infection. Please.

Half an hour crawled by.

I finished searching the area. No “doll,” just mounds of human bones with nests of insects inside.

If I hadn’t driven Sword Intent to hold my heart steady, my mind would’ve collapsed. No exaggeration.

Sigh.

I scanned the surroundings. Where else do flowers bloom…?

Southwest, far off—there. The garden I saw when I first entered the Garden of Eternal Sleep.

Beds of scarlet manjusha lilies—maybe. Too soon to name them. I’ll go look.

A strong hunch tugged at me: the “doll” who fled from Sakurazuki is hiding in that garden.

Rustle, rustle. Wildflowers and grass rasped against my legs as I walked.

Beautiful.

Ten minutes later, I reached the garden’s gate and stopped, struck by the view.

Beauty of the uncanny. Only two kinds of flowers grew here: blood-red manjusha lilies and thorned red roses.

From afar, it was a sea of crimson, waves of petals dancing to the wind.

Above the sea, butterflies, moths, and bees drifted like colored flakes; fireflies glowed like tiny lanterns.

And—fairies?! A dozen or so, each about Michelle’s size, played among the blooms.

Peaceful as a lullaby, the exact opposite of that danger-soaked manor.

…Wait. Something’s off.

The shade of these flowers—too close to blood. No, it is blood’s color.

The more I stared, the more the flower sea became a blood sea.

The scent hit me thick and metallic, like iron in warm rain. I frowned and scanned, but from the gate I saw nothing decisive.

I stepped inside.

With every step, the blood-smell grew heavier, pressing on my throat. I had to pinch my nose.

Forget it. I wrapped my body in Sword Aura, a thin shell to keep the stench out.

I reached the garden’s center and startled a flock of insects and the playing fairies.

Up close, I realized it wasn’t just the flowers. The insects and the little fairies were all blood-red.

“Big brother? You’re a challenger of the Nine Cold Labyrinth, right?”

Her voice was a child’s, soft and bright.

“Yes.” I nodded lightly.

“Then why come to the Forbidden Playground? Most challengers call this the Garden of Eternal Sleep’s forbidden zone.”

“A forbidden zone, huh?” No wonder this garden feels wrong.

“I’m searching for the ‘doll’ who ran from Sakurazuki. Do you know anything?”

The fairies whispered, wings flickering like crimson leaves.

Minutes passed. They all nodded together, as if they’d reached a decision.

“Big brother, do you mean Lady Sakurazuki asked you to bring Lord Yuexian back?”

“Yuexian?” I tilted my head, confused.

“That’s the ‘doll’ you mentioned—Lady Sakurazuki’s doll. Lord Yuexian isn’t a doll. He’s her younger brother.”

The truth hit like cold water. Her brother? Then why did he run?

Seeing my question, the fairy sighed, like wind through reeds.

“How to say… Lady Sakurazuki loves to toy with Lord Yuexian. He couldn’t endure it and ran away.

By the way, the Forbidden Playground was designed by Lord Yuexian to match her tastes. They used to play here together.”

“So in short, Yuexian couldn’t stand being toyed with, and instead of talking it out, he bolted.”

A hollow fatigue crept in behind my eyes.

“Mm-hmm! That’s it!”

For some reason, every fairy looked at me with shining expectation.

“Big brother, you came to help them make up, right?”

“Uh… I guess?”

The helplessness thickened, like fog settling over water.