Raising Yanderes to save the world

The room looked familair to her. She touched the walls and the periwinkle dust clung to her hands. She recalled it as something she liked when she was a few years younger.

As a poor child who had nothing but dirty to her name, shining things had fascinated her. So she wanted to fill her life with them.

From jewels to people, she wanted them all to shine. The box and this room were no different. She had decorated them like this for a purpose so that-

”So this room is mind? But why would I have a room in this place?”

She questioned, not even realizing when her hand had clutched the box on the table. She let it go and opened the drawer below it.

There was a beautiful locket inside which attracted her eyes. It was kept in such a pristine condition that it was clear that it was well-loved.

She took it out and opened the locket, only to notice that one side had her photo. But the other side had a blank piece of paper.

It almost seemed as if there was supposed to be a photo there, but it haed faded away with time. She kept looking at it until the clock in her room struck the hour mark and made a beeping noose.

”Right, I should leave it and head back.”

Seraphina tried to leave the locket and the box behind, but she was still not able to move. So she grabbed them again and her body finally consented to moving.

When she got out, she noticed that she was not the only one who had brought something out of their respective rooms. The others were clutching something in their arms as well but she could not tell what it was.

The silence that followed was awkward. No one knew what they were supposed to say in this situation and they only looked at each other for a few minutes.

Finally, Leon stepped forward and took charge of the situation like the hero he was.

”We are going to return to the temple now. I will report the the authorities that we have neutralized the threat. What about you all?”

Once Leon had spoken, the tension started to lessen and Lyra spoke up as well.

”I will head back to the demon kingdom. The war must have placed significent burden on my poeple and I need to take care of them. Please call for me if you need my help in the future.”

The demon queen had a decent relationship with the hero. Even if she felt like hitting him sometimes, she likely felt like that because she was the demon queen and he was a human.

Other than that, she liked him...right? But she felt empty inside.

Leon, who did not care about her beyond that turned to look at Iris next. She looked lost, like she had no idea where she was supposed to go now.

”Miss Iris, what about you? If you don’t have a home, then why not come with us? I am sure that the temple would be more than happy to have you.”

Iris’s eyes shined with this news, but they dulled just as quickly when she bit her lip.

”I...don’t think that’s such a good idea. I don’t feel comfortable in the temple and you know me...I am better on the field. I think I will just go and help other slaves around.”

That was a noble ambition, but somehow, it felt like Iris was not doing it with her whole heart. It almost felt like she was fulfilling an obligation and nothing more.

Seraphina looked at her companions, the ones she had spent the past few years with. But she felt nothing but alienated even when she stood in the middle of them.

’Huh? Were we not supposed to be close to each other? Then why does it feel like we are all living separate lives not connected to each other? And what is Leon doing? He is supposed to hold us together-’

But no matter how much Seraphina imagoned it, she could not think of a future where all of them were together. In fact, her feelings for Leon were not what she thought either.

It all felt too confusing.

”Seraphian, let’s head back to the temple now. We have spent too much time outside.”

Leon told her and Seraphina nodded. She looked at Leon, expecting him to extend his hand toward her to help her out. But he simply walked away.

Somehow, that felt more relieving than anything else and Seraphian cursed herself for thinking these thoughts.

Seraphina followed Leon without saying anything, her fingers still wrapped around the locket and the small box she had taken from the room.

She could not explain why she had brought them along, especially when she had no memory of ever owning them, but the thought of leaving them behind had filled her with an uneasiness she could not ignore.

The others walked ahead of her, speaking occasionally about what they would do once they returned to their respective kingdoms.

Their voices sounded familiar, yet Seraphina felt as though she was listening to strangers discussing lives that had nothing to do with her. This all had nothing to do with her, the saintess...

’Then, where am I supposed to go?’

She looked down at the locket again and opened it carefully. Her own face stared back at her from one side, while the other remained empty.

’Who was supposed to be here?’

She tried to remember, but the moment she focused on the blank space, a dull ache spread through her head. It was almost as if something inside her was resisting the memory, refusing to let her uncover what had been erased.

Seraphina closed the locket and held it tightly against her chest.

”Seraphina, are you coming?”

Leon’s voice brought her back to reality. He had stopped a short distance ahead and was looking at her with a slightly impatient expression.

”Yes. I am coming.”