Hidden Worlds: The Sheltered Princess

Case 1.9 - A World of Photographs

I was engulfed by a radiant white flash — bright enough to sear my eyes for the next few seconds.

But it wasn't that painful.

Actually, the flash was painlessly instant — a snap, and the surroundings changed.

The morning smell brought by the greeneries, accompanied by the gentle breeze was gone; in its place was the dry scent of what seemed to be concrete and paper, as gales of wind tried their best to push me around.

As the blinding light soon slowly dissipated, bringing my vision back, I was greeted by the setting sun as it hid behind the fingertips of what seemed to be skyscrapers looming from a distance. At that moment, I knew I was transported into another place — or perhaps another world.

A world different from where I once was.

I was so stunned that I hadn't noticed my jaw already dropped.

Maintaining the pose that I had earlier, my left arm was still raised, stretched out with—

With Cassia's photo on my hand.

"I'm...still holding Cassia's photo even though I just burned it moments ago," I muttered under my breath in disbelief, bringing the photo closer to my face, scrunching up my brow as I inspected every inch, every dye, every grain — okay, maybe that was a bit too much. Regardless, the photo was still in good condition, unharmed, unscathed, unscarred.

My tensed body and face relaxed as I sighed in relief.

A soft chuckle and a gentle smile came out of my mouth as I once again gazed at this photo in my hands, "I guess if someone saw me, they'd think of weird things about me staring at a photo of a little girl with a grin painted on my face." I guess I was just happy to see this photo safe and sound.

After all, it seems that this was the first time I gave sentimental value to a certain object, a memento of sorts, about someone.

It seemed that this is also the first time the thought of loneliness had crossed my mind.

Not only my loneliness as I trapped myself in a deserted world, but also Cassia's loneliness as she wandered in the original world, all by herself.

I knew that every interaction I've had with the people around me would soon be nothing but another fragment of memory in a sea of memories, soon to be forgotten.

Of course, it should be totally fine to the point that there should be no reason to even have the slightest feeling of melancholy.

This is the undeniable truth that everyone should be fine with...

The reality I'd mustered up and strongly believed in for the past ten years.

The reality that caused me to be selfish and aloof towards everyone and everything around me.

The reality everyone selfishly allowed me to believe in — and the only one who managed to shatter that reality in front of me was Cassia.

The Sheltered Princess.

My first case.

The first case Nora gave me after years of watching her deal with all sorts of anomalies — neutralizing every single one of them. If Nora really was serious with what she said, I have to get to Cassia before she does.

Because I knew Nora would neutralize or worse, eliminate Cassia just like every other anomaly she has dealt with — without fail, without hesitation.

This exhilarating feeling, I hadn't felt this before. I knew what I had to do — shatter Cassia's reality before Nora could get to her.

The reality where she could turn into a rogue ghost, where she's under Nora's blacklist, where she's just some girl I've heard rumors about, because I could feel that she's someone much more than that.