[ SOUL BINDING HAS BEEN HALTED ]
Donald still didn't understand half the things going on around him. Sure, he was now a bit more familiar with the system, and having it around was kind of a relief—but the same questions still lingered in his mind:
Where was he?
What was this world?
Who were these people that were here with him?
And the most important question, the one that had him thinking far outside the box—was about Elder Osiris.
Who was he… and why did the system reject his magic?
The only people left in the room were him and Rapunzel. And after everything that had just happened, not knowing who the hell Rapunzel really was... was the last thing on his mind.
He didn't know her, but he understood. He expected her to ask follow-up questions about what had just occurred. After all, even though he did his best to avoid making eye contact with her, one thing was very clear:
The scene that had unfolded in front of them had clearly traumatized her.
He didn't even need to look at her to feel her stare.
And nothing made him more nervous than making eye contact with anyone—except young children. That was his personal kryptonite.
The throne room was silent and closed off. The only thing Donald could hear now were his own thoughts.
Both he and Rapunzel stood frozen. Neither dared to speak. They both felt awkward, completely out of place. This was supposed to be a very important day for the two of them—and judging by what just happened, it was safe to say that the one who did better here… was none other than Rapunzel.
The tension was unbearable. It was a miracle neither of them had cracked under pressure—or completely lost their minds.
What was really only minutes felt like hours. No one came to check on them. No one told them what was happening. Their father had just abruptly left, chasing after Elder Osiris, pleading.
If this had been the old Raze, that would've been humiliating. Insulting, even. A Crow bowing like a peasant?
But this wasn't the old Raze.
This was Donald.
And that kind of thing didn't do much to him emotionally. There was no reaction—which, for Rapunzel, was beginning to raise real concerns.
"What is wrong with you?" she asked.
Donald was deep in thought and didn't hear her.
"Raze," she said again—but still, no response. "Raze!" She shook him back to reality.
"Huh?" Donald blinked, snapping back to reality. It wasn't the reply he intended—but it just came out.
"What is wrong with you?" she repeated.
"What are you talking about?" Donald asked.
"You seem… off. Lately," Rapunzel said, her tone cautious, concerned.
Donald paused. He had to choose his next words carefully.
"What do you mean?" he finally asked.
"You just caused an elder of our family—and his wives—to call you a thing. Do you even know what that means for you? For us? For the Crow bloodline?" Her voice trembled with worry.
"Do I look like a person who should care what happens to some creepy old dude and this goddamn family?" Donald snapped.
That wasn't Raze talking.
That was Donald.
And it caught Rapunzel completely off guard. Her eyes widened. Her jaw dropped.
The person standing in front of her may have looked and sounded like her twin brother—but this... this didn't feel like her twin brother. Something was wrong. She could feel it.
The Raze she knew wouldn't have stood by and watched their father bow before Osiris. The way he spoke to Osiris—respectfully, submissively—that wasn't the Raze she knew.
Raze always took pride in their family name. He would've stood up for it, even against their own father, if it meant protecting the Crow bloodline's honor.
But this Raze… didn't care.
And Rapunzel could tell.
He was cold.
Hostile.
Which was strange, because they weren't just siblings—they were best friends. They loved each other more than they loved their own parents. At least, that's how it used to be.
Now? Now she was seriously worried. Deep down, she felt helpless.
Instead of asking the right questions, though—she stayed silent.
Maybe she thought she was just overthinking it.
Donald returned to his inner thoughts. His eyes went blank again, lost in a swirl of uncertainty. The system still hovered in front of him, its message unchanged.
---
[ SOUL BINDING HAS BEEN HALTED ]
---
Whatever it meant… he didn't care right now. It didn't seem like something to worry about—not at this moment.
Rapunzel, now clearly unsettled, subtly moved away from her brother. She shifted a few inches away, putting space between them.
Donald noticed. He just stared at her. Then, without a word, he stood up and walked toward the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" she asked.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm leaving," Donald replied coldly.
"But… you know we have to wait for Father. We need to know the final verdict from Elder Osiris," Rapunzel said. But the truth was—she was more afraid of her brother now than she was of Elder Osiris.
"You wait. Wait on behalf of us, then," Donald said. "Because I'm leaving. And if you plan on stopping me? Today of all days—I wouldn't recommend it."
He was now inches away from the door handle, ready to push it open.
The notification board still floated beside him, following his every step. But he ignored it.
Until something new appeared.
A message he wasn't expecting.
A message he wasn't prepared for.
It appeared just before his fingers touched the door handle.
[ MENTAL STATE OF THE HOST HAS BEEN COMPROMISED ]
[ DEAL WITH THE THREAT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE ]
[ DO YOU WISH TO TAKE INITIATIVE? ]
Donald read through everything the system presented before him. But instead of taking initiative—whatever that meant—he simply glared at the board.
"Will you just leave me alone?" he said.
The system, of course, wasn't responsive to emotional pleas. It simply presented the option again:
[ DO YOU WISH TO TAKE INITIATIVE? ]
[ Y / N ]
"I said leave me alone!" Donald shouted.
Rapunzel jumped back in fear.
The system disappeared, just like he asked. And then—someone opened the door from the other side.
"Oh, young master Raze and young miss Rapunzel, please follow me," said a familiar voice.
It was none other than Melodias, the butler who had first shown them into the throne room. He bowed low before them.
Rapunzel stepped beside Donald to stand with him.
"Where are we going, Melodias?" she asked.
"Oh, young miss Rapunzel, it seems your father wishes to speak with you both—in your rooms," Melodias replied.
Unlike the usual old, stiff butlers most noble families employed, Melodias was different. He looked like someone who could have been Donald's peer in his old life.
He was tall and handsome, with piercing green marble-like eyes and neatly combed-back hair. He wore a black butler's suit with a crisp white shirt and a bow tie, paired with black gloves and polished black shoes.
Donald and Rapunzel followed him. As they walked down a long, grand corridor filled with portraits of men and women from different eras—likely former members of the Crow bloodline—Donald found himself trailing behind.
The floor, much like in the throne room, was covered by a luxurious red carpet. Each portrait was accompanied by a knight in armor—each different in design, shape, size, and color—holding various weapons.
While Rapunzel and Melodias walked ahead, heads slightly bowed in conversation, Donald hung back. The distance wasn't just physical. It was deliberate.
As soon as he stepped past the threshold of the throne room, he felt something—like a minor heart attack. As if something invisible had passed through him.
Since then, he hadn't felt quite right.
Something in the corridor… felt off.
It was as if someone—or something—was watching him. And worse, he could hear it.
"Bring back my body, imposter!"
The voice echoed through the corridor like a phantom whisper. And that wasn't the only thing it said.
"I am going to kill you."
It didn't feel like a threat. It felt like a promise.
Donald looked around, wondering who could be speaking. He couldn't remember anyone he'd wronged badly enough to warrant something like this.
But the voice… it wasn't just words.
Each sentence made him feel something. Like all the knights in the portraits were turning toward him. Some felt like they were creeping forward, others like they were moments away from striking.
A stabbing headache hit him like a wave.
His head felt heavy.
His body refused to move properly.
His legs dragged. His breath grew shallow. It was like being chained to wrecking balls.
He was being left behind—Rapunzel and Melodias didn't notice. They were lost in their conversation ahead.
"What is happening to me?" Donald whispered, trying to steady himself.
Each step took immense effort. Eventually, he couldn't take it anymore. He dropped to his knees, struggling to catch his breath.
Then the system appeared again.
---
[ IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE HOST, THE SYSTEM WILL TAKE OVER TO DEAL WITH THE THREAT ]
---
Donald read the message clearly. But whatever this echo was—whatever was behind it—it was pushing him closer to the edge.
His vision blurred. His eyelids fluttered. He rubbed his eyes—and for a second, he thought he saw someone walking toward him… in slow motion.
He shook his head violently.
The echo stopped.
The corridor returned to normal.
Knowing the system well enough by now, Donald realized this moment was his only window.
He forced himself up and ran to his room.
And by some miracle—he made it.
He slammed the door shut behind him and collapsed on the bed, trying to steady his heartbeat.
Silence.
He thought it was over—until he heard it again.
The voice.
"Donald."
It called his real name.
And this time—it sounded like it came from behind him.
On instinct, he turned around.
And what happened next…
Was something unknown.