Ah—yi—
A mournful, lingering melody drifted slowly through the air.
In the damp church hall, upon a circular stage encircled by countless piled tables and chairs.
A half-human, half-doll figure veiled in bridal lace was gracefully spinning across the stage.
Its high heels were like ice skates, the stage like a sheet of ice. Every extension of its body was so elegant it resembled a ballet painting.
Moreover, as it continued spinning, leaping, and dancing, the surrounding light seemed to be affected as well, growing ever dimmer. Only the spotlight above the stage, surrounded by stained-glass windows, cast a bright beam upon it.
At that moment, it was like an actor in a one-man play, using its dance to portray elegance and... solitude.
That plaintive melody also came from its mouth.
Anyone who witnessed this scene would probably guess that there must be a long, quiet story behind this half-human, half-doll figure draped in a bridal veil.
Even without hearing its story, merely watching its dance could move one deeply.
But all of that depended on no one approaching it.
Once someone drew near, it immediately changed its sorrowful face.
Tap, tap, tap—
Footsteps came from the side door, approaching the circular stage with a light yet composed rhythm.
At the same time, the half-human, half-doll figure that had been elegantly performing onstage suddenly raised its head.
Its eyes were like molten gold at a boil, staring fixedly at the newcomer.
Malice turned into black smoke that cackled wickedly, as though it could devour the visitor whole at any moment.
Yet its waltzing steps did not stop. Instead, they grew faster and faster, changing from lonely elegance into cruel bloodshed.
Yes, bloodshed.
For some reason, the stage had been perfectly fine before, but as its steps now swept across