My father threw me toward the Ganhhys.

One with green eyes caught me by the shoulder, yet my body jolted away as if electrocuted.

Looking around, all the people were staring at me. I bit my lips as I looked back at them—their eyes expectant, holding their breaths as if something blocked their chests.

My father came closer and clapped. The sound echoed throughout the dining hall.

"Valentine, our bride! Our honor, our pride!"

When Infanta heard my name, she began to weep, her broken cries filling the air, but nobody seemed to pay her attention.

When I looked back, all the people were still watching me. I met my mother Lesly’s gaze. Her eyes were affectionate; she mouthed, I love you.

My chest tightened. I opened my lips.

"I’ll bring honor," I smiled, looking at Lesly. She nodded.

My father laughed, growing louder, while Infanta’s cries grew sharper. My eyes stayed on her, but the people’s gaze remained on me. My chest tingled as I realized they had been watching me for a long time.

The Ganhhys loomed over me, the one with blue eyes keeping his hands on my shoulder. I flinched but didn’t move. I kissed my puppy’s head and frowned; he smelled faintly of dirt and sweat.

The Ganhhys, one with a metal arm, lifted me with one hand as we left the base. Outside, the familiar burnt tree stumps greeted me. The air was hot, and Syphyllis’s breath pressed against my neck, warm and alive, unlike the day before.

The Ganhhys took large strides. Outside, no one watched for farewell. The base grew smaller until I saw a young girl in white in the distance. Her figure was blown away by wind and sand.

One of the Ganhhys removed his black cloak and covered me head to toe. The surrounding air immediately cooled.

They brought a huge, alive bug that looked like a tank, with a hard, segmented shell and hundreds of legs. I shivered; my legs begged to run, but I told myself to stay.

Syphyllis whined and struggled, but I tapped his head. "It’s fine, puppy."

The bug’s back opened, revealing a smooth, cool crevice. I sat inside, palms on the surface, exhaling as it absorbed the heat.

The journey was quiet. Two men stationed themselves at the sides, while the one with metallic bronze arms watched the front.

Syphyllis began whining violently. My breathing hitched.

"Puppy!!" I screamed, rubbing his chest.

The one with blue eyes took Syphyllis from me and removed the cloth plug that had stopped his bleeding. His eyes widened, and he breathed deeply. The three exchanged glances, then returned Syphyllis to me, completely healed.

A strong musty smell clung to him, but he wagged his tail joyfully. I smiled at the man with blue eyes.

"Thank you," I said. He kept watching my dog, contemplative, before turning back.

After a long wait, nausea hit me from being inside the bug. Syphyllis smiled, lying on my lap and rolling onto his back to show his belly.

I laughed, rubbing him and baby-talking. "Who’s my baby? You’re my baby~~~"

A jolly voice came from the front. "You have strong maternal instinct."

I furrowed my brows. "More like affection and empathy?"

"That’s still maternal instinct," all three spoke in sync.

I laughed awkwardly. "This land stretches far. There used to be a lake there, and there were fish… now it’s receded."

"Sorry," I added immediately.

"You have a nice voice, manly but feminine," they said in unison.

"Thanks," I rubbed my arm. Syphyllis whined high-pitched, nudging my shoulder. I gently slapped his nose.

The men spoke immediately: "You have the blackest hair, pale skin even in the heat, and a kind persona."

"I’m… sorry. I just want to ask why you three spoke at the same time, and how?"

The one in front laughed. "We’re one person—one entity, different alters."

I quieted down, pursing my mouth and tapping my head.

"What are you called?" I asked.

"Nox, collectively," they said in sync.

"You can call us by number; it’s easier," they added.

I laughed at the absurdity of big men named One, Two, and Three. "Okay, I’ll think about it," I replied, rubbing Syphyllis.

Outside, a family approached—one male, one female, and two boys. The father grabbed the young girl from her mother’s embrace.

The beetle stopped. Nox watched silently. The father screamed, eyes bloodshot, skin yellow like mine, yellow powder on his nose.

"Take my child! She’s a good servant! Please!" the woman begged, kneeling.

"Don’t, Richard! Don’t, please!" cried the other child, clinging to her.

"What a nuisance," Nox said. I furrowed my brow, looking at the girl, barely seven.

The father spoke: "She’s good in be—"

The one with bronze arms split his face open, petals like jagged teeth, red and angry. I screamed.

He returned his face, crouched down, and took a lace handkerchief from Blue Eyes, wiping the blood off my face. My vision blurred; it didn’t feel like my body.

The beetle walked again. I could hear the children cry and the woman scream: "Richard! Richard!"

One of them cleaned my face gently and kissed my cheeks, smiling.

The last one, Green Eyes, said, "He’s shaken. He has strong maternal instinct."

Syphyllis slowly moved, licking my face, whined to comfort me. I stared off into the distance, numb.