Three days have gone by, and the hope of waking up from a nightmare is fading fast. Reality grips Helia tighter with each passing hour, the pain of Toji's absence is as real as ever, a stark reminder of the fact that this is a terrible reality she must now face.

Her lack of sleep weights heavy on her physical and mental state. The dark shadows beneath her eyes are a visible sign of her sorrow and fatigue.

However, the absence of sleep doesn't seem to faze her as much as it should. Instead, she feels a strange numbness, as if she's incapable of feeling anything but the crushing weight of her grief and despair.

Helia would do anything, give anything, just to have Toji back for even a brief moment. The magnitude of her longing and desperation are beyond measure.

But he's never returning, and even worse, they didn't even give him a proper burial. The lack of respect shown to Toji makes the pain even more unbearable.

They never really knew him, they thought he was a monster, but this clan is the real monster. They made his life a living hell and they feel proud that they were able to kill him.

And now, she's left with not even a place to mourn him, the absence of a burial only magnifying her despair.

And on top of that, she heard the news about Naoya being chosen as the next head of the clan. It only adds another layer of pain and resentment to her already overwhelming situation.

Naoya, the very sorcerer who was responsible for Toji's death, has now been elevated to a position of power within the Zenin clan.

The Zenin clan sees Naoya as a hero, rather than the despicable villain he truly is, and it only increases her sadness and anger.

The pain in her heart intensifies as she reflects on the fact that after all Toji has done to rid the clan of bad people, they have elected the worst possible person to lead them.

The thought of Naoya, someone who represents everything Toji stood against, now at the head of the clan's leadership feels so unfair.

Toji had given his life to make the Zen'in clan better, only for them to go back to square one. It's as if Toji's death was vain because in the end it didn't change anything.

The thought that Toji's sacrifice might be in vain is unacceptable to Helia. She cannot bear the idea that his death was pointless, that he left this world without making any difference.

The desire to give meaning to his sacrifice, to somehow honor his memory and make his death matter, is overwhelming.

An idea, almost like a whisper, starts to form in the back of her mind. It's barely a thought, a flicker of possibility in the midst of her grief.

Maybe she has lost her grip on reality, maybe Toji's death has pushed her to the brink of sanity. The idea of bringing down Naoya, of making him pay for everything he's done and stands for, is tempting.

It's like a siren call, luring her closer to the very edge of madness.

The desire for Naoya's death, for Toji's sacrifice to have actual impact, consumes her. The pain and anger she's feeling morph into a burning determination.

She wants Naoya to pay for everything he's done, to suffer for the pain he's caused. The thought of avenging Toji's death becomes an increasingly overwhelming obsession.

A question crosses her mind - is she even thinking clearly at this point? The intensity of her emotions may cloud her judgment, making it difficult to separate rational thought from anger and grief.

She wonders if her desire for revenge is coming from a place of logic, or if it's just the product of her pain and desperation.

But this moment, it doesn't matter whether she's thinking straight or not. It's as if the anger and thirst for revenge have become a shield, guarding her against the intensity of her grief and sadness.

She feels grateful for the distraction, for the purpose it gives her, even though deep down, she may be aware that this anger isn't healthy.

But for now, it's the only thing keeping her from completely succumbing to despair.

She will kill Naoya.

[...]

Night has fallen, and she has spent the entire day planning in her mind. The darkness of the evening seems to match the shadow of her thoughts, as she meticulously finishes a plan to bring down Naoya.

The pain of Toji's absence is still palpable, but it's momentarily overshadowed by the intense anger that fuels her every thought.

The pain and grief are there, but they're pushed to the background, overpowered by the intensity of her anger and determination to make Naoya pay.

She has made up her mind - poison will be her weapon of choice. While she may not have access to refined, untraceable toxins, she does have access to toxic household products.

These substances may not be the ideal way to eliminate Naoya, but they'll have to do, given her circumstances as a maid.

She will still need some time to prepare and put her plan into motion. Tomorrow night, late when everyone's asleep, will be the opportune moment to act.

The hours between now and then will be spent gathering what's needed and preparing to carry out her vengeance.

As she lays down to sleep, there's a sense of purpose that comforts her. The anticipation of what's to come tomorrow night keeps her mind occupied.

Yet, beneath the surface, her heart still aches for Toji. The emotions of his loss linger, making her realize how dangerous they can be.

The pain and grief are still there, waiting to ambush her when she least expects it. Sleep comes, but it's riddled with uneasy dreams and restless thoughts.

[...]

The next day, the evening comes, and everyone has gone to bed. Helia waits patiently until she's certain that everyone is asleep.

She has carefully prepared everything, anticipating this moment for what seems like an eternity. Now, the stage is set, and the opportunity to act is finally upon her.

Before leaving her room, she looks at the ring at her finger and decides that it's better if she removes it for now, to not raise any suspicion. She reluctantly gets the ring out of her finger and gently puts it on the side of her bed.

Then, she quietly makes her way to the cleaning supplies room, her footsteps light and furtive. With a steady hand, she reaches for the pot of bleach and carefully pours some of it in a small bottle of glass.

She knows bleach can be very dangerous especially when ingested.

As she closes the small bottle, her hands tremble slightly. The evilness of her action and what it means starts to sink in.

A question hangs in the air, a sudden rush of doubt creeping into her mind. Is she truly ready to go through with this? Can she really end a life, even if it's someone as awful as Naoya?

Her thoughts immediately turn to Toji. The contrast between her hesitation and the strength and confidence of Toji is distinct.

While he would have no doubts in killing someone like Naoya, she has her own reservations. She's not Toji, and she doesn't possess his unwavering determination and ruthless nature.

The thought of Toji sends a pang of pain through her heart, reminding her of his absence.

She takes a deep breath, trying to regain composure and pushes the wave of grief back down. She can't afford to be paralyzed by sadness, not when she has a plan to execute.

The image of Toji lingers in her mind, his memory fueling her determination. She knows that whatever she's about to do, she's doing it for him.

The pain of his loss is still raw, and she's willing to cross whatever moral boundaries she needs to for the sake of revenge.

For Toji, she's willing to do something awful.

She leaves the cleaning supplies room, the small bottle of bleach tucked safely in her pocket.

She walks slowly yet steadily towards what used to be Naobito's office but is now Naoya's, the new head of the clan.

Fear mixes with anger, sadness with pain. The emotions roiling inside of her are overwhelming, a turbulent mix that clouds her judgment and propels her forward.

Whatever unease she feels about what she's about to do is secondary to the powerful emotions that fuel her actions, driving her towards the door of Naoya's office.

When she arrives in front of his door, she takes a few deep breaths, trying to steady her racing heart and calm her shaking hands.

The thought of Toji remains in her mind, reminding her of why she's doing this. She can't afford to fail.

For Toji's memory, for his sacrifice, she needs to succeed. So, she stands tall, put on a calm and composed exterior, and knocks on the large wooden door.

Her knuckles rap against the door, the sound echoing in her ears like a drumbeat. Her heart hammers in her chest, each thudding beat pulsing through her body.

The short command, "Come in," comes from inside the office. The sound of Naoya's voice makes her stomach twist into a knot.

For a moment, her resolve wavers, the fear inside threatening to overpower her. But she shakes it off, knowing that she can't back down now. This is it. With a deep breath, she slowly pushes open the door and steps inside.

She mentally prepares herself to put on her best performance. The anger and pain inside her are still there, but she pushes them to the background, hiding them behind a facade of politeness and submissiveness.

Naoya looks up from his desk as Helia enters, a hint of surprise on his face at her unexpected visit. But the surprise quickly morphs into anger, and he snaps at her.

"What are you doing here?"

She forces herself to speak in the most innocent tone she can manage. It's almost painful to act in a way she finds so disgusting, but she pushes through, knowing it's part of the plan.

"I came to apologize, sir..."

She continues her apology on the same tone.

"I apologize for...when it was just the two of us, when I hit you...in that sensitive part..."

For a moment, Naoya seems taken aback by her apology. He wasn't expecting Helia to come and beg for forgiveness. He looks at her, trying to discern if she's being sincere or not.

"Hmph... so you're finally showing some respect... Not that I expected anything less from a lowly maid like yourself."

Her eyes well up with tears, and she continues her performance.

"I was... under Toji's influence. He threatened me... said he'd beat me if I went near anyone else..."

The mention of Toji's name causes a brief pang in her heart, but she hides it well. It hurt her to lie like that about him, but she had no choice if she wanted to avenge him.

Naoya looks at Helia, his eyes narrowing as she mentions Toji. It's clear that he has no love for Toji, and he's visibly annoyed at the thought of him.

"Tsk, of course. That failure of the clan always causing problems." He says while looking at her with contempt.

Tears start streaming down her face, but they're not entirely fake. Deep down, she's crying for Toji, for the pain and loss she's carrying inside.

But she makes sure to let Naoya believe they're tears of remorse and shame as she continues her act. She secretly begs for him to believe her act and fall into her trap.

"I'm so sorry... so sorry..."

He watches Helia with a mix of annoyance and satisfaction. It's clear that he's enjoying her display of submission. He leans back in his chair, a smug expression on his face.

"Hmph, at least you're learning your place. It's about time you showed me the respect I deserve." He says with a sneer.

As she continues her performance, she moves closer to his desk, her eyes darting around, searching for an opportunity to act.

There on the desk, she spots a glass of what appears to be alcohol in a tall, tinted cup. Perfect.

She sits on the chair opposite him, her head bowed low. Tears run down her cheeks, struggling to let the words leave her lips.

"Thank you... thank you for killing him. You saved me from his grip. I owe you... everything."

The mention of Toji's death is painful, but she presses on, acting as grateful as possible.

A look of satisfaction crosses Naoya's face as he hears her words. He leans back in his chair, enjoying the praise and deference she's showing him. He takes the glass from the desk swirls the drink in his hand as he replies.

"Now the question is, how do you plan to show your gratitude to me?" He takes a sip from his drink.

Her heart twists in discomfort as she forces herself to give him the most seductive look she can muster, trying to not look too much at the glass in his hands.

"Maybe...we finish what we started last time...?"

Naoya's eyes widen as he sees the seductive look on her face. A smug smirk crosses his lips, and he leans forward in his chair, clearly enjoying her proposal.

He takes another sip from his drink and replies in a low, almost predatory tone.

"Yes... I think that would be a suitable way for you to show your gratitude, pet."

Her stomach churns at his disgusting tone and at the nickname he just gave her.

He sets his glass down on the desk and rises from his chair, a gleam in his eyes as he crosses the room to approach her.

He comes to stand in front of her, a smug smirk playing on his lips as he looks down at Helia from his towering height, his eyes roaming over her body in a way that makes her skin crawl.

He reaches out, his fingers lightly tracing the curve of her jawline as he leans in closer.

"So desperate to please me, aren't you?" He says in a low, taunting whisper.

She can barely suppress the shudder of disgust as Naoya's fingers touch her skin, but she forces herself to give him a sultry, seductive look.

Naoya grins at her apparent submission, his hand sliding from her jawline to the nape of her neck.

"I like that look in your eyes, pet. You know your place, finally." He whispers huskily.

She rises from her seat, her body almost flush against his as she whispers in his ear.

"We should make sure that no one disturbs us..."

She makes sure her tone is sultry, even though inside, she's fighting off the nausea at being this closely pressed to him. She glances at the door.

He nods, a hint of smugness in his eyes as he agrees with her suggestion.

"Yes, we can't have any interruptions. I'll go lock the door."

He walks towards the door, his back to her. His mind is focused on locking the door, he doesn't suspect anything. This is her moment.

Her heart thumps loudly in her ears as she swiftly grabs the drink from his desk and withdraw the miniature bottle of bleach from her pocket.

She doesn't have much time; she must act fast before Naoya turns back and sees her. His back is still turned as he reaches for the door handle, completely oblivious to her actions.

Her hands are shaking as she quickly pours the bleach into the drink, the liquid mixing into the alcohol.

She's moving as fast as she can, trying to keep her nerves under control as she sneaks the small bottle back into her pocket.

He finally locks the door, the click of the lock echoing through the room. He walks back towards her, an expectant look on his face, clearly still not suspecting anything.

Helia holds the poisoned drink in her hands, pretending that she was about to take a sip. Naoya's eyes are fixated on the glass, a hungry look in his gaze.

He approaches her, his steps quick and purposeful. He grabs her by the hips, pulling her body flush against his.

There's a sense of urgency in his touch, as if he can't wait any longer. His eyes rake over her form, almost predatory in their intensity.

He nuzzles his face into her neck, inhaling deeply as if he's savoring her scent. His hot breath against her skin sends a shiver down her spine, a shiver of disgust, not pleasure.

He pulls away slightly, his gaze locking with hers. His eyes roam over her face, taking in her expression, seeing the hotness there.

He smirks as she holds the drink next to her lips, secretly praying for him to take it and drink it.

And to her greatest relief, he takes the drink from her hands, his fingers brushing against her skin.

He holds it in his hand, not noticing that the cup is now full when it was almost empty before. The room feels weirdly quiet, the only sound being the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the ticking of the clock on the wall.

For a moment, his eyes glance down at the glass, but then he looks back at her, completely oblivious to the subtle change. She tries her best to relax, but she's so close to the goal.

He lifts the glass to his lips, his eyes still locked on yours. "This isn't for you pet, it's mine." He murmurs, before taking a large sip of the drink.

The contents of the glass now contain a deadly mixture of alcohol and bleach, but he remains unaware of the danger.

He finishes his drink in one swift gulp, completely underestimating the deadly concoction he just consumed.

The look of satisfaction on his face makes her insides churn, but she forces herself to maintain her composure. On the outside, she appears calm, while inside, she's both relieved and terrified.

He furrows his brow slightly after finishing the drink, confusion flickering across his face. The alcohol does taste slightly different, but he brushes it off.

Despite the odd taste, he leans in closer to her, his body pressing against hers once again.

He is about to press his lips onto hers when suddenly, he pulls away with a pained expression. His hand reaches up to his throat, grabbing it tightly as a look of surprise and shock cross his face.

Naoya's coughs wrack his body as he stumbles backwards, a hand still gripping his throat. He looks at Helia with a mixture of confusion and increasing pain, his eyes slightly wide as he tries to process what's happening to him.

She knows that bleach is supposed to burn your throat and stomach when you swallow it, so that must be why he's gripping his throat like that.

He stumbles further back, collapsing against his desk, knocking over books and other items. He looks at Helia, his eyes pleading, struggling to speak through the discomfort in his throat.

As he continues to cough, blood begins to trickle from the corners of his mouth. His face twists in agony and fear, his breathing becoming more labored by the second.

His eyes widen as Helia gets a small bottle filled with a clear liquid out of her pocket and holds it into his face.

"I just poisoned your drink, and this is the antidote."

He tries to speak, but only manages to cough up more bloodied saliva. He reaches out, his hand shaking, trying desperately to grab the antidote from her. But she steps back, keeping it just out of his reach.

She braces herself with more courage and speaks in the coldest tone she can.

"And if you want me to give it to you, you have to do what I ask."

He looks at her with pleading eyes, the pain and desperation clear on his face. He swallows hard, trying to speak, but only manages to let out a hoarse groan.

Recognizing that he's at her mercy, he weakly nods, signaling that he'll do as she commands.

"Sit down."

He slowly and painfully sits down in his chair, his body wracked with pain and tremors. He lets out a low groan as he sinks into the seat, his breath coming out in shallow gasps.

He tries to focus his blurry vision, and he sees Helia take out a small piece of paper from her pocket. She places it in front of him, hiding its contents from his view.

"I want you to sign this letter."

Struggling to speak, he nods weakly, signaling his agreement to sign the letter, not that he really