“Help me… please help me…” (Help? Help who?) Even while half-asleep, Yuri was listening. “Help… me…” (Who? Where?) At that moment, it felt as if she had entered the world of a dream. Everything around her was pure white, but suddenly, a man with black hair appeared before her. He was dressed up and wore a golden crown. His cape was adorned with a spade pattern. “Ah, we finally meet. My savior, please help me,” The man came closer to Yuri, crying. “Are you… the King of Spades?” The person standing before her resembled the king character from the card she had received during the day. “Yes, I am trapped inside a card. If you say you will release me, I will be freed. Please, release me.” The King of Spades grasped Yuri's hands and pleaded with tears in his eyes. Although he wasn't quite as striking as Lakshmi, he was still a good-looking man. (I don't really understand what's going on, but this is quite an interesting dream.) Yuri thought. “Please, say it. Say that you will free me, lovely lady.” “Alright, I will—” “Wait a minute!” Yuri’s voice was interrupted as a group of children appeared in a line. They were twelve children in total, with numbers from 1 to 12 depicted on them, comprising both boys and girls. “Big sister, this guy is a criminal.” “And a murderer too.” The children pointed at the man with eyes full of condemnation. “What?” “It’s true, I killed someone. But I’ve been trapped inside this card for a thousand years, deeply regretting my actions. If killing in battle makes one a hero, isn’t it strange that I alone am called a murderer?” The King of Spades appealed to Yuri. “There must be killers around you as well. Even those who kill enemies for their country are murderers, aren’t they?” “Well, that may be true, but…” Yuri had never thought about it deeply, but her lovers must have, in one way or another, been involved in similar actions. “I once desperately wanted to save someone I loved. To obtain medicine for them, I ended up killing someone. I deeply regret it now.” The man spoke sadly, with his head lowered. “Isn’t it enough already? A thousand years... that should be more than sufficient. Please, release me. Set me free.” “You were imprisoned in a card for just that crime?” Yuri was surprised. “This guy killed roughly a hundred people, mostly children.” “That’s why he was punished.” “What!?” Yuri recoiled and backed away from the man. “Lies! I didn’t do such a thing. These are demons! My crime isn’t that severe. I only killed one old witch because I couldn’t pay for the medicine. It was a momentary lapse in judgment.” The man cried as he spoke. “Don’t be fooled. These children are lying.” “No, we’re telling the truth.” “Which one do you believe lady?” “Huh?” The children gazed up at Yuri, while the man, still crying, looked at her as well.
