Editor : Amethyst00



Fwoooooooosh—

On the land that the war had clawed through, the scars it left behind were still painfully clear.

This place had once been a fierce battlefield.

The victors cried out in joy, and the defeated clenched their teeth, plotting their return.

Godthrone had achieved yet another miraculous victory.

As always.

After a great war ends, a grand banquet is customary.

And today's victory marked the first since Lysinas formed the Arhi Party.

A sweeping victory at that.

A surge of life returned to Godthrone, long stifled by the weight of defeat.

"Drink! Drink!"

"Wahahahaha!"

"Miss Elf! That was incredible!"

The heroes who had taken to the battlefield laughed heartily, pouring drink after drink into the cup of an elven woman.

Luna, the elf, lifted her brimming cup to her lips and gulped it down with cheerful abandon.

"Pwah~ One more!"

Waving her empty cup wildly in the air, Luna shouted with joy.

"Dwarf! You were amazing!"

"Could you maybe fix my weapon?"

Dweno was surrounded by people as well.

He too laughed heartily, never refusing a drink poured for him.

They were always the two who drank most boisterously once the feast began.

Watching the scene from a step back, Kyle turned his head slightly.

"Lord Aaron, here's another drink."

"A-ah, no thank you."

"Try this too!"

"Ah, no. I can manage—"

Those who had become Aaron's followers clung around him, offering drinks and food.

The elven mage and the dwarven artisan brought by the Fool and the Surviving Hero.

And the beast warrior—were all being warmly welcomed by the people of Godthrone.

For now, in this moment, everyone had set aside the Age of Calamity to enjoy the present.

Even so, almost no one approached Kyle.

To Godthrone, Kyle and Lysinas were still ominous presences.

Sipping his drink, Kyle suddenly realized the other ominous figure was nowhere to be seen.

He looked around, put down his cup, and began checking the places Lysinas might have gone.

'Where did she go?'

Finally climbing the walls of Godthrone's fortress, Kyle frowned.

The ramparts were quiet.

Having won a major war, Tartaros lacked the strength to mount another invasion for a while.

So the number of guards on the walls was noticeably lower than usual.

The sentries spotted Kyle and saluted.

Though deemed ominous, Kyle was still a long-standing hero of Godthrone.

His accomplishments outshone those of any other hero, and he was respected accordingly.

Waving the guards off lightly, Kyle leaned against the wall.

Then, he suddenly paused, spotting a familiar figure outside the wall.

Lysinas stood at the heart of the ravaged battlefield.

Step, step—

Even as footsteps approached from behind, she didn't turn around.

She simply held her hands together, eyes quietly closed.

"What are you doing here?"

Kyle's slightly sarcastic question made Lysinas open her eyes.

The hands she had clasped as if in prayer gently came apart.

"I was comforting the spirits of the dead."

"Spirits, huh."

Not just anyone becomes a spirit.

Only those who had built up great power in life could leave their will within mana.

Thus, spirits were inherently beings of great strength.

Comforting them meant helping them let go of regrets and attachments left behind in life.

It was to free them from mana.

"Do you really have to comfort them?"

At Kyle's question, Lysinas turned to face him.

Her black hair shimmered.

Obsidian eyes reflected Kyle's face.

This black dragon, known as the Fool, seemed to mourn the dead just by existing.

Caught in that sentiment, Kyle spoke.

"The more spirits you have, the better, right? They were a huge help in this battle too."

Lysinas gave a bitter smile.

"They were helpful, yes."

She looked back at the battlefield.

"But that doesn't mean they should stay in this world forever."

"Why not?"

"There are already too many spirits in this world."

A world that had suddenly fallen to ruin.

And so, there were far too many spirits.

"Most of them still want to stand on the battlefield. They want to breathe hope into this collapsing world."

There were some who had already given up.

But even so, if they remained as spirits, it meant they still had attachments.

Which could only mean one thing—

Even those who had given up still wanted to see hope in this world.

"My role is to show them that hope."

"You're also worrying about the dead now, not just the living?"

Kyle crossed his arms, looking incredulous.

"Here comes the saint."

Lysinas only smiled at Kyle's sarcasm.

She already knew he was like this.

"If I couldn't see or hear it, fine. But I can't just ignore what's right in front of me."

"…"

"But even I have limits."

It was the Age of Calamity, and far too many spirits had lingering regrets.

And no matter how powerful one was, she couldn't summon to every single one of them.

If possible…

She wanted to give more of them a chance.

That's why Lysinas always summoned new spirits.

After each battle, she gave rest to those who fought alongside her.

There was nothing good in letting a spirit remain on earth too long.

But sending them off wasn't easy either.

Many wanted to stay longer.

After listening to her explanation, Kyle pulled a bottle of liquor from his coat.

Biting out the cork, he walked over to Lysinas.

Glug glug—

Flipping the bottle, Kyle poured the contents on the ground.

For those who had died on this battlefield.

And for those who had been summoned here by Lysinas before the battle began.

After emptying the bottle, Kyle tossed it away with a flick.

Clink—!

Glass shattered.

"Go. Don't linger around all pathetically."

Lysinas stared at Kyle in disbelief.

"You've done enough. Leave the rest to this woman."

Kyle spoke indifferently.

"You saw her too. She's reliable."

With those words—

Particles of various-colored mana began to rise all across the battlefield.

Lysinas widened her eyes at the beautiful sight.

Moments later—

The spirits that had lingered within the mana vanished.

Lysinas looked at Kyle, mouth slightly open.

"Unexpected. I didn't think you had a knack for spiritual arts."

"What did I do?"

"It's amazing. To be able to move a spirit's heart."

Lysinas said seriously.

"It means your words reached them. That they trusted you, even though you're not a spirit summoner."

Rough as they were, his honest words had touched the spirits.

"No matter how many times I tried to convince them, they wouldn't leave."

Now watching the departed spirits, Lysinas smiled gently.

Kyle, watching her, said, "The more they knew you, the less they'd want to hear you say goodbye."

"What?"

Lysinas looked flustered.

'The more they knew me, the less they'd want to hear my farewell?'

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said."

Kyle smiled faintly, looking at her.

Their eyes met, and Lysinas quickly looked away.

Why? Why was it suddenly hard to meet his eyes?

Why was her heart racing?

"You're just that kind of person."

"Trustworthy and reliable… the kind of person you'd want to fight alongside?"

She asked with quiet hope.

This man who had flatly refused her at first had eventually taken her hand.

And now was walking the same difficult path with her.

"What nonsense."

"Huh?"

"How could anyone trust someone who's a natural con artist like you? Spirits would know your true nature better than anyone, wouldn't they? If you tell them to leave, of course they'd question it. They'd wonder if you were scamming them too."

"…"

Lysinas smiled brightly.

"Kyle."

"What?"

"Die."

Without hesitation, Lysinas flicked her finger against Kyle's temple.

Walking down a dark corridor, Leo rubbed his own temple.

For some reason, remembering the past made the spot she'd hit ache all over again.

'If I couldn't see or hear it, fine. But I can't just ignore what's right in front of me.'

Lysinas had always tried to shoulder the burden of the entire world.

'Her mindset was just… different from mine.'

If Leo's spirit summoning spell had called forth multiple unknown spirits yesterday—

He'd planned to at least listen to them.

Lysinas believed comforting spirits was her duty.

'I can't be like her.'

But if they were summoned by his spell—

He needed to take responsibility and see them off properly.

Just then—

"KYAAAAAAAH!"

A scream echoed from down the corridor.

Leo tilted his head, recognizing the voice somewhat.

Then Chelsea came bursting through the darkness.

"Leo oppaaaaa!"

Spotting him, Chelsea rushed over and clung tightly to him.

"Ghost! There's a ghost!"

Clutching his head in a panic, Chelsea babbled incoherently.

Leo slipped his hands under her arms and lifted her up.

"Where?"

"Follow me!"

Chelsea pointed behind her in terror.

Leo looked toward where she had come from.

Clank—clank—

"mage… who killed…!"

A bloodied knight raised a sword and charged at full speed, then locked eyes with Leo.

Leo narrowed his eyes.

'A spirit.'

Frightening as he looked, he was definitely a spirit.

Seeing that, Leo gestured.

"Hey, come here a sec."

The knight hesitated, glancing nervously—then suddenly turned tail and ran back into the darkness.

Leo's eye twitched.

"What the hell?"

"He… he's running away?"

Chelsea looked stunned.

Leo put her down.

And took off after the knight.

"L-Leo oppa! Where are you going!"

"He ran because he's hiding something. So I have to catch him."

"But… he might be a ghost!"

"So?"

"He's dead!"

"Who hasn't died?"

"Uh… oh. Huh. Fair point."

Chelsea blinked in confusion.

"Hey, aren't you coming?"

"L-Leo oppa! Wait for me!"

The knight who had chased the students was now being chased by Leo instead.