The top floor of the empty lighthouse held only bookshelves, desks, chairs, and books under a dark sky broken only by the celestial body radiating brilliant mana.
"…"
The shaking ground and the meaningless rustling of the wind. I stared at the place where Lia, no, Yoo Ara, had been standing.
"It's not even funny."
I snorted. Looking back, the hints were everywhere. Her appearance, which resembled Yoo Ara, her habits, her reckless personality, and above all else-
"…This flower."
The blue flowers are on my desk, and I carefully ran my hand across the petals.
"There's no way I would know."
…The thought that there were other people on this continent other than me, and even that it would be her. I couldn't have considered it. It's not that she was meaningless, but rather that she was too precious.
"…Yoo Ara."
Only because you had the slightest courage to call my name was I able to find out at the last moment.
"You're still the same."
I smiled. My feelings for her were still clear. She was the person who occupied the largest part of Kim Woojin's soul, who shared half of his life.
"…Still."
No, the days without her disappeared from Kim Woojin's memory. So, she must be no different than Kim Woojin's whole existence.
"It was nice to see you."
I looked at the forget-me-not.
I'm glad I got to know you, but I can't be happy, I can't rejoice, I can't say I love you. Now, the end will come. Even for you, this is the last thing that must be concluded.
Whooosh…
Suddenly, the wind kicked up. Was it a signal? Or was it some last bit of consolation? I gripped my staff tighter. At that moment, Yukline's mana arose and resonated with nature's mana.
———
A quiet thumping sound filled the air as mana and magic fused. Now, my spell gently bloomed from the very bottom of this lighthouse. Up, up, up, up, and finally, at this summit, I would implement my great magic.
[24:00:00]
Only one day left. There was no need to worry about the spell being ruined. Until then, 'My Knight' would hold up.
Swoosh-
A spell of harmony was engraved in the air with a flash of light. I quietly closed my eyes and mumbled softly as I adjusted the lighthouse’s mana.
“…Kim Woojin.”
Kim Woojin and Deculein. Which part of the two was I? I thought for a moment, but the answer came quickly. It was too easy and simple, and there was nothing to think about and no need to waste my understanding.
"I think it was thanks to you."
I am Deculein, and at the same time, I am Kim Woojin. Deculein got help from Kim Woojin, and Kim Woojin got help from Deculein. Deculein acknowledged Kim Woojin, and Kim Woojin also acknowledged Deculein. They were embracing each other.
Whoooosh…
The wind swirled around my feet.
Crack—
Cold energy froze my suit pants. I opened my eyes and looked at the door.
"…Julie."
Julie, the one who broke Deculein's heart. My sword was guarding me there.
* * *
…Julie's life was pure white. All the trajectories she went through and walked were dyed pure white without any memorable color, making it impossible to distinguish which memories were joyous and which ones were scars.
Julie knew the reason why. It was because she couldn't accept positive things like joy, and she couldn't accept sad things as sadness. So, maybe her heart wasn’t meant to be pure white but had been bleached.
"…Julie."
Syrio was calling her name. Her former companion, but now an enemy who had turned to the Altar’s side. He was looking at her with sorrow from somewhere.
"You're being broken."
It angered her to hear, but it was hard to deny. The doll's body was already broken. Now that even her consciousness was blurring, she could barely hold on. When all of this was over...
"Will you be okay?"
Syrio asked. Instead of answering, Julie tightened her grip. There was no need for that. This sword Deculein had tempered was already the same as her body. Even if this body broke, she wouldn't fall.
"…I asked the wrong question."
Syrio scratched the back of his neck, then glanced around.
"You worked hard. We were almost winning."
The priests of the Altar and the Demon Bloods chimeras and even their high-ranking apostles were frozen now.
"…So."
Syrio chuckled.
"Was it okay?"
Asking like that, Syrio gently swung his sword.
Whoosh—
That light sword strike disturbed Julie's posture.
"Julie?"
The situation was already over. A day and a half was the time Julie endured.
"…What do you mean?"
The answer came back suddenly. Syrio's eyes widened.
"What, can you speak?"
"…"
When asked if she could speak, she closed her mouth again. Syrio grinned.
"Anyway, I mean your life. Every time I saw you, I felt sorry for you."
"…"
Compassion or sympathy was how Syrio saw Julie. No, everyone would think of Julie like that.
"Since you joined the Knights."
When the other cadets were resting, Julie held her sword, and even when the other cadets were eating, Julie was still holding her sword. Julie held the sword when other cadets were secretly dating or visiting their families. Her life was only her sword, to the point of pity.
"There was nothing you wanted to do. It was always just training."
"…"
Julie remained silent.
"By the way, are you going to die like this? After being bound by a knight's morality, devoting yourself to developing a knight's swordsmanship and living without liking or loving anything. In the end, to protect Deculein…."
Syrio’s voice trembled. Was it because it was too absurd, or did he feel sorry while saying this?
"It's Deculein you hated so much."
"…"
Syrio pitied her. Julie sacrificed herself for Deculein, who filled her own life with hardships. Julie did it herself without anyone's coercion.
"Did you work that hard to meet this kind of end?"
Syrio spoke as if he was genuinely worried. However, Julie showed no reaction except icy calm. No, rather, she sneered at Syrio.
"Yes. That's right. I am happy even at this moment."
Syrio’s smile vanished.
"Syrio. As you say, I have always lived my life for the sword."
Her world of no colors was only black, blanketed in white snow.
"…But on that way, at some point, someone intervened."
Syrio listened quietly. He didn't know when that moment was, but he knew who that someone was.
"…Deculein."
"Yes."
"But is that good? Your path was polluted."
Julie smiled. The person named Deculein occupied a large part of her life. At one time, he was the biggest obstacle, the enemy she wanted to kill, and now the person she wanted to protect the most.
"Bad?"
Julie still didn't know the feeling of love, but wouldn't it be okay to call it 'love' if it were this much?
"He is the person who became the biggest color in my world which was only white."
Without Deculein, Julie might have become a Guardian Knight, and she would forever protect the empire.
However, Julie now knew.
"Without him, I would be a pointless person pursuing the most pointless goals."
A knight without a target to protect served no meaning. Even if you become the most honorable knight in the empire, saying ‘serve the empire,' there was no meaning in protecting someone you had no reason to protect.
"Thanks to him, I now understand. I found the reason for life."
Humans need a reason to live, and knights need a reason to protect someone. Thanks to Deculein, Julie realized there was a value that could never be understood as a simple justification or duty.
"So…."
Mana poured like a waterfall from Julie’s broken body.
"I will protect him."
Her mana spread slowly, very slowly. It crept at a speed that could be followed with one’s eyes, but neither Jaylon nor Syrio could approach her recklessly.
"This is dangerous."
Jaylon said. With one arm already frozen, he prepared for the battle to come—
Bang!
He broke off his frozen arm. Syrio grinned.
"I know. I thought we were about to win."
Julie's mana froze everything without exaggeration. First, the air in the atmosphere froze, making it impossible to see, and then the space froze, blurring all sense of distance.
"…What kind of monster is this—"
Syrio's smirk also had frozen. The mana that Sirio was emitting, his movement, and even his blood cooled down, and in that way, the very time in this space slowed to a crawl, then halted completely. Eternity in a never-ending winter.
"…"
Silence reigned alone in the harsh cold. Feeling her consciousness sinking, Julie heard a whisper.
“…Julie.”
It was impossible to tell whose voice it was, but Julie wished to think of it as Deculein's.
“…I am proud of you.”
Then she thought she would be able to sleep a little more happily. She thought she could disappear without regret.
"I am also proud of you, professor."
Julie smiled.
* * *
Crackling—
Sophien and her guards paused for a moment at the sound of crackling ice.
"…"
Sophien continued up the stairs without another word. At that moment-
Whooosh-!
A chill met them on the stairs, rushing forward as it froze time and space.
"————."
Sophien recited the divine language. Then, strangely, the cold air stopped moving and instead made way for Sophien.
"…Your Majesty. It's dangerous!"
Belatedly, Delric and Lawaine stepped forward and blocked her. Sophien slapped them across the back of their heads.
"It's okay, so get out of the way. Julie did this."
"…Julie?"
She could tell by the mana. She could be certain it was Julie.
Lawaine asked.
"If it's Julie…."
"Deculein's knight."
Sophien answered succinctly and began her climb again after looking back for a moment. There weren't many left. Two Demon Bloods, Delric, Lawaine, and Ganesha. But this should be enough.
Had the others been devoured?
"…Let's go."
Crack—
Step by step, the stairs resonated with the sound of crushed ice. How much time had passed since they started their climb?
"What… could this be~?"
Ganesha's admiration flowed freely with her breath. Each of the knights echoed her sentiment, as in the middle of climbing the stairs, they reached what could only be described as an ice cave.
"It's a magical space."
Sophien said. She smiled softly and rubbed her fingers together. The air quivered.
"She's frozen the entire top floor of the lighthouse. Space, time, everything...."
Sophien explained to the guards behind her.
"You wait here."
"Yes?! But Your Majesty-"
"Your passage will be strictly prohibited anyway."
She stepped up slowly.
"I can feel Julie's will in this space. She’s allowing only me, not you, to enter."
Stomp- Stomp-
As she walked alone, admiring this crystal space, Sophien said.
"You just have to stop those who try to interfere."
Suddenly, she wondered. In what form and with what kind of effort did Julie create such a beautiful, magical space?
"…But Your Majesty, who do you mean we should stop~?"
Ganesha asked. Sophien turned to her.
"No one will be able to cross this~."
With that said, even Ganesha was afraid enough of freezing that she didn't dare approach Sophien. It would be difficult to endure such a place even if the Altar's God came to help them.
"What are you asking?"
Sophien answered in a dry tone.
"Anyone who tries to get in my way."
The Altar wasn’t the only one that wanted to get in Sophien's way. Among them was the guy Julie couldn't harm.
"I mean, anyone who wants to get in my way as I kill Deculein."
For example, his little sister Yeriel, who was running here.
"Block them all."
This was the surest Emperor's Order she could give... with that in mind, Sophien went on her way.
Stomp- Stomp-
With every step, the expectation of seeing him mounted. And the sense of loss that she would never see him again grew in equal proportion.
Stomp- Stomp-
Sophien continued to walk.
