Kalm slowly raised his gaze, the crimson light reflecting off his small face, revealing a faint, pained smile and trembling black eyes.
There was a terrible pain in his chest, tightening around his racing heartbeat, as if it were trying to flee the inevitable.
Just as Kalystra had said—Kalm, among all others, possessed the softest, most tender heart, and an exceptionally gentle soul… enough to mourn a woman he'd only known for a few hours.
The gentle woman laughed, her voice melodious, her eyes glowing with the end she had long awaited. From her shadow, the raven rose, followed by the demonic wolf and the small snake.
The raven perched on her shoulder, the wolf stood behind her, and the little snake slithered near her foot.
"Kalm," she said softly, "all you need to do is think of your Manifestation, and it will appear before you. After that, it will all be over—the end of a tale and the beginning of the main story…"
But before he could act, Kalystra stepped forward and pulled him into a gentle embrace. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close.
Kalm didn't resist. Hesitantly, he closed his eyes and returned the hug. He truly felt warmth—peace—and that only deepened the ache in his chest.
He hadn't felt such a peaceful, warm embrace since he was a child. It stirred within him warm memories of the past, of people who had left him behind. And all of that… made the sorrow over what he was about to do even heavier.
After a few moments, Kalystra released him and ran her fingers through his black hair one final time.
Neither of them said anything. Kalm didn't even know what to say—so he simply gave her a sorrowful smile.
In his mind, he focused on that strange trait:
\[The Other Me 1/8]—and linked it to the calm Manifestation still drifting in the sea of his soul.
Golden stars shimmered near Kalm, just as they had when he summoned the Whistle. From them, his Manifestation appeared.
Its expression was calm and composed. Its eyes immediately turned toward Kalystra.
The gentle woman raised her lips in a soft smile, her eyes resting on the Manifestation now wearing her cloak.
"You're the one who will inherit my legacy… and the shadow side of me. You are the Calm One among them. Perhaps you are the most rational too, just as I once was… So take care of yourself, alright?"
The Calm One pressed his lips into a tight line and nodded, a faint glow in his eyes.
Kalm then raised his sword and handed it to his Manifestation. It took the blade in its right hand and pointed its edge toward Kalystra's chest.
Its expression remained composed, though its hand trembled slightly, and deep within, its heart was in turmoil.
But the voice of reason silenced everything, and the grip on the black sword tightened.
"Goodbye… Kalystra."
She smiled at him.
"Yes… goodbye. Please, when you meet my elder sister, Helene… tell her… tell her that little Ki is finally at peace.
Tell her I surpassed them all… that my trial has ended… and my curse has been lifted."
"I will…"
The sword's edge glowed—and with a soft, whispering sound, it pierced through Kalystra's chest with ease, slicing through flesh and bone.
The blade was so sharp it sent chills down one's spine.
Kalystra's eyes were deep and beautifully serene. Her lips lifted in a peaceful smile as a thin stream of warm crimson blood trickled from her mouth.
Kalm never closed his eyes—he watched her expression, full of quiet joy. Her eyes… saw something neither he nor his Manifestation could see.
"Goodbye… forever."
*********
A searing pain, like fire, burned through Kalystra's chest where the blade had pierced. Hot blood poured from the wound, staining her body.
A wave of painful heat shook her entire frame—then vanished—replaced by a coldness slowly creeping upward over her skin…
a herald of death.
Her black eyes were fixed on the small Lost One, his expression twisted in sorrow.
*"He really is soft… and kind-hearted. I hope you find a place where you truly belong…"*
All she could do was smile gently, joy quietly blooming in her heart at the thought that someone would grieve her passing.
The dead usually leave behind only bones, pain, and mourning… but somehow, in this final moment, she felt something warm inside her.
As if everything she had endured in her life—every wound, every loss—was being repaid.
Slowly, her strength faded. Her legs gave way beneath her, her breath grew heavy and labored. Her lungs and heart had already begun to shut down.
In that moment, her life flashed before her eyes—then began to dissolve, as if erased from time itself...
> "She's such a lively girl, Your Majesty…"
>
> "She's the miracle of her era, Your Grace. A living legend in the making…"
>
> "You little rascal, come back here with your father's clothes!"
>
> "My little Ki… You're not causing trouble for anyone, right?"
>
> "Haha, of course not, Mama! Ki is a good and clever girl…"
>
> "Hahaha, that's my girl! What do you say we go check on your father?"
>
> "Your Majesty, Your Majesty… The Curse of the Sovereigns… it's upon us…"
>
> "Ki, run! They must never get their hands on you… You must… you must escape the hands of those damned rulers…"
>
> "Ki, this is my end… Please, you must go alone now… I've reached my limit. Run… and live… for us. For all those they've killed…"
>
> "You're a fugitive like me… the bearer of the Death Sovereign's legacy… Alright, I've decided. From now on, you're my little sister.
> I am Helene, bearer of the Life Sovereign's legacy…"
*"Haaah… Looking back, it was a happy life… then, overnight, it became hell.
I'm sorry, everyone.
Sorry I couldn't live as an ordinary girl, as you wished.
Sorry I got tangled in all this chaos…
Sorry our world fell.
Sorry for dragging that poor boy into all this…
Please, forgive me…"*
In her final moment, just before death, her mind carried her to a realm of pure white—an endless, blinding whiteness stretching in every direction.
Her black battle armor had vanished. In its place, she wore a simple dress embroidered with a blue flower. Around her neck hung a beautiful pendant.
> "Ki…"
Kalystra's eyes widened with joy and sorrow at the voice that bypassed her ears and went straight to her soul.
She turned slowly, trembling—
And there he was. Standing just a few paces away,
a man with blue eyes brimming with love and tenderness.
He raised a hand and waved to her with a radiant smile.
Without realizing, her heart pounded so hard she thought it might burst from her chest.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Her lips quivered, unable to speak.
She opened her mouth, voice trembling, barely louder than a whisper:
> "C–Can I… come with you?"
He extended his hand toward her, a gentle smile still on his face.
> "Of course… Let's go, Ki. Your trial is over.
> Let us rest now—together, forever."
Those words…
They were the most beautiful thing she had ever heard.
A gift from the heavens themselves—for all her effort… her suffering… her endurance… her refusal to fall… her refusal to surrender.
Barely able to contain herself,
Kalystra ran with all the strength she had left, tears sparkling in her eyes—
And leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms around him in a long embrace.
At long last…
She had returned home to rest.
*******
*"May you rest in peace, Kalystra…"*
[You have killed a great warrior, kalystra, the Rule of Death and calm]
A voice from the World System echoed—not in Kalm's mind, but in that of his Manifestation alone, which made it all the more strange.
Yet Kalm gave it no attention.
Right now, before him, the body of Kalystra—still standing—had begun to disappear.
No… it was disintegrating, flaking away into black shards carried by the wind.
Her eyes were already empty, all life having left them… but the smile remained on her face.
From her feet upward, her body quickly dissolved into nothing.
Kalm swiftly pulled out the sword and caught her cold body in his arms.
A searing ache burned through him—
He had just killed someone.
Someone great.
Someone who had helped him.
He didn't know how to face that truth.
Thoughts stormed through his mind like a whirlwind, crashing together in chaos.
His eyes glowed faintly, as if a tempest was forming within them.
It was impossible not to feel *something*—
And yet the only thing that rose within him was grief.
After all the strength she had reached… all the power and position she had attained…
She had died by *his* hand—
The hand of a rat from the outskirts.
Inside this dark, desolate cave…
by *him*.
Kalm stared at her body for minutes—until it fully vanished into the air, dissipating without a trace.
A second passed…
Then the World System's voice returned:
[You have received: Shadow Ichor]
[You have received: Shadow Ichor]
[You have received: Shadow Ichor]
The Calm One—Kalm's Manifestation—looked at the three Shadow Beasts.
Their gaze toward him had changed.
There was a newfound recognition in their eyes… even loyalty.
With their Mistress gone, they had now become his servants—transferred to him by the will of the World System.
Then, moments later, the voice came again:
[You have received: Element]
The Calm One stood silently.
He slid the sword back into its sheath and fastened it to his waist.
Just as he was about to sit down and try to sort through the storm of thoughts—both his own and his original self's—
The crimson light at the cave's edges dimmed slightly…
Then converged into a single massive beam that crashed down upon the *original* Kalm.
He had no time to grieve Kalystra.
The crimson beam struck like the gaze of a colossal beast—
No, something greater than a beast—
Something that stared into his soul…
perhaps even deeper.
A cold shiver crawled across Kalm's skin.
His blood froze in his veins.
And now…
With the only person who had protected him gone—
What would he do?