"Mmph…" Lumina let out a low groan as she slowly began to wake up. The first thing that entered her vision was a blinding brightness that made her squint, her eyes watering as she tried to adjust to it.
As the light settled, she turned her head slightly to the left and saw Zenith's worried face staring right back at her.
"Hi… Zenith," Lumina said softly.
"Lumina… are you okay?" Zenith asked in a worried tone.
"Hm?" Lumina looked confused for a moment. She couldn't understand why Zenith seemed so tense, but then memories rushed back all at once.
"The lacrima—" Lumina shouted as she tried to sit up, though her body lacked strength, and the movement ended up weak.
"The lacrima… what… where?" she muttered, confused. Subconsciously, she reached toward the place where she remembered being injured, but there was no pain at all.
She looked down and realized she was wearing an unfamiliar black windbreaker.
"This size feels a bit big to be from Nina or Zenith," Lumina was about to say, when something entered the corner of her vision. Her eyes shifted on instinct, only to land on a boy slightly older than them, sitting nearby and watching her with curious eyes.
"Wait… you are—" Lumina tried to move away from him, but there was only so much space she could create on the bed.
"I'd suggest not moving too much yet. Even though I healed you fully, it's better to take things slow for now," Astro said with a relaxed smile.
"You…?" Lumina tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out right away. She remembered being saved by him twice… no, has it already been three times?
"Don't worry. If I wanted to capture you two, I would've already done it. I have no intention of doing that," Astro added calmly.
"Hey… I'm not that weak to get captured so easily. I can still run away from you," Zenith murmured from the side.
"Why aren't you going to capture us?" Lumina looked at Zenith, then looked at Astro again, and asked cautiously. "I'm pretty sure by now we're wanted by both the Magic Council and the Iceberg Kingdom."
"And I don't care what either of them wants," Astro replied with a smile as he leaned back into the chair, crossing his arms lazily.
"What do you mean?" Lumina asked subconsciously. He was a wizard, too, wasn't he? Why wouldn't he care… don't tell her he was from a dark—
Astro, unaware of what was running through her head, rubbed his chin thoughtfully and continued.
"Hm… Let's see… I'm from Fiore, so whatever the Iceberg Kingdom wants has nothing to do with me. And as for the Magic Council…"
For a brief moment, Fairy Tail crossed his mind, along with their long-standing relationship with the council.
"Yeah, I don't think my guildmates would really mind. They'd probably just cheer me on for not following the council's rules… haha." Astro said with an embarrassed smile.
Hearing that, Lumina instinctively put more distance between herself and Astro.
"Don't tell me you're really from a dark guild…"
Astro looked at her as she shrank back in fear, almost pressing herself into Zenith's side.
"Well…" Astro paused for a moment.
"Hm…" He thought again. Was Fairy Tail a dark guild? Officially, no… but then again—
"Zenith, we should run away," Lumina whispered, trembling slightly.
"Yeah… but we're at Nina's place. If we run away…" Zenith hesitated before straightening up. "It's okay, I'm here. I can defeat him… probably," he added uncertainly.
"I guess we're… somewhat a legal guild. Or a light guild, as some people say… somewhat… yeah somewhat…" Astro finally said after thinking it through, as he nodded continuously as if he was trying to convince himself of some lie that he didn't believe himself.
"Yeah, like we can believe that after you took so long to answer," Lumina protested.
"Haha…" Astro laughed softly at their anxious expressions before casually rolling up his right sleeve, showing his guild mark to them.
"Master Makarov… um, our guild master. According to him, our guild was formed under the belief that magic is a gift, and no one should have to suppress who they are. The guild is a place where people should feel safe being themselves, not someone everyone wants them to be."
"In other words, while we follow the council's rules… well, somewhat…well… um…. Yeah, we definitely do… yeah… Anyway… if something goes against my core values, I don't see a reason to obey it."
Astro finished speaking and looked at Lumina and Zenith.
"Sounds like an interesting place," Zenith muttered quietly, the idea lingering in his mind. A guild that promoted freedom over anything…Lumina, on the other hand, just looked even more concerned… isn't the same thing that can be considered true for a dark guild too?
But then again, Astro wouldn't be so popular recently if he were from a dark guild…probably.
"Hm… yeah. It really is," Astro said with a smile. "There's never a dull day there."
"But why do you say you're from Fiore? I mean… you're the prince of the Sin Kingdom, right?"
Zenith asked as he looked at Astro.
Lumina's thoughts paused as well. She remembered Zenith telling her earlier that Astro was the son of that woman—the queen of Sin—that they had met on their way here. Come to think of it, that woman had even given them a strange card, telling them to deliver it to someone.
"Why do you think I'm the prince of the Sin Kingdom?" Astro didn't answer directly and instead asked back curiously. Was it because he looked like…?
"I have a unique ability where I can see the future for a short time," Zenith said quietly. "It's only a few seconds of vision, but I saw… um—"
Astro looked straight into his eyes. For a brief moment, he noticed something unusual—a bright crescent moon forming inside Zenith's dark blue pupils.
"Do your visions usually come true?" Astro asked curiously.
"…Um… yes. Always, actually," Zenith paused for a moment before trying to continue. "In the vision, you—"
"Okay, I think I'll stop you right there," Astro said with a smile as he stretched his body and slowly rose from the chair.
"Hm? Why? You have to know that you—" Zenith tried to continue, but Astro cut him off again by gently rubbing his head.
"It's okay. I can tell from your tone that it's definitely not something good," Astro said calmly. "But I don't really care about it."
Astro looked down at Zenith, who stared up at him with surprised eyes.
"You really don't want to know?" Zenith asked quietly. He had never met anyone who didn't want to hear about their visions. Most people always wanted to know—either to try to prevent it or to take advantage of it somehow. He couldn't even blame them, since he himself tried to use his visions the same way. But still…
"Hm. If your visions always come true, then what will happen if you tell me?" Astro asked in a soft voice. "If I fail to prevent it because it was meant to happen, or because I knew about it and still couldn't change it… would you feel responsible?"
"I… probably would," Zenith said as he looked down, his eyelids trembling slightly. He remembered telling so many people about their upcoming tragedies, and not once had anyone managed to prevent them.
"Then you don't have to tell me," Astro said with a gentle smile before rubbing his head once more. "If something bad happens, let the responsibility fall on me. I can take it."
Zenith stayed silent.
"You're still a kid," Astro continued calmly, "so you don't need to try so hard to be responsible for every vision you see. That's not a healthy way to grow up."
Astro walked toward the door, then paused and glanced back at them.
"About the prince thing… um… the Sin Kingdom," he said casually. "It's a bit complicated. For now, just don't tell anyone else, okay?"
He smiled lightly before continuing.
"Anyway, both of you take a good rest. I have an event to attend in a few hours, so I'll go ask Nina if I can borrow the bathroom for a bit. I should clean up first."
With that, Astro waved his hand and stepped out.
"See you later."
Outside, a woman walked through the quiet night. By the time she slowed her steps, dawn was already close. The streets were unusually busy for this hour, far more people than there should have been. Most of them were likely already heading toward the coliseum for the upcoming event.
After all, wizards made up only a small fraction of the population, and among them, only a very small number could truly be called strong. Many people had never seen powerful magic in action before, especially those who lived their entire lives inside cities.
Aurora slipped her hands into her jacket pockets and glanced around as she walked. For a brief moment, it felt… nice. She rarely had the chance to move around without a disguise, without guards, without expectations weighing on her shoulders.
"Jovi, stop… don't run so fast," a feminine voice called out suddenly.
Distracted, Aurora bumped straight into a child.
"I'm sorry—"
"Agh—" The kid nearly fell to the ground, but—
"Hm? What's happening…?" The boy suddenly realized he hadn't fallen at all. A gentle force seemed to wrap around him, lifting him slightly before setting him back on his feet.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought. Are you okay?" Aurora knelt in front of him. She wanted to check if he was okay, but...
For a moment, her eyes lost focus. It felt as if she was seeing two children overlapping with the boy in front of her, their figures faint and distant.
They were the same age as him when…
Her thoughts were interrupted as the boy's mother rushed over.
"I'm sorry… my son was just too excited," the woman said quickly. Seeing that her child was unharmed, she pulled him closer and bowed deeply.
"It's alright. I wasn't paying attention either," Aurora said with a small smile. "Don't run so fast, or your mom will worry."
She waved lightly and walked away a little faster than before. Her breathing gradually became heavier.
When Aurora reached a narrow alley, she suddenly turned into it. Her steps slowed, then stopped entirely as she leaned against the cold wall. Her breathing grew uneven, her chest tightening painfully as memories of the past surfaced again and again.
"Mom, Siegrain bullied me…"
"No, Astro bullied me…"
A black-haired boy and a blue-haired boy came running into the office with tears in their eyes. A younger Aurora sat behind a desk filled with documents, looking at them speechlessly.
"If both of you bully each other, isn't that just fighting…" she asked, teasingly looking at them.
"Is it?"
"It is?" The twins looked at each other in confusion.
Aurora's mouth twitched. She gently picked both of them up and settled them onto her lap, hugging them close.
"So what happened? Where is Cedric?"
"Hm… Cedric went back with his parents. But aren't you working right now?" the black-haired boy asked, eyeing the piles of papers.
"Aunt said not to bother you when you're working," the blue-haired boy added seriously.
"So did you two come here just to tell me you bullied each other and then leave?" Aurora blinked.
The young Astro and young Siegrain exchanged a glance before nodding at their mother like a chicken.
"Well, dad was saying how he can barely remember his parents," Siegrain said quietly. "So we thought maybe you also have bad memories."
"So we decided you have to see us every hour from now on," Astro added proudly.
"Oh my, is that so… um… but—" Aurora started.
"See? I told you mom wouldn't forget about us so easily," Astro said with a bright smile.
"Yeah, obviously she isn't stupid like you," Siegrain muttered.
"Hey, what did you say?" Astro protested.
"I didn't stutter... did I?" Siegrain replied in a sassy voice.
"You… "
Aurora watched them bickering in her lap, then suddenly spoke in a confused tone.
"So… that's fine, but… um… who are you kids? Where are your parents?"
"…"
"…"
The twins froze, staring up at her with their mouths wide open. A few seconds passed before tears suddenly welled up.
"Mom forgot about us…"
"It's your fault, Siegrain! We were too late to come here—waa!"
"But—but—waa!"
"I'm joking, I'm joking," Aurora said quickly, pulling them closer. "How could I forget my lovely babies… the two best children in the world."
She hugged them tightly and showered them with kisses until their cries turned into laughter.
"Hehe… it tickles!"
"It tickles, Mom!" They said so, yet snuggled even closer into her embrace.
After a long time of playing, they couldn't help but fall asleep in her arms.
"Don't worry," Aurora murmured as they slowly fell asleep. "Even if you two forget me someday, I'll never forget about you. I promise."
Suddenly, Aurora snapped back to the present.
She was kneeling in the snow, one hand clutching her chest while the other dug into the cold ground. The pain was unbearable, yet not a single sound escaped her lips, as if she had long since grown used to it.
Her mind shifted again.
She saw that night.
A severely injured Aurora, her dress torn and her body covered in blood, dragged herself through a destroyed city while holding a young unconscious Astro tightly in her arms. Walking was an exaggeration—she could barely move forward at all with her injury.
She heard a loud sound behind; it seemed like Arthur was still fighting Vindex. She wanted to go help him, but she was not sure if she could protect Astro while fighting. As for Siegrain…
"Siegrain, you are a brave child, after all of this over…wherever Vindex had sent you… I promise I will find you… I promise I will… " Her eyelids trembled as she murmured.
Bodies littered the streets. Most people had managed to flee, but not all.
"I'm sorry…"
"I'm sorry…"
Each time she passed another lifeless form, the words slipped from her lips in a broken whisper.
Then her eyes widened slightly as she saw a familiar figure ahead.
"Sis… are you okay?"
A young woman with short dark blue hair ran toward her. She was injured as well, but nothing compared to Aurora's state.
"Celestia… you're alive…" Aurora increased her pace and hugged her tightly.
"I'm fine, but sis, you—"
"We don't have much time," Aurora said urgently. "Take Astro and run. Don't stop until you leave the kingdom."
"But—"
Before Celestia could protest, a massive roar echoed from the sky.
They both looked up as the dark clouds were torn apart in an instant by an overwhelming gust of wind. Aurora pushed Celestia down and shielded both her sister and her son beneath her.
A colossal black-and-blue monster with wings descended slowly from above. Each flap sent violent shockwaves through the air.
"No way… no way… is that… is that—" Celestia couldn't even finish her sentence. She had read about it. They said that it was not just a monster, but it was… a force of nature, a natural calamity. But… But… It was supposed to be nothing more than a legend.
"The Black Dragon of Apocalypse, Acnologia."
Aurora murmured in a tired voice, looking up at the behemoth in the sky… This day…just got…even worse…
Back in the present, Aurora lay collapsed in the snow inside the dark alleyway. Her body trembled violently from pain, hidden from view, with no one around to notice or help.
As the pain intensified, more fragments of her life surfaced one after another, flooding her mind without mercy.
A two-year-old Aurora's eyes shone softly as she looked toward the picture book resting in the corner of the royal library. Sunlight filtered in through the tall windows, painting the shelves in a warm gold hue.
"The outside world looks so fun…" she murmured to herself as she looked at the picture book.
She glanced around, making sure no one was coming, then carefully put the book back where it belonged and reached for another one beside it. She had read this one countless times already, the pages familiar beneath her small fingers—but she still loved it a lot… maybe even more than a lot.
Aurora sat down on the carpet, hugging the book to her chest before opening it again, reading the protagonist's journey, which she read so many times.
"I also want to go on an adventure someday…" she whispered with a tiny smile. "Fight strong guys… meet lots of friends… eat lots of sweets… hehe…"
Her quiet laughter blended into the stillness of the library, warm and innocent, as she turned the pages—unaware of how far those dreams would one day carry her.
The warm scene vanished as her mind shifted to a memory when she was three.
"Father… why can't my younger sister play with us?" a very young Celestia asked, looking up at a tall man whose figure was shrouded in shadow.
Nearby, a young Aurora continued her training, her fists striking the rough wall again and again. Even with her flawless memory, she didn't want to remember that man. Not even in her nightmares.
"You don't have to worry about her so much," the man said calmly. "Her entire purpose is to be this kingdom's weapon. Just let me know if you ever see her slacking."
Aurora's body trembled, but she didn't stop. She kept punching the wall even as blood began to run down her hand. She knew that if she stopped now, she wouldn't have anything to eat today.
Her vision shifted again when she was six years old.
"So you really don't want to follow my order…"
A green-haired man looked down at Aurora from the throne. She was sprawled on the cold floor below him, her small body covered in whip and stick marks, dried blood clinging to her skin. Her arms trembled as she tried to push herself up, but they failed her again.
"I… I…" Aurora panted heavily, with a dry throat. She hadn't eaten anything for two weeks. Her vision swam, but she still forced herself to look at the man tied up in front of her.
"I don't want to kill him."
The man sneered.
"Father, please…" she whispered, desperation cracking her voice. "Just exile him from the kingdom… it would—"
"I told you not to call me father." His voice slammed down on her like a blade. "And go on. Kill him."
"No." Aurora tried to say it firmly, but the word came out broken, barely louder than a breath.
Silence followed. Heavy. Suffocating.
"If that's how you want to go through it…"
The man slowly extended his arms from the throne.
Aurora suddenly felt something clamp around her neck.
She gasped, hands flying up instinctively, fingers clawing at empty air. But, there was nothing there—no metal, no chain—yet the pressure was real. She subonsiously looked at the man in front of her.
The man tied up in front of her now had a glowing, collar-shaped magic seal around his neck that he didn't have before.
Her breath hitched.
The man on the throne stood up and began to walk down the stairs, each step echoing through the hall like a countdown.
"Maguilty Sense," he said calmly. "A lost magic that allows any type of feeling to be transferred to others." He smiled faintly. "Your mother was very good at it. She could make it so the pain was fully transferred…not just shared between two people… I can't reach her level… but this is enough."
Aurora's eyes widened.
"You know," he continued lazily, "I've always wondered where the limit of this magic truly lies."
He reached one of the guards and took a spear from his hands.
Aurora shook her head violently. "No—stop—please—!"
He didn't even look at her.
The spear was aimed straight at the tied man's heart.
And thrust forward without hesitation.
"Agh—!"
"Agh—!"
The scream tore out of Aurora's throat as her body convulsed. She collapsed instantly, rolling across the floor as agony exploded through her chest. It felt like her heart had been torn open, like something sharp was ripping her apart from the inside. Her fingers dug into the stone floor as she screamed until her voice broke completely.
The man in front of her passed out.
But the pain didn't stop.
It intensified.
Even though she was still alive, Aurora felt death. Cold, crushing, endless. Her body arched violently as her vision went white, her mouth opening in a silent scream. She thought she was going to die. She wanted to die. She really wanted to die. Anything to make it stop.
"Oh?"
The man chuckled softly. "This magic is better than I thought… haha."
His laughter echoed in the room.
"I can now torture you with Lunessa's magic. Haha."
He grabbed Aurora by the hair and yanked her up brutally. Her scalp burned as tears streamed down her face, her body limp and shaking.
"You know Lunessa? The woman…" His voice suddenly sharpened, rage boiling underneath it. "The woman who had to die just to let you be born—that damn woman that didn't listen to my order to kill you in the womb."
Aurora's blurry vision focused weakly on his green eyes.
"The king's order."
His grip tightened as he screamed even louder.
"So your only reason for existing…," he spat. "... is to atone for her death until the end of your life."
He threw her aside like a bag of trash to the floor.
"Take this thing away, maybe tomorrow she will learn that the only way she can continue living is to listen to me…forever," he said coldly.
Aurora hit the floor and didn't even react. Her body felt hollow, numb, as if death had already taken most of her with it. She couldn't scream. She couldn't cry. She could barely breathe as the guards dragged her away across the stone floor.
As darkness closed in, a small, broken part of her felt relieved.
It was finally over.
But she was wrong.
Very wrong.
Her suffering had… only just begun.
Her vision shifted again—to when she was only ten years old.
"This minister dared to question me in today's meeting," her father said coldly. "Go and kill his entire family. Make sure it's done quietly."
Aurora's eyes widened.
"But your majesty… he has two children—agh—"
The collar on her neck suddenly began to glow. A violent wave of pain tore through her body, dropping her to the floor.
"Are you questioning me again?" her father continued. "If you care so much about other children, I can bring some children into the basement. I'll just torture them too, and share their pain with you through that bracelet."
"I'm sorry—aghhh!" Aurora screamed as she curled on the ground.
Even in the present, her breathing was shallow and uneven, as if her body was too exhausted to continue. Memories kept piling up—being tortured, carrying out her father's orders, being tortured again, carrying out his orders again—over and over without end.
For what, just because her mother died while giving birth to her… but…but…she didn't ask for it… she wanted to die… no, she wanted to live….no, she wanted to die… no, she wanted to…
"Hey… is that the girl?" a new maid whispered as a fifteen-year-old Aurora walked down the castle corridor.
The other maids leaned in, barely bothering to lower their voices.
"Yeah. Don't get close to her. Every guard and maid is forbidden to get close to her here. She's kind of weird, you know.."
"I heard painful screams come from her room at night. Apparently, it happens every night."
"They say she has violent tendencies. I heard that she is cursed because she tortured too many people."
"Really, I am never getting close to her."
Aurora's mind shifted once more.
Late at night, a girl screamed silently as her entire body convulsed in pain, as if invisible whips and sticks were striking every inch of her skin. She knew the pain didn't come from her—it came from someone being tortured in the basement.
The collar on her wrist glowed faintly. She tried getting it off… She really tried a lot of time… but it was pointless… Maybe if she cut her head off, it would be fine?
Her father had despised her mother. He had even wanted to kill Aurora at birth, but a prophecy forced him to keep her alive. Still, he couldn't tolerate seeing her happy.
"Agh…" Aurora groaned as another wave of pain crashed through her.
"It's okay, Aurora… the night is almost over…"
"The night is almost over."
"Almost over…"
"Almost…"
She repeated the words like a prayer. But suddenly an even more intense pain came into her body… then….it was silent…all silent…
Suddenly, in the present, Aurora felt warmth surrounding her. A gentle hand held her close, and a hazy memory surfaced.
"So you're the first princess of this kingdom," a warm voice said.
"…"
"You don't talk much, do you?" the voice continued lightly in a teasing tone.
"I have no words for a thief. I will kill you right here and—" Aurora replied in a cold, mechanical tone.
"Is your neck always glowing like that?" the voice asked, confused.
"What? Agh… not now—" Aurora collapsed to the floor, groaning.
"Hey, are you okay? You're sweating a lot. Is the collar hurting you?" the voice asked with concern.
"No… this much pain is not worth mentioning… even like this, I can defeat you," Aurora said, forcing her body to move. Every muscle screamed in protest as she tried to rise. She couldn't even imagine the punishment her father would give her if one of the kingdom's treasures was stolen under her watch. That fear alone pushed her forward when her strength failed.
As she struggled to stand, the figure suddenly stepped in and wrapped their arms around her.
Gently.
Aurora froze. Her eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat. For the first time in her life, she felt it—what it meant to be hugged by someone… it felt…it was…
It was warm.
So warm.
Her body trembled, not from pain this time, but from something unfamiliar and overwhelming. Her hands hovered awkwardly at her sides, unsure of what to do, as if she were afraid the moment would vanish if she moved.
Then she felt it.
The collar around her neck—the one that had been suffocating her for as long as she could remember—was gone.
No… it didn't disappear.
It shattered.
Boom.
Fragments of broken magic scattered across the floor, the sound echoing sharply through the space. The pressure in her neck vanished instantly, and Aurora sucked in a deep, shaking breath, her lungs finally free.
"Huh…?"
After such a long time, that small, confused sound was all that escaped her lips.
Back in the present, Aurora slowly opened her eyes. It seemed like it was still dark outside.
She tried to move, only to realize she was lying in someone's arms. The familiar scent made her freeze for a moment.
Aurora instinctively snuggled closer, tightening her grip around Arthur.
In the dark alleyway, Arthur sat against the wall with Aurora held securely in his arms, snow gathering quietly around them.
"Another panic attack?" Arthur asked softly.
"Hm…just the usual…" Aurora replied, her voice muffled as she buried her face deeper against him, refusing to let go.
"Sorry. It took a while to find you," Arthur said, holding her tighter. His heart ached…thinking of how many times… she had to endure it during those years when he was unconscious…
"You said the same thing… three years ago," Aurora murmured.
"Yeah," Arthur replied with a sad smile. "I did, didn't I?"
After a moment, Arthur decided to change the subject, trying to steer her thoughts toward something happier.
"So… how did the meeting with Edolas's Siegrain go?" Arthur asked, gently patting her back.
"It went well…" Aurora said quietly. "It took a bit to persuade him to talk to me. I… I kind of manipulated him into opening up, though…"
"Hm? Did you use your magic?" Arthur asked.
"No," she replied, instantly recoiling a bit. As if just the thought of using mind control on her son, whichever world he is from, disgusted her. "I just tried to… um… imitate how you would act."
"How would I act?" Arthur repeated, confused.
"Well, you know," Aurora chuckled softly. "Getting on the floor and crying just to get my attention away from the children."
"Well, you see…" Arthur rubbed the side of his head in embarrassment, but Aurora placed a finger against his lips to stop him.
"Honestly, I never understood why you would do that," she said, her chin leaning against his chest as she looked up at his face. "When you already had my attention since day one."
"Um… I… well… that…" Arthur turned red as he stammered. Aurora slowly looked up at him. Snowflakes drifted around them, and tears still clung to her lashes from the pain earlier—but somehow, that only made her look even more charming.
"You are so… cute," she said softly, looking at his face that kept getting red.
Arthur felt his heart pounding. They were out in the open… was there a hotel nearby? No—she had just gone through a panic attack. But maybe… maybe distracting her like this would help pull her away from those memories?
As Arthur was lost in thought, Aurora suddenly looked up. A small golden bird made of light descended from the sky, flying straight toward them.
Aurora recognized the magic instantly—after all, she was the one who had taught it to…
The glowing bird slowed as it neared her, then gently landed on her hand before dissolving into particles of light, leaving behind a letter.
Aurora stood up excitedly and opened it.
"What does it say?" Arthur asked. He already knew who it was from, but standing up right now felt… awkward because of… Anyway, sitting in the snow a bit longer seemed like the better option.
"He's thanking me for the information I sent about the Magic Council's operation in Iceberg Kingdom," Aurora said as she read. "It seems he has a lead to finally get Crawford removed from the Magic Council for good this time."
"He should just get out of that shithole already," Arthur muttered tiredly. "It's really not worth it."
He paused, then sighed. "But… if that's what he wants to do to find peace of mind, then I guess I'll support it."
"Yeah… "
"Me too," Aurora murmured with a small smile.
Meanwhile, Astro had taken off his shirt and leaned over the basin, staring at his reflection in the mirror. He subconsciously touched his left eye—it looked normal now, its usual purple color. He closed it and tried to remember the sensation.
Suddenly, a mark began spreading from the lower left side of his face. It crept over his eye socket and extended upward. Astro opened his left eye again and looked into the mirror. The white sclera had turned black, and the pupil glowed a bright neon orange, bordered by purple.
"Why don't you want to know your future?" Alvemak's voice echoed in his mind. "I've never met anyone who doesn't—except some overly optimistic idiots. But you aren't like that."
"I can always learn about it later... you know…using this eye…" Astro said, touching the skin beneath his eye. "I just didn't want that boy to feel responsible for failing to change the future… if I fail to change it."
"I see, that's just like you," Alvemak replied. "But I'll give you a warning. Even if you know the prophecy, as the boy said, the future is already decided. That's the rule of this universe. Nothing you do can change it."
"Is that so?" Astro said with a smile. "I don't think so."
"So you're the same as those optimistic idiots," Alvemak said with a frown.
"Maybe," Astro replied. "But still… Alvemak, You know… I have this feeling that I was never meant to belong in this world at this point. Liam… Astro… whoever I am—I think both were supposed to die three years ago. But it didn't happen."
"Is that intuition," Alvemak asked, confused, "or are you just depressed?"
"I don't know," Astro said, looking a bit smug. "Let's call it a reincarnator's pride. After all, there has to be something special about me coming into a world of story… right?"
"I didn't realize you could be this narcissistic," Alvemak said dryly. "Even if you are a reincarnator, how would that let you change the future?"
"We can start by changing the bleak future Zenith mentioned," Astro said. "Then we'll see if I'm right. But before that—how much… do you know about the butterfly effect?"
"The what?"
"If I really wasn't supposed to live," Astro continued not answering him, rubbing his chin, "then I wonder how much my existence has already altered the world over the past three years."
"Anyway."
He suddenly tightened his grip on the basin.
"Before all that…" he murmured, lifting his head. "Let's find my real memory. I really hate all the feelings of having fake memories."
"Just say delusions, why are you sugarcoating it?" Alvemak said dryly.
"Yeah, let's stop all these…delusions for now…"
Astro met his reflection's gaze as his orange eye glowed intensely.
Inside the Magic Council Headquarters—
"Strangely, she didn't try to spy on you today, Master Siegrain," Cedric said, watching the blue-haired young man seated at his desk, calmly writing notes for tomorrow's meeting.
"Well," Siegrain replied with a chuckle, "I sent her on an important mission that should keep her busy. She's probably still awake, searching for a treasure that doesn't exist."
"I didn't expect it to work this well," Cedric murmured. "But are you sure you want to keep pretending you're under her manipulation?"
"Yes," Siegrain answered with a twisted smile. "Maybe it's pride of the youngest wizard saint ever—but I don't believe Ultear, someone around my age, is the true mastermind capable of controlling me. There has to be someone behind her. Until I find out who, she still has her uses."
Cedric shivered slightly, looking at the twisted smile. Siegrain's presence… reminded him of Queen Aurora. Memories from three years ago surfaced… Back when they stormed into that tower to…
"Anyway," Siegrain said in a soft voice, turning toward the window, "I wonder… if they've met Astro yet. I have to say… I really didn't expect him to join the same guild as Erza… quite a small world, isn't it?"
His thoughts drifted as memories flooded his mind—some happy, some tragic… and some unbearably tragic…