"I am not in denial!"
Corleona denied Philip's claim that she's in denial
"Yeah? Then, did you hate being transported in this world?"
"..."
Corleona was silent. She seemed to be having second thoughts on how to answer, but Philip can read her body language
"You choose to die in your world rather than living in this hell?! Do you see your sister now? Do you see the state of this world? If you wanted to follow everyone else in the afterlife, what about Clara? Think how she will feel!"
Philip started to become annoyed at Corleona. She looked like she wanted to stay in Saykrandae and die with the rest of the last remaining humans, with Polem, with her father King Porti, the Legendary Warriors, her friends, the knights, and the people living in the Last Hope
Although, Philip can't blame her nor reprimand her
'I'm such a hypocrite...'
Corleona wanted to die but Philip was trying to stop her and save her. It was her own wish and he's taking away her freedom for that
'Is this what the others were thinking when I said that I want to die? That I'm searching for my ultimate end? I'm selfishly thinking for myself...'
Philip looked straight in Corleona's indecisive eyes. He's thinking that she's different from him and she doesn't carry his burden
'I must save this lost and helpless girl... I don't care if I'm a hypocrite, can't I save someone once in a while? Besides, she's important in Sai's growth...'
Philip furrowed his eyebrows and he felt rage towards himself, but annoyance towards Corleona
"You know, I'm quite disappointed... You should be the one who's stronger since you're the first princess! I saw you in a different light yet here your are! A lost duckling! Look at your sister! I know she's also in sorrow, but she's fighting!! How about you?!!!"
Philip's voice became louder and louder. He doesn't know why he's very angry, bur he couldn't control himself
"What do you know?! You don't know how I feel because you still have your world! Have you experienced seeing the one's you love die in front of your eyes?! Huh?!! It was this close when I'm about to give up! If not for Clara... I would've been gone way before when! But at that point when my world was about to be destroyed, I was ready to die along with it... Yet, I was saved against my own will!"
"Why aren't you happy that you're alive?!! Can't you start a new life and restart all over?!!"
"You don't get it!!!"
"Then let's talk!!!"
Philip extended his left hand and a wooden chair drifted across the floor towards his hand. He moved the chair behind him and sat down. He crossed his arms and legs
Philip glared at Corleona's eyes and she glared back. Clara can feel the tension between them
"There's nothing to talk about..."
"What are you going to do?"
"I have nothing to do"
"Do you want to do anything?"
"Seeing that this world is fairly peaceful and protected by you and several powerful beings... I don't have to do anything"
"What about Clara, are you still going to protect her?"
Corleona paused and gazed at Clara. Clara gazed back with worried eyes
"If it comes down to it"
"Then you now have a goal"
"Haaah?! That doesn't change anything"
"It does! Because depending on your goal, a lot will change"
"Like what?!"
"Your power and potential"
"I don't need power"
"Yes you do"
"No I don't!"
"..."
Philip stopped speaking
"That doesn't change the fact that you want to save your sister, does it? You love your sister and you can't leave her behind"
"Don't be selfish... Think what Clara would feel. Don't think about yourself. Give yourself a purpose to live"
"..."
Corleona gazed at Clara again. She found Clara gazing lovingly back at her
"Sis... Everything's going to be okay! Trust me"
Clara spoke in a sweet and quiet tone, then she smiled. Corleona gazed back at Philip with furrowed eyebrows
"Give me time..."
Corleona asked Philip for time
"Of course! Before I move on, do you have any questions?"
Corleona paused to think
"Do I have to live here?"
"Yes, but why do you ask, if I may ask? You seemed eager that you don't to be here at all"
"This world... It's different... I can't pinpoint as to why, but... Wherever I go or look, I feel danger"
Corleona lowered her head and bit her lips. Philip looked at her hands and he saw that it was trembling, like she's afraid, fearful, very scared
'Interesting...'
Philip made a discovery in Corleona. She may have a mysterious innate ability hidden within her that she's not aware of
'Speaking of... Is there a rule that if an individual from another world was transported to another world, they will unlock a special ability?'
「 ... 」
'Emily?'
「 You have unlocked a special condition requirement. Yes, individuals that are transported to another world will obtain special abilities. For instance you, you gained the Hero title and unlocked abilities befitting of a hero. In this case, we don't know what Corleona, Clara, and Braudain have... But it seems like we have a clue on Corleona's ability 」
'I see... That's good then'
Philip's mood was improved after hearing thay the three residents of Saykrandae have the potential to grow stronger. They just need to find that specific ability and nurture it
"Then, don't you feel safe here?"
Philip asked
"Not at all... I've seen the battle yesterday, but that's only one of the few dangers that I feel"
"I see... Now I understand why you're in distress. This world is more dangerous than Saykrandae and you are not certain that you can protect"
Corleona's eyes widened and she lifted her head to look at Philip
"It's not that you don't want to start over in this world... It's not that you feel regret or guilt that everyone in Saykrandae died... It's because Clara is more important to you than anything..."
"..."
"It's okay Corleona... The Great Extinction War is finished, it's history... You don't have nothing to worry about... You can relax and let go of your caged emotions"
"..."
At this point, Corleona lowered her head once again until her face is perpendicular to the floor. She sat down on the chair behind her. Her mouth started to quiver and her eyes began to water. She clutched her knees with her hands and her body began to tremble
Clara stood up from her bed and walked towards her sister. She placed her hand in her left shoulder
"You've been hard in yourself this entire time... It's time to let go and be you! Clara is safe here, so are you. You can restart your lives under my protection"
"Hicc..."
Corleona began catching her breath as she began to hiccup from her nose starting to become runny
"Your father, Polem, and your friends doesn't want to see you suffering like this... Let go... It's time to let go of the burden you're carrying... Pass it on to me and I'll help you"
"Sniff..."
"You've had enough. You've had enough... It's time to let go"
In this moment, Corleona lifted her head and she began to wail
"WAAAAAHHH~~!"
Tears flowed from her eyes and down her cheeks until it fell on the floor. Clara went ahead and hugged her from behind as she supported her
On the other hand, Braudain closed his eyes and smirked when he was eavesdropping from outside
"Hmph~"
He scoffed, as if he was recognizing for what Philip has done. Him and Clara couldn't get through Corleona's thick skull after all
'Huh, she cries like a baby, doesn't she?'
「 A product of keeping her torment within herself for several years... I'm surprised you weren't like this... 」
'My torment lead to nothingness... Unlike her, she still has a chance, and I gave it. At most, I'm just absorbing her own torment...'
「 ... 」
『 ... 』
Corleona kept wailing for several more minutes that her chest was convulsing and tears were neverending
~~~
A few more minutes has passed, Corleona moved places and sat next to the window as she gazed towards the sky. Her reddish eyes were illuminated by the light, but that doesn't disturb her beautiful image as her short hair slightly waves from the breeze circulating around the mansion
Meanwhile, Clara was sitting on the edge of the bed, near Philip, who hasn't changed positions
"Clara, can we talk?"
Philip asked
"Yes, sure!"
"You're in sorrow right now... Is it because of what happened to Saykrandae?"
"..."
Clara took a pause
"Yes..."
Clara answered dejectedly
"I'm sorry about what happened to your world..."
"No no no! It's fine!"
Clara waved her hands towards Philip
"It's just that... I have a few questions regarding that..."
"You can ask me and I'll answer it to the best of my ability"
"Then... Why did Goddess Sai abandon us?"
"..."
Philip was silent. He's slowly understanding Clara's issue and that is questioning the series of events that happened that she didn't expect, also known as barganing. Unlike Corleona, she tried to escape and keep it to herself, also known as denial
'I'm seeing a pattern here...'
He just needs to confirm it with Braudain when he talks to him later
"Sai didn't abandon Saykrandae, she loved Saykrandae and she'll do anything to save it. She left and went out of her way to summon a hero to save the world"
"But it took her too long! Four years was too long... That was enough time to destroy and conquer the other powerful kingdoms and the mighty empire in our world... The Last Hope was the last one standing, the collection of all fallen kingdoms and the remains of the empire"
"..."
"You were also too late... You arrived when Last Hope has fallen... Father died and Sis Polem had to sacrifice herself for the death of Demon Lord Diaphthorá... Many of our loved ones died in vain... Tell me, Philip... Did they die with smiles in their faces? Did they really die in vain?"
"..."
Philip was bombarded with hard questions. Clara may seem unaffected, but she was mature enough that she's calm, even though she's extremely sad inside. At best, she's trying to understand everything in a mature way. She also wasn't speaking in broken English anymore, shes ahs been speaking in Saykran. This just shows how serious Clara is
'This is hard...'
「 I'm aware... But I don't understand... I'm trying to understand though 」
"Clara, before I answer... Why did they fight for their lives even though it's hopeless? Humanity were overwhelmed by the demons and there's no chances in surviving... Why did they fight even if the chances on survival is non-existent? Saykrandae is not the same anymore even if humanity won"
"They fought to protect humanity... They died without even having to put out a fight... They... They..."
Clara began to stutter
"They died in vain..."
Clara teared up after the realization
"Were they smiling when they died even though they knew that they had no chance?"
"..."
Philip landed another emotional pain on Clara as she widened her mouth and exhaled deeply. Tears gushed out of her eyes and she covered her face with her hands
She's imagining and empathizing the moments everyone died during the war. She could feel every emotions and she's being emotionally overwhelmed
"But think about it... Even if they died in vain, they stopped the main threat by killing the demon lord. They prevented the destruction of other worlds and that was a sacrifice that they made. Even if they died in vain, their sacrifice was heroic"
Clara suddenly stopped crying and narrowed her reddish eyes
"So, if you feel bad if they died without having to do anything... They definitely did"
Clara rubbed her tears off of her eyes. She had a handkerchief and wiped it off
"Look, Clara... I know you're sorrowful and all but... Some things should be let go. They did this to provide you a tomorrow to look forward to and they gave it to you succesfully. All they would've want is to see you move on and be happy of what's to come"
"I appreciate the comfort... I really do. You may not seem to make sense, but I understand what you're trying to say"
Clara tried to smile but can only give a wry smile
"I have another question..."
"Ask away!"
"Were we supposed to die if it wasn't for you saving us?"
"..."
Philip didn't reply immediately. He debated to himself if he should tell her the truth or not. In the end, he decided to tell the truth so there will be no problems
"Yes"
"Why did you save us?"
"I saw potential in the three of you... Plus, you're the only ones left alive when I arrived. So, I had to make an effort to maneuver around"
"Why were you late?"
"..."
Philip explained everything to Clara, on why he was late, to when Sai tried to summon him, his thought process, and everything that transpired within Saykrandae
"Alien invasion..."
Clara muttered. She was unfamiliar of civilization outside of Saykrandae and the existence of aliens, as well as high-tech machinery and technology
"Were we supposed to die even when there's no alien invasion?"
"If and only if I didn't arrive... But I arrived"
"Okay... I understand now... I would like some time to think about stuff"
"Very well, I'll respect your decisions..."
Philip then stood up from his chair and set it aside next to the wall
"I will be taking my leave then... Thank you for talking and sorting both of your feelings"
Philip turned around and faced the door. He opened the door and stopped before exiting
"By the way... If both of you have fully sorted out your feelings, find and meet me later. I think I have a way to either revive Polem or to communicate with her"
Both Clara and Corleona's eyes bulged and abruptly turned their heads at Philip in shock and surprise. They wanted to stop Philip and ask him more about what he said, but it looked like it wasn't the right time since they just sorted out their feelings
Philip exited and closed the door behind him
"So, it's your turn... Let's talk"
Philip spoke towards Braudain without looking at him to his left. Braudain was also looking at him with wide eyes after he heard him about Polem
Philip walked at the opposite wall from Braudain and faced him
"So... A Polearm King, the last general of Last Hope, a Legendary Soldier, and the descendant of Saykeraborne, the missing Disaster Dragon"
Braudain was stunlocked and his eyes became wider. He felt chills across his body and he began sweating profusely. His usual calm and professional expressjon was broken
「 You have unlocked sever special condition requirements. I will reveal them to you later 」