On a late night in Reccordak, snowflakes fell from the distant sky, and the moonlit breeze swayed past.
"…I joined the Imperial Knights."
Julie was in the northern coniferous forest, sitting on a rocking chair and looking at the bracelet on her wrist.
"And that was my first real mission."
Epherene listened to her soft voice.
"To protect the Professor in the Underground Passage and carrying dangerous weapons."
"Carry?"
"Yes."
Julie let out a low breath, puffing white in the cold.
"The head of Yukline back then, Decalane, was preparing an important study. I don't know exactly what kind. But, it is clear that the core was necessary for Yukline at that time."
What Epherene didn't know about.
"My fellow knights and I made it there with Deculein. However, we were ambushed."
Julie still considered that day to be her fault. For any knight, it was right to consider the possibilities and prepare with the appropriate power. Allowing an ambush was unacceptable.
"We failed, and many people died."
"…Did you lose your bracelet then?"
"Yes."
Nodding, Epherene took out the steamed potatoes from the basket she held and took a bite.
"Okay. Oh, it's hot. Foo. Foo. What about the professor, foo?"
She huffed and puffed, trying to cool down the food.
"The profeshor. How did he find this brachlet?"
"…The Underground Passage is open again."
"Aha."
Julie thought that he took it on purpose when it re-opened, but she didn't know why. She had no idea. To him, it would be an ordinary bracelet.
"I see it's something valuable to you."
"Yes."
Julie answered right away.
"This is the first and last gift I received from my father."
Although now it was almost like coal, memories of that day were melted in this bracelet. Her heart was pounding as she looked at it. The tip of her nose became hot, and her eyelids grew heavy. All those things were still clear in here.
"The gift of a lifetime."
Proof that her father had thought of her at least once.
"It is that precious."
Julie looked back at Epherene, meeting her eyes.
"…Epherene. What is the content of that letter?"
She pointed to the letter on Epherene's lap from Deculein.
"Oh, this? Nothing much. Would you like to read it?"
"…Is that okay?"
"Yes."
Epherene handed Julie the letter. Julie read them with a frown as Epherene had before.
[Epherene, I leave you this letter.
You will surely understand its meaning.]
"…What is this? Is this all?"
"That's what I mean. Only two lines. I was so perplexed when I first read it."
"Magically-"
"Nothing. It doesn't have any tricks. That's all."
"…"
Julie nodded and returned the letter. Then she leaned back.
"Epherene."
"Yes?"
"If what you said is true, we will return. With this bracelet on my hand and all my memories gone."
"Yes. That's right. Definitely."
"If so, perhaps. Could you please explain? The reason you said that. Why doesn't Professor Deculein hate me?"
The bright snow fluttered between them.
"…Hmm."
Epherene lowered her head without a word. She reached down, making round marks beside her feet in the snow.
"You know."
She looked into the sky again.
"The Professor's remaining life isn't that long."
"…?"
"Whether we regress or not, the Professor won't exist in the not-too-distant future. There is little time left. The Professor probably knows that too."
Epherene spoke bluntly of the Deculein she met in the past.
"Therefore… it's not that the Professor didn't like you, instead, wasn't it that he didn't want you to lose him?"
Julie was silent. She quietly closed her eyes.
"So… someday when he goes on a long journey. You won't be in pain. Rather, happy…"
"…"
"Of course, that's my imagination."
The wind blew through the forest, shaking the trees. Epherene looked to Julie.
"…It's just my imagination. I'm just imagining. It's okay, right?"
"No."
Julie shook her head.
"Even imagining it hurts."
She put her hand above her heart. Somewhere, there was the sound of ice breaking.
"As much as it hurts, it's something I don't want to forget."
—Hey!
Just then, Delric appeared.
—It's the meeting time!
Julie stood quickly. It was about to feel awkward, so he had nice timing.
"Now, let's go, knight."
"Yes."
Epherene also stood and was about to leave with them.
—…You know.
At the sound of the whispering Voice, Epherene stiffened. She turned around with a flinch.
—The Professor's remaining life isn't that long…
The conversation between Julie and her was caught up in the erosion of the Voice.
"I see that you're diligent, huh?"
Epherene chuckled, astonished.
—Epherene! Come on!
Delric called again. Julie was already waiting in the distance.
"Yes! I'm coming!"
Epherene ran after them.
* * *
Whoosh—
Julie's office. The group was seated around a large table.
"First of all, we selected only the most likely knights out of the thirty."
There were a total of seven names on the list. Jailen, Youpley, and…
"Syrio Sigrun."
Julie took a deep breath as Sylvia listed them off.
"Yes. He is also one of the suspects. Among the thirty invited knights, there was certainly Syrio."
"…"
Sylvia thought for a moment. As the deputy commander of Iliade, she was too familiar with Syrio. Delric nodded.
"The rest of the knights all have an alibi. Of course, it's not yet enough to put them off the suspects' board."
"How are you sure?"
Sylvia asked the question. Delric replied, fiddling with his mustache.
"They are the worms who dared to attack Her Majesty. Many other people are chasing the criminal beside us. Maybe, if we just wait, we can find the culprit. However… Epherene."
"Yes."
Delric wore his determination.
"Our purpose is not to simply catch the criminal."
"Of course."
"Did you find out the condition of regression?"
"No. I don't know yet."
For now, she was waiting until April 9th. Her first hypothesis, which was most likely true, was that she would return on April 9th.
"Okay. Until then, you can't die. Even if we don't catch the culprit, if you regress, everything will be stopped."
"Yes."
"Then…"
It was at that moment.
Boooooom-!
A great vibration shook Reccordak. The blizzard outside the window was cut off, and the whole world was colored in darkness from barrier magic. However, it was an expected attack.
Julie looked at Epherene.
"Epherene."
"Yes. Let's run away together!"
"No."
She shook her head, then turned to Allen.
"What?"
Allen, who had been sitting still and listening to their conversation, tilted his head.
"Allen. How many people can you teleport?"
"Ummm~. Only one companion through a barrier."
"…Yeah."
Epherene let out an exasperated sigh. Julie smiled brightly.
"Yes. I thought so. I will stay here."
"You don't have to."
"I do. Someone has to face the one behind this and let you know."
"…"
Julie said so and stood. Delric clenched his teeth, and Sylvia looked at Julie.
"So, I'll try to give you as many solid clues as I can."
Julie held out a crystal ball to Epherene.
"It is a twin crystal ball for recording, not transmission. Everything I say will be recorded."
Julie looked back at Delric and Sylvia.
"Sir Delric, Sylvia. Please be careful too. For now, Epherene is the priority, but Sylvia, your magical talents are outstanding—"
"I can break through the barrier. I don't know if it'll collapse, though. We have to find the core."
"Yes, that's enough. Sir Delric, please cover Sylvia."
"…"
Delric looked angry but eventually nodded.
"I will. By all means, let's meet again."
"Yes. I have no intention of dying either. Then-"
Claaank-!
The building's window was shredded apart. A man in a robe rushed in, followed by creatures walking on four legs. Amid that chaos, Allen took Epherene's hand.
"Go."
Allen smiled and took a step forward. From behind them, Julie was wielding her ice sword as Delric escaped with Sylvia. And-
"…Ugh!"
Allen moved outside the barrier. Epherene looked around. The whole place was dark, and there was a strong stench filling the air.
"We're…"
Allen answered, wiping his hands.
"In a sewer."
* * *
Drip- Drip-
"Ugh…"
Drip- Drip-
A foul odor assailed them.
"…Ah."
Epherene looked around, scratching her head. Time had passed, but the scenery around them was still a sewage treatment plant. But she was so used to it that she couldn't even smell it anymore. It had also been a long time since she became friends with this mouse.
"…This is boring."
Of course, she didn't stay in the same sewer every day. Even if she moved from place to place, once she was chased, she would come back to a sewer somewhere in the city.
"…"
Epherene sat alone, thinking. What day was it? April 4th or 5th?
"When…"
She was hoping, wishing, for April 9th to come as soon as possible
"…I am too dirty."
Stained with the stench of the sewer and was unable to clean herself out of fear of being detected through her mana. She rummaged through her pocket and pulled out Deculein's letter.
[Epherene, I leave you this letter.
You will surely understand its meaning.]
"Gosh… I don't know."
She had read the letter a thousand times while hiding. What the hell did this mean? She didn't know a single thing about it, this damn… damn…
"Fuck! Fuuuck-!"
After waving her fists and yelling, Epherene laid back down. Her whole body was wet and felt weak, and she muttered blankly.
"How can I know the meaning of this letter… when I come back, I'll ask…"
Epherene stopped.
…A month ago, Julie died. She didn't die at Reccordak, though. From what she heard, there were no serious injuries. Julie broke apart the mastermind with her power and support from Josephine and Zeit, but her heart was destroyed as a result, and she passed away shortly after. Her older sister, Josephine, committed suicide. But she found out one of the masterminds thanks to her: Jailen Bedasup.
…Delric had also disappeared. He left to seek clues separately, and at some point, lost contact with her. His last words were someone's name.
"Youpley von Sven."
…Sylvia was locked up. Idnik, Glitheon, and Gindalf worked together to seal her. They said Sylvia was going mad. In this way, what she feared now, after losing everything, would she return to after Deculein died?
"If that happened…"
What should she do? Was that game over?
"…You said you wouldn't dump it all on me."
Epherene turned around and curled up on the floor.
"You said you wouldn't make me carry it alone since I'm young…."
It was a pain that she couldn't even describe.
"But this…"
Now that everyone was dead, she was living like a worm underground. What the hell was this…
"…Sniff."
Epherene suddenly jumped up, feeling a surge of anger. As if anger was the only fuel to overcome this sorrow…
"I mean, but what the hell."
Something hung from her waist, the wooden pocket watch handed to her by Murkan.
"…Where am I supposed to use it?"
A wooden pocket watch. No matter how much mana she put in, nothing happened.
"What are you?! Answer me! The letter, at least I can read it! But you!"
She gripped the pocket watch as if to strangle it and held her breath, but… there was no change.
"…Epherene?"
Suddenly, a low voice approached her. Epherene spun.
"…Allen."
"Yes. Are you okay?"
"…"
Epherene shook her head.
"No."
"Are you having a hard time? Still, stay strong. We've found the culprit~."
"…"
As he said, they knew the culprit. It was all seven, including Syrio. Syrio was ambiguous, but Allen understood that it was he who immediately handed Sylvia over to Glitheon.
"…I think I'm going crazy."
Even knowing that she would return, this was too much stress. What if she was caught? Would she return even if she died, or would that be the end? What if Deculein wasn't even there if she did regress?
"It's okay. Today is April 9th."
"…Eh?"
Epherene's eyes grew large.
"You said yesterday was April 3rd!"
"Oh~. Rather than turning April 9th from April 8th, it suddenly jumped from April 3rd-"
"Hey-!"
Epherene ran over and grabbed Allen by the collar.
"Does that make sense…?"
The next moment, she gaped at Allen.
"…Allen? Why is your body… getting so cold?"
"Oh~, that's because I'm dying."
"…"
Epherene belatedly checked Allen's body. He was bleeding profusely.
"Why… how?"
"Yes. I met the Altar. I, I mean, we were at the frontlines with the Altar. We often collide with each other."
Allen said with a soft smile.
"We did… but they had already noticed. That you would regress."
"…"
"However… they said this. Even if you regress, Professor Deculein won't come back. Neither will the Emperor. That the standard of regression has already changed."
"…What?"
"So, that's why I said it was April 3rd. I'm sorry. Because even if you regress…"
Allen leaned on Epherene's shoulder. Epherene's mind was blank. She felt as if the strings holding him up had been cut off.
"…Allen?"
"Yes. Still, it's okay."
Allen smiled a little. A single tear fell from the corner of his eyes.
"Because you lived with hope for a month."
Epherene looked at him. Her lips trembled. Despair dug into her heart.
"Epherene. If you return one more time… please inform me of this as late as possible."
"…"
"O… kay?"
Allen closed his eyes as he asked, still smiling. Before long, the world shook as if an earthquake had arrived, but Epherene continued to hug Allen. And…
…She regressed.
—Epherene! Come on!
Delric's cry echoed loudly around her.
Blink- Blink- Blink-
Snowflakes fell beyond her eyes, opening and closing.
"Huh…?"
Epherene looked around her. The reflected scenery was of pointy pine trees and earth covered in snow. A cold wind rustled her clothes.
—Epherene! What are you doing? It's meeting time!
The point of return was the North, when she was about to start her meeting after telling Julie the truth about Deculein. In other words, Deculein was already dead.
"…Ah."
At that moment, Epherene accepted her despair as reality. Just like Allen said, the standard of regression had indeed changed.
—Epherene!
"…Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Epherene let out a scream. Her legs collapsed, and her body flailed about.
"Aaaah—!"
"Epherene!"
"Epherene! Why, why are you doing this all of a sudden?!"
Julie and Delric ran to her side.
"No, no, nooooooooooooo…!"
In the northern forest where a strong blizzard raged and the trees swayed, Epherene screamed until she fainted.