Sophien looked down at Deculein, who was lying back in his chair.
"It's the first time I've seen you so comfortable."
Without tidying up his messy clothes or hair, he was just lying there and looked lovely…
Sophien let out a low laugh.
"Thanks to you, I have learned so much."
She drew the sword back from his heart. Not a single drop of blood escaped his wound, as if Deculein was refusing to get dirty even in death.
"…"
Sophien sheathed her sword without saying another word. She stood and looked out the lighthouse window. Her attention was diverted by a sudden voice:
—I've been waiting for you.
A doll was staring at her. His blatant gaze, and the way his eyes burned with passion and fluctuating emotions, were enough to let her guess his true identity.
"…Are you Quay?"
Sophien asked. He nodded slightly.
Sophien's heart burned with mana. It was full of anger, sorrow, and, most importantly, remorse.
Sophien looked at Deculein one last time, and after taking in all of his lovely appearances… she turned her gaze back to Quay, letting her desire to kill leak out.
"There you are."
She took a step closer.
* * *
…On the top floor of the lighthouse where Sophien had just left and Deculein lied-
Rustle-
There was a slight movement.
Rustle-
At first, it was just a rustling, but then suddenly, it evolved into the thump-thump- of footsteps.
"Whew!"
Yeriel barged through the eternally frozen passageway. She looked around, exhaling hot breath.
"…Brother!"
Noticing Deculein at once, she ran to him. At the sight of the hole in his heart, with his clothing still immaculate, she was left dazed.
A door creaked open from behind her. Startled, she looked back in the direction the sound came from, readying her mana. But she quickly stopped herself, when she saw the newcomer.
"Sylvia?"
Yeriel frowned and asked.
"Aren't you imprisoned?"
"…I am. This is a doll."
Sylvia calmly replied. Then she looked at Deculein.
"Professor…"
"He's still alive." said Yeriel with excitement.
Sylvia quietly raised her hand and pointed to the door Yeriel had passed through moments ago.
Yeriel tilted her head, then realized her meaning.
Crackling—!
Julie's chill was spreading beyond the door she had just crossed.
"How did you get through?" asked Sylvia
"Huh? Um… I just did."
Yeriel shook her head as if she didn't know either. Sylvia's eyebrows twitched slightly.
She thought for a moment. As if she were a little suspicious, she glanced back and forth between Julie's passage and Yeriel.
Shaking her head, she walked up to Deculein again and sat down on her knees next to him.
"Professor, are you listening?"
Of course, Deculein didn't answer, but Yeriel also sat beside Sylvia.
"You must keep your promise."
Sylvia continued after waiting another moment. Yeriel didn't know what kind of promise it was, but she felt like her heart was burning.
Sylvia spoke a bit slower.
"You told Julie. You said you wouldn't die before her."
Julie's chill was slowly approaching and freezing this space this time.
Crack…
Sylvia's hair froze. On the other hand, Yeriel couldn't feel even the slightest chill.
Sylvia turned to her.
"Take the professor to the center of this cold and freeze him, so that he can keep his promise… Yeriel, please help him."
* * *
…Drip, drip.
…Drip, drip.
Quay looked up at the sky through the pouring rain. He stared at the water drops hitting his eyes, then wetting his face and shaking down his shoulders, seeking some answer.
Sophien stopped next to him. This woman with long red hair burned like flames. The rainwater evaporated from the mana she radiated before it could touch her, and the sword hanging from her hand was filled with a thick killing aura.
"Have you ever seen the Holy Age?" Quay asked.
"I've experienced it in a dream" she answered.
The whitish memories and the unusual scenery of the temple reflected in her dreams played in her head.
"Yes. That's right."
Quay smiled.
"I showed it to you on purpose. Because you, your body, was originally mine."
Sophien nodded. She wasn't shaken and didn't deny his words.
"I know."
Quay grinned. Water ran down the corners of his twisted lips.
"Trying to kill the one who created you. How insolent and ungrateful."
Quay's expression tightened.
"Like the humans who are glued to this continent right now."
"…"
Sophien silently watched Quay.
"Even the believers in the Holy Age killed God without knowing His grace. They committed an unforgivable sin by killing the one who created them."
At that moment, the emperor's mana faded away. Rain seeped down Sophien's body.
"Sophien. Now you are trying to kill me just like they did."
Sophien's lips slowly rose into a smile.
"No. God died by himself."
That was the revelation she interpreted with Deculein one day to Quay.
"For the sake of human freedom."
Quay quietly shook his head.
"That's the wrong interpretation. You humans always-"
"No."
Sophien interrupted him. She took a step forward and lowered her sword.
Drip-drip, drip-drip.
The clouds above gradually thickened, and the celestial body was already larger than the moon. Soon, it would destroy this continent. But Sophien disregarded it as she focused on Quay.
"When you love someone so much, you could die for them."
For some reason, it made her feel better to say it aloud. Even though he was the ultimate enemy, the experience of confessing all of her feelings and confiding all of them to another was precious.
"If it's a perfect God, of course, he will love his creatures exceedingly."
However, Quay seemed a little different. Now his face was as evil as a demon's. There was a clear malicious intent in the way he carried himself as if he wanted to tear Sophien's tongue out right away.
"It is enough to die for his creation… no, it's more than enough."
Quay's mana rose viciously, enough to make the doll's body violently shake. Sophien didn't seem to notice as she raised her blade.
"It must have been an extremely easy decision."
"Shut up."
Quay growled. His expression was more distorted than ever, and his teeth were gritting so much that they might tear themselves apart.
Swoooosh-!
The air distorted, and a magical spark flashed in the sky. Sophien leaned forward, clutching her sword, like a rhinoceros trying to advance, like a warhorse trying to break through, crouching her body in a wedge to face the enemy ahead; she unleashed a wave of red mana.