It's a brisk summer morning.
As I gaze out my window at the clear blue sky, I stretch my
arms wide.
Then, I flop down on my bed with plans to idle away my day.
There isn't much summer vacation left.
Also, the Bushin Festival primaries start next week, so I gotta
run through some scenarios at some point.
However, the fact remains that people can't go on living if they
don't carve out time for lazing.
Okay, I might have just made that up.
It's still true for me, though.
"Hey, Cid! I've got big news, so open up!"
Suddenly, Skel starts banging on my door and shouting.
As two people grow familiar with each other, they will
inevitably end up annoying each other. Why is it that people seek
out the company of others, knowing it brings such grief? These are
the kinds of questions I'm forced to confront during one of the few
summer vacation mornings I have left.
Honestly, I'm kinda digging it. It feels like I'm one of those
masterminds who always keep others at arm's length.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."
I unlock the door and greet Skel.
"Look, it's a wanted poster for President Rose. Ten million zeni
if she's captured alive and half a million for useful information on
her."
"Huh." I take the poster from Skel and glance at it.
"Let's go catch her."
"Wait, why?"
"'Cause I'm broke." Skel's expression is one of abject
desperation.
"Didn't you say you had some match that was guaranteed to go
a certain way?"
"I don't wanna talk about it."
"Weren't you gonna make bank off that?"
"Shut up. Look, I don't wanna get into the details, but I'm
broke. Which means I need money."
"I see."
"C'mon, man. You gotta help me."
"I don't wanna. Do it yourself."
"Wait. Think about it. It's way better for two people to search
than just one. Our odds of finding her will double."
"I mean…"
As Skel shakes me by the collar, I rapidly lose interest.
After all, I already decided I supported Rose embracing her
rebellious spirit and stabbing her fiancé. Always nice to see some
enthusiasm, that's what I say.
In other words, I'm pretty much rooting for Rose to escape.
"I'm begging you here!"
Skel is bowing his head in a rare display of supplication.
Right as I start to say, "Yeah, but…," the dorm supervisor's
head pops in. "Cid, your sister is here to see you."
"My who?"
"Your sister. She's waiting out front for you, so you'd best not
keep her there long."
After relaying the information, the supervisor leaves.
"Claire, huh…? I guess she's back."
I've got a bad feeling about this.
In the space of an instant, I weigh which of my two options
sounds like a bigger pain.
"All right, let's begin Operation: Capture Rose!"
"I knew I could count on you, Cid! This is why you're such a
great friend!"
I grab Skel by the scruff of the neck and open the window.
"Wait, Cid! What are you doing?"
"There's no time. We gotta take the window."
"Huh? Wait, what are you talking about?! Wait! No! Hey!!"
"Onward!"
And with that, I leap.
"Iris says she's grateful for your information and she looks forward
to working with you again."
"It's an honor," says Beta as she watches Alexia walk in front of
her.
Alexia carries a magic lamp, and the two of them descend a
dark set of spiral stairs.
They've already come a decent way down. The air is damp and
nippy, reminding them that they're underground.
"It's probably safe to assume that Perv Asshat is connected to
the Cult," says Alexia.
"Agreed," replies Beta.
"The problem is we don't have any proof."
"That it is. And this is a matter of national and religious
significance, so normal evidence won't be enough."
"Don't I know it. My father made it abundantly clear—if we
want to link the Cult of Diablos to the Holy Teachings, we need
something that'll convince both the masses and our neighboring
countries."
"And if we're pegged as heretics, we're done for."
"It's not like every follower of the Holy Teachings is involved
with the Cult. It's probably just a few members of their top brass."
"That's what makes this such a mess."
"Preach."
Their footsteps echo through the stairwell.
"My father has a long-standing policy of not getting into fights
with the Holy Teachings. I wonder what he plans to do about the
Cult of Diablos."
"He's going to keep ignoring them, I suspect."
"Keep ignoring them…?"
The sound of Alexia's footsteps skips a beat.
"Just a baseless theory of mine. Please forget I said anything."
"…Well, I can let it drop for now. My sister said something that
caught my attention, by the way. She said that King Oriana seemed
kind of hollow."
"Hollow, huh…?"
"It was my first time meeting him, so I wouldn't know the
difference. He also smelled sort of sweet, though."
A sweet aroma—Beta knows exactly what drug can cause that.
"It seems we might already be too late…"
"The Cult's definitely making their move, and given the way my
father is handling things, our country is bound to be next…"
The two go silent as they continue their descent.
"We're here." There's a large pit with a ladder right in front of
where Alexia's stopped. "It's one of the subterranean tunnels that
run beneath the capital. You've heard of these, right?"
"I have, in fact. The tunnels were built beneath the entire
capital so the royal family could escape in a pinch."
"Exactly. Many of the maps, keys, and ciphers went missing, so
now it's basically just a labyrinth."
"So why come here?"
"To get rid of you." Alexia grabs the sword hanging from her
waist and…laughs. "Just kidding. Nothing shakes you, does it?"
"Eep! Please don't kill me…!"
"There's a good chance Rose used these tunnels to make her
escape."
Beta feels a little upset at having her brilliant performance
ignored.
"I'm going to go look for her." Alexia grabs the ladder, prepared
to immediately head down.
"Um, would you mind waiting a moment?"
"Why?"
"Have you told anyone where you're going?"
"Of course not. They would have tried to stop me."
"You say it's like a labyrinth down there. Are you confident
you'll be able to find your way back out?"
"Oh, that's easy. I'll just come back the way I came."
"Um, I'm not quite sure how to put this politely, but could you
find it in yourself not to drag me into danger on ill-conceived
whims?"
"Nope."
The two of them glare at each other for a few beats.
"If you have complaints, you're free to leave."
With that, Alexia leaves Beta there and begins descending the
ladder on her own.
Beta strongly considers taking her up on that offer, but she can't
let Alexia die just yet.
"Protecting her is part of your job, too, Beta," she mutters
quietly, then follows the princess down.
It's early in the morning, and I'm walking around the capital.
Skel ran off somewhere, saying he was gonna gather
information.
In this world, people get to work as soon as the sun rises.
The main drag is already up and at 'em.
I said I'd help him search for Rose, but I'm not planning on
taking this very seriously. I still want her to make it out safely, but
pretending to look for her seems like a decent way to idle the day
away.
I do kinda want to find out what provoked her rebellious spirit
enough to end up stabbing her fiancé, though. If possible, I'd like to
ask her about it in person.
One way or another, I'll be happy as long as I can kill some
time.
Rage tends to dwindle as the hours and days wear on, and my
sister definitely needs some time to cool off.
As those thoughts float through my mind, I hear the sound of a
piano coming from somewhere.
"Mmm…"
To tell you the truth, I'm pretty decent at playing the piano.
Back in my previous world, I practiced it so I could become a
better shadowbroker. Okay, sorry, that's a lie. My parents forced me
to learn as part of my educational regimen.
My motivation was pretty much nil, as I would have much
rather been spending my time training to become a mastermind
than practicing the piano. That desire, however, was no match for
the almighty educational regimen.
Even so, while my piano lessons may have commenced under
protest, I started hating it less and less as I kept it up.
After all, just knowing you're good at piano fills people's heads
with all sorts of preconceived notions.
When he gets home, he'll be super-busy practicing, they all think.
I kept my social commitments to an absolute minimum so I
could become a shadowbroker, so that false assumption came in
real handy.
Also, I realized that piano fit the aesthetic.
A mastermind playing piano under the moonlight… Sounds
nice, right?
You make them think you aren't just strong but cultured, too.
It's so good…
When I realized that, I started taking my practice seriously.
My top priority was still my training, but I just couldn't get the
image out of my mind of me playing the piano to set the mood
before a big battle.
Because of that, I ended up getting pretty decent at it, if I do
say so myself.
"Not bad, not bad…," I murmur.
Whoever's playing right now is pretty decent themselves.
Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 14, the "Moonlight Sonata,"
huh…?
I'm a big fan of this piece. In fact, it's my favorite—the
composition gives off the best vibe for a budding mastermind.
Even though I'm pretty sure I could take them in a "Moonlight
Sonata" contest, the current instrumentalist's rendition has a unique
flair.
"This is pretty good… It's like I can see the moonbeams in my
mind… Even though it's morning…"
As I do my whole shtick to get myself in the mood, I finally
realize something.
Isn't it weird for someone in this world to be playing one of
Beethoven's pieces?
A serious look crosses my face as I wade through the crowd and
head in the direction of the music.
I'm gonna be honest.
I have a pretty good idea of what's going on.
I'm not an idiot, after all.
I can hear the tune coming from the café on the first floor of
one of the capital's foremost hotels.
Security is so strict, the riffraff can't so much as get in the door,
but they recognize me and wave me through.
I step inside just as the woman with hair the color of a clear
lake is finishing her performance.
"Epsilon…"
She's wearing a sleeveless dress, but it covers just enough of her
chest to hide the slime. As expected.
Her legs are clad in tights to avoid showing her skin, and the
fact that her shoes have insoles to make her taller is well concealed.
Her work is perfect.
When I approach her, she seems to notice me.
Epsilon bows to the customers, then leads me into a side room.
She closes the door and smiles.
"Did you listen to my performance, my lord? How
embarrassing…"
Her face reddens a little, and she looks at me with puppy-dog
eyes. That isn't enough to fool me.
"Epsilon, that was the 'Moonlight Sonata,' right?"
"Yes, it's my favorite out of all the many pieces you taught me."
"Really? It's my favorite, too."
It's not like I meant to teach her, but it's always kind of
gratifying when you discover someone else likes the same things as
you.
"Thanks to you, my lord, I've been able to develop a number of
powerful connections as both a pianist and a composer."
"Wait, a composer…?"
"Of course. 'Moonlight Sonata,' 'Turkish March,' 'Minute
Waltz'…"
Epsilon goes on to boast about how she put out a number of
famous modern and historic pieces, gained popularity among the
aristocratic class, won various awards, and was invited to migrate
to some artistic-minded nation.
Sorry, Beethoven, Chopin…and all you other famous
composers.
In this world, all the credit for your work went to Epsilon.
"…And my last concert was received wonderfully. The next job
I'm heading for is in the Oriana Kingdom. As you're well aware,
there's a lot to be done there…"
"Right, 'cause they value the arts."
"That they do… And this time, in particular, there's a very
important job I have to take care of there." Epsilon smiles
bewitchingly.
"Well, go break a leg."
"I'll try my best to complete my job successfully and give a
performance worthy of your sublime compositions, my lord."
Epsilon gives me a graceful bow.
"Oh, right, apropos of nothing, but do you have any idea where
Princess Rose is?"
"Princess Rose, you say. Beta was in charge of that incident, but
as far as what I know goes…I did hear she'd fled underground,
beneath the capital. You could try asking Beta for more specifics…"
"Oh, no worries. That's plenty to go off of." If I'm lucky enough
to run into Rose, maybe I'll get a chance to chat with her. "Thanks.
Uh…"
As I look at Epsilon's smile, I try to think of what to say to
thank her.
I was super-happy when she said she liked the "Moonlight
Sonata," so she'll probably feel the same way if I say something she
wants to hear, too. "Your figure looks great, as always."
"O-oh, no—no—no, i-it really doesn't! I'm still working on
it…!"
Unable to keep looking at Epsilon's face, I turn my attention to
the scenery outside the window.
This is how the world goes round, I think as I gaze at the endless
blue summer sky.
Rose walks down the dark underground tunnel.
Blood is still trickling from the wound she sustained on her
back during her escape. The cut isn't deep, but it definitely isn't
shallow, either.
It should have been treated immediately, but Rose's pursuers
haven't given her time to indulge in such luxuries.
Instead, she's focusing her magic on the wound to prevent it
from getting any worse. As time presses on, though, the pain grows
and her stamina dwindles.
Her breathing is shallow.
As she keeps an eye out for her assailants, her mind keeps
racing.
What had been the right thing for her to do?
What would have brought about the best outcome?
The questions spiral around in her mind, but no answers seem
forthcoming.
Stabbing Perv, her fiancé, had been a spur-of-the-moment
decision. She hadn't done it impulsively, though. She'd used the
limited time she had to figure out her best option, then acted on
it…or at least, she'd tried to.
But she'd failed.
Perv had survived, and she had to flee.
However, it was only a failure in hindsight. She'd misjudged
Perv's skill, but the choice to eliminate him hadn't been wrong in
and of itself.
In fact, she'd had no choice. The moment she'd seen her father's
—King Oriana's—lifeless eyes, she knew she had to get rid of Perv.
In her estimation, all the rumors—Perv's connection to the Cult and
the empty puppet that was left of her father—had changed to fact.
That was why she'd drawn her blade.
Had she been overly impulsive?
Had she acted in haste?
Could she really say she hadn't been spurred on by impatience
and rage?
Rose had thought she was making the rational choice.
She hadn't wanted to rely on Alexia and Natsume. After all, the
Oriana Kingdom had to resolve the matter internally. That had only
been a hunch, but Rose had been confident in it.
And politically, at least, she'd been right.
Her gambit had ended in failure because of it, but it was still
Rose's mistake and the Oriana Kingdom's problem. The Midgar
Kingdom still hadn't gotten wrapped up in the mess. She'd
subconsciously dodged the worst-case scenario.
It was just a matter of time, though, before that came to pass,
too.
The words Perv yelled after her as she'd fled echo within her
ears.
"Turn yourself in before the Bushin Festival ends! Or I'll make King
Oriana kill one of the other guests of honor!"
If King Oriana really did kill another dignitary like Perv said…it
would mean war. Rose isn't sure how serious he was about that, but
it's possible the Cult only sees King Oriana as a minor pawn.
And if that's the case…
Rose grinds her teeth. Her face contorts in anguish.
Her father is no brilliant leader, and Oriana is no vast kingdom.
To her, though, they're the only father and motherland she has.
All she wanted was to protect them.
But that desire led to impatience.
Rose slams her fist against the tunnel wall.
At the end of the day, she let her emotions get the better of her
and acted impulsively. She'd thought she could just kill Perv and fix
everything, but that had been naive.
Perv was nothing more than a sacrificial pawn. She should have
realized how deep the Cult's roots ran throughout Oriana and that
killing him wouldn't accomplish anything.
There has to be some other option…some magical action she
can take that would fix everything…
Rose slumps onto the damp ground.
Implausible scenarios dance through her mind, taunting her. If
only she'd done something cleverer and everything had lined up
neatly…
But now, it's all over. She isn't even sure why she's fleeing.
What good would escaping do her?
What would it change?
Shouldn't she turn herself in?
Yeah…that'd be for the best.
"I see… All I have to do is turn myself in."
She still doesn't know what the optimal course had been then.
However, her best option now is simple.
By turning herself in, she can at least prevent a war.
Thinking that makes her feel a little better. At the same time,
she's assailed with sorrow and grief, as though she's lost something
precious to her.
Rose pulls the Tuna King wrapper from her pocket. She ate the
sandwich long ago, but it still smells faintly of bread.
It reminds her of a certain boy with black hair. He's almost
certainly heard what's happened by now. She wonders what he
thinks of it.
Is he worried about her?
Does he still believe in her?
Is he perhaps…searching for her himself?
If she'd been able to kill Perv and bring the king back to his
senses… If a future existed where everything had gone right…
Would she have been able to marry him and live out her life by his
side?
That is, no doubt, what she's been dreaming of.
"I'm sorry…" Rose chokes out the words.
A single tear rolls down her cheek.
Her actions had shattered that picturesque dream into pieces.
Rose delicately folds up the Tuna King wrapper and puts it in
her skirt pocket. She thinks of it almost as her dream's last
remaining fragment.
"Ow…!"
A sharp pain runs through her chest. When she parts her clothes
to look at it, she finds a series of dark bruises.
It's a symptom of the possession. The bruises only appeared
recently.
Rose hangs her head and lets out an empty laugh. Her dream
was never destined to come to fruition.
Suddenly, a small noise reaches Rose's ears.
Is it her pursuers' footsteps?
No—it's too gentle, too lovely to be footsteps. When she strains
her ear, she recognizes it as a piano.
"'Moonlight Sonata'…?"
She's well versed in music, so she's familiar with the piece. The
composition received unusually high praise, even in Oriana, a
kingdom of the arts, and now she can hear it coming from the end
of the tunnel.
"It's beautiful…"
It's as though the "Moonlight Sonata" is all there is.
The performance is polished to a profound degree of perfection,
almost as though the pianist's entire life was spent building up to
this one piece.
Rose follows the music toward the source as if a ray of
moonlight is beckoning her.
The tunnels are referred to as the capital's underground
labyrinth, but they feel less like a labyrinth and more like ruins. The
walls are made of sturdy stone and covered in carvings and ancient
glyphs.
Each has a number of doors in it, but the majority of them don't
open. Maybe they need keys, or perhaps some mechanism inside the
ruins is stuck.
Rose can hear herself getting closer to the piano.
When she turns the corner, she discovers a massive, dilapidated
door.
The noise is coming from beyond it.
When she slips through one of the door's large holes, she finally
reaches the source of the music.
She's in a cathedral filled with fantastical light. On the wall,
there's a set of stained-glass windows depicting the heroes and a
dismembered demon.
Light rains down from beyond the stained glass.
It's all centered on a grand piano.
"Shadow…"
He's the one playing "Moonlight Sonata" in the abandoned
cathedral.
Rose closes her eyes and takes in the beautiful melody.
Shadow's "Moonlight Sonata" is different from all the other
renditions Rose has ever heard. The composition is the same, but
thanks to the instrumentalist, the tone is different.
Shadow's "Moonlight Sonata" is one of darkness.
The deep, permeating darkness of the night with a single ray of
light shining through it.
Perhaps that ray is coming from the moon, or perhaps…
The piece reaches its conclusion before Rose can come up with
an answer.
She takes in the music's final reverberations, then claps.
Her solo applause echoes through the cathedral.
Shadow, of course, hears it. He rises from his seat and replies
with an elegant bow.
"Shadow, that was…"
When Rose gets to that point in her sentence, though, she
realizes that she doesn't know what to say next. She just knows she
has to say something or Shadow will leave.
"That was, without a doubt, the finest rendition of 'Moonlight
Sonata' I've ever heard. Um…"
Rose finds herself wondering what she's trying to get at.
This isn't what she needs to ask him.
"What have you wrought…?" Shadow's voice echoes like it's
coming from the abyss itself.
"What…?" Rose thinks for a moment, then understands. He's
asking why she did what she did. "I…" She casts her gaze down,
then chokes out the words. "I just wanted to protect everyone… I
wanted to reach a happier future… But I couldn't make that
happen…!"
"Is this where it ends…?"
"What…?"
"Is this where your fight ends…?"
"It's not like…I wanted it to end here…"
Rose clenches her fists.
She wanted to make things better. She still does, even now. But
there's nothing left that she can do.
"If you have the will to fight…then I shall bestow it upon you,"
says Shadow. Bluish-purple magic gathers atop his palm. "I shall
grant you power…"
"Power…?"
The bluish-purple magic flares, casting its radiance over the
entire cathedral. The air trembles from the magic's density.
"Will I be able to change the future…with your powers?"
"That depends on you."
Rose suddenly realizes she's drawn to the magic. If she was as
strong as Shadow…she'd be able to change everything.
If she had power…then there were things she'd still be able to
do. Things that, as a princess of the Oriana Kingdom, she had to do.
Light returns to her eyes.
"I want it… I want power…"
"Very well…"
And the bluish-purple magic bursts.
It makes a beeline for Rose, then plunges into her chest and
body.
The power's warmth suppresses her raging magic and settles it.
It was heavy and uncontrollable a moment ago, but now she can
command it with ease.
"It's amazing…"
Her voice is full of sincerity.
So this is Shadow's magic…
This is the world he sees…
"Revolt… And prove to me…that you have the strength to fight
alongside me."
She suddenly realizes she can't see where Shadow's gone.
His voice is the only thing left of him still in the cathedral.
"Remember… True strength comes not from power but from
the way you live your life…"
And with that, Shadow's presence vanishes completely.
Rose finds herself alone in the cathedral.
She can hear her pursuers' footsteps. She can sense the subtle
movements in the air.
Unprecedented amounts of magic are churning within her body.
She had been prepared to let them catch her, but with this
power…she still has a hand to play.
Rose draws her rapier and stares at the broken door.
A group clad all in black bursts through it…and blood fills the
air.
They die before they can even perceive Rose's blade.
Having drenched the cathedral in blood, Rose stows her rapier
and closes her eyes.
This must be how Shadow has fought against the Cult. Unseen
and unceasing.
Rose is reminded of Shadow's rendition of "Moonlight Sonata."
She feels as though she finally understands what the sole ray of
light amid the darkness means.
Perhaps the light is Shadow himself.
He isn't the darkness but the light standing against it.
That's how Rose sees it, at least.
"If we keep rolling out this string, we'll be able to find our way
back just fine." Alexia strides forward through the underground
labyrinth.
"I can only hope you're right about that," replies Beta from
behind her. She yawns.
"Wait, did you just yawn?"
"Why would I do that? I will say, though, it's already been more
than half a day. Would you consider turning back? It seems most
unlikely that she's even down here."
"Maybe you're right. I was pretty confident in my source,
though…"
"Once we get back, we can try digging around for information
again."
Their footsteps echo through the lamplit tunnel.
It continues on monotonously.
Suddenly, Beta senses a powerful burst of magic and stops in
her tracks.
Alexia stops a beat slower and whirls around.
"Just now…someone was using magic. And a lot of it…"
"It could have been Princess Rose."
"Wait, did you notice it before I did?"
"Only by chance. And the only magic I can perform myself is
defensive."
"Well, if you say so. We should hurry."
The two of them rush toward the magic.
After passing through a massive, broken door, they find
themselves in an old cathedral.
"Rose…"
Rose is standing there with her eyes closed.
Strewn at her feet are a group of corpses all clad in black.
Seeing that Rose is clearly different than normal, Alexia stops in her
tracks.
"Alexia, is that you…?" Rose slowly opens her eyes.
"What is with your magic…?"
"I've obtained power…and now, I have to follow through on
my beliefs."
With that, Rose strides past Alexia.
"W-wait! What's going on?! Why did you stab your fiancé?!"
Rose looks over her shoulder. "Alexia…I'm sorry. I don't want
to get you wrapped up in this." She gazes at her as though
something is too bright.
"Please tell me why! At the very least! If you don't, I won't
know what's going on!"
"If I tell you, you'll be part of it."
Alexia returns Rose's look with a glare. "Back at the
Sanctuary…we were all powerless. We were just there, spectating.
We didn't even know who was in the right and who was in the
wrong. We only knew that if we stayed in the dark, we'd eventually
lose everything we held dear… That's why we got together and
talked. We agreed we'd protect that stuff together, the three of us."
As Rose listens to Alexia's speech, she looks as though she's
gazing at something distant and hazy.
"I believed in what we said that day, so why are you looking at
me like that? Do you think I'm just a spectator, too?"
"I'm sorry…"
"Answer me!"
Rose offers Alexia a sad smile. "It's too late for me to go back.
That's why…I'm jealous of you."
"I don't follow. You're jealous of an ignorant spectator?"
"That's not what I mean. I've already lost so much, and I'm sure
I'll lose even more. People will disavow me, call me evil."
"What are you planning on doing…?"
"I'm sorry… I have to go."
Rose makes to leave, but Alexia clicks her tongue to halt her in
her tracks. "Stop right there."
With that, Alexia draws her sword. "Enough of this. I'll just
make you listen by force. I'm no spectator."
Rose draws her rapier in kind.
The two of them stare at each other. Alexia's red eyes are filled
with rage, Rose's honey eyes with a deep sadness.
The tip of Rose's rapier twitches.
Then, they move in unison.
Their reactions are simultaneous, their speed is identical, and
their overall skill is a perfect match.
For an instant, surprise colors Rose's face. She's supposed to be
the strongest dark knight in the academy. There's supposed to be a
definitive gap between her skill and Alexia's. That was true when
she enrolled, at least.
In that tiny time frame, though, Alexia's sword work has
progressed so rapidly, it's nigh unrecognizable. It bears a striking
resemblance to the style of a certain man.
That's right, Alexia's technique…is Shadow's.
The two blades collide.
Magic explodes, covering the cathedral.
The two of them are evenly matched, yet the result is clear.
Alexia's sword goes flying into the air, and Rose strikes her in
the chin with her rapier's hilt.
Alexia crumples.
Rose simply has more magic.
If Alexia's magic had been on the same level…who can say how
the fight would have gone?
"I'm sorry."
Rose apologizes to Alexia one last time, then stands to leave.
That's when she notices Natsume.
Oddly, Natsume has been completely outside of Rose's view.
"Miss Natsume… I'm sorry, but I have to go."
"I won't try to stop you. I don't have the right."
Natsume's expression is impossible to read.
Rose remembers Natsume as having been a much softer person
than this.
"But…I will say that this is a surprise. Even idiots have their
worries, I see. We may have come from different countries,
belonged to different organizations, possessed different dispositions,
and held different beliefs. Nevertheless, we were all working toward
the same goal. Maybe this alliance of ours wasn't so bad after all…"
"Miss Natsume…?"
"Godspeed. Someday, our paths will cross again… Until then, I
have a little more babysitting to do."
With that, Natsume kneels and starts tending to Alexia.
"Miss Natsume, who are…?"
"You'd best be on your way. She's only fainted, so she'll be up
any minute now."
Natsume grins impishly.
There are so many things Rose wants to ask her.
It's clear, though, that neither of them has any intention of
saying more.
"Farewell…" Rose turns, then vanishes.
Natsume lays Alexia's head on her lap and sighs.
"Is this what you've chosen, Master Shadow…?"
The stained-glass depiction of the three heroes and the demon's
tragic form seems as though it's hinting at something.