Black Blade walk up to the place where Equ was burried and he remove the debris as he was kind expecting Equ to be unconscious but instead...
"what take you so long? It's suffocating down here you know?" She said with a smile.
"What? Did you hear everything?" He remove the rest of the debris and pull her out from there.
"I kinda am." She said as she tapping away the dust at her clothes.
She then look at him and then look to the window to see the sky was changing from red to normal. Even so, They still in the process of going out from the Mirror dimension and it's gonna take a bit of time.
"You expect me to keep those hidden? About the fact that you're not from your current siblings?"
"Actually, Those are my actual siblings and also White and Madam Silence is my true parents. But I have step siblings and yes... Different to Codex, She's adopted but I still take her as step siblings for some reason. I have step mother who live far from Melloyern." He replied as he sit on a debris.
"So... I can't just say those info to others... right?"
"Yeah. I hope you don't." He smiled as Equ take a seat on his lap.
He immediately wrap his arm around her waist as she lean her back to him.
"You know Equ? Dark time will come after everything. Since... I want to take things further with you... You actually must know about all of this. Those... Sillhouette that will always hunts me and looking for time to hurt us all."
"Why only you?"
"Well it's because you're with me. If you're in the mission with my other 6 siblings, you will know that every of them has these people from Mirror Realm chasing over them."
Equ hums as she turn her body to side and look at him.
"Okay got it. Those things are threatening for sure but... I don't mind to be in this same pot hole with you." She chuckles as her hands were caressing his cheek.
"If you say so... I guess I am more than happy then." He smile and chuckles as well.
They look into each other's eyes before lean in closer to each other's face and they kiss again. But before the kissing gone long, They already in real world and they were in the spot where they are before and this time...
"What the-?" A castle maid look at them that suddenly appeared there and was in the middle of kissing.
"Uh... I think we return back here already." Black Blade said as Equ get off his lap and look around.
There is a lot of people like they were preparing for a celebration in the castle. A maid walk up to them and greet them.
"Excuse me, Mister, Madam, May I ask what are you two doing here?" She ask and seems to have no idea off what happening.
"Oh... Um.. Where is Cjinme?" Black Blade ask.
"She was in throne room. You wish to have an audience with the princess?" She ask and her expression seemingly awkward to the way he refer to their princess with her name.
"There is no need." The hall door open and Cjinme step in.
She walk up to them and seems very serious.
"We need to talk." She said.
Not long after that, they all make their way to the throne room and Black Blade explains what happen to them after they disappear. Cjinme hear to him attentively.
"How long have we lost?" Equ ask.
"3 days total. Why?" Cjinme ask as she look at the door when Iris just come from.
"Wait... you said... 3?!" Black Blade shocked to the revelation as he thinks for himself.
"As for your friend, Codex and Ekiu. They get a letter from your place and they both head there." She explains and take a bag from Iris.
"I see... If you don't mind... We must get going. Right now." He said.
"Yeah I know, here."
Cjinme give them the bag that contain ration as they going back home. They both thank Cjinme as they move out. Before they pass the Throne room door, Iris holds Black Blade's arm.
"See you again." She smiles.
"... yeah. Sure. take care." He also smiles as Equ just shrug it off and they both walk out from the room.
As the two leave, She walks up to Cjinme and sigh heavily.
"It's a shame that I couldn't take my chance to have fun with him. That stupid one day skip thingy taking away my chance." Iris sigh once again.
"You actually really into him?"
"Actually yeah. But we just met after all. And my loyalty to you is above everything." She said as she smiles it her.
They both giggles to each others and start talking about incoming event in the kingdom. The winter is still far from ending but they want to go through this winter with more festive mood due to their home didn't actually destroyed by the Blizzard this year.
The kindom was in peace, the people become more loyal to their princess and a the instigator that were starting the flame of distrust to the princess before were exiled from the kingdom since the princess said something about she don't want to cut people's life over simple thing.
Two days passed, Equ and Black Blade arrived to the bar and they step in. The whole thing was totaly normal. Silence at the counter, White was drinking some wine alone at the corner of the bar and Codex was reading her book at the corner. The only odd thing there was...
"Brother!" Equ runs to him and hugs him who was sitting at the opposite side of the table from Codex.
"Finally, you're here. I've been waiting for a while now." Ekiu said as his face kinda lighten up.
"Well it's a lot of ups and down here and there. At least we survived it." She said as they keep talking and she tell Codex and Ekiu about what happened to them in Mirror Realm.
Black Blade kinda wanted to joined them but something else was in his head. He walks up into the house part of the bar looking for something. As he left into the door at the back of the bar. All people in there except for Equ look at the door and sigh.
"What happened?" Equ ask.
"His daughter... Is gone." Codex replied and seems a bit remorseful.
"You mean... Emerald?"
Codex nodded. She explains that they got a letter regarding the sudden disappearance of that girl a week after they all head out for previous mission.She was nowhere to be found. At least, that's what she said.
Meanwhile Black Blade was running around the house department of the place while calling out for Emerald. His anxiety peaks up when Emerald didn't response at all.
"EMERALD!!!" he shouts and looking in every corner of the place but to his desperation, she's nowhere to be found.
After almost an hour he stop shouting Emeralds name. He finally returns to the bar department and sit at the counter where Silence is.
"Apple Vinegar please." He said as Silence prepare it and seemingly reluctant.
As he returns and make an order. The whole place filled with gloom and it feel a bit darker in there. He was totally pissed at this point but didn't plan to blame anyone. Silence place the cup of apple vinegar as he gulps it down and ask for more. Like a man try to get drunk in alchohol even it just apple vinegar.
His breath was heavy at that point. His pupils turn darker as he was deep in thought. His mind running but he were just so stressed out.
Then, a small butterfly with greenish aura approach him out of nowhere and lands on his shoulder. He was looking down and tears starts to drop on the counter table. He kinda expecting this already when he said he wanted to keep that mission short but his hunch was just on the spot.
He suddenly stands up and pick the newly refilled glass of apple vinegar and walk out the bar. Equ stands from her place and quickly follows him outside.
When she open the door and step out, she spots him was holding the snowbroom and wiping away the snow outside the bar door.
"Black Blade... Are you..." She pauses immediately when she feels like he didn't even hear what she said.
He was muttering under his breath and sounds very remorseful.
"Not you too... Emerald... I've loosing Eiria from them and then... you... Did I gonna loose her too after this? really? Am I... That misfit?" He said as instead of removing the snow away, he actually making something like a tomb or grave and sat by it.
"It wont be that easy..." She get down to her knee and hugs him from behind.
"!!! Equ? Since when are you here?" He ask and his voice sounded natural even he was holding back his tears.
"Well... I don't know that much but... If it sadden you... I feel the same somehow so... I want you to help me."
He sigh and his face fall to the snow beneath him.
"Sure. What do you want?"
"I want you to know that... I'm here. This Equilibria, was always here. So, no worries about anything. You feel sick? How about lean on me and get some rest?"
He fall silent for the moment before actually broke into sobs and tears. He was shuddering under Equ's arms as he couldn't contain anything anymore. He looses two things he hold precious and if he couldn't get the chance or a bit late from activating his core back in Mirror Realm, Equ would also die there as well.
To that thought, he cried as he turn his back from her and hugs her. His face burried in her shoulder as she gently rubs his back, offering comfort. In the bar, everyone watched what happened and also feel guilty for not actually being truthful to him about the whole thing.
The end...