Chapter 8: Resolution (4)

“…What?”

Ariel’s sharp voice reached Karma’s ears.

Without much thought, she had said what came to mind, simply because it needed to be said. But Ariel’s reaction was more serious than she expected. Karma lifted her gaze from the ground, meeting Ariel’s eyes staring directly at her.

“…Rel.”

Karma called her name in a sigh. Ariel’s red eyes, locked with her, glistened with a faint sheen of tears.

She seemed almost out of breath as she took a deep breath, steadying herself before speaking. Her voice trembled uncontrollably.

“Even you….”

The sentence trailed off, left incomplete. But from that single, lingering word, Karma understood her feelings in a flash.

Ariel had lost her only family in the army, a casualty of the Giants who wielded magic. She hadn’t even begun to process her grief, and now her closest friend was leaving to join the army under the same justification: to fight those magic-wielding Giants.

To Ariel, it was horrifying, almost unimaginable. And yet she had spoken without any consideration, thoughtlessly, to someone already on the edge.

A wave of guilt washed over her. It was incredible that she hadn’t thought about it before speaking. A quiet gravity settled over Karma.

But even though she was concerned for her friend, she couldn’t turn back now. This was Dantera’s affair, and she was an Elder of Dantera.

“…I’m sorry.”

The only thing Karma could offer was a sincere apology, along with—

“Rel, I’m not going to let those dumb Giants take me down. You know how strong I am.”

It was all she could do to reassure her, speaking with hrt usual confidence to put her at ease.

“…”

Yes, she knew she was right, but she couldn’t feel reassured at all.

Did Aynkel ever think he would meet his end there? No one could foresee such things.

Ariel wanted to say that. But as she looked at Karma’s expression, she realized this wasn’t her choice. For the first time, Ariel recalled that Karma was a state elder.

She must have accepted this because she had no choice. She didn’t want to add to the worries of a friend bound by such responsibilities. Ariel swallowed her tears and nodded.

“So, are you going to the year-end party tonight?”

“Huh?”

Ariel’s quick recovery startled Karma for a moment, but she soon gathered himself and nodded.

“Of course… It’s the last one, after all.”

“Right… got it.”

With that, Ariel stood up and added, “I’m heading up first. I wanted to go up with you, but… I feel too sick right now. Finish your food before you come up; you can’t work on an empty stomach.”

Karma glanced at the untouched food in front of her. Normally, she would have scolded her for skipping meals.

“…Alright.”

But this time, she couldn’t bring herself to.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The night celebrating the year’s end was as dazzling as any grand festival.

Although it wasn’t an official holiday, the last day of the year held significance on its own.

Buildings, adorned in vibrant lights of all colors, sparkled like people dressed up for a special occasion. Inside homes, the scent of the festivities lingered, and on the streets, the melodies of year-end songs filled the air. People hummed along with the tunes as they strolled, the wheels and hooves of carriages creating a rhythmic beat to accompany the music.

Eight witches and wizards, who managed the three magical libraries in Tarantella, walked along that same street.

The restaurant reserved for the year-end gathering was not far from the library, so they decided to walk instead of using magic or a carriage, hoping to fully absorb the lively energy of the night. The witches and wizards, feeling the bright energy of the year’s end, were subtly excited.

“Next year’s the Year of the Cat, so I bought a golden cat at half price from the general store. I mean, it was too good a deal to pass up! It’s pretty, but it’s such a handful. Its attitude is… wow.”

“Well, cats tend to be picky as animals go, and golden cats even more so.”

“It’s a struggle just to sharpen its teeth every day….”

“Oh, come on, you’ve raised a lot of creatures. You’ll train it in no time. By the way, which store was it? Half off!”

“Oh, it wasn’t here. I picked it up when I went back to my hometown….”

Everyone seemed to be in high spirits that night, everyone but Ariel. In fact, the festive atmosphere only made her feel worse. She couldn’t blend in with the cheerful group, feeling instead as though she were sinking into a bottomless pit.

She knew she was spoiling the mood and was aware of her companions’ occasional, concerned glances.

She didn’t want to ruin this joyful year-end dinner with friends. But given the situation, her emotions refused to follow reason.

Her brother’s death had been a nightmare, his life taken in a place he couldn’t escape. Now her closest friend was going there as well, and, unbidden, the thought of Karma’s death overlapped with that memory. The feeling was so horrific that she was grateful she wasn’t crying at that moment.

Ariel looked up at the sky. Unlike the bright, lively street, the sky was blacker than usual, with no moon or stars in sight. At least that part felt like it matched her mood.

The sight only made her feel worse, so she lowered her gaze. That was when she spotted the massive Pantheon building ahead.

In that moment, what she had intended to do struck her like a bolt of lightning. Ariel spoke up.

“Would you all mind going on ahead? I need to stop by the main hall briefly to pick up some Pan-News.”

Her sudden words left everyone momentarily silent, but their years of camaraderie soon swept away the pause.

“Oh, right. I heard there was an emergency meeting recently.”

The youngest among them, nineteen-year-old Joann, broke the silence first. The awkward tension quickly disappeared, and the others began to chat again.

“That’s right! I heard about it, but then I forgot since it wasn’t an official meeting.”

“Exactly. Although there was a good reason for it.”

“Rel, pick up one for me too, will you?”

“Sure. Anyone else?”

“Me too!”

All but three, including Karma, raised their hands.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

To the public, the Pantheon’s main hall was an awe-inspiring and sacred sight. Unlike the interior, the exterior walls were painted a pristine white, vaguely reminiscent of Zenith’s Grand Temple.

Stacks of thin papers labeled “Pan” lay scattered on the display table at the entrance. Ariel grabbed five copies, placing four in her bag and unfolding one for herself. It was Pan-News. 

As she read, a particular line caught her eye: a statement from Eden Jeriem about the need for more wizards in the military. Her fingers ran across the line as she muttered to herself.

“The army….”

The place that had taken her brother, her friend, and even her will to live—everything she held dear.

Ariel couldn’t take her eyes off that word. Her gaze filled with a whirlwind of emotions.

Resentment toward the army that had taken her loved ones, hatred and vengeance toward the Giants that were at the root of it all, a deep empathy and pity for those like her—past, present, and future. And also…

‘If I… if I were to go there.’

The thought was just a small spark, but it wasn’t outlandish.

The military needed wizards, and Ariel was an adept one. She was highly skilled even in general magic, and her ability to bond with books gave her an advantage. As long as it didn’t require an impossible amount of mana, she could cast spells from any text without lengthy incantations.

Though she hadn’t received formal combat training, her rare trait, the Phema, more than made up for it.

The small spark grew into a steady flame. It spread quickly, catching in her mind like fire on kindling.

If I could tear down the people who took everything from me with my own hands, would it ease this horrible feeling even a little? If I could be there, helping to reduce the casualties, would that offer some comfort?

The decision came in an instant.