Margaret’s reunion with her parents was nothing short of overwhelming. So much so that she had broken down in tears the moment she saw them.
“M-Mother…”
The woman she could barely remember, the one who had died when Margaret was only nine… was now standing before her, alive and whole.
“Margaret… You’re Margaret, aren’t you? Oh, my… my sweet daughter…!”
“Mother…!”
Disbelief washed over all of them, Margaret, her mother, even the onlookers. With no hesitation, the two embraced, clinging to each other tightly as years of grief and longing spilled out in tears.
And just behind them, the king, her father, was frozen in place, staring in a daze at the daughter he had lost two decades ago.
“My daughter…” he breathed.
But as with every reunion, joy would inevitably give way to questions. Questions that demanded answers.
Margaret knew this couldn’t be real. A dream, perhaps. Or another reality entirely. But none of it mattered. Not to her. For her, this was paradise. And if she had to return to her reality… she would rather not.
“Tell us,” her mother cried, hands still on Margaret’s shoulders. “Where have you been this whole time? We thought you died!”
So, prompted by that question, Margaret began to recount everything.
Her life in Aetherion. The years she spent away. Her journey, and her survival.
Of course, she omitted the painful truths that did not exist within her current reality.
“So you’ve been… in Aetherion this whole time?” her mother asked, barely above a whisper.
“….Yes.”
“Gosh…”
It was clear enough, even without the words. The crest engraved on Margaret’s light armor left no room for doubt that she had become a knight of Aetherion’s Crusade Order.
Naturally, cross-verification followed.
Over the weeks that passed, it was officially confirmed. Margaret was, indeed, a knight of Aetherion. For how that happened, or even how it was verified, Margaret had no idea.
They didn’t question her story, her missing years, or even the use of her last name, ‘Illenia.’
But to Margaret, none of the details mattered.
Because this… this was everything she had ever wished for.
For the first time, Margaret found peace.
To relinquish the sword, and live not as a knight but as a lady.
* * *
Utilizing his connections in Aetherion, information traveled fast and reached the Sword Saint, Aston Nietzsche. And so, he relayed the woman’s identity to Selena.
“….I see.”
Margaret Illenia, an esteemed Grand Knight of Aetherion’s Crusade Order, serving under the banner of the Astrea Marquisate.
“We must go now, Sword Saint!”
“You can’t.”
“Why?! I should go with you!”
“Think of the commotion you might cause,” Aston said firmly. “The Saintess arriving unannounced in Aetherion? And beyond that, you still need the Pope’s approval.”
The Pope, Telos Alexander IX. Not only the supreme head of the Theocracy, but also the very man who had adopted Selena and appointed her as the Saintess.
“Father Telos will surely understand. So, please…!”
Aston let out a long sigh. He understood her urgency, but Selena was being impulsive. There was no need for her to get involved. In truth, the Saintess was not a powerful combatant, and for what needed to be done, he was enough.
“Do you not trust me, Saintess?”
“I…”
“I have connections that will lead me through secret channels directly to Axenburg,” he said. “I’ll avoid causing any commotion myself.”
He clasped her soft hands gently.
“So, please… trust me.”
After a brief hesitation, Selena swallowed deeply and nodded her head.
“….Un.”
* * *
———「Main Act」———
「Rewards:」
◆ Understanding: +60%
◆ Purification: -20%
◆ Traits Root +2
————————————
“….”
The rewards were substantial, yet also suspicious.
A reduction in purification? Just what had Margaret gotten herself into?
This had never happened in any of the game’s original routes. From what he could surmise, it seemed Margaret had been caught in a spirit’s game. She should be confronting it now, but even after two days, there was still no sign of her emerging.
Judging from the rewards alone, the difficulty must have been astronomical.
That could only mean one thing.
It wasn’t just a powerful spirit, but perhaps on the level of Abyss. Or maybe even worse.
To make matters worse, investigations were becoming increasingly difficult. Chimeras began emerging in colonies and attacked in swarms. It was reminiscent of the Red Moon, but this time, he and the Illenia Knights were completely on their own.
Honestly, this situation called for reinforcements. It was about time he took Franz’s offer.
If they failed, and the chimeras succeeded, it wouldn’t just be Axenburg that would fall. The other cities would follow, and ultimately, Aetherion itself would be at risk.
Just as Vanitas was about to reach for the communication crystal….
“Professor!”
At the entrance of the mansion, Silas and Ezra burst in.
Vanitas turned immediately. “What happened?”
Silas nudged Ezra forward. “You first.”
It seemed they had both arrived at the same time, but with different reasons.
Ezra stepped forward. “Eight knights are injured and out of commission. We still haven’t identified how many chimeras are out there. And it’s only been two days.”
He paused for a breath before continuing.
“If this keeps up for the rest of the month… I don’t know how long we’ll last before they overrun the village.”
Vanitas’s gaze sharpened. Two days. And already eight casualties. They were being picked apart.
“I’ll request a call for reinforcements.”
It was a blow to the pride of any lord, admitting they couldn’t defend their own land. But Franz had already given him a trump card for this exact scenario.
Unaware of this fact, Silas and Ezra’s expressions hardened.
To them, they knew what that request would mean. If Vanitas, the Lord of the Astrea Domain, were to seek reinforcements, it would be seen as a sign of weakness. The Council of High Nobles would take it as an opportunity to brand him incompetent.
And Vanitas Astrea, despite his achievements and status, had enemies who wished to undermine him within the High Council.
But Vanitas only scoffed.
“Your worries are unfounded,” he said coolly. “Who do you think I am?”
“….Right.”
“Now, you,” Vanitas said, turning his gaze to Silas. “Let’s hear your report.”
Silas straightened. “Regarding the influx, there was a miscalculation.”
“A miscalculation?”
“Yes. About the incongruity in the spiritual interference. I’m now led to believe that Margaret Illenia wasn’t caught in a spirit’s game but actually…”
“Actually?” Vanitas prompted.
“The influx was composed of residual particles. A bundle of what’s left after a spirit… dies.”
“….”
“So what I’m trying to say is—”
“Margaret killed the spirit,” Vanitas concluded.
“…Yes.”
“How ambiguous.”
It was ambiguous. Deeply so. Vanitas’s thoughts went into overdrive. None of this was adding up. If Margaret had truly slain the spirit, then where was she?
He knew she was strong enough to take down a spirit. But not this early. Not unless this was late-game-level strength, and she had somehow awakened it prematurely.
“…Wait.”
Silas perked up. “Did you come up with something, professor?”
From the evidence left behind, it was clear that Margaret’s battles had taken place in reality and not within her mind. The marks she left behind were real and the fight definitely didn’t happen within the constructs of a spirit’s domain.
To kill a spirit on the third-dimensional plane… meant her blade had cut through the very fabric of existence. It had reached the spirit’s core.
“There’s no way.…” Vanitas muttered under his breath.
Had Margaret awakened her stigmata this early?
If so, things were far more complicated than he had initially thought.
Without another word, Vanitas grabbed his coat and stepped outside the mansion. Silas and Ezra followed closely behind.
“Professor?” Silas prompted.
“Whatever happens, don’t be alarmed.”
“What are you planning to do?” Ezra asked.
Vanitas didn’t answer directly. Instead, he shifted the topic.
“Silas, I want you to join the suppression efforts with Ezra. If the situation calls for it, don’t hesitate to evacuate the village. I’ll be making the call for reinforcements.”
“A-Ah… yes,” Silas replied, still processing.
As they reached the gates, Vanitas stopped and turned back to face them.
“And whatever happens to me, you two will be in charge.”
“….”
“….”
Silas and Ezra froze in place.
“What do you mean by that?” Ezra asked.
Vanitas didn’t respond right away. He looked toward the forest in the distance.
“I have a theory,” he said. “But confirming it may come at a price.”
Silas stepped forward, uneasy. “What kind of price, Professor?”
“The kind that only matters if I don’t return.”
Silas’s jaw tightened. Ezra’s hand curled into a fist.
“….That’s not funny,” Ezra muttered.
“It’s not a joke.” Vanitas’s tone left no room for doubt. “There’s a link between Margaret’s disappearance and the spirit that was killed. If I’m right… then the boundary between planes was breached. I’ll need to cross that line to reach her.”
Silas’s eyes widened. “You mean—”
“Yes. A dimensional step,” Vanitas confirmed. “Into the residual space left by Margaret’s slash.”
Silas blinked, disbelief creasing his features. “Wait, how is that even possible? And all other questions aside, why are you planning to risk yourself like that for just one knight? I mean, I understand you’re close to the Grand Knight, but… I don’t think it’s worth it.”
Vanitas turned his gaze away from Silas, toward Ezra.
It was because of him.
Ezra Kaelus. A wild card in this current run.
Vanitas didn’t know how or when this version of Ezra would come into play if, or when the Black Dragon returned. The Ezra now was far more ambiguous than he remembered.
Was it his fault? Had his interference in nurturing Ezra’s growth altered something critical? Was this divergence the reason for his emotional instability?
He couldn’t be sure.
And so, Margaret remained his safest bet. Among all the possibilities, she had the highest chance of killing the Black Dragon should the time come. Ezra’s future was too uncertain.
He had to increase the odds of reaching the true ending.
But, of course, he couldn’t tell them that.
“….Think about Charlotte,” Silas said quietly.
Vanitas froze mid-step, then turned toward him with cold eyes.
Think about Charlotte?
That was all he had ever done.
Every decision, every burden he shouldered, every risk he was about to take, was all for her. To ensure a future where she lived happily. Even if it came at the cost of his own life.
Silas flinched beneath the weight of that stare.
“I understand, professor,” Ezra interjected, sensing the tension. “Do what you must. We’ll be waiting.”
Vanitas gave a slight nod, then turned without another word.
Once he was out of earshot, Ezra nudged Silas hard in the shoulder.
“Dude, do you have a death wish or something?”
Silas blinked, confused. “What did I do…?”
* * *
Reality Slash.
From what he remembered from every route he had played in the game, that was Margaret’s stigmata.
An ability that allowed her to cut through anything, even the very fabrics of time, space, and existence itself. But it came at a price. It was a power with an immense toll on its wielder, which explained Margaret’s fragile heart.
Vanitas was certain now.
Margaret didn’t know it yet, but her final strike, when she killed the last chimera, had likely triggered her stigmata. Perhaps an unconscious act, born from desperation.
And she had no idea such a power even resided within her. That was the danger of unstable stigmatas.
If that were the case, then Margaret had quite literally slashed open a rift in reality and fallen into it.
But the problem now was figuring out how to reach her.
The presence of a spirit’s residue suggested that Margaret had also struck down a spirit in the process, perhaps without realizing it.
Further investigation was required.
After finishing a call with Franz, Vanitas traveled alone, moving through the chaos of knights and chimeras without drawing attention.
In the distance, he caught glimpses of Violette fending off chimeras. Zane, one of Margaret’s trusted knights, was barking orders and pushing back another flank.
Vanitas kept moving, following the path of destruction Margaret had left behind. Trail after trail of mangled chimera corpses until he arrived at the spot where her presence had last been confirmed.
“….”
He crouched beside the marks scorched into the earth. Reaching out, he pressed his fingers to the surface and poured mana into his spectacles, increasing their output.
Spirit particles were still there, just like before.
But something else caught his attention.
“….”
A subtle, barely detectable trace of a different kind of influx.
He wasn’t certain, but he had a strong suspicion. This had to be the result of her stigmata’s instability.
Vanitas pressed onward.
There had to be a bigger slash somewhere. A deeper scar on the world that marked where her reality split.
And sure enough, as he ventured farther into the forest, he found it. A massive, jagged cut carved into the terrain.
“….”
But there were also dangers that accompanied it.
A colony of chimeras had gathered nearby.
Tak.
He stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. It had been a while since his last real battle, but that didn’t mean he had neglected personal training.
———
「Boundless Reservoir」
◆ Understanding: 15%
◆ Capacity: 30,000 / 30,000
◆ Fosters continuous growth in mana reserves, allowing mana capacity to expand and evolve over time.
——
The chimeras moved the moment they sensed him. They were grotesque in form, some bearing twisted human faces. Dozens lunged at him from all directions.
Flick—!
With a snap of his fingers, wind began to swirl around him. It was barely visible with the naked eye, but the effect was immediate. A barrier of wind enveloped his form, and the first wave of chimeras was stopped mid-air as if slammed into an invisible wall.
Swoosh—!
He raised a hand, and the barrier pulsed outward.
Chimeras were thrown like ragdolls, slamming against trees and ground. He manipulated the wind like it was an extension of himself. A technique inspired by Astrid’s magnetism.
If chanting could be skipped entirely, then why not create magic that moved with thought?
Of course it was possible.
At this point, his wind magic operated like Astrid’s magnetism, in a way.
Bang!
The ground exploded beneath the chimeras. His control was so fine-tuned that wind itself detonated in bursts, blasting them apart.
Not a single attack reached him. Everything was stopped by the barrier as Vanitas advanced without even taking a step back.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Chimeras were flung back, one after another, as if gravity itself had turned against them. Wind howled through the trees, hurling the grotesque creatures across the clearing mercilessly.
Once the coast was clear, Vanitas extended a hand toward the large gash in the tree and channeled mana through his spectacles once more.
“….”
The familiar shimmer of residual spirit particles danced faintly in the air.
But then, he felt it.
A shift in the atmosphere. A chilling presence stirred behind him.
“….”
An angry one, too.
Vanitas didn’t turn around right away. He didn’t need to.
“…Abyss.”
The name fell from his lips.
Abyss, the very same spirit that haunted the train bound for Estelle. The one that tormented him during his journey to the academic conference over a year ago.
And now, it was here again.
“It’s been a while.”
——Have you come to pay the price, Vanitas Astrea?
“The price? For what? Indiscriminate death?”
——Solon’s existence is no more, thanks to that woman.
Solon, the spirit of vigor.
So that was it. Solon had once resided in this forest, and was likely the source of the land’s quiet growth. But now, with Solon gone, the forest would likely wither and die. There was no mistaking that.
“And what am I supposed to do about it?”
——Take Solon’s place.
“….”
A heavy silence followed.
Was it suggesting he convert his own soul into a spirit… just to keep the forest alive?
“I refuse.”
——Then, die.
“But I’ve come with a proposition.”
——….
Abyss went quiet. It wouldn’t have entertained the idea under normal circumstances, but Vanitas Astrea had left a deep impression on it.
——Speak.
“Help me reach Margaret. I’ll bring her back and offer her soul instead. Wouldn’t that be a better exchange?”
——Entering one’s plane is courting death. You will most likely die.
“Then I just simply won’t die.”
A pause.
——Arrogant as always.
Whoosh—
The wind around them stilled. Leaves that had once danced fell quietly to the forest floor.
Vanitas narrowed his eyes. “So? Will you do it?”
Abyss remained silent for a moment longer.
——Step forward. But know this, once you cross, there is no return unless she returns with you.
Vanitas didn’t flinch. “That was always the plan.”
——Then enter.
The world collapsed around him.
“….”
….And then, everything went black.