In preparation for her journey, Carol slid the sword she had been using recently into its scabbard, which was fastened around her waist. She also wear a pair of gloves on her hands, tightened it up as an protection when she wield her sword.

  "Are you sure you don't want to come along, Big Sis?" Carol asked, her voice laced with worry as she looked upon Erika’s vulnerable state.

  "Nay, mine own sweet sister! This grand pilgrimage is thine alone; ’tis not a quest for my sake, at the least," Erika said, attempting to reassure her.

  "But..." Carol’s worry escalated instead, noticing how parts of Erika’s body were still slowly falling apart.

  "Fret not thy weary mind for me! These gashes are but trifles that the flesh shall mend of its own accord," Erika replied, this time with her usual, prideful smile. "’Tis naught compared to the tempests I have weathered in days of old!"

  Hearing her statement, Carol let out a soft sigh. "If you say so," she said, deciding to push aside her worry as she turned toward the sky. She cast a magic circle beneath her boots, preparing to leap into the clear blue. "Thank you for everything, Big Sis. Thank you... for giving me strength."

  Erika snorted in pure amusement, her smile filled with the pride of a parent celebrating a child's achievement. "Waste not thy breath in thanks. Is it not the sacred charge of an elder sister to act thus? Truly, ’tis but my nature."

  A genuine smile spread across Carol’s face.

  "Depart then! Confront those shattered shards of thy soul with thy newfound resolve, and return bearing the golden palm of victory!"

  "I will!" Carol exclaimed. She leaped into the sky, creating one magic circle after another as platforms to propel her forward.

  Watching Carol’s figure slowly disappear from sight, Erika looked down at the katana sheathed at her side, her expression turning somber. "Do I find favor in thy sight, Mother? I stand tall, yet this grief... ’tis a dagger in my soul."

  Tears began to fall to the ground as she could no longer hold back her emotions. "I miss thee beyond the power of words! Why didst thou depart the world just as my eyes first opened to the light?" she mumbled to herself, her voice fracturing as she surrendered to her grief and sorrow in the quiet of the mountain peak.

  Meanwhile, as Noire slid the door open, he was struck with surprise to see Aria finally awake from her slumber, visibly struggling to endure the sharp pain in her abdomen. Although Dulcinia and Erick played dumb, acting as if they hadn't noticed her waking, Noire let out a heavy sigh.

  "It's okay. It’s not like you guys forced her to wake up or something," Noire said, his expression flat as he looked toward them.

  Both of them startled at his words, immediately letting out sighs of relief.

  "Anyway, how are you feeling, Aria?" Noire asked with concern. But before he could get an answer, Saria barged into the room, rushing toward Aria to pull her into a tight embrace.

  "I... I'm glad you're fine..." Saria sobbed messily, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Here I thought you were gone from this world..."

  Aria was taken aback, clearly not expecting such an outburst from Saria, but she managed a smile of relief. She returned the hug, her hand gently brushing Saria’s back. "I'm not going to disappear, Saria. At least, I don't intend to," she said. Her smile vanished, however, as she posed a sudden question. "Though, do you guys know where Carol is right now?"

  "She's gone to a different place. So you might not encounter her for now. Not until she reclaims what was lost, that is," Mira answered, leaning against the window frame while watching Aria.

  "Is that so."

  "You... don't feel angry at her? After what she’s done?" Noire asked, confused by how calm Aria appeared to be.

  "It's not like that, mind you," Aria said, glancing at her wand resting beside the bed. "Of course I'm angry. I'm angry that she hid everything from us."

  Hearing this, Saria’s eyes widened in surprise. "What... do you mean by that..?" she asked, pulling back from the hug.

  "Carol... she..." A flickering scene flashed across Aria's mind—a vision of abusive parents striking a child. Despite the mental static, she continued. "...she's incredibly strong at suppressing that kind of pain. Not everyone can handle it, and I respect that. If what we know that 'Corrude' is the physical manifestation of one's desires, then Carol's Corrude form is someone who simply wants to release all that agony... even if part of it wants to make the world suffer."

  "Even so, will you still befriend such a monster? What if she goes on a rampage again?" Erick countered, intentionally provoking Aria.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  In the middle of the tension, Revir suddenly drew his wand. It morphed into a halberd in a flash, the edge of the blade coming to rest against Erick’s neck. "Then we're going to prevent it, no matter the cost," Revir said, a carefree yet intimidating smile directed at Erick. "Of course, it depends on her choice, whether she wants to continue or not."

  Erick was stunned by his old friend’s behavior. Revir had shifted from the cold, calculated secretary for Irlia who followed orders, to someone who finally had an opinion of his own that was rebellious against the "logical" outcome. Dulcinia merely let out a quiet sigh.

  At that moment, Rein, who had just arrived after visiting the survivors' field, eavesdropped on Revir’s words while leaning against the doorframe. A smile of relief touched his face. With newfound resolve, he slid the door open.

  "It's time to go," Rein said, looking toward Mira. She snorted with pure amusement.

  "Follow me. I’ll need a whole lot of space if I'm to transport you all," Mira said, hurriedly exiting the room.

  Aria did her best to stand, clutching her wand, but the pain surged through her stomach immediately. She couldn't even stand straight, yet she forced herself upward. Saria quickly grabbed her shoulder, terrified that Aria would collapse.

  "Y-you shouldn't stand up right now..!" Saria exclaimed, worried by Aria's stubbornness.

  "She's right," Noire added, his brow furrowed. "You just woke up. What if your wounds reopen?"

  "I don't mind," Aria stated, panting heavily as she fought the internal fire. "In fact, it would be a waste if I missed everything, especially how the curtains of her choice will unfold."

  Noire let out a defeated sigh. "Do as you please."

  "Erick, Dulcinia," Yuno called out, catching their attention. "Change of plans. I want you to go with them instead."

  "For what, Sir?" Erick asked, bewildered by his master’s sudden change of heart.

  "I just have a feeling that we, the old ones, might not be needed this time," Yuno explained, glancing toward the unconscious Grey. "In fact, who else would look after this grumbling old friend of mine?"

  Erick and Dulcinia fell into a frustrated silence.

  Noticing their behavior, resembling children angry at their parents, Yuno moved to reassure them. "Don't worry so much," he said, rising from his chair to approach them. He surprisingly gave them a few gentle headpats. "It's time for the younger generation like you to shine... and to fix the mistakes we've made in the past."

  Revir, listening from the background, snorted. "Mistakes, huh. Is it about your dream, or something in your past between them?" he mumbled to himself, his gaze hardening as he watched Yuno.

  Within the dark castle looming over Carol’s village, Irene rose from her throne. She readied her blade and her mother's mask, then moved toward the doors. High in the distant sky above the ruins, Carol gazed down at the village, now choked by a hideous dark barrier. As Irene sensed her counterpart's presence, she snapped her fingers, parting a section of the barrier. Carol dove through the opening without hesitation.

  "Didn't think that you'd face me head-on, Carol," Irene said, her smile full of menace. "Well..."

  As she spoke, Carol shattered the glass dome of the ceiling and crashed into the throne room. She gripped the hilt of her sword, ready to draw, as Irene mirrored her movements.

  "...That's just what we are!" Irene exclaimed. She swung her blade in a wide arc, and Carol met the strike with her own. Their swords collided with a deafening metallic clang that echoed through the hollow chamber.

  "Did you miss me, Carol? The power you worked so hard to use for the sake of your revenge?" Irene taunted, hoping to irritate Carol’s fragile mind.

  (Is this really what my other side looks like? Why is her Ender so incredibly heavy?!) Carol thought, her hands trembling as she struggled to keep her sword steady.

  Sensing Carol’s weakness, Irene easily broke the clash and delivered a brutal kick to Carol’s stomach. The impact sent Carol flying into the throne room wall, the stone cracking behind her. Despite the blow, she managed to stay on her feet, brushing away a trickle of blood from her lip.

  "At least your will remains strong. It would be boring if my other half gave up so easily, you know?" Irene provoked her further.

  Carol listened to Irene and let out a soft chuckle of pure amusement. "Big Sis was right. My other side really did take after my worst habits," she said. She gripped her sword tightly and walked toward Irene, facing her down properly.

  Irene snorted in amusement. "Now, tell me. How did you find this place?"

  "Just my gut telling me. Although my memories are still fuzzy, I had a feeling that this is where my fragments would reside."

  "Fragments, huh." Irene’s expression hardened, her red eyes radiating a piercing light as she glared at Carol. "So you think I'm just a tool? A tool that holds your fragments and your power, is that it?"

  "And so am I, remind you," Carol stated, her expression hardening in frustration. "That's why I'm here. To reclaim what I have lost... and face off against the fate that uses us!" she exclaimed, rushing forward with her sword channelled with wind energy.

  "Fate, you say?"

  Their swords met once more. Carol caught Irene off guard, forcing her into a struggle.

  "If that fate can achieve my goal of destroying this world and ourselves..." Irene began channeling Dark Ender through her violet sword, the energy so intense that Carol trembled in fear. "...then I would be glad to be used by it!" she roared, breaking the clash and shoving Carol back with a violent swing.

  "Heh. So that's your choice?" Carol said, quickly regaining her footing. She gripped her sword with both hands, leveling the point at Irene. "How about this? My choice versus yours. The loser follows the winner's choice."

  Hearing the challenge, Irene chuckled in pure amusement. "Fine by me. If suffering is what you want, then I'll make sure it's planted deeply within your soul!"

  With that, both sides charged. The confrontation of their choices had begun.