Right after Anella effortlessly defeated all seven magical beasts—
Young Lady Mirinae, who had been observing from precisely one kilometer away, let her staff slip from her fingers, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
'What... is this...'
The display of power was so overwhelming, so far beyond comprehension, that it seemed impossible to believe that they were of the same age.
She felt an insurmountable gap that she could never hope to bridge.
'Seven of them weren't enough...?'
To draw out Anella's true power, she had sent enough magical beasts to give even seasoned magic warriors a hard time. Yet, she had never imagined Anella would deal with them so effortlessly.
— Hah.
Even the owner of the yellow voice seemed to share her disbelief. A hollow laugh echoed in her ears.
— Hmm~ As expected, is she really the mage trained by Baek Yu-Seol? She's no ordinary talent~
"What... What am I supposed to do now?"
Desperation clawed at her. She had believed someone wielding omnipotent power would surely offer a solution. Clinging to that hope, she asked hurriedly… only to be met with a devastating answer.
— There are no magical beasts nearby, and I don't really feel like stepping in myself. So, there's not much I can do?
"... What?"
It was the first time.
The first time she had ever received a refusal from her.
This was the same person who had always provided foolproof strategies and tactics, ensuring victory even in wars against enemy nations.
And now, was she seriously giving up because of a mere 17-year-old girl from Class 3?
— Don't get me wrong~ It's not like I lost to that little brat. It's just that Baek Yu-Seol's puppy turned out to be stronger than expected~
"T-Then what am I supposed to do..."
— Who knows?
"What the..."
— She's your friend, isn't she? Think about it carefully~ I'm busy, so I'll be leaving now!
"W-Wait a second!"
She cried out, desperately trying to call her back, but the presence had already faded into nothingness.
Young Lady Mirinae stood there in stunned silence, staring blankly into space without even thinking of moving.
'What... What just happened...'
She had promised.
Promised to uncover Anella's secret and grant her the same talent.
Everything was supposed to go smoothly.
She had envisioned herself walking an easy road to glory at Stella.
How could she have doubted someone with omnipotent power?
And yet...
"Leaving me behind..."
"Who?"
When she hastily lifted her head, Anella had already approached, standing just a short distance away.
The girl who always wore an innocent expression on her cute face now radiated a cold and chilling aura.
It was the first time she realized—
How terrifying someone could be when they stopped smiling.
"I... I didn't mean to..."
"I know. Someone must have ordered you."
Anella gripped her small staff tightly.
Her nails dug into her palms, but the protective magic of the Stella Dome prevented any wounds from forming.
There was no physical pain, yet her chest burned as if scorched by fire.
Betrayal?
She was used to it.
Day after day, she had endured life in the ruins abandoned by humans… unable to die, yet too broken to truly live.
It was a society of dark mages, a wasteland of filth and treachery.
Among those who betrayed each other endlessly, Anella was the only flower that did not reek of filth.
But flowers stood out in garbage dumps.
Her back had been marred with countless scars from the knives others had plunged into it.
She couldn't trust anyone, yet Anella had trusted everyone.
She had shown her back, even knowing someone would stab her.
Because that's who Anella was.
She was accustomed to betrayal.
One more scar among the many she bore should not have hurt.
… At least, that's what she thought.
'But today... It hurts a little.'
It was a betrayal she hadn't felt in a long time since she left the dark mage society.
Had she grown too comfortable living under Baek Yu-Seol and Jeliel's protection?
The kind of wound she once would have easily brushed off now stung unbearably.
Or perhaps—
'As a human... I'm still not used to this kind of thing.'
Young Lady Mirinae looked at her with trembling eyes.
She had so many things she wanted to say.
Words lingered on her lips, but Anella pressed them shut and silently walked past her.
"Ah..."
Young Lady Mirinae couldn't even bring herself to look at Anella's retreating figure.
Instead, she stared blankly into the empty space.
Only after the voice of the woman in yellow had faded completely did Young Lady Mirinae finally grasp the weight of what she had done.
'What... have I done...'
***
As the entrance examination drew to a close—
Baek Yu-Seol quietly slipped out of the observation seats at the Stella Dome entrance exam and hid in a secluded corner of the hallway.
There wasn't enough time to return to the dormitory.
"Silver Autumn Moon, are you there?"
Focusing his mind, he called out the name. Before long, the image of a silver-haired old man shimmered into view.
— Hmm? What is it?
Ever since achieving the state of Nature's Heavenly Energy Body, his connection with the Twelve Divine Moons had grown stronger. Though he couldn't summon them at will, he had gained the ability to call upon them like this when the need arose.
"It seems one of the apostles of the Twelve Divine Moons has come to Stella."
— An apostle? There are many apostles, aren't there?
"Not an apostle of the Divine Moon Sect—possibly someone who has been blessed by the Twelve Divine Moons."
— Hmm...
Silver Autumn Moon furrowed his brows, scanning the area before shaking his head.
— No. I don't sense the presence of any apostles nearby.
"What?!"
The unexpected answer left Baek Yu-Seol stunned.
He quickly pressed for clarification.
"This is the Stella Dome. The space here might be distorted…"
— Hah! Do you think I wouldn't know that? It's clearly Elthman's work. But a mere spatial distortion can't fool my senses.
"Then…?"
— Yes. Whatever you think you've sensed, no apostles of the Twelve Divine Moons are here.
Silver Autumn Moon's unyielding declaration only deepened Baek Yu-Seol's confusion.
'What's going on?'
He had unmistakably felt the energy of the Pale Yellow Autumn Moon emanating from Young Lady Mirinae.
He had been certain she was an apostle.
But now?
— I'm more curious than you are. Whose energy did you sense?
"Pale Yellow Autumn Moon..."
"Hmm."
Silver Autumn Moon stroked his beard as if he had expected this answer.
— Then it's highly likely that what you sensed wasn't the energy of an apostle, but a 'host.'
"A host…?"
Baek Yu-Seol had never encountered Pale Yellow Autumn Moon even in the game, so he wasn't familiar with her abilities.
— Yes. Pale Yellow Autumn Moon is the most unusual among the Twelve Divine Moons.
"Why is she unusual?"
— Because she's the only one who broke free from the restrictions of the Progenitor Mage.
Baek Yu-Seol paused. This was the first time he had heard such a revelation.
— The rule forbidding interference with the mortal world—she is the only one among the Twelve Divine Moons who violated it and has been active in the Aether World for hundreds of years. She seeks to dye this world in her own colors.
"But… If she's been working at it for so long, shouldn't she have succeeded by now?"
— Of course, the Progenitor Mage placed a restriction on her that we don't have.
"A restriction?"
— A seal on her physical body. By preventing her from revealing her true form to the world, it ensured that she wouldn't be able to shake the world's foundations.
"I see…"
Baek Yu-Seol realized there was far more to the Twelve Divine Moons than he had known.
— As someone who manipulates emotions, possessing the body of an intelligent being would be easy for her. However, her abilities are limited to influencing emotions. She has no physical strength, which is why she has remained quiet until now.
Silver Autumn Moon downplayed it as 'just' influencing emotions, but Baek Yu-Seol knew better.
The ability to bend the will of another being was an overwhelmingly powerful weapon.
Take, for example, the Twelve Divine Moons who wielded elemental powers like fire or ice. While their abilities could cause massive disasters, such powers were not entirely out of reach for humans either. Though no human had yet achieved such mastery.
However, the ability to control minds and emotions existed on an entirely different plane.
— When I first met her, her ability was limited to controlling a single intelligent being.
The abilities of the Twelve Divine Moons were often grand and spectacular.
Some could split the sea, while others could shatter mountains.
And yet, controlling a single human?
Back then, it might have seemed unimpressive. But in modern times, it was an entirely different story.
In the societies built by humans, the words or actions of a single influential figure could decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of lives.
In such a world, the power of Pale Yellow Autumn Moon could be devastating if misused.
If she were to control the Queen of Adolevit or the Emperor of the Skalven Empire and start a war, more than half of Aether World could be engulfed in flames almost instantly.
Compared to raw elemental destruction, this kind of subtle, insidious control could reshape history itself.
— It's been a thousand years since then. She's the only one among us who has continued honing her abilities. It's possible she can now control not just one person, but dozens of people's emotions simultaneously.
"So… Are you saying that Pale Yellow Autumn Moon has made one of Stella's freshmen her host?"
— Yes. But I don't know why. It's hard to imagine how a mere teenage girl could influence the state of the world significantly.
"I think so too."
Young Lady Mirinae, whose real name was Dallain Rihina Schtarz, was one of the candidates considered for the title of 'Saintess' in the Elein Kingdom, which was currently at war.
And yet, even with such an illustrious background, it was hard to see her as someone truly extraordinary.
In fact, Baek Yu-Seol thought it would have made far more sense for Pale Yellow Autumn Moon to possess someone like Hong Bi-Yeon or Jeremy Skalven instead.
— That's unlikely.
Silver Autumn Moon shook his head.
— Modern mages have grown so skilled that they can detect possession almost immediately. She probably targeted people in isolated positions of power or those with the potential to gain it, minimizing exposure.
"I see..."
— You could even say we've been lucky.
"Sorry? What do you mean?"
— That woman is extremely cautious. She rarely shows her hand. It's strange she would take such a risk by acting openly in a highly visible place like Stella.
Baek Yu-Seol thought for a moment before responding.
"It's because of Anella."
— Hmm? Why Anella?
"I'm not sure, but I've long suspected that she harbors some kind of desire or ambition related to Anella."
— I see. Thanks to that girl Anella, things might actually be a bit easier for us. I've been sensing unusual movements from the other Twelve Divine Moons recently. This might give us insight into Pale Yellow Autumn Moon's plans."
"Unusual movements? What do you mean?"
— It seems they've formed a group.
"... What?"
Baek Yu-Seol was stunned.
Was he hearing things?
It was practically impossible.
Even in Aether World Online, the game's ending never featured such an event.
"The Twelve Divine Moons... forming a group?"
— Hard to believe, isn't it? I find it difficult too. But I'm certain that six of the Twelve Divine Moons have allied themselves."
Silver Autumn Moon's face showed clear concern.
— Fortunately, Golden Solstice Moon is on our side, thanks to Elf King Florin's efforts. But if the six opposing Moons begin acting in unison with hostile intentions... things could spiral out of control very quickly.
'What is going on…?'
Baek Yu-Seol's pulse quickened.
The original storyline? It hardly seemed relevant anymore.
He had already stopped paying much attention to the original storyline.
'But this… This is too much…'
The Twelve Divine Moons split into two groups of six each.
What exactly was about to happen?
Baek Yu-Seol couldn't even begin to imagine it.
— Stay strong. We have gathered around you as the center. Do you understand? If you falter, we won't be able to act either.
"... I understand."
Baek Yu-Seol bowed his head with a determined expression.
But suddenly, Silver Autumn Moon's face turned to one of surprise.
— Hmm?
"What's wrong?"
—I can feel it… The presence of another Divine Moon nearby.
"Is it Pale Yellow Autumn Moon?"
— No, it's not. This scorching energy... It must be Scarlet Summer Moon.
"Scarlet Summer Moon…!"
Baek Yu-Seol's face darkened.
That name evoked a vivid memory… the cursed flame that burned within Hong Bi-Yeon's heart. The monster who had inflicted that cruel spell before vanishing without a trace.
And now, Scarlet Summer Moon had reappeared.
Just then, Silver Autumn Moon abruptly vanished.
— Someone's coming.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Peering cautiously around the corner, Baek Yu-Seol spotted a disheveled young man running toward him. Sweat poured down his face, and his voice trembled with urgency.
"Baek Yu-Seol! There you are!"
"Yes. What's the matter?"
"It's Hong Bi-Yeon! She suddenly collapsed, burning up with a fever!"
"... What?"
They say there are moments so overwhelming that panic can leave a mind utterly blank.
But Baek Yu-Seol, blessed with Pink Spring Moon's protection, wasn't even allowed such mental reprieve.
"Before she collapsed, she desperately called your name. She's probably being transported to the infirmary right now, but—wait! Baek Yu-Seol?!"
Before the young man could finish his sentence, Baek Yu-Seol shattered one of the Stella Dome's windows and teleported away, disappearing from sight.
Watching from the shadows, Silver Autumn Moon clicked his tongue.
— What on earth are you planning, Fawn Prevernal Moon?