Let me ask you a question.
What would you feel if the one you loved more than anything in this world—someone who brought light into your life, who promised to always be by your side—sacrificed themselves to protect you?
sorrow, pain, grief, regret, and heartbreak.
Silvia was drowning in all of them at once.
The boy who had held her since childhood, the one who had brought laughter back to her face, who always stood by her side, the boy she held so dearly in her heart, who had promised to stay beside her, the one who was the very reason for her smile—and, more than anything else, the boy who had repeatedly faced death for her, sacrificing himself to protect her not once, not twice, but thrice.
Kayle, who had fought the heretics in Oklo Village to save her life.
He had taken the arrow in his chest in the forest to save her.
And now, he had just plunged from the Falcon, dragging a monstrous wolf with him, to save her yet again.
A third time, that boy had stood before the jaws of death to shield her. Silvia watched him fall, his form rapidly vanishing into the dense, snow-laden tree branches below. She simply watched, helpless once more, as he sacrificed his life.
She couldn't do anything again. A raw, piercing scream tore from her throat, her voice echoing, tormented, across the sky and through the vast, silent forest.
"Kaaaayleee! Kaaaayleee! Noooooo!"
Hearing her anguish, James, her brother, leaped from his own Falcon, landing expertly on Silvia's. He gripped her tightly, holding her back as she instinctively tried to jump after Kayle.
"No, Silvia! Hold yourself! Don't let his sacrifice be in vain!" James pleaded, his voice strained with urgency, struggling against her desperate strength.
"Nooo! Nooo! Leave me! Kayleeee!" Silvia sobbed uncontrollably, her face entirely streaked with tears, fighting against James's hold.
James didn't release her. He held her fast, watching the ground below.
On the ground, Kayle and the wolf crashed down, colliding violently with numerous tree branches on their descent. He landed hard, but instantly pushed himself up. The wolf, battered but alive, was right before him.
Above, he could still hear Silvia's raw screams and cries, agonizingly clear.
Sensing Kayle's momentary distraction, the wolf lunged, a guttural GRRRRR rumbling in its throat.
Then, with lightning-fast speed,
SNAP!
Kayle twisted the wolf's head a full 360 degrees. Its body went limp.
"Illogical beast, thinking it could attack me," Kayle muttered, his voice devoid of emotion.
He looked up. Silvia was still screaming, her cries tearing at the air.
"I'm sorry, Silvia," Kayle thought, his gaze distant. "But this is the only way you could achieve your awakening and reach the Sixth Circle. Silvia always awakened when she witnessed the death of her loved ones. She awakened only when both your brother and Kayle died in the original novel, particularly when those she cherished were in danger."
Before Kayle now, a new wave of monsters surged, drawn by the commotion and the raw power radiating from the teleportation. They all attacked him at once.
A massive orc lumbered forward, throwing a powerful punch at Aeon.
BOOOM!
The orc smirked, convinced Aeon was finished. It was its gravest mistake. Aeon blocked the punch effortlessly with his bare hand. He gripped the orc's fist, and his gaze fixed on the creature. The orc's confidence vanished, replaced by a tremor of fear as it met Aeon's eyes. His gaze was utterly fierce, filled with an overwhelming, palpable murderous intent.
"You dirty, uncivilized green bastards," Aeon's voice was low, laced with chilling contempt. "If it weren't for Silvia's awakening and her reaching new heights, I'd have gone to the Larko Kingdom and wiped out your entire lineage, and those black mages, myself."
RIPP!
With a brutal twist, he tore the orc's arm clean off. The other monsters, witnessing this gruesome display, recoiled in fear, intimidated by his overwhelming murderous aura.
"You guys are next," Aeon promised, and in an instant, he moved, faster than the wind. He snapped the necks of every single remaining monster in his vicinity.
SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!
As he finished clearing his immediate surroundings, a colossal mana wave erupted from the sky. It was Silvia, experiencing her breakthrough. The crimson mana wave intensified, swelling to immense proportions, engulfing the sky and surroundings, turning the very atmosphere into a blood-red night.
She leaped from the Falcon, descending to the ground, her majestic Phoenix appearing beside her, its fiery feathers blazing.
"Kayle..." Silvia's voice was a soft, broken whisper, his name the only word on her lips.
She looked forward, her eyes like erupting volcanoes, brimming with raw power and overwhelming grief. She raised her hand, and then...
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
With a furious flick of her hand, a massive fire wave shot forth, like a literal sea of crimson flames. She radiated pure, crimson mana, looking like a terrifying Fire Witch.
With that single, devastating spell, she began incinerating the forest before her eyes. Kayle watched it all unfold from behind, a grim satisfaction on his face. Silvia's rage, however, did not dissipate.
"I'll kill you all!" she shrieked, her voice echoing with vengeance.
She raised both hands, her mana surging, and then...
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
She began burning everything in her path, a destructive inferno. She commanded Phoenix to do the same. Both Silvia and her Phoenix unleashed hellfire, burning the forest to a blazing wasteland. The heat was so intense that James, Sara, Latty, Nana, Rolex, and Bryan, even high in the sky, couldn't dare to descend.
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Silvia screamed, a long, primal cry, her mana flowing like an uncontrollable hurricane. Aeon watched from behind, his eyes widening as he noticed something is off.
Kayle's eyes narrowed.
Something was wrong.
The flames, initially tinged with orange, were now turning a pure, horrifying blood red. All traces of the orange hue vanished. Her mana, too, transformed into the same terrifying blood-red color.
Aeon's eyes widened further as he observed Silvia's physical state. He understood what it was.
It was something that had never happened in the original story.
Silvia was now completely engulfed in blood-red mana and fire.
Silvia had achieved a Double Awakening.
Kayle's eyes widened, a profound shock washing over him at the scene. Silvia's mana was gushing from her body like an uncontrolled fountain, a terrifying spectacle of raw power. Without a second thought, Kayle sprinted towards her.
"No! It's dangerous!" Kayle shouted, his voice laced with desperation. "Silvia's body can't endure a double awakening! Her heart will explode because of the surge of mana flowing through it! Her body isn't ready for it yet!"
He ran, closing the distance as quickly as possible. Silvia was still screaming, her mouth agape, her body convulsing. Aeon reached her, gripping her hand tightly.
"Silvia, Silvia! Look at me, it's me, Kayle, Silvia!" Kayle pleaded, trying to break through her pain-induced trance.
She didn't respond. Blood trickled from her mouth, ears, and eyes, a horrific sign of the backlash from the overwhelming mana surge in her heart.
"Shit! She's unconscious!" Kayle cursed, his mind racing.
He quickly pulled out the blue necklace he had acquired from the Cronos imperial palace and pressed it onto Silvia's chest. The necklace immediately began to hum, actively absorbing her volatile mana. Due to the double awakening, Silvia had inadvertently reached the Seventh Circle, a power her body was utterly unprepared for. Her heart was on the verge of exploding from the sheer, uncontrolled flow of mana, and she had already sustained severe internal injuries. However, because her breakthrough had involved reaching the Seventh Circle, the mana flowing through her heart was now pure mana, making the necklace exceptionally effective.
As the necklace absorbed her power, her mana, which had been flowing uncontrollably, slowly began to calm. Aeon pressed the necklace even tighter against her chest. Gradually, her condition stabilized. The radiant crimson mana covering her body faded, her mouth closed, and her eyes slowly returned to their normal state before she finally fainted, slumping against his shoulder.
"Silvia, Silvia!" Kayle murmured, holding her close.
She was completely unconscious, and her condition remained critical. Despite Aeon having absorbed the excess mana into the necklace, her body was still too ravaged to control her newfound powers. She trembled violently in his arms.
Aeon swiftly pulled out several healing potions from his storage ring. He tried to feed them to her, but she was too far gone to swallow.
Without hesitation, Aeon drank a potion himself, then pressed his lips to hers, pouring the potion directly into her mouth. The liquid flowed down her throat. Slowly, the trembling of her body subsided.
But her life was still in grave danger. Aeon stood up, cradling Silvia in his arms. He looked up to see James, Sara, Latty, Nana, Rolex, and Bryan descending towards them on their Falcons.
They landed before him. Kayle, holding Silvia carefully with one arm, grasped the Falcon with the other.
"Kayle, you're alive!" Sara exclaimed, tears of relief in her eyes.
"What happened to Silvia?" James demanded, rushing forward.
Kayle held Silvia securely and, with a powerful leap, directly mounted the Falcon.
"I don't have time to explain!" Kayle shouted, his voice strained with urgency.
He flew off, leaving the others to quickly follow.
He pushed the Falcon to its maximum speed, soaring through the air. Holding Silvia close, he was a mixture of tension, worry, and profound regret.
"Kayle, where are you going?!" James yelled from behind, struggling to keep pace.
"Umgrad City!" Kayle shouted back.
"But what happened to Silvia?! Why is she like this?!" James insisted.
"She had a Double Awakening!" Kayle explained, his voice grim. "Her body couldn't contain her powers, and it messed up all her internal organs. I fed her healing potions, but she needs more, and a priest's healing, quickly!"
Everyone was shocked to hear what Kayle said. A Double Awakening meant almost certain death if not treated immediately and expertly.
Even with the Falcon's full speed, it would still take at least three hours to reach Umgrad. But fate, it seemed, was not on their side.
The already cold weather suddenly worsened drastically. A fierce snowstorm erupted. The wind howled furiously, and swirling snow blinded their eyes. The Falcons' vision became blurry, and they began to lose control, buffeted by the gale. Aeon, seeing the perilous situation, cursed inwardly.
"Fuck with hiding powers and all of this shit!" Aeon growled, his patience snapping.
He raised his hand and, with a monumental surge of mana, created a colossal mana shield around his Falcon.
"Everyone, get behind me!" Kayle shouted, his voice cutting through the storm.
All of them immediately followed his instruction, lining up their Falcons directly behind his, seeking shelter within his enormous shield.
"Hang in there, Silvia, we'll be there soon," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the unconscious girl.
"Sir Bryan, what is this?! How can he make a mana shield this big?!" Karl exclaimed, peering through the swirling snow.
Bryan looked at Karl, his own face a mask of awe. "You're just looking at the size of the shield, Karl. But it's not a normal shield."
"What do you mean, sir?" Karl asked, bewildered.
"Look closely," Bryan instructed, pointing.
"The snow that's colliding with it is melting immediately, right away. He created a shield that's also warm, so the Falcons' vision doesn't get blurry!"
Karl stared at the shimmering barrier. "Yes, you're right, sir! Just what is this? He has amazed us every single time!"
"I know, but it's not the time for that now," Bryan said, his gaze fixed on Kayle. "Saving that girl is our priority, otherwise things will fall apart very quickly."
– – –
After hours of relentless travel, Kayle and his group finally reached Umgrad City. Aeon had maintained a massive mana shield around them for two continuous hours, even sharing his mana with the Falcons to ensure they arrived early.
It was already evening, the sun long set.
They didn't stop, landing directly at the Duke's mansion. The estate erupted into an uproar at the sight of Silvia's critical condition and Kayle, who was covered in blood from head to toe. Duke Harrison, his face grave, immediately ordered every single healing potion from the mansion's storage to be brought forth, and personally summoned the most skilled priests from the city's church.
The priests worked tirelessly, treating Silvia through the entire night. Kayle remained by her side, unmoving, without so much as a blink. His expression was a mask of profound regret.
"I wouldn't have done this if I knew this was going to happen," Aeon thought, his heart heavy with self-reproach. "Her condition isn't good. Even after feeding her every healing potion, she's barely hanging on. These priests are my last hope."
And so, the entire night passed in the solemn pursuit of healing Silvia.
Morning light filtered through the windows. Kayle still stood by Silvia's bedside, his expression unchanged, a statue of worry. The priests had done all they could.
Then, Sara approached him, her face etched with concern.
"Kayle, you've been standing here all night," Sara said, her voice soft. "I know you're worried about her, but at least get some treatment yourself. You're bleeding all over; your head, hands, and legs are covered in wounds."
"I won't die from this," Kayle replied, his voice cold and distant, his eyes still fixed on Silvia.
Sara, hearing his cold words, worried even more, fearing he would neglect his own injuries. She picked up a cotton wool from a nearby table and gently began wiping the blood from his face.
Aeon, already consumed by frustration, abruptly grabbed Sara's hand, his expression turning into a fierce glare. But Sara didn't back down. She met his gaze, then tightened her grip on his hand.
"Don't act like a child, you bastard," Sara said, her voice surprisingly sharp, her expression fierce. "Otherwise, I'll gouge out those eyes of yours!"
Everyone's eyes in the room snapped to Sara. The usually calm, composed Sara, who always showed such concern for Kayle, had just cursed him.
Aeon's rigid expression softened slightly, and he released her hand, allowing her to continue what she was doing. Sara resumed wiping the blood from his face, her touch gentle despite her earlier harsh words.
After a few minutes, the head priest, Father Harpy, sighed, visibly exhausted. "Phew... it was very tiring."
"How's her condition, Father Harpy?" Harrison asked, stepping forward, his voice strained.
Harpy looked at the faces of everyone standing there. All of them were deeply concerned, anxiously awaiting his words.
"Well. Her condition is stable for now," Harpy said carefully.
Everyone's eyes softened with a flicker of hope.
"What do you mean 'for now'?" Kayle's voice was sharp, his eyes bloodshot.
Harpy took a deep breath, steeling himself. "I won't lie to you, but her condition can't get back to normal. She went through a Double Awakening, which left heavy wounds on her internal body. I healed her as much as I could. However, the immense power gathering in her heart is too much for her body to keep up with. With my regular healing, I can only buy her about a month. After that, she will die."
The room fell into stunned silence. Everyone was shocked, their hearts growing heavy, hands instinctively rising to cover their mouths. Aeon, already consumed by regret over his decision, completely lost his temper. He lunged forward, grabbing Father Harpy by the collar.
"What do you mean you can't save her, you bastard?!" Kayle roared, his voice thick with fury and despair. He had completely lost control.
Everyone rushed forward, grabbing Kayle's arms, trying to pull him back, to stop him. But he didn't even budge an inch. His grip on Harpy's collar remained unyielding.
"I'm telling the truth," Harpy gasped, struggling for breath. "Even if the Saint of Libra herself came here, she would give the same answer."
"Kayle, let him go! We'll find a way!" Harrison urged, trying to intervene.
But Kayle didn't listen to anyone. Harrison, seeing no other option, tried to pry Kayle's hand off the priest, putting his strength into it. To his utter shock, Kayle didn't even flinch. Harrison put more strength into his pull, straining against the boy's immovable grip, but Kayle remained rooted.
Then...
SLAP!
Sara slapped him across the face, a sharp, resounding blow.
"Leave him, Kayle! This is the last time I'm warning you!" Sara said, her fierce expression mirroring his own raw emotion.
The room fell into stunned silence once more. The Sara who loved Kayle more than anything had just slapped him. Kayle looked at Sara, his eyes slowly losing their wildness. His expression changed, and he finally let go of Father Harpy.
He collected his thoughts, then bowed deeply to the shaken priest. "I'm sorry, Father. I lost my temper for a moment. Please forgive me."
Harpy straightened his robes, looking at Kayle with pity. "Don't worry, child. I know that you're worried about that girl, but what I said is true. She can't be saved." He gently placed a comforting hand on Kayle's shoulder.
Aeon absorbed every word, the devastating truth crashing down on him.
"Come with me, Father. I'll escort you," Harrison said, his voice heavy. "And you, Kayle, meet me at my study."
Harrison and Father Harpy then left, leaving behind Kayle and his distraught group.
Kayle's legs seemed to give out under the immense emotional weight, and he simply knelt on the ground, his face a mess, his eyes fixed desperately on Silvia. Everyone in the room felt profound sadness for him and Silvia.
Then, Sara stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him fully into her embrace. She held him tightly. Latty also knelt down, placing both her hands on his shoulders. The room remained silent, everyone standing in solemn despair.
Sara and Latty stayed by Kayle's side. He was utterly heartbroken, his usual composure shattered. Sara didn't release him from her embrace, holding him tightly, while Latty hugged him from behind, a silent gesture of comfort. James sat beside his sister, Silvia, his face grim. Nana and Rolex stood in a corner of the room, their expressions mirroring the pervasive despair. Everyone was down, unsure of what to do, remaining motionless in their grief.
Then, a maid entered the room, her presence a soft ripple in the heavy silence. She scanned the scene: James beside his sister, Nana and Rolex in the corner, and at the very center, Kayle, cradled by both Sara and Latty. All of them bore the weight of profound sadness on their faces.
The maid stepped forward. "Sir Kayle, Master wishes to meet you," she said, her voice respectful but firm.
Kayle, still a mess of emotions, gently untangled Sara's hands from his embrace. He looked at Sara, and their gazes met. Sara read his face—it was a tapestry of regret, anger, depression, and profound sorrow. Seeing him in such a state shook her to her core. She pressed her lips together, then gently ran her fingers across his face. Latty, too, rubbed his back in a comforting gesture.
He slowly stood up and, without another word, left the room with the maid, leaving his distressed friends behind.
Kayle reached Harrison's study.
Knock, knock.
"Come in," Harrison's voice rumbled from inside the room.
Kayle opened the door and entered. Bryan and Harrison stood before him, awaiting his arrival. Kayle came to a halt in front of them.
"You called for me, sir?" Kayle asked, trying to gather his strength, his voice still raw.
"Yes, Kayle, have a seat," Harrison said, gesturing to a sofa.
Kayle sat down, his expression still utterly downcast.
"Kayle, the girl you brought with you is now resting in a separate room," Harrison began, his tone gentle. "She's still unconscious, but the priest told me she has no injuries, merely unconscious."
Kayle's head snapped up slightly.
"I already heard from Bryan what happened out there, but I want you to explain to me the full details of what occurred and who that girl is," Harrison requested, his gaze intent.
Kayle took a deep breath, collecting himself. "I don't know who she is either. When I went to scout the area, I found a group of people wearing black cloaks and robes. They were preparing a teleportation array. They all gathered around and activated it. Then, someone appeared—wearing a black hat and a black coat, holding a long weapon—and he killed all of them. He then knocked out that girl, and just as the array emitted a violet light, monsters came out from it. I ran from there, and on the way, I found that girl. That man left her, so I picked her up for interrogation."
Harrison and Bryan listened intently to his explanation.
"I know you've already found out that Itzayana is part of the black mages," Aeon thought, maintaining his composed facade. "You're just trying to find out if I'm hiding something by reading my face, Harrison. You're very capable of reading human expressions and discerning lies. That's why you called me here, knowing I'm already messed up and not in my normal state. However, thanks to Sara's slap, I regained my emotions. And I told you the truth of the whole story. And you won't find anything from Itzayana; I've already told her to act like she lost her memories, and I already made the preparations in advance."
Harrison stepped forward, stopping directly before Kayle. Their gazes locked. Then, suddenly, Harrison launched a punch directly at Kayle.
BOOOM!
Bryan's eyes widened, completely shocked to see his father throw a fist at Kayle.
Then, he saw it: Harrison's fist didn't connect. It stopped inches from Kayle's face. Kayle, for his part, didn't even flinch. His expression remained utterly unchanged, his eyes fixed steadily on Harrison.
"May I ask for the reason for this rude behavior?" Kayle asked, his gaze unwavering.
Harrison slowly retracted his fist. "Forgive me. I just wanted to test something," he said, his voice thoughtful.
"So, did you confirm it?" Kayle asked, his tone still remarkably calm.
"Yes." Harrison stepped back. "But why didn't you move? I could have seriously punched you."
"I know that you can't touch me," Kayle replied, his eyes sharp as blades. "My group and I faced death and came back. If something were to happen to me right now, you wouldn't be able to control the Headmaster's wrath."
"So, can I leave now?" Kayle asked, his voice firm.
"Yes, you may." Harrison's voice held a note of profound respect. He placed a hand on Kayle's shoulder.
"Kayle, I know that you're angry about Silvia, and you don't want to accept it, but boy, sometimes the truth is more painful than a lie. We have to accept it. But if there is even a slight chance to save her, I will give my all to help her. That's my promise." Harrison's voice was gentle, full of empathy.
"Thank you," Kayle said, his voice barely a whisper, before turning and leaving the room.
Inside the study, Bryan, still reeling from the encounter, finally spoke. "Father, why did you do that? What were you trying to confirm?"
Harrison sat back in his chair, a look of profound astonishment on his face. "You know, Bryan, I couldn't believe what you said earlier. I thought you were exaggerating, especially about that mana shield he created."
"Two days ago, when I met him, I saw a genius—determined, composed, clever and intelligent," Harrison mused. "I knew he was extraordinary, and you also confirmed it in your report. The magic engineering tools you described—those gloves, gauntlets, glasses, and bombs—his friends were wearing them. He is a true genius who came up with such ideas. However, I couldn't believe one thing, and you know what that was."
"The mana shield you described," Bryan supplied, his own face etched with growing disbelief.
"Yes. He's only a Third Circle Mage, even if he has four elemental affinities. How could he maintain a mana shield that massive, large enough to cover five Falcons, and it wasn't even a normal shield; it was warm, melting the snow. And he maintained it for two continuous hours! Don't you think it's quite unexpected for a Third Circle Mage?" Harrison recounted, shaking his head. "That's why I thought he must have used some kind of artifact or tool. But when he grabbed Father Harpy by his collar, I used a little bit of my strength to separate him from the Father, but he didn't even move! Instead, I had to use more and more of my strength, but I couldn't even make him budge an inch. Not until Sara slapped him and brought him back to his senses."
"What?! Are you sure about what you just said?" Bryan stammered, utterly stunned.
"Even if he's hiding his powers, that's not something we can expect from a twenty-year-old boy, Father. And you're a Grandmaster! There are only eleven people who can be your rival in the Empire, and forty-nine in the two Empires and six kingdoms combined! And you're saying you had a hard time just moving a boy?"
Harrison looked down at his own hand, which was still a little red from where he had gripped Kayle. He smiled, a complex expression. "At first, I found him interesting, but what I experienced earlier was quite intimidating for me."
"You asked me why I threw a punch at him," Harrison continued, his voice dropping to a serious tone. "Because I wanted to test his power. He was able to make me use my strength just to move him. So I thought he'd either dodge my punch or try to block it. However, he just sat there and didn't move. That look in his eyes... I can't describe it. It was the same as when I first met him: a fierce and sharp look in his eyes. It was like I was looking at a beast I shouldn't mess with. No, I should never mess with him."
Bryan swallowed, a lump forming in his throat. He simply stood there in shock, unable to believe what his father had just said.
"Well, for now, we need to make sure that girl, Silvia, survives," Harrison stated, his voice returning to its authoritative tone. "If anything happens to her, I don't know what he'll do. Kayle... that boy, he is dangerous."
Bryan finally found his voice. "Why didn't you tell him about the girl's identity?"
"I was checking if he was lying, but his eyes didn't blink, nor did his breathing change," Harrison explained. "What he said is true. We'll inform them later. First, we need to contact Venessa Academy and tell them about the situation here."
As night fell, Kayle sat alone in the garden. Snowflakes drifted down like soft cotton wool balls, silently blanketing the landscape. Kayle was lost in his thoughts, a heavy cloud of despair still clinging to him. Then, Sara appeared before him, an umbrella held in one hand and a plate piled with food in the other. Kayle hadn't eaten anything all day and night, staying tirelessly by Silvia's side.
"Kayle, at least eat something," she said softly, sitting beside him. "You didn't have anything all day and night."
"We know that you're worried about her," Sara continued, her voice gentle and comforting.
"But not eating won't make her recover. Just like you, we are all worried about her. If she were here and saw you like this, would she be happy?"
Kayle looked at her face. For the first time, perhaps, he truly saw Sara: her face, flushed red from the cold; her beautiful violet eyes and hair; her stunning presence in the snow. Kayle slowly stood up. He took the umbrella from her hand, then the plate of food.
"Let's go eat inside... together," Kayle said, his voice quiet but clear.
Sara's eyes widened, not in shock, but in surprise. Kayle had never invited her to dinner before; this was a first. A soft blush spread across her cheeks, and she smiled, rising to her feet.
"Yeah, let's go. I also didn't have anything all day," Sara admitted, and they walked into the mansion together.
After having dinner with Sara, Aeon made his way to Silvia's room. He sat right beside her, gently holding her hand. She was still sweating slightly. Kayle carefully took the blue necklace from his pocket and placed it around her neck. The necklace immediately began absorbing the overflowing, pure mana from her body. He tucked it discreetly beneath her clothes and used his magic to hide its presence, ensuring no one would discover its true nature.
"It'll buy us some time," Aeon thought, a flicker of grim hope.
He sat there, holding her hand, lost in his thoughts. "I wish I could go back in time," Aeon agonized. "Because of my decision, she is in this state." He looked at Silvia's pale, serene face. The sweating had stopped, thanks to the necklace. "I'm sorry, Silvia. I shouldn't have used your emotions to make you have the awakening. I should have thought about other methods."
"But I can't change the past," he reminded himself, steeling his resolve. "I can only change the future. That's why I'm here. Here in the world of Ash Prince, so that I can change the ending. Yes, this is me, Aeon, who has already saved fifty worlds. I can't back down like this. I need to think. Think, Aeon! You have read this story until you got bored. There must be a way to save Silvia!"
He focused his entire mind, desperately recalling every detail of the 'Ash Prince' story. He poured all his effort into remembering.
Then...
"Yeah, there is a way!" Aeon's expression transformed from cold despair to sudden, profound amazement. "How could I forget this? If what I read in the library is true, then there is hope for Silvia!"
"There was this thing mentioned," Aeon thought, a surge of adrenaline coursing through him. "Although it was mentioned, it was never actually used in the original story. But if it's true, I can save Silvia!" He stood up abruptly.
"I need to go," he murmured.
"To the Elf Forest."