Chapter 8: The Snowy Ruins

“Haaaaaaah!”

Colette’s spinning overhead kick, wreathed in blazing flames, shattered the head of an ice specter.

“Here we go—!”

Francine’s flurry of thrusts from her white angelic rapier turned another ice specter into a pincushion.

“Hmph—!”

Ginny’s dual blades traced an X through the air, cleaving an ice specter into four pieces.

And then—kicking up the snow beneath their feet.

The three gathered back-to-back, warily scanning their surroundings.

“Haa, haa… that’s all for now, huh…!?”

Amid the howling blizzard, Colette exhaled a white puff of breath, fists raised as she spoke.

“It seems so… though we don’t know when the next wave might come…”

Francine confirmed no more specters were moving nearby and dismissed her summoned angel.

The students of St. Lily Magic Girls’ Academy, who had been fighting alongside them, also let out breaths of relief, easing out of their combat stances for the moment.

“…Let’s return to the encampment for now, Ojou-sama. The enemy’s assaults have become more irregular, and their numbers are dwindling… but it’s wiser to assume more attacks are coming.”

“Indeed. …This night promises to be a long one.”

At Ginny’s calm suggestion, Francine nodded.

“Are you all unharmed!?”

The captain of the guard unit rushed toward the trio with a few subordinates in tow.

“You saved us again! Come, this way! We’ve got warm drinks prepared!”

The ice specters’ assaults came in waves, seemingly arriving in scattered groups from the north.

Thus, Francine and the guards had set up barricades and a base in White Town’s northern district, rushing to intercept each attack as it came—an ambush strategy.

For the entire day, Francine and the guards had fought relentlessly, and now it was already dusk.

As night approached, the chill deepened, and the already dim world grew even darker.

“We’re managing to hold them off for now… but you must have your limits, right?”

The captain looked at Francine and the others with concern. Though they bore no major injuries, the toll of repeated battles was clear on the girls’ refined features, fatigue etched deeply into their expressions.

Naturally, they weren’t the only ones exhausted. The guards and militia, tasked with stalling the specters and evacuating civilians, were equally worn out, battered and ragged.

“Can White Town… can Snowria truly escape destruction?”

In this bleak, uncertain situation, the captain couldn’t help but voice his despair.

But then.

“It’ll be fine!”

“It will be alright!”

“…Well, probably fine, I suppose.”

Colette, Francine, and Ginny spoke in unison.

“H-how can you be so sure? You saw it, didn’t you? That silver dragon—!”

The captain was one of the few who still vaguely recalled the silver dragon’s existence.

He understood that unless the silver dragon was defeated, Snowria would fall. The overwhelming despair he felt upon glimpsing that dragon made it impossible to imagine anything but the worst.

“And… you heard, didn’t you? An avalanche was spotted halfway up Mount Avesta. It’s possible the subjugation team was wiped out in it. …So why are you all so confident…?”

He knew these weren’t words an adult should say to children fighting for them.

Yet his words echoed the fears of everyone desperately defending this town.

The extreme conditions and exhaustion inevitably crept into their hearts, sowing weakness.

But.

“Because our Sensei’s there! Our Sensei won’t lose to some cheap lizard like that!”

“Exactly! That person will absolutely come to our aid! With wisdom and courage, they carve their own fate and future—a true《Mage》!”

Colette and Francine spoke with unwavering trust in this ‘Teacher Glenn,’ their eyes alight with conviction.

“Yare yare, we’ve been cheered up, huh? We adults need to pull ourselves together.”

The captain gave a wry smile, reflecting on himself… when suddenly.

“Captain Kaito! They’re back! This time at Third Street! Fourteen of them!”

A messenger guard rushed to the scene, breathless.

“Got it! …Sorry, you three. Can I ask for one more job before you rest?”

“Leave it to us!”

“You can count on us!”

“…Ugh, what a hassle.”

The trio responded energetically, kicking through the snow toward the next battlefield, followed by the other girls from St. Lily Magic Girls’ Academy.

As he trailed behind them, the captain thought to himself.

(They’re incredible… but it’s true they have their limits.)

Francine and the others had fought admirably, but compared to earlier, their movements now showed clear signs of exhaustion.

(I hope this is settled by dawn…)

His thoughts turned to Glenn and the others challenging Mount Avesta.

The captain and the other guards steeled themselves once more, rallying their spirits and bodies.

——

“—Bwah!”

Glenn, buried in snow, burst out from beneath it.

“…Tch… damn, what a mess…”

Struggling, he crawled out of the snow, then slipped his arms under Celica’s, who was similarly buried, pulling her free.

“No broken bones… we made it somehow…”

The trick was using Black Magic [Gravity・Control] to lighten their weight and White Magic [Water・Breathing] to secure respiration. Of course, he hadn’t forgotten the basics of avalanche survival—covering his mouth with his right hand to create an air pocket.

This ensured they wouldn’t be buried too deeply, and as long as he stayed conscious, he could cast spells. If he could cast, the rest could be managed.

Still, it was a gamble, but it seemed to have paid off.

“But… we’re still in a pinch…”

Holding the unconscious Celica in his arms, Glenn surveyed their surroundings.

They were in a narrow valley, like a gash in the mountainside.

Snow piled high and the swirling blizzard raged on, and due to the avalanche, they’d been swept far off the main route to the summit.

This was a place no one would ever stumble into without being carried by an avalanche.

(The white cats are fine. They’ve got Re=L, the Imperial Court Mage Corps’ top survival expert, with them. The real problem is us… or rather, Celica.)

Glenn looked down at Celica in his arms.

She was on the verge of freezing to death. If he didn’t act quickly, her life was truly in danger.

(Damn it… don’t die… don’t you dare die…!)

Even in this frigid cold, a burning urgency seared through Glenn’s back.

(But what do I do? In this freezing blizzard, a safe place to let her rest… there’s no way something that convenient—)

As Glenn desperately scanned the surroundings, clinging to hope.

—What stroke of fortune was this?

Had they been a few meters further, the blizzard would’ve hidden it completely.

At the base of a sheer cliff, half-buried in snow, was a cave.

“No way…!? Thank you! God, I owe you one!”

Like a moth drawn to a flame.

Glenn, carrying Celica, stumbled toward the cave.

“…Damn it…”

Holding Celica, he pushed through the snow and finally entered the cave.

Was this originally a mine shaft or something? It felt more like an artificially dug tunnel than a natural cave. The passage, about the height of a person, stretched deep into the darkness.

“Haa… haa…”

Glenn advanced to a spot where the snow didn’t reach and gently laid Celica down.

With trembling, frostbitten hands, he drew a knife and scratched runes into the surrounding rock and ground, erecting a barrier to block the cold air from outside.

“…Not yet… hold on, my mana… my consciousness…!”

Feeling the onset of mana deficiency syndrome, Glenn pressed on, nearing his limit.

Muttering incantations, he carved a small magic circle into the ground with his knife. The lines of the circle began to glow red-hot. Then, from his pocket, he pulled out several red-burning stones—magic crystals known as crimson stones—and placed them into the circle.

Whoosh! The stones ignited fiercely, becoming a roaring campfire.

The dark cave was bathed in light, and a heavenly warmth grazed Glenn’s cheeks.

The flame of life. Its vibrant glow dazzled him, and for some reason, tears welled in the corners of his eyes as a smile broke across his face.

“Haha… I did it, damn it… cough… alright…!”

With his last ounce of strength, he dragged Celica closer to the fire.

“Now…”

He needed to warm Celica’s bone-chillingly cold body as quickly as possible. But this small fire would take too long to do the job.

On top of that, Glenn himself was at his limit. Casting any more magic could be fatal.

“…Well, it’s cliché, but it’s the only way.”

Making up his mind instantly, Glenn began to strip Celica’s clothes.

He loosened her collar, undid buttons, peeled off her heavy, soaked coat and sweater, removed her cold, damp blouse, and gently slipped off her undergarments and bra from her arms.

Undressing the woman who’d been like a mother to him since childhood… the sense of taboo sent a shiver up Glenn’s spine, but he pushed it aside.

Soon, Celica’s ethereal, goddess-like form was revealed, faintly illuminated in the darkness pierced by the small flame.

“Forgive me.”

Glenn shed his own clothes, baring his upper body down to his undergarments.

Spreading his coat on the ground and pulling a large towel blanket from his pack, he wrapped himself and Celica together, holding her tightly. His arms encircled her sleek shoulders and back, pulling her slender waist close as they lay side by side.

Celica’s body was as cold as ice. Where her skin touched his, it stung like a numbing pain, tormenting Glenn.

Her chill began to sap the warmth from Glenn’s body.

Yet he held her close, refusing to let go. He pressed his warmth into her, as if sharing his very life.

(…Don’t die… please…! Don’t die in a place like this…!)

Desperately, prayerfully, he clung to her, holding her tightly.

Only the flickering shadows of the flame and the crackling of the fire filled the space.

——

————

How much time had passed?

Pop, pop. The faint crackle of sparking embers nudged the edges of Celica’s consciousness, buried in darkness.

She felt a comforting warmth nestled close to her body.

Like a bubble drifting through mud, slowly rising to the surface.

Celica’s awareness gradually returned, and her heavy eyelids finally parted.

“…Wh… where… am I…?”

“You awake, Celica?”

At the sound of her name, Celica shifted her gaze and saw Glenn, shirtless, sitting up and looking off in another direction.

“…Glenn…?”

Celica groaned. Her body felt impossibly heavy.

Her mind still foggy, she slowly began to piece together her memories.

Bit by bit, she registered the situation—sharing a single towel blanket with Glenn, their bodies pressed close.

—And then.

“~~~~ !?”

Realizing her state of undress, Celica’s face flushed crimson, and she hurriedly covered her chest with her arms.

“W-whoa!? H-hey! Come on, this is—…!?”

Caught up in her imagination, Celica’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly for a moment, stunned.

But soon, her sharp mind deduced why they were in this situation, and she let out a sigh. Still, embarrassment kept her gaze averted, her cheeks red as she spoke.

“…I see… you came for me, didn’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

Glenn’s response was curt.

An awkward silence settled between them.

Only the crackle of the fire and its dancing shadows shifted in the space between them.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, Celica muttered softly.

“…Are you angry?”

“Obviously.”

Glenn’s reply was immediate.

“Tell me… am I really that unreliable?”

Celica turned her face away, avoiding Glenn’s accusatory gaze.

“I don’t know what’s troubling you or what burdens you’re carrying. But I… I want to support you, as family.”

“…”

“But am I not enough? Can I not be the one to support you? Am I too weak, too insignificant… to walk beside you?”

To Glenn, who spat out his words with frustration.

“…No… that’s not it, Glenn…”

Celica’s voice trembled, her expression on the verge of tears.

“I… remembered something. That’s why I couldn’t drag you, my precious family, into this…”

“What does that even mean…?”

“Listen, Glenn. The one who created that silver dragon… it’s probably me.”

Glenn met Celica’s eyes, his expression unusually earnest.

There was no trace of jest or deception in her face.

“…I can’t recall the details yet. But I’m the one who turned that silver dragon into a demon that brings death to people. The reason Snowria is on the brink of destruction… the reason you’re in danger… it’s all because of me…!”

With that, Celica closed her eyes, her face filled with regret.

Glenn couldn’t comprehend a single word of what she was saying. But seeing her conviction, he knew no words of his could sway her.

More than that—having heard the silver dragon’s words himself, Glenn was certain there was some deep connection between Celica and the creature.

“Hey, Glenn. How much longer, I wonder? How much longer can you and I stay family like this?”

At Celica’s murmured words, Glenn fell silent.

“Thanks to you, I was able to accept my《Immortalist》nature. You called me family no matter who I was, and that saved me. I stopped caring about my forgotten mission… or so I thought.”

“…”

“But… it’s no good…!”

Suddenly, Celica cried out, her face twisted with anguish, gripping Glenn’s arm tightly.

“Lately, the《inner voice》whispering to me has grown stronger! It tells me, ‘You don’t belong here!’ ‘Fulfill your mission!’ ‘Return to where you’re meant to be!’ It started after last month’s incident, when I faced《Iron Cavalry General》and《Ship of Flames》! Something inside me, someone I don’t know, is waking up. And now, this silver dragon… there’s no denying it anymore…”

“…Celica.”

Glenn softly murmured her name as she clung to his arm.

“My forgotten mission is probably a《curse》. An inescapable fate. Nameless told me… that one day, I’ll inevitably remember my mission, reclaim my true self, and fulfill it. That must be… a predetermined future.”

“…”

“I’ve been having dreams lately. They’re probably fragments of my lost past… In those dreams, I’m in an unfamiliar place, wearing strange clothes, consumed by a maddening hatred and rage against this world, committing relentless, merciless slaughter… I’ve had my rough patches over these four hundred years, but nothing like that.”

“…”

“I know it. That slaughter is tied to my lost mission. …Tell me, Glenn. What kind of mission requires committing such sins?”

Sure, it’s just a dream, right? There’s no proof it’s real.

But faced with Celica’s tormented expression, Glenn couldn’t bring himself to offer such flimsy comfort.

As he hesitated, searching for the right words, Celica clutched her head.

“Tell me, Glenn. When I remember who I am, reclaim my lost past, and face that《mission》… will I still be me? Will I still be able to stay by your side?”

Celica looked up at Glenn.

Gone was her usual radiant, haughty confidence.

“I’m scared… I’m so scared, Glenn. I’m not afraid of dying. I’m afraid… of not being able to stay with you…”

There she was—a frail, lost chick searching for its mother.

(…So that’s it.)

Looking at the trembling Celica, Glenn felt a strange sense of clarity.

This trip Celica had planned… it was like preparing for a funeral.

Glenn couldn’t fully grasp her emotions, but Celica was gripped by an obsessive certainty that she would one day cease to be herself.

So, at the very least, she wanted gentle moments until that time came.

To prepare for a possible farewell, to make happy memories, to leave no regrets—she’d dragged Glenn to this place.

And her reckless attempt to slay the dragon alone… it was atonement. Or perhaps a justification.

To convince herself she had the right to be here.

That she was worthy of standing by Glenn’s side.

She wanted to affirm herself. To be affirmed by Glenn.

Just as Glenn once fought for his students, sacrificing himself to prove he had the right to exist despite his bloodstained past.

How should I put it—

“…We’re kinda alike, aren’t we?”

Those words slipped quietly from Glenn’s mouth.

“Huh?”

Celica, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, looked at Glenn.

Glenn ruffled her hair as if soothing a child and said,

“I was… the same way. Just like you.”

Celica blinked, and Glenn flashed her a strong, reassuring smile.

“I won’t sugarcoat it. I won’t pretend. Sure, you… probably did something utterly outrageous in the past. Honestly, I don’t think you’re exactly a ‘normal’ person. I’ve known that for a long time.”

“Glenn…”

“But, you know, that doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t.”

Glenn said with a gentle smile.

“You are you. Missions, past, whatever—it doesn’t change a thing between us. Didn’t I tell you before? We’re family.”

“…I…”

For a moment, Celica faltered, her voice trembling as she murmured weakly,

“I might be… a criminal so vile it’d make you recoil. Even so… you’d still…?”

“Yeah, doesn’t matter.”

Glenn answered without hesitation.

“If this lost mission of yours is just, I’ll back you up with everything I’ve got. If it’s wrong, I’ll knock some sense into you, even if I have to punch you to do it. Committed sins in the past? What’s done is done. I’ll help you make amends.”

“…Glenn…”

“Don’t worry. No matter who you are, I’m not going anywhere. We’re bound by a rotten thread of fate—can’t just cut it that easily. That’s what family is.”

Celica blinked, gazing up at Glenn’s profile.

To her, Glenn continued,

“Hey, Celica. I… I wanted to become a ‘Mage of Justice.’”

The sudden, bewildering statement made Celica tilt her head.

“And when I thought about why I wanted to be this ‘Mage of Justice,’ sure, part of it was probably admiring The Magician of Melgalius. But why did I hold mages and magicians in such high regard in the first place?”

“…”

“Probably… I wanted to be like you.”

Celica’s breath caught, her eyes widening.

“For me, becoming a ‘Mage of Justice’ was just a means, a process… but deep down, I wanted to be like you. Looking back, my memories as Glenn started in that dark, cold abyss where I was trapped. Then, out of nowhere, you showed up with that terrifying face to save me.”

“…”

“You pulled me out of that hopeless abyss so effortlessly… You get it? You probably didn’t think much of it, but to me, the true ‘Mage of Justice’… that’s you, Celica.”

Celica, stunned into silence, stared as Glenn continued with a calm smile.

“So, why don’t you just become it? Even now, you can be that ‘Mage of Justice.’”

“Now…? Me…?”

“Yeah. I’m not saying go back to the military or anything like that. You did something terrible in the past, right? Then become a magician so incredible that it overshadows all of that. Easy for you, isn’t it?”

“Th-that’s…”

“That’s the Celica I’ve spent my life chasing—the greatest magician in the world. Show me something so cool I’ll never catch up, no matter how hard I try. …Deal?”

Celica stared at Glenn’s profile, dazed, unable to look away.

Then, as if suddenly embarrassed, Glenn turned away, scratching his cheek awkwardly.

“Well, I’m saying all this high and mighty stuff, but I’ve messed up plenty myself. I’ve been supported and saved by so many people to get where I am. So, at the very least, I want to support you, Celica—you, who I’ve known the longest. As… family, you know.”

“…”

Celica, still gazing at Glenn’s profile, finally let her expression soften, a faint look of relief breaking through.

“What is it with you? I keep getting weaker with time… but you just keep getting stronger…”

“…Celica?”

“…I never would’ve dreamed that the scrawny kid I picked up on a whim, the unreliable guy I thought I had to protect… would grow into such a wonderful man…”

Suddenly, Celica leaned closer, resting against Glenn.

The soft warmth of her body pressed against him.

“Oi, you’re heavy.”

“Idiot. …Let me lean on you for once, alright?”

Muttering sulkily, Celica rested her head on Glenn’s shoulder.

Her expression was as serene as a child napping in the shade of a tree.

“You can be such a kid sometimes…”

Seeing her like that, Glenn felt a gentle warmth settle over him.

Guess I’ll let her stay like this for a bit.

A faint smile crossed Glenn’s lips… and then—

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!?”

A shrill, bewildered girl’s voice echoed through the cave.

“Wh-wh-wh-wh-what are you two doing!?”

At the cave’s entrance stood three familiar figures.

Sistine, Rumia, and Re=L.

“Geh… Y-you guys, why are you here…?”

Caught off guard by their sudden appearance, Glenn’s face twitched, his body freezing.

Before him…

“We were so worried, searching desperately to catch up…! And when we get here, you’re with Professor Arfonia, doing—th-that’s unfair—I mean, that’s the worst!”

Sistine’s face flushed crimson as she flailed in a panic, shrieking.

“A-awawawa… S-so that’s what’s going on… That’s how it is…”

Rumia, equally red, covered her face with both hands, though her fingers parted just enough to peek at Glenn and Celica.

“Are Glenn and Celica practicing grappling or something? But why are they naked?”

Re=L, the only one unfazed, tilted her head curiously, her eyes half-lidded.

Glenn, as if giving up, mentally reviewed their situation.

He and Celica were both bare from the waist up, though they wore undergarments below. Their lower halves were tucked under a single towel blanket, hiding their undergarments, so to an outsider, it might look like they were completely naked and embracing.

In this position, sitting up and pressed close together, Celica even held one arm over her ample chest as if shyly covering herself.

To someone unaware of the context, what would this look like? Re=L might be too innocent to care, but Sistine and Rumia, at their age, would surely—

“This totally looks like post-whatever! Thanks for nothing!”

Glenn covered his face with his palm, letting out a massive sigh.

“You’re the WORST! The worst, worst, worst, WORST!”

Sistine, eyes spinning, stormed toward Glenn, yelling at the top of her lungs.

Her shouts echoed painfully in the narrow cave.

“I said it’s not like that! Just calm down and listen—”

“Shut up, shut up, shut UP! You idiot, idiot, IDIOT!”

“Awawawa… Th-that’s what adults… adults do… A-ahh…”

“Hey. Why are you naked? Why?”

As usual, Glenn and the others descended into chaos.

Amid the familiar commotion, Celica’s lips curved into a faint, subtle smile.

“…Thank you, Glenn. I’m really glad you’re here.”

Murmuring softly, Celica began to dress in the clothes that had dried by the fire.

Some time later.

After clearing up various misunderstandings, the uproar finally settled.

The group sat around the campfire, facing each other.

“…Come to think of it, didn’t we give each other magic transmitters in case someone got lost?”

Glenn, now fully dressed, stared into the flickering flames, grumbling.

In his hand, he toyed with a gem-shaped magic transmitter.

“I’m sorry, Sensei. We wanted to come get you sooner, but… after that, we got caught in a whiteout…”

“Yeah. Couldn’t move an inch, so we made an igloo and rested.”

Rumia apologized sheepishly, while Re=L added matter-of-factly.

And then—

“…So, what do we do now?”

Sistine, still visibly sulky, spoke sharply, her tone prickly.

The pressing issue they needed to address was their next course of action.

Sistine had thrust that reality before the group.

“We can’t stay here too long, you know? We need to defeat the Silver Dragon as soon as possible. …Plus, staying in a place like this puts our chastity at risk, doesn’t it?”

She shot Glenn a pointed glare, her words dripping with implication.

“I already explained it was a misunderstanding, didn’t I… Damn it.”

Glenn sighed, scratching his head.

“B-but… what do we actually do, Sensei…?”

Rumia, forcing a vague smile, tried to move the conversation forward.

“I’ve been checking the map, but… the avalanche swept us pretty far. From this position, heading to the summit would mean taking a massive detour due to the terrain…”

“Yeah, I know. It’s a huge time loss. By the time we reach the summit, White Town might literally be wiped out, no joke.”

Glenn gnashed his teeth in frustration.

“Tch, we survived, but… we ended up in one hell of a remote spot.”

“Right… Is this an old mine shaft or something?”

Sistine murmured, looking around the cave’s interior.

“To think there’d be an artificial cave in a place like this…”

“Well, let’s get out of this gloomy place ASAP. The problem is…”

As Glenn started to speak—

“Everyone’s already pretty exhausted. If we leave here and head for the summit, we’ll be even more tired.”

Re=L, picking up on his thought, interjected quietly.

“If we get any more tired… we probably won’t beat that dragon. I’m sure of it. …Just a hunch.”

Even without Re=L’s instincts as a natural-born fighter, everyone vaguely understood.

What could they do? As they hesitated, precious time and dwindling resources bled away moment by moment.

They were cornered. A heavy silence weighed on Glenn and the others.

Then, abruptly—

“…Th-this place…? No… It can’t be…”

Celica, who had been staring into the cave’s depths, suddenly stood.

“…Celica?”

Ignoring Glenn’s words, Celica drifted toward the cave’s depths.

…As if drawn by something.

“Oi… Where are you going? If you go too far in…”

“No way… Do I… know this place…?”

“Huh?”

“And… someone’s calling me…?”

Muttering incomprehensible things, Celica walked deeper into the cave.

“…Alright, you guys, get ready to move. …We’re following her. Something’s off.”

“Y-yes…”

Glenn and the others hurriedly packed their things, put out the fire, and chased after Celica.

Celica walked deeper into the cave.

Relying on the faint magical light at her fingertips, she moved steadily forward.

(What is this…? These memories resurfacing in the corner of my mind… What are they?)

As she walked, urged forward by some impulse, Celica’s heartbeat quickened.

Looking at the cave’s interior, strange images had been flashing through her mind, shifting scenes repeatedly.

They weren’t like the fleeting glimpses of her past she’d seen in dreams, shrouded in fog.

(It’s like… someone else’s dream is flowing into me… Like I’m being forced to see someone else’s dream… What’s going on?)

In the memories flooding her mind… an unfamiliar version of herself walked through this cave with someone else, heading deeper.

(I don’t understand… Did I, long ago, pass through this cave with someone…?)

Now, Celica’s eyes saw a vision of herself and that someone walking toward the cave’s depths. Drawn to their backs, she chased after them.

A few meters ahead, the phantom of herself… wearing a black robe she’d never seen.

Beside her was a girl.

A young girl in white garments, whose attire vaguely resembled the costume Celica had worn as the Silver Dragon in the earlier dedicatory dance.

And, through instinct rather than logic, Celica’s soul sensed it.

This phantom memory she was seeing… it was likely the young girl’s dream.

She and this girl must share some deep connection.

Walk, walk, keep walking.

Chasing the phantoms of herself and the girl, Celica pressed on.

“Oi, Celica. Seriously, what’s wrong with you…?”

Glenn’s slightly irritated voice, trailing behind, didn’t reach her.

She pursued the phantoms relentlessly.

This was likely an old abandoned mine shaft. The path branched complexly—right, left, right again.

Deeper into the mine. Further and further.

Guided by the magical light at her fingertips, she kept going.

…How long had she walked?

Suddenly, the cramped view opened wide.

“This place…!?”

Behind her, Glenn and the others gasped in surprise.

It was a circular chamber made of stone masonry. Several pillars, etched with intricate patterns, towered upward, and the ceiling was swallowed by darkness so high it seemed nonexistent.

There was no mistaking it—this chamber was—

“No way!? An ancient ruin…!? In a place like this…!?”

For a moment, Sistine let out a cry filled with both shock and elation, but—

“Hii—!?”

The next instant, her face paled, and she fell silent.

“…What the hell. This is grim.”

Glenn grimaced, groaning.

Rumia covered her mouth, swallowing hard, while Re=L silently scanned their surroundings warily.

The circular chamber was littered with countless mummified corpses, shriveled and desolate.

And, judging by the distinctive triangular white hoods and white robes they wore…

“The Silver Dragon Cult? Are they all… members of the Silver Dragon Cult…?”

“…”

Ignoring the gruesome scene, Celica advanced toward the chamber’s center.

At the center stood a massive, pyramid-shaped altar, with stairs on its front slope.

The phantom Celica saw—herself and the girl—stood at the altar’s summit, having climbed those stairs.

Silently, Celica ascended the steps, one by one… until she reached the top.

There, the phantom girl knelt, hands clasped as if in prayer… while the phantom Celica held some kind of “key.”

The two phantoms seemed to exchange words, but their meaning was lost.

Then, the phantom Celica plunged the “key” into the girl’s chest.

The “key” sank into her body, absorbed completely.

“—!?”

Celica’s eyes widened in shock as the girl, pierced by the “key,” began to transform.

Silvery scales sprouted on her arms with a crackling sound. Her face twisted in agony, while the phantom Celica smirked…

And then, without warning… the vision vanished without a trace.

Celica’s eyes saw nothing more.

“Oi, Celica… Are you really okay?”

Glenn, who had rushed up the stairs, stood beside her.

“What the—?”

He glanced at the altar’s center.

There, scattered across the surface, were skeletal remains, mummies… and shards of shattered ice.

“Oi, this is Eternal Ice Crystal, isn’t it? I can feel sealing magic… If it’s broken like this, does that mean something was sealed here?”

Glenn picked up a fragment of the ice, frowning as he pieced together the situation.

“But… what could it have been…?”

At that moment…

“Glenn.”

Celica, still facing away from Glenn, muttered softly.

“What’s up?”

“I haven’t remembered everything yet. In fact, most of my lost past is still shrouded in a white fog. But… I think I’ve got a vague sense of who I am.”

Hearing Celica’s solemn murmur, Glenn’s expression stiffened.

For a while, a strange silence hung between them.

Unsure of what to say, Glenn stood there, bewildered.

“…Heh.”

Celica, still facing away, let out a small laugh.

“…Celica… I, uh, I mean…”

“Hey, what’s with you, Glenn? Don’t get all sentimental on me. What’s with that reaction? …Who I am doesn’t matter to you, right?”

“…”

“Man, though… I’m in a bit of a mess. Seems like I’m an even worse existence than I thought, huh? Haha… I can hardly believe it myself. But…”

Celica spun around.

Glenn couldn’t hide his surprise at her expression. Because—

“It doesn’t matter. I am who I am. No matter who I might be, you and I are family… right?”

That radiant, fearless smile, brimming with confidence—it was the same old Celica standing there.

“Celica…?”

“Plus, didn’t you say you wanted me to become a ‘Mage of Justice’? One so great you’d never catch up to me, no matter how hard you tried? Fine, it’s not really my style, but… I’ll do it. So—”

But that smile, though as bold and strong as ever—

“Please, Glenn. Keep watching over me… until the very end. No matter what happens.”

—was a smile that seemed on the verge of breaking into tears.

“Sensei!”

“Professor Arfonia!”

At that moment, Sistine and the others came rushing up the stairs in a flurry.

Celica quickly turned away, hiding her face from Sistine and the group.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Noticing the strange atmosphere between Glenn and Celica, Sistine tilted her head and asked.

“N-no… it’s nothing…”

Glenn could only manage a vague, clumsy response.

Then—

“Alright, you lot… get ready.”

Celica suddenly spoke up.

“We’re gonna do some dragon slaying, effective immediately.”

“Huh!? What are you talking about, Professor!? We’re in a place like this—”

“The dragon’s over there.”

Celica pointed upward.

Above them stretched an endless darkness, a void where no ceiling could be seen.

“W-what does that mean…?”

“I can feel it. I don’t know why. But I can definitely sense that dragon’s presence. It’s up there… waiting for me.”

As the group stood stunned, Celica snapped her fingers.

Pop! A single, weathered broom appeared—Celica’s magical flight device.

“The past, grudges, sins, fate… I don’t care about any of that anymore. For the sake of you all, who live in the present, I’ll fight. I’m going to slaughter that dragon. …This is my first job as a ‘Mage of Justice.’”

And so—

Celica turned to Glenn and the others, declaring:

“Lend me your strength.”

“Hell yeah, that’s a no-brainer!”

Without hesitation, Glenn and the others nodded.

“…Thank you.”

Celica gazed at them, her eyes narrowing as if she were looking at something dazzling, something she admired but could never quite reach.