Ch.62That Day, at the Imperial Palace (3)

BOOM!

Space exploded as cold air burst in all directions. In a split second, hundreds of spells collided.

Crash…

The imperial palace, boasting its ancient history, collapsed. A pale smoke obscured the space between the two.

“…”

Melina Diviae unconsciously looked around. Olivia’s domain was expanding in size. Screams of those freezing filled the surroundings.

Spring.

Melina learned for the first time that spring could be this cold.

“…my disciple.”

Instead of answering, Olivia responded with magic. It was filled with killing intent, causing Melina to swallow her tears again.

Melina’s golden hair swam through a world dyed pure white.

– Crack!

Ice that was once human burst apart.

Time flowed infinitely slow around Melina. The needles that flew rapidly couldn’t reach her and fell to the ground for the same reason.

“…”

Seeing this, Olivia frowned. But soon, as if it didn’t matter, she fired an even stronger attack than before.

Olivia was a spear, and Melina was a shield.

Three minutes passed like that.

‘…’

The temperature was getting lower. Breath crystallized as soon as it left the mouth and fell to the ground.

Above all, raising mana was overwhelming. Because Olivia had covered all surrounding mana with her own color, Melina had to purify it once every time she raised mana.

‘…At this rate, I’ll definitely lose.’

She hadn’t intended to win. From the beginning, Melina only planned to buy time. If even one more person survived as a result, Olivia’s original sin would be reduced by that much.

But at this rate, she wouldn’t even accomplish that.

Melina’s gaze stopped somewhere. A greatsword split in half lay scattered about.

‘…’

The owner of that greatsword was in the same state.

Kiel Rothschild was the continent’s greatest knight. If he hadn’t hesitated to attack, he wouldn’t have met such a futile end.

Yes, if only he hadn’t hesitated to attack.

Melina saw her own end in Kiel.

But…

At least not now.

Melina activated her ability to its limit. With her precognition ability pushed to the extreme, Melina’s magic became more elegant.

BOOM!

She couldn’t push forward, but she didn’t retreat either.

“…”

Olivia’s brow furrowed a bit more. She hadn’t expected Melina to put up such a fight.

Olivia kept her left hand in place and raised only her right hand to the sky.

– Rumble.

It started with a small noise. If she had paid attention, she could have heard it clearly, but Melina had no energy to focus elsewhere.

– BOOM!

Hundreds of attacks and defenses were exchanged every second. Before long, blood burst from Melina’s nose. Her vision blurred, and her incantation speed began to slow.

‘Mana…’

The limit had been a limit for a long time. She was just enduring with willpower.

A metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. It was because she had bitten her tongue frantically to stay conscious. It was at that moment that the black storm clouds spat out lightning.

– CRASH!

Melina didn’t know what happened for a moment. Everything in front of her flashed white. It felt like her blood vessels were burning and her entire body was being torn apart.

A distant pain washed over her.

“——!”

Just as Melina’s body was about to fall backward, a memory flashed through her mind.

– You must keep the promise…

Promise.

‘Yes, the promise.’

Melina put strength into both feet. Though her body was blackened by lightning, her eyes hadn’t lost their light.

She couldn’t fall yet.

Melina spoke as if spitting blood.

“…Do you remember? The promise you made to me years ago.”

Melina spoke in a gruff voice.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t wait until you told me.”

The sky darkened. Black clouds spat lightning. The ground where Melina stood instantly froze, gripping her ankles. The air remained cold while simultaneously flashing with sharp electrical energy.

In a landscape that seemed on the verge of destruction, Melina simply gripped her staff.

“Mana, I will offer you everything.”

Golden light rose from Melina’s body.

“In return, grant me the truth.”

Like a candle burning brilliantly one last time.

*****

Truth.

The final destination of all mages. The ultimate goal that only those who understand the universe’s myriad phenomena can reach.

In the past, Melina couldn’t even pay the price for a fragment of truth. But now it was different.

She had only one step left. If she paid everything as the price, there was nothing she couldn’t do.

– Whoosh!

The white-dyed world split apart. Thousands of golden streams spread out from Melina.

“…!”

For the first time, Olivia’s eyes widened.

Rumble.

Golden mana flooded in all directions. The pure white world, the cold air, Olivia’s world was being swallowed.

“How…!”

Olivia belatedly drew up mana. Talent, experience… she excelled in every area compared to Melina, but she couldn’t stop the flooding golden waves.

It was a difference in mindset.

Melina had bet everything, while Olivia couldn’t.

That small difference turned the tide of battle.

‘…Just a little more!’

Melina wasn’t in a normal state either. Her body was in a condition that could barely be called a rag. Literally, she was burning her last flame.

Push.

Swallow.

Her eyelids became unbearably heavy. Her head felt like it would burst. Her internal organs felt like they were burning.

‘Endure. I will endure.’

Melina now had only one purpose.

To read Olivia’s ‘time’.

BOOM!

When the world was covered in golden light, everything stopped.

*****

– Step.

In a world where time had stopped, Melina staggered toward Olivia. She fell twice and coughed blood three times.

But she didn’t stop.

“…”

Melina stood leaning against Olivia, who was frozen in place.

The next moment, Olivia’s past unfolded in reverse before Melina’s eyes.

From the massacre at the imperial palace to entering the academy.

‘…’

The ‘past’ Melina had expected wasn’t there.

“…So it wasn’t.”

Melina felt relieved.

“…It wasn’t you.”

She also read the future just to be sure, but nothing changed.

This person had never crossed the timeline.

It felt like a puzzle shrouded in mystery was finally coming together.

“My disciple, Livga, couldn’t have done such a thing.”

Her legs gave out. Her eyes closed. Her breathing slowed.

“…Yes. It couldn’t have been.”

Relieved, Melina collapsed to the ground. She only had a few minutes left.

Melina’s head fell limply.

And then.

Thud!

Olivia caught her master’s body.

“M-Master.”

“…”

An urgent voice.

Contrasting with gentle hands.

At the voice she had longed for so long, Melina slowly lifted her eyelids.

There, Olivia was present.

“…Ah.”

“…”

“I must be dreaming now.”

“The promise, the promise…”

Melina placed her finger on Olivia’s lips. Golden eyes gazed at Olivia.

‘…’

Once again, the past unfolded in reverse.

The difference was that saving the world was the beginning.

– If you take me as your disciple, I will reach the truth in your place, Master.

In that life, Olivia became Melina’s disciple.

– Master.

In the next life too, Olivia became Melina’s disciple.

– Master.

In the next life, and the one after that.

And the next, and the next.

Next, next, next…

For an eternity, Olivia became Melina’s disciple and saved the world.

‘…So this was your secret.’

Melina understood.

Why she had hidden this fact.

“…How kind.”

Despite suffering so much, she worried about her master’s concerns.

“Livga.”

“…”

Melina’s finger brushed Olivia’s eyes.

“I’m sorry for being inadequate. I still haven’t done anything for you… From beginning to end, I’ve only received from you.”

“…”

Melina felt sorry for her tearful disciple. She must have faced countless deaths, and each time she must have grieved like this, making Melina’s heart ache.

How much she must have suffered.

How much it must have hurt.

How difficult it must have been.

How… lonely she must have been.

‘Am I unable to do anything for her this time too?’

There wasn’t much time left.

Sadly, there wasn’t even time for conversation.

‘…Ah.’

One.

There was still one thing.

Melina used her last strength to raise her upper body. Despite Olivia’s desperate attempts to stop her, Melina wouldn’t yield.

Melina raised her head.

And opened her shoulders.

“…!”

To Olivia who bit her lip, Melina gave a bright smile.

A warm breeze blew from somewhere.

It was spring.

[The person maintaining the memory has died.]

[Clue usage is forcibly terminated.]