A line is drawn marking the boundary showing that the barrier is spread out just one step behind me.

As I gazed at it for a moment, I swallowed and stepped back, moving out of the barrier once more.

Then, I took a step forward again, returning to the spot where I had just been.

But I felt nothing.

Nothing at all.

“…I really feel nothing at all.”

Realizing that I could now pass through the barrier without any hindrance, I muttered to myself absentmindedly.

The memory of the terrifying sensation from when I first passed through the barrier was still vivid in my mind.

It had felt like a voice was telling me that I wasn’t allowed to enter the city.

Yet now, nothing was stopping me from entering the city anymore.

I had officially become someone permitted to step foot in the city!

“How could I truly feel nothing…?!”

What a moving event this was.

I was so overcome with emotion that I was bouncing joyfully back and forth through the barrier with a beaming smile.

I soon noticed people looking at me with a mix of pity and affection, and feeling embarrassed, I quickly stopped.

…But being excited was not wrong! I was genuinely happy!

Anyway, as I was savoring the moment of being able to pass through the barrier, I sensed someone else nearby was just as ecstatic as I was.

“I had a feeling the witch could pass through the barrier with no resistance… but this is really…”

The voice belonged to Dwight.

He seemed quite impressed by my ability to cross the barrier, his voice filled with excitement as he asked Teacher Eve about the magic behind it.

“Teacher… Could you please explain what kind of magic that was in a bit more detail…?”

“Oh, that? That’s a hidden device I placed in the barrier for when a witch friendly to humans appears later. As I mentioned before, it’s magic that distinguishes and allows passage based on magical energy—”

“What we and the principal needed was that we are descendants of Aegis and Viola, right? This magic only activates in those who bear that bloodline. The need for our consent was likely to prevent misuse—”

As Dwight chatted with the teacher about magic, he seemed to suppress something, letting out a faint grunt.

“But there’s something I need to investigate… Damn, if it weren’t for that, I’d be researching this right now…”

Dwight wore a look akin to a child who was told by his mother that they had to wait for dinner while delicious snacks were right in front of him. He sighed heavily and expressed his disappointment.

“I wish I could talk about this all night, but it seems I’ll have to do it later. Teacher, I have something to do, but could you tell me more about this magic later…?”

“Sure. Since you’re a descendant of Viola, I’d be happy to share anything I can.”

After receiving the promise from the teacher, Dwight turned his head toward me.

Our eyes met, and Dwight greeted me with a faint smile, reminiscent of the night he helped me escape.

“I’m glad to see you again. It might seem a bit late to say this now, but anyway, welcome back.”

That greeting struck me again, reminding me that I had returned to the city, and I felt a lump in my throat as I received it.

“…Thank you.”

“I’d love to share in the joy of our reunion, but unfortunately, I have some pressing matters. I think I should go first today. Sorry about that.”

Best gifts for your loved ones

 

I shook my head with a smile at Dwight’s apology.

“What do you have to apologize for? We can see each other anytime now.”

“…I see. Well then, let’s meet again.”

It seemed Dwight had important matters to attend to as he quickly mentioned seeing me later and moved to leave.

“…Oh right, I have a favor to ask.”

He suddenly stopped and turned back as if recalling something.

“A favor? I’ll help with anything reasonable. You’ve done a lot for me too.”

I nodded eagerly at his words.

Then Dwight, with an unusually earnest look in his eyes, made a request.

“Really?! Then could I study your body a bit later? After hearing from the teacher, I simply can’t suppress my curiosity about the relationship between a witch’s physique and magical energy.”

“Uh… w-well, okay? I-I have no problem with—”

I was slightly flustered and tried to nod, but—

“No! That sort of request is something I cannot permit as the one in charge of Scarlet’s protection!”

I was immediately stopped by Sylvia.

“W-What, Sylvia…? I’m okay with it—”

“It’s not okay! Scarlet has to treat her body with more care! It’s not something anyone can just mess with, you know!”

Honestly, I thought it would be fine, but it seemed Sylvia didn’t feel the same way.

Hmm… Sylvia was right; the body of a witch could indeed pose a risk if mishandled.

I could only agree with her statement about treating it with care.

“Is that so… then it can’t be helped…”

Conveying this thought, Dwight made a disappointed expression before leaving.

As I watched him go, Sylvia approached me and asked Teacher Eve.

“Teacher, there’s nothing more Scarlet needs to do now, right?”

“Yeah. My main goal was to let Evande in through the barrier, so I’ve done everything I needed to.”

Teacher Eve shrugged her shoulders as if to say she was done, since she had let me through the barrier.

Then Sylvia held my hand, acting as if she had something else to attend to.

“Well then, Scarlet, let’s head to our home for now.”

“Home…? Our home…?”

“Of course, Astra’s mansion.”

With such certainty, Sylvia referred to Astra’s mansion as my home, causing me to feel momentarily taken aback until I remembered that she was my caretaker and supervisor.

Thinking about it, it made sense that I should be staying at the mansion.

But that was one thing, and going straight there was another.

As I pondered this, I glanced at the kids clustered together behind me and said to Sylvia.

“Um, Sylvia…? I thought we might have a small gathering with the kids as a celebration for my return.”

“…But just like you told Dwight earlier, you can see them anytime now, right? I heard they were up all night asking people around to gather for you, so let’s have them rest today and meet up next time.”

Sylvia’s words made me realize something.

Come to think of it, they all mentioned they were asking people for help all through the night for me.

Though, when I looked at them, they seemed like they were just fine and not too tired at all.

Just as I was about to express my thoughts to Sylvia, I couldn’t help but change my mind and decide to follow her to the mansion after she added one more thing.

“…Yoon Si-woo is at our mansion right now.”

The very first person I needed to see was there.

I briefly conveyed my excitement about reuniting with the kids and told them we’d properly catch up next time before following Sylvia to Astra’s mansion.

“You can use the room you used to stay in before, Scarlet.”

Coming back to Astra’s mansion after a long time felt less strange and more familiar since it was a place I used to stay.

To be honest, I wasn’t in a situation to be concerned about that.

Since the moment I had heard from Sylvia, my mind was filled with a single thought.

“…Is this it?”

“…Yes, this is the room where Yoon Si-woo is.”

It seemed like, considering my feelings, Sylvia guided me directly to the room where Yoon Si-woo was.

However, as I grabbed the doorknob to the room where Yoon Si-woo was, I felt my body freeze.

There, in front of me, was Yoon Si-woo.

He had saved me and lost consciousness as a result.

In that moment, guilt and fear surged over me.

“…”

Yet, I couldn’t just run away.

I needed to see with my own two eyes the state of the one who sacrificed for me.

So, I gathered my trembling hands and pushed the door open.

The moment I saw Yoon Si-woo lying on the large bed inside the room,

“Ah…”

A sigh escaped my lips without me even realizing it.

I wanted to deny it.

His skin was so pale.

He lay there on the bed, connected to various devices, utterly lifeless – he looked like a half corpse.

No, it can’t be true…

“Ah… ugh…”

I approached him, staggering as I sought to deny what I saw.

But the moment I looked down at his face lying there, I could no longer contain my sobs.

It was an all too familiar face to deny.

“Ahh… Yoon, Si-woo… Yoon Si-woo……”

I cried out his name and collapsed right there.

As I knelt down, Yoon Si-woo’s hand came into my view.

I stared at that hand in a daze, and chills spread through my entire body.

It was the hand that had always lifted me up.

The hand that had saved me when I was on the brink of despair.

I knew Yoon Si-woo’s hand well.

Yet that once warm and strong hand…

Now felt so cold.

Like someone who was dead.

The contrast created a biting chill that coursed through my hand and my arm, spreading throughout my body.

It was as if the frost from that chill had frozen my lungs, making it hard to breathe.

And in that pain, I realized once more.

What had stripped the warmth from that hand was none other than me.

“Ah… Hooaak… Aaaak…!”

I writhed in agony.

That Yoon Si-woo, who was once so powerful, had become such a pitiful sight.

It was torturous to realize that this was all because of me.

“…Scarlet.”

At that moment, a silvery light enveloped me.

I suddenly found myself quietly embraced by Sylvia, as I trembled under the cold grip of guilt.

Regaining some clarity through her warmth, I stammered a question to her.

“C-Can, Sylvia… Can Yoon Si-woo be okay…?”

“…Honestly, I don’t know,” was her answer.

I watched as she poured her powers, blessed by the World Tree, into Yoon Si-woo.

However, no remarkable change occurred.

“Am I not enough right now…?” I heard Sylvia murmur with frustration.

Could even the miracle that had purified the entire forest thick with magic energy not revive Yoon Si-woo?

As despair began to take hold of me,

“Still, Scarlet.”

I watched as Sylvia placed a pure white dagger beside Yoon Si-woo’s head.

The Holy Sword of Truth, she returned it to Yoon Si-woo as she spoke to me.

“Please don’t blame yourself too much. Yoon Si-woo wouldn’t want that for you.”

Sylvia continued.

If it weren’t for Yoon Si-woo, she wouldn’t have come to help me.

He had protected me, even enduring the state he was in, still guarding me.

And because of that, I nodded in agreement with what Sylvia said.

“…Okay, I won’t overthink this anymore.”

Saying this, I looked at Yoon Si-woo’s hand.

I looked at the hand that held his.

My hand was fine.

It was warm, and my fingers moved well.

“…I won’t just wallow in self-pity.”

Everything was possible because Yoon Si-woo protected me.

I recalled the miraculous experiences I’d had recently.

Even becoming the best of friends with Sylvia.

Having people recognize me and ultimately, me being able to accept myself.

All of it was because you protected me.

“…Thank you, Yoon Si-woo.”

Whenever there was a difficult time,

“Thank you for saving me.”

Yoon Si-woo had saved me.

“Thank you for protecting me.”

Yoon Si-woo had stood by my side.

“You are my hero.”

Yoon Si-woo was my hero.

Thus, I swore.

“…Just wait for me a little longer.”

The one who saved me.

The one who protected me.

“I’ll save you.”

Now, I would become your hero.

I swore to protect the world where you exist.

“No matter what happens.”

I would surely.

*

“Scarlet…”

The next morning.

Having held onto Yoon Si-woo’s hand all night, Sylvia approached me with an astonished expression.

“What’s wrong, Sylvia?”

“Well, you see…”

When I asked what was wrong, she said there was a suspicion of someone committing treason.

It was such a grave matter that an inquiry was to be held regarding it.

Of course, it was startling news, but seeing Sylvia with such a serious face prompted me to ask for more details.

“…Is it true?”

“Yes…”

I couldn’t help but be as astonished as she was.

The subject accused of committing such treason?

That subject was none other than…

“…The Dolos House.”

One of the three great houses in the city and the house of Florene.

The name was Dolos House.