Even the immortal herself knew not of her own age.

In the sanctum’s open training field, under morning light, Dunnford was sparring against Ray—in very slow motions, using the sanctum’s metal sword.

The wounds which he had received the previous day from the spear-wielder wasn’t deep. Dunnford wasn’t used to the pain—a sensation which he had quite forgotten—but he could move well. Regardless, Ignes had advised him to refrain from heavy movements.

Hence, the slow spar.

This was something I never had the patience for, Dunnford thought.

In the past, whenever Ignes instructed him to slow spar against Kadas, or with anyone else for that matter, the most difficult part was to endure the immense boredom. Him being able to endure it now, to him, meant that he had grown as a person.

‘How long until the matter with the monster worshippers gets settled?’ Ray asked. He winded up for a horizontal sword swing, slowly. He was enduring this spar well.

‘Perhaps a week,’ Dunnford estimated. He believed that once the Hawk squad became active with good order, seeking out the monster worshippers wouldn’t be difficult. Not to mention, if Elaine could figure out the Extinct Formulae Magic, he would gain a big lead.

Ray’s sword was slowly traveling toward Dunnford’s neck. In response, he lifted his sword, preparing to block.

Dunnford’s gaze wandered slightly from the sword and toward Ray, who seemed bothered by his answer.

‘She’s gotten the Stormpiercer—’ Ray meant Freya— ‘and had gone through the skystorm. We might leave Lune tomorrow.’

Their sword made contact, then Ray pulled back. Slowly.

Dunnford, like Ray, knew that Freya—for reasons unknown—was in a hurry. In Arkef, she had chosen to ignore an audience with the ruler and leave. The possibility of leaving soon is certainly there.

‘I’ll try to speed up the matter.’

Ray nodded.

Dunnford winded up, about to swing the sword diagonally from below.

‘Why do you think she’s in a hurry?’

It’s not a trivial reason, Dunnford thought. Reasons such as boredom or wanting to travel faster didn’t suffice to explain her daringness to challenge the skystorm. ‘Something import—’ Dunnford stopped his slow sword swing— ‘Your nose is bleeding, Master Ray.’

‘Hm?’ Ray remarked. He put his sword aside. With his freehand, he wiped his nose with the side of his knuckle and saw crimson. ‘That’s odd.’

A sudden nosebleed with no obvious cause was concerning.

‘… I’ll check with Ignes.’ Ray excused himself from the slow spar and walked away.

The nosebleed is most likely nothing.

He considered that perhaps Ray’s training with Ignes the day before had been too intense. At times, she would create harsh training regiments, and Dunnford could remember two or three times in the past when his nose bled because of it.

Dunnford shifted his gaze from Ray’s back to the side, observing the Hawk squad who were warming up by swinging their swords. Today, it wasn’t just Brig and Wald, but also other members, though not all.

The incident in the alleyway had become a push for them.

I can’t let them face the spear-wielder, Haze. Dunnford noticed emotions in each of their practice swings: of hatred and vengefulness. Emotions such as those were a two-sided blade in battles. I need to figure a method to fight against him.

For now, he believed that training would help. Thus, he approached the Hawk squad.

‘Dunn-y,’ Brig greeted when she noticed him, not pausing her sword swings.

‘Brig,’ he greeted back. ‘Is there anyone interested to accompany me in a slow spar?’

‘No one. Who even does that?’

Of course, Dunnford thought. Their squad-leader was Kadas; and Dunnford couldn’t imagine him ever growing the patience for slow spar. Only made sense for his attitude to carry down to his squad.

‘… Would it make me stronger?’

‘It will.’ The previous sword saint slow sparred daily. And he was strong.

Brig stopped swinging her sword, then stared toward Dunnford in the eyes. Her crimson eyes were filled with suppressed emotions. None of which he could identify. ‘Then I’ll accompany you.’

‘Let’s.’ They walked away, taking some distance from the Hawk squad. Dunnford lifted his sword once they settled. He then noticed something about his sword.

The blade was chipped.

Dunnford hadn’t realized this deformity during his spar against Ray.

Must have gotten a faulty one, he thought.

***

Inside the darkness, Elaine felt a small finger poking her left cheek.

One poke—two pokes—three pokes—and she finally opened her eyes.

‘She’s alive!’ shouted a child’s voice. Elaine’s eyes were adjusting to the light; and she could see blurred small figures running away from her. She rubbed her eyes, remembered that she had slept in the sanctum’s hall, and was startled upon seeing the morning light.

The day before, she had wanted only to have a quick nap. Her intention was to wake up after the skystorm resided; then sleep back at the inn.

No one woke me up?

Elaine rose on the long bench she had slept on and noticed that someone had wrapped her with a white blanket. She both thanked and cursed the blanket, for its comfort had caused her to oversleep.

Looking up, the large statues of Zen, Zeni, and Zenia seemed to greet her.

‘Forgive the children.’ For a brief second, Elaine had thought the statues spoke to her, but the voice came from behind. She looked over her shoulder to see a woman smiling at her, Ignes, the head of the sanctum. ‘They’re bored of being confined here. And you’ve slept so soundly that they thought you were dead.’

Her head felt light from waking. ‘… Confined?’

‘It’s dangerous for them to be roaming around outside when the matter with the monster worshippers still persist.’ Ignes sat beside her. Her white sanctum uniform clean and pristine. ‘It’s not fun for the children—being stuck here, but their safety comes first.’

Ignes looked up toward the statues; and there was a momentary silence between them.

‘If I could summon Zenia’s sword, then maybe…’ Ignes trailed off, then shook her head. She closed her eyes, placed a hand on her heart, and prayed. Ending with, ‘… I fight for the good of the sanctum.’

After she was done, she looked toward Elaine.

‘Your name is Elaine, right? I had heard from Dunnford. How’s the progress with the Extinct Formulae Magic?’

Elaine had left the matter untouched ever since leaving the alleyway. Currently, she could think of no methods to figure it out save for one; and it wasn’t one with certainty—only possibility. ‘I’ll work on it.’

‘If you could figure it out, it could give us an advantage.’

That sentence frustrated Elaine, because right now she was useless. On her own, she couldn’t figure out the Extinct Formulae Magic. Not without having a hint of its mechanism or rules.

… I’ll confront her seriously this time.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

There were rapid footsteps from the side.

Elaine turned and saw children approaching her. One in the center carrying a bowl of soup, which he offered to her.

‘Keep staying alive, sis!’ he grinned.

Elaine blinked twice, speechless by the hospitality. She accepted the bowl and managed to utter, ‘Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome!’ Then they scrambled away.

‘They’re all good kids,’ Ignes remarked.

From where Elaine was from, the sword worshippers had hated and discriminated mages like her. However, it seemed that not all of them was like that.

This sanctum is different…

Elaine took a spoonful of the soup. It was delicious.

As she ate, Ignes remained a silent companion beside her. Only when Elaine slowed down and was halfway finished, did she talk again. It wasn’t related to the monster worshippers.

‘What do you think about my son?’

Elaine doubted her ears. ‘Pardon?’

‘My son, Vod. The one without expression.’

Oh. She remembered the conflict between Ignes and Vod. In which, he had stood his ground. ‘He has… a strong conviction…?’

‘Stubborn, more like. The stupid kind of stubborn. Then, Zenia just had to push him toward someone whom he could pass the sword saint title to…’ Ignes sighed. ‘… He said he wanted to talk to you once you woke up. Perhaps you caught his interest! If so, please give that Void a proper reply?’

Confused by the situation, Elaine absently nodded.

She couldn’t think of an actual valid reason as to why he wanted to meet her.

***

Freya polished Celeste’s blade with oiled cloth.

She was sitting at a desk, inside the sword saint’s room which now belonged to her. The drawers had had all the things she needed to give Celeste a maintenance.

Once she polished Celeste clean, to the point she could see her own reflection, she lifted the sword up. Giving Celeste another inspection.

The blacksmith was right, Freya hated to admit, the blade is slightly bent.

Right now, Celeste was only holding together because it was made of altune, an enduring material for shields, and because of the durability enchantments that had been placed.

If Celeste was strained beyond its now-lowered breaking point, Freya believed that it would shatter to pieces.

The thought of replacing Celeste was one Freya didn’t want to consider. To her, Celeste was her partner. However, using the damaged Celeste in battles could prove to be dangerous.

I’ll have to get a new sword whether I’d like to or not.

Until then, however, she would continue being with Celeste.

Knock. Knock.

The door sounded.

‘Come in,’ Freya said.

A young woman with long blue hair entered the room, none other than Elaine.

‘Good morning, Elaine.’ Freya sheathed Celeste.

‘Good morning, Freya.’

Freya stood up from where she sat, offering the wooden chair to Elaine, and moved to the bed.

‘Had a good sleep?’

‘The bed was comfortable and the room pleasant. How about you?’

‘I slept on a long bench inside the hall.’

‘… Did you have a good sleep though?’

‘The children thought I was dead. I’m guessing I did.’

‘Good to hear.’

Silence hung.

There was something Freya wished to discuss with Elaine, however, since she had come into the room, Freya assumed that Elaine came with a purpose other than making small talks. Thus, she remained quiet, allowing her to begin.

The silence persisted.

Finally, ‘I need your help. Mind if I use the desk?’

‘Go ahead.’

Elaine pushed away the things for sword maintenance to the edge of the desk, creating space for a scroll which she only now revealed and opened. ‘I need your help with a Formulae Magic.’

Freya stood and looked. She noticed nothing odd about it. ‘Help with what?’

‘Figuring out what it does.’

‘It negates magic.’

Elaine turned to look at her, eyes wide. ‘How do you know?’

‘It’s what’s written.’

‘How do you know how to read it? This is Extinct Formulae Magic; they’re referred to as such because no one could read it. Yet, you read it so simply. How??’

This again.

Throughout the journey toward Lune, due to the one-time Freya had helped Elaine with breaking Dunnford’s seal, she had been persistent in asking her how to read those. However, Freya didn’t exactly know how she read it. It came naturally to her; and she simply just knew what it meant.

‘I don’t know, Elaine.’

‘You don’t know? Or is it just another secret that you’re hiding?’

“Another”? Freya could only assume one of her secrets got out; and she could guess which.

‘I was baffled when Vod said he wanted to meet me. More so when he asked: “What is she cursed with?”’

Freya placed a hand on her shoulder. I should have asked him to keep it a secret.

Now that its presence had been revealed, there wasn’t much she could do to hide it. Thus, reluctantly, she pulled the collar of her shirt down, revealing her chest, and showing to her the curse.

It was an ominous incomplete circle at the center of her chest, pitch-black for it was condensed with Formulae Magic, and had the resemblance of a clock.

Elaine stared at the curse with disbelief. ‘… Does Ray and Dunnford know about this?’

‘No.’

‘You told this secret to someone you just met, but not to the people you’re close with?’

‘I was drowning, someone compressed my chest, and the curse happened to be visible to them.’

‘This was the reason as to why you went to Arkef; and why you’re in a hurry, isn’t it? You’ve been carrying it and had all the time to reveal it, yet you never did.’

‘I didn’t want to weigh you down.’

‘No.’ Elaine made a sad smile. ‘It’s because I’m useless, aren’t I?’

No, it’s because if this secret is revealed, it could lead to the whole truth might coming out. The truth that I’m just a soul pulled to this body by magic. ‘I had intended to reveal it and ask for your help once we reach Malegonia.’

‘…’

Her legs weak, Elaine finally sat down on the chair. She placed a palm on her forehead and closed her eyes. This matter must have given her a headache.

‘What happens if that curse becomes a complete circle?’

‘It’ll kill me.’

Her eyes widened. ‘How much time do you have left?’

When Freya started her journey, it was about three months. However, that was only an estimate. Better to assume that she had lesser time to get rid of the curse. ‘Around two months.’

‘Two months?! If it’s that short, then why didn’t you…’ Elaine trailed off, let out a grumble, leaned back on the chair, and placed another palm on her forehead. Freya appreciated the fact that she was stressed and worried for her. ‘When are we leaving to Malegonia?’

That was the matter Freya wanted to discuss. ‘I was about to tell everyone. It’s today.’

‘That’s… faster than my expectations. I’ll relay the information about Extinct Formulae Magic to Dunnford, tell him and Ray about our departure, and prepare.’ Elaine stood up, but before leaving she asked, ‘Is that all? The secrets.’

‘That’s all,’ Freya lied. There’s still the secret that I’m not the Freya you know.

‘Alright.’ Elaine, in a hurry, left the room.

Once she was gone, Freya fell onto the bed on her back.

That I’m just someone without identity.