"What exactly are you sorry for? It's not like you killed me or anything."

"I know, but I feel like I'm partially responsible for not realizing this and for pushing you to become a Weaver."

"Well, I was going to become a Weaver, whether I knew you or not. And once again, I ask, how would you have known?"

"...You're right. I know nothing about fractured souls. Not right now at least, but I don't think I have anything about them hidden away by my memory fog, either. It's just, I wish I did."

"So I take it you wouldn't know any method of slowing the decay of my soul?"

"Any medicine or alchemical solution to do with the soul is not only impossibly difficult to create but expensive as well."

"Not what I asked."

Syn sighed. "No, I wouldn't know of any way to slow the decay of your soul."

"Entering Kuthbay's Athenaeum only gets more and more enticing by the minute."

"It appears so."

As Aleister stood in silence, he realized that back at the dojo, when his soul fought against the divine anima, it increased in size. Knowing this, he summoned the Fool Arcana into his hands. It appeared normal to him, but as he slid his fingers across it, the card was thicker than he remembered. With a bit of force, he pushed against it and revealed another blank black card.

Small amounts of white color appeared and unraveled the mystery behind it. Somehow, without his knowing, he increased his step from Initial to Intermediate. As for the card itself, it was grimly apt. The white-colored the entire card except for the text at the bottom and the image in the middle. Death—represented by a black rose.

Aleister smirked as he turned his head. "That's quite eerie, isn't it?"

"Peculiar is what I would call it," Syn said, a pensive look still spread across her face. "I'm more shocked at the speed with which you ranked up."

"Why?" Aleister asked. "The reason I did is quite obvious, isn't it?"

"It is, but that means shortening your life."

"I don't get a choice in the matter and even if I did, I would still choose it. After everything, I became a Weaver, and there's no way I would change that. I chastised Malozar at the time, but I share very similar feelings. I've already become one and there's no way back. So, if I am to die, then I can't go out without a whimper. Besides, I can't leave you hanging by not progressing with the contract."

Syn forced a smile.

"Speaking of, once I die, what will happen to you?"

"So not only are you planning your funeral, you're also planning mine?"

Aleister rested his hand on his face and shook his head. "So my death will also cause yours? Then, why are you the sorry one? I should be sorry."

"As you said, it's not something you could have controlled. So don't worry about it. Maybe the contract will have a way to extend your life, or perhaps you'll discover some secret by studying the arcane?"

"Studying the arcane made much more sense when I knew I had more time on my hands. Same with alchemy."

"Can you not bring down the mood even further?"

"Sorry. However, this changes things. Since I will continue to leak and absorb anima without any effort on my part, I can dedicate myself to both topics even further. I guess that's the one benefit. I have less time overall, but that time is able to be used more efficiently."

Archbishop Vy exited from the room he walked into. His hair had been disheveled and a layer of moisture and sweat built up along the top of his forehead. "I might just have exhausted myself, but I swear I heard another voice just now."

"This is my contractor," Aleister said as he pointed to Syn.

"Oh, I offer my condolences to you as well," Archbishop Vy said before turning back to Aleister. He grabbed Aleister's hand and placed the white-collar in it. "I used the rest of my divine anima and cast three rejuvenation spells into it. Whenever some symptoms show up and cause you pain, you can activate the collar and it should lift some of it off for you. And don't worry, I controlled my divine anima to make sure the spells won't cause you pain. It's just that I didn't want to keep you here too much longer, so the effects are a little weaker than normal."

Aleister's eyes widened as he gripped onto the collar. "Thank you."

"No need. Also, since I don't know often, the symptoms will appear, I will create a few spare ones to keep on you."

"Ah, that's quite unnecessary."

"You're wrong. It is very necessary," Archbishop Vy said in a firm voice. "When you find yourself running out, feel free to visit our shrine to let me know at any time. Use it often, but in moderation, because I can only make so many."

"Don't worry, I understand. I already don't know how to thank you for everything you've done for me."

"I don't need your thanks. I'm simply doing that which needs to be done."

"Still, thank you."

"May Sera bless the rest of your night," Archbishop Vy said as Aleister exited his house.