Academy Survival Guide – Side Story 29: Chasing Butterflies (6)
The next morning, when I woke up, Wilhelm—who had risen early—was already preparing breakfast.
Zellan was still in bed, probably sleeping in. She really did seem like an old woman who couldn't do anything on her own without Wilhelm's help.
Lucy and I got up, still feeling drowsy. After greeting Wilhelm, we went to a nearby stream to wash our faces.
Lucy wasn't the type to wake up early in the morning, but perhaps because she fell asleep in my arms, she woke up at the same time that I did.
We stepped outside and enjoyed the early-morning air of the Lamelin Mountain Range. Lucy drifted through the air above the treetops. Even though she had not been back in such a long time, she was still thoroughly familiar with the surrounding terrain.
"I used to run around here when I was young. I would practice wrapping myself with weight-lightening magic as well as gravity magic. When I first came here, I often got lost."
"I guess you weren't that scared, though…"
"Yeah. Glockt had such a large amount of magic power that even I could feel it from far away. All I had to do was follow his magic power to quickly return to the cabin."
She casually spoke about how she had sensed Glockt's magic power since she was a young child.
For anyone who did not already know just how talented Lucy was with magic, it would have sounded like a completely ridiculous story. But at that point, Lucy's skill with magic needed no explanation.
Lucy made her way along the road to the creek by using magic power to jump high in the air.
"I guess you can use your magic power quite easily now. You must have recovered quite a bit," I said.
"Yeah. I can use some beginner magic now. I think I'll be able to try the intermediate magic soon as well."
At first, she was set to recover over the course of four to five years. However, in less than half that time, she was already at a stage where she could try using intermediate magic.
Lucy really was unpredictable when it came to magic.
I washed my face with Lucy as we enjoyed the cool early morning air. After shaking off the excess water on our faces, we sat down for a while. Lucy had taken out a piece of jerky as she munched on it, sitting on a nearby rock.
As I stretched my body, I said, "What do you think of that magician, Zellan?"
"She's weird."
Maybe because she was confident in her answer, Lucy didn't even hesitate to say that. It was how I felt as well. I started to feel that way when we spoke to each other on the way to the Lamelin Mountain Range.
Amputator Zellan always had a smile on her face and spoke in a strangely cheerful manner, but… you could tell that something was eating away at her. In a way, she felt hollow.
I didn't know if it was okay to say as much, but… It wouldn't be strange if she were to die tomorrow. She was that kind of person.
* * *
After finishing a quick breakfast, we began to examine the relics that were left behind in Glockt's underground lab.
Zellan was quite knowledgeable in all forms of magic, but her specialties were magic engineering and magic materials. It was no easy task for someone to analyze the artifacts that the Archmage Glockt made. However, even for Zellan, it was a struggle to understand what each device did and how it worked.
Zellan untied her long hair as she quickly examined everything left in his lab one by one.
Lucy, Wilhelm, and I were next to her. We also began to look through what was left behind.
Looking at everything individually, there were some new and unique designs. It would be difficult to recognize what they were without knowledge of magic engineering, but some of the items Glockt left behind actually weren't based on my pre-existing knowledge of the internal structure of magic power flow in magic devices.
As it was designed by a genius, it only made sense that the infrastructure was completely different. I needed to examine each one carefully as I traced the flow of magic power, like when I first started to study magic engineering.
I felt as if everything I knew about magic engineering was completely useless.
"Definitely… This is not easy…"
An hour later, Zellan also had to take a break. The entire lab was filled with devices and artifacts. However, we were unable to completely understand the structure of even one of the items.
"I need a moment to think about this some more."
Sitting at the dining table in the kitchen, we all had serious looks on our faces. That was because it was much harder to examine Glockt's relics than we thought.
Zelan, who sat in the middle, drank the tea that Wilhelm had served as she spoke up.
"When Glockt was alive, even though he couldn't observe all of the flows of the future like the Great Sage Silvenia could…he could definitely see at least a few of them."
We all knew that much. Glockt was able to use Celestial Magic to some extent thanks to Silvenia. Of course, he was nowhere near her level. That meant he could never fully achieve what she could.
Silvenia might have observed every possibility, as well as the cliff point, but… Glockt was probably only able to look at a few different possibilities at most.
Silvenia may have been able to look as far into the future as she desired, but Glockt would have only been able to see the somewhat near future for a brief amount of time.
Even so, that was an incredible achievement for a magician who used Celestial Magic. After all, the act of twisting the world's providence and controlling the flow of time at will was something that only gods could do.
"So, if we keep examining the artifacts, we will definitely find the one that lets us observe different worlds. But… It would take years to examine each and every one."
The devices that Glockt created were things that only he knew how to use. Current magic engineering theories could only take us so far.
"But we can't spend years here in the middle of the mountains, where it takes more than ten days just to reach…"
"Why don't we take all of the artifacts back to the lab in the lawless region of Kohelton?"
"But it doesn't change the fact that it will still take at least a few years. I don't intend to wait that long."
Wilhelm didn't look all that happy about seeing Zellan look rather determined. It seemed to him that Zellan was coming up with a radical solution, and his prediction wasn't wrong.
Zellan looked at me and said, "I promised you that I would help you process that artifact if you help me, right? But let's put more money on it."
I was listening.
"I'll give you my lab in the lawless region of Kohelton."
The first to react to that offer was Wilhelm. It was impressive to see just how wide his eyes got as he looked at Zellan in disbelief.
"I was planning on leaving the lawless region of Kohelton after this anyway, so it doesn't mean much to me."
"…What is in your lab?"
"Everything I have studied."
Even Professor Kaleid, who wasn't very kind to others, spoke quite highly of Zellan when he mentioned her.
It was a lab that contained everything she had studied in her entire life.
"If you're the one who uses it, I'm sure that Princess Selah, who is in charge of that region, won't be all that upset. Rather, she might even be happy that you are going all the way to a region she's in charge of. Hahaha!"
Zellan added a joke with a playful expression on her face.
"This goes beyond monetary value. Wilhelm knows it as well, but there are plenty of things in that lab that can change the history of magic engineering as we know it."
"I won't take it," I responded calmly as I put my hands on the table.
Perhaps my answer was completely unexpected, as Zelan was speechless for a moment. While she was quiet, I quickly added on, "Is there a reason you want to give me something as important as that? I don't know how I would be able to repay you."
"I figured you'd answer carefully. Yeah…" Zellan replied with a smile on her face. "I want you to use Celestial magic power on the artifacts in the cellar."
Wilhelm's anxious expression was understandable.
"Without checking the proper use of the items beforehand?"
"Yes. There must be an object there that can observe the possibilities of the past and future. Glockt was serious when it came to studying Celestial Magic."
"What if there's a dangerous tool—"
"That's why I'm offering you my lifelong research."
After hearing that, silence filled the room. I held my breath for a moment as I looked closely at Zellan's expression.
Magic engineering devices should not be used carelessly without knowing their use beforehand. That was a basic rule.
There was a large chance that the item was used for combat or setting a trap. Not only that, but a device that used Celestial magic power… It was impossible to guess what the outcome would be.
"…Why do you want to go that far?" I knew it was a meaningless question. Nevertheless, I can't help but ask. "Didn't you tell me yourself that it was like chasing a butterfly, knowing you would never catch it? Observing a possibility that only may exist… Does it matter to you that much…?"
After saying that, I stopped talking. Zellan was acting as if she didn't care about her current life any longer. She so easily offered to give me every achievement she had throughout her entire life.
It was as if…
"…Please tell me what you're thinking."
She didn't speak.
"If you are going to stay silent until the end, I will just have to say what I assume."
Zellan. The magician who challenged the taboo. I didn't know how much those past failures ate away at her heart, but…
The reason why she wanted to observe such a different future…
"If there's a future you want… Are you planning to use your research in Celestial Magic Power to move there?"
Numerous possibilities that diverged into many branches.
Jumping between those branches.
Zellan's ambition was… Much bigger than I first thought.
Silence fell between us.
She would first have to observe the future before deciding where to jump. The start of Zellan's grand plan… It was observing. As it was going to become a world that she would leave behind, all of her research in our world was meaningless to her.
That was why she was so willing to hand over all the research she had, which was worth an incredible amount of money.
"…Actually, I already identified which magic engineering device will help me observe the future." Zellan began to tell the truth. "I'm not completely sure that my plan is even possible. In fact, this is nothing more than a guess. I don't know how it will affect the other branches."
"…You're saying that you are able to move to another branch?"
"In theory, it's impossible. That's because of the basics of magic power theory. Even if you use an incredible amount of magic power in this world, if there's no medium to accept that magic power in the other branch, it is impossible to achieve anything… Still, I want to try everything I can."
Zellan spoke quietly. She felt strangely weak and dejected compared to her usual bright self. It was as if she were a type of powder that would scatter away in the wind.
"So, can't you help this old lady with her final wish? Everything I can give you…is yours… After all, it won't mean anything to me anyway." Zellan, who has wandered the world for 140 years in misery, had one final wish. "Help me go to a world where I didn't slaughter the non-humans…"
Zelan struggled to speak as she squeezed out her trembling voice. Then there was a moment of silence.
I realized that it was a dangerous request, and there was no guarantee that Glockt's relic could even be properly used. Not only was it dangerous for her, but it was dangerous for me as well. Nevertheless, seeing Zellan, who was usually so bright, act like that…made me feel strange on the inside.
In terms of research, it wasn't difficult to help her, and the reward that came with helping her was tremendous. I thought to myself… What do I have to lose?
"Alright," Lucy, as if she had read my mind, replied.
Lucy and I were the only ones who could use celestial magic power in the room.
"…We'll help you," Lucy answered in a firm voice as she sat in my lap, her head buried in my chest.
-x-X-x-
Side Story 30: Chasing Butterflies (7)
A large magically engineered device was placed on the ground before the cabin.
Zellan said that after looking at its internal structure, she believed that it was most likely the device that Glockt had made to observe other worlds. Zellan, Wilhelm, Ed, and Lucy all stood around it without saying a word.
"In theory, it's less likely that something will go very wrong. After all, we are just observing another world. There are few chances for things to go south," Ed Rothstaylor said to Lucy with a serious expression on his face.
Even though Lucy was capable of Celestial Magic power herself, she was unable to use it at that moment. That was why they had to rely on Ed Rothstaylor to gather his own Celestial Magic power.
Once he gathered his magic power, Lucy would be the one to use it. After all, no one in the world was better than Lucy when it came to utilizing magic power.
"Magic power must have an innate reaction with something else. Given that there shouldn't be anything in that world capable of reacting to our world's magic power, nothing bad should occur."
Zellan agreed with Ed. However, the problem was just how much Celestial magic power was necessary.
"If you feel like the device is taking too much of your magic power, stop right away. I don't want to go so far as to sacrifice you two," said Zellan in a serious tone.
Ed and Lucy stood in front of the large device, nodding their heads. The device was about half the size of them and covered with all sorts of gears and springs. Ed placed his hand on a part that appeared to intake magic power, then he slowly gathered his dark red Celestial Magic power.
"That's…Celestial Magic power…"
Maybe because it was the first time he had seen Celestial Magic power in person, Wilhelm had his eyes wide open as he watched. After all, it was rare for a regular person to ever see Celestial Magic in person.
Ed drew Celestial Magic power out of his body, letting it swirl through the air. Since the Velbrok subjugation, he had been studying and training in Celestial Magic quite regularly. He had already reached the point where he could handle intermediate Celestial Magic with ease.
Ed gently closed his eyes as he concentrated on gathering the Celestial Magic power into one point.
Lucy, who was holding his sleeve, raised her other hand as she absorbed the magic power. Lucy concentrated on slowly gathering all of Ed's magic power. She then focused on the magic engineering device to help properly guide the magic power toward the internal circuit.
Lucy, who had grasped the complex internal structure of the device, was able to properly guide the magic power through the device without much difficulty.
The crystal ball at the center of the device slowly began to glow.
Clunk, clunk…
Fwoosh…
Something was happening.
Different worlds full of possibilities stretched out into the hundreds and thousands. A magic engineering device that made it possible to observe a single point within the endless sea of possibilities…
Created by the genius Glockt Elderbane. 'A World Observer.'
Then…the dark red magic power exploded. The device continued to run as the area around them was covered in darkness.
"Keugh!"
"This…this is…!"
It was impossible to observe every world. They could only observe the worlds the magic power could actually reach. And among those reachable worlds… was the one Zellan wanted there at all?
It went without saying, but if they weren't able to observe it, it was impossible to ever go to. Ed and Lucy were both aware of the fact that there was a high chance the world Zellan wanted didn't exist.
A world where Zellan didn't slaughter the non-humans.
Even if there was, the point of change where that would have occurred would be too far in the past.
The two of them were nowhere near as good at Silvenia in handling Celestial Magic power, and the amount they had was much less… It was impossible for them to observe a world so far in the past.
Still, in order to not have any regrets in fulfilling Zellan's final wish. the two accepted her request. In the darkness, Lucy and Ed held hands tightly as they slowly opened their eyes.
And…in front of them was a scene that showed different worlds and time periods—something that only Silvenia and Glockt would have seen before.
It felt as though they were floating in darkness.
However, what they saw in front of them was like a long line…that was full of countless worlds. It was impossible to see where the line started and ended. Only the Great Sage Silvenia was capable of such a feat.
It was like a large gum tree with countless branches stemming from it. A large river that broke out into countless streams. What was certain was that they were only seeing a small fraction of something incredibly large. There were countless worlds to observe but seeing them all would mean dedicating the rest of their lives to observing them.
And even then, it was only a fraction of what was possible.
The possibilities and changes in a timeline created countless worlds, numerous crossroads based on individual choices that spread out forever.
Then, they suddenly saw a future that continued to stretch out. The 'Cliff Point'… They couldn't see it…
The point where everything came to an end… maybe it was just because they couldn't see it from where they were, or maybe they had managed to overcome it…
It was hard to say, but…
"Let's head back and tell Zelan that the world she wanted isn't here." At that moment, Lucy whispered into Ed's ear. Even though they hadn't gone down to observe a single world yet, Lucy spoke to him clearly. "Doing that… I think it would be best for that old magician."
Ed understood why Lucy quickly accepted Zellan's request.
What was lost was lost.
People needed to move past what they had already lost and embrace the new things life brought their way. That was the point of living.
Lucy was well aware of that fact. An old professor who was unable to overcome the pain of loss, throwing his entire life away… She remembered it well. If there really was a world that Zellan wanted… She would surely throw away her entire life to go there.
Before she could even figure out if it were possible or not…she would certainly try.
Just like a stray cat that chased after a butterfly with nowhere else to go, she would spend eternity chasing after something she would never catch.
That was why Lucy intended to shut down that possibility. That way, Zellan would have to find a new reason to live in her own world. From the start…Lucy had no plans of observing any other worlds.
It was hard for Ed to disagree with Lucy's decision. If he wanted to, he would be able to obtain the research Zellan had been working on all her life. Either way, she was going to leave the lawless region of Kohelton.
But…what was more important was finding a new reason for her—someone who had already lost all will to live in the world any longer—to live.
Ed nodded his head.
"Yeah… I agree with you…"
While the two of them felt as if they were floating in the air, Ed quietly agreed with Lucy, saying, "Let's finish up then."
…But the moment he said that…
Whoosh!
It all happened in an instant.
Two different worlds shouldn't be able to interfere with each other. That was a providence of the world. However, there was a strange magic power emanating from one of the countless branches.
It was impossible to tell what kind of world it was from the outside. There was a bluish magic power that continued to emanate from it… Slowly, it formed into the shape of a large hand, reaching for Lucy and Ed.
It all happened in a flash.
Ed quickly held onto Lucy as he tried to cancel his Celestial Magic power. However, the speed of the hand reaching for them was faster. It was impossible to know what was happening or what would happen.
However, Lucy quickly stood tall as she cast a weak shock spell to push Ed away from her.
Fwoosh!
She didn't know what was happening either, but she knew that Ed would be able to figure it out. As she put her trust in him, the unknown magic power wrapped itself around Lucy.
Ed was pushed aside as he clenched his teeth. He then quickly took something out of his pocket, throwing it at Lucy. It all happened extremely quickly.
Lucy caught what Ed had thrown before she was completely engulfed by the large amount of strange magic power in the shape of a hand.
"Make sure to hold onto it! You have to keep hold of it! Lucy!" Ed shouted desperately towards Lucy.
Lucy suddenly lost consciousness as she felt her body being dragged away by it.
Fwoosh!
Boom!
When Ed opened his eyes, the only thing in front of him was the field in front of the cabin, which was now a mess. It seemed that there was a small explosion due to the device. On the other side, Ed could see Zellan and Wilhelm struggling to stand back up after being pushed aside by the explosion.
Ed stood up and looked around. He then frowned.
Lucy Mayreel…was nowhere to be seen…
"Wh-what…?" Zellan's voice trembled, her eyes wide.
Ed quickly shook his head as he said, in a serious tone, "…Please fix the device so I can use it again. I need to get Lucy back quickly—before it's too late."
* * *
Drip. Drip.
The sound of dripping water.
Lucy Mayreel opened her eyes as she heard that noise. She could feel the chill of cold brick flooring against her back. In order to calm herself down, she put her hat back on her head and pushed her hair aside.
There didn't seem to be any injuries to her body. Lucy slowly stood up as she looked around.
It seemed she was inside a half-broken building. However… The building's structure was strangely familiar. It looked like a building she had been to quite a few times before.
Lucy opened her eyes wide as she looked around, quickly realizing the seriousness of the situation. It was theoretically impossible to travel to a distant world that was separate from one's own. That was due to the basic rules of magic power. However, an ominous feeling was felt running down Lucy's back.
As she took another look around the building… She realized why she felt that way. She was in one of the main buildings of Silvenia Academy.
Trix Hall.
However, it was destroyed. It even seemed as if it had been destroyed for years. Weeds were sprouting through the broken marble floor, the old framework already rusty.
There had only been one time throughout history that Silvenia Hall's Trix Hall had been destroyed to such an extent.
The Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok… It was when the legendary dragon had wreaked havoc on Acken Island. However, all of the repairs had been finished and the building was once again functioning as it once had at Silvenia Academy…
But what Lucy was witnessing was a building that had been destroyed for years.
Countless worlds, full of countless possibilities that branched out.
Just what kind of place did Lucy end up in?
Completely left in the unknown, alone, she focused on gathering her confused thoughts. Suddenly…
"Lucy…Mayreel…!"
Lucy heard a voice that she hadn't heard in quite some time. On the other side of the broken outer wall, a girl was coming her way with the moonlight shining on her back.
She wasn't close to the girl, but she hadn't forgotten her either. She was someone who had once fought against Lucy with all her might, only to be defeated.
A top student in Silvenia Academy's Alchemy Department. Elvira Aniston.
"Wh-what…are you doing here…?!"
Lucy turned towards Elvira with drowsy, empty eyes. Lucy remembered Elvira. However, her appearance was a little different from that of the Elvira that Lucy knew. Her long hair had been cut neatly to her shoulders, and she felt a little bit more mature than before as well.
Her outfit… It wasn't Silvenia Academy's uniform, which she always wore. Instead, it was a reddish-brown leather jacket and pants. Aside from the bag she held, there were all sorts of pockets on her jacket that held tools for survival.
She looked like a female warrior in the jungle, one who had lived in the wild for quite some time. Lucy was confused to see that Elvira looked so different. As she organized her thoughts… Elvira spoke first.
"D-don't move…! D-don't even think about it…!" Elvira's reaction was strange. It was as if she had seen a ghost. "Y-you…! Th-three years ago, I'm sure that…"
Lucy completely turned her head as she looked towards Elvira. Even though Lucy had no intention of fighting, Elvira continued to tremble as she clasped her wand tightly.
"Y-You…" Elvira's voice trembled.
Lucy had a lot of questions to ask, but… she figured she should start by asking the most urgent thing that came to mind. She slowly opened her small lips to speak.
"Ed Rothstaylor," Lucy muttered, speaking the name of the man who was Lucy Mayreel's reason to live. "Where is Ed Rothstaylor?"
The Ed of the world she was in, where was he? The most important thing was to find him and explain the situation.
However, Elvira's voice continued to tremble.
"Lucy… Y-You…"
Elvira couldn't stop trembling. Lucy looked elsewhere, frustrated. Behind Elvira, she could see the rest of Acken Island.
Lucy was one to never change her expression. However, when she looked out at Acken Island, she couldn't help but frown. She wrapped magic power around her feet as she walked towards the outside.
Elvira suddenly fell on her butt in surprise as she watched Lucy suddenly step forward. Lucy paid no attention to Elvira as she walked past her, stepping outside of Trix Hall.
Because Trix Hall was built on a hill, from the building you could see the full view of Silvenia Academy. Lucy looked outside at the entire school…but couldn't believe what she saw.
Silvenia Academy was completely destroyed. All that remained were buildings that were utterly destroyed and difficult to recognize. At the center of Acken Island…
As if a giant breath swept through, it was split into two. Acken Island, which was originally one island, had become an archipelago consisting of two large islands. Right Mountain, which occupied the northwest of Acken Island, had been completely blown away.
Since new vegetation had already started to grow over the traces of the battle, it seems that quite some time had passed since the incident.
The traces of a huge magic circle covered Acken Island—no, Acken Islands.
There was a large magic circle that leaked out an ominous dark red magic power. It surrounded the entire islands as if it were trapping them inside.
Lucy had seen that magic power's energy before, but it all happened a long time ago. Back then, the magic circle was barely large enough to cover the education district. Now, it was covering the entire island.
That ominous magic circle… It was the same magic circle used to summon the ultimate dark spirit, Glasskan.
"Elvira! We need to head back to the hideout quickly, before the spirits come out! If you have everything, let's…"
Then, another familiar voice came from above her. She watched another familiar face come down from the upper floors of the destroyed building. He also looked more mature than before, but Lucy still clearly remembered when he was covered in blood, running straight at her.
Clevius of House Nortondale.
He quickly came down to where they were, looking at Lucy. With his eyes wide open, he lifted his sword.
"L-Lucy Mayreel! H-how are you here…?! Y-you definitely…!"
Lucy couldn't answer Clevius' question. That was because she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had to quickly organize her own thoughts first.
Then Elvira, who barely managed to regain her senses and stand back up, shouted at Clevius, "Be careful Clevius! Don't make too much noise or the spirits will wake up!"
"Keuk…! But against her…"
Clevius leaped quickly, landing near Elvira. With Elvira behind him, he raised his sword as he glared at Lucy.
Lucy looked down at Acken Island… She then slowly turned her head back towards Clevius and Elvira.
The smallest of movements Lucy made caused Clevius and Elvira to clench their teeth and tremble in fear. But at that moment…Lucy had to ask just one question.
"Ed Rothstaylor…"
Elvira frowned.
"Ed Rothstaylor… Where is he?"
"Get it together, Lucy Mayreel," Elvira answered her harshly, as if she were grinding her teeth. "Ed Rothstaylor died three years ago while fighting against the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok."
It felt like a bolt of lightning hit her in the gut. Lucy's eyes began to tremble at Elvira's words. Even though she had clearly heard what Elvira had said with her own two ears… She couldn't help but doubt it.
-x-X-x-
Side Story 31: Chasing Butterflies (8)
"I…" Lucy Mayreel opened her mouth slowly. She did not understand why the two of them were reacting with such hostility after seeing her, but she felt she had to explain herself first. "I'm… from a different world. I'm not the version of me you know."
Of course, that alone wasn't enough to convince them to lower their guard. Clevius continued to glare at Lucy with his teeth clenched. He acted as if he didn't believe or understand what Lucy had just said.
"What are you trying to say…?"
Rumble
At that moment, Trix Hall, which was now in ruins, began to shake as if there were an earthquake. Towards the middle of the trembling, a massive explosion occurred as dust rose in the air.
Boom!
Fwoosh!
At the same time as the explosion, a burst of heat shot out. A massive beast whose body was covered in flames stood tall. They all watched the intimidating beast as the dust fell down to the floor.
"Shit! It's a spirit!"
"Hurry and grab your things! If we don't run away now, more will show up!"
The heat that came off of the beast was so strong that a haze started to form around the area. The large beast looked like a mix of a lion and a tiger… It was the intermediate fire spirit, Veltan.
Its loud roar tore down the few remaining outer walls of Trix Hall, which had been barely standing. However, Veltan's appearance was strangely different from what Lucy was familiar with. It also used a dark red magic power and had many bizarre patterns all over its body.
Aside from the explosion it caused, it was protecting its entire body with defensive magic.
Doing all of that at once was beyond the amount of magic power a normal mid-ranking spirit should have been able to use. Something was clearly wrong.
However…it seemed that Clevius and Elvira were used to the spirit's strange appearance.
Booom!
A huge column of fire rose around Veltan. The fire stretched out in all directions, covering the entire area. At that moment, Clevius quickly raised his sword to protect Elvira.
Fwoosh!
Lucy gathered magic power, quickly covering the two of them. Since Lucy knew nothing about what was going on, the coincidental encounter with Clevius and Elvira was her only clue to the world.
Normally, stopping the attack of a mid-ranking spirit was nothing for Lucy. However, she is still unable to fully handle her magic power at the moment. She frowned and clenched her teeth as she extinguished the fire.
Once the flames died down, Veltan could still be standing there unharmed. It stood there intimidatingly, showing nothing but hostility towards them. Numerous spirits could be seen coming from down the hill, making bizarre noises.
Each and every one of them was running around in a berserker state.
Lucy suddenly had a gut feeling.
A person on Acken Island that could handle such a large number of spirits. It had to be…
"We have to run away! There's a hideout for survivors in a secret library located in the underground waterways!"
In any case, Lucy had defended Clevius and Elvira. They weren't enemies. As soon as Elvira realized that, she quickly shouted at her.
"If we don't escape now, more spirits will come. We won't be able to handle them all."
Lucy looked towards Elvira and Clevius before she quickly covered the entire area with magic power. It was beginner-rank stealth magic, but it was still effective enough to hide one's traces of magic power. To escape from the spirits, the three of them ran across the collapsed Trix Hall.
* * *
"Let's talk about the details after we get back to the hideout."
Lucy could only nod her head at the statement. From the perspective of the other two, it was unbelievable that Lucy had suddenly appeared. However, they had to reach a safe area before they could answer each other's questions.
After running for some time, they eventually made it to the commercial district.
Normally, Silvenia Academy's commercial district would be lively and full of people, but now it was only made up of ruined buildings. Seeing such a sight… It was enough to make a person think that the world had come to an end.
All over the square were the decomposing corpses and skeletons of those who had passed. The marble sidewalks had been completely shattered to pieces and weeds had begun to sprout through them.
In the middle of the square was a large mid-ranking spirit roaming around in a berserker state. Clevius and Elvira were used to hiding from the spirit by sneaking through the gaps between the buildings.
Clevius climbed up the broken outer wall of what was once Laplace Bakery, grabbing Elvira's hand and lifting her up. Lucy used her magic power to quietly jump up and follow them. They continued to creep along the wall before reaching a destroyed well.
Tons of spirits were passing through the commercial district as they made their way to the North Forest's entrance. However, off to the side was a large entrance to the underground waterways.
The entrance to the underground waterways was hidden by various bushes. It must have been difficult to cover the entrance to keep it hidden from spirits.
As they quietly made their way through, eventually they reached the underground waterways where Professor Glast had been chased before. After walking further along the underground waterways, they eventually reached Professor Glast's secret lab. And going a little further…was the secret library that Ed Rothstaylor had used when he was alive.
In her original world, that was where Lucy had gone with Ed to obtain Glast's phoenix ring. Now, it had become a hideout for survivors who had escaped the spirits wandering around Acken Island.
The students who stood guard at the entrance of the library greeted Clevius when he walked up.
"Clevius. You came back alive. How was your search… Huh?"
"L-Lucy…Mayreel…?"
When they saw Lucy, their faces hardened. Clevius turned his head quietly, telling them to step aside for now. The student standing guard swallowed his dry saliva as he stepped aside. Clevius seemed to be highly recognized and respected in the hideout.
Lucy continued to follow Clevius and Elvira into the library, looking around. The library had already been cleared out to some extent and converted into a refuge for survivors. Tents were set up all around alongside campfires. There were many sick people lying down, covered in blankets.
There were those who were exhausted and starving. Others suffered from chronic diseases. Most were students and faculty members, but there were also some merchants who used to live in the commercial district.
When they saw Lucy following Clevius and Elvira, they began to murmur to each other from a distance.
"L-look over there…"
"Wh-what the hell…?"
"What's going on? That's…Lucy Mayreel…"
"She was alive…? But I thought…three years ago…"
"What? Lucy Mayreel is here?"
"Th-that genius magician… If Lucy Mayreel is here…maybe she can destroy the magic circle that is trapping the island…?"
A curious and hopeful atmosphere spread among the murmuring crowd. It felt like people who had barely endured their despair for a while had finally discovered a new light.
Lucy Mayreel took a deep breath and continued to walk forward.
"Inside is the person who is in charge of this hideout. You can hear a detailed explanation of the situation over there. You probably know who she is, but… she's going to be different than you think."
The librarian's room inside the library had been renovated and turned into a room for the head of the hideout. Lucy nodded as she walked past Elvira and Clevius, opening the door. The old wooden door opened with a squeak as she entered.
On the small conference table and blackboard was a large collection of information about the island. Behind all the documents and supplies in the room was a woman sitting at a desk. She looked familiar. She raised her head, her hood down… When she saw Lucy Mayreel's face, her eyes opened wide.
"You…"
White strands were starting to show in her once reddish-brown hair. It was proof of the hardships she had gone through. Although she was surprised to see Lucy Mayreel, who suddenly showed up again alive, the girl quickly regained her composure as she took a deep breath.
That woman—no, Lortel Kehelland was a person who could remain level-headed and rational in any situation.
"…Let's hear an explanation."
Three years after Ed Rothstaylor's death, Lortel was alone defending Acken Island, which had become a living hell for some reason.
* * *
"Yeah, I can't believe it, but…"
Lucy explained her situation to Lortel. The fact that she wasn't someone who was a part of the world, that the Ed Rothstaylor from the world she came from hadn't died.
However, the fact that she was looking for a way back… She couldn't tell her everything. It wasn't an atmosphere where she could.
"About what happened here…"
"You want to ask me why things have become like this…" Lortel had an exhausted face look on her face when she spoke.
With the situation becoming so extreme, she was the one who had led the group of survivors and was in charge of the hideout. Even though Lortel was a capable person, there was no doubt that she was under a lot of mental pressure.
"Fine. I'll tell you everything I know."
"…Ed Rothstaylor…" Lucy jumped to the main point.
Lortel lowered her head for a moment before answering, "Ed died three years ago, fighting the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok…"
"The Holy Blue Dragon… Did it die?"
"…To be exact…" Lortel spoke with a bitter expression on her face, as if recalling a dreaded memory. "He was gravely injured while fighting the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok. He was later executed by Prince Lindon of the Imperial Household. The reason being, he was labeled the main culprit in charge of Velbrok's release, which caused the large disaster."
Lucy couldn't understand what Lortel was saying. She thought he might have been killed by a direct attack by Velbrok, but…
"…That… What are you talking about…?"
"Those in the imperial household, who used Prince Lindon as their puppet, needed justification to get rid of House Rothstaylor. So, they put the responsibility of Velbrok and the empire's mainland burning down on Ed's shoulders…because he was someone who knew that Velbrok was coming before it happened."
Lucy fell silent.
"Isn't that funny? Even when the entire world was on fire because of Velbrok, they were having such a pointless power struggle."
Lortel spoke with a bitter smile on her face. To her, it was something that happened three years prior. The wound might have healed, but the pain wouldn't have completely disappeared.
"…Emperor Kroel stood still?"
"He died. On the day of Velbrok's advent…"
"…Princess Penia… Princess Selah…"
"All of the royal family members who were on Acken Island died."
It was actually strange to have survived it. Velbrok possessed a strength that could blow the entire island away with a single gesture. In fact, it is a miracle in itself that there were enough survivors to even fill the library.
"…What about the top students?"
"Lucy," Lortel interrupted in a weary voice. Hearing what Lortel said, Lucy couldn't say a word in response. "…It would be faster to ask who isn't dead."
She realized just how painful the hellish road Lortel had been walking through must have been. However…she still had something to ask.
"What about the spirits that are controlling the island…? Did something happen…to Yennekar Palerover…?"
With a sigh, Lortel looked toward the shabby sofa, telling Lucy it would be better to sit. It was going to be a long story.
"…Yennekar… She has become a wanted man by the empire. There is a bounty on her head."
Lucy went over to the sofa to sit down. Lortel sat back at her desk as she lowered her eyes. One by one, she gave answers about everything Lucy was curious about.
* * *
The Holy Blue Dragon revived much faster than Ed Rothstaylor expected. He expected it to revive quickly, but… It was much faster than that. However, compared to what Lucy knew based on what happened in her world…it had actually revived much later.
From what Lucy knew, the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok descended upon Acken Island during the Grand Crestle Festival. While the festival's fireworks lit up the sky, it slowly rose from the sea. She still remembered the calamity the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok caused clearly.
However, things were different in the world she was currently in. It only received a while after the festival. In fact, it revived towards the end of the semester. There was much more time to deal with it than in her original world. Nevertheless, Ed Rothstaylor failed to stop it in the end.
Why? Was there a difference between how Ed fought it? What was the reason he had failed?
However, listening to Lortel's explanation… The problem wasn't with Ed. The more she listened to Lortel's explanation, the more she felt something was wrong. It felt like something important was missing.
In that world…there was no intervention from the Great Sage Silvenia.
In Lucy's world, the Great Sage Silvenia intervened in the final battle. It was also Silvenia who weakened the seal of the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok much earlier, making it revive quickly.
That was why Headmaster Obel, who noticed something strange, did his best to maintain the weakening seal. All of it was because of Silvenia's intervention.
In the world that Lucy came from, the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok had come out of the sea while still being wrapped in its chains. Thanks to Headmaster Obel maintaining the seal as much as he could, the Holy Blue Dragon hadn't been fully revived.
However, in Lortel's world…Silvenia hadn't intervened. Rather, the seal had naturally come undone and the 'fully unleashed' Velbrok returned.
Velbrok when it was wrapped in chains vs Velbrok fully unleashed… The difference in power between the two was probably massive.
In that world, Velbrok had been revived a little later, but…The fact that it revived earlier than Ed originally expected remained unchanged. As soon as Velbrok descended on Acken Island, it had its full strength, allowing it to split the entire island in two.
In that world…Velbrok was able to unleash its full strength.
However, Ed Rothstaylor still miraculously responded against Velbrok. Despite lacking in power, resources, and preparation… despite the sacrifices of countless students… Ultimately, he succeeded in having the Swordmaster Taylee cut Velbrok.
However, in the process, Daike Elpelan died. Wade Callamore also came to a terrible end. Even Headmaster Obel perished.
Emperor Kroel died defending his people. Princess Selah died while defending her father, Kroel. Princess Penia was killed by monsters as she commanded the soldiers on behalf of the emperor's orders.
Ziggs Eiffelstein died of excessive bleeding while bringing his lover Elka to the hideout.
Saint Clarice also died after getting caught up in Velbrok's breath, which swept through the island.
While creating a chance for Taylee to reach Velbrok…Lucy Mayreel disappeared without a trace after getting struck by Velbrok's breath.
Yennekar Palerover was barely alive after being struck by a storm of scales while protecting the survivors.
And Ed Rothstaylor…fell unconscious after being driven to the brink of death.
However, Taylee couldn't completely finish off the Holy Blue Dragon. After all, the Holy Blue Dragon had revived too early. Taylee's specs were barely lacking when it came time to finish off the Holy Blue Dragon.
Even though he couldn't land a finishing blow…he still managed to land a critical one. Taylee lost his right arm while striking Velbrok, but… He at least caused Velbrok a permanent wound.
Velbrok screamed in pain as it spread its wings wide, fleeing Acken Island. Velbrok had been put in a critical condition. So, before it was chased after and finished off, it had run off to recover its injuries.
However, most of the people on Acken Island had died. Many of those who survived died shortly after. Outside support was desperately needed. When the school asked for help from the Kroel Imperial Household, they responded in an unbelievable way.
Humans are idiotic.
Blinded by their desire for power… Even in the face of a global crisis, they put their own interests first through politics.
Was that the nature of man?
When Acken Island no longer had any strength left… Those in the Imperial Household who gathered around Lindon came and executed the successors of the Rothstaylor family.
Emperor Kroel died, and he only had one successor left. The empire was in a state of chaos.
For those who tried to gain power while using Prince Lindon as their puppet, they first needed to kill off House Rothstaylor. After all, they hold the most influence and power in the social and political climate after the calamity. Those who supported and protected Ed had all been incapacitated because of the disaster the Holy Blue Dragon caused.
It was their only chance, with both Ed and Tanya Rothstaylor in critical condition. Neither of them could fight back. They had to act quickly.
That was how Ed was charged with an outrageous crime and executed right on Acken Island.
That was the beginning of the catastrophe.
Velbrok was almost dead.
The dragon was rampaging across the empire, looking for a place to hide, but it had nearly reached its limit. Thus, the officials in the empire started to believe that they could subjugate it themselves. If they were to organize a team and kill off the dying monster themselves, everything would come to an end. No matter how strong it may be, now that it was on the verge of death, they would somehow be able to kill it.
That would be the perfect chance to obtain all the power of the empire without any competition.
On a stormy day, Ed Rothstaylor, who was at the end of his life, was executed by those who gathered around Prince Lindon with such thoughts.
And, on the same day…
The officials who gathered around Prince Lindon and visited Acken Island all died at the hands of the Elementalist Yennekar Palerover, who knew the truth and had lost all sense of reason.
"Yennekar is no longer the person you knew from before, Lucy."
The ultimate dark spirit was eating away at her mind and filling it with darkness. The darkness that filled Yennekar Palerover's head after losing Ed Rothstaylor was incomparable to any other.
It wasn't just darkness. She even began to lose herself.
Her hair turned white, and her eyes turned bright red. She started to exhibit explosive and rampant magic power.
To make matters worse, after losing, she climbed to the top of Acken Island's Right Mountain, where the Substitute Altar was located. There, she obtained a piece of Velbrok's heart, which Taylee had managed to cut.
That piece of his heart was still full of magic power. It was beating with a strong desire to survive. The magic power of Velbrok's heart, the Berserk magic power that came from Glasskan, and her incredible spiritual resonance…
Between the three, it didn't take long for the entire island to fall under the control of Yennekar Palerover.
One day, a massive magic circle—far larger than the one during the Glasskan Subjugation—covered the island.
Ed Rothstaylor lived for the sake of saving the world, but the world rewarded him with death.
The empire was so desperate to shove the blade of betrayal into Ed Rothstaylor, the man who had always done his duty and whose life had ended in vain.
Yennekar Palerover could not forgive such a world.
She despised the empire that was blinded by its own greed for power even when the world was in crisis. Caught in the darkness that Glasskan incited, her entire body began to be filled with hatred towards the world.
At least…on the island… The camp that Ed Rothstaylor loved still remained. It was a sanctuary for the man she loved so dearly.
Acken Island had become Ed's graveyard, a place where he could rest in peace.
And she wouldn't let anyone get in the way of his peaceful rest.
That included removing anyone she saw.
Due to the guilt over being unable to save Ed and the vengeance she desired against the world that abandoned him, Yennekar became a murderer who slaughtered all the officials of the Imperial Household.
The devil who devoured the entirety of Acken Island.
A broken girl.
She sat on the altar at the top of Right Mountain, holding the large wand that Ed Rothstaylor had used before. The spirits under her, filled with magic power, began to walk around the island.
Meanwhile, she continued to sit at the altar with her head lowered, holding that wand. Red eyes and white hair. All that was left was a hatred for the world.
'Undertaker' Yennekar Palerover.
It was a name written on a wanted flier. A survivor had found it by the sea. Yennekar's reddish eyes on the flier were eerie, and the reward written below was a huge sum.
Lucy closed her eyes after looking down at the flier. For Yennekar, Ed Rothstaylor's absence was like the end of the world.
"Lucy, let me be blunt. Your goal…is to go back to the world you came from. But…" Lortel spoke in a quiet voice. "At this point… You are like our savior who has suddenly appeared. The only way to do anything about Yennekar, who has lost herself, is to suppress her through force. It's impossible to talk to her right now."
Lucy struggled to respond. Lucy in her prime might have been able to do it, but the Lucy right then… The restriction on her power was too strong. Even if she managed to get rid of Yennekar, who was filled with darkness…
"You know…" After listening to Lortel, Lucy slowly opened her mouth. "Hearing you explain the situation… You never mentioned yourself…or how you were doing…"
Lortel Kehelland.
She's a person who would also have been impacted by Ed's death. She may have been taking care of the survivors and been placed in charge of the hideout, but…
Lortel… Did Ed Rothstaylor's death really not bother her? She might have been a coldhearted person who remained cool under any circumstances, but…
At least when Ed was involved, things changed.
She was definitely someone who cared for Ed as much as, or even more than, Yennekar. Lucy was somewhat aware of that fact.
Lucy's question stabbed Lortel in the lungs. However, Lortel's voice remained calm.
"…Of course I'm not well…"
The day rumors of Ed's death spread during the student council election, even Lucy herself was unable to maintain her sense of reason. Lortel, who heard those rumors back then, also looked fine on the outside.
However, after seeing her and Ziggs Eiffelstein, it was clear. Lortel wasn't one to be consumed by darkness. She would never lose her sense of reason.
Calmly, on the inside, she was cracking under the pressure. You could never tell by her appearance, but that instability that came out once in a while would catch anyone off guard. In everyone's life, there was a moment where you realized what a broken heart did to them.
In Yennekar's case, it was obvious that she became dangerous.
However, in Lortel's case… She had a completely different personality from Yennekar.
"The officials around Prince Lindon may have died, but… Not all his support is gone…"
She couldn't see Lortel's expression since her head was down. She still had a gentle and calm voice, but…
"To tear everyone apart, I need to leave the island."
What she was saying was… a representation of her completely broken inner world.
"Inspector General Albeton. Bellrock of the Imperial Knights, Marquis Vlouren, Saint Pelosis, Crown Prince Lindon, Delos, Elton…"
She continued to say a long list of names. It was incredible that she remembered each and every name. Just how many times had she repeated them?
The fact that she memorized all of them without making a single mistake was enough to give a person goosebumps.
"There are still so many people left that I need to kill as painfully as possible. So, how much longer do I need to stay here, stuck on the island?"
"…You…"
"I am in disbelief that those who agreed to use Ed as a scapegoat are still alive and well, Lucy. I feel nauseous at the thought."
Lortel raised her head looking eerily calm… She then smiled.
"I have so much to do. I need to leave this island quickly," Lortel calmly explained.
She was already in a state of disrepair. The absence of Ed Rothstaylor…
It had driven Yennekar Palerover and Lortel Kehelland to obsession over their desire for revenge and their hatred.
It was indeed a cruel world.
* * *
"We're ready, young man."
Late at night, in front of Glockt's cabin, the 'World Observer' was ready to operate again. Ed tried to activate the observer again, gathering his Celestial Magic power.
He hadn't figured out why Lucy had been sucked into another world, but he still had to try everything he could. The growing magic power soon began to fill their surroundings.
"Be careful, young man," Zellan said to Ed in a serious tone. "As I told you, two different worlds interacting with each other… It shouldn't be possible. Even though it goes against the basics of magic power, such an unbelievable event took place…"
Ed turned his head as he looked back toward Zellan, who continued to speak.
"…But someone from another world once observed our world as well."
"…What?" Zellan stood up and looked straight at Ed, uttering, "Someone… observed us…"
Was there someone else who could do that? She couldn't believe it, but…
Even so, it was impossible to stand still.
* * *
A butterfly flew around.
The butterfly fluttered in the wind before it landed in the corner of the destroyed square in the commercial district.
Reaching for butterflies… It was like chasing a dream that you knew was meaningless.
The butterfly continued to fly around the destroyed square. It fluttered in the wind before reaching the top of a fountain where a girl was sitting.
She wore an oversized, messy uniform. Her witch hat was also worn out. Because the hat was so large, it was hard to see her entire face.
The butterfly sat on top of her finger for a while, repeatedly flapping its wings as it took off, flying higher in the sky. The wings continued to flap as it moved farther and farther away… Slowly, it flew away from her.
Slowly, very slowly, it moved out of her reach.
-x-X-x-
Side Story 32: Chasing Butterflies (9)
Lucy. I have something to tell you.
I think I'm about to die.
I've struggled to survive in this unfair world, but this is the end of my journey. By the time you regain your senses, I will have likely already left this world. So, I think this will be my will that I leave to you.
I understand how you feel. You have already experienced the pain of loss, and you are well aware that it isn't a type of pain that can be easily overcome.
So, the first thing I want to say to you is that I'm sorry.
However, I don't want the last thing I tell you to be a meaningless apology.
Survive, Lucy.
No matter what the world becomes, grab your life and hold onto it. Even when the cold winter seems like it will never end, spring will certainly come. Even if the world seems to be settling into darkness forever, the morning light is bound to be bright.
There is no such thing as an 'end' in reality.
Even if everything seems to have ended happily, or even if everything seems to have ended in tragedy… The reality of life is that it continues. In my short life, that's the answer I came to.
I've made a lot of choices while running frantically to survive in this unfair world. If I had made different choices back then…there might have been a different ending.
Somewhere in another world, there may have been a me who was able to overcome all of the hardships, reaching a happy ending.
Or he could have met a more horrible and painful death than me.
Whatever happens, no matter how unfair this world may be, that fact will never change: we still have to survive.
I'm sure you're sad, but you can't give up on your life. Clench your teeth and do whatever it takes to survive. Even if there seems to be no answer in this hellish world, or even if it all seems pointless… Survive.
Even now, on the verge of death, I am unwavering in my belief.
If you keep holding on… There will surely be a moment where you feel lucky to be alive. That is why you must survive.
* * *
"Help me. I need your help." Lortel was blunt. Even so, it was fairly obvious what she was going to ask. "Did you see the faces of survivors staying here as you came in? The moment they saw you…they started to gain a new hope."
Lucy was quiet.
"I heard you borrowed the power of the phoenix ring, but that you were still one of the people who could fight the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok. If you can just defeat Yennekar for us and convince her…"
Lucy wasn't someone who belonged to Lortel's world. However, there was no way that those outside would know of that.
"…I haven't completely recovered after using the ring yet," Lucy said. "I haven't recovered all my magic power yet. But even aside from that, I don't know if I could face off against a high-ranking elementalist that has the heart of Velbrok."
Lucy lowered her head as she spoke realistically. She continued, "But most importantly, my main goal is…returning to my original world."
It was difficult to say given the atmosphere, but it was something she needed to address. Lortel belonged to that world, but Lucy belonged to another.
Their interests didn't coincide.
Lortel was trying to defeat Yennekar and leave the island. Meanwhile, Lucy was trying to somehow return to her original world. There were no similarities between their two goals.
There was an awkward silence.
In the first place, Lucy and Lortel were not on good terms. They didn't really come in contact with each other often.
Still, Lortel began, quietly, "…You know, Lucy."
Lucy had been observing countless worlds with countless possibilities. Knowing that fact, Lortel wanted to ask her a question. However, her lips trembled when she tried to say the words. She lowered her head as she looked down.
Lucy seemed to know what Lortel wanted to ask but was unable to.
'Did the Ed you know survive and live happily?'
Lucy nodded her head. It was hard to tell what expression Lortel had on her face. Was it a smile of relief? Or frustration over her own situation? Maybe she was crying…
It wasn't just Lucy—even Lortel herself was surprised by her reaction.
Lortel couldn't show weakness. Even at that very moment, there were too many people whose lives were at stake, with only Lortel's judgment and decisions keeping them alive.
Lortel closed her eyes gently as she asked instead, "So, how can you go back?"
She was being considerate towards Lucy. However, Lucy couldn't say anything. After all, she had no idea how to even return to her original world.
According to the theory of Celestial magic that Zellan and Ed spoke about, this whole incident wasn't supposed to be possible. That was because magic power between two different worlds couldn't interact with each other.
Lucy closed her eyes gently as she fell into thought. The reason something that couldn't happen actually happened… It didn't take long to come up with a guess.
Just like two hands were needed to clap, the connection occurred because someone in Lortel's world tried to observe Lucy.
Aside from who did it and for what purpose, if she wanted to escape from this world she would first have to reach out and ask to be saved. Ed Rothstaylor would likely try to observe the countless flows again to save her.
However, in the endless possibilities, it wouldn't be easy to find the world that she had drifted into.
That was why she needed to send a rescue signal.
'Here I am.'
She would have to call out to Ed Rothstaylor, who was searching for her. Like someone who drifted out on a deserted island, they need to make a fire.
She would have to shout out to Ed. 'Here I am. Save me.'
However, that required a massive amount of magic power. She would have to gather Celestial Magic power and search for Ed, just as he was looking for her.
But she was lacking in magic power at the moment. Even though she knew how to use Celestial Magic power, she didn't have a way to make up for the lack of it. It may be possible if she slowly recovered her magic power over time, but that would take too long.
The observer Glockt left behind was only able to observe the flow of possibilities that were nearby. If she stayed there and recovered her magic power for years, the range of possibilities and worlds she could observe might become too large.
So… Where would she be able to find magic power to use right away?
At that moment, she remembered.
When Lucy was pulled into the world, Ed Rothstaylor had thrown something at her. She hadn't had a chance to check out what it was, but she held onto it the entire time. The situation had been so abrupt, she hadn't thought of it.
"…Lucy?"
Lortel looked curiously at Lucy, who had her eyes wide open. Lucy put her hand in her pocket taking out a round, marble-shaped object.
"That's…"
Lucy felt tears welling up in her eyes. Ed threw the most valuable thing he had at the moment he was separated from Lucy.
Lucy was a genius magician, but now that she had lost her magic power, she was someone who was only incredible in terms of her application of magic and knowledge. The fact that she had no magic power was detrimental to her. Because Ed knew that…
The remains of Tyrcalaques, which he cherished so much… He left it to Lucy.
The marble was full of the magic power of an ultimate rank spirit. It was such a large amount that most magicians would be unable to use it. But Lucy was different.
However, as Zellan said, it was just a consumable item if you didn't process it properly. Unfortunately, the situation couldn't be helped. Ed Rothstaylor decided that he would rather lose that precious relic than lose Lucy.
"Lucy…that's…"
"I want to use the magic power in here. But…it's probably going to be an issue because it's too difficult to process…" Lucy spoke quietly. "If I can just unravel the flow of magic power tangled inside of it… It'll be possible…"
Creak.
"It would be possible. But there is a minor problem."
At that moment, the door to the room opened as someone came in. It was Elvira, who had been dealing with the situation outside.
"Once the magic power is released, it will run wild. You won't be able to absorb it."
Seeing her again, it seemed that Elvira had grown a little. She took off her alchemy bag and brought Clevius inside the room as well. She was a girl with excellent knowledge of alchemy and magic engineering. The moment she saw what Lucy had taken out, she recognized it right away.
Clevius came inside as he closed the door, standing behind Elvira, who sat down on the sofa. It seemed that they had something to say.
Clevius looked much more reliable and mature than Lucy remembered as he said, "Lortel, the situation outside is abnormal. The spirits are running wilder than usual. I think they have become cautious after finding us while we were searching outside."
"…What about the survivors?
"Seeing Lucy raised their spirits, but because of the situation outside, they are feeling more anxious."
He was no longer cowardly like before either. Given the situation, it must have been inevitable. It seemed that they had overheard the conversation Lortel and Lucy were having earlier. They didn't bother to ask them any questions.
However, Elvira quietly said, "I think… Lucy and our interests may actually align."
Lucy quietly closed her mouth as she looked towards Elvira.
"I don't know exactly what you're holding in your hand, but you want to use the magic power inside of it, right?"
Lucy said nothing.
"If you take out the magic power inside of it right away without processing it, the magic power will scatter and run wild. You won't be able to use much of it."
It was no different than using it like a cheap magic power stone. However, it was an expensive and rare item. It would be like smashing jewels with a hammer. Unfortunately, the situation couldn't be helped. There was no point in hesitating.
"Given the quality… You need an intermediary to properly bring out the magic power inside of it. Of course, we can't create such a thing in this environment, but…"
Elvira had an outstanding repertoire of knowledge on utilizing magic power. Even when she was attending Silvenia Academy, she was always a top student in that regard. Lucy could easily guess what she was trying to say.
"…Do you remember the first year class assignment test? When Ed blocked the incoming freshmen at the top of Right Mountain?"
At the time, Lucy was also looking at Ed from the top of the altar.
The Substitute Altar at the top of Right Mountain.
It was an altar with the power to draw out magic power in items and transfer it to the user. When Ed was unable to use magic power because of Glast's Phoenix Ring, he had to align various magic power stones and utilize the altar to fight the freshman.
"…With the power of the altar, you will be able to fully use the magic power within that marble you are holding. But the problem is…"
Someone was guarding the altar.
At the top of Right Mountain, there was a girl who was constantly in tears. A girl who was trying to exterminate everything left on the island to make it a grave and sanctuary for the man she loved… An Elementalist devoured by darkness.
For a moment, the room was filled with silence. It felt like everyone was looking at Lucy. Lucy's participation didn't guarantee that everything would work out, but Lucy's strength would be a great help to the survivors nonetheless.
"…If I have to, I will."
As usual, Lucy didn't hesitate or worry about her decision.
* * *
It wasn't even winter, but it was snowing.
Coming down from the dark night sky, if you looked closely, you would see it wasn't snowflakes but volcanic ash.
At the top of Right Mountain, in front of Velbrok's still-beating heart…a girl lowered her head as she held Ed's wand tightly. The girl had not stopped crying.
A volcano that erupted from the body of the ultimate fire spirit, Theorpis. The white volcanic ash that came from its body covered Right Mountain for years, covering the entire area like snowfall.
Even the greenery had turned white, making it look like a tranquil sanctuary. That island was where Ed Rothstaylor now rested.
The white-haired elementalist raised her head with tears in his eyes under the soft moonlight. Her face of despair and heartbreak was covered with volcanic ash, making her look like a feather-covered angel.
However, she wasn't an angel. She was a devil that sat there in grief. A lost soul who tried to exterminate all visible life and stop time on the island forever.
"…There's still life. Life that is hindering the peaceful rest of those who have already left this world."
The Elementalist looked out across the island.
It was clear what she was getting ready to do.
-x-X-x-
Side Story 33: Chasing Butterflies (10)
To reach Right Mountain, you had to cross the sea. Acken Island had once been a single large island, but it had since been split into two large islands and several smaller rocky ones.
Of course, there was no such thing as a dock to sail to. The only choice was to use spatial-type magic or flight magic, both of which consumed a lot of magic power.
Even if she had enough magic power, the sky around Acken Island was covered with Yennekar Palerover's spirits. Crossing the sky or the sea without protection was no different than suicide.
Still, there was no choice. Lucy had her own reasons for doing it.
"The part you will need to fly over isn't all that long. Meanwhile, Elvira and I will be assisting you. However, once you cross over to the northern island, you are completely on your own."
Clevius stood by the exit as he spoke to Lucy.
"I'll gather some of the other survivors who are willing to escort you on the way to the north coast. Until then, try and save as much magic power as you can."
Clevius no longer stuttered, nor did he always look afraid. The responsibility that fell on his shoulders had turned him into a warrior.
In front of the exit to the underground waterways, there were a few fighters chosen among the survivors, as well as Clevius, Elvira, and Lortel.
"I can't come with you," Lortel said calmly.
That was because she needed to remain at the hideout and lead the remaining group of survivors. The Soul Library was the last refuge for the survivors left on the island. Once that place was discovered by the spirits, there would be no life left on the island.
"I'll have to say farewell to you now, whether you succeed or not. It was nice meeting you, Lucy."
In the end, Lortel never asked about the Ed Lucy knew. Lortel was always a cold-blooded foxlike merchant who never lost her rationality. Her calm and collected mind was one of her strengths.
However, in the end, people needed to complain and let out the grief, stress, and despair that weighed them down. When a human's mind grew too accustomed to hardships, they had a tendency to forget how to relax.
"Lortel, you…"
"I'll survive."
It didn't matter what the reason was. Whether it was for revenge or simply to live a peaceful life.
"I guess you don't know. Ed had left a will behind in prison before he died. As if to say goodbye to the people around him. He said a lot of things, but ultimately, he said to survive."
She was sure that he left a will for Yennekar as well. Maybe it was something similar. However, from what Lortel had said before, the Lucy of her world died before Ed.
He couldn't have left a will for Lucy.
"I agree with Ed. We need to do whatever it takes to survive. Of course, things aren't great now, but… I'm sure that if we do our best, we can survive for at least another three years or so. We have enough supplies."
When things didn't get better, people's mindset tended to deteriorate. Nevertheless, Lortel never let go of her desire to survive.
"I just wanted to tell you that. That I'm doing my best to survive."
After saying that, Lortel closed her mouth. Lucy silently stood there for a moment before turning around.
Outside the underground waterways, the spirits were running wild. Once they crossed the North Forest and reached the coast, she would have to use flying magic to reach Right Mountain.
Once she arrived at the top of the mountain, she would have to get past Yennekar. Then, using the altar to utilize the remains of Tyrcalaques, she would be able to call out for Ed, who was searching for her.
It seemed like an impossible plan, but Lucy didn't hesitate.
Seeing Lucy and the rest of the group quietly headed outside, the survivors who stayed behind in the underground waterways prayed quietly.
They prayed that the disaster would finally be coming to an end.
* * *
"The North Forest is where the spirits are most active. It's best not to go anywhere near there, but at this point, it'll be more dangerous for us to turn around and go somewhere else."
The North Forest was so vast that trying to double back or take another path would have taken far too long. They decided the shortest route was still the best option, even if it was dangerous.
"You need to save your magic power until we reach the north coast, no matter what."
None of the survivors that came along, including Elvira, looked great. They'd been living in such an extreme situation for years, so there was no way they could showcase their full strength.
Also, the enemies they would face were spirits with an infinite amount of magic power being supplied to them by Yennekar, who was holding onto Velbrok's heart.
In a long fight, they would definitely face defeat.
They all held their breath as they slipped out of the waterway and made their way through the North Forest. They had to do everything they could not to provoke the spirits.
The shortest route to make it across the North Forest.
When she went to school, Lucy had gone there often, so she was familiar with it. However, the environment, which used to be filled with greenery, was strangely different. It seemed that the passage of time had changed the forest quite a bit.
Clevius ran in the front as he looked around. Lucy, Elvira, and the other members continued to follow along behind him.
Each and every one of the members were looking around with caution. Lucy wasn't as nervous as everyone else, who had broken out into cold sweats, staying on alert as if their lives were on the line.
It seemed that they had grown to greatly fear the spirits that roamed the island…
It didn't take long to quickly prove why their caution was justified.
Fwoosh!
Kyaak!
Dozens of spirits in bizarre forms filled the sky. They were keeping guard of the forest to see if anyone dared enter. The moment one spotted them, it screamed in anger.
The group breathed heavily as they trembled upon seeing the spirits quickly fly towards them.
"Get ready for battle!" Elvira commanded them as the fighters took out their equipment.
A fire spirit, in the form of a giant mole, spewed flames at them. A few spirits in the form of bluish pterosaurs landed on the ground, snatching some of the fighters with their large claws before flying into the sky.
One of the fighters was kidnapped in the air, screaming in pain. However, the other one didn't show any signs of panic or despair. He had the expression of a man who had already lost his colleagues several times before. Lucy quickly tried to gather magic power, but Elvira held her wrist tightly.
"I told you. You have to save your magic power."
A colleague had just been abducted by a flying spirit. It was obvious they would be scratched and bleed to death, or they would fall to their death.
Nevertheless, Elvira kept Lucy from intervening as she clenched her teeth.
For the current group of survivors, Lucy was their only hope to help change their disastrous situation. She had to save her strength, as the group's ultimate goal was to escort Lucy as far as they could to Right Mountain.
Booom!
There was a sound similar to an explosion up ahead. However, it wasn't an explosion. Surprisingly, it was the sound of a sword.
Clevius, drunk on blood, swung his sword and created an impact that was no different than an explosion. His single strike had enough power to leave a massive hole in the ground.
Clevius breathed heavily as he sat down on the forest floor. Blood fell from the shoulder he had stabbed himself in.
Lucy had previously faced off against Clevius when he was completely under the influence of Blood Swordsmanship. Of course, he was nowhere near as powerful as her, but… His explosive power was still to be acknowledged.
At the moment, Clevius was using his Blood Swordsmanship much more skillfully than before. He wasn't overly drunk on blood, destroying everything around him and killing everyone in his way. Nevertheless, it was still hard for him to overcome his emotions.
Clevius struggled to hold onto his reason as he pulled the sword out of his shoulder. Blood splattered across the ground. He looked up at the sky, which was full of spirits.
Clevis had risked his life training his Blood Swordsmanship to its limits. Because of that, he was capable of facing off against them one by one.
However, there was only so much he could do against such a large group. The biggest drawback of Blood Swordsmanship was that the sacrifice of one's own blood was needed to use it. In a long battle of attrition, it would eventually lead to self-destruction.
And in a battle of attrition, it was impossible to win against Yennekar Palerover.
"Clevius can only last for five more minutes."
Elvira had a better understanding of Clevius's power than anyone else. At that point, she could already tell the state of Clevius's Blood Swordsmanship.
"Lucy, we can't stay here. While Clevius is buying time, we need to run."
Lucy looked at Elvira for a moment, seeing the bitter look of despair on her face. However, Lucy wasn't the type to break out in a cold sweat like everyone else was. Still, Lucy could at least understand the seriousness of the situation.
Booom!
A sword attack that used Blood Magic power shot through the sky.
Dozens of spirits were struck, falling where they were. However, it didn't take long for new spirits to appear and fill the skies once more.
Elvira grabbed Lucy's wrist as they ran further into the North Forest. The path wasn't cleared, as the entire forest was full of overgrown greenery. Some of the other party members followed along.
Eventually, Elvira decided that she and Lucy needed to move separately from the party. After all, their job was to gather the attention of the spirits so that Lucy could head freely to the Northern Island.
Lucy ran with Elvira for some time across the forest. While Lucy ran, the view of the North Forest was much different than she remembered. The outer path of the forest had been burned, and it was difficult to even call that a part of the forest anymore.
The Guardian Tree of Merilda in the central lake was also barely standing.
And, running further north…a similar scenery could finally be seen.
A cabin, campfire, and wooden storage. Right in front of her was…the wooden shelter. The first woodworking project Ed had worked on when he started to survive in the camp.
It was once Lucy's favorite place to take a nap. She couldn't believe it was still there. How could such a shabby camp stay the same after all that time, even with the chaos that took place?
While Lucy was getting distracted by the camp, Elvira said, "The camp… You can't go anywhere near it."
Elvira pulled Lucy's hand, looking together at the distant view of the camp.
"It is a sanctuary protected by one of the stronger spirits. There have already been a few survivors who lost their lives after accidentally trespassing there."
Lucy was silent.
"But this is good for us. As long as we avoid that, we only have to worry about the other, weaker spirits outside."
As they continued to make their way through the first, Elvira clenched her teeth and she spoke.
"Listen, Lucy. Many people have lost their lives."
What was lost was lost. It was a saying that Lucy had kept close to her heart. But even accepting that fact wasn't enough to make the pain go away.
"All those who joined the group of survivors have lost precious friends, family, and even lovers. They all lost someone close to them. In that regard, I'm rather lucky."
"…Lucky?"
"Yes. Because I haven't lost Clevius."
Was it because Clevius himself was not there? Elvira spoke about her feelings rather openly.
"I'm grateful for that fact alone. However, Clevius has risked his life this time. He has this useless and strange sense of duty when it comes to saving the other survivors."
Looking up at the sky over the North Forest, you could see him sending sword attacks flying at the countless spirits overhead. The amount he had bled out already must have been severe.
"You know what I'm trying to say, right?"
Lucy didn't speak.
"If I lose Clevius here, I'll be no different than Lortel. I…I don't want to be lost in such grief and pain."
That was something that Lortel herself could never do. However, Elvira had the chance to tell Lucy how important that moment meant to her. Lucy… She understood just how much Clevius meant to Elvira.
"I don't want to lose Clevius. That's why… Please do your best… You're the only one I can lean on."
"I can't be absolutely sure that everything will work out."
"I know. But like we said, you're the only person we place our hopes on."
Elvira stopped running in the woods as she watched Lucy. Lucy also stopped for a moment, turning back and staring blankly at her. As if they were exhausted from running for so long, only their heavy breathing could be heard.
"We're almost at the exit. Once we reach the cliff, you will have to head to Right Mountain on your own. I'll assist you while you fly over, but I'll only be able to stop the spirits for a short while."
"Will you all be able to head back to the Soul Library once it's done?"
"…We'll try."
Elvira rolled up her sleeves as she forced a smile on her face. She looked quite confident given the fact that she was forcing herself.
"I can still…stop at least a few spirits."
After she said that, the two of them ran out of the forest.
"I can still stop at least a few spirits."
What Elvira said wasn't just a bluff. After all, even when she attended Silvenia Academy, she was considered quite talented. Thanks to years of living in such an extreme situation, her combat capabilities had grown quite a bit. It wasn't as much as Clevius, who used Blood Swordsmanship, but Elvira had enough power to at least gather the attention of dozens of spirits.
However, the world was full of abnormalities and exceptions.
Woong!
Hearing that noise for the first time, it was hard to clearly judge what it was. But Lucy, who had heard it again and again, could immediately tell.
Yennekar Palerover had become the final enemy. Everyone in the school had become aware of that fact. That was because everyone had witnessed her covering the entire school with the power of an ultimate spirit.
Was it because Elvira and Clevius were caught exploring Trix Hall?
Or maybe she had noticed Lucy's existence?
Something you'd never normally see… As soon as they left the North Forest, a massive spirit could be seen beyond the cliff.
Woong!
It could be mistaken as the sound of a boat or a massive ship. However, it was the cry of a spirit. It had already gone Berserk, but it was undoubtedly the cry of an ultimate-rank spirit.
The Ultimate Water Spirit, Friede. It was like the commander of an army that led thousands of troops.
Fwoosh.
Crash!
As its huge body came out of the sea, huge waves struck the cliff. However, the appearance of that giant whale was different from what Lucy knew. There were lots of large, strange magic patterns engraved all over it. Its eyes had an eerie red sheen to them as well.
An ominous dark red magic power filled the area as thousands of flying spirits, flying in from Right Mountain, filled the area.
Lucy quickly used her magic power to block the massive wave from crashing into them. The cliffside had been completely destroyed by the wave, but thankfully, she was somehow able to cast defensive magic to save them.
Even its appearance was enough to cause a massive disaster. That was how powerful an ultimate-rank spirit was.
* * *
"Lucy!" While the waves crashed on the coastline, Elvira shouted, "You have to move before it's fully manifested! If the ultimate-rank spirit gains control of the army, we won't be able to do anything!"
They didn't know why Friede had suddenly arrived. Yennekar wouldn't have wanted to damage the island more than necessary, as it was a sanctuary for Ed. When she summoned Theorpis, it was enough to completely cover the mountain with volcanic ash.
Elvira thought Yennekar wouldn't have made that mistake twice…
"Go now! I'll make it hard for them to detect your magic power!" Elvira shouted.
It seemed that she was planning to draw Friede's attention by using all of the reagents and magic engineering devices she had.
But wasn't that no different than suicide?
Lucy looked at Elvira for a moment, but Elvira clenched her teeth and shouted, "Don't worry. That blond-haired aristocrat you risked your life to save before—I agree with what he said when he died."
Lucy watched her.
"I will survive."
Many people had already died in her world. In the end, the only ones who remained alive were those who were determined and had the will to survive.
Elvira was no different.
There wasn't any time. Even though Yennekar had Velbrok's heart, it still wasn't easy for her to fully summon Friede. That was why Lucy needed to quickly get to the other island—before the manifestation was complete.
Lucy clenched her teeth as she nodded, covering her body with flying magic. However, she only had enough magic power to cast an intermediate spell a few times. She couldn't use advanced magic to fly for too long.
Lucy gathered as much magic power as she could and then took flight as close to the sea as she could. Her collar and hat fluttered in the wind.
She pressed onto her hat tightly so that it wouldn't fly away. As she headed to the northern island, she could feel a large amount of magic power radiating from the cliff where she had just left Elvira. She didn't know what type of magic Elvira used, but it had gathered the attention of all of the nearby spirits.
Several low-ranking spirits spotted Lucy, who was flying by quickly, but she was able to defeat them without difficulty. Casting elemental magic at the spirits who spotted her, she eventually reached the coast of the other island.
Thud!
Unable to control her strength properly, she crashed onto the sandy beach. Lucy lifted herself up without a change in expression, brushing the sand off of her.
She then looked up at Right Mountain. All kinds of berserk spirits wandered around the mountain, guarding it. The sight alone was terrifying enough to make one tremble, but Lucy only let out a sigh, not nervous in the slightest.
She gathered her magic power, wrapping it around herself. She then began to run up Right Mountain.
* * *
Woong!
Normally, the view was a beauty in itself. If you climbed up Right Mountain, you could get an view of the entirety of Acken Island.
Crash!
Booom!
She quickly ran up the mountain, defeating every spirit she saw one by one. Looking out as far as she could see, everywhere was a gruesome sight. The traces of the Blade Demon that had been wreaking havoc in the forest could no longer be seen.
It wasn't difficult to imagine what happened to Clevius… Collapsed in the middle of the forest, covered in blood as countless spirits flocked him…
And the magic power that emanated from the coastline was no longer there. It wasn't difficult to imagine what happened to the alchemist who stood alone on that cliff to face Friede.
Back at the entrance of the underground waterways, a group of spirits was attacking the survivors. Lortel was leading those who survived further into the research facility that was left behind by Professor Glast…
None of it was hard to imagine.
It was a cruel world.
She wished she never knew the existence of that world. Nevertheless, it was the world that she ended up in.
A world without Ed Rothstaylor.
He was someone that was always there for Lucy. Whether she was on his lap, playing with him, or he was patting her head and complimenting her… She started to realize how much it meant.
She missed him. She couldn't help but have that thought. If she ever saw him again, she wouldn't hesitate to jump back into his arms. She saw a world where he didn't exist.
How fortunate was she to still have him in her life?
The sheer emptiness that would come if he weren't there… Even if it was embarrassing, she wanted to tell him just how much he meant to her.
She wanted to thank him for surviving.
His life was full of hardship and ordeals that might have made him want to give up. Nevertheless, he survived. By clenching his teeth, he survived and became the meaning behind Lucy's life.
However, for Ed, surviving was as natural as breathing. It was something he couldn't help but do.
But just how much hope, happiness, and relief he gave to the young Lucy Mayreel… Ed himself had no idea.
That was why Lucy wanted to tell him. As she ran up the mountain, covered with scratches, she continued to have that thought.
If she ever saw Ed again, she was definitely going to tell him.
'Thank you for surviving. I missed you.'
Crash! Boom!
Lucy breathed heavily as she defeated the spirits in her path, making her way to the top of Right Mountain.
Lucy had finally managed to reach the top of the mountain somehow. It was the same as she had seen during the first year class assignment exam. Heading further up, she eventually saw the massive tombstone—also known as the Substitute Altar.
The massive Substitute Altar.
There, the undertaker of Ed's death stood, praying while looking towards the empty night sky.