The fifty Academy magicians landed at La Rochelle and were escorted by soldiers back to the capital. They carried news that Albion's civil war had reached its decisive turn, along with their own celebrated exploits. It should have been a day of triumph and celebration, but the report that Sora had fallen from the airship cast a pall over everyone.
After reporting to the royal capital, Kixiu, as the group's representative, delivered the grim tidings to Queen Henrietta with a heavy heart.
"How could it be? That Sora..." Henrietta staggered back in disbelief upon hearing it. Kixiu recounted challenging Sora to a duel, then rallying all the magicians for a group assault. Sora had held his own until a woman suddenly intervened, clashing with him mid-air. Henrietta, Osman, and Duke Vallière, all present, felt a wave of sorrow and accepted the account.
Then Aaliyah was brought forward in chains. The once-pure, righteous girl hung her head, eyes dull, still lost in panic, doubt, and guilt over Sora dying to save her.
"Who are you? Verus mentioned you're the youngest Grunt daughter. Why were you on the return airship? Why attack Sora? Isn't he the hero who helped restore your country?" Henrietta glared at Aaliyah in fury.
"Sora... Sora, he's my knight. Damn it, why..."
Overwhelmed by grief, Henrietta lunged at Aaliyah, pummeling her chest with small fists, tears streaming.
"I-I'm still waiting... I wanted to tell him when he returned... I haven't said it yet!!"
Aaliyah stayed silent, taking the blows like a lifeless doll — no excuses, no resistance.
"Your Majesty, don't grieve so. Maids — help the Queen to rest. Guards — take this woman away." Seeing Henrietta's state, Duke Vallière rose, commanding separation and dismissing Kixiu.
Afterward, Vallière turned to Dean Osman with a complaint: "Sora... how do I break this to Louise now?"
Osman gave a wry smile too, though inwardly he refused to believe the Void familiar had perished so simply. The god's left hand, strongest of Ancestor Premier's familiars — Gundaruf — gone like that? Perhaps the prophecy erred.
Vallière visited his daughters' palace quarters, first finding second daughter Cattleya. He broke Sora's death and tasked her with telling Louise — to prevent anything rash.
Cattleya gaped in disbelief.
"Father... tell me Sora... Sora couldn't..."
The frail girl collapsed unconscious onto her bed.
Vallière froze.
Next, eldest daughter Éléonore. He informed her of Sora's death.
"What? Nonsense, Father — no such cruel joke." She refused belief.
The Duke shook his head mutely.
"How...?" Éléonore murmured, slumping strengthless to the floor.
"How could it? Sora, you liar — you promised never to leave me. How could you just go? I-I..." Éléonore's face twisted wildly, as if toward folly; she drew her wand, spell-ready.
Horrified, Vallière lunged, cracking her skull with his cane — out cold.
Second daughter like that; eldest too. Sora, you bastard — won't ensnare my other daughters too? Vallière seethed inwardly, but with Sora dead, no outlet. Worry mounted: how to reach Louise.
"Maids — tend Éléonore. Confiscate her wand, all sharp things — no foolishness." He summoned palace staff, handing over his eldest.
Bewildered, he approached Louise's room.
Knock-knock. Vallière rapped.
"Who?"
"Me."
"Father!? Father — news on Sora I asked you to check?"
Beaming Louise bounded from bed, trotting to fling open the door, eyes expectant.
Vallière's face twisted uglily.
"Father?" Louise's joy faded; panic swelled.
"Come in."
He nudged her inside, shutting the door.
Seated on the bed, he met her bright wide eyes, gathering resolve.
"Louise... I just left the Queen. Academy magicians returned — with Sora."
"Really?!" Louise lit up, then pouted: "Father's mean — that face had me thinking something happened to Sora."
The Duke said mournfully: "But! Returning, Sora was flung from the airship — fell thousands of meters... he's... gone..."
"I won't hear it!!" Louise cut him off savagely, hands clamping ears, head shaking.
"I won't, won't, won't!"
"Sora promised — he'd return post-war. He will — definitely."
"Louise, don't... Sora, he..." Vallière tried soothing.
"Won't hear — Sora returns!" Louise dove under quilts, burrito-tight, quivering.
Seeing his youngest thus, Vallière ached. Fearing rashness, he stood vigil.
Academy: Kixiu and others returned to girls' warm welcome, peppered with war questions. Absent Sora's death, they'd boast exploits proudly — but guilt over challenging, mobbing, "killing" him silenced them to dorms.
Meanwhile, returning Dean Osman fretted, yet duty called.
"Students Tabasa, Churuka — to the dean's office."
Wind magic amplified his voice.
Churuka in girls' dorm heard, puzzled at the summons. She fetched Tabasa first — quietly reading, wind-silence spell muffling Osman's call.
Churuka hauled Tabasa to Osman's office. He eyed his star pupils, discomfort heavy.
He huffed, toyed with mice-familiars and quills — words stuck.
"Headmaster — why us?" Churuka asked.
Osman glanced, steeled: "From palace... news. Sora — accident, fell thousands meters. Likely... dead."
Dead silence blanketed the office.
Churuka's jaw dropped; folded hands fell from chest, eyes dimming like snuffed flame.
Tabasa's book slipped earthward; blank face strained against grief, frailty; tall-wand hand trembled.
Long quiet; Tabasa spoke abruptly.
"Where?"
Osman startled.
"Sora — where fell?" Tabasa repeated.
Osman paused, recalled: "Albion-Toristine return, four hours from La Rochelle — Sausgotha area, likely."
"Go, Churuka." Tabasa tugged the dazed girl out.
"Tabasa!!" Churuka wailed.
Tabasa resolute.
"Sora — my hero. Won't die." Seemed to Churuka — and self-persuasion.
"Tabasa..." Churuka stung, heart panging. Can I trust Sora like her? Is my resolve so weak?
"Hah!!" Deep breath; Churuka's eyes reignited. "Right — to Sora. That jerk depressed me — won't let lightly."
"Yeah." Tabasa said.
With Churuka's salamander and Tabasa's dragon, they flew to Sausgotha.
..
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