Alone
I stood in a vast, silent room, facing a towering glass wall that stretched from floor to ceiling. I had just left the Recovery Room, and for the first time since arriving in Velnord, I was truly seeing this city with clear awareness.
Green mountains framed the horizon. Fields and plantations spread along the outskirts, arranged neatly like a painting crafted with patience. The buildings in the city center stood clean and orderly—no scars of war, no smoke rising into the sky.
It was even more peaceful than the city I attacked last night.
Does a world like this really exist?
All I have ever known were ruins, screams, and people trampling over one another just to survive.
So what lies before me now?
True peace… or merely an illusion waiting to collapse?
"U-Um…"
The soft voice broke through my thoughts.
In the reflection of the glass, I saw a girl standing a few steps behind me.
She looked about my age. Her fingers were clasped tightly in front of her chest, as if unsure where to place her nervousness.
I turned around.
"Yes?"
"A-Are you the one Sister Jasmine brought yesterday?"
"Yes."
In an instant, her expression changed. The tension melted away, replaced by bright, sparkling eyes. She hurried forward without hesitation and grabbed both my hands.
Her silver hair, tied in a ponytail, swayed with the motion. Her smile was wide and sincere, her small cherry-colored lips vivid against her fair face.
"My name is Dania! I'm in the Explorer Division now. I used to be in Defense, but this is my first time transferring divisions. So… please take care of me!"
I blinked. "Take care of you?"
"Huh?" She tilted her head. "We're on the same team."
"R-Really? No one told me that."
Her face instantly paled. "S-Sorry! I thought you already knew…"
"Ah, that's not what I meant!" I quickly shook my head. "I'm just surprised."
Silence lingered between us. Dania grew awkward again. For some reason, seeing her look downcast made my chest tighten.
I let out a quiet breath. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course!"
"But… somewhere else?"
Her face brightened again. "Sure! Follow me—um…"
"Azca."
"Ah, right. Follow me, Azca."
She walked ahead, and I followed her through a long corridor. People in white robes passed by, smiling warmly—most greeting Dania with familiarity. She waved back lightly.
So she's well known here.
Strangely, I—who usually keep my distance from others—didn't feel uncomfortable being near her.
A few minutes later, we arrived at a large hall that resembled a cafeteria. Long tables were filled with people. Conversations blended with the scent of warm food.
I stopped.
"What's wrong?" Dania asked.
"Why are we here?"
"We can talk comfortably. And meet the rest of the team."
"The rest?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she tugged my hand toward a table near the window.
A girl sat there alone, staring at a holographic screen with a serious expression.
"Naira!" Dania called.
The girl looked up. "You're late."
"Sorry. I went to get Azca."
Naira's gaze shifted to me—sharp enough to make me straighten instinctively.
Yet her voice was gentle.
"Are you feeling better?"
I hesitated. "Ah… yes. Thank you."
"Hm... Good."
"O-Okay."
I sat down, still carrying a trace of awkwardness. They talked about things I didn't fully understand. Occasionally they pulled me into the conversation, but I soon drifted back into silence.
Until Dania suddenly remembered.
"Oh! You wanted to ask something earlier, Azca, right?"
I took a breath. "I wanted to ask about Sis Jasmine. But before that… has this country ever been attacked by outsiders?"
The two exchanged glances.
"Why do you ask?" Naira narrowed her eyes.
"N-No reason! I was just curious. This place is too… fertile. Even more than the southern territories before the schism."
Naira leaned back. "Yes, we were attacked. This land used to be barren. After we managed to turn it fertile and prosperous, outsiders began coveting it."
"And… how did you defeat them?"
"With our combined strength, guided by Sis Jasmine. After that, they never attacked us again. That was the largest assault since this country was founded."
I nodded slowly.
"How did you turn barren land into this?"
Dania answered first. "With the ability of Sis Jasmine's Core."
"Core?"
"She hasn't told you?" Naira asked.
"Not yet."
They fell silent again, exchanging another look. Then Naira spoke.
"This is technically a secret. But since Sister Jasmine trusts you, I'll tell you."
I listened carefully.
"One of the abilities of the Seventh Core… is to infuse life into something that has already died."
I frowned. "Infuse… life?"
"For example, it can regenerate a dead tree. Even from a single dried leaf."
My eyes widened with awe. A flicker of hope sparked in my chest.
"Then… can it bring the dead back to life? I want my friends to—"
—"Don't be foolish!"
Naira's sharp tone cut through my hope before it could grow.
"There is no way to revive the dead. If you die, that is the end of your lifespan. Humans cannot surpass God's will."
I lowered my head, dejected, as she sighed.
"It's more like instant regeneration. Not resurrection."
"…I understand."
"Besides that," she continued, "another ability is Creator."
"Creator?"
"This building—and everything in this country—was created through Sis Jasmine's Core."
"…!"
Is it really that powerful? I had never heard of such an ability.
I turned toward the window again. The view that had mesmerized me earlier now carried a different weight.
So this entire city… was born from that Core.
No wonder they transformed barren land so quickly.
Now I understood why they kept the Seventh Core secret.
"I can guess how you drove away the invaders," I said. "You created mass weapons and destroyed them."
"Yes. We also built fortresses around the nation. And automated traps to capture intruders."
"Wait. Then how did I enter Velnord so easily?"
"Because Sis Jasmine saw you on radar," Naira replied. "She ordered the traps deactivated temporarily."
My chest tightened.
So… she had been watching me from the start.
"You see now, right? Sis Jasmine is kind. We're fortunate the Seventh Core is in her hands. If it fell to the wrong person…"
"Indeed. Her Core is incredibly strong. You could even argue it surpasses Princess Avra's."
Naira crossed her arms. "In ordinary combat, Princess Avra's Core excels. But in large-scale warfare, our two Cores are extraordinary."
"Two Cores?" I murmured, recalling something. "You have another one?"
"Yup. It's currently sealed away," Dania answered.
"Why? You just said your Cores are remarkable."
"They are. But the stored Core is difficult to use."
"Difficult?"
"Its energy is extremely heavy for the user to contain. It requires a Genesta with high acceleration and endurance. Otherwise, you'll be frozen in place like a stone when you try to use it."
"…I see."
I fell silent, remembering what Sister Jasmine had told me the night before.
That was why she chose me.
And why Carina told me to come here.
When Sister Jasmine revealed the Seventh Core's true form to me, she had asked for something in return.
—
[Flashback]
"Huh? Join you?"
I was startled by her sudden offer.
"Yes. I want to protect you too," Sis Jasmine replied.
"Why? Just because you trust me doesn't mean you should invite a stranger so easily."
"That's true. But there's another reason I chose you."
"Chose me?"
"Your acceleration and endurance are exceptional. Holding your own against Carina, even briefly, is extraordinary—especially without a Core."
"I relied on my brain. The rest was luck. Don't exaggerate."
"Forcing her into Core-Up isn't luck."
"…?!"
"You're clever. And your abilities support your judgment."
Something felt off.
"Wait. How do you know Carina activated Core-Up?"
Sis Jasmine smiled. "Carina told me."
"What?!"
She laughed softly at my reaction. Then continued, "Honestly, you're perfectly suited to use it."
"Use what?"
"Our other Core doesn't have a compatible wielder yet. But I think… you might."
I watched the way she tried to persuade me. No matter how you put it, she was reckless.
She took out a transparent box from her pocket, revealing a softly glowing green crystal inside.
It looked familiar.
My eyes widened.
"Isn't that…?!"
"Yes. This is the First Core—Eternal Emerald."
The name echoed in my mind.
"I can't believe you're showing something so valuable to a stranger."
"…Because you're just as valuable."
"…!"
"…Will you use it?"
I couldn't answer. I wasn't ready. Accepting it meant accepting the responsibility of protecting her trust.
If I joined them, it meant leaving my friends behind.
If I could, I would bring them here. I would save them too.
"The world isn't completely safe yet," she said quietly. "Not even this country."
I looked back at her.
"There are many enemies preparing something. A great calamity is coming. We can all feel it. They'll strike anytime, anywhere."
I swallowed.
"And before that happens, I want to stop it."
Her eyes filled with resolve.
"Even if I die someday, at least I'll have protected the people precious to me."
I was stunned.
It was the first time she had shown me such a serious expression.
But something she said lingered.
"A great calamity? What is it?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Her gaze shifted from me to the city beyond the window.
The buildings stood firm. The mountains embraced the horizon.
Everything looked intact.
Peaceful.
Too peaceful.
"This world isn't safe," she murmured.
There was something different in her voice. Not fear—certainty.
"We can feel it. An unseen movement. Something waiting."
I frowned. "Waiting for what?"
She fell silent.
The quiet spread between us. Even the wind against the glass seemed distant.
For a moment, I felt as though I shouldn't have asked.
As if some things were better left unspoken.
"Sis…?" My voice came out smaller than I intended.
She closed her eyes.
And when she finally spoke, her voice was low—almost like a confession.
As though the very name should not linger in the air.
"Ereshkigal."
※ ※ ※ (CHAPTER 04) ※ ※ ※