River's eyes narrowed.
His breathing steadied.
She's serious now.
So was he.
"Slip and Slide."
Water spread beneath his feet—
Forming a smooth, flowing path.
In an instant—
He surged forward.
Riding it like a wave.
Fast.
Direct.
Closing the distance.
"Back Draft."
Wind burst from behind Orelia—
A sudden force—
Shoving her forward.
Right toward him.
River's mind raced.
Mobility restricted.
Flight disabled.
Position controlled.
He raised his staff.
"I've got you—"
"Prismatic Laser!"
A beam of blinding light erupted forward.
Brilliant.
Overwhelming.
Unavoidable.
Orelia's wings were still weighed down—
Her movement forced—
The wind pushing her forward—
There was no clean escape.
And River knew—
Her phasing magic had a flaw.
It doesn't work against light magic.
This was checkmate.
Or at least—
It should have been.
Orelia laughed.
A bright, almost unhinged sound.
"This is so much fun!"
She didn't dodge.
Didn't retreat.
"Fine—!"
"Let's clash head-on!"
Her wand flared.
Even brighter than before.
"Lover's Bloom!"
A massive surge of pink mana burst forward—
Taking the shape of blooming petals—
Then condensed into a devastating blast.
The two attacks collided.
BOOM.
Light and pink energy exploded outward—
A shockwave tearing through the battlefield—
Throwing both of them back.
River slammed into the ground.
Orelia skidded across the stone.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
Glowing flowers began to bloom across the ground.
Soft.
Radiant.
Almost beautiful.
River pushed himself up.
Across from him—
Orelia did the same.
They locked eyes.
And—
They smiled.
Both of them.
Enjoying it.
"Honestly…"
Orelia brushed dust from her dress.
"I'm one of the weaker members of the Inquisition."
She twirled her wand lightly.
"Most of my strength comes from this artifact."
A small grin.
"I just happen to have perfect compatibility with it."
River let out a breath.
"…Yeah."
He adjusted his grip.
"I get that."
A faint smile formed.
"We're pretty similar."
He looked at her directly.
"Two frauds."
"Borrowing power…"
"Until one day we can make it our own."
Orelia's smile softened.
"…Exactly."
Her voice was almost gentle now.
"Finally…"
"Someone who understands."
Pink mana gathered around her once more—
Denser.
Sharper.
And this time—
Far more dangerous.
"…Let's keep going."
As their battle raged on—
A crowd began to gather.
Adventurers.
Civilians.
Even wounded fighters leaning on each other just to watch.
They stood in awe.
Because this—
Wasn't a duel.
It wasn't an execution.
Not like the Inquisition was known for.
This was something else entirely.
A rhythm.
A flow.
A dance.
A conversation—
Between two people who, somehow—
Understood each other perfectly.
"I've always hated myself."
Orelia's voice carried softly through the chaos.
Her wand moved gracefully—
Firing countless heart-shaped beams toward River.
"I wished I had been born as someone else."
She smiled faintly.
"Lovely February…"
Her voice softened.
"It answered that wish."
River deflected the beams with light—
Each one shattering into particles around him.
"Just by being near it…"
Orelia continued.
"It slowly transformed me."
Her hand brushed her hair.
"…into someone beautiful."
"I get that."
River moved forward—
Wind gathering at his side.
"I was weak."
"Useless."
His voice remained steady.
"I just wanted to be helpful."
"To matter."
He swung his staff—
Sending blades of wind toward her.
"My old party."
"They didn't need me."
"They hated me, than abandoned me"
"Because I was weak."
A pause.
"But then I realized something with my new party."
"Celestia."
"Azura."
"Arthur."
"My friends…"
His eyes sharpened.
"They don't care about my power."
The wind howled around him.
"They care about me."
"They value me as a person over my power of lack thereof."
Orelia's attacks slowed for just a moment.
Her expression softened.
"…How strange."
"To think…"
Her voice held a quiet wonder.
"The Church calls your kind the worst of humanity…"
Her lips curved into a small smile.
"…and yet, you seem far more human than most."
She raised her wand.
Mana gathered—
Heavy.
Brilliant.
"Tell me, River…"
Her voice lowered.
"These labels we cling to…"
"Red-eyes."
"Heretic."
"Sinner."
Her gaze flicked to his weapon.
"Even these masterpieces…"
"Forged by the worst monster humanity has ever known…"
Her eyes met his.
"Do any of them truly mean anything?"
River didn't hesitate.
"…No."
His answer was immediate.
Certain.
"I'll prove it."
Light and wind surged together around him.
"Even if I was labeled a sinner from birth…"
"Even if the world calls me something horrible…"
His grip tightened.
"I'll use everything I have—"
"To help people."
Silence lingered between them.
Just for a moment.
Then—
Orelia smiled.
Not mocking.
Not amused.
But genuine.
"…I believe you."
Her voice was soft.
"Truly."
Orelia smiled.
Mana gathered at the tip of her wand—
Brilliant.
Radiant.
Alive.
Both Onyx January and Lovely February pulsed in response.
Two masterpieces.
Two wills.
Two desires.
Onyx January—
A weapon that fed on ambition.
On the unyielding drive to grow stronger.
To endure.
To push forward—
No matter the cost.
The perfect weapon for River.
Lovely February—
A weapon that fed on acceptance.
On the longing to be loved.
To be seen.
To be valued—
For who you truly are.
And Orelia—
With her desperate wish to be accepted—
Had become its perfect wielder.
"Let's give it everything we've got, River!"
Orelia's voice rang out.
Bright.
Excited.
"No holding back!"
Her wand shone with overwhelming brilliance.
"My ultimate attack—"
"Grand Radiance: Eternal Beauty!"
A massive beam erupted forward.
Heart-shaped.
Blinding.
Overwhelming.
River's instincts screamed.
Don't block it.
You'll die.
"Geyser!"
Water exploded from his staff—
Launching his body sideways at the last possible moment.
The beam tore through where he had stood—
Erasing everything in its path.
River landed roughly—
Barely keeping his footing.
His breath ragged.
"…Now—!"
"You're wide open!"
"Tornado!"
Wind surged violently forward—
A concentrated storm unleashed in a single direction.
It struck Orelia head-on.
The force sent her flying—
Slamming her into a nearby wall.
Crash.
Debris fell around her.
River's legs trembled.
He planted the staff into the ground to keep himself upright.
"…I'm out of mana…"
His voice was barely a whisper.
"…Please…"
"Don't get up…"
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
Orelia moved.
Slowly.
She pushed herself up—
Breathing heavily.
Exhausted.
But smiling.
"…I think…"
She exhaled softly.
"…that's enough for today, don't you?"
River let out a shaky breath.
"…Y-yeah…"
A tired smile formed.
"Call it a tie?"
Orelia laughed quietly.
Warm.
Genuine.
"Of course."
She stepped forward slightly.
"My dear friend."
And just like that—
The battle ended.
Not with a victor—
But with understanding.
Orelia lowered her wand.
The light faded.
Her wings disappeared.
Her hair returned to its original form as the transformation unraveled.
With a soft motion—
She placed Lovely February back into its coffin.
"Tell me, River…"
Her voice was calm.
"Will you join the Inquisition?"
River hesitated.
"…Do I have to?"
He looked at her directly.
"If I refuse… will you take the Onyx January from me?"
Orelia shook her head.
"No."
Her answer came easily.
"I won't."
A small pause.
"Though… if another Inquisitor finds you…"
Her tone grew slightly colder.
"They may execute you."
"…or force you to join."
She met his gaze again.
"But I will not."
Silence lingered between them.
River exhaled slowly.
"…Then I can't join you."
His voice was firm.
"Not now."
A beat.
"…Maybe not ever."
Orelia tilted her head slightly.
"…Why?"
"You understand what this means, don't you?"
Her eyes narrowed just a bit.
"It's an honor."
"Especially for someone like you."
"A red-eyes."
Her voice softened.
"You could change how the Church sees your kind."
River nodded.
"I know."
His grip tightened around his staff.
"But right now…"
His eyes sharpened.
"I have something I need to do."
A quiet determination settled in his voice.
"I'm going to clear the dungeon."
"No matter what."
"I won't let anyone else reach the final floor before me."
A small pause.
"I'll be the one who does it."
Orelia watched him carefully.
Then—
She smiled.
Not mockingly.
Not dismissively.
But with genuine belief.
"…I see."
"I think you will."
She turned slightly, lifting the coffin onto her back once more.
"I still have my duties."
"I need to report what happened here."
"About the Beast of Prey."
"And the disappearance of the Witch of the East."
She glanced back at him.
"But…"
A faint smile.
"I'll leave you out of it."
River blinked.
"…You don't have to do that."
"I know."
She adjusted the straps of the coffin.
"I'm choosing to."
Another small pause.
"And I'll make sure…"
Her voice lowered slightly.
"…that I'm the primary Inquisitor assigned to this region."
River understood immediately.
Protection.
"…Thank you."
He smiled.
Orelia returned it.
"I'll be in town for a few days," Orelia said, her tone gentle once more.
"Using my magic to help purify the monster blood… and clear the remaining corpses."
She smiled softly.
"If you need anything—please, don't hesitate to ask."
From the side—
Friedrich cleared his throat.
"…Ahem."
Both of them turned toward him.
"River."
He adjusted his posture, trying to maintain some dignity.
"If she's offering…"
He gestured vaguely around them.
"…perhaps you could ask her to cover the property damage this… little duel caused."
A brief silence.
River and Orelia slowly looked around.
The road—
Cracked and torn apart.
Walls—
Blown open.
Entire sections of buildings—
Missing.
And the ground—
Still covered in glowing, magical flowers.
"…Ah."
Orelia laughed nervously.
"…Yes. That."
She scratched her cheek slightly.
"Well—let me see…"
"I did bring some supplies."
She reached into her bag of holding.
Then—
One crate.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
Stacks of non-perishable food began to pile up.
Then came the coin pouches.
Heavy.
Numerous.
She placed them down carefully.
"Of course."
She straightened.
"It is the Church's duty to assist when disaster strikes."
She smiled, composed once more.
Friedrich stared at her.
Long.
Tired.
"…You are the disaster."
He sighed deeply as he picked up one of the pouches.
Already mentally allocating repairs.
"Get these to the food bank," he muttered to a nearby guard.
As the crates were carried off—
Friedrich pinched the bridge of his nose.
"…How many dangerous individuals are going to come into my city…"
"…destroy half of it…"
"…and then pay me afterward?"
A pause.
"…I'm starting to notice a pattern."
River couldn't help it.
He laughed.
And for the first time since everything began—
Things felt…
Just a little bit lighter.