Volume 7, Chapter 23 – Turning Point

Two figures streaked across the sky.

Unlike their journey there, where they had flown thousands of meters in the air, the two girls—one in black and one in purple—were now skimming just above the ground, barely higher than the treetops. The girl in front seemed to be venting her frustration; the wind pressure from their high-speed flight carved a barren path through the dense forest, and the series of sonic booms echoing through the valley elicited cries of terror from countless monsters.

Even if a city wall had stood in their way, it likely would have been punctured with a terrifying hole.

Yet even so, there were still short-sighted monsters that dared to block Fia’s path. These fiercely territorial creatures refused to yield, seeing Fia as a marauder invading their home. They rallied together with echoing roars, using various magics and even their own bodies to stand before her.

There was only one possible outcome: their magic was neutralized, and the large monsters attempting to block her with their bodies were instantly pierced through.

“Tsk.”

Truly short-sighted.

Facing the monsters howling in her way, Fia clicked her tongue. She was already in a foul mood; if these things had simply stayed out of her way, nothing would have happened, yet they insisted on being an eyesore.

Ignoring the monsters, Fia—her arms wrapped tightly beneath Anastasia’s chest—gained altitude. Ahead lay the snow-capped mountains. While the strength of the Aegis of the Firmament ensured they wouldn’t be harmed even if they slammed into a mountain, causing an avalanche near inhabited areas would have serious consequences.

It had been a mistake not to set anchors along the way, Fia grumbled to herself. With the oracle ritual yielding no results, her only option now was to find Calista—no, perhaps she should look for Ruth. Ruth was an eighth-tier undead, extremely close to the ninth tier; she might have unique insights into the soul. Even if she only taught Fia how to transfer a high-tier soul from one vessel to another, it would be a significant gain.

Though the chances of success were pitifully slim, even more ethereal than the oracle.

Having little hope for this option, the irritability in Fia’s heart intensified. If she could only know what the current Anastasia was doing, she might be able to calm down. The problem was that Anastasia felt like she was trapped in a black box; not only could Fia not reach her, she had no idea what state she was in. Her only consolation was the knowledge from the Anastasia beside her that their faint connection had not been severed.

Realizing this, Fia held Anastasia tighter. The howling wind and the shrieks of monsters made communication difficult; even if they spoke, they wouldn’t hear each other. She reduced her speed and leaned her head close to Anastasia’s cheek to ask.

“Anastasia, can you feel the connection right now?”

“Ah!” Startled by the sudden question, Anastasia’s entire body jolted. She quickly let go of her clenched hands and closed her eyes to carefully sense the Mana Surge. “I can feel it.”

“That’s good.”

Her restless heart regained a sliver of calm. Fia continued to gain altitude as the dark, snowy mountains in the distance rapidly expanded in her vision, their forms looming over the earth like pitch-black beasts waiting to devour their prey.

Anastasia, who had been silent all this time, finally found a chance to speak. She asked nervously.

“Your Highness, what should we do next?”

“Go to the Weeping Mountains.”

“The Weeping Mountains?”

“There is an eighth-tier undead there. She might know something.”

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“Oh…”

Anastasia’s spirits sank. She couldn’t see Fia’s face, but she could hear the foul mood in her emotionless tone. If Fia weren’t upset, she wouldn’t have spent the entire journey in silence, venting her frustration through such destructive behavior.

And the person causing Dofi’s unhappiness was none other than herself.

Had she not known that Fia wasn’t actually angry with her, Anastasia would have been too terrified to breathe. Even knowing she wasn’t being blamed, she was still on edge, afraid of upsetting Fia further. She didn’t fear death; she feared being hated by Fia.

Having failed to find the answer through the oracle ritual, the situation had essentially hit a dead end. Although Fia spoke of consulting the eighth-tier undead in the Weeping Mountains, Anastasia didn’t think it would work. The only difference between this and staying in the library without sleep was that one involved making a self-consoling effort at home, while the other involved constant travel to ease the anxiety by thinking, “I am working hard to find Anastasia.”

In all fairness, it was better than doing nothing. But with every negative answer, the anxiety in her heart would rise. If this continued, Dofi would only become more volatile, eventually reaching the point where she might snap at those around her and stop acting like herself.

Anastasia couldn’t help but feel her own anxiety rise. Although she hadn’t come to this world by choice, the fact remained that her presence had displaced the true Anastasia. It was hard not to feel a deep sense of guilt. She even found herself wishing she had never come to this world at all; that way, Dofi could have continued living a carefree life, and she could have borne her own pain alone.

Now that she had received the thing she desired most in life—knowing that she had a place in Dofi’s heart—she was satisfied. Even if she had to return to her original world and vanish right now, she could do so without regrets.

…Was there no way to ease Fia’s worry? Was there nothing I could do, even if it was just to share a bit of the burden, so I didn’t have to just stand by and watch?

She bit her lip until she tasted blood, her hands clenched tightly in front of her. In the past, she would have thought of hugging Fia to soothe her worries, but now she was the one being held, unable even to see Fia’s face. Her heart was filled with nothing but unease, self-reproach, and shame.

No, wait.

There was one thing only I could do.

An idea suddenly surfaced in Anastasia’s mind. She didn’t know if it was right or wrong, but she was certain that if she spoke of this method, Fia would stop being so restless and might even spend a period of relative peace. Only she could pull this off.

Even if it was a deception, it could share some of Dofi’s burden and prevent her from becoming someone else under the weight of negative emotions.

It was for herself, and for Dofi.

Anastasia opened her mouth to speak, but found that she couldn’t make a sound out of fear. Her subconscious was screaming a warning that once she took this step, there would be no turning back. But she forcibly suppressed that instinct, telling herself over and over that as long as she spoke, the situation would see a turning point.

She clenched her fists until her nails dug into her palms; the pain jolted her senses. She swallowed hard, and a smile gradually appeared on her face as she spoke in her usual, somewhat timid tone.

“Your… Your Highness…”

“What is it?”

Fia’s tone was still blunt, making Anastasia feel as if a gun were pressed against her back. Her voice faltered for a second as she looked down at the rapidly shrinking forest and spoke timidly.

“Earlier, at the Great Cathedral, you asked what I wanted to say.”

“Yes.”

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“Actually… actually, what I wanted to say then…” Sweat broke out on her palms and her back as she paused. “I wanted to say that I felt the connection with the other me get a little stronger…”

“—?!”

Almost instantly, the speeding Fia decelerated sharply. Anastasia felt a massive force as if her body were being crushed; she even feared she might lose consciousness. Fortunately, Fia remembered that Anastasia’s body wasn’t as sturdy as her own and quickly stopped her sudden braking. Only then did Anastasia feel she could breathe again.

Fia gently let go of Anastasia, allowing her to stand on the Aegis of the Firmament beneath their feet and face her. Finally, Anastasia could see Fia’s face.

It was still as exquisite and perfect as ever, but her eyes were filled with urgency. She placed her hands on Anastasia’s shoulders and asked with immense hope.

“Is what you said true, Anastasia? Why didn’t you tell me sooner!”

Unable to meet Fia’s gaze, Anastasia’s eyes darted away as she spoke hesitantly.

“In the Great Cathedral, light elements were everywhere. I suspected the oracle ritual might have given me a false impression, so I didn’t dare say anything. Now that we’ve left the cathedral, and you asked me to carefully sense the changes in the Mana Surge, I can be certain. Though the change is small, the connection is indeed stronger than before…”

To ensure Fia caught the implication, Anastasia went a step further.

“Perhaps it’s a sign that the real Anastasia is about to return. Your Highness, sh-shouldn’t we continue our journey?”

Truly unable to face Fia’s eyes at this moment, Anastasia could only urge her onward. She had never lied to Fia before, and to start with such a monumental deception left her terrified. Her chest felt tight, and even breathing became difficult.

“No, Anastasia.” Realizing something, Fia’s tone shifted. Because she was still in flight, she was able to look down at Anastasia’s face from above. She solemnly repeated her name. “Anastasia, look into my eyes.”

“What’s wrong?”

Anastasia looked up fearfully. When her gaze met Fia’s, the depth of those crimson eyes gave her the illusion that she was being seen through—as if she were standing naked before Fia, all her thoughts laid bare.

“You aren’t lying to me, are you? Though you are the Anastasia from another world, you are almost identical to the one here. In the past, when Anastasia spoke to me about important matters, she never looked away like this. I won’t suspect you of lying because you want to prevent the other Anastasia from returning; you aren’t that kind of despicable person. But you might have other reasons—”

“How could I ever lie to you?”

Before Fia could finish, Anastasia opened her eyes wide and stared directly into Fia’s. Her blue eyes met the ruby-red ones, like a person wrongly accused trying their best to clear a misunderstanding.

Usually, Fia would have given up at this point; Anastasia wouldn’t lie to her. But this matter was too important, and she couldn’t help but press further.

“It’s not too late to turn back now. I won’t blame you.”

“Your Highness, what kind of person do you take me for? I swear on my life, I would never lie to you!”

The air fell silent for a moment. Anastasia stubbornly puffed out her cheeks and glared back at Fia.

This time, it was Fia who faltered.

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Anastasia had never lied to her. It was her own mistake to assume she was lying. Besides, given Anastasia’s personality, she wouldn’t have the courage to glare directly at her like this unless she was confident. The sheer pressure of her gaze was almost overwhelming.

I’ve failed a bit as a superior and a younger sister.

Fia’s grip on Anastasia’s shoulders gradually relaxed. She deactivated her flight, lowered her arms, and bowed her head in embarrassment.

“I was too excited and wrongly accused you. I’m sorry.”

“No.” Anastasia took Fia’s delicate right hand in both of hers. She tried her best to stop her hands from trembling as she offered a smile. “You don’t need to apologize. It was my fault for not telling you in a proper way and making you worry.”

“I’m just glad you aren’t upset, Anastasia.”

“But I haven’t done anything during this time. What could have caused the connection to strengthen…?”

By raising the question herself, she ensured Dofi wouldn’t link the issue back to her. Anastasia looked down at her younger sister, who was a head shorter than her. Fia was deep in thought, her self-muttering state making her completely oblivious to the core of the problem.

“True. If you haven’t done anything, why would the connection strengthen? Could it be because I killed those Chaos monsters that attacked you today? Or is it that if we just wait like this, Anastasia will return on her own? If it’s the latter, I need to hurry and learn how to create a vessel capable of holding her soul.”

“And what if it’s because of those Chaos monsters? Their target was me, not the far stronger you, and they even spared Schneider. That’s very suspicious.”

“Hmm, they are indeed something to watch out for. Since Chaos has the ability to tear through space, we must guard against their return. But instead of using that power for something more important, they chose you. It’s possible they can only tear through space when they are near you. From now on, you must stay within my sight—including when you’re bathing and sleeping.”

“Eh?”

Anastasia was stunned.

How did things turn out this well?

“I… I think it would be better if I slept in the room next to yours…”

“No. You will sleep in my room. If you refuse, I will sleep in yours.”

Fia’s expression was dead serious, not looking like she was joking at all. Anastasia began to panic.

“That’s impossible! It would make Lady Claire misunderstand and ruin your relationship with her!”

“At worst, the three of us can just sleep together. Besides, Claire won’t misunderstand.”

“Th-three people? You…”

Imagining herself and Claire, the two older sisters, with the petite Fia sandwiched between them, Anastasia couldn’t help but feel her heart race and her face flush. Her skin even felt slightly hot.

This is too indecent. How could we all share a bed…

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“Wasn’t it the same back in the carriage?”

Fia asked, puzzled. Now that the biggest problem—the strengthening connection with Anastasia—was being resolved, her mood had shifted from irritable to pleasant. She looked Anastasia’s full chest up and down and made an off-color joke.

“Are you worried I’ll make a move on you in the middle of the night? Hmm… that is a problem. You’re too charming, Anastasia; I can’t resist at all. If you became a second Royal Consort, I’d definitely spend every day immersed in the gentle embrace of you and Claire.”

Make a move on me…

Anastasia’s face turned even redder, and she began to act coy.

“So Your Highness… then… if you have a need, I… I wouldn’t be…”

Wait?

What is this development?

A string of question marks appeared above Fia’s head.

Shouldn’t the Anastasia from the other side be shy? How did she suddenly start reacting like the Anastasia from this side?

Her expression stiffened.

“Ahaha… I was just joking. Don’t take it to heart, Anastasia. Anyway, though I don’t know what will happen once the connection strengthens, things are definitely moving in the right direction. Maybe Anastasia is just sleeping inside the body. For now, we’ll shift our focus from finding her to creating a suitable vessel. Let’s head back to Blossom tonight and discuss the details in the morning.”

“And the bath…”

“Ah, right. Let’s just go to the bathhouse together. Maybe Claire and Liti will be there too.”

“Together? I should go too? I ought to serve you while you wash and then bathe after you’re finished.”

No, that business of being touched all over is definitely out.

Fia quickly dismissed the idea in her heart. She had previously tried to act like a typical noble and let the maids in the Twilight Palace help her bathe. The result was that Colita and the others didn’t even spare the soles of her feet, leaving Fia incredibly embarrassed—it tickled, yet she couldn’t pull her feet away, and she had to maintain a stony face. It was sheer torture. Moreover, the older maids’ techniques were so exquisite it was comfortable enough to make her want to make strange sounds. By the time she finished a bath, her legs felt weak, and her skin would be flushed by the time she got back to bed.

Fia chose to skip the subject and gave a firm command.

“Alright, turn around. Put your back to me. Let’s get back to Blossom quickly, or we won’t make it in time.”

“Yes…”

Her hands skillfully slid beneath Anastasia’s chest once more as she held her tight. Fia activated [Flight], turning into a shooting star that streaked toward the distant horizon.