We watched as the soldiers continued, still unable to grasp exactly what we were witnessing. It was impossible that so many soldiers could have miraculously escaped death in Galia. It wasn’t just that, however—the belongings of the fallen soldiers had long ago been returned to their grieving families. This was also true of Lord Mason, whose things were buried in his grave at Hart Manor. Aaron asked Roxy if she could confirm that, but she shook her head.

  “I’m too scared…” she said. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do it. I know it’s important, but…I’m sorry.”

  “No, I asked you for something I shouldn’t have. It is I who should apologize.”

  After a short time, soldiers and holy knights began appearing at the southern gate, having received word from Miria. We left the rest up to them as we returned to the Holy Knight District. Lady Aisha was at Hart Manor, and we needed to inform her as soon as possible that her husband was alive.

  “Mother will be so shocked to hear the news,” Roxy said.

  “She might jump out of her own skin,” Aaron added.

  I watched Aaron and Roxy walking along ahead and put my hand to the black sword at my waist.

  “What do you make of this, Greed?”

  “It shouldn’t be possible, but it’s happening.”

  “Yeah, that much I can see for myself. That’s not what I’m asking.”

  “I expected that you would have fit the pieces together already. Just like Luna told you. No happy endings for anyone.”

  “Happy endings…so even if things look rosy at the start, in the end they’ll turn tragic?”

  “Yep. You saw Roxy earlier. She was a bundle of nerves when she first saw her father, but now look. She couldn’t be happier.”

  Perhaps some part of Roxy had always hoped for another chance to see her father. Now she was beginning to accept his return, though some part of her perhaps feared that it wasn’t true. I had to ask Greed if all of this had something to do with Myne and her search.

  “Is it the Door to Distant Lands?” I asked.

  “And if it is?” Greed asked in return. “What will you do then?”

  “Greed!”

  “I’m sorry. But there’s still time. No need to get hasty. If things have gone this far, Eris won’t be wasting any time either. She’ll be back, and I’m sure she’ll have updates for us. Your best bet for now is to wait.”

  “No choice but to wait…”

  I wasn’t good at waiting. Still, there was nothing else to do. Before leaping into action, we needed to see if anyone who came back had any leads. I could rely on the two white knights at the castle to investigate this matter for us, but I wasn’t too good at dealing with either of them. In any case, I knew that if I asked, they would tell me what they knew.

  We saw Lady Aisha at the gates as we approached Hart Manor. She’d been waiting there for us since we had returned to our original bodies. As soon as she saw us, she ran to meet us. She had put on an air of confidence earlier, but the truth was that she’d been worried sick for the both of us.

  “Ah, you’re both back safe and sound. I’m so glad, I really am. And there’s no need to worry—Memil woke up just a little while ago. Miss Sahara is with her.”

  “Thank you, my lady.”

  “Ah, it’s so much better that you’re both back to normal! Still, that boyish Roxy was lots of fun. I dare say I’m going to miss her.”

  “Mother, please! Show some manners!”

  “Oh, my. My apologies, dearest daughter. There’s no need to get so angry. You’ll only give yourself more wrinkles. If you keep that up, you’ll only scare Fate off.”

  “Huh?!”

  As usual, Lady Aisha was nothing if not full of vigor. It was hard to fathom that she had been completely bedridden until just a few months ago. Now we had to break the news to her. I was a little worried as to how she would take it. Aaron and I watched over Roxy as her face grew serious.

  “Mother, I need you to listen to me carefully now, okay?”

  “What? What is it? Oh, you don’t mean…? He finally popped the question?”

  Lady Aisha looked back and forth at Roxy and me, suddenly brimming with incredible joy and a desire to celebrate. It was clear she had entirely the wrong idea.

  Roxy suddenly realized what her mother was thinking. “Not yet, Mother! Not yet! Why do you always assume that’s what we want to talk to you about?!”

  “Oh, so that’s not what you wanted to tell me? How very disappointing Well then, what is it? I’m sure it can’t possibly be as exciting as that.”

  Lady Aisha seemed suddenly bored now that she knew we wanted to tell her something different. Roxy’s eyebrow twitched irritably at her mother’s attitude. She had something genuinely important to say. It was always like this with these two. Lady Aisha was always playfully pushing Roxy around.

  “Mother, I’m serious,” Roxy said, grabbing her mother by the shoulders. “I need you to listen to me.”

  Lady Aisha froze, shocked by her daughter’s actions. “Okay, okay. I’m listening. What is it?”

  “Father has come back.”

  “What?!”

  “Father has returned from Galia. He’s back, and he’s alive.”

  Lady Aisha clearly couldn’t comprehend the idea that her husband had returned. She was certain he had died. Her wide eyes blinked with disbelief as she looked at her daughter. “If this is your idea of a joke, it’s in very poor taste. Stop it at once. That’s impossible. Mason is gone, and I won’t have you making light of it.”

  “But it’s true!”

  “Huh?! My, oh my, wh-whatever shall I do? What is going on here? Aaron, please talk some sense for me, would you please?”

  Lady Aisha still thought her daughter was playing a trick on her, so she turned to Aaron, who was always trustworthy.

  “Aisha, Roxy is speaking the truth. I met Mason myself earlier. He’s currently at the castle.”

  “My lord…I never would have thought you’d join in this sort of tomfoolery. You’re lying, you must be lying. I…he…Fate, please, tell me the truth!”

  I was her last resort, and she grabbed hold of me in search of an answer. It wasn’t that the idea of Lord Mason being alive bothered her. Rather, it was that this kind of good news was so divorced from reality that she couldn’t comprehend it. Lady Aisha’s response was entirely natural. After all, it was a case of the dead coming back to life.

  “Why would you all lie to me about this?” she pleaded. “Mason…Fate, is he… I feel like if he really has come back, I’ll faint on this very spot…”

  “My lady, please calm down,” I said. “Take a few deep breaths.”

  “Yes, you’re right. Thank you, Fate. I feel a little better.”

  “Great. Now it’s my turn to tell you the truth: Lord Mason has returned.”

  It seemed that my words were the last straw. Lady Aisha’s eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted, exactly as she said she would. I caught her before she fell. Roxy was shocked; she hadn’t expected this reaction from her mother.

  “Mother?!” she cried.

  “Let’s take her back to the manor and let her sleep,” Aaron said. “As far back as I can remember, Aisha had completely devoted herself to Mason. She loved him like no other.”

  “Ah, I see,” I said. “I’m sorry about this, Roxy.”

  “You have nothing to apologize for, Fate. My mother has always been a handful. Come on, let’s head to the manor.”

  “Okay.”

  With Lady Aisha in my arms, I followed Roxy into Hart Manor.

  The head servant Haru dashed up to us. “Lady Aisha! What happened?!”

  “She got a little too excited,” Roxy explained, “and it appears she fainted.”

  “I’ll get something prepared to help her cool down.”

  Haru ran off immediately. The manor buzzed with palpable tension, and Aaron turned to Roxy.

  “Mason will be coming here once he’s finished at the castle,” he said. “You had best explain the situation to your staff before he does.”

  “You’re right. I’ll gather everyone and give them the news. Will you take care of my mother for me?”

  “Of course. Right, Fate?”

  “Yes. Roxy, leave your mother to us. We’ll take care of her.”

  “Thank you. I’ll see you soon.”

  Roxy walked off and started gathering her staff, just as was expected of the head of the family. When they were all together, she shared the news that Lord Mason was coming home. I didn’t expect anyone to react quite like Lady Aisha had, but I was certain they would be astonished. Even when I had worked as a servant at the manor, Lord Mason’s passing had left the staff with a deep well of sadness. I could still remember how, after a few drinks, people had opened up and talked about their memories of him.

  I watched as Roxy informed the staff.

  “However you look at it, she’s amazing, that Roxy,” said Aaron. “Let’s go, Fate.”

  “Of course. However, I’m a little worried. Is it okay for two men to be alone with Lady Aisha in her private quarters?”

  “Hmm…you’ve always been a bit uptight when it comes to that kind of thing. In that case…”

  Just then, Haru returned with a small bucket of water and a towel.

  “Just in time,” Aaron said. “Haru, would you mind showing us the way to Aisha’s room?”

  “Right this way,” she replied.

  We followed Haru to Lady Aisha’s room. As we did, I could hear Lady Aisha mumbling, calling out Lord Mason’s name.

  “He’ll be back soon,” she said softly, a look of relief washing across her face.

  All this time, she had held back her true feelings, hiding them behind a veil of jokes and love for her daughter.

  Luna’s words played over in my head again. I couldn’t forget them. The Door was opening. That, or it had already opened. Though I still didn’t know what was happening in any real sense, that had to be why Lord Mason had returned, and for that I was happy.

  For that brief moment, just like Lady Aisha and Roxy, I allowed myself to enjoy the good news.

  Chapter 17:

  The Truth About Memil

  WE ENTERED LADY AISHA’S ROOM, where I placed her on her bed. Aaron and I were both worried and decided to remain at Hart Manor for a while. About an hour later, Lady Aisha came to.

  “I’m…I’m sorry,” she said. “I fear I got a little too excited. When you healed me, you gave me too much energy, Fate.”

  She sat up in bed with a bright smile. It seemed she could finally accept that Lord Mason was alive and back. Aaron looked relieved to see it too.

  “I’m sure he’ll be shocked to see me in such good health,” said Lady Aisha. “He might even faint as I did.”

  Aaron laughed. “Mason was never astounded by anything. Not for as long as I knew him, anyway!”

  “Oh, Aaron!”

  Aaron’s words reminded me that Lord Mason’s return was quite the shock for the entire Hart family. It wouldn’t be surprising if Lord Mason felt more astonished than anyone else. Even if he was, he had only displayed concern for Roxy when he came in through the southern gate. It was amazing to consider that he had gone through an experience that surpassed our understanding of the world and yet hadn’t shown an ounce of surprise. He was made of different stuff than young holy knights like myself, that much I felt acutely.

  Once Aaron had made sure that Lady Aisha was fine, he headed toward the door.

  “Fate, it’s time for us to go. Aisha, give Mason my regards upon his return.”

  “There’s no need to leave yet, Aaron,” said Lady Aisha. “You are most welcome to stay.”

  “No, we can’t. I would not want to interrupt such an important family reunion. I’ll be back to visit in a few days.”

  “I see… Thank you for your kindness, Aaron.”

  “Think nothing of it. Fate, let’s go.”

  “Yes, Aaron.”

  A family reunion. The thought made me envious. My own father had died of illness while I was still young. As for my mother, she had died soon after giving birth to me.

  Perhaps the miracle that brought Lord Mason back also brought my parents back, I thought, but I was certain it wasn’t to be. It was better for me to let go of such silly fantasies. Besides, I had my own family now: Aaron, Memil, and even Sahara. She felt like a sister to me even though she was only a maid of the household. I’d never imagined I would be a part of such a family.

  Even so, there’s a part of me that…

  “Fate.” Aaron put a hand on my shoulder. “We’re leaving.”

  He paused as if he had something more to say, but it remained unsaid as he left Lady Aisha’s room.

  “Wait for me, Aaron!” I cried. “Lady Aisha, I’ll see you again soon!”

  “I’ll be waiting for you,” she said.

  I ran after Aaron, past Haru, and I heard voices chattering excitedly in the corridor. It made me glad to think that everyone was looking forward to Lord Mason’s arrival.

  I caught up to Aaron and the two of us walked side by side. For a time, he said nothing. Then he stopped in place suddenly and looked directly at me.

  “Fate,” he said. “What are you planning?”

  He’d seen right through me.

  “Recently you haven’t been yourself,” he continued. “Occasionally I catch you with a far-off look, lost in your thoughts. Thoughts of something far from here.”

  “I…” I looked at Aaron, his brow knitted in worry. I wasn’t sure what to say.

  “Is it about Myne?” he asked. “I’m worried too, but…”

  I said nothing.

  “As I suspected,” Aaron said. “You’re…you’re going to leave us.”

  “Not yet,” I said. “But when I find out where she is, I’m going to find her.”

  “I see. Have you told Roxy yet?”

  “I have not.”

  Aaron rubbed his forehead, unable to disguise the worry in his eyes. “I understand. But when the time comes for you to leave, you will tell me. I want to make sure we send you off with a fitting celebration. Am I understood?”

  “I understand.”

  With that said, Aaron went to Barbatos Manor to check on Memil. I knew he still had more he wanted to say. Aaron had adopted me as his own son and given me the freedom to do whatever I wanted as the head of the Barbatos family. It wouldn’t be right for me to leave without telling him. The least I could do to repay his kindness was to not break my promises.

  I decided to have a quick word with Roxy before leaving the manor. It didn’t take long to find her, but she was still in conversation with some of the manor staff. Just like Lady Aisha, they were stunned by the news. The disbelief was clear on their faces. Despite this, Roxy continued to patiently explain the situation.

  I waited in a corner for her to finish, but realized it was going to take some time. I wasn’t a member of the family or its staff, and I didn’t want to cause any difficulties for Roxy as she explained things. As I started to leave, Roxy noticed me and gave me an inquisitive look. I waved my hand slightly in reply. It was our way of agreeing we’d see each other tomorrow.

  Even after she finished informing the staff, there would still be so much more for Roxy to do. They would have to celebrate Lord Mason’s return. I recalled the party Roxy had held upon her return from Galia. It had been quite the celebration. Any celebration for Lord Mason would need to be at least as grand. The Barbatos family would also have to ensure that a suitable gift was readied to celebrate his return.

  It was strange to be wrapped up in feelings of both joy and uncertainty. I left Hart Manor, but I did not go to Barbatos Manor. Instead, I went to the Military District. I wanted to talk to Laine about what was happening. She had provided immeasurable help when Roxy and I swapped bodies.

  The Holy Knight District bustled with nervous energy. It seemed that news of Lord Mason’s return—and that of the soldiers who served under him—was spreading. As I navigated through the crowds of people, I found my eyes drawn to a graveyard just by the side of the gate into the Military District. I could have kept walking, but it had been a few months since the incident with Rafale, and the confusion in my heart was finally beginning to clear.

  I entered the graveyard. It was not a resting place for fallen holy knights. Instead, it was a graveyard for those who worked for the holy knights—the final repose for those who dedicated their lives to serving the kingdom’s most powerful. Because many holy knights abused their positions of power, there was no small number of servants who were killed by their masters. This graveyard was a place to dispose of those bodies without any inconvenient questions.

  According to Roxy, this was why the Hart family servants were never buried here. Instead, they were laid to rest on the grounds of the Hart family estate.

  “What’s on your mind?” said Greed, noticing my detour. “What are we doing in a place like this?”

  “I just thought I’d come to…check up on him.”

  “Ah…I see.”

  The graves stood quiet and unmoving. I stood before the newest addition to the graveyard and placed a hand upon the cold stone.

  “Are you at rest now, Rafale?” I asked.

  I felt something like my Gluttony writhing within me. It had devoured his soul, which meant that some remnant of Rafale lived on inside of me. It was not as distinct a presence as Luna’s, but beneath the spiritual plane she’d created, Rafale’s soul drifted with all the others who had died by my hands. Perhaps this was why, when I said Rafale’s name, I felt his agonized soul trapped in the hellscape inside of me…or at least imagined something very much like that.

  It was true that Rafale had ruthlessly attempted to destroy the entire kingdom, but his wish had been grounded in a perverse desire for vengeance. In losing his mother, the one person in the world he’d thought of as his ally, some part of Rafale’s mind had shattered. That much was clear in the diaries he’d left behind. He could not save his mother—one of the forsaken—and with each passing day, his hatred for the kingdom grew. He, too, despised the skill-centric oligarchy of this kingdom.

  But even then, what Rafale was trying to do, it was…