”Cough….I guess I pushed myself a lot…..”
Saying that, he staggered.
–THUD!
Though before he could fall to the ground, Irina managed to hold him.
“You did well; you can rest now.”
Irina cradled Astron in her arms as the remnants of Phantom’s Land slowly dissipated. Even though she was tired from the constant fighting, she still conserved some of her strength. And, it was not like Astron was too heavy, either.
‘Looking close like this….’
She couldn’t help but think a little. Even though his skin had now become a lot healthier and shinier than before, she still remembered the first times she had seen him.
There were times when he looked kind of fragile.
‘Well, his sleeping face is really innocent.’
It really felt somehow familiar, as if she kind of remembered him as someone innocent. Considering their past relationship and how they interacted, these feelings didn’t make sense, yet deep down in some place, she somehow found herself remembering something.
“Good morning, mother. Should I help you?”
It was a faint memory—a faint memory of a young child smiling at his mother. It was short, yet it felt like this memory affected her quite a lot.
‘Who is this child?’
She couldn’t help but ask herself. Who was this child, and why was she now remembering it? Even after this entity had died or Astron killed it somehow, it felt like it was still affecting her mind.
Yet, the faint memories continued to come forward. It was as if something that had been blocking her was released now, and she could freely think.
“You’re never going to leave me, right?”
“No matter what happens, Estelle, I promise I’ll never leave you. Even if the world breaks down, as long as I am still breathing, I will always stay with you.”
It was another memory. A memory where two youngsters were talking-
“Argh-!”
Before she could even ponder about the details of the memory more, an immense amount of pain assaulted Irina’s head. Releasing a groan, she clenched her hands, trying to withstand the pain.
However, at the same time, even though she could no longer see it, her mind continued to rack.
‘Who is Estelle?’
A question that she asked herself. Who was the girl named Estelle? What were those memories?
‘Are they related to Astron?’
Turning her head to him, she saw his sleeping face. For the first time in her life, she had seen him this defenseless. Even before, he had never once let his guard down in front of anyone. Irina was no fool. She could always see Astron with his guard up. No matter which situation occurred, he was always ready for something on his way.
That was how it always was. But right now, it was the complete opposite.
Irina hesitated for a moment, torn between the intriguing memories flooding her mind and the peaceful sight of Astron resting in her arms.
The desire to touch his cheeks grew stronger, an impulse she couldn’t entirely resist. She scolded herself internally, muttering, “I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t…”
Yet, as if drawn by an irresistible force, her fingers gently brushed against his skin. The sensation was soft, almost ethereal.
A strange warmth surged within her as she traced the contours of his cheek, feeling the vulnerability that he seldom revealed.
“He’s just a person,” she whispered to herself as if trying to convince her racing thoughts. “Nothing more, nothing less.”
However, the touch persisted, and the more she explored the tenderness of his features, the more she felt a peculiar connection. It was as if he existed in a realm beyond her comprehension, a ghost from a distant reality.
‘Maybe I think this way because he always looks so detached from everything.’
Remembering the day she followed (stalked) him a little, she couldn’t help but think how his day was always filled with training.
No hobbies, not anything for fun. His room was empty and dull as well….Well, she secretly checked it once, bribing a certain personnel.
‘It is soft.’
While thinking about all those, her fingers continued to trace his cheeks.
‘What if he one day vanishes?’
The softness of his skin seemed almost otherworldly, and for a moment, Irina entertained the notion that Astron could vanish like a fleeting apparition. For some reason, she felt like this was a possibility.
This person lying in her arms never tried to connect with anyone and always kept his distance from people.
As her mind ventured further, a memory surfaced— an article written by a famous psychic mage that she had come across. The article warned about individuals who perpetually maintained detachment from others and the world, emphasizing the need to handle them with care.
It suggested that such individuals might be at a higher risk of choosing an irreversible path, especially if they subjected themselves to excessive self-torment.
–SHIVER!
The realization sent a shiver down Irina’s spine.
‘No, he won’t do that, right? He is not that kind of person; he is not that weak.’
Irina thought, desperately attempting to dispel the unsettling notion that had crossed her mind. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ovl(ꜰ)ir(e).nt
‘What am I thinking?’
Yet, even as she tried to reassure herself, the haunting words from another article resurfaced in her memory. The article discussed the intricate stages and complexities associated with the act of killing oneself.
‘It is not even a weakness.’
It emphasized that it was not a sign of weakness but rather a result of immense internal struggles that might go unnoticed by others.
‘Why do I even think about it now?’
She wondered why all those thoughts started to surface in her mind. For which reason why? Yet, she couldn’t find an answer. At the end of the day, she was left on her own.
Just as she was thinking to herself, suddenly, something different happened around the environment.
“Huh?”
She could feel the mana around changing rapidly as the psions started revolving around a certain space.
The once eerie landscape transformed into a more familiar environment, and the lingering fog dispersed into the air.
–PUFF!
As the last vestiges of the otherworldly realm faded away, a sudden burst of spatial disturbances caught her attention.
“What?”
From the place where the anomalies had occurred, a multitude of phantoms emerged.
“Phantoms?”
In an instant, she tried to get ready for the combat, yet she felt something different from the newcomers.
However, unlike the malevolent entities they had faced before, these phantoms carried an aura of gratitude and ethereal warmth.
‘They are different.’
The phantoms circled around both Astron and Irina, their ghostly forms moving gracefully in the air. Each phantom emanated a soft, echoing voice filled with gratitude.
“Thank you,” they spoke in unison, their voices blending into an ethereal chorus. “You have freed us from the torment of this realm. We are grateful for your sacrifice and courage.”
Irina stared in awe at the spectacle unfolding before her. The phantoms’ voices echoed with a sense of release and peace, their spectral forms glowing with a serene light.
As the phantoms continued to orbit around them, one of them broke away from the group and approached Irina. Its form shimmered with a faint glow, revealing the visage of an elderly soul.
“Young one,” the elderly soul whispered, its voice carrying the weight of wisdom, “you carry a burden, and your path is intertwined with his. Take care of him; he walks on a thin thread, and he could fall at any time.”
Confusion and concern knitted Irina’s brows as she tried to comprehend the cryptic message.
“What do-?” She opened her mouth, yet before she could even say anything more, the elderly soul gently touched her forehead, imparting a sense of reassurance.
As if responding to an unseen call, the phantoms converged, forming a luminous portal.
One by one, the phantoms entered the portal, the elderly soul lingering for a moment longer. “Take care,” it whispered to Irina before joining the others. The portal shimmered, and with a final ethereal glow, it closed, leaving the once eerie landscape transformed into a more familiar environment.
Irina remained still, a mixture of awe and confusion swirling within her. The words of the elderly soul echoed in her mind, adding an unforeseen layer of complexity to the mysteries surrounding Astron.
‘What did he mean by that?’
Many, many, many questions were in her head, yet she couldn’t find any answers to them. But just as she was about to ponder about it more, suddenly her eyes met with a pair of purple ones.
From those clear purple eyes, she could see her own reflection of eyes. Yet, maybe because her mind was still on the questions, she hadn’t realized what this implied.
However, it didn’t take long for realization to dawn on her. Astron was awake.
Astron, with his usual calm demeanor, raised an eyebrow. “Can you please remove your hand from my cheek?”
As the awareness settled in, a faint blush touched Irina’s cheeks. She noticed that her hand was still delicately cupping Astron’s cheek. Embarrassment flickered across her expression, and she swiftly withdrew her hand, avoiding eye contact.
Irina’s blush deepened as she stammered an apology. “Cough…
I-I didn’t realize you were awake. Sorry about that.”
“No need to be sorry. I’m used to waking up to strange situations. Now, what happened after I passed out?”
Even though he seemed nonchalant about it, for some reason, Irina got a feeling that he was acting a little differently. But she somehow managed to hide her initial embarrassment as she looked into his eyes.
‘That’s right. I won’t be swayed by him. This guy challenged me.’
She still remembered the words she had spoken at that time, so she could no longer back down from them.
“Not much.” She straightened her posture, maintaining eye contact. “The Phantom’s Land had already started collapsing.”
“I can see that,” Astron replied, his eyes scanning around the place.
“But…..” Irina hesitated for a second but still asked anyway. “What happened here?”
Astron’s gaze swept across the surroundings as Irina questioned him about the events that transpired while he was unconscious. His expression turned more serious as he began to explain.
“The culprit was a demon,” Astron stated matter-of-factly. “It recently awakened from its slumber. I caught it off-guard in the middle of a ritual and managed to defeat it. However, once it lost control of the portal here, it exploded on its own.”
Irina’s eyes widened slightly at the revelation. Demons were formidable adversaries, and the fact that Astron faced one and emerged victorious showcased the extent of his capabilities.
‘As expected, he is strong.’
She couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride in their combined strength. That explosion was the scene she had witnessed, so things matched up quite well.
“But, what was that scream?”
“It was nothing. Once I caught it off guard, the battle was already in favor of me.”
“I see.”
‘Well, it certainly didn’t sound like his scream either. I now kind of feel like an idiot rushing over in panic.’
She thought to herself.
“Then, now….” Just as she was about to speak more, suddenly, Astron interrupted her.
“I have a favor to ask you.”
“What is it?” she inquired, her curiosity piqued, yet she never expected the words that would come out of his mouth.
“I want you to take the credit for this incident. Especially for the fight with the demon.”
“What?”
It was an unreasonable request.