"How many times is it now…?"
"Loop twenty…" came a faint answer from beside him.
Even after living the lost time again within the dreamscape, Seraphine could barely keep track of the loops anymore. Her expression darkened at the number, distress settling across her face.
She glanced up at Ashen.
He was seated in the middle of the grand library, half-lidded eyes fixed on nothing in particular as he thought in silence. Around them, books were scattered in careless heaps across the floor, stacked atop tables, and even left open on the shelves. It was a mess that told of how thoroughly they had searched every corner.
And yet, from the weight in their air, it was clear they still had no answer.
"Ash… how are you holding up?" Seraphine asked softly, breaking the silence.
"...I'm thinking…" He turned a faint smile in her direction, but it did not reach his eyes.
Seraphine was not in a good state either. Watching herself die over and over had left her increasingly frightened as the day of her death crept closer.
But seeing it through the dreamscape and living it were two entirely different things.
Ashen's state proved that much.
More than that… Seraphine knew that being forced to watch her die countless times, no matter how desperately he tried to stop it, had likely worn down his sanity far more than facing his own death ever could.
"Twenty loops… that's five years, right?" Ashen finally seemed to settle on a line of thought.
"Yes. Exactly five."
"During those five years, we've gone through every healing spell and every book related to souls and spirits. We had the sages try them all, but nothing worked."
"Yes…" Seraphine lowered her gaze, then looked back at him.
He tried to smile. "At least the time wasn't completely wasted. Look how many healing spells you learned because of it. When we get back to real life, you can show them off and blow everyone away."
"Most of it is thanks to you, though."
"It was your choice to carry the memories with me. That makes it your credit too."
"Of course I would carry them…" She leaned a little closer, her voice softening. "I'd never let you bear them alone, Ash."
His smile thinned into a tired and bitter one. "What a resilient woman I have… you're almost making me ashamed of how weak I look."
"Hah—!" Her lips quirked despite herself. "You'd better keep it together then. You don't want to disappoint me, right, baby?"
"I don't." A genuine smile finally touched his lips.
"That's the spirit!" She brightened, then tilted her head. "Now, what's our next step?"
"Hmm… I'm thinking of learning spellcasting."
"Oh?" She blinked, curious. "How did that come about?"
"As I said earlier, we haven't found anything among the existing spells that can help us. So I thought I'd take matters into my own hands."
Normally, that would have been a foolish effort at best. The sages who had lived for centuries longer than he had were already here, at his disposal. Why waste time learning what they already knew, or attempt what they had already failed to achieve?
Seraphine did not think that deeply, but she still looked at him with curiosity.
"The more loops pass, the more I feel like this is not as simple as it looks," Ashen said, his gaze lowering slightly. "I think whoever is rewinding time is capable of much… much more."
"So you think there's going to be enough loops to come up with something?"
"Yes. As long as I focus on a single goal, I always manage to come up with miracles. It's always been that way. Besides… I've given those geezers more than enough chances."
Seraphine smiled. "I trust you."
*
*
*
Esperra Continent, Vandalar.
"Lady… how much longer are you going to keep stalling?"
The slimy voice made her skin crawl, but Lapis held herself steady and resisted the urge to stab him on the spot.
"Your brother is always trying to keep you out of danger. So what if you disobey him for his sake?"
The same man who had made her dear brother show such a terrifying face at the mere mention of his existence was now trying to prod her with sweet words. Or rather, poison dressed as sweetness.
But more than that… he was her only lead to rescuing the brother she cherished so dearly.
He had promised to visit at least once a month, but months had already passed since he last showed himself. Lapis was starting to go mad with worry.
Even her big sister Alice, along with that fake woman who always trailed after him, were nowhere to be found.
In the end, she had decided to take matters into her own hands and meet this man again, despite every warning Ashen had given her.
'If he ends up dead, what good would following his warning do? All I can do is drown in regret.'
"And… are you really going to be satisfied being your brother's little pet, obeying his every command and never having a say in your own life?"
Ah.
That was when all her rushed thoughts vanished.
Roland was a masterclass manipulator, truly. Unfortunately for him, for all the skill he showed, he just made the fatal mistake of trying to sow discord between Lapis and her brother.
There were many things she might forgive.
That was not one of them.
Anyone who tried to stand between her and Ashen went beyond acceptable and straight into unforgivable.
She stared at him for a long moment, then let out a small chuckle.
"My brother's pet… This is the first time someone has described me… so well."
Roland blinked.
"Mr. Roland, thank you for your help this time, but I suddenly remembered there's another recruiter who's always hovering around my bro. Maybe I'll ask her instead."
As she rose from the coffee table, she cast him one last glance and added, almost lightly, "She also looks like my brother's pet from the way she's always cleaning up after him. I'm sure she'd be willing to help. We should all look after each other as fellow pets, no?"
Tak…
tak…
tak…
"..."
Roland's expression tightened.
'This insolent… little…'