"How exactly is this possible?" Grace crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head slightly as she stared at the pillar of light in the distance.
"And it's pure white too... isn't that a little..."
She lowered her gaze in thought.
"Too divine-like?"
Roselia stepped forward, squinting slightly. The long, flowing sleeves of her ceremonial blue dress followed her movement.
"It may have something to do with four Outer Gods being present."
All three of us turned to her as she spoke.
"What's your theory then?" Anathasia asked first.
Roselia gave a small nod, then looked straight at the slowly growing pillar of light in the distance. Her voice remained steady.
"Rania is currently within the Academy, so Equilibrium is passively balancing all states."
She looked over her shoulder, her gaze settling on me.
"The Foundation is also present... giving her enough footing to endure any sudden harmful fluctuations-ones that would have non-represented her already."
Her gaze shifted again.
"And myself... as Causality, my presence allows the chain of events leading to her ascension to accelerate."
She trailed off briefly, her eyes landing on Anathasia.
"And with Miss Veridielle's presence, the Image is given more than enough reason to permit a new Demiurge to take over."
A small pause.
"...Coupled with her recent, repeated visits to the hidden archives of the Academy of Elements and History."
Roselia turned slightly, her gaze returning to the pillar as it continued to widen.
"Archives that Rania and I established more than five hundred years ago."
Her lips curved faintly as she rested her cheek against her palm.
"They are filled with everything we have understood thus far... about everything that has emanated from Miss Veridielle since the beginning."
A quiet breath slipped from her lips.
"It is not surprising that she would ascend."
Another pause.
"She was able to locate those archives... despite them being hidden within a non-spatial dimension beneath the Academy."
Her eyes remained fixed on the light.
"That alone officially granted her access to knowledge that should have remained far beyond her reach."
A faint, almost amused exhale followed.
"This was... more or less an inevitable result."
-
Vàr
The Academy of Elements and History
Rania's hand froze mid-air, chalk hovering just inches from the blackboard.
"What's that?"
One student pointed toward a small shed near the academy wall. Others followed, their attention quickly drawn as murmurs spread across the room.
Rania's eyes narrowed.
Her gaze settled on the shed just as a bright light began to emanate from within it.
It intensified rapidly.
But before panic could take hold-
she snapped her fingers.
"Everyone, please remain calm."
In the next instant-
the entire classroom emptied.
Only Rania remained.
"...What's this?"
A thought struck her.
Without hesitation, she took a single step, and vanished.
-
A hill overlooking Vàr.
Rania reappeared at a distance, exactly where she had relocated her students moments earlier.
Their eyes widened as they watched her materialize.
"Professor!"
"Is everyone alright?"
Her gaze swept across them carefully.
Seeing them nod, she inclined her head slightly.
A quiet breath left her lips.
Then a voice spoke up.
"Professor."
She paused, her attention shifting.
"...Hm?"
One of the students pointed behind her.
Rania's eyes followed the direction of their hand.
Slowly, she turned.
"What's-"
Her voice faltered.
A pillar of white light had engulfed the entirety of Vàr.
"That...?"
Rania slowly lifted her gaze, following the pillar as it stretched far beyond the planet's atmosphere. Her breath hitched for a moment before she turned back to her students.
"That's-"
"Excuse me, professor."
A red-haired boy raised his hand, cutting her off. His expression was grim.
"Mr. Ataraxia..."
"What is it?"
The boy stepped forward-
Lucian Ataraxia.
His eyes drifted back toward the academy, now completely swallowed by the blinding pillar along with the city.
"Reina... Norustovakia..."
A brief pause.
"...is not here with us."
The moment those words left his lips, Rania's eyes widened.
That's her seatmate...
That girl who bumped into me around a year ago...?
In the next instant, her gaze snapped back to the pillar of light.
It's not necessarily dangerous...
But I'm not as confident as Miss Anathasia to say nothing could-
She stopped.
A new presence emerged from within the pillar.
Rania froze where she stood, her hand lifting slightly. Only to stop mid-air as she held herself back from diving straight into the center of the phenomenon.
What's this...?
Her eyes narrowed.
Through the overwhelming light, she caught sight of a silhouette-
a girl.
A small figure, hovering high above the city.
That's...?
Then-
the pillar began to dissipate.
Slowly.
Gradually.
Until nothing remained.
The city below stood completely untouched.
And far above it, a shimmering presence lingered in the sky, radiating faint specks of light that drifted downward.
The particles fell gently like snow.
Except, they carried a soft, divine-like glow. As they touched the ground, something shifted.
Grass stirred.
And in the next moment-
flowers began to bloom.
Across the plains.
Across the hills.
Spreading outward... far beyond the horizon.
"A divine blessing...?"
A few of Rania's students murmured quietly, their eyes sweeping across the landscape now overflowing with sudden life.
But one student in particular kept his gaze fixed on the blinding presence above the city. His eyes narrowed as he tried to make sense of the source of that overwhelming luminosity.
"That's..."
His body stiffened.
The light began to move.
Rania reacted instantly, stepping forward and positioning herself between her students and the approaching presence.
But instead of stopping-
it drifted past her.
Effortlessly.
It came to a halt in front of Lucian.
Then-
it condensed.
Light folded into form.
And in the next moment-
it became a girl.
As the glow faded, leaving behind only the steady fall of shimmering particles, a familiar figure stood before him.
Blonde hair.
Now faintly radiant.
Soft. Ethereal.
She tilted her head slightly.
"I'm back."
No one moved.
Not Rania.
Not the students.
All of them remained rooted where they stood.
Some stared in awe.
Others like Rania, watched in silence, her gaze narrowing ever so slightly.
How...?
Reina reached out, gently taking Lucian's hand.
A small smile formed at the edge of her lips as she met his gaze.
"Reina...?"
"What happened...?"
She hesitated.
Her eyes drifted away for a moment-
then returned to his.
"Um..."
The faint glow of her hair began to spread.
Seeping into the rest of her presence.
Her form softened, turning increasingly luminous as waves of white, almost translucent silk unfurled behind her.
Extending from her uniform.
Flowing like light given shape.
"This is just-"
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Absolutely marvelous!"
A soft, melodic voice echoed across the field.
In the next instant, a swirl of pink light manifested before them. Spinning, condensing, until a pink-haired girl slowly descended from it.
Her hands clasped together.
Amber-brown eyes scanning the group before settling on the blonde girl standing beside Lucian.
"Mhm... a bit unexpected..."
A small smile formed.
"...but this should work."
Reina slowly turned, her gaze meeting the pink-haired girl's amber eyes before stepping forward, placing herself between her and Lucian.
Before anything could escalate-
"Grace?"
Rania spoke, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Weren't you supposed to be with Roselia testing that new steam engine?"
Grace paused, then turned toward her. She gently dropped to the ground with a faint *oof.*
"We just finished, yes," she replied, clasping her hands together and pressing them lightly against her cheek as she looked at Rania sweetly.
"But a new Demiurge was just born, right?"
A small tilt of her head.
"Isn't it my job to make sure they're stable?"
Her smile widened just a bit.
"Especially with Mom and Dad being here... chaos shouldn't be allowed, right?"
Rania fell silent.
Her eyes widened slightly as her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Miss Anathasia and Sir Kyle are here...?"
Grace nodded lightly.
Then she stretched her arms over her head, her gaze finally settling on Reina who was still standing in front of Lucian like a cornered puppy.
At least, that's how she saw her.
Her smile deepened.
"Gosh... how truly adorable..."
Her voice remained soft. Melodic.
She took a step forward.
Rania watched her in silence, shaking her head faintly.
"Protecting your boyfriend?"
A small pause.
Her smile turned playful.
"Very precious..."
Another step.
"Very..."
A slight tilt of her head-
"Romantic~"
Reina's eyes narrowed.
A dagger suddenly manifested in her hand as she glared at Grace.
But Grace-
"Okay... wow, intense...?"
She let out a small chuckle, waving a dismissive hand.
"I'm simply here to congratulate your transcendence, that's all."
Despite her words, Reina's expression only hardened further.
Grace's eyes widened slightly.
"...Oh."
She rubbed her temple lightly.
"I'm not trying to hurt anyone here..."
She shot Rania a glance, which Rania simply let bounce off as she turned away.
Grace froze for a moment, her jaw slackening slightly before she slowly turned back to Reina.
She cleared her throat.
"Really, I-"
"Grace, that should be enough."
A voice cut in.
A shimmer of golden light formed behind her. Swirling, folding in on itself before resolving into form.
"So that girl truly is the one I've noticed Lucian being with these past few months, huh?"
Soft golden hair cascaded down her back as a blue kimono formed around her.
Roselia stepped forward.
"Aunt...?" Lucian's eyes widened.
Roselia tilted her head slightly, then gave him a small wave.
"How's it going?"