“She always gave off a mysterious, almost mystical vibe. Though Carlos once asked about her background and lineage, she brushed it off, saying she came from a nameless little village. Since she was his best friend's girlfriend, Carlos didn't press too hard... Oh, and she seemed to know some spells that even Arthur and the others didn't.”
“You have to understand, Carlos and Arthur were the top graduates of the magic academy at the time. Their fields of specialization were different, but they were both incredibly knowledgeable. Yet, there were spells they had never even heard of—how could they not be curious? But if anything, that only brought them closer together.”
“Mysterious, huh? ...But according to Master, the world is so vast that there are always unknowns waiting to be explored. It’s not impossible.”
Starlight pulled the portrait from his pocket. The fading glow of the fire reflected off the smiling faces of the three people in the frame, and a hint of melancholy flickered in his eyes.
Seeing Starlight’s mood sink again, Noah continued, “I’ve answered your first question. What about the second? What else do you want to ask?”
Starlight nodded and carefully tucked the portrait away before asking his second question.
“Do you think Master has really left us? I’ve never heard of someone disappearing into points of light like that. Is it possible he’s just playing a prank on us, or that he was taken somewhere we don't know about?”
It was Noah’s turn to fall silent. He knew all too well that the manner of death Starlight described was highly unusual, but as a soul fragment of Carlos, he could no longer sense any trace of his other half.
Such a soul connection was almost entirely independent of time and space. If it was truly gone, there was only one possible answer.
However, looking at the boy before him who still clung to a shred of hope, Noah didn't know how to break the news.
He could only say vaguely, “I don't know... Of course, I don't want him to be dead either. But since he arranged for us to meet, perhaps we’ll have a chance to see him again on our future journey?”
“You think so too? That’s great! Thank you for answering my questions!” Hearing this vague but hopeful reply, Starlight seemed to find some peace. He bowed deeply to Noah, who was sitting on the stone table, to show his gratitude.
“That... there’s no need for thanks. Let’s leave it at that for today. I’m tired and need to rest. We can talk more tomorrow... Oh, by the way, happy birthday.”
Being thanked so solemnly made Noah feel a bit awkward, so he made up an excuse to change the subject.
As the pages closed on their own, the old book settled quietly back onto the table. It remained motionless as if nothing had happened.
By then, the fires from the explosion inscriptions had gradually died down, and the midsummer night returned to tranquility. The boy looked up at the starry sky and slowly lay back on the grass.
“This has to be the most bizarre day of the last fifteen years, hasn't it? I wonder what tomorrow will be like. Whatever happens... happy birthday, Starlight.”
Only at this moment did Starlight’s tense nerves finally relax. With the evening breeze blowing over him, he fell into a deep sleep right there on the grass.
He slept exceptionally soundly and wasn't woken up until noon the next day by a series of shouts.
“Hey! Kid! Starlight! Get up!”
“Okay, Master, right away...” Hearing that familiar voice, Starlight answered instinctively as he sat up.
It was then that he realized he was lying on the grass outside. For a moment, he was dazed, until the stinging pain in his body pulled him back to reality. He turned to look at the old book shouting from the table.
“So everything that happened yesterday was real...” he whispered to himself.
“What are you still dawdling for?! How long have you been sleeping? Didn't you say we were leaving today? If we wait any longer, it’ll be night again!” Seeing that Starlight was still in a daze, Noah floated over to him and shouted bluntly.
“Morning, Noah. I overslept, sorry... I’ll go get ready right now.”
After calming himself, Starlight immediately got to work. Over the years, he had become quite adept at packing and organizing.
The only thing that gave him a headache was the backpack he had packed yesterday. It had been torn open in the chaos and then scorched by sparks, leaving it in a ruined state.
With no other choice, Starlight painstakingly cut a piece from the Shadow Leopard skin and sewed a simple bag to stuff his belongings into.
He then found a leather strap and threaded it through Noah’s spine, allowing him to wear the book slung across his waist. Although it didn't look very elegant, it was the best he could do for now.
Next, he folded the remaining pieces of hide and tied them to the pack. With that, his packing was complete.
However, his current look was quite strange, even drawing a few laughs from Noah.
A black-haired youth carrying a massive black fur bundle with a dusty old book hanging at his side—he didn't look like a mage at all, but rather like a naive hunter.
Once everything was ready, he returned to the burnt-out ruins of the house to search. He found the white stone used to open the research lab. After carefully cleaning it, he went to the spot where Carlos had fought his final battle.
He bowed once more to the unnamed statue and his mother’s gravestone, then dug a hole nearby and buried the stone.
“Are you planning to make a grave for Carlos too?” Noah asked from his side, watching Starlight’s movements.
“Yes and no... Since you said we might meet him again on our journey, Noah, I want to believe that too. This stone is the only thing I can find right now, so I’ll let it stay here with Mother in place of Master and me.”
Having said that, Starlight knelt before his mother’s grave and kowtowed three times.
When he stood up again and brushed the dust from his clothes, his gaze had become incredibly determined, as if a flame was dancing in his black eyes.
Without lingering any longer, he turned and walked toward the entrance of the valley. For the first time in fifteen years, he stepped out of this place filled with memories and onto unfamiliar soil.
Although his heart was full of reluctance, the boy knew that the past would eventually become a memory. Starting today, a brand-new chapter of his life was about to begin.
...
“Noah, where exactly are we? Are we lost? We’ve been walking for over a day, but I haven't seen a single person,” Starlight asked doubtfully as they walked along a winding path.
“We’ve barely started! At this sluggish pace of yours, it’ll take at least a month to reach the Violet City-State,” Noah’s voice rang out from his waist. This was already the umpteenth time they had had this conversation.
“...A month? Just to get to the first city-state? Exactly how big is this continent?!”
“That’s why I say you’re still too young. Why didn't Carlos take you out to see the world all these years? You look so clueless!”
“Uh... fine. I’ll pick up the pace, okay?” Starlight said helplessly.
It had been over a day since they left the hidden valley. Since it was Starlight’s first time traveling far from home, he was curious about everything along the way. He stopped and started, immersing himself in sights he had never seen before, so even after dozens of hours, they hadn't covered much distance.
Fortunately, Noah was there to guide him, or he might have taken a wrong turn at the very first fork in the road.
However, along the way, they hadn't encountered a single soul, and they had rarely even seen any living creatures. This made Noah feel a bit uneasy.
“It’s really strange. Even though I remember this road isn't a main thoroughfare, it’s highly abnormal that we haven't run into anything for over a day.” Noah said slowly.
Starlight, however, didn't share his concern. He said as he walked, “What’s so strange about not seeing people? Master and I stayed in the valley for over ten years without seeing anyone else.”
But Noah snorted in dissatisfaction and replied, “Don’t you think the strange ones were actually the two of you? Where would a normal person stay cooped up in one place for over ten years?”
Rate on N.U.
