CHAPTER 45: HER WILL

How did it come to this...

No, more importantly — how could something like this even be possible?

An entire palace... vanished without a trace. My family—my bloodline—wiped off the face of the earth.

It felt like someone had torn out a piece of my soul.

As if my name, my story, had been erased from this world.

But even that... was nothing compared to what Lirael was feeling.

She hadn’t just lost her hom. She had lost everyone she loved.

"I’m coming with you, Sister!" she sobbed.

"No. Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous."

"But they’re my family too!"

"Exactly. That’s why you can’t come," Elise replied firmly. "I’ll go. I’ll find them. You... stay at the Academy. Focus on your studies."

"I can’t... I don’t want to live like this! If they’re really gone... we have nothing left!"

Elise went silent. Then she stepped forward, gently placing her hands on Lirael’s shoulders.

"Can you stand?"

Lirael nodded shakily, forcing herself up from the ground. Her knees were dusty. Her eyes—drenched in tears.

"I know it hurts. Believe me... I’m hurting too. This loss is ours to share. But if you want to help—then stay. Learn. Live."

She pulled Lirael into a soft embrace.

"I don’t want to lose you too..."

Lirael cried silently in her sister’s arms. Not hiding her pain. Not holding back the tears.

Meanwhile, I knelt down by the earth, searching for anything—anything—that might give us a clue. I brushed my fingers through the grass.

But the soil was smooth. Untouched. As if the palace had never even existed.

"There’s nothing here," I said. "No trace. No magic. No destruction. It’s like... it was never real."

Elise stood beside me, eyes scanning the ground.

"I’ve never heard of magic that can alter time like this... Atheron, do you know of anything like it?"

"Not a thing. Maybe... maybe it’s not time magic. Maybe it was a teleportation."

"Teleportation?" she echoed, touching her chin. "That changes things. Spatial magic exists... but not on this scale. Hm. Then there are only two options."

"Yeah. Either the entire palace—and everyone in it—was moved somewhere...

Or they’ve been erased. As if they never existed at all."

Elise clenched her jaw and glanced at Lirael.

"I’ll stay here until tomorrow. I’ll talk to Memphis, try to gather help. Then I’ll head to the capital and put out a missing persons notice."

She turned to us.

"And you two... do you have anywhere to stay?"

Lirael just shook her head, wiping her cheeks.

"And you, Atheron? I’ve heard... well, let’s say you don’t have the best reputation at the Academy. Maybe try an inn?"

"I have... options."

Elise raised an eyebrow.

"You? Friends...? Lirael, maybe you could learn something from him."

"S-sister! Now’s not the time for jokes!"

But... maybe I really have made some connections? People I can rely on?

No. Don’t get ahead of yourself. This is just temporary measure. We’ve lost our home. We’re desperate. That’s all this is.

First, I went to Aimer. Her eyes widened when she saw Lirael—quiet, reserved, fragile.

"Uh... that’s a big ask. I heard about what happened, and I really am sorry... but Atheron, I never told you — we live in a small place. Not a mansion. Not even nearby. Just a village house. We don’t have any extra rooms... I’m sorry."

"It’s fine, Aimer. Thanks for listening."

"I really would take you in if I could... I’d love to see how you are outside the Academy."

Lirael stood silent, watching. Her expression... a little sharp. Did she just assume there was something going on between me and Aimer?

Next, I tried Ash.

"Whaaaat~? No, no, no! I mean—Athey, you know I’d love to help, but my family would absolutely freak if I brought you guys home. Sorry, babe~"

Her flirty grin and careless tone only made Lirael glare harder. I could almost read it on her face: Is this guy a womanizer?

Our last hope was Riven. I decided to play it my way—maybe charm would boost our chances.

"Hey, nerd. Give us a room in your palace!"

"W-what?!"

"Relax. Just kidding. But we’ve got nowhere else to go. No home. Just for a month... I hope you’ll take pity on us."

Riven blinked, then sighed and nodded.

"Damn... That’s rough. I’ll talk to my parents. If they say no, you can crash in the attic. Or... the closet."

"Thanks. You’re a true friend, Riven."

"I know this isn’t the time to joke, but... coming from you, that sounded like a threat."

"Oh please," I smirked, showing the depths of my decency. "I’m just politely asking."

Lirael was taken aback. Was she actually impressed that I had real friends?

Later, she asked Serene directly for shelter. Serene agreed—but only for Lirael.

We couldn’t separate.

Luckily, Riven’s parents said yes.

And so, starting that very night, we had a room of our own at Riverfall Estate.

It wasn’t home. But... it was something. And for now—that was enough.

Meanwhile, Elise was staying at Memphis’s house.

A small, cozy cabin by the river—a secret place few people even knew existed.

A quiet porch. The scent of coffee. The soft rustling of water nearby.

"I’m glad you finally have a place of your own," Elise said.

They sat at a wooden table, just the two of them.

"So... Dean got fired from the Academy. I didn’t want to believe it. Everything feels like it’s unraveling... like I’m losing myself."

"Elise... What are you going to do?"

Staring into her reflection in the coffee, Elise answered:

"I’m going to search for them. I know it’s insane—to scour the whole country, but if I never stop, if I keep going every single day... someday, I’ll find them."

Memphis gripped her cup tighter. Her voice grew quieter:

"But you might have to search across the entire continent. And... there’s always the chance that they..."

She didn’t finish. Elise didn’t flinch.

"I don’t care. I have no other choice. Even if hope is all but gone—I’ll keep moving. I owe them that. I can’t rest until I find them."

She took a sip and looked out at the scarlet horizon, where the sun had just dipped behind the trees.

"I won’t back down. They have to be out there. Even if they’re on the other side of the world..."

Her words hit Memphis hard. Suddenly, she realized—

One by one, the people around her were moving forward.

Dean had gone. And now Elise was leaving on her own journey.

Was she really going to be the only one left behind?

Was she going to keep living in fear, never taking a risk?

"Geez... Why are you the only ones brave enough to leap?"

"Hm?"

"You’re always one step ahead. You. Dean. And me... I’m just frozen. Always in the background. Always afraid to move.

Elise, if I’m honest... If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have gone to the Academy at all. I didn’t think I had what it takes. You and Dean pulled me up every time I doubted. I think... it’s time I returned the favor."

Elise looked at her and gave a soft, bittersweet smile.

"I’m coming with you. We’ll find Dean. We’ll find your family. If your heart is burning in pain—I’ll carry that weight with you."

"Memphis..."

The tears Elise had held back all day finally spilled from her eyes.

She hadn’t cried once—until now.

"And the Academy...?"

"Silly girl. Weren’t you going to quit the Archives anyway?"

They both laughed—for the first time that day.

"Thank you, Memphis... I’m glad you’re here. I really, truly am."

By morning, they would set off on their journey.

But that night, at Riverfall Estate, a different storm was brewing.

Lirael wasn’t just upset—her eyes burned with fury. She was pacing, biting her nails.

And no—it wasn’t because she had to share a room with me.

"I can’t stay here," she muttered under her breath.

She approached the window. Outside — only darkness. A field bathed in moonlight. Bare branches swaying.

She was going to run.

I grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Lirael, stop!"

"Let go of me! Don’t you get it?! We can’t just sit here—we have to do something! We have to find them! We have to help Elise!"

I tightened my grip, trying to hold her in place.

"And how exactly do you plan to help? If we leave now—no supplies, no direction—we’ll die before we reach the capital! Either wild beasts or bandits will finish us off!"

Her eyes shimmered with anguish. Every breath was trembling rage.

"Why are you stopping me? Do you even care?! Atheron... you still hate my family, don’t you? This is your way of getting back at us, isn’t it?"

"For the love of—what the hell are you talking about, Lirael?"

She almost tore free from my grasp. Only pain and fear kept her from striking me.

"Screw the Academy! I won’t stay here! If I sit and do nothing—I’ll hate myself forever! You’re my summon! Don’t get cocky! We’re going to find my parents!"

"You want to run off now? In the dead of night, while everyone sleeps? No maps, no food, no destination? I could barely convince Riven to take us in, and you want to throw it all away? Just vanish into the night?!"

"I don’t care...! You have that dragon, don’t you? Then summon it! Let’s go! Or can’t you even do that?"

"Calm down, Lirael. We can’t help anyone right now. Elise told us to prepare. To get stronger."

"SHUT UP!"

SLAP!

Suddenly—my body froze.

I couldn’t move. Couldn’t even lift a finger.

It was like thousands of icy chains wrapped around me from within.

"...Control technique?" I whispered, stunned.

Lirael broke free, stepping to the window, pressing her palm against the frame.

Her voice shook.

"Whether you come or not—I’m leaving. I’ll find them. You... You’ll never understand what family means.

Someone who’s never known a parent’s love... could never understand me."