By the end of Harmonia Academy’s Quinquennial Festival Day 2, lots of people were in uproar and started talking about ‘the exciting fated match’.
“Have you heard? It will be a battle between siblings tomorrow!”
“Moreover, the siblings are Duke Hartmann’s children!”
“Wait, you mean—the Head of the Royal Magician’s children? The ones that are rumored to have extraordinary magic?”
“Yes, yes, you know that! I bet Colosseum will be soooo crowded tomorrow! We better come early and secure some seats!”
Not only the students of Harmonia Academy, there were also some outsiders who heard of the rumors and became interested in the upcoming match tomorrow.
“Whoa, tomorrow is going to be exciting! Ah, you know what, Ya—cousin. That reminds me of how the siblings were fighting together when we were in Basic Level… Even I got excited seeing the Hartmann siblings fight! You have to come tomorrow as well, so you can witness an exciting match!” The brown-haired girl’s hazel eyes shone while she was talking.
The boy next to her was wearing a casual hoodie as he matched his step with her. Even when the girl was all excited talking about the battle, the boy’s expression seemed indifferent. Only those who were expert at reading people would realize how there were ripples in his eyes at the mention of ‘the Hartmann siblings’.
“Tomorrow is going to be very crowded at the Colosseum and I know you hate being cooped up amidst all the crowd, but I swear you’ll enjoy…”
The girl continued to blabber, but the boy halted his steps, as if thinking about something. Then, unbeknownst to her, the boy smirked.
A maid who was walking behind them obviously noticed this and called out to the girl.
“Elise-sama.”
“Eh?” The girl turned around and noticed how the hooded boy halted his step. She immediately approached the boy and whispered.
“Yanze, what’s the matter? Do you feel unwell somewhere?”
“It’s nothing. I’m just thinking that I’d like to watch the renowned siblings’ match tomorrow.”
When Yanze spoke of his answer, there was no longer the trace of the malicious smirk he had earlier.
Elise smiled happily and said, “Yay~! Let’s go to Colosseum early tomorrow so we can get a good seat! Oh, you can decide which seat you’d like to have!”
The three of them continued to walk around the school ground, each with their own thoughts.
Meanwhile, the Hartmann siblings in question were so conscious of the news that was already circulating around them. Especially the younger sibling—she got to feel that again… about how her lowkey happy-go-lucky school life was already shattered to pieces since long ago.
The older sibling didn’t seem to mind that at all—he seemed to be used to his popularity.
“So, Lyra… tomorrow, I’ll be your opponent,” Altaire smiled happily, without the slightest care to his sister who wore her heart on her sleeves.
Still with her confused face, Lyra responded, “Huh?!”
“Well, I think it would be fun for us to fight seriously. It’s been quite a while. You wouldn’t be thinking of asking your friends to face me, right?”
Lyra paused her confusion to use her logic.
Her team was composed of herself, Luca who could use magic and swordsmanship as well, and then Kiri who excelled in physical combat.
Meanwhile, her brother’s team had her own brother—whose fighting style she was familiar with—then Clavis who was all physical, and then… the mysterious new character in her life, Celeste.
Since she knew Altaire’s fighting style the best, it would make sense to have her fight Altaire. But that also meant Altaire was quite familiar with her style.
As for Clavis, Kiri should be the one who faced him.
Luca should be able to handle Celeste, no matter what her fighting style was.
“…Alright, then, go ea—”
“Oops, no ‘go easy on me’. Same goes for me,” Altaire chuckled.
Lyra was surprised. ‘Am I that easy to read?!’ she thought to herself.
Then, the two decided to go on their separate ways to have ‘strategical meeting’ with their own team. Of course, their friends were all cheering on them.
Their family didn’t know who would win, so they were also excited to see the match tomorrow.
Meanwhile, on her way to a more secluded place with her team in order to discuss their strategy and probably train one last time, Lyra caught a glimpse at Erneste—who seemed to be looking for her.
Of course, with all the uproar, Erneste would want to talk to Lyra—at least to give a word or two of encouragement in order to increase his favorability in Lyra’s eyes. He didn’t know that Lyra already knew the face he hid behind his facade.
Lyra immediately suggested a change of route, which made Kiri surprised and confused as this should be the shortest route to their destination.
Luca sank to his thought as he seemed to be analyzing Lyra’s behavior.
“Nah, let’s take the roundabout way she suggested, Kiri. Let’s see what that road has for us.”
“Eh, no way, Luca, you too?”
Lyra sighed in relief upon hearing Luca’s words, which caused Kiri unable to object anymore.
After arriving at the secluded garden near the Intermediate Level, the three began discussing their strategy. Luckily, they had the same thought on the role division. Lyra would be fighting her own brother, Kiri would handle Clavis, and Luca would handle the unknown member, Celeste.
They made sure there was no one around before they started practicing again. At least, since they already knew Altaire and Clavis, they could try imagining their opponents’ fighting styles.
One round of practice went by so quickly. As usual, after each practice session, they would give one another feedback. And then, another practice would come if they felt like it.
“Alright, then shall we try once more?” Luca asked.
“Sure, but I want to go to the toilet first,” Lyra quickly interrupted.
“Don’t take too long,” Luca said.
“Well, why don’t you two just practice with each other for a while?” Lyra raised her eyebrow in objection.
“You’re planning to get lost on the way, aren’t you?” Luca mocked Lyra.
“No, I just don’t want you two to wait without doing anything! Time will feel so long if you’re just waiting for me!”
“Okay, okay, we will, Lyra. Don’t worry about it,” Kiri became the middleman as usual.
Satisfied with Kiri’s intervention, Lyra immediately excused herself and went to the nearby toilet.
…However, the usual female’s problem arose. There was already a queue to the said toilet. With heavy hearts, Lyra decided to go to the chapel that was located a bit far from there, but from her quick calculation, waiting here vs walking there would result in a similar ETA.
Sure enough, the chapel was empty at the current time.
“…Excuse me,” Lyra whispered a tiny ‘excuse me’ and went to the toilet inside the chapel. Thankfully, she was trained by her previous lifetime to bravely enter any toilet alone, at any time, so she wasn’t bothered at all.
When Lyra was inside the toilet, a spectre of light waltzed into the chapel before it shone brighter, revealing a figure of a small girl. The girl then took a seat and hummed as she wiggled her small legs there.
And so, when Lyra went out of the toilet, that was the sight that greeted her.
A petite girl whose beauty seemed out-of-the-world was sitting while humming with her angelic voice as she wiggled her white legs. Her hair was very long and had waves all around. Her hair seemed like it was made of the finest silk, its color was white hair—almost transparent—with rainbow spectrum shining on it. Her eyes were like a kaleidoscope which reflected the whole scenery before her.
Her presence, coupled with her divine-like attire, caused Lyra to be mesmerized for a moment that she forgot to breath.
‘If angels really do exist, perhaps she is a living angel,’ so Lyra thought.
The girl seemed to notice Lyra’s presence as she stopped humming and gazed upon Lyra. As their eyes met, Lyra’s dazed mind came back to reality as the girl smiled.
“Ah… Pardon me for rudely staring at you,” Lyra quickly apologized.
“No need to apologize,” the girl said as she jumped from her seat and approached Lyra.
Lyra didn’t expect the girl to approach her, so she awkwardly stood frozen there as she gazed at the ethereal beauty who was inching closer and closer. Although the girl seemed to be younger than her, Lyra somehow felt the need to treat the girl with utmost respect.
The girl stopped just one step before her as she gazed up at Lyra—examining her. At that time, Lyra felt as if the girl before her could see through her whole self. She felt somewhat uneasy with that.
As if the girl could read her mind, the girl looked up and matched her eyes with Lyra before she broke to a laughter.
“Hehe… No need to be so nervous. It’s nice to meet you. You are a student here… yes?”
“Ah, it’s nice to meet you. Yes, I am a student here, my name is Lyra. What about you? May I guess that you are someone of the church?” Lyra asked.
“Fufu… Someone of the church? Quite close, haply. You can call me Noia.”
Lyra tilted her head a bit. The girl’s speech also seemed rather strange. Haply?
“I see… I have never seen you before. Are you from somewhere far away, Noia? Are you here to see someone? Are you perhaps lost, or did you just want to see the chapel?”
“Somewhere far away? Yes, I come from a place very, very far away. And I am here in Sphaela, in Riviera, in this place… to see you,” Noia smiled serenely.
“Me? Why? Have we met before?” Lyra blinked rapidly. She couldn’t believe she was acquainted with such a girl like Noia. If she were to see her before, she’d definitely engrave Noia’s existence to her mind!
However, Noia just smiled and Lyra couldn’t even read her expression as Noia smiled until her eyes turned crescent.
“Uh… So, Noia, what race are you?” Lyra quickly shifted the topic of the conversation.
“…Race? Omness…”
“Ah, yes, [Omness] is the term to refer all six races and the mixbreed. Are you telling me that you possess all of the races’ bloodline inside you?” Lyra widened her eyes. If so, no wonder this girl was so out-of-the-world!
Not hearing any response from Noia, Lyra finally asked another question.
“Say, Noia. You told me that you came to see me… Uhm, if it’s true, did someone I possibly know ask you to deliver their message?”
Noia’s eyes widened a bit. Lyra suppressed the urge to pinch Noia’s cheeks, as she somehow felt she shouldn’t do that. A moment later, Noia smiled again and slightly nodded.
“Oh? Who is it? What does the message say?” Lyra wondered.
Noia went silent for a moment as her eyes seemed to be scanning Lyra. After that, she conveyed the message with a serious face.
‘’…Heed my bodements, thee who art lost. ‘Ere, there is only naught. But, the power of existence was alarum’d. The power of existence shall become the raze of light and dark. Thou hast that power slumbering inside. Wherefore? Thou shall wot everything in the future. Non nobis solum nati sumus.’’
Lyra went silent as her mind drew a blank. She tried so hard to digest Noia’s words, but she couldn’t. Before she could open her mouth, Noia continued.
‘’But ‘ere that, a storm shall come upon thee. Thou art to battle that. Remember, t’is not because things art sore yond we doth not dareth, but because we doth not dareth, things art sore. Veritas vos liberabit. Then, that power shall finally be thine.’’
“Uhm, Noia… Is that some sort of holy words? Message from the scripture? Sorry to disappoint, but I am not a devout Alphian. Oh, I worship Aion, the Alpha—the deity from who life begins, but…” Lyra felt somehow embarrassed in front of this little girl who seemed to possess more knowledge than her in this area. Even though she had lived two lives…
Again, Noia only smiled mysteriously.
“Just remember. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Hm? To what?” Lyra wondered.
“…Hey, are you happy?” Noia suddenly asked.
“Eh?”
“Are you happy with your life?”
“…Quite. Hmm, yes, I think you can say I am happy with my life,” Lyra said as she crunched her eyebrows in wonder.
“Hehe… Good, then. Well, shouldn’t you go to where your friends are?”
“Eh?! Ah, you’re right! Luca will definitely mock me for taking too long!” Lyra quickly ran off to the entrance of the chapel before she halted and turned around. She looked at Noia and asked, “But what about you?”
“I know the way, don’t worry.”
“That… Will we meet again?” Lyra asked, as she felt like she wanted to meet this unique girl again. There were still a lot of things she wanted to ask her. The meaning of her words. Who she actually is.
Noia smiled brightly, “If fate shall dictate us to. I believe we shall meet again in the future.”
“Good to know that! So… until then?” Lyra asked.
“Yes, until then… LyRe,” Noia calmly said.
After receiving Noia’s goodbye, Lyra ran off to where Luca and Kiri were.
It was only after she finished bantering with Luca that she started to question a few things from her short meeting with Noia.
Did she tell Noia that she had her friends waiting for her?
And why did it feel like Noia pronounced her name wrongly? Did Noia mistake her name?
Meanwhile, at the serene chapel, Noia still remained at the position where she last saw Lyra.
“Lyra… Reinst… You shall be forced to conquer your greatest fear soon. …I hope you will be able to win. I believe in you. In you… and in the people dear to you. They shall be your strength and drive to advance in this destiny planned for you alone. But it will all come back to you. Don’t… lose to the dark side.”
Noia said as she suddenly revealed her wings, floated, turned her body back into the spectre of light.
As one of the deities, they should keep their intervention to the living beings at minimum, none if possible. However, when the opposition party already meddled too much, went after, and even made use of the living beings. This left them with no choice but to fight through the help of the living beings as well.
That night, everyone was eager for tomorrow to come. But the motive behind their eagerness differed.
‘Tomorrow is going to be a long day for them, it seems,’ Aion thought.
And then… The anticipated day finally arrived.
***
Bonus Section:
Noia’s words, translated or simplified:
First—(Listen to my prophecy, you who are lost. Before, there is only nothing. But, the power of existence was summoned to action. The power of existence will become the root of light and dark. You have that power sleeping inside. What for? You shall know everything in the future. Each one of us carries a responsibility for the whole world.)
Second—(But before that, a storm shall befall you. You are to battle that. Remember, it is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, but because we do not dare, things are difficult. The truth will set you free. Then, that power shall finally be yours.)
Terminology to remind you (as I know it’s hard to remember them all, especially when they’re only mentioned briefly):
- Omness: terminology used to refer to all races in the world.
- Sphaela: the name of the world this story takes place in.
- Alphian: believers of Alpha.
- Alpha: pseudonym of the deity of creation/life, who is known as Aion.
- Other known deity/belief: Bahamuth, the ‘dragon’ god who governs power. Pseudonym: Beta, believers of Beta are called ‘Betians’ and most are dragons.
An extra chapter of world explanation (that people have been asking for quite some time already) will be released soon after this. It shall contain most of the information about the world that’s been revealed or hinted up until now and will be updated as time flies and if there are more questions.
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