As he stared at Lethe, framed by the brilliant moonlight on his windowsill, a thought crossed Simon’s mind. ’Just how many times am I going to doubt my own eyes today?’
"W-Wait a minute!" he stammered, scrambling out of bed. "Why are you here? What about the necromancer agents?"
"I snuck out, of course," she said, landing on the floor with the grace of a cat. "Don’t worry. I left a note."
"A note?"
"It said, ’I find it impossible to trust necromancers. I have no intention of entrusting my back to the wicked enemies of the goddess during Starfall, so do not search for me." She clenched her fist, and a single mote of starlight sparked and vanished. "If you follow, I will return to the Federation."
’A... threat?’
Simon managed a strained laugh. How could one person be so utterly reckless? And yet, on reflection, it was a brilliant move. The Holy Federation was providing aid to the Dark Alliance, making Lethe’s cooperation indispensable. The Kizen agents would conduct a perfunctory search, but given the foul temper she’d displayed all morning, they wouldn’t dare push their luck.
’Wait, then...’ Simon’s eyes wavered. ’Her cold behavior this morning was also...’
Lethe made a puckish face. "Is there something on my face?"
"N-No. Nothing at all."
"Anyway," she chirped, clasping her hands behind her back and surveying the room with interest. "So this is where you live."
A flush of embarrassment crept up Simon’s neck. "Wait! Don’t just wander around!"
"Oh, what’s the harm?"
From the other bed, Toto stirred, rubbing his eyes. "Simon, is something...?"
Simon lunged forward and pressed his hand to Toto’s forehead. A spell of ’Sleep’ washed over him, and Toto sank back into his pillow with a contented smile. Simon sighed in relief and pulled the blanket over him.
"Be careful," he whispered. "If the dorm supervisor finds out a girl was in here, it’s a death sentence."
"They’d hang their own Student Council President for such a minor offense? Kizen is stricter than I thought."
"...It’s a figure of speech." He’d heard that at the notoriously strict Efnel, both parties in such a situation would be half-killed. He decided it was best not to ask for details. "But how did you find me? This dorm is pretty remote."
"I asked around," she said with a shrug, as if it were the easiest thing in the world. "It was obvious you’d be sulking, so I hurried."
"I was not sulking!"
"You were practically radiating disappointment because I didn’t acknowledge you," she teased.
"I was not!" Simon shouted, his ears turning crimson.
"Ahaha!" She covered her mouth with her sleeve, her mischievous laughter echoing in the small room. "Fine, I’ll take your word for it. Now, let’s go." She gestured toward the window.
"Go where?"
She crossed her arms, giving him a look that said ’isn’t it obvious?’ "That’s for you to decide. This is my first time on Roc Island. I came here assuming that you, Mr. Student Council President, would guide me to a quiet place suitable for Starfall."
That, at least, was simple enough. Simon walked over to his coat rack, a smile playing on his lips. "I thought you said necromancers can’t be trusted?"
A matching smile touched her own lips. "Let’s just say I’m willing to make one exception."
With a dramatic flourish, Simon swung his black robe over his shoulders and began to fasten the buttons.
He noticed a flicker of panic in Lethe’s expression. When their eyes met, she stared up at him, a look of protest on her face.
"What? Is something wrong?"
"...No, it’s just," she stammered, averting her gaze as a faint blush colored her cheeks. "I’m the one in black today."
Seeing his utter confusion, Lethe’s patience snapped. "I don’t want to be mistaken for a couple, so turn that robe inside out and wear the white side! Ugh, honestly!"
"...Ah."
He’d forgotten. They both owned the exact same reversible robe, a souvenir from their trip to the Holy Federation.
"You wore that one," he noted.
"Shut up and wear white! I’m wearing black!"
"Alright, alright," Simon chuckled, obliging her by reversing his robe. "Shall we go, then?" He propped a foot on the windowsill and extended his hand to her.
She stared at it for a long moment before smacking it away with an indignant huff and leaping out the window ahead of him.
’She never changes,’ Simon thought with a quiet laugh, and followed her into the night.
A thick darkness had settled over the grounds outside the dormitory. Simon led Lethe directly into the forbidden forest behind the building, a place of towering trees that blotted out all but the brightest stars and the large, luminous moon.
"As expected of Roc Island," Lethe murmured, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and apprehension. "It’s so spooky."
"The path might get a little rough," Simon warned, retrieving a golem core from his subspace and dropping it to the ground. "Security has been tightened for the Dark Festival. We could run into the forest’s watchmen, their minions, or even the Disciplinary Committee."
"No problem," she declared, her chin held high. "We’ll just smash through them."
Simon chuckled and spread his arms.
<Summon Golem>
At his command, soil and rock swirled around the core, drawn by his Jet-Black. The materials coalesced, forming a sleek, streamlined board. In an instant, his primary mode of transport, the Golem Board, was complete.
"Ready?" he asked, hopping on.
Lethe eyed him and the board. "What happened to that divine beast carriage you were so proud of?"
"Obviously, I can’t use that at Kizen."
She clicked her tongue in annoyance and climbed onto the board behind him.
"Hold on tight."
The Jet-Black engine roared to life, and the board shot forward. After a moment of awkward hesitation, Lethe placed her hands on his shoulders.
They rocketed into the trees.
"Whoa!" Lethe yelped, leaning closer as the speed took her by surprise. "A-Are you sure this thing is safe?!"
The Golem Board tore through the dense forest at a formidable speed. "It’s never flipped over before," Simon replied calmly. "...Until now."
"That sounds incredibly ominous!"
Simon’s ears twitched as he focused on the sounds of the forest. "It’s about time."
As if on cue, whistles echoed from all directions.
"Intruder! Stop!"
Their noisy approach had given them away. The watchmen’s threats grew more insistent, warning them to halt or be fired upon, but Simon only urged the board on faster. Soon, he heard the distinct ’twang’ of bowstrings being drawn.
"Pardon me," he said. This was where the fun began. He reached back and pulled up Lethe’s hood before tugging his own down low.
Arrows rained down on them from all sides. Lethe’s face went pale, clearly not having expected them to actually shoot.
"W-What do we do?! They’re really shooting!"
"They’re not aiming to hit," Simon explained, expertly steering the board with one hand while reaching out with the other. In a single, fluid motion, he plucked an arrow from a nearby tree trunk. "The watchmen aren’t allowed to injure Kizen students. See?" He showed her the tip. "It’s blunt."
Instead of a sharp arrowhead, the tip was rounded and inscribed with a small magic circle.
"It’s a weakening curse. It’ll slow you down, but it won’t kill you. Don’t worry."
"...How do you know all this so well?"
"How many times do you think I’ve jumped this wall?" From the beginning of his first year, Simon had treated the forbidden forest and the city of Rochest as his personal backyard. By now, he was a master of the illicit exit.
Lethe let out a disbelieving laugh. "And you’re the Student Council President."
"We’re about to get some air. Hold on."
A cliff loomed ahead. The Golem Board’s speed more than doubled, and then...
The ground vanished beneath them. A dizzying sensation of weightlessness washed over Lethe as she looked down, her eyes wide.
"Ah."
They were flying. The endless forest stretched out below them, a tapestry of shadows under the bright night sky. The moon hung like a brilliant lantern, illuminating the distant sea. It was heart-stopping, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
"Welcome to Roc Island, Lethe," Simon said.
With that, he moved his fingertips.
<Bone Armor>
Bones erupted from the board, forming a pair of temporary wings. Jet-Black flowed between the skeletal frames, creating a dark, leathery membrane. The pull of the Bone Armor slowed their descent, allowing them to glide gently toward the ground.
"You okay?" Simon asked, glancing back at her.
She simply smiled in response. They landed safely outside the forest and sped along the coastline, the cool sea breeze whipping through their hair. But their peace was short-lived.
"Stop right there!"
"What are they?"
The Disciplinary Committee patrolled this area. The moment they were spotted, a volley of curses shot toward them.
"Hold on!" Simon yelled, pulling his hood tighter.
He expertly maneuvered the board, swerving, half-levitating, braking sharply, and spinning in place to evade the incoming spells.
"W-What kind of movement is that?!"
"He’s no amateur! Keep firing!"
Like the watchmen, they were limited to non-lethal curses. Breaking through their cordon with ease, Simon looked ahead and grimaced.
’Damn.’
A tense smile touched his lips. A dozen of Malcolm’s doppelgangers blocked the path, forming a solid wall. Not only that, but each one had a magic circle glowing in its palm.
’So you can even cast spells with your doppelgangers now, Malcolm.’
They had the carriage road and the nearby hills completely locked down. Lethe peeked over his shoulder.
"It looks like they’re determined to stop us here!"
"Don’t worry."
Simon wrenched the board into a sharp turn, heading straight for the ocean. The committee members guarding the front line stared in bewilderment.
"What the—! Why is he going into the sea?"
"Stop, you lunatic!"
They gave chase, but Simon just grinned, opening his subspace and releasing something into the waves. With another sharp turn, he accelerated toward a protruding sand dune.
"Lethe! Copy my movements!" he shouted, crouching low and grabbing the side of the board.
"Ugh, the things I do for you!" she grumbled, but she mirrored his posture exactly, a wide, thrilled smile on her face.
Simon pushed the board’s output to its maximum, using the dune as a ramp to launch them into the air.
While they were airborne, Simon angled the underside of the board toward the water. Just then, the massive whale bone undead he had summoned breached the surface.
<Tidal Current Cannon>
A minimized blast of water erupted from the undead’s maw, striking the board and propelling them high into the air. They soared over the blockade, leaving the Disciplinary Committee behind.
"What the—!"
"They flew?!"
The committee members could only stare up at the sky, utterly defeated.
’Nice one, Deimos!’ Simon thought, mentally commanding his aquatic summon to submerge and wait.
"Let’s go after them, Chief! We can still catch them!" one of the members urged.
’That summon... it’s definitely...’ Malcolm mused, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. He chuckled and shook his head.
"No, it’s fine. Let them go." He brought a communication crystal to his lips. "All units, cease pursuit. Do not leave your designated areas. Remember the mission."
Having broken through the encirclement, Simon and Lethe continued their journey. They left the forest and the sea behind, ascending into the mountains.
After navigating a steep, winding path, the Golem Board finally came to a halt.
"This is my favorite night view on Roc Island," Simon said, hopping off. "Ready?"
"Of course. Should I be excited?"
They walked to the edge of the cliff together and looked down.
"Wow...!" Lethe breathed.
The entire, sprawling nightscape of Roc Island was laid out before them. Though the official matches were over, the festival’s nightlife was in full swing, and the island glittered with the lights of countless stalls and buildings. Lethe was mesmerized. A swell of pride filled Simon’s chest.
"Not bad, right?"
"...Well," she said, a faint, shy blush on her cheeks as she offered a small smile. "For a place inhabited by necromancer bastards, it’s about average."
"Did you really have to add that last part?"
They looked at each other and laughed.
"Honestly, I never imagined it would be like this," she admitted, looking up at the sky. "I was taught that the sea here was blood-red, the land swarmed with walking corpses, and the trees were all withered and black."
’Sounds more like a dungeon,’ Simon thought.
"That’s what they teach at Efnel," she continued, her golden eyes fixed on him. "That this is the source of all evil, a den of demons, a place destined for nothing but utter ruin, beyond any hope of purification. But... after seeing what you’ve shown me, my opinion has changed a little."
"How so?"
The corners of her lips curled upward. "Let’s just say it’s a view that’s a little too precious to be destroyed by the likes of Ever Kyre."
Simon smiled back. "I’m glad you feel that way."
It was still too early for Starfall, so they sat together, enjoying the view and talking as the lights across the island slowly began to wink out.
"Well then," Lethe said, rising to her feet. "It’s time for me to show you what I can do."
She reached up and undid the necklace that sealed her sacred power.
"I’m beginning."
A luminous, star-shaped pattern appeared in her irises. She lifted her gaze to the heavens.
And with that simple act...
"Ah."
The stars in the night sky began to blaze with an impossible brilliance.

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