Advent of the Three Calamities

"What... you want to kill them? Are you nuts? Are you crazy...!?"

Kiera's reaction wasn't unexpected—it was the natural response of anyone who still had their sanity intact. And this was kind of surprising, considering everything that had recently happened to Kiera.

"Wait, do you understand that they're stronger than us?"

"I do."

"Oh, you do."

Kiera sighed in relief, patting me on the shoulder with a smile.

But that smile of hers only lasted a few seconds before it faded, and she gripped my shoulder. It didn't really hurt.

"Bastard, this isn't a dick measuring contest!"

"What does that—"

"I'm saying that you shouldn't lose your mind just because they ignored you the entire time!"

"Oh."

"Even if we did go there, what would we even be able to do? Tickle their balls?"

I didn't really know how to take Kiera's words upon listening to them.

Outside of the fact that they were very vulgar, they... made no sense. However, at the very least, it showed that she had recovered somewhat.

That was good.

"Let's say we get close to them. Wouldn't we be more of a burden to her...? She—"

"This isn't really a matter we have a choice in."

I suddenly cut Kiera off.

Gazing into the distance, where several dots flickered among the flames, I pressed my lips tightly.

"Burden or not, your aunt can't kill them. The best she can hope for is escape, and even that seems unlikely. No matter what happens to her, there's no outrunning them. They're faster and stronger than us."

"Then...!"

"We have to kill them."

I pulled Kiera's hand off my shoulder and parted my lips to speak. But as I met her gaze, the words caught in my throat.

"....You know what, never mind."

"Huh?"

"Just stay here. I'll take care of things."

"Wait, what?!"

Kiera tried to pull me back, but I managed to avoid her hand without any problems.

I had intended to work with her at the start, but upon thinking about it, I realized it wasn't needed.

I could handle this alone.

This wasn't the first time I had gone through something like this.

'Yeah, she'll just be a burden anyway.'

This was the cold truth.

Kiera was strong, but at the same time, not really. She was strong for her age, but that was it.

The most she'd be able to do at this moment was help shield me from the fire, which was unnecessary. I could do that alone.

'...Why did I even think of working with her?'

That...

I took one last glance at Kiera, who was saying things like, 'What do you mean you'll take care of things? Where are you going? Are you crazy?'

I secretly shook my head at the sight and turned around.

"Wait, are you serious?"

"You're out of your mind!"

"Get back here—!"

I was just about to leave when I stopped and looked back. Seeing Kiera's expression, I paused for a moment as I recalled something.

"Did you decide to stay back? That's—"

"Here."

A blue diary appeared in my hand.

"What? What does that—"

"It's a diary I found in your place. It belongs to your mother."

"...."

Kiera's mouth came to an abrupt halt as she looked at me.

I forced a smile.

"Just in case something does happen to me, I'll give it to you. That way, you'll get to see it. I think... It's worth giving it a read. Well, for whatever it's worth."

I had only given it a short glimpse, so I wasn't aware of the contents within the diary, but I knew they'd be worth something to Kiera.

...At the very least, it would keep her distracted enough not to disturb me.

Seeing her so engrossed in the diary's cover, I knew I had made the right choice. Handing her the book, I turned away and stepped straight into the flames.

They were warm.

***

Crackle~

Kiera watched Julien's back fade into the flames.

He was just standing before her a few moments prior when his back suddenly faded from her view.

He was crazy.

Trying to fight Tier 7's and Tier 8's.

It was a suicide mission, and Kiera knew it.

Perhaps he could fight them using his emotive magic, but Kiera wasn't the same as him. She couldn't bridge the massive gap that stood between her and the high ranks. She would only be... a burden.

She was painfully aware of how much of a burden she was.

That's why she stayed away.

To not be further baggage.

"..."

Kiera remained frozen in place, staring at the blue diary in her hand. The flames crackled around her, their glow flickering across her face as she stood alone with the dairy.

From the moment her fingers brushed against the diary, she couldn't bring herself to look away.

The cover was made of luxurious blue leather, with a golden string trailing out from the gaps of the worn pages. She was unfamiliar with the book, and yet, she also felt familiar with it.

'This is my mother's.'

Her hand trembled.

For some reason, she felt scared.

Scared of what she'd see inside it.

Kiera wasn't naive. After everything that had unfolded, she realized that the past she had grown up learning about was not the truth.

That her perfect and warm mother wasn't as perfect as she thought her to be.

And that scared her.

It really scared her.

Crackle~

Amidst the crackling flames, Kiera stood motionless, her mind drifting into a strange daze. It was at that moment that a certain conversation from her past resurfaced in her thoughts.

'Strength doesn't come from pretending that pain doesn't exist. Pain does exist, and ignoring it just means ignoring all of your problems. The more something hurts, the bigger the problem.'

It was a very cringy conversation.

One that Kiera tried hard to forget.

But at the same time, it was hard to forget.

Because she knew he was right.

'Strength... comes from when you realize that pain does exist and that you can't ignore it.'

"Ah, fuck."

Kiera clenched her teeth.

'Life doesn't pause for us.'

I know.

'It moves forward, relentlessly.'

You don't have to tell me that.

'...Just as we should.'

And I'm trying!

'It's about honoring what was while making room for what could be.'

I... know.

'That's how someone grows.'

Crackle~

"....."

Amidst the silence, Kiera stood, surrounded by the crackling of the fire, before finally reaching for the diary and opening the first page.

[There's nothing better than spring]

[It's sweet and tender.]

[...But also painful.]

[Because it reminds me of the freedom that I can never have.]

[My daughter.]

[I hate her.]

"....A-ah."

That moment.

Kiera started to burn.

***

"Ukh!"

Rose felt her body lift off the ground, thrown several meters back. As she skidded to a halt, she raised her head to see a shadow move before her, causing her entire body to tense. She grew especially apprehensive at the sight of the enormous hammer that pierced through the air and whistled in her direction.

"Fuck!"

A small shield materialized in front of her as she crossed her arms, bracing herself.

BANG—!

She felt a devastating blow shatter her shield, sending her hurtling backward and crashing into several trees. As the flames roared around her, another figure materialized behind her.

Before Rose could react, blood sprayed into the air as several large ice spikes impaled her, striking multiple points on her body.

".....!"

The attack came so suddenly and unexpectedly that she didn't have a moment to react before it struck.

Thump!

Rose instantly dropped to one knee, her body faltering as the flames around her began to die down.

It was just as she raised her head in an attempt to retaliate that she realized something...

"Ah."

She was surrounded on all sides.

This...

"Stop your pointless struggle. You might have been able to cause trouble if you were fighting us one by one, but you're not."

The one speaking was none other than the Crimson Squad Leader.

She no longer appeared as calm and relaxed as before. It wasn't because she felt threatened by Rose but because of something else entirely.

"Do you not feel the presence of the little girl at all?"

"...I don't."

Indeed, it was regarding Kiera.

Rose had indeed made the right choice by entrusting her to him. Though she knew Julien was part of the same organization, she also sensed that he was more like Dawn—indifferent to all the internal affairs.

She could tell that, for whatever reason, he didn't want Kiera to be killed. She saw it from his expression before anything happened.

That was what prompted her to free him as well.

For now, it appeared to have been the right decision, especially since they couldn't detect the two at all.

'Like this, I can feel like I've completed my job.'

Rose silently gazed in the direction of the Crimson Squad before her eyes settled on a distant figure, casually leaning against one of the trees, watching her.

She half-smiled at her before speaking,

'Are you satisfied with this outcome?'

'I am.'

'...But you're going to die.'

'So what?'

'Dying sucks you know? I'm talking from experience.'

'Then why did you die?'

'.....'

'You're not going to answer? Haa... Why did I even think you would?'

Rose mockingly smiled. Her action was enough to arouse the attention of the Crimson Squad, in particular the Leader, as she looked back.

From the start, she had felt Rose being distracted.

This wasn't the first time that she had seen her look elsewhere during the fight.

She had checked multiple times for any other presence but felt nothing at all. Yet, as she stared at the mocking smile on Rose's face, the Crimson Squad Leader began to feel a creeping sense of paranoia.

It was for that reason that she decided to end things there and then.

Raising her hand, she prepared to slash down at her neck, killing her with one blow.

It was just as she was about to do that when...

Plack!

A purplish-green hue appeared, and she halted her hand. Watching the greenish hand emerge from the ground, she gazed at it nonchalantly before it shattered into pieces.

It was also then that the space behind them wobbled, and a figure emerged.

Turning around, the Crimson Squad Leader's brow rose.

"It's you?"

".... It's me."

Julien answered, his tone and voice sounding extremely detached.

Turning his attention towards Rose, he spoke,

"I'll need you to spare her. There's something that I need from her."