Chapter 13

How could someone have lived such a tragic life? She’d failed to gain true peace even in death, because someone had bound her soul and placed it in another person’s body and forced her back onto the battlefield. “Well, let’s just put all that aside for now and get to the matter at hand.” Air seemed to want to change topics. “I know how much you despise them, but it’s not enough. Among the Ghosts, Kirlilith is on a whole different level. She’s a true genius!” “…I see.” “Also, thanks for the clothes.” Air finished putting on his jacket, then flapped its sleeves. “I don’t really like showing them to people.” “Then don’t.” “But your reactions are so funny. They honestly make me want to tease you more.” Rain couldn’t tell whether she truly meant those words, but either way, he didn’t have the time to ask. As he gazed at her, Air flicked her silver hair back with her hand and said, “Kirlilith’s here to kill me. The real battle will soon begin.” Air looked up at the moonlit sky shortly after. Something in her expression was tragically charged with emotion, as if she herself was as transient as the moon. The train they were on had reached Alestra Academy at last. The classroom felt empty with most of Rain’s classmates gone. So many of them died… None of the survivors even spoke between their scheduled lectures. It’d been three days since the attack on Leminus…and neither their physical wounds nor their emotional ones had healed. It’ll be fine… Rain clutched the silver bullet in his hand. So long as I have this… So long as I use it correctly… The Devil’s Bullet was his ticket out of the dark situation. I’ll use this to erase Kirlilith, the Ghost who killed them. That was all he had to do. That was all that needed to happen. Alec had served as proof that even Ghosts weren’t immune to Reprogramming. And Air seemed confident that only Kirlilith could’ve cooked up such a vile scheme. Rain knew he could change everything by wiping her from existence. It was the only way to restore Leminus and save all his classmates. Throb, throb—his regenerated right eye had been beating like a heart in his skull, but with every pulse came pain. The Ema, huh...? Air had informed Rain that the cursed power in his right eye was the ability of one of the Ghosts. In other words, the very thing that made him a mage also allowed him to stand on equal ground with Kirlilith. It’ll be fine. I can do it… No, I have to do it. “Hey, Rain,” Orca called out to him, breaking the dull silence. “Athly isn’t back yet, is she?” “…No, she isn’t,” Rain replied weakly. Then he added, “Her parents just got killed, so classes are the least of her worries.” Orca lowered his head forlornly and returned to his seat. Days later, the cadets were sent out to another battlefield.