Ilia, moments before

"Someone call the guards!"

"Look out and run, everyone! Get away!" Ilia, Ronie, and Tiese turn towards the nearby alley, hearing a shout coming from there. Hand on the hilt of her sword, Ilia rushes into the alley, disregarding her friends' concerns. Turning the corner, she sees two men standing around another flat on the ground. They stand over him fearfully and distantly, and even halt Ilia from approaching the downed man.

"Somebody collapsed! Why would you run? What did you call the guards for?"

"Don't touch them! You'll catch their pox! Keep away from the infected!"

Ilia narrows her eyes, but dictates that the man must know something she doesn't. Since they're from the north, Ilia formally introduces herself and the girls coming behind her. "Can you explain this to me? I'm Ilia Ordonia, Integrity Knight Trainee and servant to the ninth head of Lady Medina Orthinanos. This is Ronie Arabel and Tiese Shritillen, also trainees to the Order."

The merchants look at each other, and the first man explains. "In that case… He got some food from Lodend, then fell sick shortly after. It's the bluethorn sickness. It turns your skin blue and causes swift death."

"Hmm… He does have blue protrusions on his skin, you're right."

Ronie gasps. "Wait, do you mean the Lodend Mountains? That's where Rulid Village is… I hope the people are okay."

Present

Thanks to the guards showing up, the man was taken to the nearest infirmary, allowing the trainees to head to the cathedral. Ilia headed straight for the last known location of her mentor, running into her and Jaymes on the hot baths of the 90th Floor and reported in. Once they were clothed, the trio made their way to the infirmary.

Jaymes stands by the inspecting priest whlle Medina and Ilia sit nearby, the Lycoris Knight reading the message from her mother quietly. Ilia maintains her silence by idly switching her gaze from Medina to Jaymes and the nurse until her mentor sets the letter down. "Ilia. are you aware of a folktale told in Norlangarth about Windcutter's Ridge?"

"Windcutter's Ridge? Isn't that somewhere east of the Lodend Mountains?"

"Correct. It is said that those who trespass in the area are inflicted with a blue curse. Hunters, lumberjacks are said to be afflicted, and it'll devastate villages."

"That means… It has to be an Ancient Apostle, right?"

"Given recent events, yes, you'd be right to assume such. What we can say is that the curse is not a tale. If the folktale was once true, that means Administrator put an end to it long ago, whether because it was a threat to her or simply to maintain her order on the world. But ever since she was felled, the order she protected has fallen apart. The war, the rebellion, and now this… If the disease is the result of another divine beast rising now that it's chains are broken…" Looking frustrated, Medina turns around and glances at the examiners. "How are the symptoms?"

"We managed to treat it early, but it's too soon to say if it's cured. I was fortunate enough to get medicine. If not from the cure from Rulid Village, we wouldn't have been so lucky."

"Rulid?"

"Indeed. That village is near the source of the epidemic. A young sister from the village told me about the way to treat it. She was here for a short while to help us, but returned home about a week ago after recieving a letter from her village saying the cases had increased."

"Selka," Medina announces. "Alice's little sister, remember?"

"Ah, right." Jaymes turns to Medina, pointing to the letter. "Anything you learn?"

"The first case appeared weeks ago, around late January. Apparently, the Council is aware of this epidemic, but I am not. Want to know which day I missed such a meeting?"

"The day we went to hunt the Reaper?"

"Bingo. But after hearing about the Knight of Contradictions, my mother believed this mysterious disease might have a connection to the Ancient Apostles." Medina stands up and rolls the parchment up. "If only we knew earlier."

Jaymes scowls. "If the Council was aware, why didn't Kirito do something? Why weren't we notified… Something about this is fishy. Lucia, did you receive help from the Council?"

"Not at all."

"Your mother sent a message to the Council, but the Council doesn't do anything? Hmph, something definitely isn't right… Medina, we should hurry. We'll fast-travel there."

Medina nods. "I agree, but don't you want to hear the Council's excuses first?"

"No, I don't think they'll have one to point out. I don't think they're aware of… Be ready by morning."

"Right. Ilia, I want you to remain here in the city." Ilia's face must have displayed her shock, which Medina immediately addresses. "It's not because of what happened last time. Instead, it seems things are happening without my knowledge, so I need eyes and ears here."

Ilia looks to Jaymes, half-hoping he'd counter her, but instead he endorses Medina's command. "I agree. Continue your training. I have a feeling we'll need you at your best, Ilia."

"But the Apostles… You can't handle them alone."

"I know… But I'm not going to ask any of you to come either." Jaymes faces the infirmary's entrance as four figures walk inside. Ronie and Tiese rejoin Ilia with Swordswoman Subdelegate Asuna and Swordsman Delegate Kirito. The latter walks up to Jaymes and passes him, taking a glance at the victim.

"You knew we were there the entire time?"

"I taught you how to sense another person's presence, of course I did."

"Of course. But on the matter, this looks bad… And this is the first I've heard of it too."

"Same here," Asuna says.

"As much as I'll like to assist you, if there's something going on here, it's best Asuna and I stay behind." Kirito turns around and looks at the three trainees. "Ronie, Tiese, whatever happens in the next few days, keep this a secret. If anyone asks, tell them we're with Jaymes and Medina investigating a lead, but give no details. We say nothing until we know whether this is a natural occurrence or an apostle. Got it?"

Ronie nods. "Yes, we understand."

"And you two… I suggest you do take Ilia with you. Before you protest… I have a feeling she'll be more valuable to you out there than stuck here. And as a personal favor, beyond our duties and titles… I'm asking you as me, please help Rulid."

Looking at the bowing Kirito, Jaymes sighs and nods. "When you put it like that… Yeah, we'll do everything possible."

"Jaymes," Asuna starts, first with obvious worry, then clears her throat. "Do be careful...for many reasons."

"I understand Kirito's position, no need for him to do something reckless in his position, but Asuna, are you sure you want to stay behind?"

"I do want to come, but…" Asuna eyes Medina for a second, then looks back to Jaymes. "You've always done well in a pair, right?"

Jaymes rubs his head. "Don't put it like that, we're a team too… Okay. I'll do my best not to be too heroic. Same to you, Asuna, and do the same for Kirito."

???

"Well, well, well, looks like things are progressing greater than expected."

"How are things at the capital?"

"Better than we thought. The Lord of Knights and his loyal follower are heading to the northern kingdom. My plan to keep the Council unaware of the Bruised King and his disease worked to perfection. Now we can take on the next step."

"Good. Leave the invaders to me and my new friend. When the time is right, initiate the next two phases in our plan. The fall of the world begins with the return of divided kingdoms...and under our rightful rule. As the mothers and father willed it"

The figure holds out her hand, forming a crude caste-iron dagger from her side. "As the mothers and father wills it..."

The next morning, Ilia sits with Jaymes just outside the Cordea Plains residence of Medina. He sits on a hill beyond the estate, facing the shadowed capital as the sun finishes its ascent in the east. There's some time before the appointed hour she, her lady, and the dark emperor are to meet up, but it is rare that Ilia gets to be with Jaymes alone. He didn't mind her much the previous year or the entire time he's been here, but he hasn't ignored her. Of course, she too has been distant from him, out of respect for his page and the other girls and mostly because she didn't know how to talk to him.

But when she exited Medina's estate and saw him, she felt drawn to encounter him. Something has been on her mind for the last few days, something only he himself can answer. She finally finds the courage to break the silence between them. "Jaymes… May I ask you a personal question?"

"...I thought you didn't like me to talk, or even sit silently with me, especially after yesterday. But if I can answer it, go ahead."

She knows what he's referring to, her interruption of his time with Medina, ironically the subject she wishes to talk about. "Do you love my lady? And I don't believe you're daft in any way, so I know you know the definition I'm asking for."

"..."

Ilia grew up as a noblewoman, honed her skills of seeing and hearing through people's faces and voices for the hidden truth. No one has fooled her before; even the hardest of faces and the calmest of tones have failed to hide whatever lies Ilia has seen or heard. Even silence, the absence of sound, has one that Ilia can detect. It is that silence that Ilia picks up on Jaymes' answer. "I see…"

"I didn't say anything."

"Silence speaks volumes, right? Your answer is clear as the sky. And I've known something has been wrong since we came back from Wesdarath the first time. The night before we were told of the letter Tiese's uncle sent, to be precise."

"...Figures." Jaymes sighs and places a hand on Ilia's shoulder, looking at her with a small smile. "You really look after your mentor, do you? Medina couldn't have chosen a better person to be her page. If only you were around in the ACTF, you could have helped her…" Being complimented by Jaymes all of a sudden invokes conflicting emotions within Ilia, but they fade as he releases her and turns back to the expansive green plains. "Love is complicated, Ilia."

"Is it? I mean… I've heard how complicated it is with Tiese and Renly, Ronie and Kirito, but… I wouldn't know myself. All I know is that… I know how Medina feels, and that you shouldn't play with them."

"...You're right. To answer what you aren't asking, something did happen that night, but not to the extent you might believe. It was...the second time she kissed me."

The second? When was the first? "Explain."

"Well, it was in the moment. We were alone on the balcony, she was...alluring underneath the moonlight, and unfortunately my personal judgement fell--"

"Not that! When was the first time you two kissed?"

Jaymes turns to Ilia, raising his eyebrow in shock and confusion. "Since when have you become interested in things like that?"

"...Recently."

"Okay… Technically, the previous one was our first. I don't know how to explain it, but when she was dying after the Pontifex struck her, we… I think our souls resonated and connected in a...place that allowed us to communicate. It's not easy to explain."

"I can tell, I don't understand it. You aren't using your fancy words, are you?"

"No, I'm trying to understand what I'm saying myself… Hmm, here." Jaymes plucks two blades of grass and holds them out in his hand. "If the normal world is...well, you know, then the grass in my hand is in another part of it. They're not in the ground like the rest, but in my hand, separated. I think that's a good way to explain it… Her dying moment was her telling me to not forget her, how I saved her, and then she kissed me."

"Then I don't understand you. Everything you've done, it's always been with Lady Medina, I don't see why--"

"You know the truth about the Integrity Knights, Ilia. You know what I said to Medina. You put those together, you know why Medina didn't accept knighthood. One of the reasons, that is."

Ilia puts her mind to work. The truth of the knights is that they're not 'celestial beings' as they were once thought to be, but humans of exceptional skill and prowess taken by Administrator as her personal warriors. However, the truth is limited to only a handful of the order; Fanatio, Deusolbert, Eydis, Sheyta, Renly, Fizel, Linel, the missing Alice, and the deceased Bercouli and Eldrie. Only Ronie, Tiese, and Ilia are the only trainees that know this fact; the same group know that the Pontifex was truly killed by Jaymes, not Kirito, but to say that the reason for the Clamp Crisis was because Administrator was trying to resurrect herself would have incriminated Kirito either way, and at the time, the four kingdoms were already suspicious and threatened of the newly-titled 'Hero-King'.

That aside, Administrator's death left the way to create the knights, the Synthesis Ritual, unknown. The knights learned how to 'freeze' and 'unfreeze' one's aging and consciousness from someone called Cardinal, but to 'extract' memories and halt aging died with the Pontifex. As a matter of fact, if she understands the ability correctly, Jaymes might be the only person to mimic the ritual with his sword, but there's no way he'll ever do so.

"...Without the Synthesis Ritual, or more importantly, the art to halt aging, Medina will one day grow old and die, if she makes it to that age, that is. That was your deciding factor."

"Before you make me look bad, look beyond that."

"But isn't Falchion capable of mimicking that part of the ritual?"

"It… It could."

"So if you could, you could do the ritual yourself."

"Look beyond what I could do, and look at why Medina didn't choose knighthood."

"Is it...because of Lady Eydis?"

"Deeper."

"...Oh."

"Figured it out?"

Ilia nods and brings her knees closer to her chest. Jaymes had openly told both women, but Ilia thought it was a poor excuse when it's just the opposite. "You really are going to leave one day and forget."

"Right… You are correct, I could stop her from aging and try to find ways to keep her memory without erasing them. I might have to do the same for Eydis many times over. But the fact is, I made my choice off of current options. But if Medina...if she asked me to do that ritual, I would. I don't...want her to die either, and I disrespected that choice once already. All I can give her is a lifetime of good memories, and to not tread on her feelings like dirt. So to answer your question, I... I chose Eydis...and still choose her. Which is why I must find her and have her explain everything so I don't make the same mistake I did to your mentor."

Ilia nods and glances up. "I understand now. But...what if...it comes to it that you have to fight Lady Eydis, what will you do?"

Jaymes frowns and tilts his head downward. "I'll protect you and Medina first and foremost. And if I can't get Eydis to stand down, if she has truly become… I don't know. I don't know what I'd do, but I won't let anyone hurt you and Medina. Even if it means hurting Eydis." Jaymes sighs and stands up, stretching his arms. He steps forward, eyes towards the heavens. "At least, this whole conversation is the truth I want to tell myself. To be honest, Ilia, I don't know my reasoning...or want to admit that I could have chosen otherwise. I didn't think I'd have to, honestly, since Medina made it first for me… Well, let's drop that for today. Any guys you're interested in?"

"Huh?"

"A straightforward beauty like you… Nergio Synthesis Eighteen would be nice for you. Maybe even Deusolbert."

Ilia stands up and glares at Jaymes. "I-I only have love for my lady! And his name is Nergius."

Jaymes chuckles and points at Ilia. "Wow, you do have emotions! And is that love the kind of love we were discussing? Never had competition with a girl about another girl like this before."

"Th-That's not it!"

"What are you two all riled up for this early in the morning about?" Medina walks towards the pair, yawning and stretching her arms. "Why are you antagonizing Ilia?"

Jaymes rolls his eyes and shrugs. Without uttering a command, his secret traveling art initiates with a swirling green breeze around them. "She started it. You ready?"

"I don't believe it, and yes I am. Ilia?"

Ilia sighs and steps closer to Jaymes. "Let's go."