Winter was about to begin. Soon there would be daily blizzards that would rage for so long that the snow would prevent people from leaving their houses if not shoveled twice a day.

During this time, everyone usually just stayed huddled up inside, with enough supplies to outlast the Winter and a bunch of arts and crafts projects that they would be able to sell for a few coppers once Spring arrived.

Usually, Myne's family was on a tight schedule and would be nervous about managing to get enough food and materials for the Winter, and Myne herself would be basically too sick to speak clearly from the cold. This Winter was entirely different, with them having everything tucked away long before things even started to get cold, and Myne herself was healthy as she could be, able to do anything any normal child of her age could do. She could even walk to work alone if she wanted to.

Even so, the atmosphere at the house was getting more and more uncomfortable.

That morning, Tuuli had followed Myne to the Ink Workshop and watched as Myne spoke with a few of the workers as they developed colored inks and ink sticks.

Everything turned out perfectly the first time through, because Myne had magecraft. She knew the exact chemical composition of everything she was working with, and their physical properties and how they would react to different external stimuli. She'd never had a failed product before.

The selection of colors wasn't great, as it was getting into Winter and the Paint and Dying Guilds had already grabbed all of the flowers that had blossomed in Summer and Autumn, but even the roots of some plants and fungi could be used to make unexpected colors, and were cheap as dirt to buy off small children.

The workers were amazed, but Myne barely paid attention. The only thing she could think about is how Tuuli said she wanted to talk after she was done working that day. The way she said it made Myne dread the conversion, but eventually, it was time to close down the workshop.

"Well, that is it for today. Let's head home and see what Ella has made us today." Myne said with forced cheer, hoping to worm her way out if it, but no luck. Tuuli shot out the words that Myne had been dreading for a long time.

"Are you really Myne?" Tuuli said, the question hanging in the air.

"...I know I'm different than before, but it really is me." Myne said, looking towards her older sister with pleading eyes.

"...No. You're lying. You aren't Myne. You don't act anything like my little sister!" Tuuli started to shout.

"Tuuli…"

"Mom said that at first that it was just you growing up a little, but that isn't it at all! I can tell that even she doesn't think that anymore! You… You aren't Myne! What did you do to her! What did you do to my little sister!?" Tuuli shouted.

"Tuuli, I…" Myne stumbled, trying to think of something to say, only her sister didn't get her the chance and started to run out of the room with tears in her eyes. "Tuuli!"

…She was gone, leaving Myne all alone in the workshop.

"Maybe… Maybe this is for the best." Myne said miserably as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a Feystone with a magic circle inscribed within it using bits of metal Myne had shaped with her magecraft.

It was the cure she had been working on, and which she had finished just the week before. Only she hadn't used it, since she hadn't found the chance.

Once used, all of the magic power stored within the crystals would be released over the course of two days, which, on top of being dangerous for everyone around her, would leave Myne in a vegetative state while she was recovering.

It wasn't something she could use while living at home with her family, not without someone noticing and likely getting hurt.

The thought of leaving them was painful, but Myne knew that… she was different now. She wasn't the person they had known and loved, even if she tried to convince them and herself otherwise.

It was while Myne contemplated simply leaving her family with a heavy heart that she heard a scream coming from outside. Tuuli's scream.

Myne rushed outside in time to see three hooded people on horseback riding away with a bound Tuuli on the back of one of the horses.

Thugs, hired to kidnap the Gilberta Company's golden girl, the pre-baptism child that was responsible for their sudden success, had mistook Tuuli for Myne and had grabbed her as she had left the Ink Workshop.

"Tuuli!" Myne shouted in panic before immediately turning on her magic circuits and pumping her limbs full of magic power, reinforcing her body to its physical limit as lines of golden mana appeared on her body.

She shot off after the horsemen, not caring who saw her as she rushed to rescue her sister.

But the horses were fast and even Myne's physical peak wasn't fast enough. So as she pushed herself forward, she raised up one arm and pointed it at one of the horses that Tuuli wasn't on. A magic circle appeared around her arm as she primed her spell. "Gandr!"

The overcharged curse rocketed from Myne's extended arm and slammed into the horse, causing complete organ failure, with the horse simply dropping like a rock underneath the rider.

The other two horsemen slowed in order to see what had happened to their companion, and that moment of slowing was all Myne needed to be on them.

A punch to the head, instantly killed the already downed rider before Myne jumped at the one who had Tuuli, grabbing her sister with one arm and elbowing the rider in the chest hard enough to shatter his ribs and crush his heart.

As they went to the ground, Myne supported her sister before pointing her extended arm towards the last of the horseman, who was visibly shocked. "Gandr!"

Blood shot from the man's mouth, ears and eyes as he was thrown off of his horse to fall dead in the snow of the side of the road.

"Tuuli, are you alright?" Myne said, looking down at her sister's shocked face.

"...Myne?" Tuuli said in disbelief as she looked up at Myne's face, covered in glowing golden lines.

"Thank goodness you're… alright." Myne said before collapsing to the ground herself.

"Myne? Myne!? Hey, wake up! Myne!"

"W…What is this?" Gunther said in disbelief as he rushed to the Gelberta Company rushing to the room they had Myne in, only to find his daughter completely enveloped in a golden light while riving in pain.

"She's been like this since we got her here." Benno told the man, not sure what else to say.

"Myne!" Gunther shouted rushing to his daughter before Benno could stop him, but he recoiled when he was burned by the golden light that surrounded her.

"Don't touch her! It isn't safe!" Benno shouted at the man.

"Bu…But Myne?" Gunther said, tears in his eyes as he looked from Benno to Tuuli and Effa, who had arrived before him, seeing the tears in their eyes as well.

"There isn't anything we can do for her now." Benno said, putting a hand on the man's shoulder. "All we can do is pray."

Two days passed with no change in Myne's condition and her family had basically moved into Benno's office, refusing to leave until Myne got better.

But on the third day, Benno and Mark came to them with solemn faces and shook their heads. "I'm sorry, but Myne… she didn't make it."

The already defeated family broke down at the news. "I… I don't understand. She… She'd been getting better." Effa said, looking down at the floor with bloodshot eyes.

Gunther got up and tried to rush the stairs, wanting to go and see it for himself, but Mark barred his way. "Sir… if you cherish your memories of your daughter's face, you don't want to see what is left in that room."

Gunther looked at the man before crumpling to the ground.

Benno looked at him before taking out an envelope and opening it. "This is something that Myne left with me. A letter I was supposed to read to you if she died." He said getting the attention of the family before he started to read.

Dear Family,

If you are hearing this, then I guess that means I died without having found the courage to talk to you myself. Sorry. I know this is a bad way to hear it, but I hope you understand.

I was born with a sickness they call the Devouring. It is an illness caused by having more magic power than the body can handle, which really isn't much, when you consider how high the ether content of mana is in this world.

It is a sickness that few commoners can survive because it usually takes extremely expensive magic tools to keep at bay, requiring those who have it to become slaves of the nobility in order to secure their lives.

However, I got lucky.

As the sickness progresses, it causes you to experience strange dreams as you absorb the mana in the air. I used to dream about all kinds of things, but they weren't dreams, but rather memories of others. The memories of all kinds of people, animals and plants. Mom used to get made at me when I said I would rather keep dreaming than face the waking world.

But as the illness progressed to its peak, and I was about to die, I dreamed about the life of a powerful noblewoman. I gained her memories and skills and with them I managed to stabilize myself at the edge of the abyss.

Sadly, I had already reached the point of no return.

I might have looked like I had gotten better, but I only have a few months to live at best and the magic tools that would have protected me before would have no effect. I don't know how things went down, but know that I am glad I was able to spend the last of my days with you all.

I'm sorry if my use of the noble's memories made you uncomfortable, but I wanted to make sure that when I left you that you would all be alright. I wanted to leave you with so much money that you would never have to worry about the little things again. It was the least I could do to pay you back after how you took care of me when I was too sick to get out of bed.

I'm sorry I was such a brat back then.

Benno swallowed as he looked up from the page, seeing the looks of shock and horror on the family's faces. Wiping away his own tears he turned the page.

Daddy, I don't want you going to the bars after this. I don't want you to drink yourself into a stupor because of me. You are the man of the house and you have to act like it. Mommy and Tuuli are going to be counting on you.

Mommy, it will be your job to keep him in line too. Don't let him ruin himself.

Tuuli, I'm sorry I was such an awful sister. Thank you for not getting mad at me when all I did all day was complain.

I talked to Benno, and he and Corinna are going to make sure you become the best seamstress this world has ever seen, so you better not fall to pieces on me either. I will be watching and I won't forgive you if you do.

And Benno, I won't forgive you if you go back on your word either.

Everyone, thank you for everything you have done for me. I am glad I was able to spend what little time I had with you.

Love,

Myne

Benno burst into Myne's room, his eyes red and puffy and his face contorted in anger. "You brat! This is the absolute worst thing I have ever been made to do!"

"I'm sorry." Myne said as she looked out the window. "After my display of magic in the streets, they won't ever be safe. Not so long as I am alive."

Benno wanted to shout at her that there were better ways, until Myne turned her head towards him and he saw her tearstained face. Of course, this was hitting her a lot harder than it was him.

She was now dead. And as a pre-baptism girl, they wouldn't even hold a funeral for her.

Benno walked over to Myne, lifting her up in a huge. "Don't worry Myne. I'll look after them for you." He said as he held her like he used hold his little sister when she would cry.

"No. Not Myne. Myne is dead." The girl said. She stopped holding back and let Rin's mana fully imprint upon her, changing her. Her dark blue hair turned to black and when she looked up at him, her golden eyes had been replaced by blue once. "You have to call me Rin from now on."

"...Alright. Rin." Benno said softly.

Even after everything that happened, they always had to look to the future.