A/N: Hi, thanks for your reviews, Guest, kuroshiragami0, LadyHilariexxx (Belated birthday, dear! Thank you for your constant support), and moonshue (our Erza really did inherit Irene's spirits, hahaha)!
To all readers: Thank you for tuning in, especially the new followers of this story. I am sorry for the delayed update. My right hand is pretty swollen, and I had a hard time typing things, lol. I just had gotten better for a while. I hope you'll enjoy this update. Happy reading!
Belserion closed the book and stared at his reflection on the polished surface of the desk. A hint of confusion marred his usually composed features. How could a mere child outsmart me? he thought to himself as he stared at its cover. The book did not contain anything particularly suspicious; rather, it simply narrated the fall of his empire, a story he knew all too well.
"Did you really think you're always two steps ahead of everyone, Charteris?" he remembered her words as he gritted his teeth.
"Did you know that one day, I'd be outsmarted by someone at my own game, sister?" he asked himself as he rested his head on the chair before glancing to the side as if seeing himself with his older sister.
Three hundred years ago
"Here I am wondering why my plan went wrong, sister," he said as he watched them recede from his view.
She looked back at him, her green eyes scanning his figure from head to toe. The ends of her silver-blue hair are curled, bundled into four thick strands in the back and two thick strands in the front. She tilted her head to his side and asked him.
"Did you really think you're always two steps ahead of everyone, Charteris?" His older sister asked, her voice calm and slightly mocking as she watched him pass by.
Charteris stopped abruptly, turning to face her. The sight of the ribbon on the floor fueled his frustration. "Why did you help them, Faris? That was the queen and her daughter," he said, his voice rising with anger as he stomped on the ribbon.
Faris remained unfazed, her dark eyes meeting his with defiance. "Did you really think that helping Father would make him acknowledge me as his child? The moment he decided to hide me, he had no plans on revealing that the brightest strategist wasn't his firstborn but a daughter born of dark magic," she paused, taking a step back, trying to reason with her younger brother.
"You don't understand it, sister. You betrayed our family. You betrayed me, Faris." he said, gritting her teeth at the perceived failure of his plan.
"No, Charteris. It was Father who betrayed us both. He used you to usurp the throne, and the false hopes he'd promised you would never be met. But I chose my own path. Even if I'm born of this dark magic, I will not turn into a bad person, so I chose to help the queen and her daughter because they are innocent." Faris shook her head slowly.
"We are not the heroes in this narrative, brother. We are the villains who loved to play gods, and I pitied you for such. You were loved by the gods by blessing you with holy magic, but Father had completely fooled you,"
Charteris clenched his fists, struggling to understand his sister's sentiments.
"We were pawns in his game, Charteris. You will one day learn that the hard way as well as I do." She scoffed as she turned to leave, leaving him too stunned to rebut.
Present
Rufus's brow furrowed with each passing page as he hesitated. He knew what the book was about, and it puzzled him why his Master was intently watching him, waiting for his responses. He finally closed the book and looked up, meeting the archmage's piercing gaze.
"It simply accounts for the fall of Alvarez," he stated.
"There's nothing here that I haven't seen before, Master. It's just a retelling of events that led to the subsequent collapse of the empire." He added as he watched the archmage's black eyes narrow slightly.
His fingers steepled under his chin. "Is that so?" he scoffed, turning his chair to the window. Rufus is a brilliant mage. In fact, he was the first valedictorian of the same royal academy Belserion had built. He had even taken him under his wing, considering his prowess and intellect. It baffles him; the mage never saw any signs of peculiarities or suspicions. It was just plain text, so he truly wondered how come a seven-year-old child outwitted him.
"Do you find it suspicious that you don't know my name, Rufus?" Belserion asked, making Rufus pause mid-thought.
Rufus cleared his throat, seeing his Master look over his shoulder to see his expression. "I can't possibly have the right to doubt you, Master," he replied carefully.
"It was your decision to keep your name to yourself. No one will force you to reveal your name even if the entire kingdom asks for it. You are the very person who killed Acnologia." He paused, now staring intently into his black orbs.
"There is no room for us to distrust you," he added, making Belserion tap his fingers on the book in his lap.
The next day
Erza found it strange that the atmosphere of the classroom was unusually lively. The room was filled with laughter, a stark contrast to the usual serious nature of the room. Erza couldn't help but feel a bit out of place amidst all the happiness. As Erza made her way to her seat, she noticed Juvia sitting nearby, discreetly knitting underneath her desk.
"What are you knitting, Juvia?" Erza asked softly, taking a seat beside her.
"Ju-Juvia is knitting a scarf for Gray-sama. D-don't you dare try to give something to Gray-sama, or else you are Juvia's love rival!" Juvia glared slightly, pouting her lips, making Erza chuckle.
"Shhh, don't mind her. Juvia's living her own fantasies." Simon said as he popped up out of nowhere, startling Erza.
"Your Highness," Erza curtsied, making him shake his head.
"How can you call my mother auntie but act so formally around me, Erza?" Simon asked.
"I'm sorry," she replied.
"It doesn't suit you," he commented, pinching her cheeks.
"Wha-what?" she mouthed as she felt her cheeks getting squished.
"Still being shy around others," he teased, grabbing her notebook.
"Wait, Your Highness!"
"Well, I guess you don't know yet? Spring is just around the corner, and the Royal Academy's going to have a Spring Festival! Today, we'll have our special baking class with Mister Yajima. He's going to teach us what crafts and talents to present in the next two weeks."
A few moments later
Mixing bowls clattered, flour dusted the air, and the scent of vanilla and chocolate filled the room. Erza was particularly interested in learning about baking a cake. She heard from Simon that the white-haired siblings in front were the Strauss siblings. Their parents were renowned chefs in the palace, and everyone knew well how good they were with the kitchen. The oldest sibling was the girl with a playful look on her face; her hair was tied up on the back of her head by a massive dark ribbon. Mirajane Strauss, the kitchen "Demon" of the empire. Erza was hesitant to approach her as they were unfortunately paired up for today's activity. Both of them were seven years old, but Mira was surprisingly taller compared to Erza, being by a few inches, making Mira feel superior and teasing the redhead.
"Erza, are you sure you want to bake a cake? You don't exactly have the skills for it," she said with a smirk.
"How dare you say that? You just watch; I'll bake the best cake in the kingdom and gift it to my mommy, Mirajane," she replied.
Their glares intensified as they both argued about what cake to bake. Erza wanted to bake a strawberry cake, while Mira wanted to bake a chocolate cake. Yajima sighed and stepped forward, raising his hands to get their attention.
"Alright, enough," he said firmly.
"Remember, this is a paired activity. Each pair is expected to help each other and work together. The goal is to collaborate and create something special, not to argue about whose idea is better," he said, directing his gaze at the two girls glaring at each other.
"I don't think pairing up was the best idea," Simon muttered, watching the chaos unfold around him. Natsu and Gray were in the middle of an all-out food fight, hurling ice pops and burning hot cupcakes at each other.
"Take that, Natsu!" Gray shouted, launching another ice pop that flew across the room and hit Juvia squarely in the head.
Juvia, who had been busily baking her cookies, staggered from the impact and then dramatically fainted, a dreamy expression on her face. "Gray-sama... hit me with his ice pop, hwahh~ Juvia's in heaven," she murmured as she fell to the floor.
Levy, seeing her partner on the floor immediately freaked out. "Oh my god, Juvia!" she called out, rushing to Juvia's side.
Meanwhile, Mira, with a playful glint in her eye, turned to Erza. "You know, the real reason you wanted to bake a strawberry cheesecake is because it matches your red hair, right?" she teased.
"That's not true! I just think strawberry cheesecake would be perfect for the Spring Festival. But if you don't help me, I'll bake the cake myself!" she scoffed as she reached for the bowl.
The tension escalated as they both reached for the same bowl of flour at the same time, their hands grasping the edges. Determined to win the battle, they pulled the bowl towards themselves, neither willing to let go.
"Let go, Mira!" Erza demanded, her grip tightening.
"Not a chance, Erza!" Mira shot back, pulling just as hard.
In their struggle, the bowl tipped over, sending a cloud of flour into the air. Within seconds, both girls were covered from head to toe in white powder, looking like snow-covered statues. They stood there, momentarily stunned, as the classroom fell silent for a heartbeat. It then erupted into laughter, seeing them as flour-dusted figures.
"She started it!" They both whined in unison, pointing fingers at each other.
Meanwhile
"Can you see the magic entrance?" Charteris asked, his eyes darkened slightly as he observed Rufus's reactions.
Rufus looked around, taking in the rows of floating shelves that filled the library. "I can't see any other shelves besides the floating ones, Master. There's nothing peculiar about them," he replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
"So, nobody can see the magic passage except those allowed by the head librarian," Belserion murmured.
Rufus felt a surge of confusion. If the sage's daughter claimed to have discovered a hidden section of the library by chance, it seemed increasingly implausible, considering it was meant to be hidden from plain sight.
"Master, are you suggesting that the child somehow gained access to a restricted area?"
"It's suspicious. The fact that you, a skilled mage, cannot see the entrance raises questions about how she managed it."
"She might have possessed an innate ability to perceive things others cannot," Rufus commented, seeing his Master's puzzled expression.
"Or else she may have received help from someone within the academy to enter that. Either way, we need to be cautious of the child. She is no ordinary child," he commented as he turned to leave.
"Do you think Erza poses a threat, Master?" Rufus asked, making Belserion pause.
"She was born of unclear backgrounds, and Irene had taken a liking to her; that alone is far more suspicious than any actions she had done so far." He said, slightly laced with annoyance.
After their baking class, Erza carefully wrapped the layered strawberry and chocolate cake. Mira wasn't still done with her tease, so she couldn't resist leaving the room without making the final tease.
"The cake is so sweet and perfect because I made it," Mira said, sticking her tongue.
"We made it," Erza corrected as she turned her head to her partner.
"Whatever, but you might want to work on your cookie skills, Scarlet." She winked as she glanced at the slightly burnt cookie, making her face red.
"I-I will beat you next time!" she yelled, making the white-haired girl burst into laughter as she exited the room first. "See you tomorrow, Strawberry-head!"
When the room was quiet, Erza smiled. It feels welcoming now. She had finally started feeling the warmth of the academy. It wasn't that bad at all. Erza thought as she tied a neat ribbon around the cake and hurried to the gates. As she approached, she saw Heine and Juliet waiting for her. She waved, her excitement bubbling over with the idea of sharing her experience.
"Heine! Juliet!" she called out, grinning widely.
Juliet's eyes lit up as she saw Erza approaching. "Erza! How did the baking class go? Did you make something delicious?"
"Yes, I can't wait to share it with everyone," Erza said, her smile widening. "Let's head home. Mommy is surely waiting for us!"
Irene found herself crushing the reports in her hands, her mind consumed by the investigation. She massaged her temples, easing her worries; the pattern of the scarring on the walls based on the pictures did not substantiate evidence to credit that a dragon did it. However, if the said fire burn were made by a younger dragon, that could possibly explain its weak form; either way, it was a troubling realization that someone had been burning the palace walls outside. I need to personally investigate this. She said as she rested her head against her chair's cushion. Her thoughts were still trying to find the reasons for this but were suddenly interrupted by the sound of small, hurried footsteps darting toward her study. Startled, she quickly requipped the papers into her personal space just as the door burst open. Standing in the doorway was Erza, her scarlet hair catching the light, grinning widely with a box of cake in her hands.
"Mommy, I brought you a slice of cake from the baking class," Erza announced.
Irene's cold expression softened instantly at the sight of her daughter. "Erza," she smiled instinctively as the child ran to hug her. Placing the box carefully on her desk, she lifted the child on her lap and watched as Juliet and Heine followed.
"Mira and I made it together. It's a strawberry and chocolate layered cake. I saved a slice just for you! And, oh… I do have some cookies for everyone." She said sheepishly, revealing the slightly burnt cookies. "I tried to bake that myself but ended up burning some part of it," Erza said making Juliet chuckle.
"You don't need to worry, Erza. I'm sure it will taste better than what it looks like." Juliet commented as she grabbed one and took a bite.
Heine followed Juliet as Irene glared at her for not appreciating her daughter's efforts. Erza clapped her hands in delight as she watched them take a small bite of the slightly burnt cookie. Both of their faces swallowed hard, trying to maintain a positive expression despite the charred and bitter taste of the cookie, seeing their Master's gloomy expression behind the child's gleeful ambiance.
"It's... good, Erza," Heine said, her voice wavering slightly.
"E-Erza had indeed inherited Lady Irene's cooking skills," Juliet said, closing her eyes as she savored the exotic taste. Is this a poison? she thought to herself as she opened her eyes, seeing Irene's unamused face. They both remembered well the first time Irene cooked for them, and it was barely edible. Thinking it was a compliment, Erza tilted her head in surprise, hearing that she inherited Irene's cooking skills.
"Really? You think I'm that good, Juliet?" Erza's eyes twinkled with amusement at the thought.
Poor child, she thought it was a compliment. Both of them said, through telepathy, that they saw Irene shooting daggers at them. Juliet quickly nodded. "Absolutely! You really take your skills after Lady Irene."
"Stop exaggerating," Irene commented.
She giggled as she turned her head to her mother after unwrapping the cake. Irene took a fork and cut a small piece of the cake, bringing it to her mouth. The flavors of strawberry and chocolate mingled perfectly into her tongue, and she was surprised as well that she could taste its sweetness. "It's wonderful, Erza. You really take after me," Irene proudly said as she took another slice, this time offering it to the smaller scarlet-haired girl.
"Yey," she beamed as she ate her share, making the two older adults grimace.
The next morning
Irene wasn't too fond of leaving Erza alone, but the pressing matters of the investigation demanded her attention. Anna had previously tasked the archmage with resolving the issue, but she consulted her first, knowing she was quite interested in these beings. She had the right to decline, but knowing how Belserion detested dragons, she was sure that if dragons attacked, he would in no time burn them to ashes. As they prepared to leave, Irene knelt down and kissed her daughter's forehead one more time.
"I'll be back as soon as I can, Erza."
She reassured and Erza nodded, her eyes reflecting a visible sadness. "I will be waiting, Mommy. Be safe." Erza hugged her tightly, reluctant to let go. But soon loosened her grasp as she knew Irene had to address the urgent issues at hand. With one last look at Erza, she turned and stepped into the carriage, signaling to Heine to join her.
As the carriage started moving, Irene looked out the window, watching Erza wave until she was out of sight. She then turned to Heine, her expression shifting from her softened face to the colder expression Heine was used to. She took a deep breath and prepared herself in her usual attire. Her black cloak, barely covering her form, draped around her shoulders, and her hat crowned her head. She grasped her staff, completing her familiar outfit.
"I never thought I'd see you in such form again, Lady Irene," Heine said, recalling the first time she had seen her in that outfit.
"Whoever tries to play with the palace walls must have a death wish; they better not waste my time. Tell me, what is the development of the investigation?" she asked as she rested her head against the seat.
Heine handed her a stack of papers. "The knights never saw any attack as it seemed to be strategically targeting the areas where patrol knights are least likely to be present. They are exploiting the brief security laxity when the guards change posts. It's highly likely that this is a trap, Lady Irene."
Irene scanned the reports. "Are you suggesting that the person behind this knew I'm coming?"
Heine nodded. "Exactly. We must be careful,"
Erza finally met the archmage in the library again. The atmosphere was tense as she approached him. Belserion stood waiting with an air of annoyance on his face. He clenched his jaw as he stared at the child's form, bowing at him. Charteris held up a small, shimmering vermillion shard.
"This is a magic shard. It contains potent magical energy that anyone can harness to wield magic. However," he continued, his gaze piercing into hers, "no matter how potent the magic shard is if you have no potential for magic, you will end up wasting the magic stone."
"What do you mean by potential?" Erza frowned.
"Magic is not something that can be forced. It is an intrinsic part of who you are. Some people are born with the ability to harness and control magic, while others are not. Trying to use magic without the natural potential can be dangerous and ultimately futile."
"Are you telling me that I still can't wield magic?"
"You cannot possibly store the mana itself in your core, but you can channel the magic of the stone to produce and control the innate magic energy around you. However, that is something that can't be taught. It is up to you to discover how you use your wits to make use of the shard."
"Then how will I know it's working?" Erza asked as she stared at the ruby shard.
"It will glow," he said as he gestured for Erza to grab it.
Erza was extremely nervous as her hands neared the magic object. The last memories she had with the magic circles were filled with painful memories. She was quite sure that the archmage would mock her again, knowing she would still fail this time. But she resolved her doubts as she remembered the efforts she had made to coax the archmage to formulate the magic item. I can't possibly fail this time. Even if it does not glow, I'll learn it in no time. She reassured herself as she grasped the shard into her smaller hands. To her surprise, it glowed brightly, almost enveloping the entire room in a brilliant scarlet light. Alarmed, Belserion quickly snatched it back, his eyes darting around to ensure they hadn't drawn unnecessary attention. What was that? He asked himself, seeing the unstable, strong magic gushing out from the magic item. He stared at her amazed face, bewildered by the sudden burst of magic filling the room. Isn't this the same child that was unable to use magic before? He asked himself, watching her hop on her place, seeing her success.
"You shouldn't have done that," he scolded, his voice low but firm.
"It might be too early. The shard's reaction is too unstable."
"Unstable?"
"It means it's still attached to the mana from the main stone. I need to modify it first,"
"But it glowed so brightly. Doesn't that mean I have potential?" She asked, following him as he turned to leave.
"No, it seems that there was an error," he replied, dismissing her hope.
He lied not wanting to fill the child's head with false hopes. He needs to confirm his suspicions. If the shard is working fine, that means the child is not someone without magic rather she might've been a hidden mage after all, or she can be the other way around which he hoped is not. The very thought of it troubled him as he glanced at the child one more time before disappearing into thin air.
Irene gritted her teeth as she surveyed the burnt marks on the walls. The sight of the scorched stone filled her with frustration as she examined the marks more closely. The residual energy felt quite odd. She closed her eyes and extended her senses, trying to discern the nature of the magic used. It wasn't the raw and powerful dragon fire she was familiar with. Instead, it felt diluted, almost artificial. Irene opened her eyes, realization dawning on her.
"These aren't real dragon fire. This is indeed a trap," she remarked as she turned to face Heine.
Who would want to see me in such a desolate place? She asked herself, remembering how daunting it is to use synthetic magic to produce an almost similar effect of a different form of magic. The idea was both infuriating and intriguing. Whoever was behind this had gone to great lengths to replicate dragon magic, but why? She asked herself as she glanced side by side, trying to sense something suspicious within the walls, but found none except the dark-blue owl staring from afar.
"Damn it," she cursed under her breath.
Belserion tapped his fingers impatiently on his desk, his eyes fixed on the white-haired man, an extremely short elderly man, who was meticulously inspecting the magic shard he had crafted. His black eyes inspected every inch of the red stone. The silence in the room was deafening, and the tension was palpable as Belserion's patience wore thin.
"Tell me, does the shard have imperfections causing such an error?" Belserion finally demanded.
Makarov shook his head as he carefully placed the magic shard back on his desk. "No, Your Excellency, the shard is well crafted. It glowed because of the child's innate capacity to channel the magic around her. This reaction isn't due to a flaw in the shard but rather the child's extraordinary ability." He stated, looking at the archmage.
Belserion rose from his seat, picked up a stack of papers, and tossed them onto the desk in front of Makarov. "Read these," he urged. "These are the details of the child. She shows no signs of the innate magic core. What you're saying is impossible."
"I've read the reports, and I understand your skepticism, Your Excellency. But the shard's magic is tailored differently compared to the traditional magic form of most mages. If mages store mana inside their bodies and deplete it when they've used such, the shard's magic uses the magic particles in the air to form it as the user directs it to form its own magic." He explained.
"Don't lecture me on such ideologies, Makarov. I know that concept well, but the magic shard glowed eerily brightly, and it engulfed the entire magic library upon her touch. It should glow but not in that unstable, powerful form," he said, showing him the footage of their confrontation earlier.
Makarov's eyes widened seeing the events unfold before his eyes. "That is… beyond normal." He admitted as he glanced back at the shard.
"It must be better for me to see the child wielding it before my eyes before I make my comments. But seeing that footage makes me wonder if she truly had no latent abilities for it. Most mages can see hints of mana in someone's core even the slightest, and if even you, the archmage, had confirmed it yourself that she can't wield magic, it was already certain that she had no magic."
Belserion sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Is it possible for her core to be sealed so that it is undetectable, or could it be a curse or some other form of magic suppression?"
"A powerful magic seal would leave traces of magic in her body, but you said it yourself; you've seen nothing in her core. One plausible answer among the choices leaves us that her abilities might be linked to a curse or an ancient forbidden enchantment. These are our two options left, as these spells could obscure her magic core and prevent her abilities from being fully realized without leaving any signs of her magic." Makarov answered.
Belserion's frustration gnawed at him, and he dismissed Makarov. "You'll meet her tomorrow. Supervised her actions and see to it that she doesn't get hurt."
"Yes, Your Excellency," he answered as he exited the room.
Belserion leaned back, his mind racing with possibilities. Was the child simply cursed, or was there something darker at play? The thought gnawed at him, and he couldn't shake the idea of his second thought. What if the child might be a demon? He thought, remembering the ancient lore. Demons had the ability to transform into any form they desired. They could appear as children despite being much older. This ability to blend in made them particularly dangerous, as they could infiltrate society undetected. The more he thought about it after considering Makarov's words, the more he became convinced. If Erza were a demon, it would explain her advanced and cunning thoughts far beyond what a normal child should possess. Her ability to suddenly use magic, despite having no visible magic core, could be a sign of her true nature. Demons. After all, these beings were known to possess powers that defied the conventional magical understanding of most mages. A power coursing from the underworld compared to the mana blessed from the heavens.
"Then maybe the reason why Irene had been coaxed into helping Erza, possibly because of a demon's curse that altered her feelings for the child."
He clicked his tongue as things started to get clearer. Mages couldn't detect curses as they fundamentally differed from its creation, magic was blessed by the heavens. Curses were meant to be hidden and could be more powerful than any known magic. This would explain why Erza's potential was only beginning to surface; her curse revealed her true nature.
"Could it be that her apparent innocence be a ruse to gather information or, worse, to bring harm to Irene?" He asked himself, his thoughts darkening.
Belserion rose from his seat as he felt the need to report his suspicions to Irene immediately. She had to know the potential danger they were facing. As he made his way out of his study, he saw Irene standing there. Her face contorted with anger. Without warning, she slapped him hard across the face, the force of it echoing in the quiet room. She then pinned him against the wall, her grip surprisingly strong as she started to strangle him.
"YOU lied to me once more, Charteris Belserion!" she screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Belserion was taken aback; he had seen her with this expression only once before, and it was the time when she had first dreamt of her lost memory. Her face spelled a look of utter betrayal and anger.
"I-Irene?" he asked, bewildered as he noticed a scratch on her shoulder.
Trying to resist her vice grip, he used his magic to switch their places but later found themselves teleported into the corridors of Irene's quarters. He instinctively reached out to her other shoulder with his hand to dispel any enchantments that might be affecting her, but he was overpowered again as he felt himself pinned on the door of her own room.
"How can you keep everything from me, Charteris?" She asked, raising her voice as she pinned him harder against the wooden door, her claw-like gloves digging into his own flesh.
"A child I am not even aware of? Are you telling me that I am a mother who doesn't even remember birthing my o-own daughter?" Her frustration was palpable, her voice breaking as she confronted Belserion.
The reality of knowing she had finally remembered the cursed memories he had kept for the longest of times was tearing him apart. It felt like his entire being was plunged and consumed into the deepest part of the abyss. How? He asked himself, seeing only her visage in the dark world. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she staggered back, unable to fathom the guilt eating her alive. His world came crashing down on him as he watched her break down. A familiar déjà vu he detested more than his own brother. Belserion inched closer, his hands outstretched but hesitant to touch her shoulder as she stared at her own hands, crying in utter disbelief. Irene shook her head, her tears falling freely now.
"How could you? What made you think you have such right over my welfare? You took away my m-memories, Charteris. You took away my chance to grieve and remember my own child." She mumbled with her empty eyes.
Unbeknownst to them, Erza was standing by the door, having overheard the heated argument between Irene and Belserion. Her hands trembled, and the handkerchief she had knitted for Irene slipped from her grasp, falling to the floor unnoticed. The fear and pain lacing Irene's words hurt her like knives struck her heart, twisted in any way possible to make it hell for her to bear. She climbed onto her bed, pulling the sheets over her head as if trying to shield herself from the harsh reality that had been thrust upon her. Lady Irene had finally remembered her REAL daughter. She thought as she buried her face in the pillow, tears streaming down her cheeks.
A/N: Who would've thought that it's almost a year since I published this story? Kindly leave some reviews. I love reading it, and oh, this is just a heads-up. The next chapter is entitled "The Forgotten Memory," *wink*! See you around!
P.S. Faris is an FT character. She's on 100-year quest. I haven't catch up with the manga yet.