Chapter 61 - Xanadu
10/31/1204 - Sunday

"Towa, wake up! You're going to be late for school!" a warm nostalgic voice yelled.

After a few more minutes, Towa slowly opened her eyes.

Now awake, Towa was finally able to hear her orbal alarm clock blaring at her to wake up. After turning it off, she scanned her room.

Everything was as it should. Her school supplies and ARCUS neat and tidy on her desk, her telescope by the window, her clothes in her closet, and all of her books alphabetically organized on her bookshelf.

Not wanting to be late for school, Towa quickly got out of bed and prepared for the day ahead. Going from her simple green pajamas, to her Thors uniform. It was an all black set, made up of a matching coat, skirt, and pair of loafers, contrasted only by her white tights. She usually saved her hair for last, so for now she still had her hair down.

Before exiting her room, Towa made her way to her desk and picked up her ARCUS and school supplies. She couldn't help but smile at the photographs that decorated her desk.

A recently taken family portrait with her family. A photograph of her reading with her grandparents from the last time she saw them. A group picture of her standing outside of Thors with her friends. And lastly, a picture of her and her boyfriend during the school festival.


"Good morning!" Towa cheerfully greeted as she exited her room and entered the kitchen, where her parents had been waiting for her.

Umi and William Herschel waved at their daughter as she approached the dining table. They had prepared a simple breakfast to start the day: pancakes and coffee.

"Someone sure is chipper today." Umi noted as she watched Towa eat her breakfast a bit faster than usual.

"Leave it to our daughter to be happy in response to having to go to school on a Sunday." William joked.

As they were both scholars, Umi and William had always instilled in Towa a value for always wanting to learn. Not helped by Umi's father, Nayuta, who was the current director of the Imperial Museum.

"Sorry, I can't help myself. For some reason, I can't help but feel happy to get to see everyone at school a day early." Towa replied.

"Oh don't listen to your father, enjoy school as much as you please. I'm sure it's nice that you get to see your friends on the weekend." Umi assured Towa.

After a few minutes, Towa finished up her breakfast and made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth and fix up her hair. Once she was done, she tied it neatly into a ponytail with her favorite light blue ribbon.

"Thanks for breakfast! See you guys later." Towa told her parents before giving each of them a quick hug.

Umi and William laughed at Towa's energy, she was still filled with the same energy she had back when she started going to Sunday School.

"Just make sure to get back before curfew, young lady!" William instructed.

"Oh dear, she's old enough to take care of herself. I doubt she and you-know-who would do anything past sundown." Umi assured William.

One step outside the Herschel residence and Towa found herself taking in the slightly cold air.

"Trista really is nice this time of year." Towa said to herself.


"Hey Towa! And here I thought you were planning on skipping classes today." Angelica greeted as she saw Towa approaching the school's front gate.

"Good morning, Angie. Did you seriously think that?" Towa replied.

"Towa ditching school? She's more likely to have one last growth spurt before she dares go a day without school." Crow joked as he approached them.

"Hey! T-There's always a chance!" Towa responded.

"About you ditching school or having average height?" George teased as he joined them.

"I-I'll have you know that I'm only slightly shorter than average!" Towa argued.

"Alright, alright. That's enough teasing Towa, for right now. We should head over to our homerooms before classes start." Angelica commented.

"I'm still pissed that they're making us come to school on a Sunday. I thought these were supposed to be our free days." Crow complained.

"I'm still not sure what caused the change, but I suppose it is only just this once." George noted.

"Heehee. C'mon guys, one more day of school ain't that bad." Towa assured them.

"Of course you're happy with this arrangement, you love learning." Angelica joked.

"Plus she gets an excuse to hang out with her boyfriend during lunch and afterschool." Crow pointed out.

"G-Guys!" Towa responded as she began to blush.

Right on cue, Towa noticed a certain black-haired underclassman make their way to the school gate.

It was none other than Rean Schwarzer.

Rean exuded an aura that could only be described as confident and charming, and he knew it. No one could blame him. He was adopted into a highly respected noble family, the leader of the school's most prestigious class, blessed by Aidios herself with great looks, skilled practitioner of the Eight Leaves One Blade school, and one of the top first-years that academic year.

Despite all of the odds, Towa still found it hard to believe that she was Rean's girlfriend. He had confessed to her after dancing together during the school festival last week, and they've been dating ever since. It was a little embarrassing being a senior in a relationship with a freshman, especially since her friends had been teasing her about her crush on him for months.

Noticing that Towa had been staring back at Rean, her friends turned to look at each other and nodded.

"We'll see ourselves out." Angelica informed Towa before she, Crow, and George dashed inside.

"Good morning, President Towa." Rean greeted.

Towa couldn't help but notice that Rean's voice was slightly different from what she remembered, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was that was different.

"G-Good morning, Rean. I've already told you that it's okay to call me by my first name." Towa replied.

"I know. I guess I'm still getting used to us being, y'know." Rean admitted.

As Towa looked at Rean, she couldn't help but feel strange. Not the same type of strange where she felt butterflies in her stomach that she usually had when she was alone with him, but something else. A feeling of uneasiness, as if something was off.

"Is something wrong… Towa?" Rean asked.

"O-Oh, nothing's wrong. I guess my body is finally realizing that I'm here at school on a Sunday." Towa explained.

"It is rather odd, but you do love school. You must love having another day to learn." Rean noted.

"Yeah. Oh, we should make our way to our homerooms before classes start." Towa advised.

"Good call. Let's go." Rean replied before opening the door for Towa.

Towa suddenly felt as if the world around her froze in place for a brief second. She was able to see inside the school thanks to Rean holding the door open for her, and it looked like a black void inside.

"Is something wrong, Towa? Don't worry, I assure you. Everything is going to be perfect from here on out." Rean assured Towa, snapping her back to the present.

"Y-Yeah… Perfect." Towa replied as she made her way inside the school.


8.17.1206 - Thursday

"How is Towa holding up?" Claire asked as she entered the Cayenne mansion's guest room.

"Ms. Herschel has been doing relatively well, even though she's been asleep since last month. Thankfully her vitals are still showing signs of good health. Bless Aidios." Priscilla answered as she looked down at Towa sleeping soundly.

After what happened at the Grahl, Towa had been captured by Georg and Red Rossweisse and taken to the black workshop. However, Osborne had ordered for her to be transferred to the Cayenne mansion alongside Empress Priscilla and placed them both under house arrest.

While there, Priscilla looked after Towa under the watchful eye of Claire. Along with infrequent visits from Georg, Red Rossweisse, and Crow.

"I see, that's great to hear. Hopefully when she wakes up, she'll have a change of heart about the Chancellor's invitation." Claire replied.

"Is it safe to assume that the invitation is to serve the Chancellor as an Ironblood, such as yourself and Cedric?" Priscilla questioned.

"Correct. Towa has been highly sought after by us ever since her final year at Thors, especially after Osborne tested her resolve by making her his and Prince Olivert's secretary for the West Zemuria Trade Conference." Claire revealed.

"Would it be correct to conclude that the Chancellor was aware of the Imperial Liberation Front's plan to attack Orchis Tower?" Priscilla asked, now fearing what type of tests her son was being subjected to as an Ironblood.

"I assure you, none of us Ironbloods or potential candidates were ever in any real danger. Despite how things look, the Chancellor is always the one in charge of how those sorts of things play out." Clair assured Priscilla.

Claire knew that Priscilla was worried about Cedric, along with Alfin, who had been taken to a different location. Especially after what happened to Olivert and Eugent. Of course, it hurt to know that she was lying. Not a day went by where she didn't think about what happened to Millium at the Grahl.

Even now, Claire wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen to Towa once she woke up. She had been told that once she woke up that she'd be more than willing to see things from their perspective. Yet, she still showed no signs of waking up. It was clear that she wouldn't go down without a fight.


10/31/1204 - Sunday

"So yeah, my grandpa wants me to try and get into politics like him once I get back to Jurai after graduation." Crow said as he, Angelica, George, and Towa sat together eating lunch.

"Same here. My old man wants me to go straight into studying on how to prepare to be the next marquis of the Nortia Province after I graduate from here." Angelica commented.

"We're still up for that group trip to Ymir after graduation, right?" George asked.

"You bet! Say Towa, think you can talk to Rean and have him pull some strings at the Phoenix Wings so we can all get some cheaper rooms?" Angelica questioned.

"Hey speaking of Rean, why aren't you eating lunch with him today?" Crow asked.

"Huh? Oh. To be honest, ever since this morning, something has felt odd. It isn't just with Rean, but the feeling amplifies itself whenever I see him." Towa admitted.

"That's odd. You two only did start dating last week, though. Are you still nervous about being in a relationship with him?" Angelica noted.

"Why don't you have a quick chat with him after school?" George suggested.

"I suppose that sounds like a good idea." Towa replied.

"Yeah, as soon as you two sort things out things can go back to being perfect." Crow commented.

"Yeah. We've all worked so hard to have these perfect days." George added on.

"Especially you, Towa. Working day in and day out in the Student Council room, going above and beyond with your studies, and simply doing everything you can to help everyone around you. You deserve this perfect life." Angelica concluded.

"Perfect life?" Towa repeated to herself as her friends went back to eating their food.


Towa waited for Rean to meet her on the school rooftop. She had sent him a message via their ARCUS units to meet her up there immediately after her final class had concluded, and hurried up there so she could mentally prepare herself.

"Calm down Towa, he's your boyfriend." Towa said to herself as tried to remember everything they had gone through together during the school year.

There was their first meeting by the school gate on his first day of school, him walking into her office and offering her his services, the time he saved her from hitting the ground in the library, the bike rides he took her on with the orbal bike she and her friends built last year, studying together, him saving her from the Imperial Liberation Front's attack on Orchis Tower, entering the hot springs together in Ymir, and his grand confession to her during the school festival.

As Towa recalled everything, she couldn't help but feel as if her memory was a little hazy. She remembered Rean doing all of those things, yet it was difficult to recall any specific details. In fact, she couldn't remember what he said in his confession or her response for that matter. It was as if she hadn't given him a response that night in the first place.

"Towa, you wanted to meet with me?" Rean greeted Towa as he joined her on the school rooftop.

"I did, thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice." Towa replied before turning around to face Rean.

Now that she got a good look at him, Towa could see that Rean also looked slightly different. He looked confident, sure, but he looked empty. As if everything about them was false in some way.

"You seem tense, do you want to talk about whatever it is you wanted to talk about over some tea?" Rean suggested.

"No, I think the rooftop is the perfect place to have this talk." Towa answered, noticing that the sun was beginning to set.

"Did I do something to offend you?" Rean asked.

"No, you haven't done anything wrong. In fact Rean, you've been perfect. Too perfect." Towa noted.

"Well a perfect girl like you deserves a perfect partner." Rean commented.

"That's what I mean! You're too perfect! The Rean I fell in love with wasn't perfect, he has his flaws! Heck, I'm not perfect either!" Towa argued.

Just like in the morning, Towa felt the world around her freeze up for a second. She felt as if she was being called to action by the members of Class VII, Alfin, and Elise. With all of them being able to sense Rean together. However, it wasn't with the one that was standing in front of her.

That's when Towa realized what was going on.

"I should've known that things were too perfect. You're not my Rean!" Towa said as tears began to go down her face.

"I suggest you don't talk like that. Don't you want to be with everyone here?" the imposter asked.

"Deep down… Yes. I want nothing more than for everyone to be living their best peaceful lives, but I know that this isn't my life." Towa confessed as she walked closer to the imposter.

"This can be your life. A world where your friends have promising futures, your family is alive and well, and even your lover isn't weak to his emotions. Just accept it and submit." the imposter responded as he offered Towa his hand.

Towa took a deep breath before looking at the imposter in the eyes as she raised her hand, and slapped him in the face with all the force she could muster using her right hand.

"This is for assuming that I'm unhappy with my life! This is for thinking you can use my emotions to control me! This is for puppeteering everyone I've ever lost or is currently suffering to play pretend! And lastly, this is for doing all of this while using Rean's face!" Towa shouted as she repeatedly slapped the imposter until she felt a sharp pain in her right hand.

"You dare try to use force against me? I offered you the paradise you've always dreamt about, and this is how you respond?" the imposter responded.

Their voice no longer sounded like a pale imitation of Rean's, now they spoke with a dry raspy voice that could only be described as malice.

"I miss my parents and grandparents, I want my friends to be happy, I want Rean to see in himself what I see in him, but I will never give in to some false world and abandon reality." Towa replied.

"Young lady, we told you to come home before curfew!" Umi and William shouted together as joined Towa and the imposter on the school rooftop.

"Towa what are you doing!? You can't just slap people like that!" Angelica yelled as she, Crow, and George also made their way to the school rooftop.

It was obvious that this was the false world's last ditch effort to try and convince her to stay. To abandon everyone who was waiting for her back in reality. Her students, her family, her friends, and Rean.

"None of this will ever be real. My parents and grandparents are dead. Angie, George, and I all graduated while Crow was assumed dead years ago. Even now, Rean's self image has improved since our school days. I don't need this fake world you've put me in to try and control me. I can make my life better all by myself. My aunt and uncle welcomed me into their home and have always treated me as if I was their daughter. Angie and Crow aren't dead, and George just needs a firm talking to." Towa continued.

One by one, the false versions of her friends and family disappeared. Soon even the false world began to fade away, leaving Towa and the imposter in an endless black void.

Even Towa's appearance changed. No longer in a black version of her old Thors uniform, but now in her white instructor uniform she had been wearing since starting work at the Branch Campus.

"You're a fool. You could've gained so much had you just submitted yourself to me." the imposter said as their form began to change too.

They still looked like Rean, except now they had white hair and yellow eyes. It was clear to Towa that she was dealing with a being that was not human.

"To be honest, I'm a little impressed that you were able to ward off my curse. You've been reliving that dream since the Grahl, each time leaving the school rooftop and running home, choosing to ignore facing Rean. This being the first time you've fought back against not only me, but the world itself. I'll remind you one last time, your Rean is gone." Ishmelga informed Towa.

Towa suddenly remembered everything that happened inside the Grahl. From Millium's sacrifice, to Rean's fight with Crow. The image of Ordine's blood soaked sabre once again haunting her.

"No… t-that's another one of your lies!" Towa responded as she tried not to show any sign of weakness for Ishmelga to exploit again.

"I've grown bored of you. Consider yourself lucky, not many get to claim to have not given into my curse. I doubt you'd prove much of a threat. For now you're just a lost soul who's in denial of the fact that everything she cherishes meets a fate worse than death." Ishmelga responded before fading away.

Now Towa was by herself in the black void. She wasn't sure how to take in everything Ishmelga said.

"No, they're wrong. Rean's safe, I'm sure of it. He promised me that he'd never leave after all." Towa thought to herself, not losing faith in Rean's oath.

Before Towa knew it, she began to be engulfed by a faint blue light.

"T-Towa…?" a familiar warm voice whispered behind Towa.

Without skipping a beat, Towa turned around to face the person who that warm voice belonged to.

"I'm so happy to see you…" Towa quietly replied with tears going down her face.


8.17.1206 - Thursday

"Stop this instant, whoever you are!" Claire yelled as she kicked open the door to the Cayenne mansion's guest room.

Claire and Priscilla had been enjoying their dinner when they heard a window being opened in the guest room. Fearing that an intruder had broken into the mansion in a poorly thought up attempt to take advantage of the confusion across the Empire to rob the place, Claire ordered Priscilla to hide while she dealt with the potential intruder.

Inside the guest room however was just Towa, now awake and standing by the open window. She was staring off into the night sky while holding her ARCUS with her left hand. There was a faint blue light emanating from her. No doubt connected to what Claire had been informed was occurring inside the Black Workshop at that moment.

"Towa, I see that you're awake now." Claire noted as she signaled to Priscilla that everything was okay.

"I am." Towa replied as the faint blue light went away.

"I'm glad to see that you're still yourself. I'm sure fighting them must've been difficult." Claire continued.

"Ms. Herschel? Oh thank Aidios you've woken up." Priscilla commented as she joined Towa and Claire inside the guest room.

"Thank you both for your concern. I still need more time to regain all of my energy though, but soon I should be in good enough shape to help Class VII." Towa informed them.

"Is it safe to assume that you were able to see Rean?" Claire asked.

"I have, and I know that we'll reunite properly soon." Towa answered as she looked up at the night sky.

No matter how far apart they were, Towa was sure that Rean was now looking up at the same night sky as her that night.


Authors' Note

Trails to Eternity's Cold Steel IV Arc starts now!

Apologies for the wait everyone. I figured that after Cold Steel III Arc concluded that I was due for a short break from writing. During that time I even managed to get around to doing a ng+ run of Cold Steel IV to take notes for what I want to tackle in this arc regarding Rean and Towa and their relationship.

There were a lot of fun Easter Eggs and references sprinkled throughout this chapter. Like first of all the title, being in reference to Tokyo Xanadu. Which featured everyone's favorite Japanese high school teacher: Towa Kokonoe! Towa's black school uniform during the dream sequence was a double reference to the high school uniforms Rean and co. used in the Magical Alisa light novel and a certain side story/mode from Reverie involving a certain pink-haired member of New Class VII dreaming. Towa's father's name was inspired by the actual William Herschel, who Towa and Nayuta (Boundless Trails)'s last names are in reference to.

The set up for this chapter itself was inspired by Alan and Bridget's subplot in Cold Steel IV, with me wondering how the Curse would try to take over Towa. This chapter being my conclusion.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Just a heads up, but updates during the Cold Steel IV Arc won't be as frequent as previous arcs unfortunately. Still, I hope you all look forward for future chapters! Thank you all for the wonderful comments!

Special thanks to ZetianWu for beta-reading this chapter! And to RosyMiranto18 for giving me the name Umi for Towa's mother, which was originally used for Towa Kokonoe's mother in a different fic that I decided to reuse as Towa Herschel's mother's name.