With Rhaziel's scheming crushed in an instant, the tension that had gripped the town began to fade. Life crept back into the streets, but beneath the quiet hum of relief, no one truly knew the truth — no one knew who had brought him down, or how.
Time moved on. Yet, despite Chiaki's desperate work to rebind Temoshí's severed soul through her resonating powers, the damage had left scars too deep. He lived — his body warm, his presence still tethered to the world — but he remained unmoving, locked in a coma so deep it felt like life had been drained away entirely, leaving only a hollow echo of what he was.
Far from the commotion, Morvain sat at a quiet restaurant, his gaze lost in the expanse of the sky. Thoughts gnawed at him.
"She's alive… and that's what matters. But did she truly save herself? She once swore to erase the power to sever souls from this land — and yet, now she wields it herself. The very thing she hated."
His eyes narrowed, memories flickering. "I remember when Rhaziel did the same to me… The difference is, Chiaki holds both sides — to sever… and to resonate. I can only hope she never walks his path."
A long breath escaped him, his tone dipping lower. "Now that Rhaziel and Kaemor are sealed behind bars, the threat is gone — for now. But powers like that… they have a way of finding the wrong hands."
Morvain's thoughts weighed heavy, but no matter how far his mind drifted, it always returned to one image — Chiaki.
In his vision, she walked slowly, her back to him, her steps steady and unhurried. She didn't look back. She didn't speak.
"If you can truly rebind souls, Chiaki… then use that gift for good. Don't throw it away."
A shadow suddenly fell across his view, pulling him from his thoughts. He blinked — and there she was, not a memory, not a vision… but standing before him in the flesh.
"Wh–What? Chiaki…? Why would you—"
He froze. Her eyes met his, and in them, he saw nothing but quiet, unwavering care.
"I made you a promise," she said, her voice firm, clear, and impossible to misunderstand.
Morvain's breath caught. The weight of her words struck him harder than he expected. She had kept it — against all odds, she had kept it. And for the first time in far too long, relief settled deep in his chest.
Morvain's thoughts trailed off, settling on a question he hadn't expected to ask.
"So… what comes next for you, Chiaki?"
More days slipped by, the hours blending into the steady rhythm of waves against the shore. Chiaki stood at the edge of the ocean, the golden light of the sun spilling across the water. Her gaze fell to her clenched fist, and she drew in a deep, steady breath.
"Looks like I was wrong… about a lot of things," she murmured. "I shouldn't have acted the way I did. And… I'm sorry. When you wake up—if you wake up—I hope you can look me in the eye and tell me… you forgive me. Maybe that's selfish to ask. But I've learned more from this than I ever expected. And next time…"
Her words trailed as she turned, catching sight of Fioren, Yuka, and Razor approaching at a steady pace. In her lap, Temoshí's motionless body rested, his head cradled gently against her thighs.
Chiaki's eyes softened, and she spoke clearly, her voice carrying across the shore.
"…Next time, I'll be ready. And I won't let any of you down again."
To be continued...