With Seiryu's magic, the orphaned children were able to locate the remains of their loved ones and retrieve a few cherished belongings.
Before allowing the children to see them one last time, Ceres asked Seiryu to make the remains appear as though they were simply asleep, healing wounds, cleaning off blood, and ensuring the sight wouldn't traumatize the children further.
All around, the women and elderly commoners did their best to console the grieving boys and girls.
Meanwhile, many of the knights, Holy Order members, and mages couldn't even look at the orphans.
Guilt was etched into their faces.
When the Blue Moon finally rose on the horizon, it was time to begin the Warrior's Farewell.
They all gathered on the shore of the Frozen Sea, with the children standing close to the Empress.
The night was cold, yet the blue light of the moon cast everything in an ethereal glow.
"I will now unfreeze the Frozen Sea, Your Highness," Seiryu said.
"No," Ceres stopped him. "Let Delphine do it."
Delphine's eyes widened in surprise.
She wasn't certain she could do what Ceres wanted, but the Empress offered her a reassuring smile, silently telling her it was all right.
Without another word, Delphine walked a few steps forward to the point where Seiryu had marked the beginning of the icy waters.
She placed both palms on the solid ice.
"Restore."
As soon as the word left her lips, a brilliant glow spread across the sea, starting from where she stood.
No one could see the far end of the light, only that it extended far out into the distance.
Then the ice gradually melted, turning into liquid, and the sound of gentle waves filled the air.
The Frozen Sea, which had been locked in ice for a thousand years, came back to life.
Everyone, except Ceres and Seiryu, stared in awe at the now-shimmering ocean.
Delphine herself was stunned by what she'd just accomplished.
After a few moments, she stood up and returned to the Empress's side.
"What now?" Ceres asked Seiryu softly.
"The song, Your Highness," Seiryu answered. "Once the singing begins, I will guide the raft carrying the fallen to the deeper part of the sea. When the song ends, the raft will be set ablaze."
Ceres waited, expecting the people to start singing, but no one did.
"Delphine?" she asked, turning to her maid.
"I… don't know what song we're supposed to sing, Your Highness," Delphine admitted, looking troubled.
Ceres glanced at Seiryu again.
"A warrior song, Your Highness," he clarified.
"But I don't know any warrior song," Delphine said apologetically.
Ceres then looked to Legion, Morgana, and the others nearby.
They all shook their heads, none of them knew any warrior's song.
Most were only familiar with using fireworks to honor the departed.
"Any warrior song will do?" Ceres asked, lifting a brow at Seiryu.
"Yes, Your Highness," Seiryu confirmed. "Any warrior song that reflects the life they lived."
Ceres hesitated, unsure if the song that came to mind was appropriate.
It was something she'd once heard in a high school play back in her previous life.
But as she stood there, listening to the quiet sobs and feeling the raw grief in the air, she made her decision.
Taking a deep breath, she began to sing.
"Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
I'm strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me
I'm hiding all the tears"
Everyone turned to stare at her, captivated by the unfamiliar melody.
Her voice was soft and angelic, carrying a soothing warmth that seemed to ease their grieving hearts.
With a subtle gesture of Seiryu's hand, the rafts bearing the fallen began to drift toward the deeper waters of the sea.
"They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child"
The words were clear, and as everyone listened, silent tears began to fall.
"Unafraid because his armor is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I'm amazing
I never face retreat
But they don't see the enemies
That lay me at his feet"
The song spoke not of a warrior's strength and victories, but of fears, tears, and the need for rest and healing.
It perfectly captured the lives of the commoners who had fought bravely despite their fear, those who, beneath their seemingly strong exteriors, were still scared and vulnerable.
Yes, it was a warrior's song.
But instead of celebrating glorious conquests, it laid bare the quiet struggles of those who had given their all, only to fall in battle.
"They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child"
Even though Ceres tried hard not to cry while singing, she couldn't stop the tears from welling up, especially when the children around her broke down in sobs.
As soon as the last note faded, she said softly, "Ablaze."
All the rafts in the distance were suddenly engulfed in flame.
But instead of a red glow, the fire burned in blue, flickering against the dark backdrop of the sea.
Ceres wiped away her tears, then knelt in front of the grieving children.
A hush fell over the gathered crowd.
An Empress, kneeling before commoner children.
In front of nobles, knights, and commoners, no less.
It was an act no royal should ever do. And yet, she did it without hesitation.
"We'll never see them again…" May whispered through sniffles.
Ceres smiled softly, though sorrow lingered in her eyes.
"Of course, you will."
She looked at each of the orphaned children, her voice filled with quiet reassurance.
"We just sent them to a very beautiful place. And they'll be waiting for you there."
With gentle hands, she reached out, wiping away their tears.
"You will see them again," she promised, "but not too soon."
"You have to grow up first. Live a happy life. Make lots of memories, go on grand adventures…"
Her gaze softened.
"So that when the day finally comes for you to meet them again, you'll have so many wonderful stories to tell them. And knowing that you lived happily, they will be happy too."
There was a long, quiet pause.
Then, a young girl, Getty, barely nine years old, hesitantly spoke.
"But… what if we don't see them for a long time?" she asked. "What if we… forget what they look like?"
Ceres froze.
For a moment, she didn't know how to respond.
Then, an idea sparked.
"How about we make something that, when you see it, you'll always remember them?" she asked.
"Is that possible?" eight-year-old Kidd whispered, eyes wide.
"Yes." Ceres nodded, then slowly stood up. "And in fact… we'll do it right now."
The children exchanged confused glances but watched her with eager curiosity.
Before anything else, Ceres turned to May, who was still cradling the infant Calisto in her arms. She carefully took the baby and handed him over to Legion.
"Let's form a circle, everyone, and hold each other's hands," she instructed. Even those who hadn't lost family members were included, even fifteen-year-old Eric, the eldest among them.
The children obeyed, their faces still streaked with tears, but a glimmer of curiosity had replaced their grief.
"You have to repeat after me, okay?" Ceres said softly.
The children nodded, voices small but eager.
Then, she began.
"For every heart that's sad or lost," the children repeated after her.
A faint glow formed in Ceres's hands.
"A lily blooms, no matter the cost."
As the words echoed through the air, the children's hands also began to glow.
"For every tear, for every sigh,"
The elders watching the scene held their breath.
They had seen many things during this expedition, first the Celestial Knight, then the Holy Beast, then a true Saintess…
But this…
This was a magic beyond anything they had ever witnessed.
"A flower grows to light the sky."
The glow from the children's hands spread to the ground.
They watched in silent awe as the barren land, which had just been freed from ice thanks to Delphine's Saintess Ability, began to change.
"Soft and bright, it shines so true,
A gentle way to say, 'We miss you.'
With love and light, their names will stay,
In fields of lilies, night and day."
As the final words left their lips, the ground beneath them trembled slightly.
And then, white lilies began to sprout from the earth, slowly at first, then blooming all at once.
The flowers were pure, their scent sweet and calming.
The children gasped, tears forgotten as they stared in awe at the breathtaking sight.
The white blossoms didn't just bloom around them, they spread far beyond the temporary camp, blanketing the once-frozen land in a sea of soft petals.
Ceres reached down and picked a single lily, then gently placed one in each child's hands.
"This is called a lily," she said.
"When you see this flower, you will always remember your loved ones who have departed this world."
"Is it the flower of the dead, Your Highness?" asked Maureen, eyes wide with wonder but tinged with sadness.
"No." Ceres shook her head gently.
"This flower will tell them…"
Her voice was warm, carrying over the quiet night.
"That no matter where they go, no matter how long it takes for you to see them again, they will always remain in your heart. And you will always miss them."
She looked at each child, their small hands clutching the lilies with newfound meaning.
"And when a friend of yours is sad, when someone is grieving… you can also give them this flower."
Her voice was soft, but the weight of her words settled deep into their hearts.
"You might not always know what to say to comfort them, but the lily will speak for you."
"It will tell them, 'I am here for you. You can always count on me.'"
The children stood silent for a moment, clutching the delicate flowers in their hands.
Then, all at once, they rushed forward and embraced her.
Tears, this time not of sorrow, but of comfort and warmth, filled their eyes.
Ceres hugged them back, holding each one as if they were her own.
"Your Highness…"
Delphine's voice was shaky, filled with something between shock and awe.
Ceres turned toward her, brows furrowing in silent question. But Delphine wasn't looking at her.
Her gaze was locked on the sea.
Ceres followed her line of sight.
And her breath caught in her throat.
The blue flames consuming the rafts continued to burn against the dark waves, flickering like ghostly lanterns in the night.
Then, gasps echoed through the gathered crowd.
Whispers followed, hushed and filled with disbelief.
One by one, white smoke began to rise from the flames, swirling upward before taking shape.
At first, the figures were vague, mere shadows against the fire.
But then…
They transformed.
Human forms.
And it wasn't just happening out at sea.
It was happening all around them.
From the fields of lilies, wisps of white mist rose into the air, shifting and solidifying into transparent figures.
The spirits of the fallen.
A sharp gasp escaped Delphine's lips.
Then a sob.
Ceres turned back to her, just in time to see two of the many spirits standing before them.
A man and a woman.
They weren't just any spirits.
They were Delphine and Legion's parents.
Even Legion, who had been cradling the infant Calisto with his usual stoic grace, froze in place. His breath hitched, his grip tightening around the child.
A pained, yet grateful smile formed on his lips.
The spirits moved among the living, approaching the people who had once loved them.
They did not speak, perhaps they couldn't.
But there was peace in their faces, and in their eyes, there was one final message.
Goodbye.
And for those left behind, it was a farewell they never thought they would receive.
The knights, the Holy Order, the mages, many among them wept openly, seeing familiar faces, departed loved ones they had once fought alongside.
Even Duke Aurelian, who had remained stoic through everything, inhaled sharply, his composure cracking when he saw one particular spirit.
The late Emperor Aurelios.
His father.
Though the former Emperor had not died in this valley, it seemed that with every expedition he led, with every life lost under his command, a piece of him had died alongside them.
The late Emperor stepped forward, his gaze warm as he approached his son.
Then, he raised a hand, and though he was nothing more than a spirit, he placed it gently on Aurelian's shoulder.
Aurelian couldn't feel it.
Only cold air met his skin.
But he could see it, the hope in his father's eyes.
And then…
The late Emperor smiled.
He turned away from Aurelian and stepped toward Ceres, his expression fond.
Then, he did something that left everyone breathless.
He reached out, and placed both hands on the Empress's shoulders.
For a brief moment, his spirit seemed more solid, more real.
Then, with the gentleness of a father, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
A show of respect. Of affection.
Even though they had been wed by duty, the late Emperor had never treated Ceres as just a political tool.
He had treated her as his own daughter.
As he stepped back, he gave her a final, deep bow.
And one by one, the other spirits followed.
Bowing before their Empress.
At last, they had found peace.
Then, a collective gasp broke through the silence.
From the depths of the Frozen Sea, a golden door emerged, shimmering like a gateway between realms.
One by one, the spirits turned toward it.
And, like a river flowing into the horizon, they passed through.
No more pain.
No more suffering.
Just light.
Just peace.
"Your Highness!"
The voices of Seiryu, Delphine, and Legion rang out at once.
Because the moment the golden door disappeared, Ceres collapsed.
Seiryu moved instantly, catching her just before she could hit the ground.
Her vision blurred, her consciousness fading, but before everything went dark, she thought she saw it.
A hand.
Large, warm.
Cupping her cheek.
A voice.
Deep.
Familiar.
"You did well, love."
Then, there was only silence.
And darkness.