"The fragment of ignorance…"
The elderly woman described how the remnant of ignorance had once been immensely powerful in its prime, but now it had diminished, having lost its link to the original sin and instead drawing on the waning strength of its imitation.
"I am a copy, huh?" he said quietly while lying in his bed, trying to make sense of it all.
He considered this, yet strangely, he remained calm, perhaps because he didn't fully accept it.
In his eyes, all that they had shared with him seemed rediculous.
In a certain sense, being a replica was the most convincing.
Simultaneously, it would imply that he was not seeking redemption for his wrongdoings. But for that of some other version of him.
"So why am I stuck here? Get the other person." "He's alive, isn't he?" As he spoke, a weight seemed to settle upon him, as though his very essence were being drawn downward.
He understood that this was the feeling that precedes a moment of clarity, and so he tried everything he could to block it as quickly as possible.
He was not ready to let reality creep in just yet.
After a few moments spent in this manner, attempting to clear the mind and not succeeding, a knock echoed from the door.
He could already guess the identity of the visitor.
"You can just come in, it's fine."
As he lay there in disarray, his wavy blue hair framing his face and his blue eyes, reminiscent of the ocean as they could not yet focus, a woman he had never encountered before entered the room.
She gazed at him initially with curiosity, then with revulsion.
"Wow, when you invited me in, I expected you to at least be dressed," she commented, "but I suppose the old lady was right; you do have a bit of a reputation."
"W-wait, no... I thought, ah, forget it," he stammered before continuing, "What are you doing here?" No, who are you? Or, well, I guess, what are you?"
She presented a completely distinct image of him when it came to appearance. Her hair flowed like flames, and her eyes sparkled with a deep, fiery hue.
She appeared not just noble but as if she belonged to the royal line.
Her demeanor appeared to be a stark contrast to the woman he had encountered before.
I guess that there is really no correlation between the people that want power, huh? As he pondered this, she observed that his gaze lingered for a fraction longer than expected.
Her gaze intensified, and in that moment, it felt as if her eyes radiated light.
He recoiled. I can already tell what her sin is
"You're the sin of possession, aren't you?"
She then struck him with her palm.
It appeared to be a gentle slap, exuding a certain grace. Yet, it caused his entire being to tremble deeply, resonating through to his very essence.
He gazed into her eyes, which appeared even more furious now, which was something he did not think was even possible.
"I am the sin of dominion, keep that in mind."
Dominion, huh. It felt more powerful than simple ownership.
And the real me entrusted it to someone like her?. He could not comprehend the decision.
To him, it was a decision more absurd than granting instant death abilities to a ten-year-old child.
Seemingly grasping his thoughts, she resolved to strike him once more, this time with greater force.
He felt a wave of nausea rising within him.
How is she so good at this? he thought, but chose to not ask her.
Seemingly satisfied that her training was bearing fruit, she decided to share the reason for her visit.
"Today we shall go after ignorance, so prepare yourselves and gather at the grand entrance of the castle."
Her message was concise and direct, much like one would expect from someone of her demeanor.
"And please wear some clothes this time," she said, the last part slipping out as she closed the door, leaving no room for a response.
"That wasn't my fault, alright?" he murmured to himself while gazing into the vacant space.
"Fine then, I guess I'll get ready." He began to put on the equipment given to him by the old woman.
"I guess I have to wear this, it looks both cool and ridiculous at the same time." He stated this while looking down at the black coat now lying on the bed in front of him.
As he grew up, his dreams were filled with the idea of becoming a hero, yet the concept of Candleman had never crossed his mind.
Fortunately, it was barely noticeable, just a small emblem on the edge of his coat.
After putting on it, he began to walk toward the meeting place at a relaxed pace, enjoying the peace before everything began.
"""
Upon reaching the entrance, he noticed the two women.
The first was Kaia, who appeared to avoid meeting his eyes.
What have you been telling her, you redheaded devil? As he pondered this, he noticed another individual, a young man, much like himself, yet he bore a striking resemblance to that red-haired woman.
However, the similarity was only in appearance.
Upon seeing Luca, he smiled in what appeared to be a sincere manner and extended his hand, engaging Luca in a handshake.
Luca was clearly surprised by the stark contrast, and for a moment, this bewilderment was unmistakably evident on his face.
"I see that you are a bit confused after having met my sister." He remarked, "We may look alike, but we are very different, I promise."
He uttered that almost with a desperate gaze, as if he were imploring, "Please trust me."
His sister, who had worn an angry expression until this moment, appeared almost docile.
"Based on how she usually is, I guess she has not introduced herself. I am Leon Aurelia, and this is my sister Zara. We are former royals of the Aurelia kingdom, before its fall, though of course, it's not much anymore, however some, like her, refuse to give it up," he said, recounting their history as if he were mostly explaining why she was the way that she was.
"Anyway, I understand that you embody the sin of ascendance and all, so I anticipated you to be a bit more, I don't know, intimidating or something."
Well, I guess that after being raised alongside that red-headed monster, nothing really seems intimidating. He thought to himself
"I believe I'm the least intimidating one here. Didn't you encounter the ten-year-old with the instant death power?" he replied, prompting Leon to chuckle
"Yeah, Elias. He's adorable, yet dangerous, but mostly adorable." His laughter faded as a thought crossed his mind.
"Ah, I forgot to say my sin. I am the sin of Vanity." He remarked, utterly composed as though it were merely a straightforward introduction.
Luca gazed at the young man, yet he could discern no hint of vanity in him. At least nothing could be seen
"I guess that wraps up the introductions," Leon remarked, glancing at the group. "Now, let's set out to find this fragment and end it."
We were already aware of its location since the order of light had provided us with all the relevant documents pertaining to the case.
The sin of ignorance was found in the town of Ardenfall.
It was a nearby city, easily accessible in just a day's journey.
Thus, they embarked on their journey to Ardenfall, leaving behind Elias, who stayed within the confines of the light order's keep, not for his own safety but for the sake of others until he could master the abilities of his sin, his echo.
Luca stood apart from the rest of the team, having witnessed every moment of what Elias had done.
He alone understood the full extent of that kid's capabilities, grasping just how terrifying he truly was.