A smile flickered on Kin's face as he looked at Mia. She slapped her cheeks lightly, snapping out of her daze.
"Something happened?" Kin asked.
"Seems the great librarian is a bit stingy," Mia answered.
"Same happened to me before," Kin replied.
Mia punched him in the stomach, but he dodged and flicked her forehead. "You wouldn't have listened even if I told you," he explained.
"Fair," Mia said, deciding to take her revenge later.
The group moved to the next floor through a long staircase. The air was filled with the sound of hundreds of pens scratching on paper. Researchers were updating, correcting, and adding every new piece of info they received. Piles of papers were being read and copied, only growing larger by the second. Some of them already regretted the chain of decisions that had led them here, while students yet to end up like them prepared for their next fierce exams.
At the end of the hall was a door. Kin opened it and stepped inside.
One person stood in the middle of the room. Papers flew in circles around him, his eyes darting from one to another, scanning every page carefully. "Perfect," he said.
He opened a book cover in his hand, and all the papers flew toward it, taking their place inside. He locked it with a key and handed it to a girl standing beside him. She took it, along with five other books, and headed back to the first floor.
He hung the key on the wall beside thousands of others just like it. He looked around the now-empty room. "Finally, some rest," he said, collapsing to his knees.
Kin looked at Mia and said, "This is the Seeker in charge. If you convince him, you might be able to get the book you're looking for."
Mia took a deep breath and stepped toward the Seeker. He didn't notice her despite her heavy footsteps.
"Excuse me," Mia said.
The Seeker looked back and smiled. "The Ways of Archers?" he asked.
"Uh… yeah, how did you know?" Mia replied.
"I can see the future," he replied confidently.
"Really?! How far?!" Mia asked, surprised.
"Far enough to see you defeat the Demon King itself," he replied.
"Oh great, I'll be—wait a second," Mia paused, then asked, "Where is the Gatekeeper, then?"
He simply smiled in return.
"I'm not saving a world that's already destroyed, right?"
He smiled again, looking as if he were about to laugh. Mia looked at Kaia, who sighed.
"If I couldn't hear your thoughts, I would've believed you. You are a great liar," Kaia said.
The Seeker burst out laughing, apologizing, "I'm sorry, I just like to see how people react to that." He kept laughing.
Mia pouted. "Not funny."
"You wouldn't know until you try," he said. "I saw you earlier, climbing those shelves."
"So?" Mia demanded a straight answer.
"I can't give you the book, nor its key," he said. Mia wasn't surprised.
"But," he added, "I have another way you can read it."
"Finally," Mia said, pulling out a bag of gold. "I could—"
"No thanks," he cut her off. "I like helping curious kids like you. Besides," he added with a sly grin, "I don't like taking stolen money, Shelby."
Mia stepped back, confused and nervous.
He started flipping through a book after unlocking it. "The book you saw is a copy. There are two original copies that don't require a key to read."
Mia didn't reply.
He continued, "The first is with the author in Canvaia, far to the west."
"I… thought he was dead," Mia said.
"Correct. The copy lies beside him in his grave," he replied.
"Option two?" Mia asked.
"On Salvira Island," he answered.
"Where?" Mia asked.
"Ask him," he said, pointing at Kin. "I have no idea."
Mia looked at Kin, who nodded. She smiled cheerfully, but something was still bugging her.
"Don't worry," the Seeker said, "I'll tell no one you were here."
Mia looked at Kaia again. "He's telling the truth," Kaia said, making Mia sigh in relief.
After Kin gave the lake samples to the Seeker, the group headed out of the church.
The door opened for them as they stepped out. In the distance, an armored knight waited. Kin clicked his tongue, looking annoyed. He tried to lead the group in a different direction, but the knight followed, staying just a step away from the church tiles.
It seemed there was no escape.
The group was now outside the church grounds. They stood before the knight, whose massive frame blocked the sun, leaving them in shadow. A giant sword was sheathed on his back. Kin stared up at the knight, who remained motionless.
"Kin Xallorph," a voice said.
The group looked toward the sound. A girl stood between them and the knight, saber in hand, pointing at Kin. A brief breeze played with her long hair.
The group stared in confusion; although she was right there, the knight's presence had hidden her from their sight at first.
"Yes?" Kin replied.
"I will execute you here and now for killing five of the United Knights. Brace yourself for justice," she said, her voice soft yet dominant.
Mia summoned her arrows, which flew and pointed at the girl. "Who do you think you are, executing someone in the open?" Mia asked.
The knight stepped between them and Kin, daring her to try. Lex pulled his axe, saying, "We don't want to fight."
The knight didn't respond.
Kin threw the demon necklace to Mia. She caught it and looked at him. "No," she said, holding back tears. Kin gestured for her to stay silent. Her arrows fell to the ground as her hands shook. She could do nothing but hope.
"Last words?" the girl asked.
"Do you think this will bring him relief? Or will you just complete the cycle?" Kin replied.
"That's all?" she asked.
"You are Hayzin's daughter, aren't you?" Kin added.
She didn't respond. Her saber surged with the spirit of lightning; sparks of electricity stung Kin's face.
"My father told me a lot about him. You really have the same eyes," Kin continued.
She remained silent, ineffected by his words.
"I get it. Then forgive me for what I'm about to say," Kin said. "Your father is delusional."
A spark of electricity hit the side of his head, leaving a burn mark.
"The knights—the United Knights—are not strong anymore. Instead of fixing them, he threw a dart at someone to blame," he smiled. "And that was me."
"I'm not asking you to spare my life. I'm warning you that if you do this, you won't solve the problem. So now…" Kin stared her dead in the eye. "Will you complete the cycle, knowing your father will just start it again? Is this what you call justice?"
In the silence, Kaia could hear the girl's mind.
"What should I do?"
"I shall not give in."
"But he looks honest."
"He might be just like the Seeker, lying with confidence."
Voices screamed for her to let go, while others clawed at her mind to kill him and make Hayzin proud.
The spirit, stressed by the conflicting thoughts, charged the sword even further, making it emit a blinding light. The girl's hand shook, struggling to hold the weapon. The two exchanged stares: Kin's dominant past against the girl's uncertain future. A spark of electricity hit her neck, but she refused to let go.
The lightning on the sword suddenly died out. "Huh?" The girl was confused, receiving no response from the spirit. Then, from the corner of their eyes, a cat meowed, seeking attention. Its tail wiggled slowly, promising comfort for everyone.
Everyone present heard a voice inside their heads. "Well, everyone. Why don't we just take a breath and solve this conflict without blood?" The cat stepped closer, standing near the girl.
"Lia," the voice continued.
The girl looked at the cat, her sword still pointed at Kin.
"Sheathe your sword. I can solve this."
"Silvia?" Lia asked.
"In person, not flesh."
Lia lowered her sword. Kin looked at the cat and asked, "And who are you?"
"Someone Hayzin trusts, and so could you."
Kin's eyes narrowed.
"You don't need to ask. I'm simply fed up with Hayzin wasting my time chasing a kid around the nation. But to stop him, I need evidence."
"So," Kin asked, "you're telling me if you get what you want, the knights will stop bothering me and my tribe?"
"For you, I can prove your innocence. Unfortunately, the fear regarding your tribe is mostly religious. That is out of my reach."
Kin sighed and considered the offer. "What evidence?"
"Memories. Although they can be altered by the perspective and beliefs of the bearer, it's easy to differentiate accidents from intentions."
Kin waited for a while, thinking. The cat let him take his time, circling around the group. Mia leaned down toward the cat.
"Will you really save him?" she asked.
"If he's innocent, I could drag him out of a great deal of trouble."
"I'll accept your offer," Kin said, "but on one condition: you won't look back further than one year."
The cat looked back at Kin as he continued, "And if you break it, you won't be the only one to regret it."
"…Then we have a deal." The cat stepped closer. "I'll be thankful if you open that seal. I know I already pierced through it just to talk to you like this, but it will be more convenient than seeing only blurred images."
Kin accepted and placed his hand on his head. Just then, Kaia could hear his actual thoughts clearly.
"I hate to do this, but I see no escape for me in this."
***
Fay and the Mafia of Crows flew over a place that used to be a shrine with giant bells.
The United Knights were searching frantically, but they didn't seem to find what they were looking for.
The crows landed nearby, listening to the knights.
"I don't get it. Didn't he say there was a demon hiding here?"
One of the mafia giggled. A knight heard them and looked over. The crows flew away.