After forming the contract, Zaraf stood beside Bell at the edge of his world.
Far below them, endless clouds drifted beneath a dim silver sky while distant kingdoms shimmered quietly across the horizon like fading memories. The world he had created continued moving peacefully despite the destruction left behind by war. Cities still breathed. Rivers still flowed. People still laughed, cried, fought, and dreamed beneath the same sky.
Alive.
That realization no longer felt strange to him.
Only heavy.
Zaraf remained silent for a long moment as the wind brushed lightly against his black coat. His goal had already become painfully clear.
Find the Core Fragment.
Bring her back.
No matter the cost.
Before he could open the gate, Bell finally spoke.
"Before you leave," she said quietly, "there is something you must understand."
Zaraf exhaled softly without turning toward her.
"…What now?"
"Your Copy Authority only functions within your own world."
His expression froze slightly.
Bell's glowing blue eyes remained calm.
"In another Creator's world, your authority is restricted. Their laws reject outside interference."
A brief silence followed.
"…You're joking."
"I am not."
The answer came without hesitation.
Zaraf frowned immediately.
"So I'll basically be defenseless?"
"You are entering another Creator's domain," Bell explained. "Unless the original Creator allows it, you cannot freely overwrite reality there."
His gaze darkened slightly.
"Then how am I supposed to retrieve her Core Fragment?"
"You still possess your original power."
Zaraf blinked once.
"My… original power?"
But before Bell could continue—
footsteps approached from behind.
Zaraf turned slightly.
The protagonist stood there quietly beneath the fading sky, bandages wrapped around parts of his body while exhaustion lingered visibly within his eyes. Yet despite everything, the young man still forced out a faint smile.
"Hello… passerby."
Zaraf shifted awkwardly.
"…Are you alright?"
The protagonist gave a small nod.
"I know it was you."
Silence.
"The one who kept helping us during our expeditions."
Zaraf said nothing.
The young man laughed weakly.
"You're mysterious."
His gaze lowered briefly.
"But I trust you."
Then after a pause—
"And… none of this was your fault."
Zaraf's fingers tightened faintly at his side.
"She will—"
The words stopped halfway.
Because he could not promise something he had yet to accomplish.
After a long silence, Zaraf finally looked away.
"You should rest."
A portal slowly began opening nearby.
"I'm leaving."
The protagonist stared at the forming gate quietly.
"…Will we meet again?"
For a brief moment, Zaraf remained silent.
Then he answered softly—
"…Yes."
The young man smiled faintly.
"Then take care…"
His voice grew quieter.
"…savior."
Zaraf didn't respond.
Light swallowed him whole.
And he stepped forward into another world.
—
Reality distorted endlessly around him.
World after world flickered past like fragments of unfinished dreams.
Different skies.
Different stars.
Different laws.
Some worlds radiated warmth and peace. Others felt distorted beyond recognition, as though reality itself had become unstable there. Zaraf could faintly feel countless invisible boundaries brushing against him while Bell guided their path carefully through the Imagery Network.
Searching.
Tracing.
Following the faint resonance left behind by the missing Core Fragment.
Then suddenly—
they stopped.
Below them stretched a narrow city street illuminated by dim lantern light.
Rainwater reflected against cracked stone pathways while distant voices echoed faintly through the cold night air.
And there—
a girl was running.
Several men chased after her through the alleyways behind.
Laughing.
Zaraf stood silently atop a rooftop overlooking the scene below.
Bell's voice echoed calmly within his mind.
"Remember your purpose."
Her tone carried quiet warning.
"This is another Creator's world. You cannot interfere recklessly."
Zaraf crossed his arms.
"…A little won't hurt."
"You are stubborn."
One of the men suddenly grabbed the girl's wrist.
She flinched violently.
And in the next instant—
Zaraf dropped from the rooftop.
The impact cracked the ground beneath him.
Before anyone could react, his kick slammed directly into the nearest man hard enough to send him crashing through a nearby wall.
The others staggered backward in shock.
"…Who the hell are you?" one of them sneered. "Another buyer?"
Zaraf slowly raised his eyes toward them.
Cold.
Sharp.
"Don't compare me to trash like you."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The girl stood frozen behind him, breathing unevenly.
Zaraf glanced back slightly and gave her a small, reassuring smile.
Without realizing it, she instinctively moved behind him.
"Tch."
One of the men pulled out a blade.
"Then we'll just take her by force."
At that exact moment, Zaraf felt tension tighten inside his chest.
(Crap.)
His expression stiffened slightly.
(I can't use Copy Authority here.)
"I warned you," Bell said calmly inside his head.
Zaraf twitched faintly.
"It's still weird hearing your voice in my mind."
Another blade flashed toward him suddenly.
He stepped aside narrowly.
"Anyway," he muttered internally, "what exactly am I supposed to do now?"
"Simple," Bell replied.
A pause.
"Run."
"…No."
The girl lightly grabbed the edge of his sleeve behind him.
"W-What's wrong…?"
"So you really want to fight?" another man sneered while approaching slowly with his weapon raised.
"Fine by me."
Zaraf exhaled slowly.
The air around him shifted faintly.
"I won't run."
For a brief moment—
Bell fell silent.
Then she finally spoke again.
"…Then use your power."
Zaraf frowned while dodging another slash.
"Aren't you the one who said I can't?"
"Not your Copy Authority," Bell corrected calmly.
"Your element."
Another attack came instantly.
Zaraf stepped backward again, pulse rising slightly.
"My element?"
Confusion flashed through his mind.
"What element?!"
"Every Creator possesses an elemental affinity," Bell explained quietly.
"It is tied directly to their existence."
Another blade narrowly missed his face.
"It can be used anywhere. Even across foreign worlds."
Zaraf's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…And you're telling me this now?"
"You never asked."
"…Seriously?"
"Focus."
One of the men lunged directly toward him.
Zaraf jumped backward instinctively.
"So what element do I even have?"
Bell paused briefly.
"…Guess."
He nearly lost balance.
"You're kidding."
"I am not."
Another attack came.
Faster this time.
"Try commanding what responds to you naturally."
Zaraf clenched his fist tightly.
Then—
for half a second—
he closed his eyes.
He reached outward instinctively.
Past the noise.
Past the fear.
Past the chaos surrounding him.
And suddenly—
he felt something.
Movement.
Flow.
Freedom.
The air shifted around him.
"…Wind?"
A blade descended toward him instantly.
Zaraf raised one hand unconsciously.
"Move."
The world exploded.
A violent torrent of wind erupted across the entire street like a compressed storm suddenly unleashed. The men were lifted completely off the ground before being hurled violently into surrounding walls hard enough to crack stone.
Silence followed.
Dust drifted slowly downward through the air.
Zaraf stared at his own hand quietly.
"…So it's wind."
Bell sounded mildly surprised for the first time.
"…Interesting."
The wind circled around Zaraf gently as though alive.
"As far as I know," Bell continued quietly, "no other active Creator possesses authority over wind."
Zaraf flexed his fingers slightly.
The air responded immediately.
Listening.
Obeying.
Alive.
The girl slowly stepped closer behind him.
"T-Thank you…"
Zaraf looked toward her quietly.
"Why were they chasing you?"
Her expression dimmed immediately.
"I asked where I could live freely."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"They told me they could help me."
A small silence followed.
"But the price was my body."
Zaraf's expression darkened instantly.
"…And you refused."
The girl lowered her head weakly.
"I don't have money."
Another pause.
"I don't even know where I am anymore."
For a moment, Zaraf simply studied her quietly.
She looked lost.
Not only physically.
There was something strangely hollow about her existence.
As though she herself did not fully understand where she belonged.
"What's your name?" he finally asked.
The girl froze slightly.
"…Name?"
The word sounded unfamiliar coming from her lips.
Like something she had not used in a very long time.
After several seconds of silence—
"…Abeth."
Zaraf repeated the name quietly.
"Abeth."
Then he looked toward her again.
"I'm Zaraf."
She nodded slightly.
"I can take you somewhere safe," he said calmly. "You won't have to do anything you don't want."
"You already saved me," she replied softly. "I can't ask for more than that."
Zaraf sighed faintly.
"You talk too much."
Then he turned away.
"Just come with me."
Abeth hesitated.
"…I'll only burden you."
"I was already traveling."
Silence settled briefly between them.
The wind brushed gently through the narrow street once more.
Then finally—
"…Okay."
Her voice was almost inaudible.
Together, they began walking through the dim streets beneath the cold night sky.
Bell remained silent the entire time.
Watching.
Observing.
Thinking.
Then finally—
"…Zaraf."
"What?"
Bell's voice had become quieter than before.
"…I may be mistaken."
He continued walking.
"But her existence feels strange."
Zaraf's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What does that mean?"
A brief silence followed.
Then Bell answered slowly—
"…It feels like she does not fully belong to this world."
The wind shifted.
Colder this time.
Abeth walked beside him quietly beneath the lantern lights.
Unaware.
And far above the clouds—
something was watching them.