"L-Luis?!"
Chest puffed out, a sword at his waist, armor plates protecting his vital points, a patchy beard, and a look in his eyes... Luis bowed to Clarice.
"How long has it been since we last met, Saint Clarice! It's been about a year, hasn't it?"
Clarice simply nodded. "No... no need to bow like that!"
Opening one eye, Luis nodded and returned to his upright posture. Clarice took a step forward, and with trembling lips, her weak voice came out.
"Luis, what are you doing here in Holy City? Isn't it very far from Kotei County?"
Luis let out a light laugh. After a moment, he looked at Clarice with a sharp gaze. "I came here... to talk about Jay's rescue!"
The Saint's heart skipped a beat.
"What?!"
Clarice was stunned; tears welled up in her eyes, and a smile broke through her melancholic expression. "Then... let's talk about it," she said, clasping her hands together, her lips curving upward.
Luis was the first to sit, followed by Clarice, and finally, her mother.
In contrast to this, on a distant continent—a literal hell on earth—Jay was on his feet again. He walked even though his legs were screaming for him to stop. Faint dark circles were forming on his youthful face. The ice that had climbed to his neck was slowly thawing—currently, it sat just below his shoulder.
After walking for a while, he spotted a nearby rock and sat down. He sighed. 'How can I be so tired? Even after sleeping, I still feel...'
After resting on the stone for a time—the scorching sun illuminating his red skin—Jay resumed his walk.
"You know Jay, I'm actually a bit sensitive when it comes to women. When I was fifteen, I used to drool over the beautiful teacher. Like the one in your memories," Roh teased.
Jay put his hand to his face. 'Seriously, someone that age looking at a teacher from my past life using my own memory...'
Roh snorted. "You were weird. It's incredible how you manage to screw up in two different lives, in different places and situations. It just proves what a piece of work you are."
Roh pointed a finger, clutching his stomach with his other arm as he began to laugh hysterically.
"..."
Jay was fed up with the spirit that had been pestering him constantly, barely letting him sleep the night before.
After walking a bit further, Jay noticed something moving in the bushes. He immediately dropped into a combat stance, conjuring his frost sword. A paw emerged from the green brush; it had white fur and claws sharp enough to cut him in two.
With each passing second, the beast revealed itself. Jay took a step back, eyes wide. His mouth moved on its own: "What the hell is that?"
The "animal" stood upright. It had a human torso and hands, but its feet were wolf paws covered in white fur, and its head was that of a snarling wolf with sharp, yellow teeth ready to devour Jay's flesh. The monster gripped a sword made of chipped stone and pressed against the ground, ready to pounce.
Taking another step back, Jay felt his legs tremble.
"Are you scared, Jay?" Roh asked. "Seeing something bizarre for the first time? Being attacked by one?" Adding more intensity to his voice, he continued: "Well, now you're in luck."
Roh let out a loud laugh.
The strange werewolf lunged, attacking with its stone blade. Jay parried the strike. The weapons groaned against each other. The ice began to contaminate the creature's weapon.
Pushing it back, Jay stepped forward and swung his sword. The wolf defended with ease and counter-attacked with its white claws. A familiar feeling washed over Jay—an instinct to... conjure various icy stakes in non-vital points and watch it...
Shaking his head in denial. 'No, no, focus.'
The sharp nails were about to tear his head into pieces. Tensioning the tendons in his support leg, he threw himself to the side.
With his hands on the ground, all the grass turned blue. A murderous look flared in his eyes. But suddenly, he stood up in surprise. The arm the werewolf used to hold the sword was frozen.
'I didn't give that command?! And he...' The werewolf showed no intention of backing down. Jay clicked his tongue.
Meanwhile, in a white mansion with golden details, trees with cyan leaves, blue grass, and flowers of various shapes.
In a room with four wine-colored sofas and a dark brown table with red lines, two glasses and a bottle of wine sat atop the small table. A woman with pointed ears and silver hair touched with black sat next to a girl with silver hair and ruby eyes.
"Well, I can talk to Kotei to arrange some soldiers by the time of the boy's rescue," Luis said, touching his patchy beard and adjusting his agile armor.
"But first, how are we going to know where he is? We don't even know if he's alive!" the mother said.
Clarice raised her hand. "I have an idea!"
"What is it?" Luis asked.
"Use tracking magic!"
Luis and her mother widened their eyes in surprise. It was indeed an excellent idea, but there was a problem.
"Daughter, the idea is good, but for tracking magic, we need his DNA or some of his belongings!"
Clarice fell silent for a few minutes. Looking at everyone in the room, she said with a sharp gaze: "How about using our memories? Wouldn't that be possible?"
Everyone was startled by the suggestion.