An Unusual Night

(3 months and 12 days after Klada Disaster)

[Kyrielle's POV]

Echoes of water dripping and splashing can be heard in this big bathroom with every movement I make. This large room is in a comfortably warm light, with a similar color on the concrete wall. Steams and mist could be seen floating just above the tile floor...

And obviously, the room itself is quite large, about an entire bathhouse's size. A large bath pool lies in the middle, with several smaller ones next to it.

"Hah... Nothing beats a warm bath after a long walk doesn't it Kyrie?"

"...Long walk you said? This city's size is nothing compared to how far we have walked from the West..."

"Well yeah, but we would still be tired after such a long walk right? Those two were begging us to head back to the castle since they can't walk anymore."

"Well, we are just used to walking huge distances now. I have never noticed it but my legs have gotten more muscular and lean because of all the walking...."

Wrapped in only a towel, I massaged my entire leg while sitting inside the bath. Though my leg isn't sore, it's comfortable to be massaged. As I did so, I inspected my half naked body... I am actually growing breasts, I can't believe it.

If you asked the me back on earth I wouldn't have thought that this will happen... Becoming a woman and all.

"They are taking a long time aren't they?..."

.....What? Are you insulting my boob growth?

"....Why do you look surprised? I'm talking about Linia and Lucia."

Oh.... Haha, I misunderstood!

"Yeah... They had a lot of make up on their body so they had to put those off first."

'Cha Chank!'

"Speak of the devil..."

"(Hello you two....)" (2x)

Lucia and Linia walked in. This time they are not dressed in anything. We were able to see their real face and body now.... With an insect like body, chitin exoskeleton and spider legs. Their body doesn't entirely look like spiders though, as they are humanoid.

They have spider features, but they lacked the usual 8 limbs of a spider. Instead, they only have 4 limbs, and all of which is attached to prosthetic limbs to give a human like appearance, and also give them more dexterity in handling things like making tea or doing chores.

When undressed, I could clearly see that on their prosthetic limbs are magic items... A highly advanced one which allows them to use and control their limbs like a normal person.

Just like a normal spider, their body can be divided into two parts, their upper body and lower body. When standing bipedally, both halves of their body make them appear like a woman's sand clock figure, but I guess their gender is irrelevant since they are so entire different from humans.

Though not exactly a rare sight in Bostnia Continent, it is nonetheless really rare to see that someone that I know is insect people. On their neck(?) is something like a choker which is most likely a magic item that make their voice sound like girls.

"(Do we look terrifying?...)"

"(Though you two don't look human like anymore, you don't look terrifying either.)"

"(Mm. You should be more happier.... about your.... body.)

I joined in Lynn as well, to further encourage them.

"(Thank you... You two are very kind.)"

They headed into the bath and then sat down as well.

"(So, do you two have anything to say to us? Before we leave?)"

"(Hmm... Nothing much other than thank you two for treating us so nicely... What about you, Lucia?)"

"(Yes. Please take better care of Kyrie for me, Lynn. Remember, she is not a God-like being like you, she can actually die! During your stay here, I feel like you don't take Kyrielle's safety serious enough!)"

"(Ahaha, you are such a worrywart, of course I'll take care of her properly! But, I think you two are severely underestimating Kyrielle here.)"

"(Why?)"

"(Did you forget that she took on literal 8 drakes? And that she actually is not inferior to Master ranked mages of this world? And that I have actually taught her to do quadruple chanting now?)"

I have never mentioned it but I trained with Lynn as well during our stay at the castle. Though it took me a really long time, she taught me to do quadruple chanting as well as how to control my magic better.

"(...really?)"

"(...I was just lucky... to beat those drakes.)"

"(No way... A girl at your age did that?)"

"(Right? It's crazy how good she is at her age!)"

"(Like you are the one to talk.... Ms Magic God!)"

"(Well, you can't compare yourself to the strongest mage of this world. But trust me Kyrie when I say that you indeed have the potential to become a Saint ranked mage.)"

Since I can't really talk that well in Bostnian, I decided to just ask Lynn with the normal language.

"Hmm... How strong is a Saint ranked mage then?"

"Remember the long distance spell that was shot at you? That's a saint ranked spell and it has incredible ranges. Saint ranked mages could destroy entire cities by themeselves. You have witnessed them first hand."

"Hmm... Why are some saints ranked spells stronger than the others?... I noticed that Firestorm was actually very large scaled, but it's the same rank as your Black Spear isn't it?"

"There are multiple types of strength in these spells. Some are large scaled destruction like Fire Storm...some are more focused like your Forbidden Sun."

"I see...."

"Black Spear specifically has a really fast projectile, packs a lot of concentrated punch and has a lot of range. My last record was hitting something at about 400 meters away I think...."

"That's like sniping the city's walls from here!"

"Yes. For where it lacks in area of effect damage, it makes up for that with it's range and speed. Besides, you have personally witnessed Black Blade End, which is actually just a modified form of Black Spear but it has a large Area of Effect and Destructive Power."

"Indeed... Magic is fascinating huh?"

"Yeah.... That's why I am passionate about magic."

"(I don't think me and Linia can understand anything that was said...)"

We chatted more as we bathed, and it is a really nice bonding time.

_______________

(Later that night...)

...

I found myself in this uncanny, abyss-like dark room once again..... Although it's not my first time here, I'm still not used to this.

I really wondered what exactly is this place... is it my subconscious, my soul, or something else?

"We meet again... Human."

I turned around to see a humanoid.... with long red hair and a slightly taller body than mine.... Gold glowing eyes with vertical pupils, and scales protruding on only her jaw.

Unlike the dragonkins of most fantasy stories, this girl has no tails, no horns, and no entire body made out of scales. But she is still no doubt a dragonkin.

"Albion... What do you need?"

"I have observed your actions for myself, and I have so far been entertained with your doings...."

As usual, this girl is really weird and serious.

"I see."

"But... your actions are naive. Why did you spared the assassin who tried to kill you?"

She must be talking about that one in the party.

"...I don't want to kill anyone."

"Foolishness...! If it wasn't for the guard that had knocked her out, the assassin would have actually killed you."

"You don't know that."

"But I do know that. I know how humans work... And that if given the chance to counter attack, humans would surely do it."

"...Why are you so sure? You aren't a human."

"The tale of the Five Headed Dragon and the Platinum Dragon... I have seen it in this castle's library. I'm sure that you are smart enough to remember that, right?"

(Author's note : Full story in Auxiliary Volume.)

That tale is really popular amongst kids... Mom once read me the entire story, and I kind of remembered it.

The story talks about how Tiamat the dragon goddess met her rival which eventually became her lover. In the end, her lover was killed by other worlders, and her attempt to take revenge cost her her own life as well.

"Does that mean that you are one of the severed heads of her?"

A big grin appeared on Albion's face as her eyes glowed brightly gold. Is it from excitement?

"....The Red Empress.... Is that the eastern people called me in the past."

"I see... That is a really surprising news... What would you want me to call you then?"

"I don't have a deep fond for names. Call me whatever you like."

"....How about Red?"

"That is an interesting name... I like it."

"That was a bit of a joke, but if you liked it then I'll call you that. But I believe you didn't make me come here for a chit chat did you?"

"Smart human. I am here to warn you about some new found abilities awakening in you.... because of your body gaining a better connection with my soul."

"So in a sense I am awakening my Dragonic Powers?"

"Correct. As your body grows more connected to the dragon heart, abilities that are limited to a dragon may be suddenly awakened.... Naturally, your inherent abilities might be boosted as well."

"Is that so?... What abilities are there?"

"Discover them yourself. I have said enough now."

"Fine.... I have one more question though."

"What is it?"

"What is this room?"

"This would be 'Timeless Void'.... my personal magic territory..."

"Does this mean that I'm in your Territory Expansion?"

"In some ways... Correct."

"I see... I have no more questions then."

"Then I will send you back. But before you go... I have one more thing to say."

"Yeah?"

"Try fighting for yourself... for what you believe in. I have a reason to fight.... but your reason to fight is weak, and naive."

"Fighting for myself?... What are you sayin-"

.....

"Zzzz... Hah!"

I jumped up from my soft bed....

"...fighting for what I believe in?..."

What exactly is this mysterious dragon on? I can't tell...

It seems that I'm in my room in the castle again, lying on top of a comfortable bed.

It is now midnight, and the moonlight slips past the curtain and window, illuminating a dimly lit room. The half open window blew the cold desert winds into the room, making it really well ventilated.

"Sigh...." Might as well go back to sleep then.

...I can't fall asleep. I can't fall back asleep somehow. My mind is only focused on what Akai said, and I just can't put a clear thought on what exactly she meant. Fighting for myself? What exactly does that mean?

I put my hand in front of my chest to get a feel of my heartbeat. I wondered, is there really a dragon's heart in my body?... I will never know because one can't simply see their own heart.

I once again looked around the room while lying on the bed, the room is really elegant and beautiful with the moonlight piercing through the curtains.

This is a sight that I won't see anywhere else other than a castle. Outside the window, the usually bustling city is now as quiet as a night in the wilds. This contrast between day and night further made the city feel much more beautiful.

....Maybe I'll go take a walk.

I got up, and didn't even bothered to change my pajamas or fix my bed hair. In the dimly lit hallway, I couldn't see anyone else despite there usually being a lot of people around.

The never ending candle on the wall burns using magic, and produce a warm orange lighting for the entire hallway, giving a distinct orange glow to the white wall, while making the red carpet of the floor appear much more beautiful. It was a sight one can't help but feel satisfied about.

I wandered around the hallway, not having any destination. I just mindlessly wandered around as I looked at the beautiful structure, paintings, decorations and carvings of this floor of the castle.

Finally, I reached the open balcony of the fourth floor, where there are lots of couch and seats to sit on and overlooks the entire city. The only reason I came here is to just appreciate and watch the city.

As I got closer, I saw a familiar silhouette on one of the couch. Holding a wine glass, they are just sitting there quietly enjoying the view.

"...Lynn?"

"Oh, it's Kyrielle.... Go ahead, take a seat."

"Right."

I sat on the couch right next to Lynn. As I sat down, I caught a glimpse of her face. Though it's dark right now, the moonlight illuminates parts of her face, and her pink glowing eyes. Her smooth white hair flows with the wind, and her pale skin reflects the moonlight in a cold blue light.

One would immediately be charmed by such a sight if not for the downcasted look on Lynn's face. Holding a wine glass and sipping wine all by herself dead in the night, it is a really sorry sight compared to her usual cheerful attitude. Even though she wasn't crying or anything, one can easily tell that she's feeling down.

"What's wrong?" I asked her out of concern.

"...Nothing... Just viewing the moon."

"I see..."

Looking at the night sky, the large moon stands in the way, stealing light from the sun itself and illuminating it back into the night in a really elegant and beautiful shine.

The stars shone ever more so brightly than during the day, and galaxies could be seen on top of the sky, making one feel almost insignificant; as if you are but a single fish in the middle of an ocean.

This sight is unquestionably stunning. The feeling of beauty, insignificance and when paired with Lynn's sorrowful mood, it inspires a mixture of emotions on me.

"Kyrie... Have you ever lost someone of importance?"

"...Yeah."

Dad....

"I see... Back then..."

"..."

"Back then about 50 years ago I think? I had a lover."

"I see..."

"I was almost just like you, being so passionate and happy about everything. Yet, there's many nights where I had trouble going to sleep. When I would had trouble going to sleep, I would go out and watch the starry night sky."

"Mmn."

"And every time... every night that happens, Gilles would always be by my side..."

"Mmn."

"I really missed him... After he died, I was devastated and changed. Becoming a Mama Wraith, I abandoned my humanity in chase of power. I successfully saved humans with my new found power, and made the world a better place; somewhere without slavery... Yet, I never felt as fulfilled as I was when Gilles was with me."

"I see..."

"....Do you think that there is an afterlife?"

....There is. I'm living an afterlife now.

"Maybe."

"Hmm. I said that I abandoned my humanity... But I can't bring myself to abandon my emotions."

"Why?"

"...I strongly wanted to believe that Gilles will have an afterlife... one free from all this conflict. One of the reason I fight is so that when he was reborn, this world would be peaceful and a better place to live in."

I never had a lover. Not one that is established anyway... But I did lost someone of importance.

That's why, I can feel and even relate to Lynn. That's because I sometimes have nights where I reminiscent on back before the Klada Disaster happened... My family and friends... I still miss them sometimes.

"...I believe that he would be very thankful for your feelings."

"...you think so?"

"Mmn!"

"Haha... I see...."

We continued to stare at the beautiful starry night sky for a long while.

"...Kyrie, you are such a rude girl."

"...Why?"

"Before I started travelling with you, I was perfectly fine with wasting my time, and not having to feel so many emotions at once.... The last time I ever felt as stressful as when I'm traveling with you, is back when I first went on stage of the Magic Academy!"

"Mmn."

"When you showed up, you made me feel all kinds of emotions.... Anger, sadness, happiness... It was as if all my hidden emotions are suddenly flooding back to me."

"Mmn."

"But still... thank you Kyrie."

"Why?..."

"In the end.... I think I'm more satisfied with having my feelings back."

"I'm glad to have helped then."

"...yeah. Thank you for listening Kyrie. I know you must have had it hard as well, but you still lent me a pair of ears."

"Naturally. If you have something to say, I'm always here."

"Okay."

"Besides, this is what friends do for each other right?"

Her face livens up again. Her pink eyes glowed up in excitement.

"Mm. I'll be counting on you!"

"Alright. I have a question though..."

"What is it?"

"Your eyes... Why does it glow? Is it a pair of Magic Eyes?"

"Nope. My eyes aren't magic eyes, it naturally turned pink when I turned into a Mana Wraith. Originally my eyes were purple and my hair was black."

"I see..."

"Also, whenever I'm excited my eyes glow up into a bright light. This also happens when a large amount of Mana surges through my body."

"I see... that is actually very cute."

"Is it? I have always had these eyes so I don't know how aesthetically pleasing they are."

"They are really nice looking actually. Well, more importantly, I have something else to talk about."

"Which is?"

"The dragon... I just dreamed of it again."

I told her every thing about what the dragon told me.

"She said to 'fight for myself'... What does that mean? I can't tell for sure."

"That sentence can be implemented in multiple different ways.... You should figure that out for yourself, only you will know what that dragon is thinking."

"I see.... what is your reason to fight then, Lynn?"

Lynn grabbed the hair by her face as she starts to think about what I just asked. "My reason to fight?..."

After thinking about it for a few seconds....

"I fight so that others wouldn't have to go through what I have been through.... so that I can protect the ones that I love."

"I see...."

"....Just years ago, I had already forgotten my reason for fighting. But meeting you, I was able to remember again what I once fought for when I joined the Great War."

"Is that so?..."

"Yes. One thing I'm sure is that for now you should actually make use of the abilities that you will get."

"Well, I haven't got them yet... When the time comes, will you be willing to help me experiment with it?"

"Of course! Like you said, this is what friends do."

"Thank you.... With this, I might be able to even break you Mana Shield and force you to use your final trump card, haha!"

"Oh? Are you provoking me? We'll see how well you do later then! Don't cry when you end up in the dirt!"

"Naturally! By the way, can I take a sip of that as well?"

There's no drinking age in this world right? I have always wanted to try alcohol but never gotten the chance to, not back on earth.

"No! Teenagers shouldn't be drinking alcohol because it's dangerous."

"Dont be so boring! Just a sip wouldn't hurt right?"

"Well, just a sip then. Don't complain if you find the taste bad though."

"I won't I won't!"

I grabbed her glass and then took a si-

"Bweh!" I spitted out whatever I just put in my mouth.

"I told you didn't I?..."

"This tastes like acid! It burns my mouth, it has a weird taste and it isn't even tasty!"

"See? Now you are complaining!"

"I'm sorry okay? I didn't know that it's like this cause you looked like you were enjoying it!"

"This isn't for kids like you to drink, it's an acquired taste. For now it's dangerous to drink at your age, so just be a good girl and listen to me for once will you?"

"Right..."

"Anyway, it's getting late now. I'll go back to bed, and you should too."

"You are right... We are heading out of the city tomorrow after all."

"Indeed. I'll walk you to your room then."

We got up from the chilly balcony and walked back inside. We walked for a while and soon reached my bedroom.

"Good night Kyrie, make sure you get proper rest."

"Mmn. Goodnight, Lynn."

She turned the opposite way and walked away as I closed the door.

"Yawns..."

I immediately jumped on the bed, and quickly fell asleep like a log.

(Chapter 49, end)