Arc 2 - Chapter 37: End of Mission (3/3)

"Do you blame yourself for what happened?"

If Sony was dead, Lylphia must have done it. At the same time, Lylphia would have heard the events of the night and the death of the puppet. So it wouldn't be surprising if she blamed herself, which Yu was sure of when she had a look of grief on her face that she tried to hide.

Lylphia was silent for a moment, her knees drawn up to her stomach where she sat as she lowered her gaze to the floor.

"I heard the story. I... If I hadn't killed Sony, things wouldn't have turned out this way."

"It's Sony's fault that things are the way they are, not yours. Sony got to this point because of the choices they made."

He hated to see a person upset because of someone else's choices. He wanted to comfort her.

"But it was my fault for going this far. I... I could have lifted the dome and included Ana and taken him alive, but..." She bit her lip. "My pride wanted to win."

"I'd be mad at you if he was dead, but he's alive now. I would also be angry with you if something bad happened to Yurine, but he's going to be fine... So, there is nothing to prevent me from commenting objectively. The consequences are the responsibility of the people who made the choices, nobody deserves to be upset because of other people's choices, and people who have bad things happen to them because of their bad choices have no right to cry."

Yu knew this, he understood this. He was broken by other people's choices and he didn't want to see it happen to others.

"Don't blame yourself and feel sorry for nothing, because feeling sorry won't get you anywhere or bring that Blessing back. You will only be torturing yourself."

He didn't know if his words had any effect on Lylphia, but he ended the conversation hoping that they had, and he never stopped holding Yurine's hand until noon when they arrived at the Wizarding Academy.

***

Sivina was in the front row, on a stretcher being carried to the Wizarding Academy, while Ana did not leave her bedside for a second.

Yu was walking to the academy, carrying Yurine in his arms. Yu was accompanied by Lylphia and George, the old physician.

Not counting the people carrying the pieces of the puppet, at the back walked Sony, who was led into the academy by two men holding his arms. His hands were tied and there were knights in front and behind him to prevent him from making any sudden movements.

When the academy heard that the headmaster's son had returned, they came out of their classrooms to see him, but they were confused to see Sony being brought in as a prisoner with security measures in place.

"Didn't they hear what happened?"

When they entered the academy, a man shouted.

"Sony!"

Salery ran down the stairs and ended up right next to his son. Sony ignored his father, lazily lifted his head from the floor, looked pitifully into his father's face and then lowered his head again.

As the guards with him tried to take him away, Salery tried to block them, blocking their way.

"What do you think you're doing? Don't you know who I am? Let my son go now!"

Salery tried to use his authority to save his son, but the knights in front of him were prepared. The knight at the front pulled a document from his inner pocket and pointed it at Salery.

When Salery tried to take the paper, knight refused to let him do, pulling it back and telling him to read it remotely.

"Sony von Bishory is under arrest and we will use the academy cell to hold him, this is a matter of state above your authority."

"What do you mean above my authority? Who am I-"

Salery tried to reach his son by pushing the knights away, but the reaction was harsh: the knight holding the document pushed him in the chest and knocked him to the ground.

"Now that I think about it, it really becomes a state matter when he helps the murderer. But was it Maron's job to bring him here from Rechapel and not to the capital?"

The knights stepped onto the bridge to take the prisoner Sony to the cells in the western part of the Wizarding Academy. Salery got up behind them and followed his son. He completely ignored Yu and Yurine.

"Was this Maron's work?"

"Before you arrived, he sent us a letter saying that he had accused Sony of theft and had an arrest warrant out for him. Before that he was only wanted as a missing person."

It was just as well. Salery could have used his powers to make his son escape and Yu would have had to start all over again, but that would have been beyond Salery.

Sivina had already been taken to the infirmary. Yu also wanted to take Yurine to the infirmary to have her examined.

"Where's the infirmary? I want to take Yurine there."

"I'll accompany you, follow me."

Magic was dangerous and it was possible to get injured while practicing it. Infirmaries were placed on each floor of the two buildings to ensure quick response in such a case.

As George left them, Lylphia took them to the infirmary where Sivina had been taken so that they could find out more about her. While this was happening, people who knew Yurine gathered around Yu and began to bombard him with questions.

Yu entered the infirmary without answering any questions and found Sivina lying on a bed. The healing magicians were gathered around her head, discussing what to do.

Ana listened to the mages with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, never letting go of Sivina's hand for a second.

The healing mages argued, using terms Yu did not know the meaning of. One of them said they should take blood to get an idea of the poison and the others agreed.

Another mage made a suggestion that a Yu believed to be a medicine and the other mages nodded in agreement. Two mages continued to cast the healing spell while one of them left the infirmary to prepare the medicine.

Another wizard pricked Sivina's finger with a needle and drew a few drops of blood. The hole in Sivina's finger was immediately closed by the healing spell.

While Yu was wondering how they were going to test that blood, a new physician entered the room. He went straight to Yu.

"She fainted after finishing her mana, she's been sleeping all night."

After checking Yurine's pulse in Yu's arms, the physician repeated what he had been told earlier.

"Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with her. I know she is a sword fairy, but her body is still that of a child, and if she pushes herself too hard, she can weaken quickly. After she wakes up, she should not cast spells for a while and save her mana, otherwise she just needs to eat like any other child. That's all."

"I see, thank you."

"You're welcome."

The physician left Yu and went to Sivina. Lylphia was with him to check on her friend.

Yu continued to carry Yurine in his arms. As he watched her face, he thought about what she had said at night.

"Is it really possible? Can we bring Rie back?"

Even if there was such a path, could Yu follow it? Would he have the strength to do it? Would it be possible to fulfill Yurine's wish?

"And what will happen to me after I bring her back?"

Would Yurine kick Yu's ass after she got her mother back? Yu loved Yurine.

"How can you continue to be so selfish? If you hadn't taken her mother away from her, you would never have been loved. You... Yu Valarfin... I hate you..."

He hated himself for who he had become, it broke his heart to see her hugging him and crying at night, and he hated himself for making her cry like that.

"Look who's back. But what's that look on your face?"

Yu turned around and met Maron Martin. The blond man had a satisfied smile on his face and when he saw Yu's pained face he put his hand on his shoulder.

"Or... Did something happen to her?"

"No, Yurine is fine."

"I am glad, it would be sad to face a loss. I especially wouldn't want to be involved in hurting a child."

Yu couldn't tell if he was glad because Yurine was okay or because his conscience would not be hurt. Maybe he didn't care about her at all and had just said that to be polite.

"Congratulations, Yu Valarfin. I entrusted the task to the right person, and my trust was not misplaced."

"You gotta hand it to the girls over there."

"Yes, I will make sure they will all be rewarded. As for you, rest today. You can use Rie's old room, the counselor in the west building will show you where it is. As long as you stay here, all your needs will be taken care of, and as I promised you, I will make sure you question Salery, and when I become director, the doors of the library will open for you. You will only have to wait a very short time and tomorrow you will be able to enter."

"Thank you."

"Thank you."

Maron turned his back on Yu and headed towards Lylphia. He made small talk with her as well, checking on Sivina and trying to reassure Ana.

Yu left them in the infirmary and headed to the west building to take up residence in the room they had been given.