Morning came quietly.
⸻ The ruined watchtower stood beneath a pale sky.
⸻ Most of the group was awake.
⸻ Mostly.
⸻ Thomas was still asleep.
⸻ How.
⸻ Nobody knew.
⸻ Morgan sat near the edge of the clearing.
⸻ A small white flower rested in her hand.
⸻ She had been staring at it for several minutes.
⸻ Then: ⸻ “No.” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ A few moments later: ⸻ “No.” ⸻ Arthur looked over.
⸻ “…Are you okay?” ⸻ “No.” ⸻ That was concerning.
⸻ Morgan stood.
⸻ Then looked at the flower.
⸻ Then at the clearing.
⸻ Then back at the flower.
⸻ “…No.” ⸻ Thomas finally woke up.
⸻ “…Why is she arguing with a plant?” ⸻ “Unknown.” Jakel replied.
⸻ The Flower Morgan marched into the clearing.
⸻ Everyone followed.
⸻ She crouched.
⸻ Picked another flower.
⸻ Then another.
⸻ Then another.
⸻ Her expression gradually changed.
⸻ Arthur became concerned.
⸻ “Morgan?” ⸻ She looked up.
⸻ “This flower shouldn’t exist.” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ Arthur blinked.
⸻ “Meaning?” ⸻ “It doesn’t grow here.” ⸻ Lancelot frowned.
⸻ “My mother used to say the same thing.” ⸻ Morgan nodded.
⸻ “Because it’s true.” ⸻ She looked around.
⸻ “The soil isn’t right.” ⸻ “The temperature isn’t right.” ⸻ “The moisture isn’t right.” ⸻ “So why are they here?” Thomas asked.
⸻ Morgan’s ears twitched.
⸻ “That’s what I’m trying to understand.” ⸻ Residual Mana Morgan placed her hand on the ground.
⸻ Then closed her eyes.
⸻ Silence.
⸻ The wind blew softly.
⸻ Several seconds passed.
⸻ Then her expression slowly changed.
⸻ Confusion.
⸻ Then surprise.
⸻ Then concern.
⸻ Finally.
⸻ She opened her eyes.
⸻ “…No.” ⸻ Thomas sighed.
⸻ “She’s doing it again.” ⸻ Morgan ignored him.
⸻ “There are traces of mana.” ⸻ Arthur blinked.
⸻ “That’s good, right?” ⸻ “No.” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ “It isn’t elemental.” ⸻ Another pause.
⸻ “It isn’t natural.” ⸻ Another.
⸻ “It isn’t demonic.” ⸻ Even Evangelos looked interested.
⸻ Lancelot frowned.
⸻ “What does that mean?” ⸻ Morgan slowly stood.
⸻ She looked around the clearing.
⸻ Then at the flowers.
⸻ Then at the empty space where an entire village should have been.
⸻ Finally: ⸻ “…I think reality is wrong.” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ Complete silence.
⸻ Thomas blinked.
⸻ “…Reality can do that?” ⸻ Morgan ignored him.
⸻ Again.
⸻ Folded Space Morgan knelt once more.
⸻ She touched the earth.
⸻ The mana traces felt strange.
⸻ Almost impossible.
⸻ Then she understood.
⸻ Or perhaps— understood enough.
⸻ Her eyes widened.
⸻ “No way.” ⸻ Arthur immediately looked at her.
⸻ “What?” ⸻ Morgan slowly looked up.
⸻ “It’s like…” ⸻ A pause.
⸻ She searched for the right words.
⸻ Then: ⸻ “It’s like someone folded this place.” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ Nobody spoke.
⸻ Nobody moved.
⸻ Thomas blinked.
⸻ “…Folded?” ⸻ Morgan nodded slowly.
⸻ “As though this area was…” ⸻ Another pause.
⸻ “…Removed.” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ Even the wind seemed quieter.
⸻ Inside Aethelion.
⸻ Leona froze.
⸻ Completely.
⸻ “…Impossible.” ⸻ Arthur looked upward.
⸻ “Leona?” ⸻ No answer.
⸻ “Leona.” ⸻ A long pause.
⸻ Finally: ⸻ “…Someone manipulated space.” ⸻ Her voice sounded uneasy.
⸻ For perhaps the first time.
⸻ Genuinely uneasy.
⸻ Arthur immediately noticed.
⸻ “You know what that means?” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ “…I know it shouldn’t be possible.” ⸻ Which somehow sounded worse.
⸻ The Duke’s Burden Lancelot looked across the empty clearing.
⸻ The missing houses.
⸻ The missing people.
⸻ The missing lives.
⸻ Gone.
⸻ Not destroyed.
⸻ Taken.
⸻ The realization made his stomach sink.
⸻ Because that meant something terrifying.
⸻ The villagers might still be alive.
⸻ Which also meant: ⸻ They might still be saved.
⸻ Slowly.
⸻ Very slowly.
⸻ He looked toward Arthur.
⸻ The young man was already thinking.
⸻ Lancelot knew that look.
⸻ He had only known him for a day.
⸻ Yet somehow.
⸻ He knew.
⸻ Arthur suddenly smiled.
⸻ Lancelot closed his eyes.
⸻ “No.” ⸻ Arthur blinked.
⸻ “What?” ⸻ “I know that look.” ⸻ “You do?” ⸻ “Unfortunately.” ⸻ Arthur looked pleased.
⸻ That somehow made things worse.
⸻ The Decision Arthur looked around the clearing.
⸻ Then at the flowers.
⸻ Then at the watchtower.
⸻ Then at everyone.
⸻ “If the villagers are alive…” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ “We should save them.” ⸻ There it was.
⸻ Thomas sighed.
⸻ Morgan nodded.
⸻ Jakel crossed his arms.
⸻ Eidra smiled softly.
⸻ Evangelos closed his book.
⸻ Lancelot stared.
⸻ Because of course.
⸻ Of course that was his conclusion.
⸻ He had known him for one day.
⸻ And somehow.
⸻ He already expected that answer.
⸻ Slowly.
⸻ A smile appeared.
⸻ Small.
⸻ But genuine.
⸻ “Then we find them.” ⸻ Arthur blinked.
⸻ “Really?” ⸻ Lancelot looked offended.
⸻ “What do you mean, really?” ⸻ “You agreed quickly.” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ The duke considered.
⸻ Then looked around the clearing.
⸻ At the flowers.
⸻ At the empty land.
⸻ At the lives entrusted to him.
⸻ Then at Arthur.
⸻ “You said something yesterday.” ⸻ Arthur tilted his head.
⸻ “I say many things.” ⸻ “That’s becoming increasingly apparent.” ⸻ Thomas laughed.
⸻ Lancelot sighed.
⸻ Then: ⸻ “You said I haven’t failed yet.” ⸻ Silence.
⸻ The wind moved softly through the clearing.
⸻ Lancelot looked toward the horizon.
⸻ “No.” ⸻ His blue eyes sharpened.
⸻ “I don’t think I have.” ⸻ Arthur smiled.
⸻ A bright.
⸻ Almost ridiculous smile.
⸻ For some reason.
⸻ Lancelot smiled too.
⸻ Crimson Eyes Then— a branch snapped.
⸻ Everyone froze.
⸻ Jakel was already standing.
⸻ War hammer in hand.
⸻ Thomas drew his sword.
⸻ Morgan raised her staff.
⸻ Lancelot’s hand moved toward his blade.
⸻ Silence.
⸻ Then.
⸻ In the darkness between the trees.
⸻ Two crimson eyes opened.
⸻ Watching them.
⸻ Watching Arthur.
⸻ Watching the clearing.
⸻ The presence vanished.
⸻ Gone.
⸻ Silence remained.
⸻ Nobody moved.
⸻ Then: ⸻ “…Did anyone else see that?” Thomas asked.
⸻ “Yes.” Lancelot answered.
⸻ “Unfortunately.” ⸻ Arthur looked toward the forest.
⸻ Someone was there.
⸻ Watching.
⸻ And somehow— he felt they had just taken their first step into something much larger than a missing village.
End of Chapter 21