[Eon's POV: ]
"Why didn't I know you had spells like this one?" Rein asked with a playful warm smile as we sat down with the headmaster and looked at the father-daughter duo chat about their past and time after what happened after he was gone, with that unique smile.
"You have someone you want to see again? I don't think there should be anyone like that aside from those six important people from your past though.
And we both know you aren't ready to face any of them yet so, I had no reason to talk about it. And besides, you already had an idea I would have something like this, right?"
Looking at her with a warm smile of my own, the loving expression of my lovely fiancée graced my eyes.
"I did. But if we are talking about ideas, I have an idea that you will have most of the things one can think about or, at least, the way to get them.
You are my dear soon-to-be husband after all. Of course, you can do amazing stuff like that."
After saying all that with a cheerful but low voice, she kissed me on my right cheek, and of course, I returned the little kiss on her left one.
"So Lucifer."
And yes we knew the headmaster was right there, but he didn't mind us. In fact, all his attention was focused on the magic array that was slowly losing its bright light.
"How did you create the core of this spell? From what I can see, it's a four-dimensional superstructure that shouldn't be possible unless you use some kind of artifact that is capable of calculations like those.
Even if you say you had scripted this spell in your mind with your special method, I don't understand how you were able to do this with that weak physical body of yours."
He was extremely curious about this magic array and this wasn't his first question.
There were many things about this spell that were intriguing to him, and he was asking me the things he doubted.
'And there's no way I would tell him about Lucy so I had to either come up with some excuses to not tell him or just tell him about the alternate method that I knew about.'
Just like right now.
"I know I don't have the physical capabilities to handle such processes yet but, if we do the same processes in the astral form and then encode the results directly into the mind like I do, we can most certainly solve many problems that are beyond our physical capabilities."
It was a good possibility and technique that I actually use for many things however, it didn't mean it was as easy as it sounded.
"But that would require a mind like yours as well as the ability to do the astral projection. But still, this isn't something you can make in a short time. How long can you stay in the astral realm again?"
He looked at me for the first time in a while with a curious gaze, however, even I didn't have the answer to his question.
"I can actually stay there for quite a while but even I don't know for how long now.
I probably knew until some time ago but I believe my soul strength increased recently, so I don't know for now."
It wasn't long ago that I opened my second blockage and gained new Solnova strengthening. And I didn't have the chance to go wander around in the astral Realm to find my new limits.
I had an idea how long it could be but, it would make the headmaster question many things about me so, I was better keeping it to myself.
"Hmmm… a sudden increase in soul strength, you say? The Monks that spend years meditating and self-exploring to increase the strength of their souls by even a fraction would want to bald their heads if they hear you say that.
Haha, I still wonder though. What could be the reason behind such a strange power-up?"
He looked at me with squinted eyes but I just shook my head and Rein gave him a look that screamed at him to just quiet down and leave us alone.
"Fascinating…"
And he actually just looked away from us and focused on the array that had become quite dim now.
"Last three minutes, I guess?" But he still mumbled those words, and though the father seemed to have heard it but gave no reaction, the lady with him was definitely unaware of it.
"You should finish soon sir." And I positively answered him indirectly while looking on the other side. And the father also answered indirectly while nodding at his little daughter's words.
This was their special conversation so we were staying out of it. And perhaps this could really be the last time he would meet her, so these last moments were special for them.
[ "Oh, right." ]
But, as if to have remembered something, the father, Sir Notus looked in our direction and asked with a polite tone.
[ "Would it be possible to share a fragment of memory with her?" ]
He was asking me, but even though I was far younger than him, he was talking to me politely for some reason. However, what he was asking…
"If you are talking about directly sharing a fragment of memory with her, then I would have to serve as a link.
It is possible, but considering how much my physical body can handle right now, the memory could only either be a few hours long or be a few hours long clips of many shorter moments."
It would put a great stroll on my body though.
'Thankfully, we had Rein and the headmaster here so I won't be in any great danger.'
So, I was just about to stand up and help him with that task but, Rein grabbed my hand.
"It's… safe, right? You won't be hurting yourself again with this, right? It hasn't been long since that accident, and I know you still haven't recovered fully yet… you will be alright even if you do whatever this memory thing is… right?"
She was worried, and it hasn't been that long since the accident during our entrance exam. She was worried something like that might happen again while I do the necessary things but, she didn't have anything to worry about this time.
"It's alright. I will be alright so don't worry."
I patted her head, stood up, looked at her and gave her a forehead kiss, and walked toward the father-daughter duo.
I knew she was still looking at me worriedly, but, it was alright. The thing that happened with Lizzy was a weird thing that wouldn't happen again, so I knew I will be fine.
But her words sure were surprising to the rest of the people present, and they could tell it was true so they were surprised why I was even helping this woman and going to such lengths anyway.
'Well, I would answer that she is worth these troubles, and even that would be an understatement.'
She was perfect for the role I wanted someone, so she was worth all these and much more.
"Start whenever you are ready."
Memory fragments were the memories of the things that had happened to the person in the past which could be related to the present situation.
There were different kinds of these fragments but, for someone who was already dead, there was only one kind of memory fragment, the one which contained his own memories of the past.
[ "This would probably be the last gift from me, little one." ]
She looked at him with a confused look. She didn't know what he meant by those words, or what he was about to do, but, he then closed his eyes, stood up, and placed her hand above her head.
-Oooooooooooong.
I was the caster of the array so I was the link that was practically keeping him in this world. And as he was just a pocket of energy, for whatever he wanted to do, he would need a body that can channel the powers and handle the flow of his energy, and ultimately serve as the bridge.
I was that bridge and he was gathering his own soul energy body to create the fragment I of memory. But the process was still straining my body.
'But… it's manageable.'
It was at least better than what I had experienced during the entrance exam so, I was fine. And the blood that I wanted to cough out was easy to swallow down.
[ "I was a fool, I know that, but my little moon. I would still do what I did.
Not to protect the land where I was born, not to protect the people that used to curse me and took advantage of me, but… for the place where I met your mother. For the place that I wanted to turn into a place where you could be happy. For you… I would have done that again, though, probably with a little less foolishness." ]
A golden crystal the same color as his soul materialized before his hand and slowly went into her head.
She must have been confused by his words, she must have wanted to ask what he was talking about, but the rest of us knew his intentions.
[ "We never had a chance to talk about her but, you had an amazing mom. And without her, I probably wouldn't have been the person I was.
But, remember this little moonie. She loved you unconditionally. And I was the same.
We loved you, but she couldn't accompany us for longer and I left you because of my selfishness.
I couldn't be the father she wanted me to be, and now… I couldn't do anything about it.
I'm not part of this world anymore, dear, but. You are still here. And though you seem to have made a few mistakes, they aren't unforgivable like mine.
You can start again, you can do better than this bad father of yours. You still have a good time ahead of you and…" ]
The fragment-sharing process was complete so I was looking up, and his eyes were on me.
[ "I don't know what your goals are, but, I feel she will be happy if she is with you. So, I selfishly ask you to look after her if you can.
She doesn't seem to know her own self very much yet, but I know she is a good child and a fast learner so if she wants to follow you, I hope you can teach her." ]
His request wasn't selfish when seen from a father's perspective. If anything, he was asking it for the good of his child just like any parent would.
And I obviously also wanted to do the same. So, I simply nodded at him with a little smile, and he understood my feelings.
[ "So… little moonie. I think this is where we part ways-" ]
"No! Father!"
His body was becoming dimmer, so by the time she realized it, he was already going.
[ "We love you, Monnem. So take better care of yourself from now on. And do what you want. There are few people in this world that can stop you if you really wish for something with your whole heart, so, just follow that heart. And live this precious life the way you want…" ]
He had almost become transparent by the time she was back to her senses and had accepted everything.
[ "Goodbye, little love." ]
And when the young, attractive person with special blue eyes like hers, and silver-gray hair like that of a dark storm, vanished from the room with the array that was on the wall, the lady before us, looked down and sorted out her mind, wiped all the tears from her eyes and face, and took a step closer to me.
"I, Monnem Extengia, sware upon my origin, [Scred wind's ward] to eternally follow you, my master, my savior, and my light."
She was on her knees before me, her hand on her heart as a unique, dark blue wind rose from all around her.
She had followed our deal and made the oath of origin. And now, she was connected with me by her origin.
This was probably the moment we got our first official member of the [Lightshade]. The member that though had a long road ahead of them, would become a name that would rise in this world like a storm and obtain a position that will become our first line of defense before any threat.
She was the [Bait] and this title didn't refer to just the person that would be used as a literal bait, but also the person who would be the decoy if any threat comes to the [Lightshade].
She will hold some of the greatest responsibilities among us but, for now…
"Please take care of me."
She was the wounded damsel that needed time and support from others to recover completely.
"Of course."
And we had to do all we can to do that.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel