(Haaa... I couldn't forget it...)

  (No matter how many memories I burn, no matter how much I swung that blade...)

  (The Thread is still hanging around me...)

  In a certain room within the manor, four figures—Ven, the violet-haired woman, the red kimono woman, and Kent—grouped together around a cot. Inside of it lay a baby with red hair, who was slightly whining in her sleep.

  "So that's it? This child is the key for us to achieve that power?" The violet hair woman asked, feeling slightly disappointed at the outcome.

  "Indeed. You could say that her blood has a more... 'perfect' form of Ender related to our Ignis Legacy, am I right, Lucia?" Kent said, looking directly at the red kimono woman, who was addressed as Lucia.

  Yet, his statement only left her to fall into her own silent groan; she didn't bother to give him any answer.

  "Hmm, what should we give this child a name, then?" Ven asked in anticipation. "Do you have by any chance a fitting name for her, Vinia?"

  "Beat me. I'm not that expert when it comes to giving a name to a damn child," the violet-haired woman, now identified as Vinia, replied while shrugging her shoulders.

  "... Elinira," Lucia answered instead, breaking off from her own silence. "The child's name shall be Elinira."

  Hearing such a surprising answer from her, Ven, Kent, and Vinia fell into their own silence.

  "W-well, if that's what you chose," Vinia stated, breaking the awkward silence between them. "As long the name was easier other than... whatever Ven gonna suggest for the sake of 'art', that's fine by me. After all, you're the only biological parent for this child around here."

  With that, the scene of the past was consumed by a bright light, a direct sign that the memory has ended.

  (A few hours after the attack)

  At the evacuation field near Calle Forest, most of the citizens panted, sitting down on the grassy ground to replenish their energy. Meanwhile, some merely stared at the earth, feeling a profound sorrow as they realized a portion of the citizens and students hadn't made it out in time. In that moment, the tension among them escalated; anxious whispers flew across the crowd as negative thoughts took over.

  On the other side of the field, Aria, heavily bandaged and lying on the ground, slowly opened her eyes, greeted by a canopy of trees and filtering sunlight. "Where..?"

  Confused, she tried to stand up, but couldn't as she groaning in pain instead.

  "Don't need to force yourself. You're the worse one when it comes to wounds, you know?" a girl's voice said.

  Hearing the familiar voice, Aria's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Looking directly at the source, she saw Carol leaning against the bark of a nearby tree, her forehead wrapped in bandages. Her arms were crossed, and her eyes were closed with a hardened expression.

  "You..."

  Carol snorted in disappointment and opened her eyes. "What a surprise that all six of us really had our own dark secret, huh? Quite a coincidence that we've been a friends for years if you think about it."

  Aria couldn't find any words to counter Carol's sarcasm; only a heavy silence of guilt lingered in her heart as she looked down at the ground.

  Noticing the profound sadness in Aria's expression, which caught her slightly by surprise, Carol let out a sigh. "Don't need to feel guilty about what happened back on Nariens Field. Its all my fault for hurting you guys anyway," she stated with a shrug, showing one of her hands where the Ring of Seal resided. "After all, this is my own consequences, for blindly following that obsession that's haunting me for decades."

  "Is... that so?" Aria responded, showing a slight grin of relief. Yet, the pain stung a moment later, making her groan again.

  When she turned her head to the other side of her resting spot, she saw the same reddish sword she had found in the vault, lying beside her as if waiting to be picked up.

  In that moment, a memory resurfaced, showing the exact scene of her thrusting her sword straight through the heart of her own mother, Lucia.

  "Haaaa... Haha... You... will never... be able to run... or hide... from this manor... Erilina..." Lucia, in a dying state, gave a smile of satisfaction. "Mark my words... my stupid... child..."

  As the memory ended, Aria's expression darkened with deep frustration. She gripped the sword, using it as a support to push herself up. Although it was agonizingly painful, and grew worse the harder she tried, she forced herself through it.

  Carol’s expression hardened with worry. She watched Aria struggle to stand, deciding not to intervene as she only be a nuisance to her

  "That sword..." Carol said, looking directly at the unfamiliar, reddish sword in Aria's hands.

  "It's none of your concern, Carol," Aria said, her expression hardening as she gripped the hilt tightly with both hands. "I have to go back to that hell. I need to retrieve my little sister back."

  "What are you-"

  When Carol tried to touch Aria's shoulder, a sudden, searing heat burned her hand, forcing her to yank it away. Looking at her palm, she noticed a fresh burn mark seared into her skin.

  "Aria..." Carol said, her eyes widening in slight surprise.

  Then, the sound of footsteps could be heard, drawing closer and closer toward Carol and Aria.

  "Seems like I don't have to wake you up by myself, huh?" A man's voice said. He stopped directly in front of them, revealing himself to be Grey.

  "Oh, uncle. Is everyone alright?" Carol asked her uncle, a sense of worry lingering in her tone.

  "Sort of. Good thing that you and your group is still around the campus to defend the attack. Otherwise, it would be a disaster," Grey stated, feeling a wave of relief at the outcome.

  "Though, the damage is already done, uncle. I'm sorry if i was too late," Carol replied, a flicker of guilt crossing her features.

  "No worries," Grey responded, trying to reassure his niece. "Nevertheless, we have so much work to do, regarding about who and what is the objective behind the attacker."

  As Grey noticed the reddish sword in Aria’s hands, he snorted in amusement. "Aria. I want you and Carol to go back to your home at Ignis Holder's territory."

  Hearing Grey's demand, Aria's eyes widened in unexpected shock. "But-"

  "I know you're stressing out right now Aria, but it was useless if you try to search their location all by yourself," Grey explained to Aria, cutting her sentence off as he tried to clear the misunderstanding. "If you really want to get someone or something back in your hands, you need as much support as you can, and we need as much information as we can if we need to counterattack."

  Listening to her lecturer's words, Aria fell into deep thought, though it didn't last long. "I... suppose you're right."

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  Carol watched the exchange from behind, lost in her own reflections. (Aria—no, that name... why the attacker call it a fake and Elinira is her true name?) she thought, her mind clouded with doubt about her friend.

  "You don't know just how much I hate your presence around here," Lucia said, pouring out all her frustration toward Elinira, who was still only a child.

  "W-why do you say that, mommy? Why do you say that you're hate me..?" Elinira asked, feeling heavily devastated by the sudden, sharp words from her own mother.

  "Your smile. Your smile is irritating me the most," Lucia answered with a harsh tone. "It really remind me the moment you exist in this world, is the moment my freedom is finally come to an end."

  "I..."

  "I demand you, Elinira. For now on, don't you try to show off your pitiful smile towards me ever again," Lucia ordered, not bothering to look directly at her own child as she walked away. "Be a good child, and i would never bother you again."

  "Y-yes, mommy."

  With that, the scene between them was consumed by a blinding light—a sign that those memories had finally come to an end.

  (Infario:Ignis Holder's Territory)

  Upon arriving at the location, Carol’s eyes widened in horror at the sight of the territory. Ash rained down from the sky, revealing that most of the citizens' houses had been consumed by fire. Unlike the situation back at Verlyn, it appeared the people here couldn't evacuate in time; piles of bodies lay scattered throughout the ruins.

  "What in the..?" Carol said with a total shocked.

  Aria, however, watched the scene in a grim silence. She clenched her hands tightly in frustration while reminiscing about old memories she had fought to forget. Unable to contain her fury any longer, Aria rushed forward, leaving Carol behind.

  "H-hey! Wait for me, damn it!" Carol exclaimed loudly, chasing after her.

  The further they ventured into the territory, the more flames and bodies they encountered. There was no sign of life anywhere, only the hissing sound of fire remained in the profound silence.

  But that silence was broke down when Aria found someone standing ahead of them, guarding the gate of the Ignis Mansion. Aria came to a halt, and Carol, finally catching up, stopped beside her.

  "You must be Miss Elinira, right? My master has been talking about you," a man with dark hair said. He wore a thick, dark coat and long, dark pants. He gripped the scabbard of his blue katana tightly—a clear sign that he was ready should a fight occur.

  "Who the hell are you? Are you the one who's responsible for this?" Aria asked with a harsh tone, trying her best to suppress the anger within.

  "Most of it. It was our first mission after all," the man answered calmly. "I'm Yor, one of the apprentice for Witcher of Pencer."

  "Witcher of Pencer, huh?" Aria moved her hands toward her pocket and pulled out her wand, readying herself for combat.

  "Hmm. You don't want to unsheathe that 'red' sword of yours, miss Elinira?" the man now known as Yor asked, curious about her restraint as he looked directly at the red sword hanged beside Aria's waist.

  "Until I've arrived into that manor, until i finally retrieve her back, i would never draw this artifact," Aria stated, her expression hardening with pure resolve.

  "Is that so?" Yor replied. A blue magic circle appeared beneath his boots, signaling his imminent departure. "Your determination is quite commendable, Miss Elinira. Worry not, your answer is waiting in that 'mansion' of yours. Only then, would you finally got the exact location for Inferno's Manor."

  "Is there a reason why you tell us?" Carol asked, seizing the opportunity before Yor completely vanished.

  "It was just an order from my master. She just want to know if you're really ready for a 'proper' reunion later on," Yor answered. "Now my job here is done, let us meet again in the Inferno's manor, Miss Elinira.

  With that, the light from the magic circle blinded Carol and Aria. When it cleared, Yor’s figure had disappeared along with it.

  ''What a weird guy," Carol mumbled to herself, felt wary about Yor's words

  Yet, for Aria, she didn't care about it. She pushed herself forward, but when she taking one step further, the pain once again came over throughout her body, making her knelt over the ground. She coughed out a blood, clenching the pain against the bandaged wounds.

  "Hey! You're okay?!" Carol asked, a sudden rush of a worried escalated within her heart.

  "I-I'm okay. Don't need to worry about me," Aria replied, didn't even care whatsoever about her condition.

  Watching Aria from behind, who's slowly took a step forward, Carol sigh in frustration. "You really unbelievable sometimes." she mumbled to herself, finally followed Aria.

  Afterward, both girls walked inside the mansion, which was now in total ruin. Shattered pieces of glass littered the floor, and broken beams of wood had fallen, blocking the passages throughout the estate.

  As Aria looked around the wreckage, a sense of dread gripped her heart. In her line of sight, she saw a man with a grey beard in noble attire, slumped unconsciously against a shattered statue in the main hall. Blood dripped from his forehead, and his clothes were still hissing and smoking, a sign that a violent struggle had occurred moments ago.

  "No... It can't be..." Aria clenched her hands tightly, unable to contain her emotions as she rushed toward the man.

  "W-wait," Carol sighed deeply. With no other choice, she followed close behind.

  Reaching the man, Aria knelt down to take a closer look while Carol stood watch from behind.

  To Carol's surprise, when she saw the man's face, a sharp realization struck her. (That face... Is that the same man from the Ignis Holders who joined the meeting about my case years ago?) Carol thought, her expression hardening.

  "Old man Vake! Please, just wake up, Old Man Vake!" Aria exclaimed, hoping her voice could drag him back to consciousness.

  Fortunately, her voice managed to rouse the man. Vake slowly opened his eyes. "M-miss Aria..?"

  "Yes! Its me, Aria! What in the world is happening here?!" Aria asked in worried.

  "They finally found us... Your family... is coming for us... bringing the hellish flame... much stronger and stubborn than before..." Vake answered, his voice stuttering as he fought to remain conscious.

  (Your family? So this man is not the real Ignis Holder?) Carol thought, her mind racing with the sudden truth.

  "No need to say more, old man Vake!" Aria, feeling devastated and stressed, pulled out her wand and cast a storage spell to search for a potion. "Hold still! I'm going to save you! I promise!"

  "Haha... No need to say that, Miss Aria..."

  "What the hell do you mean by th-" Aria froze in place, her eyes widening in horror as she saw a tattoo of reddish, magical circles etched onto the surface of his left hand.

  "You notice it, right?" Vake said with a smile.

  "That tatoo... It's from Ven, isn't it?" Aria stated, her expression hardened in pure frustration.

  Vake nodded slowly in response. "That guards of yours is quite helpful... To think they can evacuate some of the citizen by themselves is quite surprise..."

  "Why... do you do that..?"

  "Huh..?"

  Suddenly, Aria grabbed Vake by the collar, her anger boiling over as she locked eyes with the surprised butler. "Why... do you intend to stall one of the witchers... knowing that you would lose anyway..? Tell me, why!"

  "It's because I'm an old man already, Miss Aria..." Vake answered with a calm tone, his eyes showing no remorse. "I'm your butler... and I'm quite happy that you've finally born as a strong warrior with pure heart instead of the same person on the Ignis faction..."

  "i..."

  Then, his head turned toward Carol, offering a smile of relief that gave her goosebumps. "Thank you, Le-No, I suppose your name is Carol," he said, slowly closing his eyes as the tattoo began to glow a vibrant red. " Thank you... thank you for being a friends to my mistress until the very end..."

  Hearing those words, Carol’s eyes widened in surprise. She then looked away, overcome by a deep sense of guilt.

  "Now... for my last words... It's about the Inferno's manor," Vake spoke once more, the light from the reddish magic circles intensifying. "Its location is..."

  In a moment of heavy silence, Vake exchanged a final smile with Aria after revealing the manor’s exact location. Aria stood frozen as the tattoo finally consumed Vake’s skin.

  As his body began to swell with volatile, reddish energy, Carol acted on instinct. She grabbed Aria and pulled her away, manifesting a pair of dark wings from her back. She took to the sky, carrying Aria with her.

  In that very moment, Aria could do nothing but watch from the air as Vake’s body exploded, the force of the blast leveling the ruins of the mansion.

  Her guilt and sorrow piled up. One after another, the things Aria loved were being torn from her hands. Her eyes became empty, showing no sign of tears; her soul was simply too heavy with grief.

  "Aria..."

  "Let's go back, Carol," Aria demanded, gripping the hilt of her reddish sword with a fury that felt cold. "We've got what we want."

  "But-"

  "Just go already, Caroline Erlikh!!" Aria shouted, her anger finally snapping.

  Hearing her full name, Carol let out a soft sigh. "Fine. But I'm just want to say... sorry for what just happened back there."

  Aria gave no answer, her silent fury escalating as her expression darkened more into a mask of pure hatred.