New Year Under Starlit Trails · Chapter 8

What Time Carries On

Asherah

Captain, look out!

Something's wrong. Ever since earlier, they keep coming straight for you.

She was right.

The Voidborns pouring from the rift ignored everything else and came after me.

Asherah

Captain, I'll take the front from here. Stay as far back as you can—

The crimson eye suddenly locked onto Asherah.

Without warning, an intense ray of light tore through the air toward her.

Asherah...!

Epindel

...That was close.

Asherah

Epindel...!

Epindel

Why do you look so surprised?

Honestly... You've always been like this, ever since we were children.

You always seem flawless at first, yet sooner or later you expose some careless little weakness.

Hide both your vulnerable flesh and your sharpest talons.

That is one of House Orlan's oldest teachings. I believe I've told you countless times.

Epindel...!

You came!

Asherah

Are you sure you should be here? Your responsibilities—

Epindel

Enough. You needn't say more. I know my responsibilities far better than you do.

Asherah

Then why—

Epindel

...Let us simply say this is what I wanted to do.

Besides... I thought this might help me understand you, if only a little.

...For this one occasion, I thought I might follow my feelings instead of reason.

I expect you not to make this decision one I regret.

Asherah

...

...Hehehe. Ahahahaha!

Epindel

Wh-Why are you laughing?

Asherah

I just thought... underneath it all, you're still the Epindel I grew up with.

Epindel

N-Never mind that! We should be thinking about how to close that rift!

That entity came from inside this relic, did it not?

From what I can see, only part of it has broken through.

Asherah

Probably because Roberta interrupted it.

Epindel

The relic must still retain some of the power that kept the entity sealed.

We may be able to use that power to restore the seal.

Hah...?!

The rift shook wildly, threatening to split wide open.

The eye shook violently as it began firing volley after volley of radiant blasts.

Asherah & Epindel

Kgh!

Epindel, pass it over!

Epindel

Captain...?!

I was almost certain that my touch had triggered its awakening.

If that was true, then I might be the only one capable of using the power within it. With that thought, I reached toward Epindel. But...

Asherah

N-No...!

My vision tilted sideways.

Asherah

Captain, no...!

Epindel

That thing dragged the Captain into the rift...!

I-If I'd reacted just a little faster...

At this rate, I've only—

Asherah

No. It's not over yet.

We haven't lost the relic yet. More importantly...

The relic is what that thing really wants.

Look at it. The reaction's much weaker now.

For whatever reason, that thing got it wrong.

Epindel

...And what exactly are you suggesting?

Asherah

Simple. We turn the tables.

Throw me up there, Epindel. I need to reach the rift.

Epindel

Y-You want me to do what?!

Asherah

We'll bait it with the relic and make it think it finally has a chance to break the seal!

While it's distracted, I'll reverse the flow of energy from within the rift.

Got it? As soon as you're ready—

Epindel

Huh?! That's the absurd strategy you came up with?

One mistake and we'll just be helping it break the seal!

Asherah

Help me or don't. I'm going either way.

Epindel

Asherah, wait!

You don't even know if it'll work!

Asherah

I know. I'm not sure myself.

But I can't think of anything better.

Epindel

Asherah...!

Asherah

Trust me, Epindel. I promise I'll make it work.

That's why I need your help. There's no way I can close that distance by myself.

Epindel

...Urgh...!

Asherah

We've done this plenty of times before, remember? Just like when you used to help me climb trees in my backyard.

You remember how we did it, right?

Epindel

This is nothing like climbing a tree!

Asherah

Let's do it first and worry later. Come on!

Epindel

Asherah, you really are unbelievable...!

If this goes wrong, you're going to hear about it for the rest of your life!

Asherah

Haaah...!

Hey! You're after this, aren't you?

I'll let you have it! Now give me back the Captain!

...When my eyes opened again, I found myself in a forest just as night was beginning to fall.

I had no idea where I'd ended up... but this place was certainly not NOA.

The last thing I remembered was working with Epindel to rescue the Captain.

I leapt toward the rift with the relic in hand, then...

...Strangely, everything after that was blank.

Ugh... My head's killing me...

The headache gradually faded, and I heard distant murmurs carried through the trees.

After pushing through the thick underbrush for a while, I came upon a wide clearing.

A group of figures in black hoodies sat gathered around a campfire.

Um... Hello?

I tried speaking to them, but they kept chatting and laughing as though I wasn't there.

I couldn't tell whether they were intentionally ignoring me or if my voice had simply failed to reach them.

The moment I approached to speak again, one of their faces came into view.

To my surprise, that face... looked remarkably familiar.

Captain... Is that you?

Then again... something feels different.

The Captain doesn't usually wear a heavy expression like that.

Um, excuse me? Where exactly is this place?

I called out to the man who looked like the Captain again, but he gave no response.

It was as though he couldn't see me at all.

Lively Voice

Gather around, humans! Time for a New Year's feast!

I put special effort into cooking this, so savor every bite!

Cold Voice

...You call grilling a few scraps of meat a New Year's feast?

Come morning, we'll be fighting off those damned Voidborns all over again.

Warm Voice

Come on, it's been a while since we've had a chance to relax. We might as well laugh while we still can.

Lively Voice

Quite so! Sulking isn't going to make tomorrow any better!

Quiet Voice

To think the New Year is here already... Time really does fly.

Warm Voice

Hey, ■■■■■■■... You look troubled. Are you injured from yesterday?

Cold Voice

Something's been off with him recently.

The other day you were mumbling something about ascending or whatever. Did you take a blow to the skull?

Warm Voice

Ascending...? Like going up into the sky?

■■

...Did I actually say something like that?

Lively Voice

Indeed! I was wondering when you'd start spouting nonsense again!

Cold Voice

You finally stopped going on about going back home...

And now you've upgraded from "home" to "the sky." Wow.

■■

No, no. I wasn't being serious. Just forget I said anything.

I don't literally mean I'm going to fly into the sky...

Quiet Voice

Come to think of it, you told us something similar before, didn't you?

You told us people in your homeland could rise high above the clouds and travel into space...

I believe you had something called a rocket?

■■

...Yeah, right.

Warm Voice

In that case... Why don't we build one and launch it ourselves?

I'm curious whether it could really fly all the way to those stars, just like ■■■■■■■ told us.

Cold Voice

Huh? Why would we waste time on something so—

Lively Voice

Oho! I like it! What a splendid idea! Let's begin at once!

With this one's craftsmanship, we should be able to make something close enough!

Quiet Voice

If we're only reproducing the basic concept... I think I could manage.

Warm Voice

So? What do you think, ■■■■■■■?

■■

Sure. Let's do it.

Lively Voice

Just you wait! We'll build one that can fly straight back to your homeland! Haha!

■■

...I appreciate it, ■■■■■■.

Lively Voice

Missing home again after all this time?

These days, all you do is look miserable and write things in that notebook.

Is it a journal or something?

■■

Oh, this?

The Captain look-alike took something out from his chest pocket.

Is that...?

It was a familiar notebook.

The man slowly raised the notebook and extended his hand.

■■

Something like that.

I had this feeling that I should make some kind of preparation... for what comes later.

I've been trying a few things, though I don't know whether any of it will work.

The man brought the notebook closer and quietly whispered something to it.

I tried to listen, but I couldn't make out what the words meant.

I could only make out the faint movement of his mouth.

The moment I stepped a little closer...

The man looked over his shoulder, straight toward me.

...!

His face was obscured by shadow, but I could have sworn he was smiling faintly.

Cold Voice

Hey, ■■■■■■■. What are you staring at?

Warm Voice

Is someone there?

■■

...

Sorry. For the time being, this seems like the safest way to keep it contained.

I'm still looking for a better solution... So in the meantime, I'm leaving this one to you.

I'll leave my memories...

And my will within—

The world started to blur as his voice drifted farther and farther away.

A dazzling glow erupted from the relic.