Prologue
Another violent explosion. A hundred years, repeating in cycles...
"Deosamo... I can't do anything..." The woman's robes were covered in dust as she collapsed to the ground, weeping.
"Is this... a flash of light? Did it work?" The woman looked up, but it was nothing like she had hoped—only two girls lying in the magic circle. The slightly older one had long golden hair, while the younger had long black hair. Both were already in the form of young women, one beautiful, the other adorable.
"Is this... what Deosamo left for me and this fallen world?"
"These two children are just like Deosamo. Their appearances were fixed from the moment their bodies formed, unchanging even as everything crumbles..."
"Deosamo... I once proposed three names for you. You chose the third—the remaining two shall belong to these children..."
"Such a beautiful girl. Your name will be Flarmi," the woman murmured, pointing to the older girl. "You... so adorable... your name is Lucsoro," she said, gesturing to the younger one.
"Awake now? I am Speolo... You..."
"They don't understand human language? It seems I must teach them..."
An autumn breeze swept across the land, scattering fallen petals. A withered flower bud, encased in a crystal pendant, hung from Speolo's neck.
Chapter 1
Covered in bloodstains, she sheathed her blade. Her black hair fluttered in the wind, and her long cloak shrouded her body. The girl raised her head to gaze at the moon—full tonight. Her emerald-green eyes glinted under its light.
The battle had just ended. The girl exhaled, surveying the decaying landscape under the night sky.
"A withered flower... Speolo might like it? She once kept a dried bouquet." The girl picked up the shriveled bloom, blew off the dust, and tucked it into her clothing.
In a flash, she vanished with the wind.
Before sleep, the girl replayed the memory, tossing and turning.
"Flarmi... Why did you bring this back?" Speolo asked softly, her voice tinged with sorrow, before tossing the flower into the incinerator and walking away.
The moment etched itself into her mind—she'd thought Speolo would like it!
"Why did she scold me...?"
"My eyes feel damp... Is this what books call *
tears? How strange."
Flarmi sat up, grabbed her diary and pen, and wrote: Did I cry?
She shook her head, glanced at her words, and lightly crossed out a sentence.
"Why did I want to erase that? I don't know..."
"Why..."
"Wake up, Flarmi!"
A golden-haired girl lunged at her, hugging Flarmi and ruffling her hair.
"Stop it, Lucsoro!" Flarmi hissed, "What's wrong with you today? I'm still half-asleep!" she grumbled.
"Huh? You're the one acting all pitiful—aren't you just begging for attention?" The golden-haired girl blinked her striking blue eyes and whispered.
"How did you—" Flarmi froze mid-sentence, following Lucsoro's finger to her diary on the nightstand.
"Don't read my diary..."
All morning, Flarmi hid atop the city's tower, murmuring to herself in the cold wind.
"*Pitiful*? So that's what the books meant..."
"I hate this feeling."
"What're you doing here alone?" A golden-haired girl peeked over the edge—Lucsoro. "Come buy food with me! Don't hide and abandon people!"
Flarmi chuckled faintly, touched Lucsoro's hand, and in an instant, they stood at the market's center. People stared. Lucsoro flushed, hiding behind Flarmi before tugging her toward the crowded heart of the bazaar.
The streets buzzed.
"Wow, this looks tasty!" "Look at this!" "This one!" "You're so cold, idiot Flarmi!" Lucsoro chattered nonstop.
Suddenly, Flarmi froze.
"Flarmi, look! It's... a wanted poster! That's Speolo!" Lucsoro gasped loudly. Flarmi clamped a hand over her mouth. "Quiet! Guards are nearby!"
Too late. Soldiers charged. Flarmi drew her blade, green eyes shifting to blue. She vanished, reappeared behind the enemies, and silver light flashed—a guard fell with one strike.
"Done, Lucsoro..." Flarmi flicked her cloak, sheathed her sword, and turned.
"Lucsoro! Danger!" The enemy commander lunged. Before Lucsoro could react, Flarmi gritted her teeth, teleported behind her, and blocked the blow.
"Flarmi!"
Lucsoro unleashed immense magic. A spell circle erupted, reducing the foe to ash.
At its center, Lucsoro cradled the wounded Flarmi, gently wiping tears. By her side, Lucsoro knew: love and hate, grief and rage—all would fade in seven days.
"What do I love...? Why...?"
Back home, as Flarmi stirred awake, the golden-haired girl slept smiling by her bed. Drool or tears stained her arm, her lips murmuring:
"What do I love...? Why...?"
The girl slept, but found no peace—nor wakefulness.
Chapter 2
"West City Clocktower—where?!"
"Where's the West City Clocktower...?"
"...Follow me!"
Flarmi grabbed Lucsoro, dragging her toward the tower.
"Lucsoro, chase the one ahead! I'll handle this!"
Silver light flashed—Flarmi's blade struck faster than thought, but *shattered* on impact.
"...Impossible..."
Flarmi teleported behind the enemy, kicked uselessly, then retreated to observe.
"A warrior from the Stone City? Body like rock..."
She reappeared behind it, jammed the broken blade into a joint, telekinetically forced it deeper, and stabbed daggers into other crevices. The enemy reassembled from scattered stones.
"Damn..."
"Dinner's delicious! Speolo's amazing!" Lucsoro swung her legs, chattering at the table.
"Flarmi, how did you kill that stone warrior?" Speolo asked.
"Ah, I cut off its arms and stuck them back in reverse. It exploded."
"Flarmi's awesome too!" Lucsoro said. "I lost the enemy, but got intel!"
"What?"
"Their bodies are stone, so we can use a barrier to alter gravity and slow their regeneration!"
"Clever." Flarmi said flatly.
"But why are Stone City's people chasing us..." Speolo gripped her pendant,沉思ing. "Perhaps we must leave."
"No belonging." Flarmi wrote in her diary that day.
"What's the meaning of this withered flower pendant...?"