Fragments of the bracelet still scattered at her feet. White powder gleamed faintly on the stone floor. Dawn light filtered through the gaps in the collapsed ceiling, staining the powder orange. Viola gazed at the scene absently. The stigma on her right palm held a quiet warmth. It wasn't running wild. She wasn't suppressing it either. It simply existed. As part of herself. A heavy sound echoed—*gaton*. Baldes, who had collapsed against the wall, slowly pushed himself upright. Seventy-eight years of weight seemed to compress into that single motion. His white hair was disheveled, blood seeping through the shoulder of his vestments. But his eyes were open. Those gray eyes gradually regained focus—and found the scattered bracelet fragments. Viola's right palm. Both Rei and Nox, in turn. The old priest's mouth opened slowly. "[cold]...The Third Commandment of the Saint's Code," His voice trembled. Not with anger. That made it worse—it tightened around Viola's chest. "[cold]You have broken the commandment of your own will. You are no longer——a Saint," The words had the same form as always. But they were different. For the first time, unmistakable doubt threaded through the depths of his voice. It sounded as though this Baldes, who had lived seventy-eight years, was wavering for the first time. Viola's knees shook. She tried to stand, stumbled once. She braced her hand against the stone floor, steadying her breath. The stigma on her right palm was warm. That heat traveled through her spine, reaching all the way to her toes. ——I can stand. Slowly, she rose. She met Baldes's gaze directly. It was the first time. In eighteen years, she had never looked this man in the eye head-on. Not because she was afraid. Because she had thought she might be wrong. But now it was different. "[serious]...Lord Baldes," Her voice trembled. Still, she continued. "[serious]That commandment is not the word of the Goddess Soleia," Baldes's brow twitched slightly. "[serious]Three hundred eighty years ago——right after the Twilight War ended, humans created it. In the terror of four hundred thousand dead, so that such a battle would never happen again. I understand that feeling. But," Viola opened her right palm toward Baldes. The stigma glowed quietly. "[serious]When I was deceiving my own heart, my power weakened. I couldn't touch anyone's pain. But last night——when I released my heart, the power shone. It erased the demonic beasts, healed Rei's wounds, and stopped the curse marks' erosion in Nox. I believe that is the answer," Her voice was small. But it did not waver. Baldes's lips began to open. But no words came. The elders standing beside him said nothing either. Everyone in this place had witnessed last night's light. That overwhelming radiance—the white glow that had enveloped the sanctuary and erased the swarm of demonic beasts. Having seen it with their own eyes, no one possessed words to refute it. A long silence fell. Baldes finally looked away. "[cold]...I will not revoke the title suspension," His voice was hoarse. "[cold]But the banishment...I will not enforce it now," With only that, he was supported by a priest and left the room. The other elders followed in silence. No one looked at Viola. Baldes could neither acknowledge nor deny——Viola understood that truth. The door closed. Viola exhaled slowly. "...Viola," A voice came from beside her. Rei stepped closer. The wounds from last night were sealed with holy magic, but traces of blood still remained in his golden hair. His azure eyes looked directly at Viola. In their depths lay something painful. A long silence stretched between them. Rei clenched his fist once, hard. His fingertips turned white. His lips, too, were bitten firmly. "[sad]...I wanted you to see only me," His voice was low. Even as he tried to suppress his emotion, it seeped through. The air grew heavy after his words fell. Viola could say nothing. Not "I'm sorry," not "thank you." Both felt like lies. Rei did not look away from Viola. "[serious]But——I won't give up yet," His voice changed. Swallowing the pain, it became a voice that still faced forward. "[serious]I'll win your heart fair and square. That's all," Deep in Viola's chest, a dull ache bloomed. The warmth she felt for Rei had not disappeared. This man's desperation shook her heart again in this very moment. But at the same time——the fact that she still could not choose one remained unchanged. Because both were real. Because she could deny neither. Viola was about to say something when—— Quiet footsteps approached. It was Nox. His gray eyes were turned toward Viola, calm and still. The aftereffects of last night's dark curse magic seemed to linger in his left arm; the curse marks pulsed faintly. His complexion had returned to its pale state, though it was somewhat better than last night. Nox stopped before Viola. His scarred fingertips touched her cheek. They were cold. He quietly wiped away the traces of tears. Viola felt that coldness on her cheek for a moment. "[gentle]...You are strong. Far stronger than I thought," His voice was low, unchanged from usual—that quiet tone with little emotional inflection. But the words that followed carried weight. "[gentle]But it is not over yet. The Twilight Wall is crumbling. The world——is still in the process of breaking," Nox's fingers withdrew. In that instant, Viola's eyes caught on Nox's left wrist. The bracelet. That black bracelet that had been suppressing the curse mark's erosion. Its surface——was deeply cracked. Not just one. Fine fractures spreading radially had begun to cover the entire bracelet. The price of forcing dark curse magic to continue during last night's battle was carved there. Nox himself did not speak of it. Only Viola saw that truth. Something cold fell deep in her chest. When the bracelet shattered completely, the curse mark's erosion would run wild——Viola knew that would be directly connected to Nox's life. She had heard it once, in a conversation with Rei. But now she could say nothing. —— Rei and Nox looked at each other. Their gazes collided. Hostility filled the air. They had fought side by side on the same battlefield, yet something insurmountable lay between these two. Neither drew a sword. But their eyes spoke. Each refused to acknowledge the other. Did not want to acknowledge. Viola stepped forward between them. She extended her right hand toward Rei. She extended her left hand toward Nox. Rei's hand was warm, enfolding hers. Nox's hand was cold, receiving hers. "[serious]...I have not yet given my answer," Her voice was quiet. "[serious]But I have learned one thing. If I run from my own heart——I cannot save anyone," Rei's lips were bitten tightly. Nox's eyes narrowed slightly. Both understood that Viola had not chosen between them. Yet neither could pull their hand away. Morning light streamed through the gaps in the broken stone. The orange glow illuminated the stone floor, falling directly on the stigma of Viola's right palm. The stigma glowed quietly, yet certainly. No wild rampage, no suppression. It simply shone there, as part of herself. —— After everyone had left, Viola remained alone in the collapsed sanctuary. She looked down at her feet. The bracelet fragments were still there. White powder glowed faintly in the morning light. Viola picked up one fragment and placed it in her palm. The black fragment rested right beside the stigma on her right palm. The light did not stain the fragment. The fragment did not reflect the light. It simply lay there quietly, side by side on the same hand. Light and darkness, in the same place. That is all of me right now, she thought. A maidservant approached hesitantly. She nervously asked what should be done about repairing the sanctuary. Viola thought for a moment, then answered. "[serious]First, send a report to Rivaldo's Twilight Fortress. The wall's cracks are spreading——that comes first," The maidservant nodded and hurried away. The cracks in the Twilight Wall were spreading. The Council of Elders still did not acknowledge Viola. Her title remained suspended. And Nox's bracelet bore deep fractures. Everything remained unresolved, and everything would continue from here. Viola stood up. She began walking through the collapsed corridor. Morning light fell on the stone floor, illuminating her path with streaks of brightness. She walked through that light on her own feet. With her own will, thinking about what she must do next. That Baldes had not opened his mouth——was unprecedented. That old priest, who had lived seventy-eight years, had lost his words. It might be a small change. But it was a change that certainly existed. The black fragment in her palm, Viola gently closed her fingers around it. She did not discard it.