A thin veil of morning mist lingered in the air. Here and there, people chatted idly about how winter had passed so quickly, even though it was no longer winter at all. Their carefree conversations seemed endless.
Inside the room, however, a heavy silence prevailed. It was obvious that many words had already been exchanged—but what those words were, only the three of them knew.
After a while, they each went their separate ways.
"I don't know how much help I can actually be to you…"
Valerina spoke hesitantly.
Riana let out a faint laugh.
"Valerina, I'm honestly surprised at how worried you are. That woman was my mother. If anyone should feel something for her, shouldn't it be me?"
Valerina fell silent for a moment before asking again,
"I don't quite understand… how did you separate your soul? Was it really necessary? We could have stayed together like before, right? And now that half of your soul is inside my shadow… what happens if my other half leaves my original body? How will this soul survive? I just… can't make sense of any of this. I know I'm not as smart as you, but if a situation comes where I can help, I need to understand. It's not like I'd leak this information. You trust me… don't you?"
"Trust?" Riana smiled faintly.
"Yes… I trust you."
"Then tell me… how does this method work?"
And just like that, the two "great scholars" began an in-depth discussion about the history and mechanics of soul division and transference.
Time passed as they moved toward their destination—a place they had to reach, even if it meant outrunning death itself.
---
One Day Earlier
"Rivian… from what I understand, how is my soul even like this? It doesn't make sense. How can a complete soul force another soul out of its body and take its place? That shouldn't even be theoretically possible. And have you noticed Valerina's soul?"
The room fell into pin-drop silence. Riana had asked Valerina to stay away—whatever they were about to discuss was not meant for others to hear.
Rivian spoke slowly,
"From what little knowledge I have… I'd say Valerina is missing half of her soul."
"…Yes. That's exactly what I was thinking," Riana replied. "And do you remember what I asked the moment I entered this body?"
"I do," Rivian nodded. "I told you back then—if you could somehow leave this body and find a perfect vessel with a complete soul, then you could exist there permanently. You'd be able to use your full power. But there's something I'm still unsure about… when you used your mythical creatures, did you notice anything? Suddenly, your mana source was cut off, and you collapsed. I also saw internal bleeding. I managed to heal you quickly since it was still early-stage damage, but if this keeps happening… this body won't be able to hold your soul."
Riana's voice turned thoughtful.
"Our knowledge is too limited. I barely had time to study properly, and if I want to explain anything in detail, I'd have to relearn it. Besides, all of this happened ten years ago—when I acquired those mythical creatures. But I'm certain of one thing… this body cannot hold my soul for long. And if my soul leaves this body again… I have no idea where it will go."
She paused, then continued,
"From what I can tell, Valerina's core is only three-star. I don't clearly remember how many cores I had during the duel, but I'm certain it was at least above five. That's why keeping my entire soul in this body is too risky. If I summon my mythical creatures again… this body will reject my soul. That's why I decided to divide it."
"What?! Have you lost your mind?" Rivian snapped. "Do you even know the consequences of splitting your soul?"
"I do," Riana said calmly. "My soul will never be whole again in a single body. But look at Valerina… I barely helped her, yet she didn't hesitate to split her own soul and even give me her body. When I realized that… I felt terrible."
"You're not at fault," Rivian replied. "If I had that kind of power, I would've done the same for my master."
"But didn't you say you hated me?"
"That was a long time ago. I was young back then."
"Young? How young are we talking?"
"…A few hundred years, maybe?"
"You dumbass crow…"
"My lady, I am quite the handsome man, you know."
"Who in their right mind would call a crow like you handsome?"
"Such disrespect… where shall I keep this insult?"
Riana burst into laughter.
After a moment, she spoke again, her tone steady.
"Rivian… I was born as a girl in my first life. Then I lived as a boy in my second. If you think about it, two-thirds of my life has been as a male. So I've decided… I'll live the rest of my life as a man."
She continued,
"I've already caused massive destruction. By now, there must be a full-scale investigation underway. If I go outside in this body, I'll be identified instantly. So from today onward, I'll move as a male. Our first step… the Royal Academy entrance exam. What we need most right now is knowledge—and a way to find a suitable vessel for me."
Rivian nodded.
"And as for Valerina's family… I'll revive them. I'll become their child and take the exam under that identity."
"I told you before," Rivian said firmly, "you'll always have my support. Though… anyone can tell this is a girl's body at a glance. But don't worry—I'll handle the rest by today. Also, I've already checked on the investigation. I erased the memories of everyone present there temporarily… but the power that was used? That can't be erased."
"Then our next journey is set… my lady."
"Thank you for everything," Riana replied softly. "But there's no need for formality between us. And make sure the armor I need arrives by tomorrow."
With new faces, new names, and the desire for a new life—
the three of them moved forward toward an uncertain future.