A massive chunk of miasma was falling towards the ground.
If it were to explode upon impact, not only the city but the surrounding area would be swept away, transforming into a wasteland where nothing could survive.
That meant the end of the world.
However, despite knowing this, the heroes had no way to stop it.
They were moving to evacuate the citizens as far away as possible from the epicenter of the explosion, but that was essentially a futile struggle.
Unless a miracle happened.
The feeling of despair seemed to weigh down everyone’s heads, as all the heroes bowed their heads towards the ground.
And…
Yoon Si-woo was no exception.
Having once vowed to be everyone’s hope, he intended to resolve this with his own power, which only deepened his frustration.
Unable to lift his head due to guilt and powerlessness, Yoon Si-woo finally raised it after hearing the weak footsteps of the heroes leaving to evacuate.
At that moment, he spotted Scarlet, quietly looking up at the sky.
In a situation where everyone was bowing their heads in despair, her gaze towards the sky seemed alien.
Yoon Si-woo couldn’t help but think that she must be unaware of the current situation since she couldn’t see or hear anything.
“…Scarlet.”
Thus, Yoon Si-woo approached her, taking her hand.
He wrote letters on her palm to inform her of the current situation.
And only then did Yoon Si-woo realize…
“Scar-let…?”
Her eyes were fixed on the chunk of miasma falling accurately.
“…You.”
Her pupils were unfocused.
It was clear that she still couldn’t see.
However, the small ember flickering inside her eyes, facing the end, informed Yoon Si-woo that she was fully aware of the current situation.
That she knew and had not yet given in to despair.
“Yoon Si-woo.”
At that moment, the only girl who hadn’t yielded to despair in the face of the apocalypse uttered.
“Tell everyone.”
She spoke to the boy holding her hand.
“I have a way.”
And seeing the determination and resolution on her face, the boy realized what she intended to do.
So, without meaning to, he shook his head and muttered.
No, don’t do it. Please.
He wanted to stop her with all his might.
He wanted her to abandon her resolution.
But in the end, he couldn’t.
Because he was also a hero.
Unless a miracle happened, the end could not be avoided.
Thus, the girl decided to become a miracle for everyone.
*
“What… what do you mean…!!”
Sylvia shouted after hearing Yoon Si-woo’s words.
With a tone that bordered on interrogation, Yoon Si-woo repeated what he had previously said to her.
“…Scarlet decided to use all her remaining strength to burn that miasma as much as possible.”
Sylvia’s eyes trembled as she received the plan from Yoon Si-woo.
She immediately understood.
If Scarlet could burn the miasma with her powers, the range of the impending explosion would decrease, and that would increase the chances of survival for those remaining.
Thus, with no special measures available against the miasma in the current situation, Yoon Si-woo’s plan was the only method that could bring even a glimmer of hope.
However,
“How can… how can you say that…!!”
That was a plan Sylvia could intellectually understand, but emotionally struggle to accept.
“How can you ask Scarlet to sacrifice even more…!!”
Scarlet had already made too great a sacrifice for them.
After overusing her power in the battle against the Witch of Gluttony, she could barely move alone.
To make her use her powers again, to demand another sacrifice from her—
That was simply too—
“Too cruel…!”
The guilt and regret swelling in Sylvia’s chest felt like it was piling on top of what Yoon Si-woo had said, which was already unbearably heavy.
Unable to bear it and feeling angry, Sylvia grabbed Yoon Si-woo’s collar in frustration.
But the moment she did so…
“…Ugh.”
Sylvia had no choice but to loosen her grip, her expression contorting.
For Yoon Si-woo, with the saddest and most pained eyes, was in front of her.
“Ugh…”
The truth was Sylvia knew.
That he was not the one she should be furious with.
Yoon Si-woo, who treasured Scarlet more than anyone, couldn’t possibly have thought up such a plan.
Therefore, her anger towards him was essentially futile.
Because the only person who could make Yoon Si-woo accept such a plan was, in this world, only one person.
Scarlet, herself.
“Ugh, huh…”
Finally unable to hold back, Sylvia burst into tears.
She was too sorry, and also felt wronged.
That Scarlet was willing again to sacrifice for them.
Yet she had no justification to stop it.
Thus, while crying, Sylvia began to cast a spell.
To say a final goodbye to her most precious friend, who had resolved to sacrifice everything for everyone.
*
“…Huh?”
Did she suddenly feel the presence of an increased number of people?
The girl tilted her head.
But soon realizing their identities, she muttered with a bittersweet smile.
“…Haha. You all came to say goodbye, did you?”
As she said, surrounding the girl were all her acquaintances.
Even while evacuating the citizens, they rushed to this place at risk to say their farewells after hearing the news.
With everyone gathered to express the things they wanted to say to her, it would usually take days to say goodbye.
However, regrettably, their time was insufficient and considering the girl’s inability to communicate effectively due to the ever-darkening shadow above them, the farewells were succinct.
“…To think I would depend so much on a kid, I’m failing as an adult.”
“…Ms. Martina.”
Patting her shoulder.
“…Scarlet, my friend.”
“Mei….”
With brief hugs exchanged.
The comrades who had shared life and death with the girl on the battlefield, along with her friends from the academy, offered heartfelt but quick farewells one by one.
And when it was finally her turn,
“Ugh, huh… Huhhhh…!!”
“…Sylvia.”
The girl holding Sylvia was unable to hold back her feelings and burst into tears.
She simply couldn’t accept the fact that they would have to part forever.
“I don’t want to…! I don’t want to…!! I don’t want to say goodbye…! Scarlet…!!!”
“…Seriously, are you crying again? Sylvia, you really are such a crybaby.”
With a grin that suggested she couldn’t help it, the girl wiped Sylvia’s tears with her hand.
But the more she did, the more tears flowed; the fact that that familiar kindness was now coming to an end made it all the more painful.
Sylvia, faced with goodbye, held the girl tightly and cried more sorrowfully than ever.
In that moment, the girl carefully grabbed Sylvia’s hands that were holding her tightly and said.
“Sylvia, I have something to give you.”
“Something to give…?”
At the mention of a gift, Sylvia slowly unfolded her palm, being led by the girl’s hand.
And what the girl handed to Sylvia was a ring embedded with a red garnet, symbolizing true friendship.
Why? Why are you giving this back? Does it mean you no longer need it?
Having received back the ring she once gifted, Sylvia was on the verge of bursting into tears again.
But just before she did, the girl asked.
“Do you remember, Sylvia? The day I received this ring back from you.”
Of course, she remembered.
How could she forget?
The day they finally became true friends after overcoming many adversities.
Sylvia slowly nodded her head, and the girl smiled at her.
“I’m really happy that I could be friends with you, Sylvia. I can count on my fingers how many times I’ve felt that happy in my life.”
Sylvia wanted to shout that she felt the same way.
“That ring always reminded me of that day, filling me with happiness. So to me, it’s the most precious item in the world.”
Those were the happiest words anyone could utter.
But fearing that if she said even a single word, the tears might spill over again, Sylvia could only nod vigorously in response to the girl’s words.
“So, I want you to keep this, Sylvia. I hope you remember that I was a friend of yours whenever you see it. Will you do that for me?”
Upon hearing such an absurd request from the girl, Sylvia thought.
What a foolish request it was.
After all, she would never forget her, no matter what.
But like the inscription on the ring, like the one she wore on her hand.
It was a request from her first and most precious friend, who would be one of a kind forever.
The answer was already decided.
“Ugh, yes… Yes, Scarlet.”
Sylvia, holding tightly to the ring, smiled through her tears and snot, replying to the girl like that.
Finally ready to say goodbye.
*
With Sylvia’s farewell complete, there was only one person left.
“……”
“…Yoon Si-woo.”
As it was Yoon Si-woo’s turn, he quietly embraced the girl.
However, Yoon Si-woo froze in that position.
He thought if he uttered a farewell now, or let go of her, it would truly be the end.
In truth, it was himself, not Sylvia, who wasn’t ready to let her go.
Holding the girl tightly, Yoon Si-woo trembled slightly as he thought that.
And did he feel something in that shudder?
“Yoon Si-woo.”
The girl called his name and gently pushed him away.
In response, Yoon Si-woo flinched and gripped the girl’s hand that was pushing him away.
The girl did not force him to let go of her hand.
She simply placed her other hand gently on top of his, lightly clasping his hand.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done until now.”
It was a single sentence packed with too much.
At that moment, Yoon Si-woo bit his lip.
Because he felt he could no longer hold her.
So he slowly released the strength from his hand and let go of the girl.
Then, she smiled at Yoon Si-woo and said.
“I’m counting on you for what’s behind.”
The girl always said.
That she trusted Yoon Si-woo more than anyone else in this world.
In her smile was a trust that was unwavering.
And for the first time, Yoon Si-woo felt that her blind trust was unfair.
Because he wasn’t as strong as she thought.
Even now, he was desperately suppressing the urge to hold her back, telling her not to go…
Yet, he forced himself to smile, not wanting to disappoint her.
“…Yeah, leave it to me.”
Whether she heard his words, the girl smiled with relief.
And after a flap of fiery wings,
the small phoenix soared towards the black sun.
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