Tetra suddenly turned around after feeling someone staring at her from behind.
"Enri."
Seeing her friend stare at her with a neutral expression, she turned around.
"You heard me?"
"I did. Should have I not?"
She looked away for a moment before shaking her head.
"No, it's fine. I don't intend to keep secrets from you."
With a nod, Henrietta pointed out to the dining room.
They walked inside the room and sat side by side around the large table capable of receiving more than fifteen people around it.
"Where have you been?"
Henrietta asked her this question.
"I walked around the place. It's been a long time since I could feel my legs carry me."
With a longing smile, she looked down at the table.
"The gentle breeze, the feeling of dirt under my shoes, my leaves falling on my head..."
"It's only when you are removed from things that you truly understand how precious those are."
Surprised by her friend's unusual behavior, she opened her eyes.
"You've changed. I can't believe I'm hearing the same Tetra telling me how being alive is great."
Tetra chuckled.
"You should find another lover. It'll help you feel refreshed."
But she shrugged.
"I don't think so. I'm actually fine with Amelia, you, and everyone else."
"Wow."
Putting her hands in front of her mouth in an exaggerated manner, Tetra exclaimed.
"I had no idea you liked me that much."
"Stop spouting nonsense and get to the matter."
"Alright, killjoy. I'll do that. Still, you're also important to me, if you wanted to know."
Putting up a facade like she usually did, Henrietta still showed a slight tint of embarrassment at this.
"Since you heard me a moment ago, I can tell you straight."
Henrietta focused and crossed her arms.
"Have you been having nightmares recently? When you use that book, I mean."
For a moment, Henrietta pondered.
"The most recent one was a year ago... When I used it quite a lot to revive Reon and Orianne and heal Amelia from her unconscious state."
"It's good that you haven't used it much. I don't like your face after you wake up from one of those."
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Tetra frowned, showing the constant concern she had for her.
"When I was inside Orion, I could use it without much drawback other than the inability to use it efficiently."
She explained in detail.
"Through Orion, I could somehow manifest it. He was a catalyst for the consequences of that power."
"Which meant that each time I used it, he suffered what I should have been through."
There was no regret or guilt in her voice. This was a matter she had already agreed with Orion, so she was fine talking about it.
"Only two times I had to manifest outside his core. This also affected him greatly."
"I think he took enough internal damage to die fifteen times while we were together."
"I can only imagine the pain that he went through because of me."
This time, she appeared guilty. It was an obvious result of her intense feelings toward him.
"So, you're saying that you managed to use your power without consequences?"
Slightly perplexed, Henrietta leaned forward and placed her chin on her hands.
"It's not just when I was protected inside his core. Nothing happens when I use my power."
Tetra looked at Henrietta with an unusual seriousness.
"You're not pulling my leg just because you were away, right?"
"I won't do that anymore. I promise you it is true."
Giving her a nod, Tetra continued.
"Remember when I came back? Usually, I would feel this sickening feeling in my stomach and chest."
"I don't have it anymore."
Henrietta squinted, pondering about the strangeness of this statement.
"Are you serious? Nothing?"
"Nothing. Absolutely no discomfort."
"I haven't tried using more than the first tick of my power, but I believe I would be fine... Even if I were to use my full power."
Shock appeared on Henrietta's face.
"I need to know if it's true, so I don't make the mistake of sacrificing you."
"You want me to use more of it right now? I can do that."
Tetra stood up from her chair and walked to the other side of the table.
Extending her arm toward her side, she closed her eyes.
"It's not exactly the same, but..."
When she opened her eyes, the number 'III' flashed over her pupils as space warped in front of her.
A breach in space-time opened, leading to a moment of the past when Tetra was walking inside a forest in Horizon.
"..."
Henrietta opened her mouth wide open as another Tetra walked past the portal, not noticing it one bit.
Tetra closed her hand, and the portal followed suit, shutting tight as if nothing had happened.
"It's possible for me to return two hours in the past, it seems. If I were to cross over, my body would disintegrate and my mind would fuse with the past me."
"Or so I think it's what would happen."
Suddenly, Henrietta stood up from her chair and rushed to her friend.
"E-Enri?"
Confused, Tetra recoiled slightly at the grim expression on her face.
"Nothing's wrong with you, right?"
"Your mind isn't melting? Your body is holding up? Don't you feel like vomiting blood?"
Being closely examined by the blond woman, Tetra felt suddenly embarrassed.
"Ah! Wait! Don't touch-"
"Not there-"
Unable to resist Henrietta, who was too focused on looking for any anomalies on her, Tetra bit her lower lip.
"That's enough!"
She pushed Henrietta's face with both hands. Breathing roughly, she took a step back.
"I'm not into women. I love Orion, sorry!"
"What are you on about?"
Henrietta recovered from her concerned state and shrugged at the absurdity coming out of her mouth.
"I-I'm fine! See? Nothing wrong!"
"You're right. Normally, this amount of power would have fried your brain instantly..."
With a serious expression, Henrietta confirmed it with her memories of the workings of Tetra's Remnant powers.
"How could this be possible?"
Tetra breathed in and out for a minute as Henrietta silently pondered. Right after, she gave her opinion.
"It's probably related to the power of purity. Orion subconsciously cleansed the downside of my power as he obtained it."
"You're telling me his subconscious wish to protect you from the effects of your power caused this to happen?"
She nodded.
"That seems a bit... unconventional."
After thinking about it some more, Henrietta came to the same opinion.
"I think it's correct to believe that Orion is the reason for this change."
"We know nothing about the Remnant of Purity, and the power in his hand is the same."
Both returned to their seats calmly.
"There are so many things we don't know about."
Bringing a hand to her chest, Henrietta was about to bring out her book out of her core.
"Don't."
Gently, Tetra placed her hand over her friend's.
"What are you saying? I have to look to be certain of it."
But she shook her head.
"You know you won't find anything in there. Isn't Orion's entire voyage into the past entirely nonexistent in this book? You won't find a single trace concerning the reason, and you know it."
With a serious glare, she pressured Henrietta.
"Stop relying on this book. We're past the point where we need to actually correct things."
"Don't you want to enjoy the future with your daughter? Before being a Remnant, aren't you a mother?"
"Don't influence it. Stop forcing those nightmares on yourself. It's easy to guess that you dream of those failed timelines each time you do."
She gave no chance to Henrietta to fight back with words.
"Aren't you sick of seeing Amelia die in your dreams? We don't have to be shackled by our responsibilities anymore."
"You don't have to look back anymore."
Henrietta's lips trembled.
"But..."
"What if something comes and destroys their happiness? What would I tell them if I could avoid it all along?"
She clenched her chest, while Tetra kept her hands on hers with a smile.
"Leave that to Orion. You've done more than enough. You've sacrificed too much already."
"It's time to retire, granny."
A vein popped on Henrietta's forehead.
"And here I thought you were a better person!"
"Appearances can be deceiving. Haha~"
Seeing her friend laugh wholeheartedly, Henrietta relaxed.
'Can I really leave the rest to them?'
She pictured the entire family standing strong in front of adversity.
"!"
"See?"
With a bright smile, Tetra said, her eyes shining an unusual pink color.
"Was that...?"
"I am there too. The future seems brighter than I thought."
At that moment, two people entered the dining room.
"Mom, Tetra. We'll eat in a bit."
Carrying a large fish by the tail, Amelia walked past them and entered the kitchen, followed by Mia.
"Wow! I haven't eaten Amelia's cooking since forever!"
"Orion said the same."
Mia said with her usual cold tone.
"Hmm?"
Intrigued, Tetra walked into the kitchen.
"What?"
She stopped next to Mia and stared directly at her face.
"Do you mind if I hug you?"
"Eh?!"
"I mean, Orion does it often. I also wanted to do it."
Watching her friend integrate Orion's family placed a smile upon Henrietta's friend.
'Maybe it is best for me to listen to her.'
'You've matured, Tetra.'
As she thought that, her friend pulled the fairy closer to her and tightly hugged her.
The genuine happiness on her face was a new sight to her, expressing the changes she undertook.
It was Henrietta's time to let go of her regrets.
With these thoughts, Henrietta noticed Orion as he entered the room. He smiled at her respectfully and joined her at the table.
With a light heart, she began to talk to her son-in-law, simply enjoying a conversation unrelated to their power.