The Colesium was filled beyond capacity. There was little excitement in them, though. Naturally, they were worried about their future, Diantha Lancaster’s future, and the fate of Gracia as a whole.

Seeing Diantha scream the day before did a great deal to increase their anxiety.

Of course, there were those who wanted Rian Reed to win, the contrarians who would do anything to be different from the crowd, even if their wishes led to only misery; they were incapable of thinking so far ahead. They were excited, cheering for Lancaster’s fall.

The screens were installed throughout the city since they could accommodate the whole Sangfroid inside the Colesium. The streets, too, were crowded, watching the empty stage that would host the final match.

Today was a full moon. There could be five different full moons in the sky. Blood Moon, Weeping Moon, Dead Moon, Blue Moon, and Joy Moon.

The sky sometimes has two moons; no one can predict which moon or how many moons will be in the sky at a full moon. The Blue and Joy Moons together were considered the most auspicious day of the year.

When the Dead Moon and Weeping Moon appeared in the sky, it was considered the ill-fated day of the year. The Night of the Devil, and nothing good ever comes for the people who were born on this day. A worthless superstition. However, it served to give illiterate backwater villagers all the right to treat the unlucky worse than animals.

Yet the argument that nothing good ever comes for the child born on the Night of the Devil was true. After all, those who believe in superstition would do everything humanly possible to make sure those words come true for the child who is born.

And, without a doubt, Iris was born on this day. She did not know that, of course. No one ever sat down to tell her why they made her life miserable. The only reason she knew her age was due to the system showing her age.

This day was another night of the devil.

The dead moon was a blackish-grey moon that covered half the sky. It was hard to distinguish it from the night sky, as it lacked a glow. The lack of stars in large chunks of the sky was an indication that it was the dead moon in the sky.

The weeping moon was different. It was a single white eye that had no iris and was completely white. It weeps; tears stream down from the eyes and fall on the land beneath like a waterfall.

No one knows where the tears truly fall; some believe they fall in the center of the world—into the waterfall of the beginning, where the water of Er, Rei, and Nia converges. It is only superstition, though, as no one has ever reached the waterfall of the beginning.

…

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Iris stared at the weeping moon, standing on the veranda, as she waited for others to come out. The horses gloated at her, asking her what she, the lightning lord, could do against their slow speed. That she was at the mercy of their speed. Iris was incredibly tempted to just shock them.

Of course, temptation was nothing against her clear mind, which knew it was she who conjured that illusion, and horses were indifferent to who sat in the carriage.

In reality, Iris was trying to distract herself from the eerie eye in the sky. She did not remember it, and now she finds just looking at it creepy, extremely uncomfortable, and saddening. She wanted to take off Mother’s Gift and weep, looking at the eye that was weeping.

"The eye, can you recognize it?" Ilona asked. This question cleared up every misunderstanding. Ilona knew her before she fell into the labyrinth. Was she one of the villagers who tormented her? Did she feel guilty about her actions? But why would someone so strong like Ilona be in her village?

Iris decided not to ask. She did not want to have another emotional ride. Winny was all that mattered. Ilona in front of her was not someone who wanted to hurt her; that alone was enough. She somewhat understood why Ilona had guilt in her eyes when she called herself inferior.

"I do," Iris said, her tone cutting off the conversation right there.

Ilona sighed and opened her mouth to say something, but didn’t. Instead, she turned away and left.

Iris had this urge to ask her, What is it that she feels guilty of? She was smarter than to ask. She wanted to watch Hecate’s battle with a calm mind. The last few days had hammered home the lesson: she was not mentally strong enough to have a connection with people. She was far too fragile, like a glass, and everything that happened around her was rock; if she approached anything, she would break.

Labyrinth did not have people; Laydell was the most human thing she had a conversation with. She had no idea she was as fragile mentally as she was physically. "Heh," Iris chuckled. Lord rank soul, Lightning Lord title, and Level 6. Yet she was incapable of asking a question she wanted to because she was too weak to handle the answer.

She wondered whose comedic tragedy was she, who was laughing at her miserable existence—that she so wanted to end, but her love for Winny would not allow it.

"Let’s go!" Hecate exclaimed in her ears. Iris shrank away. "Ahahaha, who knew Level 6 would be so easy to surprise?"

Before Iris could say anything, Hecate ran off to the carriage, stepped on the stair to climb in, and her foot slipped. Her face went for the hard metal edge. Her fall stopped inches away from the stairs, and she hung in the air.

"At this point, I would be surprised if you did not manage to fall," Iris said as she carried Hecate inside.

"Hey! Let me go!" Hecate screamed as she tried to free herself.

"If I did, you would fall, jump, and hit your head. I think you should stay like this for the rest of the ride," Iris smiled as she saw Hecate struggle in futility. Hecate was the best distraction she could ask for. Even if she knew it was all false pretension. Yet Iris could only admire how much strength Hecate had to keep up the image. She could never. She would’ve been hidden in some gloomy corner.

"Where are you lost?" Hecate asked.

Iris shook her head. "Nothing," Iris sat down and dropped Hecate beside her.

Diantha followed behind her. Jasper bid farewell to Diantha and Hecate, turned, and left. Iris stared at him; he was dissatisfied with her. Jasper did not show it, but when they first met, the way he appeared now was completely different. He did not even greet her.

Iris understood why, and it stung. He was a kind man, very warm, and his music was pleasing. She would apologize before leaving.

Diantha stared at him but said nothing.

Ilona came before they could leave and asked Hecate to come with her. She was going to bring her to the coliseum. There was something Ilona needed to explain before the match began. Iris knew what it might be.

"Hecate would be sad once again," Iris muttered, mostly to herself.

"You know what Ilona will tell her?" Diantha asked, confused.

"If her sad face was any indication, then yes—Hecate is half a soul; if she tries to use the Vow of Sacrifice, she will die instantly. There is no victory for her. If she dies, she loses; if she kills Rian, she loses; and drawing is only possible if she uses a spell that may not kill and she survives, but she would die regardless. Winny is a complete soul, so she paid a price yet lived. Half a soul's price is death."

Ilona's not telling Hecate this beforehand, to leave Hecate with an assurance, was within Ilona’s character.

"I see… I did not know of that; that means she does not have a choice but to kill the raven."

Iris's fist clenched, and she did not like the way Diantha spoke. As if it was a relief and not something cruel. Was Hecate's ascending to Level 5 that important? "Why do you want her to kill Raven?" Iris tried her best not to show her dissatisfaction.

"I will explain," Diantha looked at her.