42

Lesley bid Lady Lancaster farewell and walked into the compound of Lancaster’s mansion. Right now, Lesley is a he.

Today was the last day of his tenure in Gracia—his next posting was in Shattered Realm. Something was steering in that broken place, and he was expected to find whatever it was. The timing couldn’t have been worse. At least he did not have any regrets. Except for what he did to Hecate.

He wished to talk with Hecate one last time; as such, he approached the passing carriage and learned it was Lady Ilona who had taken Hecate. The Butler pointed him in their direction.

He watched Hecate’s crumbling platform. Not knowing her mental state, he decided to greet Ilona, who stood like a statue.

"Greetings, Elder Lord Ilona," Lesley said, bowing.

"Greetings, Lesley," Ilona said, her eyes trained on Hecate. "I shall follow her."

The circle formed beneath her.

"Plase wait; I will follow Hecate. I wish to talk to her one last time." Lesley implored. He could see the tension behind the silence of Ilona. "I have come to understand the wrongs of my doing." He was the reason the world knew Hecate’s title was Raven.

"You’re aware of her condition? How?" Ilona’s eyes narrowed.

"Dr. Fenroy." Understanding dawned in Ilona’s eyes.

"His location?" Ilona asked. Lesley involuntarily shook. The hatred behind those words was unintelligible with Lesley's understanding of Ilona. He knew about her. She did not hate anything. To him, Ilona was the true keeper of the balance of this world.

If she were not part of the Roundtable Rivals, this world would have been plunged into the chaos of conquest.

Trin and Isolde were unlike her; they desired power and authority. The Mercenary Guild desired absolute freedom from the chain of laws. The Laks Empire would not be invaded, even if the price was burning down the entirety of our world. The Keeper of Seven was crumbling.

The old fools of the Great Rook Confederation were incapable of doing anything against the tides of fate. And The Gathering of Labyrinth: Seekers would not stop at any heinous act as long as they could crown their new champion.

The existence of Ilona, who desired no conflict, kept everyone at bay.

"I am not allowed to disclose," Lesley replied, his voice strained. Fenroy was presumed dead in the fire at Meredith's house. Even his body was discovered dead and left for the crows to eat. Kindness and cruelty—both Lady Lancaster deed with great sincerity. He had used all the goodwill and power in the Mercenaries Federation to get this information. If he utters a single word about his location, death will be the only solace he may find.

"I shall look the other way; pray that this is our last meeting." Ilona turned away, her fist clenched.

Lesley could only bow in reverence at Ilona’s magnanimity. If it were Trin or Isolde, he would be dead, though he was not stupid enough to even speak to them. He intentionally let Ilona know of Fenroy’s existence. A repayment for the pleasant stay he received during his tenure.

Lesey summoned his familiar, a white eagle—Lorelei—and rode it in Hecate’s direction, but failed to see her. He softly asked his familiar to find Hecate.

He had taken on the persona of the receptionist on the day Hecate came to register. He knew about her wild and outgoing nature. When she spoke the title with a bitter face, he thought it was for a silly reason, laughed out loud, and announced it to everyone in the guild. A jest, he always believed their animosity was a silly joke and nothing to be concerned about. Until he saw her angry, even when he saved Felix, That was an unreasonable degree of animosity, unless she truly hated him. He took a look at her past.

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He regrets his joke. He learned about her past and the experiment conducted by Fenroy. Even he, who had seen the worst of humanity, felt his body quiver when Fenroy described in glee what he did to them and how proud he was of the success.

The urge to kill him was unbearably hard to control, but he was a neutral entity; he must stay as such. Though the cracks were already spreading on his neutrality after his conversation with Ilona, now he would have with Hecate.

Lorelei landed in the small forest park in the center of the city. Lesley spotted Hecate on the ground, in a puddle of blood. Panic rose in his soul, he rushed to her side.

Her eyes were glazed. Awakened state! Lesley crushed the white jade with a rune carved on it.

Hecate’s body twitched, and her hands shot at her wounded place. Water ropes rose from the ground and held Hecate’s body from moving. She screamed in pain.

The healing rune itched when used in the normal state, but in awakening, it hurts like ants slowly eating away at your flesh.

Lesley marveled and dreaded seeing someone tap into it so easily. Mages's biggest asset is their awakened state, and at the same time, their worst nightmare.

"Has your mind finally gained sanity?" Lesley asked as he crouched next to her. The rune had stopped working, but his water rope still held in place.

"Lesley!" Hecate spat venomously. It saddened Lesley, knowing he always thought this was just a joke.

"I’ve come to apologize, Hecate," he said.

"For what? If this rope had not bound me, I would be talking to your incinerated body."

"Perhaps I’m deserving of such a fate," Lesley replied in guilt. The ropes vanished.

Hecate jumped to her feet, vigilant, and her mana flared. She was still in the awakened state.

"I’m sorry, I did not know the reason behind your ire. I know I cannot undo the pain I have inflicted on you, but I wanted to apologize for my wrongs one last time."

"You know…" Hecate’s eyes widened. Her jaw clenched. "Who?"

"Fenroy?"

Hecate recoiled at his name and asked, "H-he lives?" She uttered in disbelief.

"He does, but you will need to find him on your own." Lesley sensed if there was any other presence nearby. Nothing. He concluded. "Today, I have come to share with you something else."

"What!" Hecate no longer seemed prone to a battle.

"I was once," Lesley's voice changed to more feminine, as did his body, "half soul just like you. Then, I killed my brother to become complete." That is the fate of the half-soul: either kill one and absorb their soul, or both die miserably.

"What!!" Her mana flared again. "Are you here to suggest that I should kill my sister again?" A polearm made of mana conjured in her hand, "Choose your words wisely, Lesley." She pointed the blade at him.

"No, that is your choice to make, but..." Lesley said she did not wish for a conflict. "As I do not bear the same fear and love as Lady Ilona or Lady Lancaster, I can speak openly." Lesley strode forward.

"The suffering your sister bears for your selfishness is unfair. Only by your hand will she find rest," Lesley sighed. She was not good at pep talk, especially since she was entrapped in her own grief.

Hecate stepped back as Lesley stood in front of her. Lesley extended her hands and grabbed Hecate's face from both sides, forcing her to stare into her eyes. "It is the only help you will ever receive."

[Soul Mirror]

Hecate’s eyes went blank for a moment; the next moment she let out a guttural scream, and her body went limp and dangled on Lesley’s hand. Lesley knew she could not do this in front of Ilona, so she asked her to stay away.

This ability made Lesley special. She could swap her soul with her brothers and do the same for anyone who held a connection. Right now, Hecate’s soul is in the raven, which burns in the same pain as the rain of the blood moon for every moment of its life.

Lesley pitied her, but more so the sister, who must bear that accursed life and stay completely sane, for if it died, Hecate would too. Raven was free to die, but a half-soul cannot stay alive alone; Hecate would die with her. Unless Hecate kills the raven and the soul becomes her.

"Ahhh…" Hecate's mouth hung open, and a soft whimper escaped as the light in her eyes returned.

"Now that you have felt the suffering you have always subjected your sister to, I hope the decision may become less painful. Let’s go… Your match is about to begin," Lesley climbed atop the eagle.

"H..how can I kill my sister? I have already done it hundreds of times. I cannot…." Hecate muttered weakly.

"The hesitation makes us human, yet there are things that must be done. For twins whose half-souls cannot find solace in living, may death be our peace. I always said to my brother, " Lesley mutter. A thought whispered in her mind: What even is worth living for? She answered it for the millionth time. To find happiness for myself and for the brother whom I killed.

A half-soul cannot ascend to Level 5, and to survive, one of us needed to die.