"Huh?"

"A simple enough option, isn't it? Marry him in the customs of old Hautefoi, consume your first night under a pale moon, and your very selves will be joined in divine consecration. You will share flesh, mind, and soul. Thus, you will bear half his burden... half his curse... half his pain. It should allow his body to be functional again, though you will never be able to part with one another."

Helene's eye widened in shock. She was barely seventeen and had never laid with anyone, let alone thought about marriage. Would she be able to do it for Luca's sake?

"Absolutely not!" Leon roared.

Alice snapped at him. "That's not your decision to make, idiot."

Leon twirled his staff before targeting Luca. "I don't care for any of that. No matter the strength of her resolve, I won't sit idly by while my beloved surrenders herself to a lifetime of agony. Even if she hates me until our deaths, I'll kill Luca the moment she considers that option."

Alice had already braced herself for combat, edging towards Luca to shield him.

"Move away."

"Make me."

Sweat dripped down Johann's forehead as he circled around them, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire.

Amidst the rising tension, Helene's expression twisted into a self-deprecating smile.

Fremd picked up on that slight shift, resuming, "The second option should give meaning to that hotblooded blather. It's to kill your friend."

"Don't joke with that!" Alice's hair unfurled in a mesmerizing dance, ready to fight.

"Kill him," Fremd emphasized, "Capture his soul, then bind it to a suitable host. I'm fairly certain you're familiar with the concept of Sealed Phantoms. Naturally, the chafing during such a procedure is highly damaging, which will surely alter his personality, but that should not be a steep price to pay in your situation."

Helene shook her head. "I already thought of that. Even a skilled Thanaturgist has a thirty percent chance to create a successful Sealed Phantom, and that's taking into account the availability of a compatible host. Meanwhile, my expertise lies in Theurgism, so you can easily see why it's not an enthralling alternative."

"Hm." Fremd seemed annoyed, tapping his chin. "It appears you're left with the third option. Have you heard about the Tome of Screams?"

The color drained from Johann's face, looking at Fremd with pure terror. Helene, on the other hand, merely nodded.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"It's the oldest found writings in Hautefoi, which also happen to be the first ever records of a Liturgy."

"You would be particularly familiar with it." Fremd gave her a meaningful look. "The Tome of Screams holds the primal layer of the Liturgy, as in the very first network of chants and rites established to appease the entities haunting Hautefoi. The moon plague is as ancient as this country. If a way to deal with it exists, it's within that book."

Leon beamed. "That's great to hear, isn't it? We can save your friend if we find it, my love."

"No..." Helene lowered her gaze, her lips pursed. "The Tome of Screams is considered a dangerous Antique and is currently sealed away by the OCA. Their armory is inviolable."

Leon snapped his fingers, glancing at Johann. "Your father is an OCA operative, right? Can't he slip us into that place?"

Johann was finally allowed to open his mouth. "Damn you, Fleundel! Never do this again!"

"Answer the question if you don't want to become mute for a year."

A glint of worry shone in Johann's eyes. "There's nothing to answer. She told you the armory is inviolable, and that's an immutable fact. Not even His Highness, the Prince of Hautefoi himself, can access it without the proper authorization."

"I can."

Fremd's declaration shook Helene to her core, and she raised her head faster than ever. The others were similarly shocked.

"I can guarantee you unsupervised entry into the OCA's armory," he repeated. "However, for it to be worthwhile to me, it must benefit both sides."

"What do you want?"

"Just as you need the Tome of Screams, I also seek something from the armory. Unfortunately, lone infiltration is tantamount to suicide for someone like me. I'd require assistance, which you will need to provide."

Helene didn't think twice about it. "I'll do it."

"Me too," Alice said. "I'll go as well."

Helene turned towards her. "You don't have to, Alice. It's my mistake. Mine alone. This is going to be highly dangerous. I don't want to lose one friend while trying to save another."

"Luca is my friend, too." She hesitated, her lips trembling. "My weakness forced you to shed a part of yourself that you weren't ready to abandon. I can't have you shoulder all of this alone. Not anymore. Let me contribute this one time, at least."

"Alice..."

"Have a fun journey. You will all die." Johann waved at them with glee. "The OCA deals with criminal Esoterics and entities from the Outer Layer on a daily basis. Their operatives are battle-hardened monsters who stifled an untold number of souls. You won't last a single minute."

"What are you talking about, Johann?" Leon grinned. "There's no way we're letting two ladies brave such hurdles alone, especially when one of them is my lovely Helene. I'll make quick work of any obstacle in our way, don't you worry!"

Johann was stunned. "D—Do you have a death wish? Actually, I couldn't care less if you had one, but don't drag me to the depths with you!"

"Why not? Your dad's an operative. Maybe he could bail us out if we get caught."

"Did you hear anything I said? Even the damned prince of this country would get blasted to oblivion if he so much as stepped inside the armory without authorization. The OCA is a subsidiary of the Imperial Commission, which answers directly to the Iaoxi emperor. They wouldn't think twice about killing randoms like us."

"Fun! It adds to the challenge."

"YOU FU—"

"All right, mouth closed."

Johann's lips were glued together again by Leon's command, though Helene felt like she could hear him scream internally.

"It's settled then," Fremd concluded. "We'll meet in this shed tomorrow at midnight. I suggest ample sleep. Mental stability is the crux of esoterism."

Helene acquiesced, feeling the slightest hint of joy in her heart.

Finally, she had found it. After months of excruciating despair, she could now glimpse it.

The long-awaited sliver of hope.