Now it's the month of Balmy-breeze, the fourth month in Almatria. During this time, when the wind blows, it carries the scent of cherry blossoms and greenery. It's the most refreshing period of the year.

The day of Luminita's coming-of-age ritual dawned. In the early morning before sunrise, Luminita and Libel set out.

To see them off, Hester, Clara, and the Master had come to the village exit. Clara occasionally rubbed her eyes, looking as if she might fall asleep standing up at any moment.

"Luminita, are you really alright? Haven't you forgotten anything? Did you pack your lunch, handkerchief, map, and compass? Did you say goodbye to Elder Seron?"

"Libel and I went together on his first day in the village. Hester, how many times do you think we've talked about this?" Luminita said gently.

"Is that so? Well, you say that, but I'm still worried. Are you sure you haven't forgotten anything? Did you pack Elder Seron?"

"Grandfather isn't something you pack..."

It seemed as though Hester was trying to come up with every possible reason to keep them from leaving.

"Come now, Hester. In my country, we say, 'If you don't travel when you're young, you'll have no stories to tell when you're old.' Let's look forward to hearing their tales when they return," the Master said soothingly. Hester finally calmed down, and the two were able to depart.

About an hour's walk north from Alderwick, they reached the forest commonly known as the "Fourfold Grove."

It was a tranquil forest. Thinner and taller green trees than those seen in Alderwick surrounded them.

Luminita touched one of the trees. She felt a slight chill, but at the same time, she sensed a presence as if it had been there for thousands of years.

As the two walked carefully through the forest, they took slow, deep breaths. They felt as if pure air was circulating from within their bodies to the tips of their fingers, enveloping them in a feeling of clarity.

"Amazing, I can feel it too. Such a sacred feeling..." Luminita murmured naturally.

When the wind blew, the leaves of the ancient trees rustled quietly as if singing, and in between, the chirping of birds echoed cheerfully. Looking at their feet, they saw vibrant seasonal flowers blooming: bluebells, primroses, and violets.

The two progressed slowly through the forest, occasionally quenching their thirst at small, clear streams. Soon they reached a clearing in the woods, and Luminita gasped, awestruck by the sight before her.

It looked like a temple made of stone. Against the backdrop of the tranquil forest, the stone temple, towering three to four times Luminita's height, exuded a mystical presence. The pillars of the temple were adorned with intricate carvings, and Luminita approached to examine their contents. A large decorated circle was carved with small bird-like patterns around it. As she got closer, the complexity of the patterns became apparent, almost making Luminita dizzy.

Peering into the entrance of the stone temple, she saw a central corridor with two rooms on each side, four rooms in total.

"Fourfold Grove... four rooms..." Luminita muttered to herself as she walked around. "Including the hidden room, there are five rooms in total, right?" Luminita's soliloquy echoed inside the temple, resonating as if multiple people were whispering together.

After examining the exterior of the ruins, Luminita and Libel began setting up camp a short distance away.

"I wonder what those carvings mean?" Luminita asked Libel, looking at one of the cave pillars.

"Even at the academy, they don't seem to understand it fully. If it's religious architecture from Plato, it's most likely related to the Lux-Nocta faith. There's also a theory that it might have been built before the countries of Almatria took their current form... before the Great Fusion War."

Luminita crossed her arms and nodded several times.

"I think I'm going to really like this place. It's quiet, and it makes me feel very pure. The scenery I've never seen before, unknown structures... I wonder how the people of the past felt when they built this building?"

Seeing Luminita speak with sparkling eyes, Libel couldn't help but smile.

"Hey Libel, how do they teach about the Lux-Nocta faith at the academy?"

"Sure, let me explain a bit."

Libel looked a bit happy. He's always like this when talking about his area of expertise.

"Let's start by confirming the scripture that is the source of the faith. As you know, Luminita, it's said that the prototype of the Lux-Nocta faith existed from before the Janitorial calendar era. At that time, it was passed down orally rather than in writing, and it seems to have been quite different from the tale we know today. What we know as the "Sacred Story" is considered to be a relatively new form. The scripture started circulating in paper form about 250 years ago, but at this time, the content of the faith was greatly revised by the priestly class of the time. However, there were fierce debates among sects before and after the publication of this scripture, and there were many twists and turns leading up to the later "Latio Harmony Meeting"..."

"W-wait a minute... Libel."

Libel becomes very talkative when it's his area of expertise.

"It's a bit complicated, so for now, I'd like to know the flow of the 'Sacred Story'..."

"Oh? I thought knowing the background would make the content more enjoyable..."

Libel looked a bit disappointed, but he quickly recovered.

"Well, okay, let's go over the content briefly then. The "Sacred Story" in the scripture goes like this. ‘On þǣm timan, ǣrþām þe se middangeard wæs gesceapen, wǣron þā godas lēohtes and þēostres. Hīe genēosodon hira mihta tō gefremman mannes cyn, and forġēafon him sǣda gōdes and yfeles. Se god lēohtes forġēaf him þone lēohtfruma…’”

"Wait, Libel..."

What Libel was trying to tell Luminita was probably the content of the Lux-Nocta faith's scripture. But those words were in what's called ancient Almatrian, which was used much earlier than the modern Almatrian language they used.

Ancient Almatrian is hardly used nowadays. It can only see it when reading some old documents or stories. So, only scholars and very studious people can read it, and there are very few of them.

"The old language is still a bit difficult for me... I'd like to hear it in modern language."

"Then I'll give you the modern interpretation after the ancient Almatrian. First, the word 'On þǣm timan' has a complex meaning involving both time and space..."

"As much as I appreciate it, maybe just the modern language for now..."

After going back and forth like this a few times, he finally gave me an explanation Luminita could understand. Libel looked a bit, no, quite disappointed towards the end.

Because she couldn't keep up with the conversation, even though it was a chance for him to show off what he had studied.

Luminita apologised to Libel in her heart and promised to study hard before the next time.

***

The "Sacred Story" in the Lux-Nocta Faith

Long, long ago, before the world was created, the god of light, Lux, and the god of darkness, Nocta, existed together. These two gods joined forces to create humans and gave them the power to do both good and evil. Lux gave light and hope, while Nocta gave shadow and challenge, maintaining balance in the world.

However, this balance was eventually disrupted. This was because sorcerers appeared who tried to throw the world into chaos using a power called "Magianicus", borrowing the power of the dark god Nocta. Centred around six particularly powerful sorcerers, they brought chaos to the world.

To protect those without Magianicus, the light god Lux chose 12 warriors from among humans and named them the Apostles.

Led by the first apostle, the warrior Harpex, people formed a group centred around the Apostle of Oboedientia, the Apostle of Fidelitas, Sacrificium, Conformitas, Humilitas, Pietas.

And the apostles fought against the sorcerers using the "Holly regalia" and "Phasmanicus" bestowed by Lux.

After days of battle, the apostles finally defeated the sorcerers. Lux and Nocta blessed the people and gave the apostles the mission to protect peace on earth. Harpex became the first king on earth as the hero king leading the apostles.

Lux and Nocta told the people to pass down the great deeds of the apostles and inherit the Holly regalia. They promised that if they did so, the blood of the apostles' descendants would be consecrated, granting eternal prosperity to their kingdoms.

The kings divided the Holly regalia, became kings in their respective homelands, and established five kingdoms.

However, the world of humans faced many trials.

At times, descendants of sorcerers rose up to take revenge on the people.

At times, a traveller brought invisible creatures to disrupt the world.

At times, monsters in the form of children attacked humans.

At times, creatures with black blood came to steal treasures from all over the country.

At times...

Each time the people were enveloped in fear and about to lose hope, the words of Lux and Nocta rained down on the descendants of the apostles.

"The time of trial has come. Take up the Holly regalia, rise again, and face the powers of darkness."

The descendants of the apostles rose up, believing in the teachings of their ancestors and the power of the Holly regalia. They united to face all difficulties in order to confront the powers of darkness.

Peace returned to the world once again, and people regained hope.

As long as Lux's light guides them and Nocta's shadow protects them from trials, the 12 apostles will continue to bring peace and prosperity to the world, carrying the Holly regalia. Their courage and dedication will be passed down forever.

***

"That's the content of the ‘scriptures’ of the Lux Nocta faith. The scriptures also include stories about the events of the time when the apostles were ruling the country, Magianicus, and the Ark of the Covenant, but we'll talk about that another time." After finishing his explanation, Libel looked somewhat pleased.

"In Plato, the Lux Nocta faith is very important, isn't it? What about in the cities and at the academy?" Luminita asked, trying her best to remember the content.

"It's being studied with great enthusiasm, both in everyday life and in research. The stories of the Apostles are being incorporated into education and everyday life, too. Things like, ‘If you do that, the Apostle of Loyalty will be angry with you!’, just like in Alderwick." Libel became more talkative, but noticed that Luminita was looking a little glum.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Sorry, I've been talking for a bit too long."

Luminita shook her head in a panic.

"No, it's not that. I can't explain it well, but I'm not really into this scripture story... I really like old things like the decorations and architecture of ruins, but for some reason, this scripture just doesn't feel quite right to me."

"I see..." Libel was silent for a moment. When Luminita, who was wondering what was going on, tried to say something to Libel, he took a pocket watch out of his pocket.

"Lumi, today I'm just your companion," he said.

"Yes! I'll start preparing for the ritual," Luminita replied, almost bouncing.

"Now, I'm sure..."

***

"You shouldn't pick that," a boy said, looking at the grass Libel was about to touch.

"That's called Allium triquetrum. There are similar edible plants, but if you eat this one, you'll get a stomachache."

The boy's tone was calm and strangely precocious. Libel observed the plant he had been about to pick again. It had long leaves with a distinctive scent, and pale blue-purple flowers blooming at the tips.

"How do you know that?" Libel asked. The boy looked about five or six years old. He should have been the same age as Libel, or perhaps only a year apart. Moreover, Libel had read most of the books available in this facility. However, he couldn't remember reading anything about Allium triquetrum.

"They told me," the boy said matter-of-factly.

"Who did?" Libel inquired. The boy pointed at the Allium triquetrum.

Libel first began to learn about the existence of spirits when he was about six years old.

At that time, Libel was living in a facility with children of the same age. The children were divided into groups of about five, teaching each other reading and writing, and cooperating within their groups. All the children here, including Libel, seemed to have no parents. Several adults would come in shifts to take care of Libel and the others.

New children would occasionally arrive at the facility from outside. Each time, they would reorganise the groups or add new members. That day, two girls joined Libel's group. From what he heard, the two were sisters, with the older one two years younger than Libel, and the younger one a year below that. The man who brought them said, "Since you're older, Libel, take care of the sisters."

Thinking that he was being burdened with a troublesome task, Libel ignored the two and was mean to them, deliberately not teaching them how to use the dishes or bedding. Still, the two sisters followed Libel around. This made Libel even more annoyed.

A little while after the sisters arrived, as part of the facility's program, they were to go to nearby hills and fields to gather wild plants. It was a rare place where plants and animals from outside Substania lived.

The two sisters still followed Libel around, picking the same plants he harvested. When Libel picked what he thought was edible chives but was actually Allium triquetrum, the sisters harvested the same.

When it was time to report the baskets of harvested plants to the supervising adults after the morning gathering, one of the women said, "Allium triquetrum looks very similar to chives, but it's not edible. Didn't anyone tell you that?" She admonished the sisters in front of everyone.

Seeing the sisters, Libel began to feel a chill down his spine. Allium triquetrum was a rare plant in Substania, so it wasn't strange that the sisters didn't know about it. Moreover, it was their first time gathering wild plants. In this case, the responsibility should have been on Libel, who was supposed to take care of them. What would happen if the sisters told on Libel right now? Should he speak up immediately? No, how would they react to his meanness towards them and his current silence...?

The sisters never offered any explanation. The older one straightened her back and looked directly at the adult's face, saying, "I'm sorry, we didn't know." The younger one clung to the hem of her sister's clothes.

They didn't seem intimidated. Was the older sister's personality such that she didn't mind being scolded by adults? Libel thought this for a moment but quickly realised something. The older sister was firmly holding her younger sister's hand, and the younger sister was gripping back tightly. Like two tree roots intertwining, supporting each other wholeheartedly.

Seeing the two of them, Libel felt his previous anxiety turn into embarrassment. He then inquired about the sisters' names and committed them to memory anew. The older sister was named Luminita, and the younger one was called Clara.

Some more time passed. Libel couldn't forget the words from that time: "Didn't anyone tell you that?" Unable to understand how to process his emotions, he sought knowledge instead. He began reading many books in the facility and even asked the caretaker to let him read books meant for adults.

As he spent time like this, he began to understand that those words had a different implication. It seemed that they meant more than just asking unclear things to the adults or friends around you. It appeared that in this world, there existed invisible entities that could teach about the safe interaction with phenomena and natural objects around us, and their potential dangers.

These entities would apparently warn you subtly when you were about to eat bread that had gone moldy without noticing, or tell you whether well water was suitable for drinking if you asked. When gathering firewood, they would teach you where to find and how to identify dry wood suitable for lighting a fire in the hearth.

"They" were said to be everywhere, not just in grass, trees, and food, but also appearing from minerals like stones and iron, and even from amorphous things like wind and fire, interacting with us.

Libel and the others were taught by the adults at the facility that in this world, Almatria, these were called spirits.

Spirits don't just teach. If you revere them, they weaken the wind to prevent fires from spreading and enhance soil nutrients to promote wheat growth. Conversely, if we harm them, they threaten us with disasters and crop failures.

"Phasmanicus, the art of dealing with spirits, is one of the most fundamental powers that connects us to the world and helps us live. You'll learn about and acquire this power here," the woman said, seeming to genuinely welcome the children's growth.

The children showed various reactions - joy, surprise, understanding. They were each accepting the existence of spirits in their own way, relating it to their past experiences.

Libel tried to remain as calm as possible, nodding along like the others. He desperately searched for similar reactions and expressions from those around him. Next to him, children smaller than Libel were pointing at the air and flower beds, excited together. He couldn't join them. Libel had never once seen the form or traces of spirits, nor any messages from them.

What does it mean in Almatria if one can't see spirits? Is it a rare occurrence? Is it a matter of individual growth differences that can be improved with training? The reality that Libel had seen up until now might have been completely different from what his peers around him had been seeing. And if it would never be the same from now on...

As various questions swirled in Libel's mind, his eyes fell on the figures of two girls. Luminita stood with her back straight, and Clara leaned against her, holding hands as they listened to the explanation about spirits. Just like during the wild plant gathering. But their hands seemed to be trembling slightly.

***

Libel woke to the dry sound of crackling firewood. Night had already fallen around them. In stark contrast to the daytime, the air was now cold and crisp.

Across the campfire, Luminita was dozing off, wrapped in a blanket. It seemed Libel had been dreaming for a short while.

It had been a long time since Libel had dreamed about the time before coming to Plato. Perhaps it was because he had been watching Luminita, who was so earnest about the ritual.

That facility where they had spent several years as children. Libel and the others didn't even remember its name. No one had ever mentioned it back then. He thought the adults might have called it "Hollow House"...

But for Libel now, that wasn't so important. He quickly shifted his thoughts, recalling the events from noon to evening while watching Luminita sleep peacefully with a contented expression.

During the day, Luminita had tried to communicate with spirits multiple times. She had touched trees, trying to feel the flow of water inside them, and had burned incense to read the flow of wind and air. These were all methods she had learned from the Master in Alderwick village. However, not once did she succeed in communicating with spirits.

Since childhood, since their time in that facility, Libel and his sisters had never been able to sense the presence of spirits. They had thought that maybe they could in a place like the Fourfold Grove where the power of spirits was strong, but it still didn't work.

"Looks like I fell asleep. I'm sorry, Libel. I said we'd take turns keeping watch over the fire," Luminita seemed to have suddenly woken up as Libel was adjusting the blanket that had fallen from her shoulders.

"I wonder if Elder Seron will be angry with us," Luminita said, poking at the campfire with a stick.

"Lumi, actually... In Alderwick's ritual, you don't necessarily need to sense spirits," Libel said.

Luminita stopped what she was doing and looked back at him.

"You've heard that in the coming-of-age ritual, it's customary to spend a night at various ruins and report on communication with spirits, right? But in reality, it's been just a formality for many years now. Four years ago, when someone almost got lost in heavy rain during the ritual, elders started accompanying the participants. At that time, there were even voices calling for the abolition of the ritual."

Luminita stared silently at Libel.

"As you've probably learned from the Master too, it's said that the connection between people and spirits was almost lost due to the impact of the Almatrian Union War 50 years ago. None of us can freely use Phasmanicus like people in the past. Of course, I understand it's different if you want to become a Hoshiwatari. You need spirit research reports and letters of recommendation for that. But that doesn't have to happen now," Libel searched for words to continue with "So..."

"I heard this story two years ago, after I spent a night in the ritual just like you're doing now, Lumi. I heard it secretly from the Master. It was to console me when I couldn't communicate well with the spirits. Neither the Elder nor the Master got angry with me. But keep it a secret that you heard this story from me."

"Libel, you've become quite talkative," Luminita laughed softly. "You sound like a teacher... hehe, it's kind of funny."

Libel inadvertently averted his gaze. He thought Luminita might have realised that he had been eagerly waiting to say these words.

"You know, I don't really mind about that," Luminita said.

Hearing Luminita's words, Libel felt a little relieved. Come to think of it, even back at the facility, Luminita hardly ever cried when Libel or other children were mean to her. Even when they were first brought to Plato and had scary experiences, Luminita seemed to be cheering Libel up instead. Perhaps Luminita was a much stronger girl than Libel thought.

Libel looked at Luminita's face. This time, it was Luminita who averted her gaze.

"It's just that I..."

At that moment, Libel sensed something odd. The campfire had lost more of its brightness than he expected. The wood wasn't catching fire properly, only producing smoke. A mist had settled around them as if the surrounding air had suddenly become humid. At the same time, he began to feel a sudden chill. What should have been a pleasant coolness of an early spring night was gradually making his fingertips cold. The sound of insects that had been audible until then had disappeared, replaced by the rustling of grass and trees that could be attributed neither to wind nor animals.

Something was certainly about to happen. Libel judged that it might be too late if they tried to handle it themselves.

"Let's leave here immediately," Libel said quickly, starting to pack up the camping gear. In Libel's mind flashed the memory of the tornado that had attacked them on the grasslands when they first came to Plato ten years ago. What would happen if something like that occurred again? For Luminita's safety, he needed to make quick decisions.

"Libel, wait..." Luminita pinched the hem of Libel's clothes.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, Lumi. We'll continue our talk once we're safe. For now, let's move quickly," Libel felt apologetic for the urgency in his voice.

"Isn't now the time?" Luminita was calm.

"We can't know for sure, but... don't you think the power of the spirits has intensified and is working on this place? If so, this might be our chance to communicate with the spirits."

Luminita's breath was turning white. The temperature was dropping rapidly. Libel lit a lantern and put out the campfire by covering it with soil.

"Libel..." Luminita's voice grew a little quieter.

"Lumi, you might be right. But we can't know for sure on our own. We can't help it, we just can't interact with spirits. We can live without engaging with spirits. Come on, let's go," Libel said, trying not to speak too quickly, and reached out his hand to Luminita.

At that moment, a gust of wind blew through, causing the lantern Libel was holding to flicker wildly. In the wavering light, he could see her face tinted orange. She was silently staring into Libel's eyes. For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still. Even in the dark night, he could see Luminita's light green eyes glistening with moisture. A single streak of light trailed down her cheek and was absorbed into the ground. It was as if the momentarily frozen time had started moving again.

"Am I... unable to do anything? Will I always be like this?"

The moment Libel heard Luminita's trembling voice, he suddenly remembered the instant when they first heard about the existence of spirits back at the facility. Amidst their peers who were rejoicing at learning that what they had been seeing were spirits, the two sisters stood with straight backs. Luminita holding Clara's hand. Libel finally realised the meaning of that trembling hand. At that time, she was never strong. She was just trying to do her role.

"Libel, I'm sorry for being selfish. I'm okay now. Come on, let's go quickly!"

As if the previous moment had been a lie, the tremor in her voice was already gone. Luminita started packing up their belongings.

"Luminita," Libel placed his hand on Luminita's shoulder, supporting her.

"I'm the one who should apologise. I've only been seeing things from my perspective... I'm sorry. We might have limited time, but you're right, this should be a chance. Let's try calling out to the spirits one more time."