One week later, the 95th Floor.
Seven days have passed since the Pontifex was finally defeated. In the aftermath, I collapsed for a few hours due to my wounds, but thanks to my dedicated nurse and favorite Integrity Knight, I was brought back to good health. In the meantime, we learned that Medina lost most of her memories from her past, only remembering things of the last two years. She remembers the death of her father since she’s thought about it multiple times, though the exact feelings and memories around that time are gone.
Once Alice cut the Cathedral Cedar, reports of strange flowers died out within a day, and the ACTF took care of any lingering beasts. With the empires cleared of the threat, the ACTF considered the mission a success and unofficially disbanded. Bercouli, however, now petitions the rulers of the four kingdoms to add more forces to rebuild the Imperial Knights for the incoming threat, The Dark Territory. With the Pontifex officially announced as departed, he believes the forces beyond the End Mountains will now mobilize greater than ever, now that I warned him and the Integrity Knights of the incoming war.
Speaking of a Pontifex, “Cardinal, I am here.”
The little woman turns and bows to me. “Hello, Jaymes. I hear you’ve been granted a new title, though I’m sure it’ll make the empires unhappy, Hero-King.”
I sigh and shrug. “Truth be told, I rather stay away from royalty.”
She chuckles. “Yes, that doesn’t suit you, being in their company. Your mannerisms are rude enough as is.” She turns away and looks to the outside, smiling contently. “Quinella is gone, and Kirito has changed my mind about my other goal. My time in this world is no longer necessary. So may I ask a favor before I go.”
“You may?”
“May I know your true desire for this world?”
“My true desire…” I look outside, seeing the radiant rays of Solus bear down on the capital and the visible stretch of land made by Terraria to the north. “Well, my end goal is the same. I must take Alice to the World’s End Altar. I will fight the Dark Territory as I originally set out to. But now… My true desire is the prosperity of the Underworld. I don’t fight for my own goals, but for the goals of the people of this world. Medina, Eydis, Alice… I want to save their world first.”
“That’s good to hear. Now don’t you have some people to talk to?”
I nod. “Yeah. It’s about time I report in.” I turn to Cardinal and bow to her. “I never thought, with all that’s happened with the Cardinal System in my life I’ll ever say this, but… Thank you, Cardinal. Not just for aiding me, but for Kirito as well.”
Cardinal smiles and wacks me on the head with her staff. “You’re welcome. Now go.” Grumbling something quite inappropriate, I walk towards the doors Cardinal forms for me. “Oh, and Jaymes?”
“Yeah.”
Out of thin air she takes hold of a wrapped sword and a rolled parchment and hands them to me via telekinesis. “Your sword order and an additional gift for the restored Lady Orthinanos. Take care of her and of Lady Eydis. I’m leaving this world in your hands, after all.”
“I will try my best.”
“And one more thing… The warrior, she wasn’t someone who just was ‘sent’ by Lunaria in the night. She was Lunaria herself.” With this new information, I nod and enter the doorway, not looking back as I leave Cardinal for the very last time.
YOU ARE READING
Alicization: Steel and Lycoris
AdventureWhen Kirito loses his sense of self in the Underworld and the Ocean Turtle is taken over by a mysterious force, Jaymes dives into the Underworld and joins three new friends; the current head of a disgraced noble family, Medina Orthinanos, and the In...
