Side Quest: Searching For My Favourite NPC!

Chapter 26 - True Ending

The door to the room where Yrina was staying opened with a creak, and she turned to see who had come to visit her. Darka peeked through the opening before entering.

— Still awake? — Darka joked as he entered.

— Darka! — Yrina got up and hurried over to the young man, already pulling him into a tight hug. The comfort of her arms combined with a headpat was comforting, leaving Darka with a pleasant feeling of nostalgia. He noticed that she was wearing new clothes and around her neck, the amulets of the Dia and Noite masks hung, badly damaged. — I've already slept too much, darling. 100 years of being unconscious makes a person really wide-awake.

When he freed himself from her hug and managed to see the room where he was, the first thing he noticed was the absurd size of the place. A fireplace adorned the left wall and the right wall boasted huge windows with elaborate stained glass, while an enormous bed took up much of the room. In it, covered in cotton sheets and sunk in pillows that seemed to be made of clouds, Dia and Noite rested, while Miko slept on top of them.

— So they haven't woken up yet. — Darka sat on the edge of the bed, sighing. — And I thought they wouldn't escape my scolding today.

— I imagine they were a lot of work, right? — Yrina sat next to him, trying to hide her sadness. — I am really sorry.

— Not so much, they've just spent the last two years trying to turn me into an evil tyrant. I confess that I really wanted to kill them a lot of times, but... — he thought for a while before concluding. — Siblings are like that.

Yrina was surprised to hear him calling them siblings. She often found herself wondering what he would think of Dia and Noite if they came out of the amulets, and she regretted that the circumstances of their meeting had been so negatively chaotic. Yet Darka called them that way, and she almost couldn't hold back a tear.

— I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this sooner. There were times when I wanted to take them both out of the amulets, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to protect them.

— It's ok. I understand why you didn't tell me. — Darka smiled, trying to reinforce that he really wasn't upset. — They still love you very much, leafhead. They made this whole mess for you too, so I know they'll wake up at some point. Besides, they owe me an apology.

He noticed a slight bluish glow surrounding them, and wondered if it was some of Yrina's magic acting.

— They're still alive... aren't they?

— Yes. But... I don't know if they'll wake up anytime soon. — She paused, staring at the twins before continuing. — Even my magic isn't enough to replace what they lost. Whatever young Amara said was inside them, it seems it was a big part of both of their spirits. If I had more of my own essence I could replace it, but...

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation, and Darka got up to open it. Katarina's slightly irritated expression greeted him.

— You should be heading to the meeting room.

— Good morning to you too, Katarina. — Darka replied. Yrina appeared behind him, curious.

— Miss Aurea?

— That's Katarina Aurea for you, witch. Come on, boy. — A little impatiently, the paladin pulled Darka by the arm out of the room.

✰★✰★✰

As they walked, Katarina led Darka in front and maintained a serious pose with a serious expression, but no longer threatening as before. She no longer wore her armor, but still wore her paladin outfit with pride. The young man watched her back, her short, loose hair giving an impression of lightness that contrasted with the memory he had of the thick braid from before. It was amazing how much she had changed.