"Professor Nah?"
"Professor Nah?"
As the two of them stared at Professor Nah in bewilderment, she seemed to grasp the situation in an instant.
"I stopped by to prepare some things, and... just how eager are you two to get here this early? Look at you, you must be freezing. Come with me."
"Ah, yes!"
The pair followed after Professor Nah as she headed somewhere. She was wrapped in a thick robe, clearly aware that the top floor of the Star Tower was bitterly cold.
"I should've asked Professor Nah first if I'd known. Right?"
Ashytara flashed a mischievous smile at Ludenberg Lavante, who returned it with one of his own.
"Yeah."
"Ugh, but it really is cold."
Ashytara was already shivering fiercely in that short time. Watching her, Ludenberg thought for a moment before draping his arm over her shoulders.
"Stick close like this, and it'll be warmer."
"Ah, yeah..."
Caught off guard by Ludenberg's sudden gesture, Ashytara grabbed his arm where it rested on her shoulder with her hand. Professor Nah glanced at them, unable to hide a hint of displeasure.
Some of us have been prepping for the festival since morning up in the Star Tower, and others are off canoodling.
It wasn't just talk anymore—the way Ashytara and Ludenberg acted looked like any ordinary couple in love, even to the faculty.
Professor Nah led them to the teleportation sacred law formation on the top floor.
"Go down first, listen to the explanation, then come back up. I don't want to repeat myself a bunch of times, so pay attention when I explain later. Got it?"
"Ah, yes..."
The two had nothing to say to that. It was clearly their fault for sneaking up without following her instructions.
In the end, they stepped onto the sacred law formation.
"I've got stuff to do here, so I'll stay behind. Come find me once I'm down. With all the other students around, it'll be easy to spot me."
"Yes."
With that, Professor Nah activated the formation. A spatial rift opened beneath it, leading downward, and the two plummeted through.
"Whoa!"
"Kyaa!"
Their sharp cries echoed suddenly, but Professor Nah paid no mind. It was the standard reaction for anyone using the Star Tower's teleportation formation.
She watched them for a moment longer before heading off elsewhere. She had a mountain of tasks ahead.
First, she needed to activate the sacred law formation to clear the surrounding clouds for a clearer view of the comet. Then, the one embedded in the Star Tower that consumed the most divine power—the formation that evoked past happy memories.
Dragging her white robes behind her, she looked somewhat weary.
"Haa. My whole body’s gonna ache tomorrow. But if I push through today, things should be quiet for a while... Come on, Nah. Just get through this, and you can dive back into research..."
She let out a deep sigh, then slapped her cheeks twice with her palms to pep herself up before starting the formations.
Ludenberg and Ashytara began to feel a gentle floating sensation, much like the Wind Path.
"This is... like the Wind Path?"
"Seems like it? How does Professor Nah know Celioum sacred laws?"
"It's not Celioum sacred law. Probably just a specific sacred law formation."
"Could be. Looking at those patterns on the walls and floor... maybe it runs purely on divine power."
They descended rapidly yet steadily toward the ground.
"Whoa! Look at that, Rud!"
"Hm?"
Ashytara suddenly tapped Ludenberg's shoulder, pointing. What they saw was a landscape as if stars and galaxies had been embedded everywhere. Glowing butterflies and star fragments swirled around them playfully before scattering.
The mystical sight left them gaping.
"Whoa..."
"Where the hell are we? Inside the tower? Or... an illusion?"
"No idea."
"Does it matter? It's amazing."
"True."
How much further did they descend? With the pleasant buoyancy, their vision gradually brightened... and the butterflies and stars circling them parted below, opening a space.
What emerged was a feast of countless books, like the repository of knowledge they'd glimpsed before.
The first floor. It was the first floor.
Ashytara, planting her feet on solid ground, looked a bit disappointed.
"Don't be too bummed. We'll ride it back up soon anyway."
"True. Shall we wait here then?"
"Yeah."
As the two waited on the first floor, they watched students arrive at the Star Tower in droves.
The first floor of the Star Tower buzzed with Solemnute Adem students, a chaotic hum filling the air.
How long had they waited? Professor Nah descended into the first floor through a spatial rift, looking a touch fatigued, and caught everyone's eye.
"Alright, everyone, listen up."
At her words, all eyes in the room turned to her.
"As you all know, preparations for today's main event—the comet observation—are complete."
Cheers erupted from the students. A comet. How romantic. Their excited faces perfectly captured the youthful enthusiasm of their age.
Smiling at the sight, Professor Nah added one more thing.
"But to observe the comet, you need to head to the top floor, and it's extremely cold up there right now. See this robe I'm wearing?"
"Yes!"
"It's the dead of summer, though, so your clothes are probably light. I've prepared robes and sealed containers of hot soup for you. Eat it while watching the comet—it'll keep you warm."
"Thank you!"
"Let's go. Follow me for the robes and soup."
With that, Professor Nah started up the stairs. The students trailed after her, chattering about how awesome the comet would be.
They soon reached a room on the second floor. There stood dozens of large desks, neatly arrayed with robes and sealed rectangular containers of steaming soup.
Following her instructions, the students donned the robes, grabbed their soup, and once everyone was ready, Professor Nah activated the formation from the second floor to the top.
The process Ludenberg and Ashytara had experienced repeated, and the students arrived at the summit wide-eyed in awe...
Ludenberg and Ashytara were stunned anew. The top floor had transformed beyond recognition from the heavenly scene they'd seen before.
Stars upon stars—and countless more—filled their vision, a paradise of celestial wonders. A star slumbering in the galaxy's embrace across the vast sky was awakening.
And that wasn't all. The glowing stars connected, forming innumerable portals of starlight.
Ludenberg and Ashytara could only gape. Within those starlit gates appeared... scenes from their much younger days.
Faded memories from long ago now played out before them.
"We've got plenty of time before the comet, so I've activated several sacred law formations. You'll likely witness mystical sights or your own happy past moments. I hope this time refreshes your weary bodies and minds from studies and training."
With Professor Nah's incantation-like words, the starlit portals flickered toward them, enveloping and drawing them into the past worlds.
Lights dazzled their vision chaotically, sending the pair back in time. A familiar sensation—like when Raha had hurled Ludenberg into the trial world.
Swimming through the lights brought disorienting waves, but one thing remained clear amid the chaos: the hands clasping each other.
Ludenberg gripped Ashytara's hand; she gripped his. And the place they arrived was one they'd visited just recently.
Lavante. Ludenberg's family estate.
The landscape of Lavante amid a massive eastern erosion assault filled their eyes, and they realized when this scene was from.
Their first meeting.
"This is... Lavante?"
"Seems like it. Wow, I've never seen a sacred law like this—sending us to the past..."
Setting aside their awe, they quietly watched their first encounter.
Ashytara approaching Ludenberg with resolve. Him swinging his sword with fierce determination.
The ensuing conversation was their very first words to each other.
Why are you trying so hard?
Because I have to.
Ashytara wore a wistful smile; Ludenberg looked a bit embarrassed.
"Watching it now is kinda embarrassing."
"...Yeah. Kinda. Heh. Maybe 'cause it's me from back when I couldn't do anything on my own?"
"But you can do anything now."
"All thanks to you. Right?"
"Eh, that's just 'cause you set your mind to it."
"That's thanks to you too, Rud. I made it this far because of you."
"Hearing that outta nowhere is making it even more embarrassing."
"Ahaha. Oh, right, Rud. Seeing that scene reminds me—I wanna tell you something."
"Hm? What?"
"Weren't you ever curious why I came to Lavante when the east was in chaos?"
Thinking back, Ludenberg had never asked why Ashytara had come to Lavante. It hadn't been the time, and he hadn't wanted to seem rude. The question had faded over time, but now that she offered an answer, he wanted to hear it.
"I am. Why'd you come east?"
"I had a dream."
"A dream?"
"A woman painted all in black... she held me and spoke."
"A woman all in black...? What'd she say?"
"Go east. To the east, Ashytara. You must go. That's what she said."
The moment Ashytara finished, shock bloomed on Ludenberg's face.
A dream. A woman in black. No way.
The description matched someone he knew too perfectly.
"What's wrong, Rud?"
"Was there... anything else distinctive about her?"
"I don't remember details, but... Ah! Right! A mask! She was wearing a mask!"
At her words, Ludenberg was certain.
Even guiding Ashytara to him... had been Raha's doing.