The Prophetess from the Alley
By the time Liberatus Ahad had fully familiarized himself with all the handover details, night had already fallen. Fortunately, there wasn't an overwhelming amount of work for him to do. With a sigh, Liberatus slipped out of the captain's office.
The night was already dim and murky. His disciples were probably fast asleep by now. The training grounds lay silent. Ludenberg Lavante watched as Liberatus lost himself in thought. What could be weighing on him so heavily? He glanced at the sky, then bowed his head to the ground. A clear conflict etched across his complex expression. Even though Ludenberg now inhabited his body, he couldn't read Liberatus's mind...
Ludenberg simply observed in silence.
Liberatus began walking somewhere, as if heading out for a stroll. This stirred a question in Ludenberg.
'Control of the body hasn't returned to me yet.'
Whenever they were alone, control had reverted to Ludenberg before. But not this time—it seemed some significant historical event was unfolding. Ludenberg quietly tracked Liberatus's path.
Before his eyes stretched the full vista of Fermora, drenched in inky blackness. He'd assumed a city of black buildings would feel eerily foreboding at night, but it wasn't so. The nocturnal ambiance suited it perfectly, lending an ethereal dreaminess all its own.
Liberatus wandered the scene alone. Having returned after so long, he seemed lost in reminiscence. His footsteps led him into a shabby alley. It resembled the backstreets of Solemnute—city shadows apparently looked much the same everywhere.
'Why an alley...?'
As Ludenberg wondered, Liberatus startled and stumbled slightly. It seemed he'd simply wandered aimlessly, perhaps tangled in complicated emotions.
"Oh. Wrong way. Better head back."
Aware of his mistake, Liberatus muttered to himself and turned—when suddenly, the presence of someone approaching nearby caught his attention. Judging by the stride... it was a child, no older than fourteen at most.
"...Who goes there."
"Please don't be so on guard."
It was a serene voice. Low for a girl's, lacking the bubbly liveliness typical of young ones, infused instead with a restrained tranquility. Yet it rang so purely clear that it evoked an air of profound mystery in the listener. Liberatus turned to face the voice's owner.
Through the gaps in a small, tattered robe peeked slightly disheveled pink hair. She appeared to be a slum child, yet her posture was so refined and poised it rivaled any noble lady trained rigorously from birth.
"You..."
"Istradim. Call me that, please."
"Istradim."
"Yes."
Liberatus must have found the name unusual. It wasn't a common imperial naming convention. He couldn't guess its meaning, but that wasn't important now. He cut straight to the point.
"...You know me?"
"Liberatus Ahad. Former captain of the imperial knights, the empire's greatest knight. And... the great master who will illuminate my path. I have come from afar seeking you."
"I've never taken a disciple like you."
"Correct. I am not your disciple now. But today, I will become one."
"How can you be so certain?"
"In the countless scenes of 'today' that I have witnessed, you were always there, leading me."
Lifting her gaze, Istradim's eyes gleamed with mystical pink hues. Ludenberg, who had watched it all, observed their exchange with keen interest. The records he'd seen before hadn't detailed where their bond began. And he hadn't expected their meeting to be so otherworldly.
A fateful encounter, truly. Istradim had sought Liberatus, trusting the futures she'd seen. And Liberatus, deep in thought, had unwittingly wandered right to her...
"You can see the future."
"Yes."
Liberatus fell silent, pondering. Ludenberg realized he was weighing whether to accept her as a disciple—even suspecting she might be a con artist. Frankly, from Ludenberg's vantage, that boundless goodness bordered on the absurd. He respected the man's nobility, but it could be frustrating at times.
"...Can you prove you see the future? I might overlook it for children I've already taken in, but as the newly appointed captain, arbitrarily adding a disciple could cause issues. Prove your ability."
"I can."
"How?"
"Liberatus. Are you curious about your future?"
"My future?"
"Yes."
"...No, not the distant one. Tell me something about tomorrow, then."
"Very well. Shall I recount tomorrow's events?"
"Yes."
"Daytime. Your inauguration as captain. The knights regard you with deep respect. Crowds attend, praising your name. His Imperial Majesty himself graces the occasion. Spears and swords, all manner of weapons gleam—as decorations celebrating you."
Istradim spoke slowly of tomorrow's inauguration in her characteristic serene tone.
"And after?"
But it didn't end there. Her eyes grew distant, as if dreaming, as she continued gazing at Liberatus.
"Danger looms."
"Danger?"
"Yes. An assault by erosion beasts. From the skies above this Fermora."
"...Is that true?"
"Yes. I see fragments of countless futures for those I focus on. In all those tomorrows for you, Liberatus, you always battle erosion beasts."
"If erosion beasts invade Fermora as you say... I'll believe you see the future and take you as my disciple."
"I await it gladly."
"But... do you have a place to stay?"
"No. I slipped into a column of refugees to reach Fermora. I have no parents. I left the refugees on my own—or rather, they abandoned me. The futures I saw for those rootless refugees were almost all grim."
Istradim fell silent, as if holding back more. Likely, her treatment among them had been poor.
"Then come with me. I'll protect you until your words are proven."
"I gratefully accept your kindness, Liberatus."
Liberatus turned toward the palace, and Istradim trailed diligently behind. Upon arrival, late as it was, she was handed to maids at Liberatus's request. Soon, their skilled hands transformed her from ragged urchin to a vision of undeniable mystique, drawing gasps of admiration.
"Liberatus. Where did you find this child?"
A young maid asked him.
"She came with the refugees. No parents, so I took pity."
"Time passes, yet your nature remains unchanged. You did this often before."
"...Yes. I did."
"I was one of them."
"You were."
"I still can't forget those days. Liberatus... thank you again. Without you, I'd have died alone."
"Save your thanks for Amora. It was all thanks to her that I could change like this."
"...Yes."
The maid's expression darkened slightly. Istradim remained impassive amid it all.
"Anyway, feed her well and put her in a suitable room."
"Yes. No worries. Have a restful night. We'll take our leave."
"Good."
Liberatus glanced once at Istradim as the maids led her away, then headed to his room for sleep. Ludenberg, having witnessed everything, mulled over the exchange.
'It was all thanks to Amora that I could change... Does that mean he wasn't always so noble?'
Liberatus and Amora—what had their relationship been? What was his original nature? Fresh questions assailed Ludenberg, but drowsiness soon crept in.
'The sleepiness means Liberatus is drifting off.'
It was always like this in the trial world. When Liberatus slept, so did Ludenberg—likely because his soul inhabited the body. Overwhelmed by fatigue, Ludenberg succumbed.
The next day, Liberatus's inauguration took place. As Istradim foretold, the emperor attended in person. Ridenah Dwin, now vice-captain, and the knights raised their weapons in salute, welcoming their new leader.
Kyle Solenute, Orpina Testia, and Hidea Rune gaped at the sight. The knights' disciplined reverence toward Liberatus reaffirmed his stature.
Notably, Istradim watched silently beside them. Kyle, Orpina, and Hidea—accustomed to Liberatus taking disciples—nodded acceptingly and began asking her questions. But she gave only brief replies, revealing nothing despite glimpsing their futures.
Next came the banquet. To celebrate the new captain, the emperor's orders filled the hall with feasts. Amid it, Liberatus eyed Istradim tensely; she shook her head—it wasn't time yet. He held back from warning of an erosion invasion. What if it didn't happen? Fermora was seasoned against such threats anyway; they'd respond swiftly.
As the banquet wound down and satiety set in, Istradim's gaze met Liberatus's. He looked skyward immediately.
Sure enough, the heavens turned crimson. Grotesque shrieks echoed as the sky tore open. The erosion had begun, just as prophesied.
Realizing it, Liberatus assumed battle stance and bellowed.
"All hands, battle ready! Erosion beasts incoming! Protect His Imperial Majesty!"
His command rang out, and everyone present swiftly formed ranks. Kyle, Orpina, and Hidea grabbed their weapons; Liberatus did the same.
And as preparations completed... the erosion beasts rained from the sky.