After going to the academic director's office and finishing the early graduation procedures, Kyrie walks down the hallway with Ian. Many students stop by saying a farewell and talking about nice memories they spend with the paladin who used to be their classmate.
Ian silently watches Kyrie getting surrounded by people, sharing laughter regarding the days spent together. It is a scene that he has never seen before. Kyrie has always been with him, but he has no idea of how Kyrie lived without him. Knowing that Kyrie has lived his best brings a smile to his face and a sense of bitterness that he could not share the same moments.
Ian feels odd all of a sudden. Even when he is next to Kyrie, he feels like he is far away when surrounded by strangers familiar with the man he loves.
After sending a carriage away carrying Kyrie's belongings, Ian senses the warmth and steadiness of Kyrie's hand in his.
"Why are you so quiet, Ian?"
Ian looks to his side, unable to hold his jealousy anymore, "One day, I will surpass the number of memories anyone else has with you."
Kyrie widens his eyes, surprised, before letting out a sweet and gentle smile. His eyes soften, and peace dwells inside.
"I am sure you will... Talking about memories, I have yet to redeem my date with you."
Ian tightens his hold of Kyrie's hand, "What do you want to do? I am quite foreign to what there is, so I will have to rely on you as a guide."
"Yeah! There are many places I want to go with you!" Kyrie takes out a small booklet from his pocket.
The small booklet contains the date that Kyrie has wanted to go with Ian if Ian ever comes to the Kingdom of Aria. He has found the booklet when packing up.
The date starts with a light lunch, and then to a series of different shops to mostly window shop.
Ian chuckles at Kyrie, who is energetically showing him everywhere. He has asked Kyrie to show him the booklet because, at one point, Ian thinks that Kyrie has written all the shops of the city as dating stops. However, they spend the time in laughter, and Kyrie would goof around in the attempts to make Ian smile more. Ian spends the time with his heart fluttering without stopping.
They have played around until the sun starts to go down, a couple of hours before the sky starts to turn in warm colors. Kyrie stops suddenly as he looks at the sky to calculate the time.
"Ian," Kyrie takes Ian's hand, "I have a place I want to show you that I only know."
They walk into the further side of the city and getting ready to enter into a forest.
"Where are we going, Kyrie?"
They have been walking for a long time now, so Ian is curious to see where Kyrie is leading him. The forest floor is quite uneven, meaning that barely anyone enters inside it. Ian can hear the wild animals hidden as they pass by.
"It is a spot I would go to if I miss you too much. Too bad right now it is not summer, and it is getting too cold."
When Ian thinks that the forest would become denser as they go in, his eyes catch the light coming from within the forest shining towards him. Walking in, he looks at the trees getting surrounded in an aura of light. He walks past those trees to find a plane of yellow with a swamp. Around the swamp, hickory tree leaves continue to fall nonstop, covering the entire surface of the swamp in a yellow blanket.
When they arrive, the sky turns into its flaming yellow.
"This place is more beautiful during the summer night. Fireflies will fill this entire place, and suddenly it is like you are walking in the starry sky."
When talking, Kyrie starts to feel a bit emotional. This place is where he will go when he needs an outing. Coming into another world has not been easy. With a new purpose also set in his heart, there have been so many things that he feels he needs to prepare.
Sometimes, working to the bare bones, Kyrie becomes vulnerable, so he needs to keep himself in check from thinking the worst. The waiting game has been the toughest part. He would participate in every tournament in hopes that Ian would also, but Ian would not. So, he just keeps on waiting, with faith being the only thing to keep him standing.
Now, he comes back to the same place with the man he has yearned for all those days. Nothing beats the feeling of a wish come true.
Kyrie turns to Ian. His eyes slowly trace over Ian's features as Kyrie tries to capture the moment. He wants to remember the blue eyes, the straight nose, the thin lips, the olive skin, the raven hair…
He wants to remember the aura Ian bears, the rhythm of his breaths, the beats of his heart, the temperature of his skin…
Ian looks back at him, and Kyrie wants to memorize that as well - the way Ian looks at him and the smile that always bloom when seeing him.
Kyrie reaches to caress Ian's cheek. He pulls Ian close and kisses him gently. Sharing the gentle kisses, he senses his heart tingling and overflowing.
They slowly part and lay their heads together to savor the moment slowly- their last moment before they part.
There is a promise to meet again. Each has placed the promise to the deepest parts of their heart.
They stay inside the dreamlike place until the sun is touching the land. Returning to the city, the sky has turned dark, and the moon is rising from its slumber. The night has graced a full moon.
A group of knights appears in front of them as if they have been waiting. The streets have been emptied with only a carriage in the middle of the street with dozens of knights standing around it.
"Greetings. His majesty is waiting for your presence inside the carriage."
Kyrie and Ian enter the carriage where the new king, King Micah Aria, sits on one side.
"Greetings to your majesty," both greet the king formally.
"There is no need for such formalities," says King Micah.
"How is your majesty faring with the change?" Kyrie asks as he sits further into the carriage to give space to Ian.
"All good, thanks to you."
The carriage starts to move. Before long, they arrive at the temple, where many priests and servants busily mind their tasks. Federline appears in front of Kyrie.
"Headmaster, everything that you have asked us to gather is in these two dimensional pouches."
Kyrie takes the items off Federline's hands. Then, he places his hand inside the pouch, taking out a necklace with a diamond-shaped mana stone pendant. He puts it on Ian's neck.
"I will be able to send you letters as long as you have this on," Kyrie murmurs.
"Hmm…"
Kyrie hands the pouches to Ian since he might find the items inside useful. Marquis and Marchioness Rowan walk towards them.
"Your majesty," greets the Rowans.
Kyrie lets his parents have some time with Ian. He turns to look at Imogen, who has been staring at him, and walks towards her.
When they stand face to face, auroras suddenly appear in the sky, and a white light shoots down, brightening the entire city as if daytime. However, Kyrie and Imogen do not stop looking at one another. The white light dims, and the profile of that shining object descended from the sky looks like massive doors.
The massive doors hover on top of the city. They are so colossal that the people standing near look like ants. Those doors glow pure white with the texture of stone. Then, a silver hourglass with running white sand appears on top of those doors.
[There is one hour left.]
Kyrie's heart beats rapidly with the very thought.
Imogen finally opens her mouth after staring at Kyrie intensely, "You have met with Phanes?"
Kyrie slightly pinches his brows, wondering how Imogen knows.
Imogen puts her hand on the hilt of her sword and relaxes her pose, "I know you have."
"Then why are you asking?" asks Kyrie.
Imogen's cold expression slowly turns into a troubled one, "Could you describe to me what she is like?"
Kyrie broadens his eyes in surprise, "Chestnut brunette, vibrate green eyes… kind-hearted."
"How kind?"
"One who would not stay still when she sees someone suffering."
Imogen lets out a snicker, "Right…"
"Why do you want to know about that?"
Imogen hesitates a bit, "I was wondering who was speaking the truth about her."
"Are you looking for her?"
"I know you are, but why is a transmigrator looking for her?"
"I don't plan to give information for free… Plus, what do you know that I might not know?"
Imogen smiles at Kyrie's bold remark, "I do have something that might interest you, but at the same time, make you regret your choices."
Kyrie lifts his eyebrow.
[Interest me, but make me regret?]