“Because of them? What do you mean?”

Kaleni’s delicate brows drew together. That world was not theirs, but now that she knew it existed—and knew Vanessa existed—she could not simply stand aside as the Dawn Saintess.

Vanessa sighed softly and gave the two women a broad account of her life.

“Colluding with Demon Pillar cultists, framing and persecuting a Saintess’s family, stealing sacred relics... The Church of the Dawn in that world really is a band of thieves rotten to the core.” Rina rested a hand on her sword hilt, her expression complicated. “If the Saintess bloodline were cut off, would that world truly descend into such chaos?”

“So the Facilis Family declined in another parallel world...” Kaleni murmured.

“Yes. And it goes far beyond that. The one who forced me into this world has not yet been identified, but one thing is certain: another version of me from a parallel world entered the world I originally came from.”

“Another Little Vinny? Is he cute?” Kaleni asked curiously.

“He is a thoroughly rotten man. He pledged himself to the Demon Pillars and used an evil Spirit Soul to take many lives.” Vanessa shook her head.

“What? How could that be?” Kaleni looked startled. “He is a Facilis too, is he not? Even if he lacks talent, surely he cannot lack virtue?”

“It is complicated, but the version of me from that parallel world is a madman who has discarded every last human limit. There is no predicting what he might do.”

“That other me had a childhood broadly similar to mine. The difference was that he never had the chance to awaken his bloodline, never realized the truth in time, and became tainted by an evil Spirit Soul. He kept walking farther and farther down that extreme path. By now, there is no turning back.”

Worry clouded Vanessa’s features.

“I have to return to my own world as soon as possible and stop him. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

“But I arrived in this world with no one to rely on. By chance, I encountered you, Your Eminence, and I hope you will lend me your aid,” Vanessa said earnestly.

“Calling me that formally is a little too much, you know.” Kaleni raised a brow.

“In a sense, Little Vinny, are you not me from another parallel world? Helping you is only natural.”

“Really? Thank you.”

“I told you not to use honorifics with me.” Kaleni puffed out her cheeks in displeasure and poked Vanessa’s face.

Mm.

Soft and springy, like a chilled rice cake. It felt wonderful.

“I would appreciate it if you would stop poking my face,” Vanessa said, looking away.

“Why should I? Little Vinny, you really are too formal. We may not be from the same world, but you can absolutely count as my little sister. If you want, I can be your big sister.”

Kaleni smiled warmly.

“Besides, until now, we were not certain that parallel worlds existed somewhere in this vast universe. But now we know they do. We cannot simply abandon another world to its fate.”

“Though we cannot directly intervene in that world, we will do everything in our power to help you.” Kaleni took Vanessa’s hand. “Our world is peaceful at the moment. Since we have the strength to spare, why would we not help our Facilis sister from another world—and the world she lives in?”

“Rina, do you agree?”

“Yes. You are right, Your Eminence.” Rina nodded in agreement.

“Thank you. Both of you,” Vanessa said sincerely.

“It is a pity, though. You said there is another Little Vinny in that parallel world, right?” Kaleni sighed. “If I could, I would very much like to meet that Little Vinny who took the wrong path and speak with him.”

“Leave that to me.” Vanessa stared down at the teacup in her hands. “This may be something only I can resolve.”

“I know why he became what he is.”

“Then I leave it all to you.” Kaleni’s lips curved faintly. “In the name of Facilis, I believe you can do it.”

“All right. Time is of the essence. If I remember correctly, Little Vinny, the catalyst that brought you to this world was the double-moon phenomenon and a shattered eight-patterned concave-convex mirror, correct?” Kaleni asked.

“Yes. That other version of me came out of that mirror as well.”

“Based on your description, Lady Vinny, that mirror was most likely Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror,” Rina said.

“You have seen Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror?” Vanessa asked.

“More than seen it. We collected every one of its fragments,” Rina replied. “And this world has experienced double-moon phenomena as well.”

“You found a Demon Pillar artifact?” Vanessa was surprised.

“Of course. Demon Pillar artifacts are not necessarily objects that lure people toward evil. But things possessing uncontrollable divine power rarely bring good results in ordinary hands. After Saintess Ailinster took office, she began gathering such artifacts and sealing them all, eliminating the possibility that anyone with ulterior motives could use them. She made certain they would never see the light of day again.”

“I see.” Vanessa nodded.

Saintess Ailinster had truly possessed both ability and foresight. She had managed to find Demon Pillar artifacts lost in who knew what forgotten corners of the world, then seal every single one.

“But there is something strange,” Kaleni said, thinking it over. Her voice carried a trace of uncertainty. “Little Vinny, you said that mirror sent you to this world, but as far as I know, Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror does not possess that function.”

“It does not?” Vanessa asked in surprise.

“No. As I recall, Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror grants a soul to an inanimate object. Yet it cannot be just any ordinary object, and it does not necessarily succeed. One use might simply leave the mirror shattered all over the floor, forcing you to gather its fragments again.”

“Gather its fragments?”

“You did not know? Every time Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror is used, it breaks into nine pieces, and those nine fragments scatter randomly across the continent,” Rina explained.

“So that is how it works...?”

Vanessa thought of something, and her expression changed.

“Does white lightning flash in the sky as well? With no thunder to be heard?”

“Yes. Exactly that.” Rina frowned. “Then there is no mistake. What you saw, Lady Vinny, should indeed have been Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror.”

“But that only makes things stranger.” Kaleni’s expression grew more peculiar. “Can that mirror truly guide someone into a parallel world?”

“My mother, Saintess Ailinster, conducted extensive evaluations of many Demon Pillar artifacts. She gathered records and legends from across the world and compiled a book called Compendium of Demon Pillar Artifacts. According to the material in that book, there has never been a record or rumor, from the artifact’s birth to the present, of Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror sending someone into a parallel world.”

“So in our understanding, this Demon Pillar artifact has always had nothing to do with parallel worlds,” Kaleni said.

“Then are there records in your world of Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror being used during a double-moon phenomenon?” Vanessa pressed.

“I do not believe there are.” Kaleni shook her head.

“Then perhaps the mirror has another function that we do not know about. Under a double-moon phenomenon, it may gain some special property that has never been discovered. Double moons are simply too rare,” Rina guessed.

“That is possible. But even if it is true, how are we supposed to test it—or send Little Vinny back to her own world?” Kaleni looked toward the moon beyond the window. “There is no sign at all that another double-moon phenomenon is about to occur.”

“So I have to wait for the next double-moon phenomenon before I have a chance to return?” Vanessa’s brow furrowed tightly.

She had thought finding Kaleni meant there was hope.

But it would not be that easy after all.

Waiting for the next double-moon phenomenon was wildly unreliable. It was like searching for a needle in the ocean. She might find the needle first and still never see the double moons again.

Who knew when the next double-moon phenomenon would occur?

“And there is another secret concerning Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror,” Kaleni continued. “Because it was too sensitive, my mother feared that someone might exploit it. She did not include it in Compendium of Demon Pillar Artifacts and recorded it separately instead.”

“What secret?” Vanessa asked.

“Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror must never be used on descendants of the [Saint Sage]. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

“Why?”

“I do not know. My mother only wrote that much in the record. At the time, I did not pay much attention to that Demon Pillar artifact. I thought that since they had all been sealed away, there was no need to concern myself with them. I do not know what it means.” Kaleni shook her head.

It could not be used on descendants of the [Saint Sage]?

Vanessa felt as though she had heard something similar before.

“Two moons mean two suns; two suns mean two continents. Divine power is conserved. Once balance is lost, all falls.”

Vanessa murmured the words aloud.

“Little Vinny, what are you talking about?” Kaleni asked, watching her blank expression in confusion.

“The conservation of divine power... Could it mean this?”

Vanessa felt as though she had found the crux of the matter.

The two parallel worlds had each observed one aspect of Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror, but each understanding had been incomplete and vague. Once the two were brought together, some conclusions were no longer difficult to infer.

“Your Eminence, I have a feeling that I cannot remain here for long,” Vanessa suddenly said. “If I, someone who does not belong to this world, remain here indefinitely, something is bound to go wrong.”

“Divine power is conserved. Once balance is lost, all falls...” Kaleni did not ask why. Instead, she thoughtfully turned over Vanessa’s words. “Was that the assessment of Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror in your world?”

“Yes.” Vanessa nodded.

“Rina. At daybreak, go see His Eminence the Pope. Tell him to transfer all nine shards of Nahidagon’s Original Sin Mirror, which are currently sealed separately, to the Holy Capital.”

“And have the Church scholars put aside all other research and consolidate every available record concerning double-moon phenomena.”

“Beyond that, instruct churches across the realm to remain alert. The instant anything abnormal is discovered, it must be reported directly to me. There can be no delay.”

“Understood, Your Eminence.”

“Little Vinny, do not worry yet. There will certainly be another way,” Kaleni said, soothing Vanessa after issuing her orders.

“Thank you, Your Eminence, for helping me so wholeheartedly.”

“I told you, do not call me Your Eminence. Call me big sister.” Kaleni rubbed Vanessa’s head in gentle reproach. “Come on. Will you?”

“Your Eminence, we are still discussing serious business.”

“I know. But we have already handled the urgent matters. The Original Sin Mirror fragments are still being transferred here, and as for the double-moon phenomenon, we do not have a better solution at the moment.”

Kaleni sounded as though she were nursing a small grievance.

“We are family. Is it really so difficult to call me big sister just once? Please, please? Let me indulge in being a big sister for a few days.”

“...Big sister,” Vanessa said helplessly.

“Yes! Then as long as Little Vinny stays here, you have to call me big sister.”

“As you wish.”

Seeing how pleased Kaleni was, Vanessa could not bring herself to dampen her spirits.

“Then it is settled.”

“Oh, right, Little Vinny. Vinny is a boy’s name, is it not? That was your assumed name, right? What is your family name?” Kaleni asked.

“You may call me Vanessa.”

“Vanessa? So your name must be Vanessa Facilis?”

Kaleni murmured the name, then wrapped Vanessa in another embrace.

“See? Even our names sound so alike. Does that not prove that we are counterparts from different worlds?”

“And if that is the case, what is wrong with you calling me big sister?”

“All right, all right. Little Vanessa, you just went through a bout of temporal and spatial disorientation. You must be tired. Leave these matters to your big sister. Do not worry. Trust your big sister—I will absolutely make sure you return safely to your own world.”

Kaleni held Vanessa close and smoothed her hair.

“...Mm.”

With Kaleni pressed against her, Vanessa did not know what else to say.

But she did not dislike the feeling of being held.

Her parents had died when she was very young. In many ways, she was someone starved of affection—especially the affection of family and elders.

Held in Kaleni’s arms like this, it almost felt as though she were truly being embraced by a mother or an older sister bound to her by blood.

In every sense, it was warm.

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