"Have you made up your mind?"
Sky Island, Nevernight Palace.
Just a few steps away lay the Clear Sky Sea, where one could jump straight down. There could hardly have been a more perfect place for tea.
The exquisitely beautiful woman in a blue dress wore an elegant, flawless smile as she asked softly.
A hundred years had passed, yet the tea at the table still tasted exactly as it had before.
It carried a familiar feeling that stirred fond memories.
"Yes. Compared to becoming a Zero Knight, there are places that need me more. And besides..."
Setting down her teacup, Le Guien nodded softly. She looked at Clotilde before her, a faint, gentle smile appearing on her face.
"With Vita at Nevernight Palace, there's nothing to worry about."
Le Guien had never doubted that she could always handle anything perfectly with lightness and elegance.
That had been true before, and it would remain true in the future.
"But I'll be very lonely without you."
Watching Clotilde feign helpless sorrow, Le Guien let out a soft, amused sigh.
"The word 'lonely' shouldn't have anything to do with you. I remember that even when you were carrying out covert operations alone, you'd project yourself over to chat with me."
"Or you'd be off spending the day 'replacing' someone again."
"Oh my~ Did that ever happen?"
Exposed by Le Guien, who knew all about her past, Clotilde immediately dropped her pretense. She blinked her amber-gold eyes.
As if she had forgotten everything, she chose to play dumb.
Le Guien could only smile helplessly. Their actual ages were both over a hundred, yet Clotilde still retained the "original heart" of her youth.
Le Guien knew that perhaps this was why she had become known as "Arcane."
"So if you really feel lonely, come