"Belle, can we go up that lighthouse?"
After chatting for a while, Elysia turned her gaze toward the lighthouse at the end of the boardwalk, her voice brimming with eagerness.
"Sure. The view from the top is wonderful. Want to go up and take a look together?" Belle suggested.
"Okay!" Elysia readily agreed.
Belle led the way, holding Griseo's hand, while Elysia followed behind with her arm linked through Eden's.
The four of them climbed the spiral staircase leading to the top of the lighthouse. Their footsteps rang crisply against the grating, one after another, like fingers striking the keys of the night.
After they reached the observation deck, the sea breeze suddenly grew stronger.
Elysia spread her arms and gazed at the dark sea, its surface shimmering beneath the moonlight. She murmured softly, "As expected, the view is so much wider up here."
"Indeed! It's just a shame that Hollow Zero blocks the most beautiful scenery. Otherwise, watching the sunrise from here would be magnificent."
Eden praised the view along with Elysia, though a trace of regret colored her voice.
Belle looked in the direction Eden indicated. Not far away, a circular dome glowing with purple light stood over the surface of the sea.
"That's Hollow Zero, the source of all misfortune. Eleven years ago, Hollow Zero erupted, and the Old Capital fell..."
Belle's dejected voice trailed off. That disaster had caused too many people to lose their loved ones, herself included.
"Elysia, a pretty girl looks best when she's smiling." Noticing Belle's dejection, Elysia walked over to her and gently pinched her cheek, tugging it into a smile.
"If that doesn't work, we can have Griseo call Kevin out..."
Bzzzt~!!
Before Elysia could finish speaking, a deep buzzing sound rang out of nowhere. It carried a hint of