Mom

"Why did you call me here again?" Above Sefirah Castle, Neph looked at Klein in confusion. "Wasn't the matter with Cattleya already settled?"

"It's not about that." Klein shook his head. "I know you know where to draw the line. The message I asked her to pass on was only meant for her.

"I called you here to ask about this."

He waved a hand, and the gray fog surged like a tide, parting to either side. It reminded Neph of the sea that had parted that day. Realizing something, she looked into the gap in the fog. A clear radiance glimmered at its far end, though she could not make out exactly what it was.

Neph hopped down from her chair and walked toward the light, with Klein following her. The radiance soon grew distinct. It was a sacred staircase composed entirely of light, with each step standing quite high.

"After advancing to Sequence 6, I saw this," Klein said slowly, coming up beside her as she involuntarily stopped. "I tried climbing these stairs, but failed-I suspect I'll only be able to ascend after becoming a demigod."

"-You're right," Neph said, momentarily at a loss for words. "In a sense, you could think of this as-"

She paused, then gave a soft chuckle, her voice drifting through the gray-white fog.

"A stairway to heaven."

"Heaven." Klein repeated the word and could not help laughing. "That's a very fitting word. It matches the appearance of these stairs perfectly-but you actually mean a divine kingdom, right? Hmm, more precisely, perhaps the true nature of this space? The actual form of what you call Sefirah Castle, or something like that-"

Neph smiled faintly without speaking. Klein took that as confirmation and continued.

"You've repeatedly reminded me that there's a secret behind my