In the morning, Luna was already sitting up straight, leaning against the wall with a book titled "Basic Theorem on Artifacts and Their Utility."
She read slowly through the book, and carefully reread every sentence five times. Those three books she bought back then were essential to understanding. Luna was sure that if she would understand its contents, she would be able to create the gift she had promised to Theia.
An artificial mana collector that would replace the need to supply her with external mana.
Theia rested her face in Luna's lap, looking completely content. Her slow, steady breaths reflected the quiet trust she placed in her.
And beneath the white duvet, Luna had conjured small, chilly snowflakes to practice her abilities; snowflakes cooled the air around Theia and spread it far enough to keep her asleep and happy. And with a gentle smile, Theia slept through the morning as if it were the middle of the night.
Luna caressed her white hair while being completely focused on the book. Knowing that she had no time to spare, she had to fulfill her promise. Even if it takes her whole remaining life.
"Don't worry, Theia. I promised you. Just wait, I'll free you soon enough," Luna whispered to her gently while frowning
***
The following week had flown by like a breeze. Theia, immediately after waking each day, dragged Luna's tired body outside to play.
Luna always complied, wanting to make Theia happy. Each time, she brought her book with her.
They sat right in the center of the garden, on the greenest patch of grass. Theia was always weaving a crown out of flowers, and Luna, while pain rang through her back, would read.
Niva visited Theia each day and observed Luna through the window, believing himself unseen. But Luna always noticed; she just never mentioned it, wanting him to be happy with his play.
By the end of the week, Luna had read through the book. She glanced at the next one but decided to reread it once more, just to be sure.
Nothing worth noting happened. Just the same dull routine: wake up, play, eat, play, eat, learn swordsmanship, go to bed. Luna would get tipsy and sleep. Each day, every day, for the whole week.
And that was all. A lazy week had been without Mytri.
Surprisingly, El did not visit the way she had said she would. Probably the search she promised yielded no promising results, and she had locked herself in the library to go through it more thoroughly. Probably.
That is all. Nothing else of value occurred.
Ah… no, there was one time Luna had a conversation with a mysterious figure only she could see. Theia ran to Niva, asking if he knew anything. But Niva answered, "I'm sorry, I can't really give you the answer you want. What Luna is experiencing is a natural thing for someone with a degrading mind. It's painful to watch, and hard not to point out, but pointing it out would probably make it worse. You know she believes it's real, and… perhaps we should keep it that way."
Thankfully, it was a one-time occurrence, hopefully the only one.
Theia, however, couldn't let it go. She agonized over Luna, over her sleeping body. Every day, she would sit beside her, gripping the fabric of her clothes, watching her unconscious form.
"W-why… why are you dying…" Theia muttered, her voice trembling with confusion.
That was all she could recall.
So spoke the voice from within Luna's head. She had white hair, a white nightgown. Her face was obscured, scratched out, like frantic pencil marks, completely unrecognizable.
She lay on her side while watching Luna and Theia sleep. She herself was fading slowly into the darkness.
***
Eight days after Mytri had ventured out, Luna and Theia were sitting on the sofa in the living room.
In the silence, a streak of golden light spilled over Luna's hair; it brought attention to Theia's work, which was one large braid that would sit on Luna's back.
Her work was meticulous; it had to be because it was a gift for Luna. It started ten minutes ago when Theia asked Luna, "L-luna…"
Luna peeked out through the kitchen doors and asked in a tired voice, "What's wrong…?"
Theia, whose face was as always beet red, fumbled with her fingers restlessly while avoiding eye contact. She could not bear to be looking in her eyes while asking such an important question. It was a life-and-death situation for her. "L-Luna, I was thinking… C-could I… emmm… braid your hair?"
She closed her eyes shut expecting a thunderous no, but to her surprise, all she heard was, "Sure. Right now?"
Theia jolted her eyes at her as her pupils dilated, her mouth slightly open. "Please!"
"Okay… I'm coming," Luna said, with a gentleness that obscured the throbbing pain. And so she walked out of the kitchen and sat on the sofa. For the next ten minutes she sat motionlessly, which resulted in her falling asleep.
Finally, I can make Luna even more beautiful… Theia thought, but she immediately caught on to what she was thinking. N-n-no! I d-didn't mean it like that!
She had gritted her teeth, furrowing her eyebrows. You are already beautiful; nothing can add more to it. You are already perfect! Your pink hair, oh how beautiful it is! Your gray-blue eyes! They are… just… perfect!
It is so perfect that I just can't look away! It's… just is. I wish I were even one speck of dust as stunning as you are… Honestly I don't know what to do… I need to focus on protecting you whenever the situation arises. But I'll… I'll just stare at you in a daze! I can't be like this!
I simply can't!
But… I can't help it!
It's your fault for being this gorgeous!
Theia stopped overthinking everything and chose to focus on the braid in front of her. Although she pouted while doing it.
***
The week that Luna and Theia have is a stark contrast to what Mytri is experiencing right now. He, with a hood over his head, walked right towards the strong wind that thrashed his coat.
He walked on the spine of a mountain, on a path toward a chapel that loomed over the horizon, obscured by the mist.
Mytri didn't have a hard time with the wind, but the path itself. It was so narrow that one misstep could delay his trip by weeks. Due to him needing to reclimb the mountain yet again.
"Luna… just wait… I will get it for you, and it will extend your life. It will." Mytri muttered to himself.
His eyes focused on the danger that loomed over him, but to him it wasn't much of a danger. He knew that it was the only way. So the thing he was concerned over was the wellbeing of Luna; he could care less for the monster that resided in a chapel.
"One more week… Just give me one more week."