He talked a little about the fight against Cinderella and how he activated Limit Break at the perfect moment. After that, he explained how he felt now that his soul had fractured and his emotions had been anesthetized to prevent the suffering that came with it.

As he spoke, his tone remained flat, devoid of any visible emotion, but that only made everything sound even more disturbing.

Far from continuing to act like a complete idiot, Ellegaard stared at the landscape, deep in thought. The silent ruins of Axorhibis seemed to mirror part of her thoughts.

’She’s overthinking this. Could there be something she knows that the others don’t?’

Jeanne placed her hands behind her head.

"Wow... Limit Break. That’s awesome. Even I don’t know how to use that skill."

Ellegaard sighed.

"Have you ever heard the saying: ’One who breaks their limits when all is lost may call themselves a hero’? That saying comes from the first recorded person who ever used that ability."

"My dad told me something about that once, but since I never listen to him, I don’t remember it," Jeanne said.

The elf looked at her as if she were empty-headed; honestly, she wasn’t entirely wrong.

As for Mitsuki, those words brought him back to the memory he had seen of Arthur during that war beneath the rain.

’The one who breaks their limits...’

Back then, that prince truly had looked like a hero amidst the death and rain. The image of Arthur screaming desperately to survive beneath that gray sky crossed his mind again like a distant echo.

"Limit Break forces every capability of the body, mind, and soul beyond their limits; it destroys the restraints imposed upon flesh and spirit, granting exponential growth during combat until the body can no longer endure it and dies. That’s why it’s known as the Skill of Heroes, because some people use it as a final resort before death."

Mitsuki reflected on that in silence.

Ellegaard continued.

"Now I understand why you’re so different from when we left you in Luxar. Your emotions must be damaged, and your soul fractured. Seriously... I’m amazed by how many ridiculous situations you survive."

"And your hair... I didn’t get the chance to ask before, but why did it turn purple?" Jeanne asked.

"Oh, well... It became like this after I accepted becoming the Herald of the Unnameable right after an elven teacher beat me up and humiliated me in the most pathetic way possible..."

Jeanne let out a small laugh while Ellegaard looked away to hide her guilt. Even her pointed ears twitched slightly from the discomfort.

"I apologize on Ellegaard’s behalf."

"There’s no need. I was thinking about using that to blackmail her into helping me heal my soul and getting me a new arm. My emotions will come back eventually, but my fractured soul and missing arm are major disadvantages in every possible way, so I need someone to help me with that."

Ellegaard crossed her arms, ignoring him.

"So, if someone feels truly guilty about what they did to me, I’d really appreciate it if they helped me with those insignificant little things. Maybe then I’ll consider forgiving her after I get all that."

Jeanne looked at the elf, waiting for a response from her, but Ellegaard only crossed her arms tighter and pretended not to hear him.

’She’s seriously stubborn. Are all elves like this? Because Monar’s a great guy, but Ellegaard is... like a child with way too much power.’

Different people, different personalities. This was where Mitsuki realized just how different people could truly be. If he still had his emotions, he probably wouldn’t have been able to notice it so clearly, since he would’ve been too intimidated by this elf.

’I wonder how I’ll deal with this once my emotions come back.’

"Aren’t you going to answer your student, Ellie?"

The elf growled.

"Stop calling me that, Jeanne. That’s not my name."

"Yeah, yeah. First answer what Mitsuki said. He wants your help, and then he might forgive you—maybe. Don’t you want to feel better after how overwhelmed you were while we explored Holylight? Now’s your chance to redeem yourself."

"I also want you to buy me new clothes," Mitsuki added.

That finally angered Ellegaard. She tightened her grip on her staff and walked toward him. The air vibrated slightly as magic gathered around the tip of the weapon.

"Hey! Just who the hell do you think you are, bastard?!"

Despite the elf’s tantrum, Mitsuki remained calm. He didn’t move even when she approached him threateningly.

She raised her weapon high and swung it down. Jeanne tried to stop her, but she reacted too late. However, the blow never landed.

With his only healthy hand, Mitsuki stopped the staff cold. The impact created a dull sound, and small particles of energy scattered around them. The pressure from the strike kicked up dust and moved both of their hair.

Ellegaard froze for a moment; her eyes locked onto Mitsuki’s dead gaze.

"This is something I’ve thought about you since the very beginning. I always wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, but... were you always this annoying?" he said.

Ellegaard’s eyes widened, and a flash of something crossed her mind for a brief instant, like the lingering image of a memory. She slowly lowered her gaze, as if something had left her in shock. Then she clenched her teeth before leaping into the void. The ash beneath her feet exploded as she vanished between the ruined buildings.

Mitsuki stared at the place where the elf had been standing, then looked at Jeanne.

"I... said something I shouldn’t have, right?"

Jeanne scratched the back of her head. There was no real way to blame someone who couldn’t feel emotions.

"Well, probably. Ellegaard gets really complicated when she acts like this, but don’t worry. I’ll make sure she helps you. I’m sure she’ll listen to me."

Mitsuki nodded and watched Jeanne leap in the same direction. The princess quickly disappeared among the ruins as she chased after the elf.

After that, he looked silently at the landscape, feeling like he had returned to the moment when he defeated Cinderella, because he was standing in the exact same place.

The wind blew strongly through the heights, stirring the ash gathered over the broken crystal. From there, he could see the ruined streets of Axorhibis, the collapsed houses, and the remains of that forgotten kingdom consumed by tragedy.

Everything was strangely silent now.

Mitsuki lifted his gaze toward the gray sky and, for a brief moment, remembered the endless rain falling over the final battle. He remembered the sound of clashing swords, the blue flames illuminating the darkness, and Cinderella’s face asking him who he really was.

But he felt nothing about it.

He simply remained there, motionless, surrounded by the ruins of a tale that had finally reached its end.