Marina remembered little to nothing of what had happened after the clash between Shirei, Aena, and Salix.
After locking eyes with Cragar's son, her strength had abandoned her, and she had nearly fallen into unconsciousness. Her companions had been forced to rush her to the Twenty-First House, the infirmary of Lilies Park and the residence of the children of Mardi, the god of medicine.
Before she hit the ground, she felt the icy hands of someone catching her. Her mysterious rescuer picked her up and started running, while in the distance, Lyceum was trying to calm the general panic.
"Calm down, Blendbreeds! Please! Focus on making sure your companions are safe!"
Dahlia's voice echoed beside her—she was speaking to someone.
"We need to take her to the infirmary immediately, before this strange wound sends her to our father."
Our father.
Could it be that Dahlia was speaking to Shirei?
Ien's daughter let herself be dragged along as her body curled in on itself. She hated showing weakness, yet it always ended up this way. She heard Francesca calling for Lorenzo before approaching them. Seeing her like that had probably made her stepbrother pale. Adrenaline had taken over during the fight against the dark angel, but Lorenzo had never been one for the front lines. In another situation, Marina would have stifled a laugh—instead, she was focused on not passing out.
Her eyes were closed, yet they felt like they were burning.
"Out of the way!" Lorenzo shouted.
They gradually slowed down until they came to a stop. Marina assumed they had reached the infirmary entrance. A gentle voice told her companion to follow him. Her ears began to ring, and she had an involuntary spasm.
"This doesn't look good… What happened to her?" asked the young Blendbreed, likely a son of Mardi.
Dahlia laughed nervously and replied, "I'd love to know. I really made a mess of things."
"She'll be fine. She just needs a quiet place to rest."
This time, it was Shirei who spoke. Marina had her confirmation—it had been him who had brought her there.
"Are you sure?" the Blendbreed asked. "Look, you know there are a lot of possibili—"
"I'm sure," Cragar's son replied curtly.
"As you prefer. I'll check something and be right back. You can lay her down there."
Marina heard the muffled creak of wood bending under the weight of Mardi's son's steps. Before she could fully register it, Shirei moved a few steps and gently laid her down on a soft bed. Her blonde head sank into the pillow as it cradled her.
"As soon as this is all over, I think you and Aena will owe Lyceum an explanation," Lorenzo said, his voice carrying a mix of disdain and resentment toward his two half-siblings.
"It doesn't matter. That's something to think about later," Shirei replied apathetically. "I can keep an eye on her for now. You should focus on calming people down outside."
"I'm not leaving my sister."
"And I'm her best friend."
Even without seeing him, Marina could imagine the annoyed expression on Shirei's face.
The Blendbreed responded in a calm voice, but there was an underlying urgency to his tone. "Alright, then find a child of Mardi willing to give you some hypericum petals and a mandrake distillate."
Lilia's sharp voice rang through the room, as if she had a megaphone instead of a mouth.
"You two! Children of Cragar! Did you really have to come here? Couldn't you have gone to Daffodils Academy?"
A warm hand brushed Marina's face.
"Gods… Marina, you'll see, everything will be fine. It's nothing."
Before she could hear anything else, a sharp pain in her temple blended with the burning sensation of her wound. It felt as if she had just been struck on the back of the head with a baseball bat—dizziness overwhelmed her, and she lost consciousness completely.
── ⋆⋅❂⋅⋆ ──
Shirei's eyes snapped open.
He realized he was still in the infirmary—and that he wasn't alone. The son of Mardi looked at him with unease but continued checking on Marina.
Night had fallen, and Cragar's son had insisted on being the only one to stay in the infirmary, ensuring that Ien's daughter had no complications in her healing. In the end, he had convinced everyone. After all, he had proven himself the most prepared in case Marina's condition suddenly worsened.
Thanks to my training. I've experienced wounds like these on my own skin.
He felt guilty about what had happened, even though he didn't fully understand the concept yet.
All he knew was that he had to stay there for Marina.
I wish I could do more… he told himself before shifting his attention away from her.
Shirei glanced around. The infirmary room was in the left wing of the house. The corridor leading there was illuminated by hanging lamps, while the floor, covered by a carpet yellowed with age, muffled footsteps, adding a subtle sense of comfort.
Inside the room, the walls were lined with faded floral wallpaper—a design choice likely dating back decades. The furniture was sturdy and durable, adorned with carved details. The beds were arranged in parallel, forming two long rows, each featuring a dark wooden headboard and a faded green bedspread. Beside each bed stood a nightstand with a small vase, an unspoken invitation to bring flowers and wish a swift recovery to those staying there.
A large window, framed by heavy velvet curtains, overlooked the darkness that enveloped Lilies Park. The moonlight filtered through the fabric, casting an ethereal glow across the room. On the windowsill sat a small ceramic statuette of a deity—Shirei guessed it was Mardi.
The Blendbreed sat in a cushioned armchair, worn from frequent use yet still comfortable. Beside the chair, a low table held a stack of books, presumably left there for anyone needing to pass the time while watching over the resting patients. Atop the table, a lamp with an ivory-tinted shade emitted a soft glow, perfect for reading.
Despite the stillness that filled the room, there was a sense of comfort and security that wrapped around the infirmary like a quiet, unseen presence.
After going over all those details, Shirei wore a satisfied expression. He had been trying to memorize as much as possible about his surroundings since arriving at the park, and realizing that he could recall information from his memory made him feel a little less empty.
It was just another step in the process he had been following for nearly three years, but the progress he had made since then was significant.
There's still a lot to do, though. I can't settle for this.
Shirei's gaze wandered until it met that of the son of Mardi. "Is something wrong?"
The boy quickly pulled away from Marina and pretended to fumble with some vials. "W-w-what did you need earlier?"
"I needed a few ingredients to treat the wound," Cragar's son replied, motioning toward the girl's arm.
The Blendbreed hesitated. "Yeah, but you don't have the authority to request treatment here."
"Did something happen between us? I remember little to nothing from this morning." Cragar's son attempted a friendly expression to seem more approachable. "It doesn't matter. If I made you feel attacked, then I apologize. That wasn't my intention."
"I expected you to be different."
Shirei stared at him. "What do you mean?"
"Rumors spread. Everyone at the park talks about you, especially now that you seem to spend so much time with Marina. 'The Purple Specter and the Queen of Spring'—that's what they call you," the Blendbreed turned away, as if afraid he had said something wrong. "After today, they'll probably talk even more."
"I see. What's your name?" Cragar's son asked in return.
The healer smiled. "You can call me Luxy. It's my nickname, but everyone here prefers it."
Luxy was a young man with delicate features and an angelic appearance, surrounded by an aura of innocence. His curly brown hair fell in soft locks around his face, framing a broad forehead and eyes filled with curiosity.
His dark skin radiated a warmth that gently contrasted with the pale light of the infirmary. He wore an unusual sleeveless coat that gave him a slightly unkempt look. The coat, originally white but now yellowed from time an frequent use, barely reached past his hips.
"Luxy… where can I find a bathroom?"
"At the end of the hallway, on the right."
Shirei nodded in thanks and headed toward the door.
A sharp pain surged through him as he stepped out of the room. Although his heart had fully returned to its normal rhythm, he couldn't ignore the growing ache caused by the moment when his heartbeat had briefly stopped.
Gritting his teeth, he made his way to the bathroom.
It was going to be a long night.
── ⋆⋅❂⋅⋆ ──
Marina woke slowly, her eyes struggling to open as the light of the last sunset filtered through the curtains of the room.
A strange sensation filled her mouth, as if something soft and slightly sticky had invaded her palate.
With a start, she ran a hand through her blonde hair, finding it soaked in saliva. Some strands stuck to her lips, and with slight disgust, she spat them out before trying to sit up.
Her vision was still blurry.
A figure hurried toward her bed and threw themselves onto her in an anxious embrace. Ien's daughter immediately recognized Lilia's raven-black hair. The Blendbreed was looking at her with eyes full of worry.
"Finally, you're awake! How do you feel?"
Marina reassured her with a weak smile. Strangely, that sharp, stinging pain had completely vanished.
"I'm fine, Lilia. Really," she replied. "I don't feel anything anymore."
Glancing down at the wound on her body, she realized it had completely healed, without even leaving a scar.
The magic of Mardi's children, she thought.
Meanwhile, Luxy, who had remained by the entrance, quickly asked the others to leave the room, explaining that Marina would be discharged as long as she showed she had fully recovered.
"Please, only one person should stay with her to accompany her home."
Tension rose as Michela and Lorenzo started arguing over who should stay with Marina as her half-sibling. Their bickering was cut short by Lilia's affectionate intervention—she hugged Marina tightly, looking up at her with big, pleading eyes.
"You'll pick me, right?"
Marina felt overwhelmed by the chaos erupting around her. They were in an infirmary; this wasn't the place for such a commotion over a trivial decision. With a decisive gesture, she stopped her half-siblings' arguing and turned to Francesca.
"Could you stay?" she asked gently.
Corgi's daughter smiled. "I'd love to!"
The three remaining Blendbreeds tried to make her change her mind, but Francesca quickly forced them to leave, promising they would all meet later at the Seventh House.
"Sorry about that. I hope we didn't disturb the other patients," Marina said to Luxy afterward.
The Blendbreed responded with a kind smile. "Thank you, but don't worry. Actually, there weren't any other injured besides you."
Marina was momentarily dumbfounded by her usual bad luck, but that thought also reassured her. It meant there had been no serious damage, which was a great relief given the trouble she had caused.
Just when it seemed like peace had returned, the atmosphere grew heavy with tension.
Shirei suddenly materialized in the room, his usual silent aura surrounding him. Francesca immediately stepped in front of Marina, ready to protect her from any potential threat.
His gaze was cold and piercing. Marina noticed he had changed clothes—he was dressed entirely in black, like a menacing shadow. He raised his hands in surrender.
"Relax, please. I don't mean any harm."
"Talk, but sit there," Francesca ordered, pointing to the bed in front of her.
Marina momentarily refused to let her guard down, eyeing Shirei with suspicion. Cragar's son crossed his arms.
Ien's daughter leaned toward the blonde and whispered, "Relax, I'm here. Don't do anything rash."
Marina nodded, grateful for the girl's presence. However, deep down, she doubted any of their powers would be of use if Shirei lost control again.
"I'm here to apologize for what happened. I don't expect to be forgiven, but I never wanted you to get hurt in any way." He paused. "I mean it."
Marina turned, glaring at him. She wanted to talk to him alone, face to face. She wanted to explain that she wasn't angry with him and didn't blame him for anything. At the same time, she felt guilty toward him. The boy had always seemed sincere and didn't deserve to be treated like a ticking time bomb that everyone feared.
Shirei's violet eyes didn't meet hers; they were fixed on the ground. The daughter of Ien considered telling him everything but dismissed the thought immediately. However, once she left that place, she would inform Aena and Mr. D'Agostini of her decision. From that moment on, she would no longer be a spy, regardless of whatever punishment she might face.
Shirei wasn't evil. Though a bit stranger than most, he was just a normal Blendbreed. Marina was certain that a simple collaboration could be established with him rather than being forced into spying.
The real problem lay elsewhere. Dahlia had been able to make him lose control, unleashing all his terrifying powers.
And summoning that dark creature…
Shirei wasn't bad, but without his control, he would become the monster everyone believed him to be. A way was needed to ensure that possibility never arose again, and Marina was ready to find a solution to help him.
That should have been her mission—not spying.
Francesca noticed her conflicted expression and answered in her place, saying, "Uh, Shirei… I don't think this is a good time…"
"Yeah… I understand. I'll leave you two alone."
The boy kept his sad expression but nodded. He noticed Luxy nearly stumbling and grabbed his arm to steady him. The son of Mardi hesitated at the cold touch of his hands and quickly pulled away.
"You should be healed, so… have a safe trip home."
The son of Cragar didn't wait any longer and left. Marina lowered her head, feeling guilty. She hadn't wanted him to leave, but this was definitely not the right time.
Luxy proceeded with his check-up, and after making sure the Blendbreed's words were true, he allowed Marina to be discharged only late in the evening.
Marina and Francesca stepped out of the house of Mardi's children and looked around. Lilies Park was still in turmoil, and the house of Ognia's children had yet to be repaired. However, the overall atmosphere didn't seem too different from usual.
"So, shall we head to the Seventh?"
Marina cautiously touched the bandages around her arm. She was supposed to go to the Grand Manor, but she had no desire to.
"Yeah," she replied weakly.
As they made their way toward her house, the daughter of Ien noticed a figure running toward the training arena. Despite still feeling exhausted, she decided to follow.
"Actually, I want to go somewhere for a moment."
"Are you sure?" Francesca asked, concerned.
Marina nodded. "You go ahead and let them know I'll catch up soon. I'll be fine."
The daughter of Corgi gave her a doubtful look but eventually understood.
"See you later! Don't take too long!"
"I won't!" Marina replied with a smile.
Taking a deep breath, the daughter of Ien headed toward the field where she had held her disastrous lesson. The entrance was blocked by some fences and maintenance signs, but she bypassed them without much trouble and continued. Once she reached the small promontory, she found Shirei and Dahlia standing in the now-empty training arena, engaged in a discussion.
As she approached, she asked, "What's going on? Are you two arguing?"
The moment Dahlia saw her, she burst into tears and fell to her knees. Marina was immediately by her side, while Shirei preferred to keep his distance.
"Y-you're okay…," the daughter of Cragar murmured.
"Of course! I'm made of iron, you know that," the blonde replied with a smile.
Shirei remained silent for a moment before asking, "Can you explain to me exactly what happened?"
So he doesn't remember… thank goodness, Marina thought.
"I-I'm sorry, b-brother… forgive me…," Dahlia began crying again.
"Alright, but at least tell me what for."
"Alright, my ass! If that miserable fool hadn't thrown himself in the middle of the fight, I'd be condemning my disgraceful childishness at your grave right now."
Marina placed a hand on her head in an attempt to calm her.
"What else?"
"I made you the target of my powers…," Dahlia continued with difficulty. "I turned you into a slave to madness, and you lost all reason. I thought it would be 'fun'…"
"I doubt there was much fun in that," her brother remarked dryly.
"What are you talking about?" Marina replied with obvious sarcasm. "Loads of fun!"
"Are you two out of your minds?! I ruined the lesson, drove someone insane, and this whole mess escalated into an attack on the leadership that even provoked the furious wrath of the goddess of love! It's all my fault!"
Dahlia curled into herself. Marina thought exactly the same thing she had just said, but she held back from rubbing it in. It wasn't her place to push her down during a moment of weakness. She was her best friend—and yet, she had been using her to gather information on Cragar's children for Aena. If there was anyone to blame for this whole disaster, she figured it was herself.
Yeah. Some best friend I am.
Shirei, unlike Marina, looked at Dahlia with pity. He, of all people, was completely blameless—he hadn't even been in control of himself. The Blendbreed glanced at the daughter of Ien with regret. She tried to smile at him, but she suspected she was too exhausted when she saw him look away in concern.
Dahlia clung to her tightly and started sobbing again.
"I'm a fool! Forgive me… actually, I apologize to both of you. Please forgive me."
"You're just a Blendbreed struggling to understand the extent of your powers," Shirei said gently. "It's normal to make mistakes."
"That's not true. Not at all. Don't downplay what happened."
Marina pulled her close. "Dahlia…"
"I know I'm repeating myself, but I apologize again," Shirei added when their eyes met once more.
"Yeah… I mean, no! This isn't about you—I should have been more careful, and… and… we need to talk seriously, Specter."
The boy nodded. "You should focus on recovering first."
"I'm fine!" she huffed, though she was secretly glad he was worried about her.
Marina hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then, she decided not to interfere any further and leave the children of Cragar alone.
Maybe it's best if you two sort this out on your own. I'm just in the way.
She stood up with determination. Before leaving, she turned to her best friend.
"Dahlia, please remember what I told you: I am and always will be on your side."
The black-haired girl didn't respond, so Marina simply kissed the top of her head in farewell.
"How is it possible that you're not afraid of me… truly? Sometimes, I wish I had been born like all my old classmates—free in their simplicity," Dahlia murmured, still crying.
"I'm not afraid of you because, despite everything, you're not afraid when you're with me. I've always known there's something wrong with my lost memories—this just confirms it."
The Blendbreed let out a small sneeze. "You're not a monster… Anger, fury… it's normal that when amplified by a power like mine, they cause situations like this… You could have avoided summoning that creature, but you're not a monster."
Shirei furrowed his brows. "What creature?"
"The dark angel. The being that wounded Marina."
The son of Cragar fell silent, deep in thought. He had assumed he was the one who had hurt the daughter of Ien with the Blade of Discord—this was unexpected news.
"I imagine this was supposed to remain a secret. But now it isn't. The divine Aena will demand explanations, and I want them too. I have no interest in passing judgment… but I need to understand your true intentions at Lilies Park."
"You're not making this easy for me, Dahlia. In due time, I will explain. But for now, we should get some sleep," he said after a pause. "I suspect tomorrow will be a long day."
"Longer than today?"
"Yes," the son of Cragar replied, ruffling her hair affectionately.
Dahlia puffed out her cheeks and quickly fixed her hair. "Don't mess up my style!"
Before she could even process it, they were traveling through the Interworld. She smiled and clung tightly to her brother. One day, she dreamed of mastering that power herself.
They reappeared in front of their home within seconds. Though the journey through the Interworld had been swift, the silence that now surrounded them felt almost surreal—like all the Blendbreeds had unanimously collapsed into a deep slumber.
As they climbed the stairs, the usual creaking of the black wood beneath their feet echoed—a sound Dahlia normally found comforting, but not that night.
"Here we are," the daughter of Cragar murmured, letting out a slight sigh as they crossed the threshold.
On their beds, carefully placed, lay two sealed envelopes.
The siblings picked up their respective letters, reading them with curiosity. "Tomorrow, we're expected at a meeting in the Headmaster's private office," the "younger" of the two whispered.
Shirei nodded, scrutinizing his summons with an apathetic expression. "Yes."
Dahlia set her letter down on the nightstand, suddenly feeling far more exhausted than she wanted to admit. Her brother did the same, then said, "We should rest now. Sweet dreams, Dahlia."
She cast him a conflicted look.
"Goodnight," she finally murmured, slipping under the covers with a lingering sense of unease she couldn't shake.
The lights went out, and the house sank into the silence of the night's darkness.