The Weight of Farewell

Time kept moving forward.

As Orbis’ countdown continued, my days in this world also kept adding up. According to the latest calculations, only 117 days remained. That meant in 117 days, many people would be erased with no way of returning. No one, including myself, knew exactly what would happen, but each day, Solace grew emptier.

When I first arrived, I felt completely lost. But now, I had a purpose. With Luna and Riven’s help, I was training to become stronger, not just for myself but for the people here as well. I had lost track of time, but I could feel the weeks passing by.

Every morning, Riven would drag me to the training grounds, determined to strengthen me. His training focused on improving my body and teaching me how to defend myself in battle. In the beginning, I never imagined my muscles could ache so much. Every punch, every kick, pushed my body to its limits. But now, my punches were stronger, my steps more controlled rather than clumsy. At first, Riven mocked me, constantly pointing out my weakness. But as he saw how quickly I progressed, his attitude became more serious.

Luna, however… she was an entirely different challenge. Her training was far more difficult because it required mastering my mind.

Luna’s approach was centered on mental control. No matter how much my body improved, she believed that if I couldn’t control my mind, then my strength would be meaningless. But training with her was even more demanding than Riven’s drills. She wasn’t openly harsh toward me, but she was distant and strict, almost as if she wasn’t truly willing to help. She also constantly bickered with Riven.

“If we were dealing with a brainless beast, maybe your training would be enough, Riven!” I still remember her mocking him.

To teach me control, Luna forced me through mental projection exercises. She always repeated, “Even if you can’t see something with your eyes, you have to believe in its existence.” I was learning how to shape energy flow through thought and convert my imagination into tangible force. At first, it felt impossible. But over time, Luna’s rigid demeanor started to soften.

She no longer gave me her usual cold glares as often. Sometimes, she even noticed when I was exhausted and brought me water without saying a word. I could feel that she had begun taking me seriously.

Yet, even amidst training, life in Solace never stopped moving. Rika would occasionally visit, offering me encouragement. Her sudden appearances prevented me from getting too lost in my own thoughts, making me feel a little less alone. She teased me with her usual cheerful attitude, occasionally poking fun at my trainers and lightening the mood. Meanwhile, the Voidwalkers were desperately searching for a way to reach the Fate Tower, making their plans increasingly dangerous. The Silver Guardians were aware of the resistance and had tightened security. Recently, some scouting teams had failed to return, proving that reaching the tower was far more difficult than we had anticipated. Nihilos and Azael were investigating hidden passages and system vulnerabilities, but they hadn’t found a definitive way in yet. Seraphis, on the other hand, was seeking a scientific solution, working with Gilbert to explore alternative paths.

But the worst part of all was witnessing the erasure of the people I had come to know.

At first, none of this felt real to me. The concept of "erasure" was just a term I had heard. But now, I was seeing it unfold before my very eyes.

Just last week, someone who had laughed with me over breakfast had completely vanished the next day. Their presence, their voice, their memories, everything about them was gone, as if they had never existed. The more time I spent with these people, the more painful it became to lose them.

The more I witnessed the horrors of Orbis, the harder it became to contain the anger growing inside me. Orbis claimed to be a perfect and orderly system, but in reality, it was nothing more than a ruthless destroyer. Why was Orbis doing this? Why did it force people to suffer so much?

I could no longer remain silent.

But before I could fight against Orbis, I had to win the battle within myself. If I couldn’t control my thoughts and power, how could I possibly win this war? I had to grow stronger—not just for myself, but for all those who had suffered under this cruel system. These people had believed in me, welcomed me despite being a stranger, and refused to abandon me.

And so, their fight had now become my fight as well.

Every morning, before my training, I found peace in exchanging a few words with them.

The elderly Dolares couple… the most serene souls in Solace. They neither rebelled nor cursed their fate. It was as if they had long accepted everything that had happened to them in this world. The warmth in their eyes was woven with the weight of years, filled with the quiet love of a lifetime spent together.

Whenever we met, they greeted me with gentle smiles, and we would sit together, sharing a few words. Just watching the love they had for each other brought me comfort. I often wondered—would I ever be worthy of such a love?

But there was something that disturbed the peace I felt around them.

The red seal on their chests...

A mark that signified their impending erasure.

Over the past week, I had begun to notice distortions in their forms. When I held their hands, their presence wavered as if they were made of mist. At times, their voices came out muffled, sometimes disappearing altogether. The people of Solace had noticed it too. Their time was running out.

And now, here I was, going to see them one last time.

When they saw me, they smiled as they always did. It was strange… Even with death so close, they showed not a trace of fear or regret.

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the tightness in my chest.

“How… how can you be so calm?” I asked, my voice shaking as the words barely made it past my lips. “Orbis has stolen your freedom, your right to live. And yet… you’re still smiling.”

The old man tilted his head slightly, his gaze steady yet kind. His wife gently took his hand in hers, a gesture they always shared. A small, unwavering habit.

“Because,” the man said, his voice as calm as ever, “the same fate that bound us to Solace also brought us together.”

His wife leaned her head against his shoulder. “And since we have found each other, we choose to live the rest of our days with love, not sorrow.”

I shut my eyes tightly. How could they accept this? How could they find peace in something so cruel?

“Don’t you have any regrets?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I was angry on their behalf. “Think about what the system has done to you! They took your freedom, they took away your choices!”

The old woman shook her head with a gentle smile. “Regrets?” she echoed, her voice barely more than a breath. “No, we have none.”

The old man nodded in agreement. “Life is not measured by regret, child. It is measured by the moments we live. We have loved, laughed, and cried… and now, when the time comes, we will leave with grace.”

Something inside me shattered.

I couldn’t understand them. But maybe understanding wasn’t the point. Maybe their way of seeing the world was simply different from mine.

I wanted to say my final goodbye, but something inside me screamed: No! You can’t just accept this!

And then, at that moment, their bodies began to tremble.

Their forms blurred further, dissolving like smoke caught in the wind. The red seals on their chests faded, breaking apart like grains of sand. The emotions I had been holding back surged forward like an unstoppable flood.

“Goodbye, Haru.” The woman’s voice trembled like a fading melody. “Remember us, will you?”

The old man nodded. “And never forget, love will always be stronger than hate.”

I reached out. I wanted to hold onto them, to stop this moment. But… my hands passed right through them.

And then…

They were gone.

Nothing but emptiness remained before me.

And within me, a void I could not name.

I fell to my knees. For the first time, I truly felt the weight of loss.

The people of Solace stood in solemn silence, staring at the space where the elderly couple had once been. Some wept quietly, others simply watched with sorrowful eyes, bearing witness to their final farewell.

The silence that followed became the heaviest requiem for two beautiful souls lost to the void.