CHAPTER 45: The Forty-Fifth Fracture

We met up later that day.

Saaya had said she wanted something cute but practical—an outfit she could wear often without fuss.

We were in the outer district of the academy grounds, where magical supply vendors stood shoulder to shoulder with enchanted coffee stalls and fashion boutiques. The scent of caramel mana-brew mingled with incense and glowing fabric dyes.

I leaned against the fountain, watching mana-sculpted koi drift through looping streams of floating water.

Note to self: Thank Alric for showing me this place. And Zurvan… for slipping me just enough cash to not look broke.

I clapped my hands lightly. “I owe you guys.”

“You owe who?” came a familiar voice behind me.

I turned. Karna stood with a roast skewer in hand, the steam curling around his knuckles. Avalon leaned beside him, arms crossed, one brow arched in amusement.

“Just some good friends of mine,” I said.

Karna chuckled. Avalon smirked.

“Word got out you’re going on a date,” she said casually.

“Damn you, Yuuka,” I muttered under my breath.

“We just came to say goodbye,” Karna said.

I blinked. “Goodbye? You’re leaving?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Still walking my path. Surya offered to train me again. I’m heading home to push further—to become something more.”

I smiled. “Then next time we meet, let’s fight. I want a real match against someone channeling the sun god.”

Karna grinned and bumped his fist into mine. “You’ve got it.” Then, with a nod, he turned and walked off into the crowd.

I turned to Avalon. “What about you?”

She tilted her head. “I’m off to find my master. The one who taught me how to block attacks up to the eleventh dimension. He’s been missing a long time… and I owe him everything.”

“I hope you find him,” I said. “If I hear anything, I’ll have Lyra send word.”

She smiled playfully. “Such a gentleman.”

Before I could respond, she leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek.

I froze.

She winked. “Remember—girlfriend doesn’t mean wife.”

And with a ripple of wind and glyphlight, she vanished into the sky.

I sat back down at the fountain, leaning against the cool marble and staring up at the drifting clouds.

“Man… I wonder if I’ll ever make it back to Earth.”

Something slammed into my shin.

“Ow—what the—?”

I looked up.

Saaya stood in front of me. And she looked… breathtaking.

Her new outfit shimmered in the evening light like it had been spun from twilight itself. The sleeveless corset-style bodice hugged her frame in deep indigo and silver, shifting like nebulae with each breath. A crimson ribbon tied at her collar, just beneath a high-collar capelet flaring at the shoulders, its lining stitched in red thread.

Her left arm was wrapped in a black, fingerless glove reinforced with obsidian armor plating, while her right shoulder remained bare—exposed and defiant. A semi-transparent, asymmetrical skirt flowed from her waist, its layered edges glowing in gradients of lavender and icy blue. Beneath it, sleek black shorts added a daring, grounded touch.

A braided sash looped her waist, fastened by a butterfly-shaped brooch, while a leather whip coiled casually at her hip. Her dark hair cascaded down in silk-tied ribbons, brushing against her back like a waterfall of night. Wherever she walked, it felt like the butterflies and roses leaned in—drawn by her quiet gravity.

Her boots—midnight black with silver detailing—rose just above the ankle. Leather straps crisscrossed around her calves, pulsing faintly with violet light. They looked sleek, sharp, and battle-ready, moving with her like a second skin.

She didn’t just look divine.

She looked untouchable.

I stood up slowly, stunned. Took both her hands.

Then kissed her.

“I really do like you,” I said softly.

And Saaya… gave me the purest smile I had ever seen

The evening deepened into a twilight glow. Magic lanterns floated along the curved rooftops of the outer district, trailing soft glimmers like fireflies with purpose. A cobbled side street caught my eye—quiet, tucked away from the festival glow of the main plaza.

Saaya walked beside me, hands clasped behind her back, her new outfit rustling faintly with each step. Her expression was calm, but her eyes darted curiously toward every little charm stall and spell-dyed scarf that caught the light.

That’s when I saw it.

A small boutique nestled between a soul-bond bakery and a wind-chime forge. Its window shimmered with enchantments so subtle they almost didn’t register—just a faint pulse of memory, warmth, and a strange… pull. The sign above read:

“Constella’s Keepsakes – For Moments That Last.”

“Want to check it out?” I asked, nodding to the door.

Saaya tilted her head. “Jewelry?” she said, teasing. “You trying to propose already?”

I laughed, though my heart skipped a beat. “Not yet. But maybe I want something to remember this day by.”

She shrugged—then smiled. “Alright. But I’m not wearing anything glittery that jingles when I walk.”

We stepped inside.

The air was warm and quiet, carrying the scent of sandalwood and old magic. Every piece of jewelry in the store shimmered slightly—subtle glamour spells that responded not to gold or mana, but emotion. The shopkeeper, a kindly woman with starlight eyes, gave us a knowing nod and drifted away as we browsed.

I didn’t plan it. But as we passed the center display, something caught my eye.

A simple silver ring.

Thin, understated—delicate even. But embedded in its band was a tiny gem shaped like a teardrop, flickering between lavender and gold. No engraving. No title. Just a small placard that read:

“This ring remembers promises made from the heart. Speak it aloud. It will remember too.”

I stared at it for too long.

Saaya noticed.

She stepped beside me, eyes narrowing as she followed my gaze. “You thinking of getting that?”

“I’m thinking,” I said quietly, “that I want to make you a promise.”

She blinked. “Sukara…”

I picked up the ring gently, feeling it hum against my palm. No heavy enchantments. Just warmth. I turned to her.

“I don’t know how long we’ll be here. I don’t know what’s waiting beyond the Grid, or what the gods are still planning. But I know this…”

I stepped closer and held out the ring between us.

“I want to be beside you. Wherever we go, whatever happens. I’m not running. I’m not fading. I’m choosing you. Every time.”

The words settled between us like stardust. For a moment, the only sound was the soft flutter of her breath.

Then Saaya held out her hand—just a little shaky.

“I want to make you a promise too,” she whispered. “That even when the gods look at me like a mistake… you never did. And I will never leave your side.”

I slipped the ring onto her finger.

It shimmered—not bright, not loud. Just a soft, steady pulse of light. Like a heartbeat. Like a memory that had already been made.

Saaya looked at it, then looked up at me—and kissed me. Not out of surprise. Not out of tension. Just… gently. Warmly. Like she’d been waiting.

When she pulled back, her voice was soft.

“So… is this our first step toward marriage?”

I smirked. “Nah. It’s our first step toward forever.”

She smiled—and this time, I swore the butterflies outside changed direction just to follow her.