Chapter 48 – Emilia Sinclair

Luxaris - Capital of the Kingdom - Solmara.

The dimensional portal tore open like a wound in the air. Ren stepped out onto the outskirts, right before the West Gate—the same gate he had once passed through as the Hero of the Sword.

The city’s murmur swallowed him whole: the clamor of markets, horses’ hooves striking the cobblestones, the temple bells calling out to Lumina. Everything was just as he remembered.

Ren clenched his teeth.

“This place… hasn’t changed at all.” His voice was rough, weighed down with memories. “But I can’t let my guard down.”

He pulled out his mask, holding it before him. For a long moment he simply stared, as if the faceless piece reflected his truest self.

“Each step brings us closer to the final act… Shion.”

The air chilled at the sound of her name.

“I won’t let my mother pay for my sins.”

The mask slid over his face. With it, the hero vanished. In his place—Phantom took the stage.

His form melted into shadow, gliding with Shion’s blessing. He scaled walls, crossed alleys, and slipped into the darkness, leaving nothing behind but a cold breath against the guards’ necks.

The capital carried on as always, blissfully unaware that a specter stalked them from the rooftops.

He didn’t know the prison’s interior, but its location was unmistakable. The fortress loomed like a scar of stone in Luxaris’s heart. Sealing runes glimmered faintly on the walls while guards marched in precise rhythm.

Ren ground his teeth.

“Mother… please be safe.”

With a noiseless leap, he landed atop the roof, pried open a hatch, and slid inside. The third floor stretched out with rows of cells, no different from animal cages.

Phantom drifted through the corridor, his eyes scanning each prisoner’s face. No one he knew.

He dropped down to the second floor—only to stop at a scene he hadn’t expected. A cluster of soldiers surrounded a cell, shoving a young woman inside. Her hair was the color of cherry blossoms, and she wore the robes of a cleric.

“Let go of me! What are you going to do to me? Somebody—please!”

Ren shut his eyes for a moment, stifling a sigh.

“Damn it… now of all times.” His whisper barely carried. “I can’t just pretend I didn’t hear that.”

He could be many things, but he could never be someone who ignored injustice. Not even now.

He extended a hand. His voice, like frost, swept through the chamber.

“Ice Chamber.”

The air froze in an instant. A burst of frost exploded outward, sealing the guards in blocks of ice. The silence that followed was absolute.

Phantom’s footsteps echoed over the frozen floor, the crunch of ice breaking beneath his boots. He stopped at the cell where the girl sat huddled against the wall, sobbing.

“Don’t be afraid…” His masked voice was deep, distant. “You’re safe now.”

But she kept crying. She pressed herself harder into the corner, as if trying to melt into the stone itself. To her, this wasn’t salvation. It was terror—a shadow walking among the living.

“I can’t believe I’m about to do this…” Ren muttered. He pulled off the mask, revealing the face beneath—tired eyes burning with restrained fury.

“I’m just like you. I’m no evil demon.”

To prove it, he stretched out his hand. Versalles appeared in a flash of sacred fire. The blade bathed the cell in warm light—so unlike Phantom’s chilling darkness.

The girl slowly lifted her gaze, her tears pausing, her breath catching in awe.

“That… that’s… Versalles… the weapon of a Hero…” Her trembling voice wavered, but for the first time, the tears stopped.

“Exactly.” Ren nodded firmly. “I’m on a secret mission.”

The girl wiped her tears with the sleeves of her robe, trying to steady herself.

“My name is Sakura Luxaris. These guards arrested me on orders from… a superior. They said I wasn’t allowed to keep helping the prisoners.”

Ren’s expression almost faltered.

“Sakura… Luxaris? Are you… the king’s daughter?”

She tilted her head, a bitter smile tugging at her lips.

“The fifth daughter of his fifth wife. In this family, that’s the same as a baron’s child. In other words, I’m no one.”

Ren studied her in silence. He couldn’t afford to show the disgust he felt toward the Luxaris family—not here, not now.

“Nice to meet you, Sakura. My name is Ren Sinclair. I’m looking for my mother. She was brought here by mistake.”

The girl’s eyes brightened with sudden relief.

“Lady Emilia… yes, I know her. She’s a very kind woman.”

Ren stepped forward, disbelief flickering across his face.

“You’ve seen her? Do you know where she is?”

“Of course.” Sakura nodded firmly, brushing the dust from her robe. “But she’s in the underground cells. That’s where they lock up the condemned. I haven’t been allowed down there in days… there are so many guards.”

“Don’t worry. I’m strong enough… please, lead the way.”

Together they descended into the depths, knocking out every guard they met. With each step the air grew heavier—damp stone, prayers etched into the walls, the stench of iron and dried blood.

And then, they saw her.

A narrow cell. No light. No blanket. Only a frail figure curled on the cold floor. Emilia Sinclair. Her cracked lips barely parted, her chest rising and falling in painful, fragile breaths.

“Lady Emilia… someone has come to see you.” Sakura’s voice was soft, reverent.

The woman slowly raised her head, her face pale with exhaustion.

“Saint… of Lumina? Is that you?” she whispered, her voice trembling in confusion.

Ren didn’t hesitate. Ice exploded from his hand, racing across the bars and shattering them like brittle glass.

“Mother!”

He dropped to his knees, gathering her in his arms.

“Are you all right?” His voice cracked on the words.

Emilia’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“My son…? Is it really you?” She coughed, a trickle of blood staining her lips. “Cough… cough…”

“Yes, Mom. It’s me. Please, don’t talk. Rest. I’ll get you out of here right now.”

She was far too weak—she needed medicine, water, food, anything, and fast.

“But… how will we escape? This prison is full of guards…” Sakura clutched her hands against her chest, anxiety tightening her voice.

Ren dispelled Versalles and drew Wisteria. The black blade thrummed with a strange resonance, and before them a radiant fissure tore open. Beyond it shone a hall lit by crystal lamps.

“What… what is that?” Sakura gasped, eyes wide.

“A portal.” Ren lifted his mother carefully, as if she might break apart in his arms. “I’ll bring her to safety first… then I’ll come back to deal with this place.”

He turned, his crimson eyes glinting behind Wisteria’s edge.

“If you want to escape, you’d better come with me.”

Sakura hesitated only a heartbeat. But… what could be worse than rotting in those dungeons? With her heart pounding, she stepped forward and crossed the portal.

The rift carried them straight into the grand hall of the Schubert mansion. Ren lowered his mother gently onto the sofa.

“I need help!” he shouted.

In seconds, hurried footsteps pounded down the staircase. Ada, Latina, and Luisina appeared, their eyes going wide at the sight before them.

“Ren, darling!” Ada cried, rushing to his side. “What happened?!”

“It’s Mom…” Ren clenched his teeth, his chest burning.

“Latina!” His voice was sharp, urgent. “Take care of her. Give her first aid.”

“Got it!” The elf didn’t hesitate, darting to Emilia’s side.

“Luisina—watch over our guest.” Ren glanced at Sakura. “She’s a princess, so treat her accordingly.”

The young yuki magician grinned with theatrical flair, dipping into an exaggerated bow.

“Understood. Call Mia and Nia—she needs food and water right away. Signs show she hasn’t eaten in days.”

Ren turned toward the rift, still shimmering in the air.

“Where are you going?” Ada’s voice carried both worry and intuition.

“I’ll be back soon, my love.” Ren lowered his gaze to his mother, lying weakly on the sofa. “Please, take care of her. There’s no one else I can trust with this.”

Ada squeezed his hand for a few seconds, understanding the weight hidden in his words.

“Don’t worry. Emilia’s in good hands.” Her eyes shifted toward Sakura, who stood watching in bewilderment. “And so is your new friend.”

Sakura didn’t understand any of it. These strangers spoke in a language of trust and secrets, like they were reading lines from a script she couldn’t see. But she had no room to complain. After all, they had freed her from her cell. All she could do now… was believe in them.

Ren stepped back through the portal. He couldn’t allow his mother, his sisters, or anyone to see the hatred he was about to unleash.

The rift closed behind him. The mask slid back into place. The hero vanished. Phantom walked again.

But this time, he summoned neither Versalles nor Wisteria.

From the darkness, a different blade emerged—a black scythe, darker than the void itself, drinking in every trace of light around it.

Requiem.

Shion’s Scythe.

Ren gripped it with both hands. The air in the prison grew heavy, suffocating, as if death itself had stepped into the corridors.

“They’ll pay for what they’ve done…” His voice echoed, harsh and hollow, stripped of all humanity. “This will be their Finale.”

Behind the mask, his eyes were gone from sight.

What remained was only shadow—only the whisper of death, advancing down the prison halls.