Chapter 1 -Julius Hugh and Iris Hera-

“Once upon a time, in a bright and peaceful world, there lived two great gods who cared for everyone’s home.

The first was the God of the Sun. Every morning, he would rise into the sky, painting it with warm colors of gold and orange. He gave light to the people, helped plants grow, and filled the world with warmth and happiness. Children laughed and played under his shining rays, and people loved him very much.

The second was the God of the Dark. When the day ended, he would gently spread a soft blanket of night across the sky. He brought cool air so everyone could rest, and he filled the heavens with tiny, twinkling stars. Under his care, people slept, dreamed, and regained their strength for a new day.

For a long time, the two gods worked together in perfect balance day and night, light and dark, taking turns to care for the world.

But as time passed, people began to forget the importance of the night.

“We love the light!” they said. “The sun makes everything bright and happy. We don’t need the dark at all.”

They wished with all their hearts,

“We hope there will only be light forever, and no more darkness.”

The God of the Dark heard their wish. At first, he felt sad. He had always done his part quietly, asking for nothing in return. But now, he felt unappreciated and hurt.

“You ungrateful beings,” he said softly, though his voice echoed across the sky. “You have forgotten why I am here. Very well… I shall help you understand the value of darkness.”

And so, that very night, the God of the Dark did not leave.

The sky stayed dark… and it stayed dark… and it stayed dark until now. “

“Is sunlight real? And… "What is the sun?” one of the kids asked.

Iris smiled gently.

“Yes, sunlight is real. And the sun is like that lantern over there,” she said, pointing to the ceiling. “But much bigger and brighter, bright enough to light up the whole world.”

The children’s eyes widened in wonder as they imagined it.

As they happily talked about the story, a man’s voice suddenly cut in.

“Hey, Iris. Don’t give the kids the wrong idea.”

Iris turned. “Eh? What do you mean?”

“The light… the sun… all of that,” he said calmly. “The story you read is just fiction. Nothing more.”

Iris frowned a little.

“There you go again. You know it more than anyone… the light is real.”

Julius paused. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

Iris quickly turned back to the kids, clapping her hands with a bright smile.

“Anyway, don’t listen to that gloomy guy who looks like he’s about to eat you alive,” she joked. 

“Believe in the light. Someday, we’ll see it, again… and we’ll finally be safe.”

“Yes!!” the children cheered together, their voices filling the library.

Iris laughed softly, then looked back at Julius.

“Hey, Julius… are you free next night?”

“Next night? Yeah, I think so,” Julius replied.

“Yay! Can we go out? I want to show you something.”

“Okay…” Julius said, a bit curious.

Iris then looked at the kids.

“Alright, time to go home. We’re closing the library.”

One by one, the children waved goodbye and left.

The room slowly grew quiet.

Julius and Iris closed the library doors and stepped outside together.

“The night is beautiful… really beautiful,” Iris said as they walked under the starry sky. I want to see the other beauty of this world”

“Like the world you always showed me.”

Julius looked up at the sky, his eyes reflecting the faint light of the stars. For a moment, he seemed lost in a memory.

Then Iris spoke again, a little more softly.

“By the way… did you make another painting? Can I see it?”

The atmosphere shifted.

Julius, who had been quiet the whole time, slowly smiled. It was small smile. 

Iris noticed it right away. She smiled too, almost as if that was her goal all along to make him smile again. 

“It’s a promise, okay?” 

"Yeah" 

After a few more minutes of walking, they finally reached their homes. Julius' house stood right beside Iris, close enough that they could see each other’s doors.

“Next night, in our usual spot, okay?“ Iris said

“Okay” Julius replied. 

Julius entered his house and was immediately greeted by his mom.

“Oh, Julius! Welcome home….. and perfect timing” she said with a smile. “Can you light the fireplace for me, please?” 

His mom pointed toward the fireplace, where the fire had long since gone out.

“Okay, give me a second.”

Julius slowly raised his hand. Tiny blue particles appeared in the air around him, glowing like scattered stars. They drifted through the room in slow, graceful motions before gathering toward his outstretched palm. One by one, the particles rotate and merged into a single point of light. 

A small blue flame bloomed above his hand. 

Its gentle glow illuminated his face as it swayed softly, neither burning nor flickering wildly, but moving with a calm. 

With a slight motion of his hand, Julius guided the flame toward the empty fireplace.

The blue fire floated through the air as though following an invisible path laid out before it. It weaved gently between the room's before touching onto the waiting logs.

The moment it touched them, the flame spread.

“Thank you, Julius! Having a Caster son really makes things easier,” his mom said, clearly grateful.

“It’s just basic starlight manipulation, Mom. You don’t have to thank me that much.”

“There you go again,” she replied, shaking her head with a warm smile. “Julius, remember this no matter what you do, whether it’s small or big, your mom will always be proud of you.”

“…Yeah, thank you. Mom”

His voice was low, almost absent-minded.

“Anyway, dinner’s ready,” she added gently. “Come to the table when you’re ready.”

She turned and walked toward the dining area, her footsteps soft against the floor.

For a moment, Julius didn’t move.

The silence in the room felt heavier now, like the conversation had left something behind that he couldn’t quite name.

Then, with a quiet breath, he finally followed.

The dining room was warm compared to the rest of the house.

A soft blue fire burned calmly in the fireplace, its glow flickering gently across the wooden walls and casting slow moving shadows that danced with every shift of the flame.

The table was already set.

Simple, but careful.

Steam rose faintly from the dishes placed neatly in the center warm food, familiar scents, the kind that made the house feel less like a building and more like a home.

Julius’s mother was already seated, adjusting a plate slightly as she waited. His father sat across from her, calm and quiet, his presence steady in a way that didn’t need many words.

“Julius,” his mother said when she noticed him. Her voice was soft, gentle in the way only family could be. “You were spaced out again.”

“It’s nothing, Mom, I just thought of something” Julius replied automatically as he took his seat.

His father glanced at him for a brief moment.

Not questioning.

Just observing.

“You’ve been doing that a lot lately, Julius..” his father said calmly.

His mother let out a small sigh, not annoyed more like understanding something he hadn’t said out loud.

“You always think too much, it is okay to rest okay?” she said while placing food onto his plate.

The faint sound of utensils being set down filled the quiet that followed.

For a while, the three of them ate without much conversation.

It wasn’t uncomfortable.

It was the kind of silence that only existed between people who didn’t need to fill it to feel connected.

The blue firelight flickered gently, reflecting in their cups and casting a calm glow over the table.

Julius stared at his food for a moment before slowly eating.

But even as he did, his mind drifted slightly.

Not far.

Just enough to linger on something he couldn’t fully explain.

Something that felt like a memory… but not quite.

His mother noticed his pause again.

“You really are distracted tonight. Are you okay, Julius? Aren’t you tired?” She said softly.

Julius blinked and shook his head slightly.

“Sorry, It's nothing mom”

His father finally spoke, his voice steady and calm.

“If something is bothering you, say it. Your mother and I might be able to help you with whatever you’re dealing with.”

Julius hesitated.

Then gave a small, quiet smile.

“Thank you Mom and Dad but, It’s really nothing serious.” Julius said with a small smile. 

His mother studied him for a moment longer, then softened her expression.

“Alright,” she said gently. “But don’t carry everything by yourself.”

"Always remember, we are always here for you anytime," Julius mom added. 

The words lingered slightly in the warm air.

Julius lowered his gaze for a moment, then nodded.

"Thank you....”

The fire crackled softly, and for a brief moment, the world outside didn’t feel so heavy.

Julius goes to his room and finally takes a rest after a long day in the library. 

The next night, Julius went outside to wait for Iris at their usual spot.  But when he arrived, he was surprised to see that she was already there.

“Well… that’s new,” Julius said with a small grin. “Isn’t this the first time you got here before me?”

“Hehe,” Iris giggled. “I was just really excited for tonight. After all… it’s o~u~r date,” she added playfully.

“Yeah, yeah… whatever you say,” Julius replied, already used to her teasing.

“So? What are we doing tonight?” he asked.

Iris suddenly stood up and stretched her arms above her head.

“We're going to enjoy our night!”

Before Julius could say anything, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

“H-Hey, wait!”

“No complaints.”

Julius just sighed and just let Iris grab him. 

The city stretched before them beneath the eternal night sky, illuminated by countless lanterns hanging above the streets. Warm lights spilled from shop windows while distant music drifted through the air.

The night felt alive.

And somehow, Iris looked even more alive than the city itself.

She walked ahead while still holding his hand, occasionally looking back to make sure he was following.

Not that she needed to.

Whenever she decided something, stopping her was nearly impossible.

The two wandered through the streets without any real destination.

They visited small shops. 

Looked through market stalls.

They stopped to watch a musician playing a violin near a fountain.

At one point, Iris spent nearly ten minutes trying to convince a merchant to sell her a stuffed rabbit at half price.

She failed.

Spectacularly.

Julius watched her with a quiet smile.

“Is that rabbit really worth all that effort?”

Iris turned to him immediately, completely serious.

“What are you saying, Julius? Anything that looks cute is worth fighting for.”

Julius blinked, then let out a small laugh.

“You really do love them, huh.”

"Of course!!!" Iris said loudly

And that only made him laugh harder.

One that came easier whenever he was around her.

They continued walking afterward.

Sometimes they talked.

Sometimes they simply enjoyed the silence.

Neither felt uncomfortable.

The kind of silence that existed between strangers was awkward.

The kind that existed between them felt natural.

Comfortable.

Like something they had shared countless times before.

Eventually, they found themselves sitting near the edge of a small stone bridge overlooking a canal.

The water below reflected the lights of the city.

For a while, neither spoke.

Then Iris suddenly leaned forward.

“Julius.”

“Hm?”

“Have you been painting lately, right?”

“Yes… and didn’t you already ask me that last night?”

“I just wanted to make sure,” Iris said with a small laugh.

“Make sure of what?” Julius replied. “Sometimes I really can’t read your mind.”

Julius laughed quietly.

Painting had always been one of the few things that allowed him to forget everything else.

When he painted, hours disappeared.

Sometimes entire nights.

The world became colors, shapes, and emotions placed upon a canvas.

And somehow Iris always noticed.

Even when he never told her.

“Did you finish the one you were working on?”

“Almost. I still need to finish the colors.”

“Can I see it?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because it's unfinished, I did tell it too last night”

“You always say that.”

“Because it's always unfinished.” Julius insisted

Iris narrowed her eyes.

“That doesn't make sense.”

“It does to me.”

“That sounds like something an artist would say when they don't want criticism.”

“I don't remember asking for your criticism.”

“Good.”

Iris grinned.

“Because I was going to give it anyway, as always”

Julius shook his head.

Sometimes talking to her felt impossible.

But he never minded.

A soft breeze passed through the street.

The lanterns swayed gently.

For a moment, Iris looked upward.

Toward the stars.

Or rather. 

Toward the eternal stars.

The endless sky that covered their world, the night sky they had grown up under, side by side, watching together for as long as they could remember.

Her smile softened.

“The Constellation Festival is getting close.”

Julius followed her gaze.

“Yeah.”

Only a few weeks remained, to be exact 4 weeks from today. 

Already, preparations could be seen throughout the city.

Decorations.

Advertisements.

Construction.

People were excited.

The festival only happens once a year.

And for many, it was the brightest time of the year.

“I can't wait”

Iris smiled.

“Let's go together again this year.”

The words came naturally.

Without hesitation.

Without doubt.

As if she couldn't imagine another possibility.

Julius smiled.

“Of course.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

"Don't we always go to festivals together?" Julius added. 

Iris held out her pinky finger.

Julius stared at it.

“You're serious?”

“Very, what if you run away?”

“I won't and we're adults now”

“And? This is not a bad thing or else”

“It’s so embarrassing to do it,” Julius said quietly.

But Iris didn’t answer.

She just kept looking at him, completely still, as if waiting for him to take his words back on his own.

He sighed.

Then linked his finger with hers.

Satisfied, Iris nodded.

“Good now we have the pact”

“Are you, happy now?”

“Very, I am very happy, Julius..”

Neither of them knew why that small promise would remain in their memory for a very long time.

The night continued.

They wandered through the city once more.

Played small games.

Lost spectacularly at most of them.

Mostly because Iris kept making terrible decisions.

“Trust me, I can do this. ” Iris proudly say

“Those words always end badly.”

“They do not.”

"If you say so."

Five minutes later. 

They had lost.

Again.

“I know this will what happened..” Julius said, teasing Iris. 

“I was unlucky.”

“Sure, sure" Julius said clearly teasing Aira. 

At another stall, Iris won a small charm after her tenth attempt.

She immediately handed it to Julius.

“You won it.”

Iris let out a proudly smile.

Julius blinked at it, then sighed.

“I’m not praising you… anyway, why are you giving it to me? You should keep it.”

“I just want to give it to you,” Iris said simply.

Before he could protest again, she grabbed his arm and gently but firmly placed it in his hand, making sure he was holding it.

Julius stared at the small charm.

It wasn't valuable.

Probably worth almost nothing.

Yet somehow it felt important to him. 

So he kept it.

The hours passed without either of them noticing.

The city gradually became quieter.

Shops began closing.

The crowds slowly disappeared.

Eventually, they found themselves walking through a nearly empty street.

Only a few lanterns remained lit.

The world under the night sky felt calmer.

Softer.

“Today was fun.”

Iris suddenly spoke.

“Yeah.”

“Let’s do it again sometime,” Iris said, looking at Julius.

Julius met her gaze, and for a moment, neither of them looked away.

“Together,” Iris added softly, her smile gentle.

Julius’s expression softened as he looked at her.

Then he smiled back.

“Okay, as usual”

“And next year.”

“Of couse, if you are still okay with me”

“And the Constellation Festival.”

“Just don't try to got lost again.”

“And after that too.”

“Yeah, we will definitely go together”

“And after that… and after that…”

“Okay, okay”

Their voices softened with each exchange, the words becoming quieter, almost like a promise neither of them needed to explain.

The two of them didn’t look away, just kept looking at each other.

And iris looked at the night sky.

“I hope this will last long.” Iris said

For some reason, the way she said it felt strange.

Not sad.

Not serious.

Just… hopeful.

As if she wasn’t asking for something impossible, only wishing that whatever this moment was, it wouldn’t end too soon.

As though she wanted to make sure there would always be a next time.

“I hope so too,” Julius replied.

His voice was softer than usual.

“I really do.”

Iris smiled.

A small smile.

Gentle.

The kind Julius would remember long after this night ended.

Neither of them knew it.

But years later, when Julius tried to remember happiness, he would remember nights like this.

The lights.

The laughter.

The bridge.

The promise.

The painting she never got to see.

And the simple words she had spoken beneath the stars.

And after so many moments walking through the streets, talking about nothing and everything, sharing food, and laughing without noticing how time passed they finally slowed down.

Only then did they realize how tired they actually were.

So they decided to take a rest.

“That was tiring,” Iris said as they rested on a bench in the park. 

"So you can get tired" 

Julius leaned back slightly.

“And… what was it you wanted to show me? You mentioned it last night. We spent so much time together earlier, but you never told me what it was.”

“Because I didn’t want to ruin our Date earlier,” Iris said softly.

“Yeah, yeah… so what is it?” Julius softly asked. 

Iris stayed quiet for a moment.

“Julius…” she said softly. “Do you remember when we were kids? Those were special memories for me… especially the days when you would show me your paintings.”

Julius frowned a little.

“Ha? Where did that come from?”

“Nothing… I just wanted to talk about it,” Iris said.

A brief silence settled between them.

The noise of the city felt distant here. Softer. Like the world itself was giving them space.

A gentle wind passed by, rustling the leaves above. Moonlight spilled over the bench where they sat.

Iris turned toward him, her expression more serious now but not cold. Concerned.

“Julius…” she said carefully. “Do you really not want to paint the world you once wanted everyone to see anymore?”

Julius blinked slightly.

“I still paint,” he said quietly.

“I know,” Iris replied immediately. “That’s not what I mean.”

Her voice softened.

“Your paintings now… they don’t feel like the same ones you used to show me.”

Julius looked away for a moment.

“…They’re still mine.”

“I know,” she said again, gently. “But I can see, what you’re making and it's not the same like you used to paint.”

She hesitated, then added more quietly,

“I don’t want you to lose yourself in it, Julius.”

That made him pause.

Julius opened his mouth slightly, as if ready to brush it off with a familiar excuse. But he stopped.

Iris wasn’t smiling.

She wasn’t teasing him this time, or trying to win an argument.

She was just looking at him quietly, sincerely like she was afraid of what he might hide behind his words.

Julius’s expression softened and smiled.

“So this is the reason you invited me out again,” Julius said, though there was no real anger in his voice.

“It’s not only that,” Iris replied quietly. “I really do want to spend time with you… but I also wanted to try again. Just once more. To see if I can change your mind.”

Julius looked at her for a moment, then let out a small breath.

“Thank you, Iris…” he said after a pause. “But you already know… I can’t show that kind of world to anyone else. Except you.”

His gaze lowered slightly.

“They’d just laugh at me.”

Julius remembered it all.

The failures he once called efforts.
The moments he once called progress.

And the reactions that followed.

They laughed not loudly, but enough for him to hear it in the silence between words.
They didn’t trust him. Not fully. Not when it mattered.

And worse than that…

They didn’t even try to understand.

They would stand in front of his paintings, glance at them for only a moment, and say the same thing.

“It looks good.”

Empty words. Polite words. Meaningless words.

Words that never reached his work, and never reached him either.

And somehow, those were the ones that hurt the most.

He hesitated, then added in a quieter voice,

“And besides… my paintings recently are just something I do for myself.”

Iris didn’t respond right away.

But her eyes stayed on him.

Careful.

Worried.

Like she was trying to understand something he wasn’t saying.

Julius noticed it and gave a small, reassuring smile.

“I’m fine,” he said softly.

But Iris didn’t look convinced.

‘Julius you’re the one who always said it."

"You wanted to show that world to everyone…’

Iris didn’t say it out loud.

“Ahh…” Iris finally sighed. “I really thought I could change your mind this time.”

A small silence passed again but this time it wasn’t heavy. Just familiar.

Then Julius let out a faint laugh.

“Oh? Giving up that easily?” he teased gently. “Last time you almost cried trying to convince me.”

“Hey! I was not crying!” Iris immediately shot back.

Julius smiled a little more at that.

For a moment, it felt normal again.

But Iris’s eyes stayed softer than usual.

Not playful this time.

Concerned.

Caring.

Then suddenly. 

She stood up.

“Eh? Iris?” Julius blinked. “Are you mad?”

“No,” she said quickly.

Too quickly.

She grabbed his hand.

“Then what”

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she pulled him a few steps away, toward a tree where the moonlight fell clearer.

Julius followed, confused but trusting.

Before he could react, she gently pushed him back against the trunk.

Not forceful.

But firm enough that he stopped.

Their faces were close now.

Close enough that Julius could feel his own heartbeat rising.

“Iris…?” he asked, unsure.

But Iris didn’t look away.

She looked… serious. 

Like she was trying to reach him before something inside him closed again.

“If I keep talking,” she said softly, “you’ll just smile at me, a smile that nothing to you and will probably ignore it again.”

Julius froze slightly.

“I don’t ignore you,” he said.

“I know,” she replied immediately.

Her voice softened.

“That’s what scares me.”

Silence.

Julius’s expression changed slightly.

Confusion fading.

Concern appearing instead.

“Iris… what are you trying to say?”

She hesitated.

Then, quietly:

“If I can't convince you with my words, I will convince you–”

“What?” 

Julius blinked, confused. 

“With your own eyes,” she added gently.

Iris closed her eyes and slowly opened them again.

Julius froze.

Her dark blue eyes had changed.

They shimmered like the night sky itself, her irises filled with countless tiny stars, and her pupils shaped like glowing constellations. It was as if the entire universe was reflected within her gaze.

“Iris… your eye–” Julius began.

Before he could finish his sentence, the world Julius seeing began to distort.

Not abruptly.

Slowly like reality itself was being peeled away.

The bench beneath Julius eyes lost its weight first.

Then the ground softened into something brighter.

The rustling leaves above Julius point of view flickered, their shapes stretching like wet paint being pulled across a canvas.

Julius froze.

“…What?”

His voice sounded distant, even to himself.

The park dissolved at the edges of his vision, breaking apart into soft fragments of light.

The night sky cracked open, not with violence, but with color.

Deep darkness turned pale… then warm… then gold.

Julius took a step back instinctively, but there was no ground behind him anymore only shifting light, like the world was being redrawn in real time.

“Iris…” he called, his voice lower now.

But there was no panic in her presence.

Only calm.

Then. 

Everything snapped into place.

The air turned warm, a soft ocean breeze brushed against his skin. The sound of distant waves filled the silence that had replaced the city.

Julius slowly lifted his head.

The world Julius seeing was no longer the park.

It was something else entirely.

A shoreline stretched endlessly before him, glowing under a sky painted with sunlight that shouldn’t exist at night.

Golden sand reflected light like glass.

The sea shimmered in layers of blue and white, moving like it was breathing.

And above it all. 

The sun.

Not their eternal night.

But a real sun. 

Julius’s eyes widened.

“…Is this…?”

His voice came out barely above a whisper.

Iris stepped forward beside him, smiling brightly as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“Correct!” she said proudly. “This is one of your painting back then.”

She turned toward the horizon.

“The world you wanted everyone to see…”

Her smile softened.

“Sunlight Upon the Shore"

They stood in a place Julius had only seen in his life, once. 

A bright sun shone above them, its warm light touching the waves as they gently rolled onto the shore. The sky was wide and blue, the ocean sparkling, and the world was filled with colors he had seen before.

Julius couldn’t look away.

“How… did you do this?” he asked, his voice quiet as he tried to take everything in.

Iris pouted slightly. 

“That’s your first question? Shouldn’t you be praising me or at least thanking me?” she said, clearly wanting recognition.

Then she smiled, a little more softly.

“Is it because of my eyes.. You know them, don’t you… the 88 constellations.”

Julius nodded slowly.

“The 88 constellations… the great guardians of the sky. They’re said to bless those they choose.”

“Correct, as expected from the genius of Hugh,” Iris said, teasing him lightly.

But Julius didn’t react.

His mind was elsewhere, quietly searching for an answer in her words.

“Come on… you’re no fun, Julius,” Iris sighed.

“Fine, I’ll tell you,” she continued. “Actually, I’m not even sure… but I think they heard me.”

Her voice softened at the end, as if she was trying to convince herself just as much as him.

“What do you mean? They heard you?” 

Iris looked at the horizon, her expression turning gentle.

“When we were kids… I was trapped in our mansion. Like a bird in a cage,” she said quietly. “I couldn’t go outside, couldn’t make friends… my world wasn’t colorful at all. It was just the same walls, the same silence, the same days repeating over and over again.”

She paused for a moment, her gaze lowering slightly as if she could still see it.

“I didn’t even realize how empty it was back then,” Iris continued softly. “I thought that was just how life was supposed to be.”

"I thought, I will die without seeing the color of this world, and it's scared me"

Another pause.

“But then you came,” she said, her voice slowly warming. “The day you visited our house… and the day you showed me your painting… this world.”

Her hands tightened slightly in her lap.

“Everything changed after that.”

A small, gentle smile appeared on her face.

“I didn’t know the world could be that beautiful,” she admitted. “Not just the sky… or the colors… but the feeling of it. Like there was something beyond those walls I had been living in all along.”

Julius stayed silent, listening.

“That’s why…” Iris said, turning back to him, her eyes shining softly, “I kept telling myself, I want to see your world again. I want to help you create it. I want everyone to see it too… and I want to see it with my own eyes, just like I did back then.”

Her voice was completely sincere.

Then she added softly. 

“The Pavo Constellation… the one said to turn imagination into reality.”

“The blessings granted to me by the true guardians… to fulfill the wish I hold for myself and the one I hold for you.”

The sunlight shimmered around them as the waves continued to dance along the shore.

“So, Julius… please remember the promise you made back then.”

Julius froze.

Memories flashed through his mind.. him and Iris as children, standing side by side, holding a painting between them.

“The promise… that you would show everyone the other beauty of this world,” Iris continued softly. “The sun… and its light.”

For a moment, everything was quiet.

Then 

“HAHAHAHA”

Julius suddenly laughed.

Iris blinked, caught off guard.

“Huh? What? Did I say something funny?”

Julius kept laughing, but there was something broken in it.

“No… it’s just funny,” he said, shaking his head. “Funny how pathetic I am.”

“You’re not!” Iris said quickly.

“I am, Iris,” he replied, his voice lowering. “I gave up on my dream… just because of what other people might say. People I barely even know.”

He looked down at his hands.

“I kept thinking… if the people I want to show my world to just laugh at it… then what’s the point?”

He paused.

“But…”

Julius slowly looked around, the sunlight, the ocean, the endless sky.

“I didn’t start this just for them.”

His voice grew steadier.

“I did this for myself.”

He took a small step forward.

“Yeah, I want to show it to the world but… I’m part of that world too. I want to see it. I want to feel it.”

He turned to Iris, his eyes clear.

“And not everyone laughed at me,” Julius said softly.

His gaze lowered for a moment, as if recalling everything he had buried for so long.

“But you didn’t.”

He looked back at Iris.

“You’re the one person who never turned away… the one who believed in me until the end.”

His voice grew quieter, but more steady.

“You stayed, even when I couldn’t explain myself properly. Even when everyone else thought it was meaningless… you still looked at my paintings like they meant something.”

Julius paused, taking a small breath.

“Thank you, Iris.”

A faint, honest smile appeared on his face.

“Thank you… for believing in my paintings. For believing in me.”

Iris smiled gently and stepped closer to him.

“And thank you… for showing me this again, this beautiful world I loved..”

Julius took a breath, determination returning.

“I want to paint this world agai—

His eyes flick a light. 

His words suddenly stopped.

Crack.

The world around them began to shatter.

The sky fractured like broken glass. The ocean froze mid-wave, splitting apart into pieces. The sunlight flickered.

Julius’ eyes widened.

“Iris…?”

Iris, who was walking toward him, suddenly slowed.

Her steps became uneven.

“Hng—” she let out a small, pained sound, her body trembling slightly.

She kept moving forward, forcing each step.. 

But something was wrong.

Very wrong.

The beautiful world they stood in was collapsing around them.

Like a fragile dream… breaking apart.

As Iris struggled to walk toward him, something felt wrong.

Julius’ eyes widened.

There on her stomach was blood.

“Iris!! What’s wrong?!” he shouted, rushing to her.

He caught her just as her body gave out. She collapsed into his arms, still barely conscious, her breathing weak.

“Iris!! Iris!!!” Julius called out desperately.

Then. 

The world around them shattered completely.

In an instant, they were back under the tree where they had been before.

But something was different.

Julius held Iris tightly, refusing to let go. Her body was limp now.

He looked down at her wound

and froze.

A blade.

A blade had pierced through her stomach.

“...Tsk. I wanted to finish this quickly.”

A cold, unfamiliar voice spoke from behind her.

Julius’ expression changed instantly.

Without hesitation, he activated his stellar wind spell pushing himself and Iris away with a burst effect of that spell, creating distance between them and the attacker.

“Oh? You can use Stellar Wind masterfully?” the man said, amused. “So you’re not just an ordinary caster."

"Probably a nobus close to reach, Medius level" That man added

Julius glared at him, anger burning in his eyes.

“But unfortunately,” the man continued, pointing at Iris, “I’m not here to fight you. I only need her eyes.”

“You, !! What did you do to Iris?!” Julius shouted, raising his hand.

Blue particles erupted around one of Julius hand, gathering rapidly into a single point, far faster and more intense than before. A blazing blue flame formed in his palm and shot forward at incredible speed.

The man casually swung his blade.

The flame vanished.

“Give up,” he said calmly. “A young caster like you won’t be able to hurt me.”

Then he disappeared.

“Where did he…?!” Julius looked around frantically.

In that instant

The man appeared behind him.

But Julius had already acted.

A shimmering water shield wrapped around Iris, the water spell reflecting the night sky itself. The attack struck it… and failed.

The man clicked his tongue.

“You’re serious? A water shield only for this girl? Not both of you?”

Behind him, multiple blue flames suddenly appeared, Julius’ counterattack.

“Shower Heat"

The spell about to hit the location where they are but Julius pushed himself, still carrying Iris in his both hands just as the flames rushed forward.

Boom.

The explosion shook the area.

But when the smoke cleared

The man stood untouched.

“I'll take it back,” he said. “You’re not as immature as I thought.”

Blue particles began to gather around his body, flowing into his arms, legs, and chest.

“Starlight Body Strengthening.”

He raised his blade and slashed through the air.

The strike came too fast for Julius’s eyes to follow too fast to react, let alone block.

A sharp force hit him like an invisible wall.

Julius was thrown backward, his body crashing hard into a tree. The impact rattled through his bones, stealing his breath for a moment.

Leaves scattered from the branches above.

And in that single moment of chaos, Julius and Iris were separated.

“Gah—!”

He didn’t understand what happened, but he didn’t waste time.

Forcing his body to move, he used Stellar Wind again, launching himself toward Iris. To grab iris again in his hand. 

But mid-air. 

The man appeared right in front of him.

A powerful kick. 

Julius was sent flying again.

He hit the ground hard.

“Just give up,” the man said, walking calmly toward Iris. “I won’t kill you or the girl. I just need the eyes.”

“Why… are you doing this…?” Julius asked weakly, struggling to stay conscious.

The man paused for a moment. 

“For the greater good,” the man replied without even looking at Julius. 

“What do you mean?!”

“I don’t explain things to civilians,” he said coldly. “But if you need something to blame… blame the night sky.”

He slowly reached down.

His hand moved with deliberate calm, like he is used to do this, almost gentle in contrast to the violence he make.

His fingers touched Iris’s eye.

A pause.

For a brief moment, everything seemed to freeze, the air, the sound, even Iris’s breath.

Then his grip tightened.

And he began to take it. The man successfully take Iris right Eye. 

But then. 

Something strange happened.

The man suddenly froze in place.

His hand stopped mid-motion, as if an invisible force had locked every part of his body. His eyes widened slightly in confusion, searching for an answer that wasn’t there.

“What is happening…?” he muttered.

His voice trembled.

Then his body began to change.

It started subtly at first, his posture shrinking, his limbs tightening in on themselves. Panic and the pain sudden change of his flashed across his face as he tried to move, but nothing responded the way it should.

Smaller… and smaller…

His form collapsed inward, like reality itself was folding him away.

The ground seemed to rise around him as everything shifted in scale. His breathing grew sharp, rapid, too fast, too small.

Until

He was no longer standing.

The man who is standing earlier, now is a mouse. 

The eye slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.

The tiny mouse or to be exact "him" quickly ran away into the darkness.

Julius saw everything but he had no time to question it.

Dragging his body forward, he crawled toward Iris.

“Iris…” he whispered, reaching out.

Even as his vision blurred… he kept moving.

“You really don’t like giving up, huh…”

Another voice from the woman spoke.

This one was different.

Calm. Quiet.

Not hostile.

But Julius couldn’t hear it. Julius is focused on saving Iris, in his mind right now is nothing but saving Iris. 

His world was fading.

Just as he reached out

Everything went black.

A woman stepped out from the shadows, her presence calm and quiet.

She slowly walked toward Iris and knelt beside her.

“I’ll only give you a single drop,” she said softly.

A small cup appeared in the air, as if it had always been there.

“Sorry… it doesn’t taste very good,” she added with a light sigh. “I’ve told Aquarius so many times to at least make it more delicious.”

She tilted the cup, letting a single drop fall onto Iris’ lips.

The effect was immediate.

A faint glow spread across Iris’ body.. her wounds began to close, her skin restoring itself at an incredible speed, as if nothing had ever happened.

Within seconds… her body was completely healed.

But the woman’s expression didn’t change.

“Her body is fixed,” she murmured. “But her starlight veins isn’t… putting her eyes back might kill her.”

She gently picked up Iris’ eye, holding it carefully in her hand.

Then she looked over at Julius weak, unconscious, barely holding on.

For a moment, she hesitated.

Then she made her decision.

“…This is the only way.”

Carefully, she placed Iris’ eye into Julius’ right eye. 

A faint light flickered between them.

“Sorry,” she said quietly. “This is the only way to save your girl. I know… you would do the same if you were in my place.”

Julius stirred slightly.

“Iris…” he whispered, even in his unconscious state.

Even in his dreams or nightmare… he was still thinking of her.

The woman smiled faintly.

She raised her hand to her ear, as if speaking to someone unseen.

Then. 

She disappeared.

Leaving behind only silence…

…and the two of them, lying unconscious on the ground beneath the night sky.

AUTHOR NOTE.

I post illustration of this chapter in my Twitter @tsukasa11685