Discordant Duet
Ugh... What are they doing to make this much noise?
Hey. Have you heard anything about this?
Looks like Candle Square maids and Saviors...
Is there some kind of event happening in the square today?
Who knows? I haven't heard anything.
Then what's all this supposed to be?
Just my luck...
Come to think of it, hasn't Kalaid felt a little strange these past few days?
People snap over nothing, and the snow hasn't stopped falling for even a day.
Yesterday I went into town for a bit, and I saw some young people just standing there blankly, holding those black stones.
Huh? Yeah! They were the same stones those maids are piling up over there!
Fufu. Is that so?
This isn't the time to just chuckle!
Something about all this gives me the creeps. The moment this snow lets up, I'm getting out of here...
Hmm... Looks like it's about to begin.
Huh? What's with those dark clouds...?
Hey! This is going too far.
How am I supposed to run my business if you block the whole street while I'm taking customers?
And what are those rocks? If you don't move them right now, I'll bury you in complaints!
Ptooey! Business is bad enough already. This is really ticking me off.
W-what? Is this how you folks at Candle Square treat people?
Ah... Uh... Er...
...It doesn't matter. They'll soon be nothing more than discarded shells anyway.
Starting a little early shouldn't be a problem.
Start? Start what?
Haha. Can't you already feel it?
The blessing of the Void.
You've ripened just enough.
The hell are you talking about—
...Huh? Ugh... My body... I feel weak...
Now, cast off your shell and be born anew.
W-what is that...?!
Tch...! Something's wrong. I need to get out of here!
My. I'm afraid I can't allow that.
W-when did you...?
Accept the blessing of the Void. Everything will become peaceful.
R-run!
It's no use.
Aaargh!
Ah... What a beautiful sight.
The blessing bestowed by the merciful Void...
The cries of joy from those being saved...
Truly...
What a horrible sight!
Looks like we were right to hurry, Trish.
You...
Haha, you must've embraced the grand will of the Void and become Executors—
Of course not!
...Then how did you escape?
I'm certain the blessing of the Void had already seeped into you...
We had a protective charm!
A charm...? A charm that rejects the Void Force? There's no possible way—
Ah! Enough, enough! Quit going on about the Void already!
I've been thinking about what you said, and you know what? You were right.
We humans really do end up doing stupid things because we're too busy chasing what we want.
We turn simple things into a mess by doing something foolish...
And make everything fall apart because we can't trust each other.
Even when we're on the same team, we refuse to trust each other, do whatever we want, and end up paying for it.
But you know what?
So what?
Of course people argue and clash! We're all different!
You say it's the natural order of the universe to just accept the Void waiting at the end of chaos and despair?
Cut the crap!
We may be foolish...
But we can admit our foolishness and still move forward.
So...
Don't dress up some twisted plan to drag everyone down with you as some grand "natural order"!
Fools...
Do you truly believe the two of you alone can stand against the Void Force?
Well... we won't know until we try, will we?
Mm-hmm! Exactly!
...How ridiculous.
Very well. Those who reject the path of salvation offered to them deserve only merciless punishment.
I'll make you nourishment for the Void, so it may take root in this land, even if by force.
Now! Child of the Void, destined to destroy all falsehood, awaken from your slumber and reveal your true form!
W-what is that...?! That huge rock is shaking like crazy!
So it really wasn't just some ordinary boulder...!
...Combat preparations complete.
I'm going all out from the start.
Good. I'm ready too...!