Chapter 45: Crossroads of Fate
Mini Arc: Gasper's Rescue – Final Chapter
The cold wind rolled across the Agares highlands, brushing gently against the trees like the breath of fate itself.
In the quiet distance stood the Agares safehouse, its wards humming faintly under the moonlight.
Inside, two lives began to recover from the dark pits they'd been dragged from.
Gasper's New Beginning
In the Gremory household, Gasper Vladi sat on a padded cushion in the sunlit garden, his eyes flitting nervously to each passing servant. His body was still tense—thin, pale, jittery—but the darkness in his aura had begun to recede.
Across from him sat Rias Gremory, her demeanor calm and gentle.
"You can sit closer, Gasper," she said, smiling warmly.
He nodded, scooting slightly closer, his voice barely above a whisper.
"T-Thank you… Lady Rias…"
In truth, he still flinched at sudden movement and shied away from his own reflection. But there was progress. He had slept through the night. He had eaten a full meal. And now… he was outside in the sun.
In a chamber not far from them, a magical mirror flickered to life.
"How is he?" Volundr asked from the other side, his tone neutral but edged with quiet concern.
Rias leaned into view, eyes soft.
"Better every day. Grayfia's been helping him ground his emotions. He still won't let go of her hand for long, but… that's okay."
Volundr nodded, watching Gasper's reflection for a few seconds in silence.
"Do you plan to recruit him eventually?" Rias asked carefully.
There was a pause.
"No," Volundr replied. "Not unless he chooses it freely. He deserves that much. Let him decide who he wants to fight for… and if he wants to fight at all."
Rias smiled faintly.
"You always think ahead. I'll keep him safe."
"I know."
Valerie Awakens
Back in the remote Agares safehouse, the soft glow of healing magic shimmered above Valerie Tepes' bed. Her breaths had steadied.
Her complexion had returned. The dark, trembling aura of Sephiroth Graal had receded into silence, as though sleeping along with her.
Then, without fanfare, her eyes opened.
Slowly.
Cautiously.
Volundr, seated beside her as always, looked up.
"Valerie."
Her lips parted, dry and slow. "W…where…?"
"You're safe," Volundr said simply. "Far from the Tepes estate."
She blinked slowly, the fog in her gaze lifting with each heartbeat.
"Who… are you?"
He didn't respond with titles or lineage. He didn't speak of power or plans.
"Someone who remembers what it felt like… to be forgotten."
Valerie stared at him, the silence heavy but not uncomfortable.
"You rescued me… but why? You don't even know me."
"I didn't need to," he said. "I felt your pain before I even knew your name."
Tears didn't come. She was too empty for that. But her voice quivered slightly.
"Thank you. I… don't know if I can serve anyone. Not now. Maybe not ever."
Volundr nodded without hesitation.
"Then don't. Rest. Heal. When the time comes, if you want to fight—fight for yourself. The choice will always be yours."
She stared at him a moment longer, then whispered, "Okay."
She closed her eyes again—not in fear, but in trust.
Evening on the Hill
Nightfall had descended fully now, and Volundr stood alone atop a wind-swept hill near the estate. The stars above him flickered like ancient watchers. The grass rustled at his feet, alive with the sound of renewal.
His coat flared gently in the breeze as he looked down upon the safehouse and out toward the distant lands where Rias was sheltering Gasper.
So much remained uncertain.
Enemies would come. Politics would stir. Power would rise and fall like the tide.
But for now…
"Two souls freed…" he murmured. "One entrusted… one protected."
His hand tightened briefly over the hilt of his spear resting against his back.
"The pieces are gathering."
The wind carried his words into the night, and with them, the silent vow of a king in the making.