Capricorn is the constellation that symbolizes the beginning of winter, as well as a sign where good and evil, despair and hope merge into one.
More fervent than hope, deeper than despair… Pfft, stop!
Weilin had inadvertently spoken a famous line from Madoka Magica. Xi followed her recitation, and slowly, her crimson eyes blazed with a black flame ignited from Hell itself. Dark elements surged wildly around her…
The tragic memories of her childhood were an eternal wound in Xi’s heart.
But, Big Sister Xuezhi had protected her—a person burdened with sins and seemingly beyond saving—with such silent, painstaking effort. How much longer was she going to let herself wallow in despair and self-loathing…?
If she kept sinking into silence and running away, she would eventually lose even the sister she loved most. She didn’t want that…!
There was no need to be afraid anymore, because… she was no longer alone!
If it was for this cold, socially withdrawn sister who was so bad at expressing her feelings, then, even if it was just to respond to those feelings, she had to do something.
The limit of endurance is an eruption.
All the darkness, hatred, pain, unwillingness, fury, and endless resentment that Xi had endured and suppressed over the years was now unleashed upon the world, along with the snapping of the nerves called reason.
Xi, the one most suited to become the Capricorn Star God, could also be a person who stubbornly bears all the suffering of this world with kindness, never resisting even unto death…
Or she could exile those suppressed, dark emotions into the world, transforming into the most evil, dark flames to incinerate everything…
(Why should I endure it? They tormented me by every means imaginable and still want to bully my sister… The Federation’s Star Gods, they are the ones who deserve to die a thousand deaths!)
Vent all resentment…
In that instant, Huan Moxi felt her body become incredibly light, an experience she had never felt before.
“Yes… there’s nothing left to be afraid of…”
The girl murmured softly, as if possessed.
The shadows exiled from the chambers of her heart, all the dark energy bursting forth, condensed into deep, pitch-black orbs that floated around Huan Moxi, who now stood as chillingly as a Death God. They multiplied, exuding a terrifying demonic might as if to annihilate the world…
From some of the overly dense orbs, darkness dripped down like ink, spilling onto the ground and silently corroding horrifying, smooth-surfaced craters…
Lost in a trance, repeatedly murmuring the Word Soul, Xi seemed completely unable to hear Weilin’s anxious shouts. She didn’t even notice that her classroom—and the entire building—was rapidly corroding and largely vanishing within an increasingly profound sea of darkness…
Dark Demonic Breath rolled outwards, sweeping toward even farther places. It was as if the entire Frostwinter Academy had been invaded by some Demon King. Panic spread, and chaos reigned supreme.
Countless students turned pale as earth, screaming in terror. Even more onlookers gathered in the distance to watch. All the academy’s enforcers and elders rushed over to evacuate the crowd while simultaneously trying to find a way to stop Xi…
The Grand Elder, Doma Chitose, also arrived upon hearing the shocking news. As one of the few who knew Xi’s true identity, he immediately stopped those who wanted to use force against her and promptly dispatched someone to inform the Illusory Snow Queen…
?
Everything had happened within a mere few minutes.
Ultimately, unable to control the dark power manifested from her innermost emotions, Xi had completely dissolved the entire teaching building. When she regained her senses, she found herself slumped on a strange field of black powder…
Xi snapped awake as if from a nightmare… Wh-What happened here?
Only later did she learn that the patch of powder on the ground—not even enough to fill a single pot—was the pulverized remains of the building where she had spent three years…
Fortunately, the situation had been discovered in time, the area of impact was small, and no casualties occurred. Other than a few cowardly students who had fainted from fright.
Countless students gathered here, buzzing with commotion. All the academy elders who usually slacked off came out in full force, scrambling frantically to maintain order at the scene. Thousands of gazes swiveled around Xi, the vast majority filled with terror, lingering fear, and trembling…
“You did it.”
Amidst the clamor, Weilin walked to her side and smiled slightly. “You were never weaker than anyone else, and that’s still true now. Besides, this is what you’ve always wanted to do, isn’t it? Otherwise, someone who had already decided to resign herself to death… why would she waste time reading a book like this?”
As Weilin spoke, she handed the thick, profound Dark Magic Encyclopedia back to Xi.
Xi was speechless, merely accepting the book with trembling arms. She wanted to weep with joy, yet she was still afraid of herself…
Because the source of the chaos that had thrown the academy into disarray was the consequence of her unconsciously unleashing this power.
Just then, the Grand Elder walked over with a grim face and said quietly to Xi, “The Illusory Snow Queen is in the garden now. She said she wants to see you.”
“…………!!!!!!”
In three years, this was the first time Huan Xuezhi had taken the initiative to see her. This must… be a dream.
“You should be happy now, Xi. I’ll go with you.”
“……Mm.”
—
In the Pure White Garden where ice butterflies danced, the moment Xi’s gaze met Huan Xuezhi, her heart and soul felt as if struck by lightning. Her figure froze for an instant, then her crimson eyes blurred with tears. Her small figure dashed forward with all her might, staggering and stumbling.
Without any reservation, she threw herself into the young woman’s arms. Without even a prelude of sobs, the sounds of wailing, of crying, directly burst forth. She wept as if the heavens were collapsing and the earth rending.
Weilin stood alone, several hundred meters away, watching this scene with gratified relief, not disturbing them.
Huan Xuezhi, who usually didn’t have a moment of leisure, was now sitting casually on a park bench, letting Xi nestle in her arms and cry freely for over half an hour, drenching most of her clothes. She showed not a trace of impatience. Weilin could even see, for the first time, a faint gentleness flickering in the young woman’s icy eyes…
After more than half an hour, when Xi had mostly cried herself out, Weilin slowly walked over.
“Just what did you say to Xi?”
As soon as she approached, the softness in Huan Xuezhi’s eyes turned into a sword-like interrogation aimed at Weilin.
Seeing Xi cry like this had infinitely defied Huan Xuezhi’s expectations. Her heart, which she believed to be absolutely cold and detached, wavered once again… and it was because of Weilin!
“I just provided a bit of trivial psychological counseling. On the contrary, Your Majesty, it seems you vastly underestimated the degree of Xi’s dependence on you.”
“—Anyway, Xi has already broken through the shadow in her heart. As long as she performs normally this afternoon, first place should be effortless.”
“But… I still can’t control this power.” Xi, having just finished a major crying fit, still had the nasal tone of weeping lingering in her voice. Her expression turned gloomy. “…Because this isn’t ordinary dark element. A tiny portion of it is… the Capricorn Star God’s Divine Power.”
“I do have a method that could solve this problem permanently and benefit you for a lifetime…” Weilin smiled cheerfully as she stuffed the paper and pen she had long prepared into Xi’s hands.
“…This is… a contract?”
“Demon… it’s a contract for forming a Retainer bond. Once the contract is complete and you become a Dependent, within a certain distance, my voice can reach you directly through a soul link. If Xi ever falls into that state again, I can use this method to pull you back in time.”
There were actually two ways to take someone as a Dependent, but the common point was that both parties had to be completely willing.
Xi’s innate magic talent was already a gift of genius. With the addition of Weilin’s 1% Potential boost, it would become even more immeasurable.
Moreover, if Huan Moxi could one day achieve the position of Capricorn Star God, then Weilin would have essentially gained a Star God as a Retainer today.
A blood profit, no loss.
