"Sister...... Lucina...... "Lusa nudged her sister and called her name softly. However, no matter how much she pushed, Lucina still didn't move, as if she was frozen by a spell.

Lucina, who was sleeping soundly, had turned from a ghost horse into Aya. And just last night, she poured four litres of sparkling cider, and drank it and lay down to the shopkeeper who had warmly entertained them. Aya is such an alcoholic, Lusa only has Lucina in her memory.

Dango Minia jumped out of the bedside table and bounced around Lucina's head. Lusa, who had already sat up, nudged Lucina again, but the latter still did not respond.

Sighing, Lusa thought helplessly: My sister always can't wake up in the morning.

Half an hour later.

"Whew......" Lucina opened her hazy eyes and saw that Lusa was changing: she was already wearing the special white silk shirt and putting on the matching shorts. After this, Lusha grabbed two black leg rings from the bedside table and put them on her legs. A pistol and a short dagger are pinned to each leg ring.

"Speaking of which, it looks like we drank a lot last night. Lucina, who looked a little timid, leaned forward and groped for the money bag around Lusa's waist, "Oh, no, why is there so much less?!" The wallet is much thinner than yesterday!" Lucina's face turned pale in an instant.

Removing Lucina's hand, Lusha reloaded the dango into her crossbody bag and put on a dark gray cloak to hide her face under the hood.

"......Uhh What to do? If that's the only money...... And to buy ammunition, dry food, maps, wine-" my sister looked very flustered.

"Sister, we only had this little money yesterday. The innkeeper said that in Neverwinter, the Ai were honored guests, so the room and drink fees were waived. ”

"This, that's it, hahaha......" Lucina smiled awkwardly, blushing a little.

Sighing, Lusha stood up slightly, tightening the blue belt on her shorts. On the left hand side of the belt is a holster, and on the right hand side are a money bag and a small leather bag containing passes and other items.

Open the purse and grab all the currency inside—there was so little money in it that even Aya's little hands could grab it.

The girl counted them one by one, and after counting them all, she counted them again very unwillingly: yes, only one Carter, three Rogie, and five Farr. (Carter, Rogie, and Farr are still widely circulated in the worlds of the World Tree, and were issued as a unified currency by the God King Eurasia, who ruled the thirty-seven worlds of the World Tree.) The material of the currency is copper, and one cart can be exchanged for ten logs, and one roger is worth ten fars. ）

And...... The purity and circulation value of one gold Eloa coin is worth about fifteen gold Eurasian coins (one gold Eurasian coin can be exchanged for three silver Eurasian coins, and one silver Eurasian coin can be exchanged for ten carts). The world is still shrouded in the shadow of overly prosperous Eurasian dynasties, which are also widely used today. ）

"Lusa, don't you still have the gold Eloa? why not—" Lucina, who was busy carrying her luggage, ruffled her hair and said.

The proposal was quickly rejected: "Absolutely not." ”

"Okay...... Got it. Lucina sighed and walked downstairs, "I'm going to eat first, can you hurry up?"

Seeing her sister leave, Lusa stood still, looking in the mirror at her own face, which was completely obscured.

Gently lifting the curtain of her head, the girl stared at the reflection in the mirror. Beneath Aya's trademark white hair, a small dark purple mark is exposed.

The imprint is small, but it is incomparably clear. It was a gate that was tightened by seven chains.

He who bears the curse will be uprooted from his homeland...... Either flee on their own or be banished.

It is the mark of the curse, and the cursed will be destined to embark on a journey of loneliness and silence...... Looking at it quietly, Lusa was long gone from the pain she used to have when she stared at the sigil.

Pulling up her hood, Aiya walked out of the room without looking back.

Aiya walked slowly down the stairs and reached the lobby of the inn after descending two flights of stairs. The halls were still quiet in the early morning, but that peace probably wasn't going to end anytime soon—it didn't snow last night, and it was the first snow-free day in Winterfell in months. In such weather, people will be more willing to go out of the house and embrace the warm sunshine. No matter how you think about it, it's not like staying in this tavern and toasting.

After looking around the hall, Lusa's thoughts were confirmed: sure enough, there were no drinkers. The only two people in the hall were Lucina, who was sitting at the counter, and the innkeeper, who was standing behind the counter and wiping dishes. In front of the paint-off counter stood a sign with a few bold words engraved on it: overturned malt.

It looked like it had been torn apart by the cold wind...... With a deep sigh, Lusha continued to walk towards the two of them.

According to the innkeeper at dinner yesterday, he didn't bother to put up the sign again. Tightening her hood, Lusha recalls the conversation between her boss and her sister.

At the time, the boss seemed to say, "Oh, you say that is a broken sign, that thing is useless! I've been running this shop for 30 years, and who doesn't know that my family has a hotel?"

"But travelers like us won't know?" It seems that my sister took over the conversation like this.

"Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing! You must know that it is rare for outsiders to come to this place of Eternal Winter, and it is not necessary to have a person in ten and a half days! Besides, the relationship between the Kingdom of the Children of Ice and those countries that believe in the Holy Religion of Light is very tense. From this point of view, there is a lack of visitors. ”

"What is the faith here......?"

"The Ice Dragon God and the Spirit of the Ancient Tree. ”

I don't remember the conversation that followed...... Thinking a little bit of a headache, Lusha shook her head and shook off the thoughts.

Sensing the dumpling poking her head out of her bag, Lusha hugged the dumpling to her chest and approached the counter. The boss's conversation with Lucina grew clearer.

"Ahh......h Even I, the Son of Authentic Ice, was defeated, and I'm still dizzy from drinking. ”

"How's it going, you've seen it!" patting her chest proudly, Lucina dangled her legs: "Fight with Aya, you definitely have no chance of winning!"

"Really...... But Aya is really good, even if she drinks too much, she won't get a hangover. The uncle sighed with emotion: "If only my decanting speed was half that of you." ”

Holding the ball, Lusha lowered her head, her heart full of inexplicable anxiety: if the curse can't be lifted here, where should she go with her sister?

"Miss Lusa...... There are very few words. The uncle crossed his arms and looked at Lusha curiously: "Child, why are you wearing a hood? It should be very warm in this shop, you can see the fire in the fireplace." ”

Shaking her head, Lusha sat down at the counter.

"Well, each has its own habits. I'm going to grab breakfast right now - fluffy freshly baked bread and fresh noun fruit! The boss smiled and touched Lusa and Lucina's heads, but Lusa didn't refuse.

"You two, don't you need to wash?" When he returned, the boss had already carried two large plates and placed them in front of Aya.

"No, Aya's body can be cleaned by itself, and there are no sweat glands and no excretory functions, etc. - this is probably the only great convenience for Aya's travelers. Lucina's mouth was full of bread: "Oh...... It's still pine nut bread!Uncle, you're good at your craft, wow?!"

"Really, I'll put some on you and take it with you later. The uncle laughed, leaned down and took out two bottles of ice juice from the chest on the ground and handed them to the girls—the boxes were filled with ice, the last thing that Winterfell lacked. Lutha nodded in acknowledgement and concentrated on feeding the dumplings and eating the Noun fruit, which was crisp and delicious.

After breakfast, the two girls thanked the owner again and walked out of the tavern.

"This boss is so nice...... Lucina took out a loaf of bread from the cloth bag and put it in her mouth: "Woo, it's delicious......"

However, after Lucina took out the second one with an intoxicated expression, it was quickly snatched away by Lusa along with the cloth bag.

"Lusha, give me another one. My sister looked at the bag anxiously and swallowed.

"No, I can't. My sister never finishes eating. ”

"Woo......" Lucina looked like she was being bullied.

“...... Just one. ”

"Uh-huh!" Lucina opened her mouth excitedly.

Shoving the bread into Lucina's mouth, Lutha sighed sadly.

My sister who ate the bread looked excited. She stared intently at the bag, and Lutha hurriedly grabbed it tightly in case her sister snatched it.

"Sister?" Lusa tugged at the corner of Lucina's coat.

"Huh?" Lucina didn't react.

"It's time for us to go. ”

"Oh oh, by the way, I almost forgot...... I've got to get this bag into my hands, or I'll be out of place when I return to my ghostly form...... Don't worry, I won't steal it!"

Lucina, who took the bread bag, reverted to a ghost warhorse after a dark light like black ice.

"Come up, Lusa?" Lucina raised her horse's hooves.

In the dark corridor, the girl dressed in black still walked slowly.

There is no end in sight...... There was only darkness and the oil lamp that kept extinguishing behind him.

Can't stop moving forward......

The girl sat in a wheelchair and raised her head slightly.

The familiar voice of indifference resurfaced in his mind.

"She's going to put an end to this...... A girl who inherits the Phantom Wings and the Wolf of Shadows. ”

"And the other six Lifebinders who are not cursed......"

The pieces fell to the ground, and the silver-haired girl watched indifferently as they shattered and reassembled.

“...... After all, it's just a tool to be used. Once it is broken like a chess piece, a replacement can be found immediately. ”

The reassembled pieces are suspended in the air and slowly fall back to the board.

"There have been so many reincarnations in the past...... Are you still the girl who firmly believes that every piece is different and can control your own destiny?"

"Just like ......"

"Think people can rebel against fate?"

"Your Lifebinder chess pieces this time, there are a total of four ......"

"For your own sake...... I'm kind enough to remind you of the prophecy of the first three pieces. ”

"Cursed, a wolf of shadows with twin spears and inherited phantom wings. ”

"An immortal soul who wields arcane art, transforms into a ghostly war horse, and drives the tears of ice crystals. ”

"A Winged Knight who is firm in his faith and guards the oracle with swords, shields and holy flames. ”

That's the end of the prompt...... Just let me see, how do you fight against the Black Ice Death I picked?"

"You've been failing...... This time was no exception. ”

Without words, the girl who memorized it closed her scarlet eyes.

She had no intention of giving up this game of chess, which had no chance of winning and fought against fate.

There are still seventeen years and two hundred and thirty-nine days left at the end of the world.