Althea: The Legendary Saintess [Shoujo]

Someone is calling me...

As my consciousness slowly comes into focus, I open my eyes.

"Where... Where am I? I was just talking with Ciel in my room, wasn't I?"

The place looked familiar. All around me, chamomile flowers bloomed in abundance, and the sky above was a clear blue. Yes, this was the otherworld where Ciel had once slumbered.

"But how did I get here? Am I sleepwalking?"

Rising in confusion, I heard soft laughter behind me.

"Not sleepwalking... But since this is the world of dreams, you aren't entirely wrong."

Turning towards the voice, I saw a beautiful woman with jet-black hair and dark eyes, someone I recognized.

"A dream? This is the world of dreams? And... Goddess?"

"Yes, that's right. It's been a while... although in your world, only two days have passed. I'm relieved your friend has awakened safely. I could visit your dream tonight thanks to his help."

Her smile, accompanied by her gentle tone, made her seem like a young girl compared to the dream I had a few days ago.

"With Ciel's help...?"

"Yes. As I mentioned before, I wanted to tell you about a way to save the Maiden of Dusk. Besides, aren’t you a bit stuck on something right now?"

"Stuck... Yes, I need to know how to escape from here without being detected."

"My, what a daring maiden you are. But I know, thanks to the fairies, that you can do it easily now."

"Easily? I mean without a forceful breakthrough? Though I did consider that as a last resort..."

"You don't need to resort to that. You already possess all the necessary items. It seems someone is quite determined to make you the Maiden of Dusk this time."

"The one who chooses the maiden is the god Saul, The Sol, right?"

"Yes, the Maiden of Dusk is chosen by him. The Maiden of Dawn, however, is different... It's rare for him to be so fixated, though."

"Fixated...?"

"Yes... Didn't you recently acquire a magical book, just for you?"

"Oh, yes."

"That book is why he's so obsessed. But that's not important. As his wife, I simply support his wishes... Open that book, and it will solve your escape problem."

So that book was special. I understood I needed to use it, but how could merely opening it solve everything? As I pondered, she continued.

"Since time is short, let's move forward. Once you escape your room, you need to reach your kingdom, right?"

"Royal Grand Central?"

"Yes, that's it. Once you reach there, seek the 'Rainbow Magic Stone.'"

"Rainbow Magic Stone? But aren't magic stones usually a single attribute color? Red, blue, yellow, green, and so on... I thought there were only those seven."

At my question, she shook her finger side to side.

"You're right, there are seven colors. But a stone containing all seven exists. That's the 'Rainbow Magic Stone.' It's likely a national treasure stored in a treasury."

A national treasure of such a level being kept secret made sense, albeit astonishing.

"What do I need such a precious stone for?"

"You'll use it as a medium for prayers. The past Maidens of Dusk lost their lives because they gave all their magic to the Maidens of Dawn for prayers."

"I know that..."

"When the two maidens begin the ritual, the magic of the Maiden of Dusk gets siphoned off for the prayers of the Maiden of Dawn. Even when not praying, as long as they’re together, the magic slowly drains away. Unlike other magic, the magic given for prayers doesn’t recover with rest. The Maiden of Dusk's life depends on dispelling the darkness before all her magic is gone... It's almost a gamble for her."

"..."

"It may be a gamble, but ideally, the Maiden of Dawn should be able to pray with her own magic. However, it's always been insufficient, requiring the aid of someone else. That hasn't changed since the beginning. I'm sorry for all the previous Maidens of Dusk, for not being able to change the Sun Goddess's mind."

"The beginning? What do you mean?"

"The Sun Goddess never had much magic. Initially, it was fine because she had her counterpart, who controlled the sun. But when he transformed into a sword to protect the world, her magic alone wasn't enough. Despite countless reminders, she liked being protected by him and us... Ultimately..."

"Wasn't there a way to choose someone with enough magic?"

"If we did that, this world would fall into darkness, taken by the demons. I want to protect this world he loved. Knowing my feelings, he made sure the Maiden of Dusk was born with high magic. But the Sun Goddess loved being protected by him more than anything else. To her, maidens are meant to be protected, and that’s paramount."

"Needing to be protected means having less magic by a special attribute...?"

"Exactly. To maintain the balance and protect this world, the Maiden of Dawn’s magic was kept low. It’s a sad irony, but the sacrifice of the Maiden of Dusk ensures the continuation of light."