Chapter 2

The Successor of the Scarlet Magic

“Someone from the Scarlet clan? Me?”

The air instantly grew tense, and suspicion clouded Reon’s face. It was the most natural reaction to Adel’s sudden, absurd claim.

“I was surprised myself,” she said. “I never imagined the last Scarlet would appear in Sylphus… five hundred years later.”

“That’s not funny,” Reon replied flatly. “You’ve got no proof—it’s just nonsense.”

“Oh, I do have proof. Watch carefully.”

Adel slowly raised her left hand. A single crystal sphere appeared above it, floating in the air. A faint scarlet light shot from her palm and was absorbed into the surface of the crystal. The moment it touched, countless square panels bloomed outward, forming a three-dimensional projection that softly enveloped them both.

“This is the forbidden spell Dreamwalk—a magic that allows us to converse across time and space,” Adel explained.

“So what does that prove?”

“As the name suggests, the user can enter the dream of a chosen Scarlet—past, present, or future. The target simultaneously falls into a deep sleep.”

As she explained, Adel flicked her wrist. The screens slowly began to rotate, each displaying a different scene—societies filled with art and literature, cities brimming with industry, and the vibrant breath of nature in the countryside.

The images seemed to drift between the medieval world and the twenty-first century—a strange and ethereal mixture.

“Ever since my consciousness was freed from the past,” Adel continued, “I’ve wandered through the flow of future time in search of a Scarlet. Within the span of five hundred years, I found only one—you. And magic doesn’t lie.”

“That’s a stretch. Isn’t there any other way to verify that?”

Reon’s expression grew complicated. He had hoped for something tangible—something proven by genetics, or at least science.

“Well…” Adel placed a thoughtful hand under her chin. “There is one more way.”

She met his gaze again.

“If either parent is a Scarlet, their child inevitably inherits the bloodline and becomes a crimson mage. So, Reon Amaya—were either of your parents Scarlet?”

At that, Reon froze. His hands clenched into fists before he even realized it. Something deep inside his chest twisted painfully.

—I don’t want to answer. No, I can’t.

His body slumped forward, hair falling over his eyes. Though his gaze was hidden, the sorrow radiating from him was unmistakable.

“Hey—why are you crying?” Adel asked gently.

“…I’m fine. Sorry. I know you didn’t mean any harm… but somehow, whenever I talk about this, I feel so heavy inside.”

He shook his head and looked away. Two faint trails of tears ran down his cheeks.

“My parents died seven years ago… in a sudden car accident. They weren’t Scarlets—or magicians—just ordinary people.”

Since that day, Reon’s life had drifted aimlessly. His small house was comfortable enough, and his parents had left enough money to get him through university. But every day after school, he returned to a dark, silent home. Even the faintest spark in his heart would soon flicker out.

If fate had already decided to abandon him, what meaning was there in effort at all?

—That’s why I play games.

They were his only refuge, a place where he could escape reality without paying a price.

Only his two childhood friends had kept him from giving up completely.

“…I’m sorry,” Adel murmured. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

Feeling guilty, she reached out instinctively to embrace the sorrowful boy—but stopped halfway, smiling faintly instead.

“I understand, Reon,” she said softly. “We crawl through the darkness, always reaching for the light. Even the smallest hope, when we finally find it, we cling to it desperately. We imagine beautiful lives, we pray for a better tomorrow—that is the purpose of our existence. To live peacefully with those we love… that’s a wonderful world, isn’t it?”

Her words shone with longing for a radiant future.

But Reon noticed the flicker behind her expression—an emotion she was hiding. A mask, much like his own.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “A world like that would be nice.”

“…But reality is cruel,” Adel went on. “It rewards the strong and crushes the weak. And for those who fall and wander… the only way to stand again is to destroy everything and start from zero.”

Scarlet light welled around her clasped hands, flowing toward her palms. The energy compressed into a glowing cube, smaller and smaller, until finally a single ruby descended into her hands.

“If you were given a chance to rewrite your life,” she said softly, “would you take it?”

A chance to fix his life—pressing “Restart” after a bad ending.

Any gamer would reflexively say yes. But Reon hesitated. Something in Adel’s voice told him there was more to it.

“Everything has a price,” he said cautiously. “So… what’s the cost of this restart?”

“You noticed, huh?” she smiled faintly. “This ruby holds the magic of the Scarlet. If you accept it, you’ll inherit that power—and your destiny will change dramatically. But I can’t guarantee it will go well. In fact, I can almost promise it’ll bring you even more pain before the end.”

Of course, Reon thought bitterly.

He looked away, realizing there was nothing more to say. He didn’t want to cause more trouble to anyone—not after all the chaos his life had already become.

A quiet, ordinary life sounded much more beautiful.

“…That’s enough,” he said at last. “We’re wasting time.”

Lifting his gaze to the ceiling, Reon’s voice trembled with resignation.

“Simple, peaceful—that’s the story I want. So… I’ll have to decline your offer.”

Adel didn’t move. She didn’t even know what expression to wear. She pitied his pain but still wanted him to accept the legacy.

“Tell me, Reon… are you happy?”

“…What?”

“Can you truly smile—from the bottom of your heart?”

Reon fell silent. He hadn’t thought about something like that in years.

Happiness meant something different to everyone. For him, life was filled with emotion—joy, anger, sadness—but true happiness? Something always felt missing.

“…Maybe not.”

Adel smiled faintly, as if she’d been waiting for that answer. She waved her hand again, and new visions appeared—five hundred years’ worth of memories across the world: Japan, Europe, America… countless civilizations.

Among them, one recurring image emerged—

Chaos and war.

No eternal victor, no endless peace. Only death, brought by those who swung their weapons.

“This is horrible…” Reon whispered, averting his eyes.

“I needed you to see it,” Adel said quietly. “If nothing changes—if we let the world keep moving as it is—this is what awaits.”

Her calm voice carried a deep, indescribable sorrow. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Long ago, there was a witch who could see the future,” she said. “Her name became legend—the Scarlet Witch. That witch… was me.”

“Cursed?” Reon echoed. “But prophecy sounds like a gift.”

A bitter smile crossed Adel’s lips.

“Gift? Hardly. Every vision I ever received showed me despair—human misery, grief, greed without end. Those prophecies brought only tragedy. The entire Scarlet clan was hunted down and killed…”

Reon’s eyes widened. “You were… killed?”

“Ridiculous, isn’t it?” she laughed hollowly. “The witch who ended witch hunts was hunted herself. But even then, I didn’t give up. In my final moments, I saw hope in my last prophecy—hope for a brighter future. So I cast Dreamwalk.”

Her words overflowed with sincerity that filled the very air around them.

Reon felt that pain—her grief became his own.

“Adel…” he murmured.

“Tell me,” he said quietly. “What was the prophecy?”

Adel closed her eyes, hand on her heart, and began to chant.

“Five hundred years hence, the world shall fall again into darkness.
Calamity shall descend upon magi and mortals alike.
Amid chaos, peace and change shall be brought forth by
the last descendant of the Scarlet and the Silver Moon Knight.
But…”

She stopped.

“That’s… all I can say,” she whispered.

Reon’s heart pounded.

“‘The last Scarlet descendant’… you mean me?” he asked under his breath.

He’d never been anything special—so why now was he being told he carried the future of the world?

Did he really want this?

Did he really need this?

“…Does it have to be me?” he finally asked.

“Yes,” she said firmly. “You’re the last Scarlet.”

“And your prophecies… have they ever been wrong?”

“Never. That’s what hurts most—they always come true.”

No hesitation this time.

“Not everyone is granted happiness,” she continued. “But everyone has the freedom to pursue it. If you accept this power, Reon, you won’t just change your life—you’ll change the world’s future.”

“So… a win-win, huh? Fine. How does this inheritance work?”

“It’s simple. The ruby will merge with you, granting you vast mana and new magic.”

“Mana… like MP in a game?”

Adel chuckled. “You could say that. It’s the lifeblood of a magician—the energy flowing through our veins. Each person’s capacity differs, but training can expand it.”

“And… if it runs out? Or if there’s too much?”

“Well… there have been deaths. More often, the body just collapses.”

Her words froze Reon in place. His hands trembled.

“So if my body can’t handle it…”

“You’d suffer massive internal damage—possibly fatal.”

Fifty-fifty odds, then.

But even before that realization fully settled, Reon’s fear began to fade. He exhaled slowly.

“That’s unfair,” he said with a wry smile. “If I’m told I can change the fate of the world, how could I refuse without feeling like garbage?”

“I’m sorry,” Adel whispered. “For cornering you like this.”

Reon gave her a small, gentle smile.

“…I wanted a quiet life,” he said. “To find someone I love and stay in this town forever. But… maybe just once, I’d like to try using magic.”

Adel blinked. “You mean…?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I’ll take my second chance.”

Even he didn’t fully understand why he agreed. Maybe pity, maybe instinct.

But for the first time, he wanted to gamble on something.

Adel’s eyes softened. “Once you take this path, there’s no turning back.”

“I know.”

Reon clenched his fist.

“Then… I, Reon Amaya, accept the inheritance of the Scarlet Magic.”

The ruby flared, breaking free of its bindings and shooting straight into his chest.

It glowed through his clothes and skin, fusing directly into his heart.

Then came the pain—blinding, searing pain.

“AaaaaaaAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

His body burned as warmth surged through his bloodstream.

In the real world, his sleeping body convulsed, clutching his chest. Scarlet light wrapped him like an aurora.

A mark on his neck changed shape—its pattern deepened into a crimson circle with a black feather at its center.

“Hah… hah… thought I was gonna die…”

When he finally lifted his head, the pain had faded, replaced by faint relief.

“Congratulations, Reon… You did it,” Adel whispered weakly. “The inheritance… is complete… your future… will surely…”

She coughed, blood staining her lips. Her body trembled as her strength drained away.

Her time was up.

“Adel!” Reon caught her as she collapsed. Her pulse was faint, her body cold as ice, fading slowly into transparency.

“What’s happening?!”

“The Dreamwalk… its time is ending…”

“No… don’t—”

“This is the Scarlet Witch’s final magic,” she said, smiling faintly. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Even as her body crumbled, she smiled as serenely as when he’d first seen her.

“This is goodbye, Reon…”

“The prophecy—you said ‘but’! What was the rest?!”

She pressed a finger to his lips.

“Sorry… I can’t tell you. If I do, that future will vanish. One more thing—the Scarlets each have a contracted spirit. When you wake up… don’t forget to summon yours.”

“You should’ve said that first!”

“Forgive me, Reon… I’ve only brought you trouble…”

Her breath faded. Her body dissolved into white particles, scattering like snow in the air.

The space around them began to collapse.

The ceiling cracked. Glass shattered. Reon sank against the wall, closing his eyes.

—I’m… so tired…

The same suffocating feeling he’d felt when she first summoned him filled his chest.

His vision blurred—his hearing faded—

—and then,

He opened his eyes.

Reon awoke from the dream.

Only a faint crimson magic circle flickered twice in his palm before fading away.