The slope where the wildfire had subsided was quiet.
So quiet that it gave the illusion that time itself had stopped. The vision that had been dyed orange cleared, while the colorless ashes left behind scattered on the wind, tracing silver ridgelines.
Something had changed.
That fact was perfectly clear. Even someone who had not reached the realm of a “Master” would have no choice but to think so if the blaze that had stained the sky red suddenly died away.
Even my senses were detecting a strange change.
‘Did they do it?’
One dangerous presence had faded.
The rampaging dragon vein beneath Heavenly Sword Mountain had thrown my senses into disarray, but not so badly that I would fail to notice a change this blatant. Besides, there were only a handful of beings on Heavenly Sword Mountain who possessed a presence of this magnitude.
Thus, there was only one conclusion.
One of the “Seven Deadly Sins” had fallen.
My former childhood friend, or my former little sister.
I could not tell which.
Still, since the flames had rapidly lost their strength, it seemed reasonable to assume that Celine had been the one to fall.
“Celine….”
A faint bitterness and relief colored my voice.
Her presence had not vanished.
It had only weakened, which meant my childhood friend was still alive.
Was it because Seria could not bring herself to be ruthless in the end?
Or perhaps she had…