Three days had passed since the Imperial Courtship ended.
For the past few days, Rin and Harumi worked tirelessly to fulfill their duties as the White Elder's apprentices. They oversaw the daily affairs of the White Flower Palace, ensuring that everything ran smoothly while also tending to their own responsibilities as a warrior and a maid.
But both of them knew.
The White Elder would not last the week.
Rin had known the moment he returned. He could see it in the way his master moved—slower, more fragile. The quiet wisdom in his eyes now carried a deeper weight, as if he were preparing for his final farewell.
And now, on this late night, the two of them stood before him, giving their final report.
The White Elder listened quietly, nodding along as they detailed the last of his unfinished tasks. There was nothing left undone. Everything had been taken care of.
Finally, the old master let out a satisfied sigh and sat up slightly.
"Harumi," he called, his voice gentle but firm. "Stay. Rin, wait outside for a while."
Rin hesitated for a moment but then nodded. He understood.
Without a word, he stepped outside, leaving the two alone.
The cool night air greeted him as he stepped out into the courtyard. The sky above was a vast ocean of stars, shining brilliantly against the darkness.
Rin exhaled slowly, looking up.
He had always thought that life was fleeting.
It was short and beautiful—like a firework that burst into existence only to fade just as quickly.
Despite the existence of evil in this world, there was still good.
Being able to live was already a blessing.
Being able to wake up another day was another.
Being able to see the people you care for and love was yet another.
He knew this better than anyone.
After all, this wasn't his first life.
Before he was Hoshimi Rin, he had been another.
Before he was the Second Imperial Prince, he had carried a different name.
A name he had once hated.
A name he had come to accept only when death finally took him.
Hoshimi Leon.
A name from 2,000 years ago. A name that existed before the Hoshimi Empire was even founded.
It was not a grand name. It was a name that had lived through suffering.
A name that had been saved.
A name that had become a sacrifice for a world that was ending.
And yet—without that name, he would have never become who he was today.
He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the memories settle within him.
The past could not be undone, nor did he wish to change it.
Because it was that very past that led him here.
To this life. To these people. To this moment.
And for that—he was grateful.
The door creaked open, revealing Harumi.
Her expression was one of sorrow, her usual energy dimmed. She looked at Rin, hesitating for only a moment before speaking.
"I'm going to prepare some things," she murmured. "The White Elder wants to take a walk after talking to you… He wants us to accompany him when he's done with you."
Her voice was calm, but her eyes betrayed her sadness.
She didn't wait for a response and quietly left, leaving Rin alone with his thoughts.
For a few seconds, he simply stood there. Then, taking a steady breath, he stepped inside.
The familiar scent of incense filled the dimly lit room. The White Elder was seated as always, his posture relaxed yet dignified.
Despite the fragility of his aging body, his gaze remained sharp. He looked at Rin, a soft smile forming on his lips.
"Come in, boy," he said in a warm but teasing tone. "I was starting to think you'd take longer."
Rin let out a small chuckle as he walked forward, pulling up a chair to sit beside him.
"You know I wouldn't keep an old man waiting," he said, his voice carrying a quiet fondness.
The White Elder laughed at that, shaking his head.
"Hah! 'Old man,' is it? You've grown cheeky over the years."
"I've learned from the best."
The elder smiled, closing his eyes for a moment before looking at Rin again.
"Rin… There's something I need to say to you before I go."
Rin's breath hitched for just a second.
He knew.
This was their final conversation.
The old man's voice was steady, but his words carried a weight that felt heavier than the night itself.
"First things first… I never expected that the 2nd Imperial Prince would come here and live as a commoner," the White Elder said, his eyes sharp yet kind. "To be honest, I was prepared to send you back to the Imperial Palace the moment I saw you, but..."
Rin, who had expected the White Elder to know his identity, waited for the rest of the sentence.
"But?"
The elder's gaze didn't waver.
"You carry a fate tied to death and rebirth."
Rin froze.
"...What?"
For the first time in a long while, his heartbeat quickened.
"What do you mean, White Elder?" he asked, his voice low.
The old man sighed.
"This isn't the first time we've had this conversation… If you count the many cycles you have lived."
The air felt colder.
Rin's expression darkened.
"I… don't understand." He locked eyes with the White Elder. "What are you saying?"
"You encountered a remnant of a past cycle during the Imperial Courtship," the elder continued. "A remnant of a cycle that ended with the world being destroyed."
A name immediately came to Rin's mind.
"The Azure Empress… Chinen Suzuki. Is that what she was?"
His hands unconsciously clenched. "How do you know this, White Elder?"
The elder exhaled, his gaze distant, as if looking beyond the present.
"I can tap into the potential of those tied to a great fate," he explained. "When you first stepped into the White Flower Palace all those years ago, I saw a broken soul—one filled with endless regrets."
Rin listened intently.
"You have lived and suffered through many cycles, each time trying to protect the Empire from destruction," the White Elder continued. "And each time… you failed."
Rin's breathing slowed.
"Every failure left a mark on your soul. It changed the choices you made in each new cycle, forcing you down a different path every time.
Until now."
The elder's words echoed in Rin's mind.
"Tell me, Rin… Have you ever felt like choosing something different from what you initially wanted? As if something deep inside you was pushing you to take a different path?"
Rin didn't answer immediately.
His mind raced.
He recalled the countless times he told himself not to interfere with the story he knew—the story where Kazuo was destined to be Emperor, supported by the Four Consorts led by Urakawa Miharu.
Yet…
Despite telling himself he wouldn't interfere, he did.
He had helped them. Guided them.
And now… they loved him.
Rin slowly looked back at the White Elder, his voice quieter than before.
"I think I did."
The elder nodded.
"Those are the regrets you carried over from every cycle."
Silence filled the room.
Rin said nothing.
For the first time in this life… he truly had no words.
Rin clenched his fists, his voice sharp as he asked, "Then who is causing these cycles? Why me? Why am I at the center of it all?"
The White Elder smiled—not with amusement, but with the quiet understanding of an old man who had seen far too much.
"That is something you should ask someone you will meet in the future."
Rin furrowed his brows. "Someone I will meet?"
The elder nodded. "A person suffering a different fate but carrying the same regrets across each cycle. Someone who met you in the original timeline, before all of this began. That person saw you as precious. And… that person was the one who brought you here, to the White Flower Palace."
Rin flinched.
Only one person had ever helped him enter the White Flower Palace.
His lips parted slightly as the realization struck.
"The Golden Princess… Higa Ayumi."
The White Elder chuckled. "Sharp as ever. You reached the conclusion faster than I expected."
Rin's eyes narrowed. "Then her power—her connection to the Golden Dragon—was responsible for all of this?"
The White Elder nodded. "You already know the name of her power, don't you? The one tied to the Golden Dragon."
A chill ran down Rin's spine.
"Divine Magic: Reset."
A magic that manipulated time itself—resetting the world to a point of fate in order to achieve a better future.
A magic that could only be used by the one chosen by the Golden Dragon.
The White Elder let out a slow breath.
"You were chosen, Rin. Or perhaps, to be more precise… the two of you were chosen to endure countless cycles to save the world."
Rin swallowed hard.
"Then… she remembers?"
The elder nodded. "I believe so. Since she is the one casting it, she likely carries the memories of every single cycle. If you want answers, you will have to find her."
Rin fell silent.
Find her?
That's impossible.
Even the Emperor cannot meet the Golden Princess easily.
Higa Ayumi may be part of the Hoshimi Empire, but she was an independent power—one that oversaw the Empire's fate itself.
And more importantly…
Only the Golden Dragon dictates if I can meet her.
Rin let out a quiet, humorless chuckle, rubbing his temples as his thoughts spiraled.
So, all this time… my fate was moved by her?
The White Elder studied Rin carefully before asking, "Aren't you mad that you were controlled?"
Rin exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting toward the dimly lit room. "Mad? Not really… I'm just realizing something."
The White Elder raised an eyebrow.
Rin's voice was steady, but there was a depth to it—one forged through countless lifetimes. "My entire second life—Hoshimi Rin—was set to repeat my first one… Hoshimi Leon."
He let out a quiet chuckle, almost to himself. "I saved the world once, after all."
The White Elder chuckled as well. "So that's what it means… your other soul that burned so brightly."
Rin looked at him in confusion.
"I always wondered why, despite the regrets weighing down your broken soul, you still burned with such intensity. Now I understand… You lived a life before this one. And that fire—" the elder tapped his chest, "—was once the soul of Hoshimi Leon, wasn't it?"
Rin didn't hesitate. "Yes."
For the first time, he accepted it without reluctance.
"I was Hoshimi Leon before I was Rin. The one who perished before the Hoshimi Empire was even born… the brother of the first Empress."**
He could feel the weight of that past pressing against him, but he had long grown used to carrying burdens.
The White Elder nodded solemnly. "So then… what will you do, child?"
Rin smiled faintly, as if the answer had never been in doubt. "The only thing I can do—move forward until my soul burns to ashes."
The White Elder let out a warm laugh. "You've said those same words in every cycle, Rin… and yet, I never tire of hearing them."
His voice softened. "That said, I am honored to have been your master in this life."
Rin bowed his head slightly, showing rare sincerity. "And I am grateful to have learned from you."
The old man smiled. "It seems Higa Ayumi met quite the remarkable man in the original timeline… If she was willing to reset time again and again for your sake, then she must be deeply in love with you."
Rin stiffened.
After a pause, he groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Please don't talk to me about women's affections… I have enough of that to deal with already."
The White Elder burst into laughter. "Ah, Rin… some things never change."
Then, with a content sigh, he slowly stood up. "Come now. Let's not keep Harumi waiting. It's time for a walk."
The time had come.
Rin adjusted his grip, carefully supporting the White Elder as he helped him stand. The old man leaned on his cane, his once-powerful frame now frail but still carrying the dignity of a master.
As they stepped out of the dimly lit room, they found Harumi waiting just outside, carrying a stack of thick sheets.
Without a word, Rin reached out and took them from her hands.
"Oi, let me handle this. A girl shouldn't be carrying something like this."
Harumi sighed but smiled. "Thanks, Rin." She then moved to the White Elder's side, taking over the role of supporting him.
"Where do you want to go, White Elder?" she asked, her voice softer than usual.
The old man let out a small chuckle. "There is a mountain I used to visit when I was young… Biei Mountain. I often trained my illusion and psychic magic there."
His gaze lifted toward the night sky. "I would like to see the summit one last time."
Rin nodded. Without hesitation, he cast his enhancement magic, strengthening their bodies for the journey ahead.
Under the quiet glow of the stars, the three of them set off toward the mountain.
The White Flower Palace was about to change.
And with it, the lives of those who called it home.