A bitter feeling rose in Rita’s chest.
Flower Crown Murder and Variational Quicksand both fell weakly to the ground, like a rain of petals scattered across a black desert.
"You didn’t alter this mory to hide a mistake. You never believed you were wrong."
"And you weren’t pretending to be clueless either."
She looked straight at By.
"You were afraid Deceitful Bloom wouldn’t co."
"You sealed your own mories like this because you hoped that one day... she would co see you."
"See this ’innocent’ version of you. This ’ignorant’ version of you."
Rita’s voice grew colder.
"And those excuses... invading Tingo while she was gone, the rule about not starting wars without her..."
"That was her doing."
"She used your altered mory to take all the bla onto herself."
If invading Tingo was the right choice, then everything that prevented it must be wrong.
That was Deceitful Bloom’s logic.
She believed it was all her fault.
She was the one who showed By other tilines.
She was the one who entrusted Midsumr to her.
She was the one who trusted too much.
And yet... she couldn’t say any of it.
Because By herself had been part of the sacrifice.
So Deceitful Bloom buried her with her own hands.
And never ca back.
"She tried to give you a chance to make up for regrets."
"She put all the bla on herself."
But By had never felt regret.
Deceive or control?
Who started this endless feast of pain?
Had Deceitful Bloom ever found the answer?
The one most skilled in deception and control... had been deceived at the most critical mont.
By had manipulated everything.
Changed the course of her life.
This ending was never what Deceitful Bloom wanted.
It was what By wanted.
A mory surfaced in Rita’s mind.
Sothing from long ago.
And suddenly... she understood.
"...So that’s why," she murmured.
"What are you thinking?" By’s eyes sharpened. "You rembered sothing about her, didn’t you?"
"You look like you just understood one of her choices."
"I did."
Rita exhaled slowly.
"Back then, she used BSCicada’s admiration and attention to guide her into discovering ."
"At the ti, BS was on the brink of collapse. Deceitful Bloom pushed into a gamble with a god. That bought BS ti."
"But she didn’t help Beacon."
By tilted her head slightly.
"Favoritism like that is the fastest way to provoke anger. And?"
"I never understood it."
Rita’s voice lowered.
"She could have just told BSCicada what she wanted. Told her directly she wanted Dawn to invade BS. Told her she wanted to serve the Vineborne."
"But instead, she made Cicada notice her ’special treatnt’ toward ... and turn that resentnt against ."
By shook her head.
"You don’t get it. That’s how you grow flowers. You guide them according to their nature."
"Cicada said the sa thing when we talked about it again," Rita replied.
A faint smile touched her lips, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
"But because of the misunderstanding... she once hated Deceitful Bloom."
"She was furious that Beacon wasn’t saved."
"She even said..."
Rita paused. Then finished quietly.
"That Deceitful Bloom was nothing but trash."
Silence.
Rita watched By.
Watched as the smile faded.
Watched as the emotion drained from her face.
Until nothing was left.
Why had Deceitful Bloom done it?
Both of them knew the answer now.
But Rita didn’t stop.
She pressed further.
"She did it on purpose."
"She deliberately favored non-Vineborne to test Cicada."
"It was a test."
Rita’s voice hardened.
"She was afraid."
"Afraid of seeing another By."
"She didn’t want any Vineborne to put themselves above their race."
"And Cicada’s reaction..."
"That’s exactly what she wanted."
"A leader who would put the Vineborne and Beacon first."
Fog began to creep in from outside the castle.
By leaned back in her chair, eyes lowered to the desk.
For the first ti, she looked... worn.
Almost fragile.
Nivalis poked Rita with the tip of her wing and whispered in her mind.
"Ten seventeen. We can leave now."
Rita smiled faintly.
Then she turned, sat casually on the desk, and looked down at By.
"Can I leave now?"
The provocation didn’t anger her.
By simply looked up.
"You’re certain I’ll let you go."
"You will."
Rita t her gaze without hesitation.
"Because this tiline shines... because of ."
That was her answer.
By suddenly smiled.
"Deceitful Bloom would definitely like you."
She gave the conclusion, but no explanation.
Rita ignored it.
"Then send back to the real study."
"Answer one last question," By said calmly. "Then I’ll let you go."
"Ask."
"When Quiet Mountain Deceitful Bloom asked her..."
By’s voice slowed.
"’You are the last Vineborne of Starsea. Who are you fighting for?’"
"What did she answer?"
Rita knew the answer.
She had seen it at Dustfire’s old table.
But she didn’t reply.
Instead, she asked,
"Does that answer still matter to you?"
"What do you want to hear?"
Nivalis was practically stomping on her shoulder now.
"Answer already! We’re about to miss the exit window!"
"Of course it matters," By said seriously.
"I want to know... when she was the only one left..."
"What kept her going?"
"What her ideals were."
"What she was holding onto."
As she spoke, she noticed sothing.
The way Rita was looking at her.
Anger.
Far beyond mockery or confusion.
By suddenly laughed.
"No wonder those gods said they can never figure out your relationship with her."
"You took her racial talent, yet she still taught you."
"She deceived and controlled you, yet you feel grief and anger for what she went through."
"You even challenged for her sake."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Even if I had let you go earlier... you wouldn’t have left, would you?"
"You wanted to tear this apart even more than I did."
She smiled.
"Did what I said make you angry?"
Rita ignored everything except the core.
Her voice turned sharp.
"You destroyed everything."
"And now you want to know what kept her going?"
"Yes."
By’s tone was steady.
"Tell ."
"I swear in Deceitful Bloom’s na..."
"I will let you leave."
"And I will tell you where the creator of Cat’s Ideal is buried, along with where they usually appear."
Rita let out a cold laugh.
"Deal."
"If you lie..."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Sothing will happen to Deceitful Bloom tomorrow."
By’s expression turned solemn.
"Deal."
Nivalis, who had watched the entire exchange, was completely lost.
"???"
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