Chapter 252 – Doppelganger

“Give it to me!” the other Cecile said, gnashing her teeth.
“I’m going to save Estian with that.
If I don’t hurry back, he’ll…”

‘Estian?’ Cecile gasped upon hearing his name.
Her other self was speaking of saving Estian, as if he was about to die.

[He.
Is.
Dead.]

“No!” the other Cecile screamed.
“You’re wrong! He’s not dead! He has to be waiting! That’s why…!” The other Cecile’s voice eventually faltered.
Her eyes were reddened and tears ran down her cheeks, mixing with the dried blood as they trailed down her cheeks.
“I have to hurry… Hurry back to my world…”

Cecile felt her throat close up from the sorrowful sight, and tears welled up in her eyes too.
She didn’t know what had happened, but she could sense an unfathomable sense of despair from her other self.

[It.
Is.
Over.]

Nevertheless, the World Tree’s voice was indifferent to her plight.
It remained completely and utterly oblivious to such emotions.

“Shut up! We’re still…”

[It.
Is.
Over.]

“It’s over?” the other Cecile muttered.
Her tears ceased and in its place was a murderous glint flashing in her eyes.
She burst out into hollow, maniacal laughter that echoed through the air, before stopping just as suddenly.
“Yes, I know.
Now, there is only the last Cecile.
And only the last Estian remains.”

The other Cecile turned and looked off towards a distant part of the gigantic World Tree that was glinting faintly.
Unlike the place where she now stood, the faraway branches had lost their glimmer.
The aura of death surrounding them was apparent.

“We failed, so all that’s left is for us to simply submit to slumber? Because we’re failures? While I… I don’t even get a chance to see him again?”

The other Cecile walked towards the end of the World Tree’s branch that she stood on.
Looking down, she smiled weakly.
Cecile followed her gaze and noticed something that hadn’t been there a moment ago—a section of the World Tree’s root was shining dazzlingly even from a distance.

“So, that must be it… The location of the last remaining world,” the other Cecile muttered.
A crazed smile crept up her face and she immediately launched herself towards it.

[You.
Must.
Not!]

A branch of the World Tree tried to catch her, but the other Cecile plummeted faster than it moved.
Cecile watched her other self, with a face filled with nothing but utter determination, dive straight ahead.
The scene chilled her to her very core.

At that moment, an audible crack sounded out from the branch Cecile was clinging to.
Suddenly, the view she’d been watching disappeared, leaving behind the World Tree and the darkness surrounding it.
Cecile knew then that the illusion was over.
At the same time, an extreme fatigue overcame her body, just like her other self had been moments before.

‘I’m tired,’ she thought.
She’d been barely holding on as it was, but now she didn’t have an ounce of strength left in her.
The hand clinging to the branch had begun to tremble under her weight.

There was no one here to help her.
As she closed her eyes, Cecile thought, ‘I can’t hold on anymore.’ Unable to hold on any longer, she lost her grip on the branch.
At that moment, a large hand suddenly shot out and caught her by the arm.
A second later, Cecile realized she had been hoisted up and was wrapped securely in someone’s arms.

“Cecile!”

Surprised by the voice calling her name, her eyes shot open.
“Estian? H-how… Here…” she stammered.
It was strange.
Had she inadvertently grabbed another branch? Was that why she was seeing another illusion? She was stunned by her husband’s unbelievable reappearance.

This was the domain in which the World Tree resided.
Though she wasn’t knowledgeable regarding such matters, even she could tell that this was obviously an abnormal place that was not easy to locate.