"What are you saying?" I question her. "You... You were just following orders..."

"That doesn't mean anything," she replies. "My role as Supreme Mage is to protect the people and ensure peace." Zoe justifies herself by stating her vision. "If I failed to fulfill that role, then it means I failed as an authority." That doesn't negate the fact that I was the wrong.

"I... had to be stronger..." William says, head down. There is no way I can make it up to him. When William grows up, he will realize how much my influence has ruined his life...

"Tsk."

"You guys are hotheaded; it's normal that you can't think rationally," Zoe says. "You need a break after everything you've been through." She states.

All around, white tents were being set up to make the place a little more comfortable. William stands up without saying a single word and retreats to one of the tents, walking slowly.

"Do you think I'm to blame for this?" I ask the Supreme Mage.

"You blame yourself for a lot of things, I see."

"Yanma's death..." I say after a sigh.

"Listen," she sits cross-legged. "You did the best you could." She says. "If it weren't for you and your brother, there's no way Marco would have lost, and Yanma would have died in vain."

"I know I did everything I could, but I feel like I didn't do as much as I could." If I had trained harder, tried harder, been braver...

“It’s important to acknowledge that, but don’t dwell on the failures,” Zoe says. “I know it’s hard to lose someone you love, and I know you would do things differently if you had the chance, living in the world of ideas, but to be strong, you have to make the ‘what ifs’ a reality.” Maybe she’s right, but I still feel that frustration in my chest. “You already know what you did wrong, what you’re weak at, and what you need to improve on, so just enjoy your accomplishments a little.”

"Look at the positives, right?" I say without much enthusiasm.

"Exactly, you understand quickly." Yanma... That thing she told me before... 'Don't sink into the darkness.'

She was telling me not to get lost inside myself. She probably knew I would get like this...

"Maybe you're right..." Zoe smiles slightly at the corner of her mouth. "But there's no forgiveness for what I did to William." I say. "No child should go to war. How could I not realize it before..." I saw William in a different light, maybe because he helped me save Foguinho, but I had forgotten that he was just a child.

"There you go again, blaming yourself for something." Zoe says. There's no way she'll understand; it would be useless for me to try to explain. "You're a child too. Besides, you're younger than your brother."

"I... am different." She arches an eyebrow.

"Hm..." She sighs. "I can feel that you didn't mean any harm." Still! "And William seems to be quite the determined person." I... "He seems to know well what war is and what being a warrior means."

"Anyway..."

"If did anything, you just gave him the push he needed to be a swordsman." Zoe interrupts me.

"This can't be normal; it shouldn't..."

"If it's any consolation, some sons of nobles are taught the art of fencing when they are strong enough to hold a dagger." So that's how this world is. "Some nobles train their sons only to be high-ranking warriors."

"I should have guessed."

"This world is cruel," Zoe says. "That's why it's important that you and your brother help each other through this difficult time." She's right. William needs someone to talk to, and so do I...

If William wants to be a swordsman after all, I must provide support for him.

"I realized something else too..." I tell her. "I realized that my dream of being the Supreme Mage is just for my ego."

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"I thought of being the Supreme Mage just for the title of being the strongest, just for my ego telling me I was the best." My vanity was in front of me the whole time. "I wasn't thinking about what it means to be the strongest, but rather about how great I would be."

"How interesting." How? "Becoming the Supreme Mage goes beyond being the strongest."

"What does that mean?"

"It means saving those in need; being a symbol; and being the impossible." It reminds me of... heroes.

"A hero...!" I think out loud.

“It is, basically.” She nods. “If you want to become the Supreme Mage by fulfilling all those requirements, then that’s an ego worth fighting for.” If I can protect the vulnerable, is my ego justified? “In fact, I know a swordsman who is driven solely by ego…”

"I understand better now..." I feel like she can teach me a lot about this life. "Thank you, Miss Zoe."