Chapter 565 ·Fallen Star – Fairy Tale Star

Just ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍as Janna was carefully observing the scenery of the 【Spirit Realm】, Tifa’s figure reappeared within the boundless “starry sky”.

“Hmm? ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Could this be the memory of Tifa after she was cursed?”

Unlike ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the image of the “Pink Witch” in the previous memory, at this moment, Tifa had taken on the form of a white cat. Even the bow and bell around her neck were exactly the same as they were now.

“Ding-ling-ling—”

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍bell around her neck gave a soft jingle as Tifa flew through the void, soon landing on a “star” within the 【Spirit Realm】—a sphere that looked like a glass ball, only slightly larger than her cat form.

“Today’s ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍really unlucky. I almost delivered the letter past the deadline—”

Standing on the star, Tifa lazily stretched, then lightly touched the “star” beneath her with her paw.

In an instant, Tifa’s white cat body shifted from a three-dimensional form into a flat, noodle-like two-dimensional shape—then was directly absorbed into the “star”.

“This—”

Watching this bizarre and uncanny scene in Tifa’s memory, for a moment, Janna was left speechless.

“Good morning, Louise. Here’s your breakfast.”

As the flow of time in Tifa’s memory accelerated, in the next instant Janna saw that Tifa, having reverted to her human form, was standing in a marvelous realm built entirely from white lines and blocks of varying shapes.

And the one she addressed as “Louise” was a peculiar doll resembling a teru-teru bōzu—a handmade doll drawn with a large smiling face.

“Is that her contracted creature?”

Seeing the strange doll receive the Soul Gem out of thin air, Janna couldn’t help but feel a flicker of doubt.

“You did very well today. It won’t be long before 【Fairy Tale Star】 can officially serve as a transfer hub for the 【Spirit Realm】’s messengers—”

Listening to the conversation between Tifa and the doll, Janna—who was rapidly absorbing new knowledge—felt a swell of confusion in her heart.

Whether it was the “official identity” of the 【Spirit Realm】 that Tifa mentioned after signing her contract with the 【Lord of the Spirit Realm】, or what she now called a “transfer hub” within the 【Spirit Realm】, it all seemed vague and enigmatic to Janna.

“Could it be that this transfer hub is the same 【Spirit Realm】 anchor point Tifa once mentioned—the one she built to comprehend the 【Law of Contract】?”

Following that line of thought, Janna’s mind gradually began to clear.

“Tifa also said earlier that she almost missed her delivery deadline—could it be that her so-called official identity in the 【Spirit Realm】 is actually as a messenger?”

The 【Spirit Realm】, as a mighty world interwoven by the “Power of Contract” connecting countless planes, not only gives birth to powerful contracted creatures but also generates the role of “messenger.”

For instance, every time Janna summoned a messenger, it was the scarecrow-like figure known as 【Godwalker–Hermes】—one she had recruited from the 【Spirit Realm】.

Of course, although 【Godwalker–Hermes】 was summoned from the 【Spirit Realm】, that didn’t necessarily mean he was a native-born being of it.

Judging from Tifa’s words in the memory, Janna could boldly infer that 【Godwalker–Hermes】 might also be an otherworldly creature working part-time as a messenger in the 【Spirit Realm】—perhaps even from the same plane.

“So, to obtain enlightenment on the 【Law of Contract】, one must not only serve as a messenger but also establish a dedicated transfer hub in the 【Spirit Realm】—”

While Janna was still pondering this, Tifa—who was feeding the strange doll with Soul Gems—suddenly spoke again.

“Once 【Fairy Tale Star】’s projection completely merges into the 【Spirit Realm】, I’ll be able to borrow the authority of the 【Lord of the Spirit Realm】 to create a race of Spirit Realm beings that belong solely to me. Then I’ll send them to other planes to sign contracts with summoners—Louise, when that happens, I’ll make you their leader. You’ll guide them to collect 【Contract Fragments】 for me, all right?”

Though the doll’s face remained frozen in its large, smiling expression, without speaking, Janna—also a Summoning Wizard Apprentice—could still sense the emotional bond between them.

“So it seems that 【Fairy Tale Star】 was actually the name of Tifa’s 【Fallen Star】 when she was still a Wizard Apprentice. And the way she established her anchor point in the 【Spirit Realm】 was by fixing the projection of her 【Fallen Star】 there as a stable coordinate—”

Before Janna could finish her thought, the scene changed again.

This time, she saw a blonde witch—her childishness gone, her expression filled with sorrow—kneeling alone in the cold, white snow.

“This must be from when Lady Tifa had already become a full-fledged Wizard.”

Seeing the emblem embroidered on her wizard robe, the mark of a formal member of the White Tower, Janna quickly deduced the approximate time this memory took place.

“That is—”

As the view shifted, Janna saw a broken, tattered doll clutched in Tifa’s arms, and Tifa herself sat silently, saying nothing.

“That doll creature… it’s already dead?”

Though merely a fragmentary memory, Janna could still feel the deep sorrow emanating from Tifa’s face and posture.

“From this moment on, this world has only me left—Louise, my dear sister, I miss you so, so much—”

Hearing Tifa’s soft murmur, Janna’s eyes widened in realization.

“So the doll wasn’t Lady Tifa’s contracted creature—it was a spiritual doll carrying her sister’s soul—”

Realizing the truth, Janna couldn’t help but feel grief for Tifa.

After all, she too was alone in this world, and she knew exactly what it felt like to lose family.

That pain, that hollow emptiness deep within—

even after so long,

Janna still remembered it vividly.

“Whoosh—”

The memory shifted once more. This time, the scene was completely blank, and only Tifa’s hoarse, anguished scream echoed endlessly in Janna’s ears.

“Why did the image disappear? What happened to Lady Tifa?”

Recalling Tifa’s current form as a cursed white cat, along with the recurring pitch-black screens in the memories, Janna felt an ominous chill rising in her heart—

“Beep—!”

Like a sharp alarm suddenly blasting in her mind, the warning from her 【Danger Perception】 talent flared. Janna instantly severed the link between her 【Eye of Mind】 and the 【Thread of Obsession】, pulling herself out of Tifa’s memories—

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