The late morning sun cast soft golden hues across the backyard of the Laughing Lantern. Dew still clung to the grass, glinting like tiny jewels, and the gentle breeze stirred the wind chimes hanging from the eaves one of them emitting a high-pitched, rather cheerful tinkle.
Astra walked slowly along the narrow stone path, hands tucked behind her back as she eyed the building's curved roof and the painted lantern swaying by the archway.
"Why laughing lantern?" she muttered aloud, squinting at the painted grin on the lantern's wooden face. "Looks creepy more than funny…"
She was just about to poke it when a sudden burst of shouting made her flinch.
"No—you lost it!" a sharp voice snapped from somewhere ahead.
"I did not! I saw two, and now there's only one!" came the heated reply.
Astra peeked around a flowering tree and blinked. In the middle of the courtyard, Seirou and Seiya were standing barely a foot apart, faces flushed, arms flailing dramatically.
"I told you there was only one till now!" Seirou shouted, jabbing a finger toward Seiya's chest. "And the other one was a duplicate! Just like you!"
"Just like me?! Excuse you—I am not a duplicate!" Seiya huffed, arms crossed so tightly his sleeves creased. "And I know what I saw! There were two—two identical golden relics in my collection! Now there's only one."
Seirou rolled his eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn't fall out. "And I'm telling you, there was only one. You paid every coin you earned from that old relic hunter just to get it. The other one? It was a duplicate. An echo. Just a mirrored construct meant to confuse anyone who looked too closely."
"You're lying!" Seiya snapped, clearly seconds from combusting. "It's been with me for years, and you never said that till now. It wasn't a duplicate—there were two of them! I paid gold for both! What do you mean it disappears after I use it?"
Seirou folded his arms and let out a slow, exhausted sigh. "Actually, that's exactly how it works. That relic—what did the old man call it again?"
"The Golden Scribe's Eye!" Seiya shouted, practically vibrating with outrage.
"Right. That thing was forged in pairs," Seirou said, tone flat with exasperated certainty. "One real, one false—meant to confuse thieves and protect the true enchantment. The fake one carries just enough trace to activate once… and then it fades. Turns to dust after it serves its purpose."
Seiya blinked, confusion washing over his face. "What?"
"You heard me," Seirou replied coolly. "If yours turned to dust… I didn't steal it. I didn't touch it."
"Then—then what did I use it on?!" Seiya's voice cracked in mid-accusation, eyes going wide as a flicker of realization dawned.
That's when Astra approached, brow furrowed. "Turns to dust after it serves its purpose?" she echoed. "How do they even create something like that? That method sounds like—"
"—The puppet method," Seirou finished for her, his voice dropping just slightly."Right. That thing was forged in pairs," Seirou said, tone flat with exasperated certainty. "One real, one false—meant to confuse thieves and protect the true enchantment. The fake one carries just enough trace to activate once… and then it fades. Turns to dust after it serves its purpose."
Seiya blinked, confusion washing over his face. "What?"
"You heard me," Seirou replied coolly. "If yours turned to dust… I didn't steal it. I didn't touch it."
"Then—then what did I use it on?!" Seiya's voice cracked in mid-accusation, eyes going wide as a flicker of realization dawned.
That's when Astra approached, brow furrowed. "Turns to dust after it serves its purpose?" she echoed. "How do they even create something like that? That method sounds like—"
"—The puppet method," Seirou finished for her, his voice dropping just slightly.
Seiya blinked, then frowned. "Wait… isn't that a forbidden technique?"
Seirou nodded. "It is. But the method used here is a derived form—not exactly the same. While the puppet method was originally used to create living clones, this variant is for objects or non-living constructs. It's not forbidden if it's used for preservation or protection. Still… the end result is the same. Once the duplicate fulfills its purpose, it vanishes."
Seiya squinted at him. "Then why forbid the original technique?"
"Because it's unstable," Seirou explained. "Creating a proper puppet especially one that can hold memories or energy is extremely difficult. Most people couldn't control what they made. Some of the duplicates turned out twisted, aggressive… unpredictable."
He crossed his arms. "Eventually, people started abusing it. Giving puppets power, will, even false identities. It got out of hand. That's why the original puppet method was banned. Shape-shifting magic is a related branch, and it's restricted for the same reason you can't take someone else's form without their permission. It's a dangerous path if misused."
Astra listened in silence, eyes narrowing slightly at the implications. Then she spoke, her voice quiet but clear.
"…Is there ever a chance that the puppet might start believing it is the original?"
Seirou didn't answer right away. He exhaled through his nose, the weight of history in his silence. Then he nodded.
"Yes. In fact, that's how it happens most of the time," he said. "Once the imprint settles—especially if memories or instincts are embedded—the duplicate can't always tell the difference. They believe they are the original."
He looked down at his crossed arms, voice steady but edged. "And when that happens… even the creator can't undo it. The only way to end it is to let the puppet fulfill the purpose it was created for."
Astra's brow furrowed.
Seirou continued, gaze distant. "In most recorded cases, that purpose was revenge. That's why the makers gave them everything—memory, strength, identity. So they could carry out something the real person couldn't… or wouldn't."
"And because very few people ever mastered the method properly, the results were unstable. Twisted. Some were made darker on purpose more cruel, more ruthless because that's what the creator wanted."
His voice lowered, eyes darkening just slightly. "Those are the ones who outlived their purpose… and became something else entirely."
There was a pause. Then Seiya squinted, tilting his head.
"I wonder who even created this technique in the first place… What kind of person would come up with something like that?"
Astra nodded slowly. "That was my thought too. Seirou, do you know?"
Seirou glanced between them, then shrugged with a straight face. "I don't know. I forgot."
Both of them pushed him at once.
"Liar," Astra said flatly. "I could believe it if you claimed you were the creator, but saying you don't know? No way."
"Exactly!" Seiya crossed his arms. "You've clearly studied this in depth—probably dug it up from some restricted archive. You're telling me you know all this history but don't even know who made the method?"
Seirou dusted off his shoulder with a lazy flick. "Not everything about the past is written in books. And not everything written there is true. No mortal lives long enough to witness history… or the truth behind it."
With that, he turned and casually plucked a star-peach from the low-hanging branch of a nearby tree. Without another word, he strolled off, biting into the fruit like the conversation hadn't happened.
Behind him, Astra and Seiya exchanged looks.
"Why does he always say so much but still tell us nothing?" Astra muttered. "Does he really not know… or is he hiding it?"
Seiya tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Could be either. Anyway—Astra! Want to sneak out into the city for a bit? I heard the festival celebrations in the Middle Sector are way more exciting. Tons of activities, lights, music, people say it's like heaven on earth." He leaned closer, voice dropping with dramatic flair. "Let's find out if that rumor's true. Let's see what heaven really looks like."
Astra's eyes lit up instantly, a grin tugging at her lips. "I'm in."