In truth, it was to deal with the stalker-like system messages that tormented her day and night, and to secure ample retirement funds and physical strength. Evelyn, who had squeezed out this plausible justification, traversed the dark mountainside.

“I-I’ll come with you!”

Lime, illuminating the surroundings with light magic, followed behind Evelyn.

“This place is quite far from the fortress guarded by knights, so there might be magical beasts. I’ll protect you, Saintess… Aack! A b-bear!”

…Is he really a sage? From what I heard, though he’s the youngest sage, he’s exceptionally talented despite his age. Watching Lime jump in place at the sight of a bear-like magical beast, a deep sigh rose from her core.

“GRAAAAARGH!”

“Purify!”

After instantly defeating the magical beast, much larger than an ordinary bear, with a Heal spell, Evelyn repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fingertips where magic power had drained away.

‘I need to conserve my strength as much as possible to close the rift later.’

Lime, who was extremely excited, approached her, asking if the Saintess had just done that, saying he’d only heard about it but was seeing it for the first time as the magical beast vanished without a trace.

“I need to conserve my strength from now on, so please protect me, Sage.”

“Yes! Leave it to me.”

Apart from her slight distrust of Lime, she needed to hurry. The male leads, who were particularly sensitive about matters concerning her, might easily notice her absence. She had to return to the banquet hall before such a mishap occurred.

After that, though they encountered several magical beasts on their way to the rift, fortunately, Lime handled them with various magical acrobatics, so she didn’t need to use her power directly.

[You have entered the final main quest area.]

Evelyn stopped in her tracks at the system message that filled her vision as soon as she arrived right below the rift. Just beneath the half-closed rift, where the system message was located, a subtle light was emerging.

“Sage, can you see that?”

“Pardon? Is another magical beast appearing?”

Lime, who had created a solid shield in case she might get hurt, frantically looked around. Seeing that he couldn’t recognize the light that shone clearly even in the pitch-black darkness right in front of him, it seemed the system was visible only to her.

‘So what am I supposed to do now?’

As if responding to Evelyn’s internal question, another system message appeared.

[Use the purification skill at the point where the rift occurred. *Note: Due to extreme magic consumption, you may briefly faint from lack of physical strength.]

No time to faint! Even now, she was anxious about whether the male leads had discovered her absence. If she fainted, too, everything would truly be over. Feeling urgent, Evelyn immediately left the shield.

“Wha-? Saintess! Acting alone like that…!”

“Please watch my back while I close the rift, Sage.”

Despite squealing in terror at magical beasts suddenly appearing and charging at them from somewhere, Lime quickly dispatched them using lightning magic. Passing by the magical beasts that turned to ashes before they could even touch her, Evelyn approached the spot right beneath the rift where light was rising like a heat haze.

She drew forth all the magic power inherent in her body and reached toward the light. At first, she had clearly relied only on skills to use her power. It was possible now because she had somehow become able to sense the flow of magic.

As soon as her hand passed through the light, a message related to the main deity, ‘Arceus,’ who was said to have created this continent, appeared.

[Verifying if you are qualified to use the divine object containing the power of the main deity, Arceus.

Verification complete. Please use the purification skill.]

The system message, which had come alive as if all the previous errors had been a lie, flickered before her eyes. Without hesitation, Evelyn uttered the ‘Purification’ skill, and magic power poured out from her fingertips like a waterfall. It was an enormous amount, incomparable to when she purified territories contaminated by the magical beasts’ demonic energy.

Gritting her teeth to avoid losing consciousness as her vision distorted terribly, Evelyn stared at the bow of light that began to form before her eyes. She heard Lime gasping in shock behind her, but didn’t look back. Evelyn grumbled inwardly at the intense light that made it difficult to even keep her eyes open.

‘Isn’t this clearly an excessive effect?’

[Player Yoon Heesoo can use 50% of the power contained in the divine object ‘Bow of Punishment,’ imbued with the power of the main deity, Arceus. If you wish to use it, please draw the bowstring.]

Her name, which she hadn’t heard in a long time, echoed strangely in her ears.

‘Human adaptability is something else.’

To think that the name Evelyn now felt more familiar than Yoon Heesoo. Even if she logged out in this state, far from living her real life, she would likely become socially maladjusted. While sighing heavily, Evelyn pulled the bowstring with all her might as instructed by the system.

Just as she felt like even her remaining magic power was being squeezed out and her vision briefly swam, an arrow automatically generated from the bowstring shot toward the half-closed rift. Simultaneously, a chilling voice stimulated Evelyn’s ears.

“So this is where you were, Evelyn.”

This voice, could it be…

Lime, who was dealing with the endless stream of magical beasts instead of Evelyn who couldn’t turn around, exclaimed in shock.

“Gasp. T-Tower Master? Weren’t you at the banquet? Huh? The Knight Commander and the Guild Master, and even His Majesty?”

It’s over. Standing as if nailed to the spot, Evelyn glared at the rift that had vanished without a trace from the night sky. At this moment, even the system message bursting in her ears like fanfare offered her no consolation.

[Congratulations! You have successfully completed the final main quest ‘The Saintess’s Mission.’ The death penalty is now removed. As a reward, you can choose between ‘Logout’ and ‘Live Together.’]

For a moment, she felt the urge to choose log out, but Evelyn, while sobbing, selected Live Together.

“L-Live Together…!”

[Player Yoon Heesoo has chosen the Live Together ending. As a reward, you will receive enhanced physical strength and 100 million gold. The 100 million gold will be transferred to your personal vault…]

Crack.

Huh? Crack?

“So you closed the rift with this bizarre power. All for nothing since you only managed to close half of it.”

Ian, who stood at the forefront of the male leads, walked over with an expressionless face and twisted the air with his hand wrapped in magic power. More precisely, the system message that had been displaying words like fireworks in front of her.

Then, incredibly, the system message shattered. Evelyn’s pupils trembled mercilessly as she witnessed the graphics breaking into pieces and scattering right before her eyes.

‘This is possible?’

Nox, standing right behind Ian, muttered while unable to hide his ascending Joker-like expression.

“Finally, we’ve succeeded in eliminating the subversive force trying to take Evelyn away.”

At that moment, a memory crossed her mind. Ian’s personal research had been ongoing for nearly half a year. She had wondered what he was digging into, staying buried in the rift zone without returning to the magic tower, focusing only on his research.

‘Was that related to the system messages?’

How did Ian know about the system messages? Unable to shake off the thoughts that kept connecting, Evelyn looked at the male leads who were smiling with satisfaction. Could it be…

“Wait a minute. Did you all know my true identity?”

“Roughly, that you came from another world.”

Evelyn’s mouth gaped open at his words that he had read that part of her memory when she removed the demon from his body. Regardless, Hezel, the most excited among the male leads, wrapped Evelyn in the luxurious fur cape he was wearing.

“Ah, Evelyn’s body temperature is truly the best.”

“Get off her. The winner of the game hasn’t been determined yet.”

Luinel, speaking with a voice colder than a blade, pushed away Hezel, who was clinging tightly to Evelyn. Then he took off his uniform jacket and cape with epaulettes, virtually symbols of the Emperor, and gave them to Evelyn.

“…This isn’t what’s important right now. And you’re all just fine with this?”