I thought of several ways to kill someone inconspicuously, but I couldn’t say them out loud. Ilion’s vigilance was too strong.

Well, I decided to trust Ilion’s words for now. He assured me not to worry, so he must have a plan I’m unaware of.

So while keeping the methods to assassinate Klaus tucked away in my mind, I observed the unfolding situation for a moment.

Ilion started calling soldiers from one side to quickly tidy up the atmosphere of the venue, and Klaus was moved to a room while asleep.

The bustling soldiers occasionally glanced at me, but fortunately, they didn’t tell me to go back into the prison.

They seemed confused in many ways. Or perhaps they wanted to avoid Spinel, who was growling beside me.

Thanks to Ilion, the situation in the garden was being resolved quickly, but I still had an unresolved knot.

When I looked up at the high seat, I saw a white robe hastily disappearing inside.

“Ravenne, you should get treatment first…”

“Yes! I’ll go get treated and come back.”

Before Ilion could finish speaking, I nodded and ran into the Imperial Palace.

“Do you know where the infirmary is?”

“Yes, I know!”

“That’s not the way…”

Leaving Ilion behind as he tried to say more, I hurried towards the central building. Hoping I wasn’t too late.

***

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

When I asked Artia, who was walking in the distance, she turned around, startled.

I was out of breath from running in a hurry.

“Huff, huff. Do you have a moment? I’d like to talk.”

Usually, when rivals engage in a battle of nerves, it seems there should be a more plausible picture, but unfortunately, I didn’t have the energy left to maintain my dignity after frantically running up the stairs. And Artia pointed that out precisely.

“Instead of talking to me, you should rest a bit.”

“No. We still have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”

Looking at Artia while catching my breath, she seemed rather worried about me.

“I’m sorry, but I have somewhere to go right now.”

“Then, go ahead.”

I nodded willingly, and Artia turned her head with a slightly disgruntled expression and hurried her steps.

Soon after, two sets of footsteps echoed side by side in the quiet corridor.

“Why are you following me?”

“It just happens that we’re going the same way.”

“Where are you going?”

“Where the Saintess is going?”

When I retorted with a question, Artia stopped and looked at me. Then, perhaps thinking that we wouldn’t be able to communicate, she let out a small sigh.

“…Alright. If you have something to say, say it now.”

“I’ll help you.”

“Help with what?”

“Anything.”

At those words, Artia looked at me warily.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“You’re going to take revenge on His Majesty, right? But you’re going empty-handed? Should I bring a sword? Or maybe a club. Oh, how about a rope instead?”

“Miss… Rischefeld?”

Artia looked at me with a bewildered expression.

“Why are you suddenly saying such things to me? I…”

“Betrayed me?”

Artia continued speaking while avoiding my eyes.

“I know you resent me. And that you came to confront me about it. But I’d like you to punish me after everything is over. Don’t worry. I have no intention of running away.”

Considering she’s speaking like that, Artia seemed to have already made up her mind.

I had many things I wanted to ask her. What happened when she regressed with her memories. What became of her family. And Whether she lost them again because of Klaus.

Knowing Artia’s past, I felt more than sympathy for her who endured this hell alone.

“It would be a lie to say I don’t resent you, but I didn’t come to confront you, Saintess. After all, we both just tried to use each other, didn’t we?”

“……”

That day, when I realized she had betrayed me, the unidentifiable emotion I felt was regret.

She was enduring this hell alone without even Ilion, who was the only one who comforted her.

Understanding how thorny the reality was that forced such a choice on Artia, I couldn’t bring myself to blame her for her wrongdoing. After all, I was merely a bystander too.

“As I said, I’ve come to help you now, Saintess.”

“…Why?”

There wasn’t any particularly grand reason. I don’t have a good girl complex, nor am I trying to imitate a sage. I know I don’t have the right to stop her revenge either.

Just, as a reader who knows Artia’s past, I wished for her to walk a happier path. Because I know better than anyone the painful times she’s been through.

“Because I want you to be happier, Saintess.”

At my answer, Artia silently looked at me. Her golden eyes were filled with confusion.

“Were we close enough to wish for each other’s happiness?”

“Why not?”

“…Ravenne, no, who are you really?”

After hesitating for a while, I finally confessed to Artia about my identity.

That I transmigrated in this body for unknown reasons from another world, and that I knew all about her past.

Artia, who had been listening quietly to my words, still looked at me with uneasy eyes.

“I knew your existence wasn’t ordinary, but I didn’t know you knew so much about me.”

“Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“…A little.”

I guess so. Maybe it seems a bit like that of a stalker.

Whether she understood my story or gave up on trying to stop me, Artia eventually headed towards Klaus’s bedroom, letting me follow her.

The inside of Klaus’s room was more desolate than I thought. There was only a bed, no bookshelves, desk, or chairs.

Well, he’s the type of person who sleeps with a barrier around him, even keeping soldiers away, in case he’d be attacked at night.

While I briefly commented on the room, Artia picked up the staff placed next to the bed and slowly began to speak.

“…Evan said.”

By Evan, she seemed to be referring to that priest who was like a father to her.

“Even though he must have been in pain just to breathe after losing so much blood, he tried hard to open his mouth to tell me something.”

Artia’s voice seemed to choke up, and she paused to catch her breath.

“He said he was sorry he couldn’t be of help. And that no matter what situation I’m in, I should never lose myself. It was Evan’s habit to say that.”

Artia said this while looking down at Klaus.

“I don’t know why those words suddenly come to mind. Maybe it’s because I met you.”

“What are you planning to do?”

I asked her, wondering if I should tell her that you can’t kill someone with a staff.

“Come to think of it, just killing Klaus seems too lenient. It would be better if he suffered for the rest of his life before dying.”

“What?”

“It seems my personality has changed a lot while staying with him.”

While saying that, Artia was smiling like someone who found smiling awkward.

After finishing her words, Artia stretched out her hand and poured holy power onto the sleeping Klaus. Soon, Klaus’s eyelids slowly moved, and his blue eyes appeared.

“……”

“It seems you’re awake.”

After silently rolling his eyes to survey his surroundings for a while, he asked.

“…What did you do?”

“I woke you up while you were sleeping.”

“My body won’t move.”

“That’s because I only woke your mind.”

Klaus sneered and then glared at Artia.

“Why did you wake me up?”

“I’m planning to seal all your mana.”

“And then?”

“I’ll put you back to sleep.”

Klaus looked at Artia with questioning eyes.

Realizing the meaning of his gaze, Artia kindly resolved his doubts.

“I thought I should tell you in advance. About what I’m going to do from now on.”

“You’re talking as if sealing just one mana is such a big deal.”

He seemed to find this situation quite amusing. Even though losing the ability to use magic would be a big blow to him, he acted as if it was nothing.

“I’m not finished speaking yet.”

Artia looked down at him with a cold face.

“You, with your strong pride, hate being under someone else’s feet terribly. You’re the type who needs to hold and shake everything to be satisfied.”

“So?”

“I’m going to drag you down from that position. That’s precisely what you hate more than death.”

“Did you wake me up to say that?”

“I thought it would be better for you to know your miserable future. That way, you won’t be surprised when you wake up. Oh, no need to thank me. It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done to me.”

Artia seemed to have a lot pent up. Just as she said, her personality seemed to have changed.

With those final words, a bright white light burst from the staff and enveloped Klaus’s body.

The light that filled the room soon subsided, and Artia exhaled a short breath as she withdrew her staff. It seemed the sealing was complete.

Now all that was left was to put Klaus back to sleep, but…

“Hahaha.”

Suddenly, he burst into laughter.

“What’s so funny?”

“The sight of little mice gathering together, proudly putting a bell on the cat’s neck.”

Despite the situation still being in our favor, somehow an ominous feeling began to creep in.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been this annoyed.”

As Klaus said this, black smoke began to rise from his body.

The smoke instantly became so thick that the white sheet was no longer visible, and I could only be shocked at the unbelievable sight unfolding before my eyes.

“H-how…”

He raised his body.