She suddenly remembered having her measurements taken for the ceremonial outfit. The ceremony was in a few days, so the outfit should be completed by today.

Melissa closed the book, put it back in its place, and left the library.

At that time, she didn’t know.

She had no idea that on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony, which she thought would be problem-free, something would happen that would shake her life.

* * *

The morning of the coming-of-age ceremony dawned.

The weather was exceptionally bright, perfect for receiving the blessing of the main deity Hagios. The people of the north, too, seemed to want to enjoy this day without worry, bursting into cheerful laughter.

For the people here, who rarely enjoyed leisure activities due to the constant threat of monsters, the coming-of-age ceremony was a festival of sorts.

Melissa walked through the commotion.

“This way please, Lady Lucid.”

A priest wearing a white clerical robe with elaborate golden patterns engraved throughout gestured with a smile. Melissa, standing in front of the temple wearing a white dress with a similar design, let out a small sigh.

Naturally, the Lucid clan, known to have received the love of the main deity, was treated specially, unlike others who had come of age.

Melissa bit her lip slightly while walking through the suddenly quiet crowd. She didn’t want this special treatment, but there was nothing she could do about it.

“The steps here are high. Please be careful not to fall, Lady Lucid.”

“Lady Lucid. There’s no need to hurry. I’m concerned about your precious body getting hurt.”

“Lady Lucid, that side is……”

That damn Lucid, Lucid.

Melissa closed her eyes tightly at the tiresome title.

Whenever she heard ‘Lady Lucid,’ she felt like a mere replacement for Lucid with no use except for precognition.

No, perhaps that was the truth.

Given the clan’s characteristic that anyone would unconditionally receive the surname ‘Lucid,’ no one in the clan had ever been called by any name other than Lucid. Even before receiving the power of precognition, they were usually called ‘the heir of Lucid,’ so it was pointless to say more.

‘Precious body?’

How ridiculous.

In her previous life, everyone had abandoned her and fled.

“Lady Lucid.”

“I understand. I’ll be careful.”

Melissa responded perfunctorily while suppressing her bitter feelings.

After walking for some time, the priest stopped.

They had arrived at the most splendid room in the temple. It was a prayer room specially prepared for Lucid.

When Melissa followed the priest into the prayer room, he extended his hand and pointed somewhere.

“Please kneel down, then look at the statue over there and offer your prayers.”

Looking where the priest pointed, she saw a golden statue modeled after the main deity Hagios looking down at her. Melissa knelt with a deep sigh.

To be honest, she didn’t particularly like offering prayers to the main deity.

Though she had returned to the past and received another chance, this was nothing compared to the suffering she and her clan had endured.

If only the main deity had listened to the clan’s words earlier…

She suddenly remembered her mother, whom she had barely seen.

If her mother had been given the same opportunity as herself, she wouldn’t have died trying to escape from the ducal family. Then, unlike now, they could have had more conversations.

Melissa’s eyes momentarily flickered with anger before calming down.

‘There’s no use getting angry now.’

Melissa finished preparing to kneel and pray.

Seeing this, the priest bowed to her.

“May Lady Lucid’s voice reach the main deity.”

Soon, the sound of receding footsteps was heard, and the heavy door of the prayer room closed with a thud.

Melissa looked at the statue and muttered quietly,

“I hope my voice can reach the main deity……”

Melissa wished for that too.

If only that could happen, she could escape her suffering without racking her brains like this. She could find some peace.

After thinking for a moment, she slowly closed her eyes.

That’s when it happened.

An unfamiliar voice came from above her head.

「Raise your head, my child.」

It was a voice that was hard to believe belonged to an ordinary human, a voice that sounded sacred just by hearing it. Her eyes opened involuntarily.

Melissa raised her head and looked up.

The golden statue was shining so brightly that she could barely open her eyes properly. Wondering if this might be a dream, Melissa raised her hand and rubbed her eyes.

But even so, the scene before her remained unchanged.

While Melissa stared blankly at the sight, the statue continued to pour out vast light. A low, imposing voice flowed out.

「In response to your earnest heart, I shall grant your wish.」

“……You’ll grant my wish?”

Was she hearing this correctly?

The situation was so sudden and unbelievable that Melissa was dumbfounded.

She felt confused.

‘Am I dreaming?’

Melissa raised her hand and pinched her cheek.

Ouch. She let out an involuntary groan because she pinched too hard.

It hurt. That meant this wasn’t a dream.

In that moment, the words the priest had said before leaving flashed through her mind.

[May Lady Lucid’s voice reach the main deity.]

Could this be the voice of the main deity?

Melissa opened her mouth toward the statue, entranced.

If it was her wish…

“Can you break the magical contract for me?”

But the voice did not answer this question.

The voice was heard again after some time had passed. Just when she was thinking that it must have been a dream after all—

「Is that not your true wish?」

At those words, Melissa closed her eyes for a moment and thought,

What did she truly want?

To take revenge on Lionel? Or to make him never ignore her again? To find out why Edgar had acted that way?

‘No.’

Melissa realized. That wasn’t what she wanted.

There was only one thing Melissa wished for.

To no longer feel the pain of precognition.

From her previous life until now, all her misfortunes had started from that pain. If she didn’t come to her senses, it was clear that the same would happen this time too.

When Melissa opened her eyes again after finishing her thoughts, the voice came as if confirming she was right.

「I have placed someone by your side who will save you. That child will make you comfortable.」

“What does that……”

「You will know the moment you meet.」

As soon as the last words ended, an even brighter light poured out from the statue than before. It was so intense that even squinting was difficult.

Moreover, a wind suddenly began to swirl. Despite the prayer room not having a single window.

When Melissa properly opened her eyes, everything had already disappeared. The bright light from the statue, the strong wind that had prevented her from opening her eyes.

Everything, as if nothing had happened.

“What on earth is this……”

Was this really a dream?

Wondering if even the pinching of her cheek had been a dream, Melissa touched her cheek, when suddenly the prayer room door flung open.

Turning her head, she saw the priest who had guided her here earlier standing there. He seemed to have come in a hurry, panting as he opened his mouth.

“Bi, big trouble, Lady Lucid! Several monsters have crossed the eastern wall and entered!”

“Where exactly?”

Melissa stood up before he finished speaking.

There was no time to hesitate.

Melissa lifted her skirt slightly and ran out of the temple following the priest. The pretty white dress with gold embroidery and jewels only got in the way in this situation. Her brow furrowed involuntarily.

“Th, there!”

As soon as they left the temple, the priest pointed somewhere.

But that was of little use.

Contrary to what the priest had said, monsters were now crossing over from all directions, north, south, east, and west.

It was difficult to count their number.

She could see people who had witnessed the same scene fleeing in panic.

“Lady Lucid! Quickly, use precognition! Tell us where to block first and where to evacuate to!”

At the priest’s cry, Melissa closed her eyes.

North, wall, where the biggest problem occurs……

As she turned over various words in her mind, the scene before her quickly formed. The east had suffered the most damage.

“It’s the east! Block the eastern wall first!”

“Then which area is the safest? Where should we evacuate to first?”

“Just a moment. That’s……”

Just as Melissa was about to use precognition again,

“Ugh.”

Suddenly, unbearable pain surged through her.

Her head throbbed as if someone was stabbing it with something sharp. Her mind spun.

She felt like she might vomit at any moment.

It was the pain of precognition. But it was much worse than usual. Melissa quickly guessed the cause based on her experience from her previous life.

‘Did I use it too much?’

She did seem to have overused her ability recently.

While fulfilling Lionel’s demands through letters, she had also tried her best to protect the wall, unlike in her previous life. But still, she didn’t expect it would hurt this much.

Melissa clenched her mouth and held back the scream that was about to escape. It was impossible to use more precognition in this state. Even if she tried somehow, she wouldn’t be able to see properly.