Liese Willington cautiously opened the door at the base of the castle wall.

Making sure there was no one around the gate, she pushed her body through.

The castle was filled with black smoke, the stench of blood, and the smell of burning.

‘Disgusting smell.’

A sense of nausea surged up from her throat.

An unusual energy filled the air, packed with demonic beasts and dark mages casting spells. Maybe it was inevitable in such a place.

‘Could Her Majesty really be here…?’

Liese surveyed her surroundings as she ran along the castle wall.

A person who seemed to be His Majesty was fighting a dark mage in the distance. Among the demonic beasts, two knights were struggling.

‘It seems I’ve come to the right place.’

A faint smile appeared on Liese’s lips.

But then, a man standing on the opposite side of her direction stared intently at her.

Next to him lay someone who appeared to be a blonde woman at a glance.

‘Could it be… Her Majesty?’

Liese quickened her pace. The distance closed rapidly, and the man’s face became clear.

He seemed more interested in protecting her than harming her, at least from Liese’s perspective.

She slowed down and approached him cautiously.

“Who are you?”

Liese asked him carefully.

“I am the teacher of Atlan’s Empress.”

The teacher of Empress Ariel Diaz? Liese widened her eyes in surprise and looked down at the person lying on the ground.

“Ah-!”

It was Her Majesty.

The hair, the face, and even the clothes she was wearing. Unbelievable as it was, everything belonged to Ariel.

Liese collapsed beside Ariel as if she had fallen.

“How could this happen…!”

“Do you know Ariel?”

“Her Majesty is my life savior.”

Hyle’s gaze wavered for a moment.

‘As expected, Ariel is a noble soul who cannot simply pass by someone in danger… Even though she was at risk because her mana was sealed, she willingly saved someone.’

His eyes sparkled. However, unable to show tears to someone he just met, he quickly turned his head away.

“Ah, I see. I need to join those fellows in eliminating demonic beasts. But I couldn’t leave Ariel alone and was wondering what to do.”

“I’ll stay with her.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I came here to repay my debt.”

Liese nodded.

“I’ll cover you so that attacks from demonic beasts won’t reach here. Please take good care of Ariel.”

“May Lumiere’s blessing be with you.”

Hyle sprang up and ran towards the place where the battle was in full swing.

‘It seemed like his eyes were red……. Did I see it wrong?’

Liese briefly watched his back.

And then, she examined Ariel’s face.

‘Alive, she must be alive…….’

Liese’s eyes trembled slightly.

“Your Majesty, I dare to be so bold.”

Then, she steadied her heart and brought her fingers close to Ariel’s nose.

But at her fingertips, she felt neither an inhale nor an exhale, nothing at all.

“It’s strange.”

Surely, I should feel her breath. Her chest isn’t rising or falling either.

Liese brought her ear close to Ariel’s chest.

The sound of the heart. She couldn’t hear the thrilling sound of the heartbeat that signifies life.

Could it be that I’m placing my ear in the wrong place?

Liese moved her position slightly and tried listening again.

But, in the end, she couldn’t hear the sound of the heart beating.

She slowly lifted her head. And she distanced herself from the unbelievable reality.

‘Is this really happening?’

It felt like a dream, as if it were not reality because of the continuous surreal situations.

“Your Majesty.”

Thinking about it now, her face was excessively pale and dark, like she had lost consciousness.

Liese stretched out her arm and caressed Ariel’s cheek with the back of her hand.

“There’s no warmth at all.”

Life had already been taken away.

‘It’s a dream, it must be a dream. This really must be a dream.’

Liese pinched her cheek hard using her index finger and thumb, and at that moment, tears swelled in her large eyes.

Ah……. It hurts. It’s reality. It’s saying it’s not a dream.

What should I do? There’s nothing I can do. I can’t die in her place. I can’t even take revenge on those who did this.

Liese bit her lip and clenched her fist with all her might. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Why me! Why don’t I have the ability to protect those precious to me?

Why, why, why-! Why am I, I, only able to cry helplessly without being able to save the person who saved me…….

Liese felt an intense helplessness. Then, she supported Ariel’s shoulders and waist and lifted her up.

“Huh……! Hic……!”

When she felt the aura of a corpse on her skin, Ariel’s death felt even more real.

Liese then hugged her and wailed. Tears drenched Ariel’s training uniform in drops.

―While I was praying, I received a revelation that Lumiere wishes for you to go to the hunting festival.

―It seems we should pray that Lumiere’s intention is fulfilled well. It seems there’s a reason you must go there.

Suddenly, the words delivered by the pope, informing that she had been drafted for the hunting festival, came to mind.

‘Sending me here, knowing such events would happen……. Now all I can do is cry for Your Majesty…….’

Liese wiped away the tears that flowed incessantly.

“Lumière……. What should I do?”

Liese dropped her head.

She had never been under anyone’s protection in her life.

She was even abandoned by her parents. The only one she could rely on in this world was herself.

Despite there being no need for the esteemed lady of the high-ranking Clark family to go so far for a mere low-ranking priest of the Holy See.

Ariel did not hesitate and was taken by the villains in her stead.

“Ple…ase…….”

Her voice cracked from crying too much.

I want to save her. I want to save her—!

Liese’s shoulders shook violently as she buried her head in Ariel’s chest.

That was when it happened.

Click!

The sound of a lock opening was heard, and Liese squinted around.

Then black smoke emerged from Ariel’s body and was extinguished by the light.

What is that? Though curious, a great light burst forth, forcing her to close her eyes again.

Holy power latent within Liese exploded as if bursting out. From the sky, a bright white light descended and penetrated Liese.

The power to revive life. The strength to overcome death. The light that dispels darkness.

Lumière’s essential ability filled Liese’s body and mixed with her latent holy power.

‘What’s happening? Holy power!’

She had been lacking holy power and couldn’t even get promoted. But now, uncontrollable holy power swirled inside Liese’s body.

Finally, a pure transparent holy power overflowed from Liese’s body in bright light and spread into Ariel’s body through Liese’s hands.

Then Ariel’s body began to shine brightly.

“Huh―! It’s dazzling!”

Liese tightly closed her eyes.

The holy power flowing from Liese to Ariel emitted a huge light. The light generated wind and rapidly spread in all directions.

A massive beam swallowed Evan, Hyle, Noah, and the demonic beasts. Soon, even Leopold and Diaton were engulfed under the mighty light of holy power.

All darkness disappeared in the deep parts of Helmir forest.

***

In the pitch-dark darkness. A chill seeped into her body.

Ariel with her golden hair let down wrapped her legs with her arms.

The pitch-black darkness where nothing can be seen. The painful solitude she had to endure alone. And an inexplicable coldness as well.

To ignore it all, she buried her face in her knees.

Leopold Diaz.

I think I’ve come to love you.

I tried so hard not to, perhaps because of the damn original story or maybe my heart really accepted you, it’s unclear but,

Now I feel like I can’t live in a world without you.

Is it too late now? Now that I understand my true feelings,

What should I do?

I miss you, Leopold……

Mom, Dad, my brothers……. My teacher……

Ariel’s small and delicate shoulders trembled.

Tears flowed down her soft white cheeks.

‘Am I really going to die.’

Ariel raised her head and wiped away tears with her hands.

If I died, whether it be heaven or hell, I should have completely disappeared. Where in the world is this place?

Sigh–

She breathed heavily in the darkness where she couldn’t see even her hands.

That was when it happened.

In the distance, a bright beam of light appeared. The light gradually drew closer.

A large and powerful light. A bright white light filled with vitality pierced through Ariel. The light began to permeate her body.

The light was so dazzling that she couldn’t even open her eyes.

‘Warm…….’

Perhaps this is the sense of security a fetus feels in their mother’s womb.

In the end, the light enveloped Ariel.