“I declined because I felt burdened. If I accept the imperial family’s favors without hesitation just because I became a saintess, I’d look like a woman consumed by vanity.”

“Even so, considering what you’re doing for them, it would be fine to accept basic courtesies. Excessive modesty might actually burden His Highness the Crown Prince. If others see you like this, they might criticize him for being cold-hearted.”

‘Do I look that bad……?’

Estelle gave an awkward smile.

“Still, my own clothes are comfortable. Since I probably won’t be able to go home for a while, please send my things.”

“Alright, I’ll send them as soon as I get back. I heard you injured your leg, is it better now?”

“Yes, it wasn’t a serious injury, so it healed quickly. As you can see, I’m walking well.”

After enjoying a pleasant time drinking tea and eating snacks from a three-tiered tray, the father and daughter exchanged poignant farewells as their time together drew to a close.

“Visit often. The palace where you work isn’t that far from here, Father.”

“Yes, take care of yourself. If the imperial family permits, I’ll visit again.”

“Father, please don’t worry about me and stay healthy.”

Count Merlin embraced Estelle tightly and patted her back with hands full of lingering affection.

“If anything happens, be sure to contact me. Your father may not be of much help, but what wouldn’t I do for you?”

“Just your words give me strength.”

It truly was so. He was the only person who hadn’t changed, neither in the past nor the present. As Estelle was saying goodbye to Count Merlin, she called Laura aside as she was about to leave.

“Do you have a task for me?”

Estelle whispered so the Count, who was at a distance, couldn’t hear.

“Laura, what’s wrong?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“I’m asking what’s happening at home.”

“…What?”

Laura’s pupils noticeably trembled in confusion.

“W-What are you talking about……”

“Don’t try to deceive me. Something’s clearly happening at home!”

“Miss, that……”

“It’s alright. Laura, just tell me?”

Laura glanced nervously at Count Merlin and reluctantly began to speak.

“Actually… after you became the saintess, the master suffered tremendously. He tried to meet you but was rejected every time, and while looking for ways to at least hear news about you, he needed some money in the process.”

“Money?”

“Yes, bribes. Someone who secretly relayed news about you through intermediaries required bribes. He put the mansion up as collateral to get that money, but now he can’t repay it and is in trouble.”

“Why would he go to such lengths……”

“That day, after what happened, they took you away bleeding profusely, and didn’t tell us whether you were dead or alive. Even now, thinking about when we heard that news makes my heart pound like this, so imagine how the master felt……”

“But… it’s been just over two weeks? They demanded repayment in such a short time?”

“I think he promised to repay early in exchange for lower interest……”

“Sigh… well, that’s one thing. But even if it’s shabby, it’s still a mansion in the capital—how could he have spent so much on bribes?”

“There were so many parts that needed repair, so it wasn’t valued highly. And on top of that, Madam’s medicine costs were astronomical. You know Viscount Hagen. He has no blood or tears……”

Estelle swallowed hard and pressed her forehead. She knew that the Countess’s health had rapidly deteriorated during this period, seriously destabilizing the family finances, but Count Merlin’s debt was something that hadn’t happened in the past.

‘Because of me……’

“Miss, what should we do! Madam’s condition has become even more serious, and we’re about to lose the house…… I can find work at another house, but… I’m worried about the master.”

“Laura… thank you for telling me.”

“It’s nothing…… Still, as the master said, at least you won’t have to worry about food and shelter anymore, so that’s some consolation.”

“I’ll find a way to resolve this somehow, so don’t worry too much, and please take care of Father.”

“Yes, Miss.”

After seeing them off, Estelle sat back on the sofa weakly. Money… money…… She had hit the most realistic yet pettiest of problems.

Throughout her numerous regressions, she had never once thought about it. Survival had been more important than wealth.

This life was a mess. She couldn’t touch the holy relic, nor did she have any good solutions, and she couldn’t die to turn back time. And now, to top it all off, money problems had become entangled in everything.

Though she had seen all sorts of degrading situations while living in hiding, she had never been servile. Yet now her only solution was to rely on Lexion’s generosity.

“Sigh……”

Estelle felt desperate.

* * *

“Don’t run away—! Form ranks—!”

The commander of the knights shouted until his throat was raw as he watched his terrified members. The capital’s Durak Knights, known as the Iron Knights, were struggling against just one enemy.

“Aaagh!”

The knights who helplessly watched their comrades being torn in half felt as if they were in a terrible nightmare. The grueling training they had received for years was completely ineffective against the monster with the power of the goddess.

“Commander! We’ll be annihilated at this rate! Perhaps we should retreat for now……”

“Hold out until His Highness the Crown Prince arrives!”

“Keeeeaaak!”

The creature the knights were facing had a strange appearance with a pair of wings. With fangs as thick as a human forearm, skin like snake scales, and a massive body that roared, the monster instilled terrible fear in the humans.

Faced with the shadow of death approaching, the knights lost their fighting spirit and were barely able to maintain a defensive posture.

“We absolutely cannot let it enter the city gates!”

In a situation where only the last line of defense remained, the knight commander staked his life and ignited his final fighting spirit.

“Oh……? Look over there! It’s His Highness the Crown Prince!”

In the distance, dozens of mounted men were approaching, raising clouds of dust. The valiant lion flag fluttering in the wind gave a ray of hope to the frightened knights.

“Waaaaaah!”

“We’re saved! It’s His Highness!”

The knights’ morale soared as if they were welcoming a god. Soon, light like the sun, resembling his hair, burst forth from Lexion’s entire body as he rode his white horse. That light split the sky like a divine revelation and flew toward the monster as lightning.

Boom! Bang!

After a deafening sound that tore through eardrums, the monster that had made everyone tremble in fear let out a scream like a beast’s howl.

Lexion landed on the ground, practically jumping off his horse, and unleashed his special ability to its fullest.

Crack!

Each time he moved his hand, the monster’s body, engulfed in sunlight, writhed and twisted grotesquely.

“Kiaaaaaaaaak—!”

The monster that had been slaughtering humans like cake just moments ago was now being crushed, oozing sticky gray liquid.

‘…So this is a Guardian with the power of the goddess!’

The knights looked at Lexion with awe-filled eyes, unable to believe the difference in power they were witnessing. The monster, having lost its original form and crushed like filth, showed no movement as if its life had ended.

Everyone present cheered, calling out Lexion’s name.

“It’s a monster from the Black Forest.”

The aide frowned as he looked at the foul-smelling monster’s corpse.

‘No one who enters the Black Forest can come out alive.’

This was a fact known to everyone in the Empire. The forest was enormous, occupying half of the southern territory.

While it would have made sense to form an extermination squad, the beasts living there were so ferocious that humans could not handle them, and the imperial palace had long since given up. It was essentially the same as dumping everything on Duke Caesar, who ruled the south.

If there had been anything to gain from the beast’s corpse, they would have started a large-scale extermination, but there was nothing to gain from these filthy beasts except innocent deaths.

There were many rumors about the origin of the monsters living in the Black Forest, but among the various hypotheses, the most plausible was that they were remnants of a special ability user who had the power to create them in the past.

“How did it get all the way to the outskirts of the capital……”

These creatures normally didn’t leave the Black Forest, making it difficult to even see one in a lifetime.

“Who knows.”

Lexion scanned the decaying black mass with indifferent eyes.

“This is his jurisdiction.”

“Surely… you don’t mean the Duke of Adrian deliberately sent it?”

“He might have.”

There was speculation that the monsters obeyed the Duke of Adrian’s words. This too was merely a rumor, but it had become accepted as fact after someone claimed to have witnessed black beasts moving on the Duke of Adrian’s orders.

“Send someone to question him.”

“I’m not sure if the Duke will comply, but I’ll do as you command.”

“Is that youngster close with him?”

“Are you referring to His Grace Alexis, who recently assumed the title of Duke?”

“Yes. They seemed to have frequent exchanges.”

“That’s true, but according to the servants working at the Duke’s residence, since that incident, the Duke of Adrian refuses to meet with His Grace Alexis even when he visits.”