“Lord Croisen!”

With my thin cry, Lucifer’s body vanished from that spot. Leaping high into the air, he drew his sword.

The sword caught the moonlight, creating a silver arc. Tracing a beautiful trajectory that seemed to cut through the wind, the sword cleanly deflected the blade that had tried to strike him.

[Grrrr-!]

The black shadow made a wolf-like sound. It opened its mouth, displaying hostility toward Lucifer.

Goosebumps rose on my skin, making me feel like all the blood was draining from my body. What on earth is that? It’s not a monster, and its form is so unclear.

Unlike me, wrapped in fear, Lucifer maintained his composure, his face as indifferent as always. He held his sword and glared at the shadow.

“You’re quite bold to set foot on the holy empire’s land.”

[Grrrr, hand over Leitria.]

A voice difficult to comprehend. Though trembling, I glared back at it, conveying my determination never to follow it.

“How ridiculous. Take her if you can defeat me.”

Lucifer swung his sword widely in a horizontal arc. As his sword flashed, the thin black shadow was torn in half.

[Aaaaargh! No! I cannot give Leitria to you… Gaaah!]

With successive sword strikes, the black shadow disappeared without a trace.

Lucifer casually dusted off his sword. Something dangled from his blade, but with my trembling eyes, I couldn’t make out what it was.

I just kept staring at the spot where the shadow had been, shaking uncontrollably.

“That… that… could it be…”

My heart pounded violently. I had a bad feeling. This land was protected by the Emperor who possessed holy power, so why did something like that come after me?

Moreover, why did it attack Lucifer instead of me?

“Was killing me its goal? It was rather clumsy for that.”

Lucifer kicked the fallen sword on the ground, sending it into the air. With a quick motion, he caught the handle and examined the sword’s shape from various angles.

“This is the type of sword commonly used in Belial Duchy.”

“The monster from the lake, how did it get here…?”

When I answered with a trembling voice, Lucifer’s gaze fell on me. His gray eyes flashed in the moonlight.

I flinched at his cold gaze and hunched my shoulders, but he paid no attention to me and continued examining the sword.

“It’s not the monster from the lake. The shadow’s form was closer to that of the Dark Clan.”

“Then… ah!”

I remembered what happened three days ago.

“The person who tried to take me away mentioned a ‘lord.'”

Lucifer’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“All the royalty and high nobles of the duchy are dead. Especially those with even a drop of dark blood, I eliminated them all with my own hands.”

“I heard that too. But they said if I became a sacrifice, the leader of Belial would be resurrected.”

My forehead wrinkled involuntarily as I spoke these unpleasant words. Perhaps I was worried about how he would take this information.

“How amusing.”

My head dropped at his cold response.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. There’s absolutely no chance the Dark Clan will be resurrected.”

His confidence was so overwhelming it bordered on arrogance. Strangely, it seemed to suit him well.

I stared at him blankly for a moment. Then our gazes met. His eyes seemed darker than usual.

Finding his gaze uncomfortable, I tried to look away when I noticed his cheek that hadn’t yet recovered. The full moon was so large and bright that the mark was particularly visible.

Enough to make my guilt surge.

“I’m sorry.”

Lucifer didn’t accept my apology and turned away. The tombstone was still standing there.

Probably the tombstone of the grave where Carden was buried. Lucifer stroked it once.

“No need to apologize. I expected this anyway. Perhaps there might be some dramatically surviving member of the Dark Clan.”

Terseon was right. He didn’t care at all that I had slapped his cheek.

“Just a warning though, this is the last time. If you become an obstacle to my knights’ movement or a burden like this time, you’ll be useless, and I’ll dispose of you.”

The meaning of “dispose” was obviously to kill me. His threatening demeanor sparked a bit of defiance in me. I had decided not to give in anymore.

“I won’t think about dying anymore. I’ll definitely go to the Imperial Palace and endure the purification ritual. Even if it’s just to live in the empire.”

I clenched my hand slightly. My fingernails, which had been torn back, hadn’t yet returned to their proper place, causing a slight pain. It felt strangely fascinating and ticklish.

This pain was a badge of honor I had earned by enduring with the determination not to become a sacrifice.

Looking at my hands, I keenly realized how foolish I had been for the past three days.

After struggling so hard to survive, I had tried to give up everything. You really are a fool, Lea.

“I want to spend my given time meaningfully. That’s… the way to repay Carden.”

I stared at the tombstone. But tears no longer came to my eyes.

If I cry, Carden lying in there will be sad. So I should smile brightly.

“You’re truly shameless.”

“Even if you call me shameless, I can’t help it. No matter how much you trample me, I won’t break anymore.”

A somewhat firmer resolve took root within me. Ironically, it was thanks to the man who had treated me roughly. Though outwardly cold, perhaps he was warm inside?

“Thank you for bringing me to my senses today. You helped me find what I was about to lose.”

Lucifer’s shoulders twitched momentarily. Was he mocking me again? But this time, he didn’t make any sarcastic remarks.

He just continued stroking the tombstone.

Suddenly, I became curious. Who exactly was this man, and what story did he have that made him mourn the victims of the orphanage like this?

“Um… does Lord Croisen also have someone precious lying here?”

“You should go back now.”

He didn’t want to tell me his story. I almost felt disappointed, but this was to be expected.

He still disliked me after all.

“Just a moment, please. May I meet Carden before I go? I want to pay my respects too.”

Though he disliked me, he didn’t prevent me from performing this basic human duty. Without answering, he quietly moved aside.

I took a deep breath before heading to the tombstone. One step, then another, filled with the excitement of meeting Carden after so long.

I wish I had some flowers…

“Carden, Headmistress…”

I quietly knelt before the tombstone. Though I had promised myself not to cry anymore, my eyes kept growing hot.

After biting my lip slightly, I closed my eyes and put my hands together.

A prayer to God, something I hadn’t done in the duchy. I put my heart into this prayer, my first in 10 years.

Carden, let’s meet in a year. For the past 10 years, I’ve been a fool who couldn’t do anything. So I let you go without being able to help, but I’ll live the remaining year of my life vigorously, for your share too.

When I meet you again, so I can confidently tell you that I lived well…

I love you, and I’m sorry.

“May you find rest and peace in God’s embrace.”

* * *

That night, I went to Lucifer’s room.

“I’m coming in.”

Lucifer looked somewhat displeased at my sudden visit. He was about to take off his cloak when he turned to look at me.

“What is it?”

Without saying anything, I quickly went behind him and took the cloak he was removing.

Lucifer’s eyebrow rose on one side. Seeing the corner of his mouth twitch with displeasure, I almost lost my nerve.

But because I had made a declaration to him, I spoke in a slightly louder voice.

“I thought I should have something to do.”

“Something to do?”

“Yes. Since we’ll soon arrive at the imperial capital, I need to prepare to live as a slave…”

But I still wasn’t used to being assertive. My voice gradually grew quieter.

“And?”

Lucifer, seemingly frustrated and annoyed by my behavior, furrowed his brow and asked.

“I want to practice. Starting with serving you.”

“You seem to be seriously mistaken.”

He turned his head toward me with a slow, irritated expression.

“Serving nobility is not the job of a slave.”

His words were somewhat surprising. But thinking carefully, I realized he was right.

I never had maids or ladies-in-waiting to serve me, but the Duchess had ladies-in-waiting at least from baronial families, and commoner maids attended to her physical needs. The same was true for Deltraen.

The work of a lowly slave was difficult and dirty menial tasks.

“I’m sorry, I momentarily forgot since I’ve never been served myself.”

How foolish. Embarrassment washed over me.

I also felt somewhat miserable. Suddenly, the hands holding his cloak seemed dirty and worthless.

I hurriedly put his cloak down beside the bed.

“From tomorrow morning, I’ll do laundry and cleaning, so please leave it to me. I can do it since I’ve done it before.”

“You were supposedly a princess, yet you did such things yourself?”

“No, they didn’t make me do that. But I did it 10 years ago. I’ll get used to it quickly.”

I answered naturally and confidently. But I still seemed to be someone who upset Lucifer’s mood.

His face twisted with displeasure.

“You’ll ruin my precious knight’s uniform. It’s a valuable gift personally bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor.”

“What?”

He didn’t trust me at all. Strangely, that hurt my feelings. I wanted to be useful somewhere during my remaining time alive.

“Don’t try to be helpful and just follow quietly. You seem to have forgotten, but before being a slave, you’re also a prisoner of war.”

“That’s true…”

In the end, I had to return to my room without accomplishing anything. Should I really do nothing like this?

“I’m a child who’s only useful as a sacrifice.”

I uttered self-deprecatingly.

If I go to the Imperial Palace doing nothing, just sitting quietly, how would that be different from my life in the duchy?

At this rate, I’ll become a useless doll again and waste my remaining year.

“I hate that so much.”

If only I weren’t a slave, I could at least try to learn something. The 10 years I spent in the duchy felt like such a waste.

With that regretful feeling, I looked at my disheveled hands. I examined them back and forth several times, repeatedly clenching and unclenching my fists.

Though Lucifer ignored me, going back to how I was 10 years ago didn’t seem so bad. Doing even that much might help me confirm that I’m alive each day.