The closing lines of the letter were even more impressive.

[Furthermore, I sincerely regret that I was unable to personally welcome Deputy High Priestess Giselle Marlhein upon her journey to the Lester domain. I have ensured that nothing will cause you inconvenience during your stay. Should you face any difficulty, please inform the Lester family without hesitation. May the grace of the gods be with you throughout your time in the lands of Lester…]

“Hm, what a… romantic and considerate letter.”

Giselle’s eyes sharpened at that.

‘Romantic, my foot.’

He called his fiancée ‘Deputy High Priestess Giselle Marlhein’, and not once did he mention missing her or loving her. Even though the letter was addressed to his own fiancée.

The purpose of Shed’s letter was clear: to preemptively take responsibility and keep the incident from spiraling out of control.

“D-Deputy High Priestess Giselle, y-you’re not thinking of breaking off the engagement over this, are you…?”

Dietrich asked as he handed back the letter. Giselle shot him another sharp look.

“I intend to get a proper explanation for this.”

In other words, she had no plans for a breakup.

“For something like this to happen, your patience is… truly impressive. You really are a merciful and tolerant deputy high priestess…”

Dietrich shrugged sheepishly. There was only one reason she wouldn’t break off the engagement despite such outrageous disrespect from her fiancé: Because this was a choice she made herself.

To break it off would be to admit her decision was wrong. She had chosen him despite everyone’s objections, and if she were to end it now, the entire social circle would only gloat, saying, ‘I told you so.’

Besides, Giselle hadn’t chosen Shed for his gentle husbandly virtues.

‘With the title, reputation, and wealth of the Duke of Lester, anyone would want him.’

He carried the stigma of being a Lupus, but if you considered the practical benefits, there was no better match in the Empire.

That was what Giselle wanted, after all.

Of course, she never imagined she’d be treated this coldly.

Just then, a white bird appeared in the sky above the Muenher Temple. Dietrich looked up as the bird circled once in the blue sky and then glided down, landing gently on his shoulder.

“What a day for news.”

It was a messenger pigeon from the Grand Temple.

🌺⟡───⟡🌺 🌺⟡───⟡🌺

“That over there is Faradel.”

The end of a long journey.

Faradel is the heart of Ideana and the ancestral home of the Marquesses of Ideana. This city once enjoyed dazzling prosperity, but now, as visitors stand at its gates, they all fall silent.

“So this is the cursed land…”

The massive, crumbling walls that encircle the city resemble a crown of thorns atop a dead kingdom. The towers that once soared towards the heavens have vanished, as if swallowed by the earth. The green hills are now scorched and black, shrouded in shadow.

‘So the rumors were true after all.’

Eclace stared at the ruins of Ideana, deep in thought.

On the way to Faradel Castle, he had secretly hoped that the situation there would be better than expected.

He had already started to calculate the benefits he might gain — there would be plenty of opportunities if the land could be reclaimed.

Despite the lack of people and the abandoned farmland and weed-choked roads, he thought that, with some effort, this place could become a land of promise once more.

But Faradel Castle was different.

“Are we really supposed to go in there?”

The Lester family’s servants murmured nervously from behind.

No matter how you looked at it, the place felt ominous. Priests had spent nearly a year purifying the land, but the unease remained.

“I heard there’s a monster in Ideana that eats people.”

“You mean a demon beast.”

“No, not that kind! They say it’s a real monster, born from black magic—a creature you can stab as much as you like and it still won’t die!”

“Ugh, can you not say things like that? It gives me the creeps!”

The Lester household’s servants grumbled and snapped at each other in annoyance.

Liana’s steps grew heavier as she listened to their fearful chatter about Ideana’s monsters. They went on and on, spreading terrifying rumors.

“Don’t worry. Even if something like that exists, I’m sure the temple already took care of it.”

“Yeah. Deputy High Priest Dietrich himself spent almost a year here—they handled all the serious problems before they left.”

Liana wanted to block out their voices, wanted to shut her ears to every word. The closer they drew to Faradel, the dizzier she felt, her whole body trembling.

“Luise. I told you, didn’t I? You’ve become the strongest person in the world.”

An overwhelming tide of old memories surged up, threatening to swallow her whole.

“You’re going to live forever, you know. An immortal life.”

As if someone were whispering right at her ear, every memory became painfully vivid, and her mind suddenly went white.

“Hey, can’t you walk any faster?”

Someone bumped into her, causing her to stagger.

Only then did she realise that she hadn’t moved at all. Until that moment, she had thought she was keeping up, but she was standing in place. The ground beneath her feet felt as though it had sprouted roots and was refusing to let her move.

Her stomach churned and she found it hard to breathe. A sense of foreboding crept over her. Her heart pounded wildly, and she was sure that something terrible was about to happen. Just like that time — back then.

“What’s going on?”

Shed stopped mid-sentence at the commotion behind him, turning to look.

“This maid suddenly stopped in her tracks, sir.”

Shed’s gaze shifted to Liana—her face had gone pale, her lips colorless, her whole body trembling.

“Liana.”

He called her name, but Liana stood frozen, as if caught by invisible chains, unable to move at all.

“Liana Serpens.”

He called her name again, and only then did she lift her head. Her eyes were wide with panic, like a soldier on the verge of breaking.

Shed dismounted and strode over to her.

“Liana.”

“…I don’t think I can go any farther.”

Her voice shook as she shook her head.

Seeing the pitiable gesture, Shed ground his teeth in frustration.

“I can’t delay the entire procession just because of you.”

Without another word, Shed swept Liana up into his arms.

“My lord!”

He set her on his horse and mounted up behind her. Liana, as if she didn’t even have the strength to resist, clung weakly to him, her breathing shallow and fast.

“Run. Run away, Shed…”

In his arms, Liana clutched at his collar and whispered. Her green eyes looked up at him, on the verge of tears.

“After everything that happened, are you still just thinking of running away?”

Shed’s voice was cold, but Liana shook her head.

“No, it’s dangerous there. I’m certain—that place…”

“It’s cursed. Thanks to you.”

At his indifferent words, her body shuddered.

Feeling her trembling, Shed pulled her closer against his chest. Heat radiated from her small, trembling frame.

The way she trembled in his arms, like a wounded lamb, stirred a bittersweet thrill in his chest. He felt like a child again, like a boy throwing stones into a calm lake and marvelling at the ripples that spread out and distorted the perfect surface — revelling in his ability to disturb something so beautiful with the slightest action.

Her ragged breath warmed his chest.

Her trembling fingertips clung desperately to his collar, as though her life depended on it. All these sensations only fuelled his desire further.

He wanted to plunge headlong into this fragile lake. He wanted to dive in and immerse himself completely in its clear waters. He wanted to make the surface ripple with his hands and feet, sending waves crashing and watching the droplets that made up the lake fly apart in a spray of white shards. He wanted to dive deep — so deep that he could uncover and disturb everything hidden beneath the mirror-like surface. Even if it meant turning the crystal-clear lake into muddy water. Even if he drowned in those depths.

He almost wished she would shed tears at the corners of her downcast eyes. If only she would cling to him more desperately and plead with him more fervently, then perhaps he could muster some hypocrisy for her sake.

Then, like a leaf drifting on still water, he could simply float, keeping watch over her and merging with the lake.

But Liana wasn’t that kind of person. She was far too proud to beg with tears.

As expected, Liana remained stubbornly silent, her lips firmly sealed.

All she could feel was the cold dread engulfing her.

Were the memories of the past really the only things unsettling her so deeply? Could the events of eight years ago really still affect her so much?

Just as the thought crossed her mind, a chill shot through her.

“Shed!”

She tugged at his sleeve to warn him, and at that moment, he felt it too. He snapped his head up.

“Everyone, form ranks!”

Shed instinctively drew his sword.

The instant his command rang out, darkness crashed down, swallowing everything.

Screams of terror broke out from all sides.

Horses, panicked, reared and whinnied.

The darkness was so complete, not even a hand in front of the face could be seen.

“Ugh!”

The horse carrying Liana and Shed panicked, bucking wildly as it bolted through the blackness.

“Hold on tight!”

Shed wrapped an arm firmly around Liana, pulling her close as he fought to steady the frantic horse.

He gripped the reins hard, coaxing the animal until it finally slowed, snorting and tossing its head, eyes rolling in the dark.

“My lord, are you all right?”

“My lord!”

Voices called out for Shed from the darkness, but they seemed further away than before, scattered and confused.

It was clear the formation had broken—their group was scattered, and in this pitch-black darkness, it was impossible to get a handle on the situation.

Shed clenched his jaw. It was an ambush.

If they made a single careless move, who knew what could happen. Liana’s heart pounded in her chest.

‘It’s black magic…’

She knew it instantly—she’d experienced it too many times not to recognize it.

But why? Who? How?

Long ago, after Luise Ideana, everything connected to black magic in this land had been wiped out and destroyed. She was certain of it.

So why…!

In the midst of her confusion, a strong arm pulled her even closer.

“Liana.”

Right by her ear, Shed’s voice came—calm, almost chillingly composed.