Chapter 10 (Part 10)

“Gather the Holy Knights on the walls and tell them to fight! Who dares to invade this Holy Kingdom!”

“Well…”

“Speak! Who dares!”

“They say it’s Anthus Rockbellion.”

No empire dares to covet the Holy Kingdom for fear of divine punishment.

“If it’s the madman Anthus Rockbellion, that makes sense. We must show the terror of the Holy Kingdom immediately.”

“Understood.”

“Do whatever it takes to kill Anthus! And Lia.”

“Yes.”

“Anthus Rockbellion will die today, but don’t be too sad, alright?”

Yuliana nodded calmly.

“Then stay quietly in your room, okay?”

“Yes.”

Yuliana was left alone in the room again.

But she felt different from before. She was glad that Anthus had come to rescue her.

“He’s come to save me…”

[Who?]

“The man I love.”

[That’s a relief! Then I guess there’s nothing I need to help with.]

“No, the contract must be kept.”

[But I’m a spirit who doesn’t even know what I am.]

“Let’s leave here together. And let’s find a way for you to peacefully disappear.”

[Thank you…]

Tears flowed down Yuliana’s cheeks. She could feel the spirit’s sincere desire to disappear.

“I’ll try my best to find it. If that can make you feel at ease… But have you forgotten your name or what spirit you were?”

[My… name?]

The room began to resonate.

[Name?]

A bright light sparkled before her eyes. The light was so bright that Yuliana closed her eyes tightly. As she felt the light gradually weaken, she cautiously opened her eyes.

<Where is this… It’s not the room…>

Yuliana found a person sitting on a garden bench, smiling brightly.

<Excuse me!>

The man did not answer Yuliana’s question.

Feeling frustrated, Yuliana approached the man. She kept trying to talk to him, but the man ignored her words.

<Can’t you see me?>

Yuliana watched the man. The man with black hair and golden eyes was talking to himself, staring into space.

<Elisha. It’s fine to make this land one empire and for me to become the Emperor, but the reason we could defeat the Demon King is thanks to the power of the god Agathaine. So, I’ll establish a Holy Kingdom to serve Agathaine.>

<Fidelion. Serving a god also means taking responsibility and swearing not to blame the god no matter what happens. Think carefully before you speak.>

<Of course, I swear. How could I blame the god Agathaine who helped save this world? Elisha, there’s no need to think twice.>

<Then I’ll stay by your side until the end, no matter what happens.>

Yuliana blinked. The man in front of her disappeared, and the background changed instantly.

<Why! Just when we had finally connected! Why did she have to die! Agathaine, please do not take my beloved away!>

Fidelion found it hard to accept the death of his beloved woman.

<My spirit of light, Elisha. Even at this moment, Agathaine remains silent, doesn’t he?>

<Fidelion…>

<I lost both my beloved and our unborn second child… They vanished as if they never existed in this world. What did I do wrong?>

<People are never always unhappy, but they can’t always be happy either.>

<Why make it impossible to be happy?>

<No, Fidelion. As a fragment of the god, I know that well. The god Agathaine always wishes for people to be happy. But people desire other things more than the small happiness given by the god. That’s why they don’t become happy.>

<He took everything from me.>

<It’s unfortunate that your beloved died, but the death of someone who ends their life by choice is something even the god Agathaine can’t prevent.>

<No! He took them away…>

Fidelion began to resent the god Agathaine.

<Astraphe.>

<No! Fidelion! That spell!>

At the last cry of the spirit of light, Elisha, and Fidelion, Yuliana snapped back to her senses. She looked around.

[Are you okay?]

“Did you show me your past?”

[You saw a past I don’t even remember?]

“Yes. It was definitely your voice.”

[What are you talking about? You were the one who lost consciousness as soon as we touched!]

Yuliana stared into space. Fidelion was the first Pope who established the Holy Kingdom. And if she had correctly seen the past, the god Agathaine didn’t grant him divine power but sent a spirit of light with divine power to help defeat the Demon King.

“You said you didn’t know what kind of spirit you were. You are the spirit of light, a fragment of the god Agathaine, and the one who finds the discerner. Your name is Elisha.”

[El… li… sha.]

Yuliana looked at the suddenly appearing beautiful orb of light in the air.

[Elisha.]

The light emitted from the orb was blindingly bright but warm and very beautiful.

[Elisha. Yes, I think that was my name… Why do I feel strange? Why do I feel sad and affectionate when I see you?]

Once again, a bright light emanated from the orb.

Yuliana closed her eyes tightly. When she opened her eyes again, a beautiful person with long blonde hair and golden eyes stood before her.

“Are you Elisha?”

[Yes. Thanks to you, I regained my forgotten memories. Thank you. I’ll help you get out of here.]

Elisha approached Yuliana and broke the chain around her neck. Then, she walked to the wall and placed her palm on it. Cracks began to form on the wall, and it crumbled.

“Thank you, Elisha.”

Yuliana approached the crumbled wall. She felt the cool breeze on her face. She leaned out slightly and looked down, realizing she was trapped in a very high place.

“I was trapped quite high up…”

[Let’s go out.]

“But…”

At Elisha’s words, Yuliana hesitated to move her feet. The thought that Luda might be killed if she escaped held her back.

[What are you hesitating for?]

“Someone precious to me is held hostage here. If I escape like this… they might kill them.”

[What’s the problem? Escape and go save your precious person. I’ll help you. And your spirits will help you too. Don’t be afraid.]

Yuliana nodded at Elisha’s words and stopped retreating. It was at that moment.

“This feeling is…”

A sharp yet familiar red mana rose with the wind.

“Yan…”

[Yan?]

With a bang, the door opened, and Rybid and Aens entered. They were surprised to see Yuliana freed from her chains.

“How did you unlock the magic restraint?”

Rybid had placed a magic restraint around Yuliana’s neck to prevent her from summoning spirits.

But the thick magic restraint had lost its function and was broken in two. It was something Yuliana could never do alone.

“Lia!”

“Don’t come any closer!”

“Don’t do anything dangerous! Think about the child in your womb!”

Rybid was anxious, seeing Yuliana standing as if one step would make her fall outside.

“Pope Rybid, listen carefully. The child in my womb is Anthus Rockbellion’s child. It’s not yours!”

“What are you talking about! The child in your womb is mine! Have you forgotten? Our time together?”

“You’re completely insane.”

“It’s my child! If you run away, I’ll kill Luda! I’ll kill her!”

At Rybid’s words, Yuliana couldn’t hold back her anger and shouted loudly.

“Then go ahead and kill her if you can! Because I’m going to escape and save Luda right away.”

“Even if you fall from there, many Holy Kingdom knights are waiting below. It’s impossible to escape from here!”

“I’ll only know if I can escape or not once I fall, right?”

Rybid looked at Yuliana anxiously. He didn’t take his eyes off her for even a moment.

“Please, Lia. Don’t leave. I love you.”

“Aren’t you ashamed to even use the word love with your mouth?”

Aens shouted urgently.

“My lady, please don’t leave!”

Looking at Aens and Rybid, Yuliana tightly embraced her belly. Then she heard his voice in her ear. Anthus’s voice, calling her desperately, was not an illusion.

“Can you take me to him?”

[I’ll take you. We made a contract, didn’t we? Don’t be afraid and trust me.]

Yuliana threw herself outside. Elisha caught the falling Yuliana softly, emitting a bright light.