Ditrion stumbled backward. He hadn’t expected Erin to point her sword at him without hesitation.

“Erin… don’t be foolish.”

He couldn’t understand what she was thinking. This was the Imperial Palace. Surely Erin knew about the magic protecting it. To kill a member of the royal family, she would have to risk her own life.

Moreover, his words to her were far from empty. Ditrion genuinely desired her. The current Erin was different from the naive, foolish girl she once was.

She was strong—worthy of being chosen as a member of the new empire. Ditrion didn’t want her to get hurt.

“Choose me and your life will be easier. I’ll make you empress. I’ll give you everything you want.”

“…”

“If you wish, I can even ensure Corelia receives appropriate punishment. I hope you won’t misinterpret my sincerity.”

Ditrion cautiously stepped forward and gently grasped her sword hand. He spoke to Erin with a pleading tone.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. Especially not killed… so put down your sword.”

Erin let out a hollow laugh.

“You tried to kill me, yet you say such things. You truly are shameless.”

Ditrion had deceived her throughout her life. He had even mocked her when she knew nothing. His confession of affection felt beyond distasteful—it was revolting to her.

Erin wanted nothing from him.

“Ditrion, I have no intention of entrusting my revenge to someone else.”

Erin recalled the opportunity Ferdin had given her. In the past, he had abandoned his revenge against the Emperor and offered her a chance at a new life, simply wanting her happiness.

She now understood why the goddess had granted Ferdin’s request—because she knew Erin would ultimately seek revenge anyway. Only after completing this vengeance could Erin truly find happiness.

Ditrion noticed Erin’s eyes darkening as she stared at him.

“Erin, even for a Sword Master, attacking a member of the royal family is unforgivable. If you kill me… how will you continue living in this empire?”

“…”

“Besides, this is the Imperial Palace. The ancient magic will kill you if you kill me.”

Ditrion smiled maliciously.

“These monsters remain docile only because of my command. If I die, they’ll immediately rush outside and massacre people.”

At Ditrion’s words, Erin lowered her sword. He nodded, believing she had made the right choice.

“Good thinking. Even so…”

Ditrion couldn’t finish his sentence because Erin suddenly raised her sword again and swung it at him.

“Argh!”

The searing pain in his shoulder sent Ditrion crashing to the floor. Looking at him, Erin spoke calmly.

“So you were planning to massacre people after all?”

Ditrion tried to crawl away from her using his good arm, but he didn’t get far before clutching his injured shoulder.

‘How is this possible?’

Was the ancient magic ineffective against Erin? Ditrion couldn’t believe she had actually attacked him. Then his eyes caught sight of blood dripping from Erin’s arm—the ancient magic had indeed wounded her severely.

Ditrion’s face contorted with unbearable pain, his hands trembling violently. Yet Erin, who should have been in the same condition, maintained an eerily expressionless face.

“You… made a stupid choice…”

“…”

“Do you think you can escape from here in that condition?”

Ditrion’s face twisted in pain.

At his words, Erin smiled.

“You’re right. Killing you here might be impossible.”

Erin looked down at Ditrion. If she ignored the palace magic and attacked him here, she would eventually die. And she wouldn’t be able to stop the monsters either.

Erin adjusted her grip on the sword. Then she swung it down at Ditrion.

* * *

Ferdin frowned. He was trapped in a terrible nightmare—a dream where he was dying in the west. Even as death approached, he prayed for Erin’s happiness.

Yet it was a cruel dream where Erin never found happiness. And at the end of that dream… Erin cut down Ditrion with a single stroke.

“Gasp!”

Ferdin’s eyes flew open.

He felt his abdomen where Corelia’s sword had wounded him. He had believed he would die after blocking the blade meant for the Marquis, yet here he was.

‘Am I alive?’

He slowly raised himself up. His stomach throbbed with pain, but not enough to immobilize him. Looking around, he soon realized he was in Marquis Liserth’s mansion.

‘Is the Marquis alright?’

Ferdin clutched his head. Before losing consciousness, he had seen Corelia fleeing, but hadn’t confirmed whether Marquis Liserth was safe. 

Perhaps because of his recent dream, he felt an unusually strong sense of discomfort and foreboding. He felt an urgent need to move quickly.

As he struggled to stand up, a voice called out.

“Ferdin?”

Lilia, who had been resting her eyes from exhaustion, awoke.

“Lilia? Why are you here?”

“Goodness, that’s hardly important right now. Are you really alright, Ferdin?”

Lilia hurried to check his condition. Once she confirmed he was fine, she sighed with relief.

“How long was I unconscious? Did Erin return safely from the palace? Is Marquis Liserth unharmed?”

After a moment’s silence, Lilia responded to Ferdin’s questions.

“Erin went to the Imperial Palace with Duke Asili. Marquis Liserth is safe thanks to you.”

Ferdin’s heart sank at her words. The nightmare he had just experienced came rushing back—the dream that had shown him the worst possible scenario.

“To the palace? With Duke Asili? Why? Has she still not been recognized as a Sword Master?”

With a troubled expression, Lilia explained everything that had happened while he was unconscious.

Ferdin’s face twisted fiercely. He rose completely, looking ready to rush out immediately.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to go to Lady Erin.”

“In your condition, there’s nothing you can do to help.”

“…”

“Duke Asili instructed us to stay put. The Duke and the First Knight Order are with Erin, so all we can do is trust them and wait. They’re the strongest knights in the empire.”

Lilia tried to dissuade him, but Ferdin couldn’t shake his overwhelming anxiety. He knew Lilia was right, but… being strong didn’t mean one couldn’t find themselves in danger.

“No, Lilia. I must go. It’s not that I don’t trust her, but…”

Just then, they heard the voice of a knight guarding the door.

“Lady Lilia, someone from the Magic Tower has arrived.”

Lilia’s face brightened slightly at these words.

She quickly opened the door. Seeing a familiar face, Lilia broke into a wide smile.

“Bahan!”

Bahan scurried over and clung to Lilia’s legs.

Behind him walked several mages from the Magic Tower. Ferdin looked at them with curiosity.

However, his eyes widened at the sight of the last person to enter—a familiar figure.

He appeared to be a young man in his early thirties with a gentle smile playing at his lips.

Ferdin narrowed his eyes as he looked at him. He knew who this man was: Tower Master Alexis, whose appearance made it impossible to guess his actual age.

Alexis was reportedly at least a hundred years old, though that was merely what was commonly known—he might well be much older. Despite his modest build, Alexis exuded an overwhelming presence.

“Tower Master.”

“Lilia, what you told me was correct.”

Ferdin wore a puzzled expression, unable to understand his words. But as soon as Alexis finished speaking, Lilia drew in a sharp breath.

“Could it be…”

“Yes, the imperial family definitely purchased the Hitachia.”

“…”

“Honestly, it’s still hard to believe, but… it means experiments were conducted using black magic under the Emperor’s direction.”

Alexis’s eyes gleamed strangely.

“To use Hitachia, one must know how to use ancient magic. Otherwise, Hitachia is merely an ordinary herb.”

“…”

“This means the person is an exceptional black mage, skilled enough to deceive my eyes and use ancient magic.”

Lilia gasped at the Tower Master’s words.

“My goodness…”

“Had I discovered this a few years later, even I might not have been able to confront him.”

“…”

“What could have possibly motivated such actions…”

The mages and Lilia frowned as though they had heard something terrible.

Scanning the room, Alexis finally noticed Ferdin and bowed his head to him.

“Oh my, I’ve been rude to the future Emperor.”

“Future Emperor?”

“Whoever used black magic, the Emperor couldn’t have been unaware of it. We can’t continue to serve such a person as Emperor, can we?”

Ferdin’s expression changed subtly.

He knew Alexis wasn’t one to mind the Emperor’s authority, but this was still a dangerous statement. “Future Emperor” was not something easily uttered.

Lilia looked uncomfortable at Alexis’s behavior.

The Tower Master’s eccentric personality was well-known even outside the Magic Tower.

“Tower Master, while I appreciate your recognition of Ferdin… the Tower elders would have been horrified to hear such words.”

Alexis’s face hardened frighteningly at Lilia’s comment.

He quickly moved toward the window.

His sudden change of expression startled Lilia.

Whenever Alexis—who normally never lost his smile—changed his expression, it usually meant something serious was happening.

Alexis tilted his head curiously and said:

“I sense a strange energy.”

“…”

“From the Imperial Palace… ancient magic has been used.”

“…”

“Has someone harmed a member of the royal family?”