Upon returning to the west, Isis immediately visited the central temple. He needed to meet someone crucial for strengthening Ferdin’s position—the very reason His Highness had sent him here.

Isis gazed at the person before him: an aged elder with piercing eyes glaring back at him. He couldn’t help but smile wryly. Though reluctant to admit it, this man with greedy eyes was their leader, the Pope. 

“You claim His Majesty used black magic? Can you take responsibility for such accusations?”

“You know I cannot tell lies.”

“Yet the Saint who could verify the truth has lost consciousness. Tsk, tsk.”

Isis gave a bitter smile.

‘If the Saint were here, convincing the Pope would have been much easier.’

Despite knowing Isis couldn’t lie, the Pope refused to believe him.

‘Then again, even if he did, he might still choose to see only what he wants to see.’

Isis’s gaze turned cold.

Beside him, Hellix emanated a sharp aura, ready to draw his sword against the Pope at any moment. Isis grabbed Hellix’s arm to prevent him from unsheathing his weapon. The Pope looked at Hellix incredulously and shouted.

“This insolent fool! How dare you look at me, chosen by the Goddess, with such eyes?”

The holy knights around him immediately formed a barrier to protect the Pope. However, not all were there to shield him. Among the knights watching Isis and Hellix, some were signaling to Isis, but he firmly shook his head. Hellix squeezed his eyes shut in frustration.

Isis was a patient man who had endured over ten years for Ferdin’s sake. He had weathered countless insults until becoming a candidate for the next Pope. The Pope’s dismissal hardly affected him at all.

“You should choose wisely,” Isis said as he stood up. “You know what kind of person the Emperor is. I don’t understand why you side with him.”

“…”

“Do you not understand the Goddess’s true will? Or are you hiding something?”

Don’t turn a blind eye to what you already know—that was Isis’s message. The Pope glared at him with indignation but suppressed his anger upon noticing the holy knights watching him, Hellix, and Isis.

Isis turned and walked toward the exit with Hellix following close behind. “What will you do?” Hellix asked.

“No matter how much the Pope opposes, he cannot prevent Prince Ferdin from ascending to the throne.”

The high priests would be able to assess the situation objectively. Even with the Pope’s opposition, a majority vote from the high priests would suffice.

“But we can’t just leave that man be,” Isis added, staring at where the Pope was. Though he had never liked him much, the Pope’s current attitude was unsettling. He was clearly hiding something.

“If you give the order… I’ll cut him down.”

Isis shook his head with a troubled expression. “Hellix, now is not the time. You always make hasty decisions when it comes to Prince Ferdin and Lady Erin.”

Despite his words, Isis shared Hellix’s sentiments. He suppressed his own desire to eliminate the Pope immediately.

“As you know, the temple priests already distrust him. Rumors are circulating that he’s lost his holy power.”

The Pope had not performed the ceremonies expected of his position for years.

‘He might truly have lost his holy power,’ Isis vaguely sensed.

Time was ultimately on their side. Both the Pope and the Emperor would eventually fall.

* * *

‘This is a dream.’

Erin watched the person before her. Amon was swinging his sword. Her blade stopped just in front of his face. Erin realized when this was—her first duel with Amon.

‘He was so shocked back then.’

The dream ignored the flow of time and quickly showed another memory. Amon was focusing on training with an intensity that surprised Erin. She found his dedication admirable.

It wasn’t just him—at some point, she had come to appreciate the efforts of all the junior students, growing fond of each one.

‘Perhaps Lord Amon could become a Sword Master, unlike in the past.’

Erin believed that if he continued training diligently like this, it would certainly happen.

Then the dream-Amon spoke to her: “Erin, I would do anything for Ferdin.”

“Even if my life were in danger… if it helps him, I could die happily.”

These were words Amon had said to her after the werewolf incident. Erin knew that Amon had been willing to die in werewolf territory, believing it better to take his own life than bring harm to his lord. His mindset was that of a noble knight, more than anyone else’s. But Erin didn’t want him to give up on himself.

“Don’t die under any circumstances. Prince Ferdin would prefer you alive.”

“No matter what happens, you must survive, Lord Amon.”

What had Amon replied then?

Suddenly, Erin’s vision flipped. She frowned as she focused on what was before her. Corelia stood in front of her with someone’s red blood staining her hands. With a distorted face, she spat venomously at Erin.

“Erin, you’re a useless child.”

“It’s all because of you, everything is because of you…”

“You’ll die.”

Erin stared at her with an expressionless face. Perhaps because it was a dream, the events shown lacked coherence. After showing people she cared about, now it displayed the person she hated most.

Erin reached for the sword that always hung at her waist. Seeing this, Corelia began laughing so widely her mouth seemed to tear at the edges.

“I’ll take everything precious from you, Erin,” Corelia said.

At that moment, Erin woke from her dream.

She touched her forehead, feeling cold sweat trickling down. The unpleasant sensation made her body tremble slightly. Nightmares featuring Corelia always left her feeling defiled.

‘Why would I dream of something like this…’

Erin gritted her teeth. Normally she would have dismissed such a dream, but this time she felt an unusual premonition.

‘Amon is at the academy.’

She felt an urgent need to find him immediately.

‘Prince Ferdin and Duke Asili would find it difficult to move toward the academy right now.’

They were busy tracking the Emperor’s movements while implementing plans to bring him down. It wouldn’t be right to ask them to go to the academy because of an ominous dream.

Erin rose from her bed.

‘Goddess, if something has happened to Amon, please protect him.’

Ever since the Duke informed her about the Princess’s collapse, Erin had believed the Goddess hadn’t properly granted Ferdin’s wish.

‘I cannot be happy without the people I love.’

Since the Princess fell into eternal sleep, Erin’s happiness had become impossible to achieve. The sacrifice of others only brought pain to her heart.

She stood here now to prevent the sacrifice of those she loved. Having organized her thoughts, Erin put on her knight’s uniform and fastened her sword at her waist.

* * *

Amon realized he was trapped in a dark place. No matter how much strength he exerted, he couldn’t raise his upper body, feeling like a stone was weighing him down. Intense pain radiated from his shoulder, and the chill rising from the floor made his body tremble.

‘I might actually die at this rate.’

Amon clutched his shoulder as his breathing gradually became labored.

“Lord Amon, are you alright?”

Amon slowly turned his head. His eyes widened at the sight of Philip looking at him with concerned eyes.

‘Why is Philip here?’

Amon tried to recall what had happened.

‘Corelia suddenly appeared and stabbed me with her sword.’

Philip was also injured, though not as severely as him. And… they weren’t alone here. Strange sounds reached his ears.

Frowning, Amon asked Philip, “Why are you here?”

“I was captured by the Marchioness—I mean, by Corelia.”

Amon furrowed his brow at Philip’s response.

“Help me… sit up.”

“You’re in bad shape. I’m fine, but you’re seriously wounded. Just lie down.”

Amon glared at him and shouted, “Just… help me up!”

“Even injured, your temper’s still fiery. I was only concerned about shocking you.”

Philip grumbled as he helped Amon sit up. Amon immediately understood what Philip meant. Just as Philip had warned, he was indeed shocked. They weren’t the only ones imprisoned here.

“What is that woman Corelia planning?”

“I don’t know what she’s trying to do, but judging by those monsters, she’s clearly not in her right mind.”

Amon agreed with Philip’s assessment. He stared at the swordsmanship students locked in iron cages. Even more horrifying were the monsters confined in the remaining spaces.

Amon realized he had become a burden again, just like during the werewolf subjugation mission.

Philip turned to Amon, and Amon could see the resolute determination in his eyes. “Lord Amon, what will you do?”

“…”

“As a knight, I’ve decided to take my own life for an honorable death. Being held hostage and clinging to life has no meaning.”