In the most heavily guarded area of Duke Asili’s residence, the Duke stood looking down at the Princess. He whispered softly, wanting to share news he knew she would have wanted to hear.

“The boy you saved has become Emperor. Are you satisfied now?”

Ferdin had finally been crowned Emperor yesterday. Given the tumultuous events that had recently transpired, the coronation ceremony was relatively modest.

This occasion had brought the Duke out of his self-imposed seclusion at his residence, where he had remained since the Princess collapsed.

The Duke recalled Ferdin’s appearance at the coronation ceremony. It seemed incredible that the small boy who once clung to his legs had now grown up to become Emperor.

“Lady Erin looked happy too. That’s also what you would have wanted, isn’t it?”

Naturally, no answer came. The Duke continued speaking.

“Ferdin told me everything you did. I won’t ask why you never told me yourself.”

As he spoke, the Duke lit a candle. The Duchess of Asili could be seen sleeping in an uncomfortable position beside the Princess. He gently stroked his wife’s hair.

The Duchess’s face showed signs of strain. She hadn’t properly slept since the Princess collapsed, always keeping vigil by her side and only catching brief moments of rest.

Taking his eyes off his wife, the Duke carefully took the Princess’s hand. He felt profound pity looking at her hand, now reduced to little more than bone.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to help her.

“So please… open your eyes. I was wrong about everything. My daughter…”

Yet the Princess remained motionless. Still holding her hand, Duke Asili muttered, “I truly won’t let this stand. If you take what’s precious to me, I won’t remain idle.”

These words were directed at the goddess in heaven. Duke Asili glared into empty space, but no answer came from the goddess. Unlike his daughter, he possessed no holy power to communicate with the divine.

“You must have someone you cherish too. Imagine losing that person.”

The Duke had heard that Isis, after ascending to the position of Pope, could communicate with the goddess.

Upon learning this, he had rushed to the temple, determined to use any means necessary to save his daughter, even if it meant turning the entire Empire against him.

He had gone to the temple thinking that if the goddess truly intended to take his daughter, he would threaten her somehow. But Isis had been waiting for him, seemingly aware that he would come.

“Don’t worry. Wait a little longer, and everything will be resolved.”

With those words suggesting Isis knew everything, Duke Asili had returned home without accomplishing anything.

Perhaps he had simply wanted to cling to that sliver of hope. He already knew that his daughter’s awakening was impossible.

Yet there was something strangely trustworthy about Isis’s confident demeanor.

‘If it’s a lie, I won’t let it pass,’ he thought as he looked down at his daughter.

That’s when it happened.

Duke Asili sensed something unusual. Was he imagining things? The Princess’s eyelids seemed to twitch. Since falling into her eternal sleep, she had never moved once.

‘I couldn’t have been mistaken.’

The Duke froze in place, focusing entirely on the Princess.

Then her fingers moved slightly. Slowly, her closed eyes began to open. They say extreme shock can make reality feel distant—that perfectly described Duke Asili’s current state.

“Daughter?”

He carefully gripped the Princess’s shoulders. She blinked several times, then offered a faint smile.

“Are you conscious? Are you conscious? Does anything hurt?”

He repeated the same words with what he knew must be a foolish expression on his face.

A small tear fell from the Princess’s eyes. Being a Sword Master with heightened sensitivity to human emotions, Duke Asili immediately understood that his daughter was feeling relief.

Expressions began returning to her face, which had looked empty and soulless for so long.

“It’s alright, don’t try to speak. I’ll bring the priest and physician.”

The Duke realized the Princess couldn’t respond. Though she had awakened from her eternal sleep and regained consciousness, her physical strength had severely deteriorated.

He gently shook the Duchess’s shoulder to wake her, then rushed out of the Princess’s room to summon priests and doctors.

* * *

News of Princess Asili’s awakening spread throughout the Empire. People visited the Duke’s residence hoping to see the Princess, but her severely weakened condition meant not just anyone could meet her.

Erin also visited the Duke’s residence to meet the Princess, accompanied by Ferdin, who had become even busier since his coronation.

“The Princess has awakened… what a relief.”

Ferdin squeezed Erin’s hand as he spoke. Erin rested her head on Ferdin’s shoulder.

“Indeed. I’m glad we can meet her. When I saw her recently, she looked so ill that it pained my heart.”

Erin closed her eyes, unable to continue speaking. She was among those most delighted by the news of the Princess’s recovery.

‘Thank you, Goddess,’ Erin murmured as she waited for the Princess.

Shortly after, a servant entered the office pushing a wheelchair.

Erin’s eyes wavered at the sight of the familiar figure. The Princess had truly awakened.

She appeared just as emaciated as when Erin had last seen her. Erin suppressed her urge to rush forward.

The Princess smiled gently and showed Erin a notebook she was holding. It contained the Princess’s adorable handwriting. Erin read what she had written.

[Lady Erin, you did it.]

[I’m not recovered enough to speak yet, so I must greet you this way.]

The Princess tapped her throat a few times with her hand.

Though she had survived, the Princess’s body remained in such a fragile state that it wouldn’t have been surprising if she collapsed again. Erin had heard that the Princess could barely support her own body.

Due to her lack of proper nutrition, recovery would take a long time. This explained why the Princess couldn’t speak, which Erin completely understood.

Despite her condition, the Princess’s face was bright. After giving a tender smile, she bowed her head and continued writing.

[Thank you, because of you I was able to return to life.]

[Now that I’m conscious, I see a completely different future from what I had foreseen.]

[No matter how many futures I experienced, it seemed I could never return alive…]

The Princess wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

[Perhaps the goddess changed her mind because she cherishes you so much, Lady Erin.]

With those words, the Princess grasped both Ferdin and Erin’s hands.

At that moment, the Princess saw a vision: Erin smiling happily with children laughing and chattering beside her. This future was completely different from the one she had once seen, where the Emperor massacred people.

She began to see what kind of empire this young Emperor and knight before her would create.

She saw laughing children and parents watching them with fond expressions. An elderly grandmother was buying bread while embracing her grandchild. The child accepted the bread with a happy face and took a bite.

It was an ordinary yet joyful day. Seeing the dewy smiles on their faces, the Princess felt a deep sense of fulfillment rising in her chest.

In truth, the Princess had seen similar futures before, moments where Erin successfully completed her revenge and emerged victorious. But in those futures, she herself had never existed.

The Princess’s eyes began to moisten. In her vision, she could see Ferdin and Erin. Beside them stood a small girl and boy, so clearly resembling the couple that their parentage was unmistakable.

And next to them…

She saw herself standing alongside a man whose face she couldn’t make out. Duke Asili was looking at the man beside her with disapproving eyes.

In this future, she didn’t appear sickly as she did now. She stood there smiling happily, bright and healthy, just as she had once dreamed of being. She was sharing in Erin’s happiness.

The Princess felt her heart beating rapidly. The new future that Erin had created for her was unfolding before her eyes. Tears began to fall from her eyes.

With trembling hands, the Princess slowly began to write. She wanted confirmation from Erin.

[Lady Erin, has the goddess successfully granted your wish?]

At the Princess’s question, Erin smiled brightly and looked beside her. There she saw Ferdin gazing at both her and the Princess.

The warmth she felt from behind was comforting. Simultaneously, the scent of spirit flowers he had given her recently seemed to linger in the air.

Erin smiled at the Princess and answered with a voice full of certainty.

“Yes, I am happy now.”

In that moment, the Princess could be absolutely certain. 

Erin was truly happy. And she knew that only eternal happiness awaited her in the days to come.

fin.