“This is my final chance. Even a Sword Master would struggle here. Perhaps Duke Asili could handle it, but no one else could face so many monsters.”

Charlotte’s lips twisted into a smile. “She must have sensed my crystal ball and revealed her power to save those two fools.”

Stupid, pathetic Erin. That weak heart of hers would ultimately lead to her death. Charlotte slowly shook her head. Kind people who care for others always lost in the end. Erin’s useless compassion would drive her to her grave.

No one would recognize her talent. People would remember her as a villainess until the very end, gradually forgetting her existence. Though Charlotte couldn’t understand how Erin had become a Sword Master, one thing was certain—fate favored their side.

“How unfortunate for you, poor Erin Liserth. If I hadn’t come, you might have actually made it back alive. But you’ve always been unlucky, haven’t you? Nothing to be done about it. This is simply your destiny.”

Charlotte’s hand began to move.

* * *

Erin sensed something strange. The monsters’ movements were oddly systematic, sometimes resembling those of knights. When she closed her eyes, it felt less like fighting monsters and more like facing dozens of well-trained knights.

CLASH!

The sound echoed like sword meeting sword.

Hellix followed quickly behind Erin with Isis on his back. “Lady Erin! Have you noticed?”

“Something’s not right.”

“They move like knights… well-trained ones at that.”

“And they’re leading us somewhere specific.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than the monsters suddenly changed their behavior. Several creatures began moving toward Isis.

“Lady Erin!”

At Hellix’s cry, her face contorted. Fighting monsters alone would be one thing, but protecting others while fighting was no simple task. Without Isis to worry about, she could dispatch the monsters more easily.

“Someone must be controlling these monsters,” she thought. Otherwise, such coordinated movements would be impossible. Erin raised her sword once more.

Isis pointed ahead. “Lady Erin, if we go there, we might buy some time. It’s suspicious, but seems like our best option right now.”

Erin turned to look. A massive iron door stood before them. Having a wall at their back would make protecting Isis easier, though it was clearly where the monsters were trying to lead them.

“I promise I’ll return.”

At that moment, for reasons she couldn’t explain, Erin remembered the promises she had made to Karon and Ferdin.

The iron door wasn’t far, but the monsters didn’t exactly clear an easy path. During that short time, Hellix became completely exhausted. His arms trembled visibly, and Erin realized he could no longer fight.

They opened the iron door, entered, and locked it behind them. The sounds of monsters repeatedly slamming against the door echoed through the space. Isis spoke with a tired voice, “I think it will hold for a while.”

Sighing, they turned around to find stairs leading underground. The sight that greeted them as they descended left everyone speechless. Isis was the first to break the silence.

“What in the world happened here?”

The basement presented a disturbing scene. Various instruments lay scattered throughout, suggesting some kind of experimentation. Deeper inside, monsters were bound to pedestals with magical devices embedded in their bodies. Unknown individuals had clearly been researching the monsters here.

Hellix muttered in a daze, “How could anyone research monsters here? What could have possibly happened in this place…”

Erin slowly moved deeper into the basement. “Be careful, Lady Erin. There might be traps,” Hellix warned.

She noticed monsters trapped in transparent glass containers following her movements with their eyes. Something was deeply wrong about this place.

The orphanage they had come to had been operational just ten years ago. When had these facilities been installed? Their shock at the unexpected basement was interrupted by the sound of monsters throwing themselves against the iron door. It probably wouldn’t hold for long.

Isis turned to Hellix. “Hellix, I’ll heal Lady Erin. Please investigate deeper into the basement.”

He then grabbed Erin’s arm. His behavior had puzzled her for some time now. Isis Igzart was known for his strict standards regarding the use of his holy power. He was famous for refusing to use it on those he deemed unworthy.

Countless nobles had been denied healing by him, and he had even refused the Emperor’s orders once. When commanded to restore an enemy knight who had resisted severe torture, Isis had prayed instead of using his holy power.

“In the end, he followed the Emperor’s orders to protect the western territories…” Erin thought. Had it not been for that, he would have died before healing that knight.

A man willing to risk his life for his beliefs—that was Isis Igzart. Knowing this, Erin couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you healing me?”

“…”

“I’m notorious as a villainess. Don’t I fall short of your standards?”

Isis looked at her with an unreadable expression, staring directly into her eyes before speaking. “Did you really harm people as the rumors claim?”

“I…”

“Of course, if that were true, using my holy power on you would be a waste. But I don’t believe you actually did those things.”

“I didn’t.”

“Then that settles it.”

Isis’s response was matter-of-fact. Erin leaned her head against the wall, experiencing an indescribable feeling. Though she didn’t mention it, she too was somewhat exhausted.

Her gaze wandered around the basement. Now she understood why Hellix had gone missing. Had he come here alone, he would never have made it back alive.

Isis, still infusing holy power into Erin’s hand, asked, “Why didn’t you leave us behind? Escaping alone would have been much easier for you.”

She couldn’t deny it. Unlike Hellix, Isis was of no help in escaping this place. As a priest who could only use holy power, he was nothing but a burden to her.

“Because I know what you mean to the people of the west.”

Isis remained silent for a long time. Erin quietly watched beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.

“I apologize for doubting you when we’ve only just met,” he finally said with a tired smile. “Having so much to protect makes it difficult to trust people easily. I have no excuse.”

Once her wound stopped bleeding and began to heal, Erin helped the weakened Isis lie down beside her.

“I thought you were the Emperor’s person. But that doesn’t seem to be the case. Someone loyal to the Emperor wouldn’t have saved us.”

“…”

“They wouldn’t care about the deaths of lowly westerners.”

“…”

“Leave me behind, Lady Erin. You and Hellix can make it back alive. I have just one request.”

Isis had resigned himself completely to sacrificing his life. Erin had no connection to him. If she abandoned him, no one would blame her.

After gathering his thoughts, Isis spoke with a resolute expression. “Please help the western people evacuate. With your skills, it should be possible. If you join forces with the temple…”

He couldn’t finish. Before he could complete his thought, Erin interrupted with a firm voice. “No one is going to die here.”

“…”

“I’ll make sure of it.”

It seemed foolish. Those who could survive should survive. Erin had no connection to his role as the hope of the western people.

As Isis contemplated this, he suddenly felt something strange. A memory surfaced—something the Saint had once told him and Hellix: “You might find her frustrating. That child is righteous to a fault.”

“Could it be…?” The thought flashed through his mind briefly. But examining everything closely, no one fit the Saint’s description of “that person” better than Erin.

A kind and strong child.

But if Erin was indeed that person…