Chapter 12: 115-124

Chapter 10: Love Me, Love Me Not

(Note: This chapter comprises of episodes 115-124.)

The flames that filled the air were enough to obstruct vision,

The marvelous sight made even Loreina feel faint for a moment.

–Ugh, gahhhh!!

The water serpent started screaming and twisting its body.

‘What, what?’

Admiral Ferrato was perplexed.

Basically, when a Terraformer declared their territory, the unclean would be severely restricted in their movements and actions.

After all, the ‘strength’ of a Terraformer was shown by how wide a field could be declared as one’s own.

And it determined how many fatal restrictions could be placed on unclean things.

‘However…’

A terraformer that could inflict damage just by declaring a territory to an Epic or equivalent beast?

Wasn’t it a being that he had never heard of or even dreamed of?

He had goosebumps from head to toe.

Standing on a boat bouncing on the current at the bottom of a distant valley, he looked up at the head of the water serpent, which was located as high as a cliff.

As a human being, could there be any more desperate situation than this?

But the admiral was sure.

‘This fight is…’

As good as won.

Then someone next to him shouted.

“Admiral! Avoid it!!”

He only looked away for a brief moment, but a demonic beast was running towards him with its mouth wide open.

“Kyaaaak!”

‘This…!’

Seeing its figure that had already melted here and there, it seemed like it was making the last-ditch attempt.

‘How did it get here in that state?’

Rather than asking questions, moving his body was the priority. 

However, the distance was already so close that he thought he should be prepared to be injured somewhere.

Right then.

“?!”

Whoosh!

A fire broke out from the admiral’s body, and it attacked the beast that was rushing with its last energy.

“Keuk… you, kill… keuk…”

The beast became a charred corpse as it was, and fell to the floor.

‘This… How…’

There was only one guess.

Admiral Ferrato recalled the touch of Sienna’s lips that had gently brushed over his forehead a while ago.

‘If it wasn’t for that kiss…’

He was stunned, but the admiral did not immerse himself in sentiment for long.

“…Don’t sit still!”

He exclaimed as he gripped Wind Locker, who advised him not to lose his mind.

“The Goddess of Spring is here!!”

A lion’s roar, loaded with magical power, resounded throughout the gorge.

The soldiers, who had been on the defensive, suddenly wondered what was going to happen, and soon came to their senses.

“…Wow!”

A shout rang out.

“Now!!”

“Everyone, charge!”

The momentum of the soldiers who were freed from the threat of a panic wave was great.

Everyone began to defeat the beasts in their own way.

Like a miracle, like magic.

Victory passed this way.

Lorena, covered in blood that was more sticky than a human’s, and ghastly crumpled pieces of flesh because the drake’s nerves were not completely dead, gazed at the scene in disbelief.

“How… this…”

It was the victory she should have brought according to her original plan.

It was the moment when she would descend as the goddess of victory without defiling this white dress, with her dazzling blonde hair shining like the sun.

‘I was almost there…’

Duke Ferrato, who should have been bleeding while waiting for her help, was showing a dazzling performance in front of her.

People who should have been in despair were shouting and attacking.

People who should have died didn’t die.

Everything was perfect.

Except for Loreina, who was covered and tainted with the dead drake’s corpse.

Creak.

A gruesome grinding sound came from Loreina’s teeth.

“This time again… That girl…”

That bitch ruined everything again.

The bitch stole everything that should have belonged to Loreina again.

“Lady Minangsi.”

Then, someone quietly woke Loreina.

“The war is not over yet.”

“What?”

What kind of bullshit was this?

Loreina raised her eyes fiercely. But Duke Euros, who accompanied her, was very calm.

“Doesn’t ‘that’ still remain with you?”

“……”

“Hurry up before it’s too late.”

“Are you telling me to show up in front of people like this now?”

Loreina shook her head, but to no avail.

“Are you saying you’re going to make everything you’ve prepared for today go in vain?”

The attendant who had a twisted smile on his lips gave advice.

“It would be against his desire.”

“You… How dare you.”

Green eyes filled with hatred glared at the attendant, but he only grinned.

“Then I’ll bring the dragon.”

Loreina climbed on a flying dragon, unable to recover from a  disastrous appearance that was worse than a witch in  legends.

And she called out.

“That’s…”

A cane taller than Loreina was held in her hand, with a green shimmering jewel in the center.

Hesaros muttered in disbelief.

[Esperanza…?]

The last Named, Esperanza.

* * *

The grade of the water serpent that appeared in Elbara Gorge was finally decided as Epic.

More than ever, the owners of the Named had been mentioned in dealing with disasters beyond humans.

As the emperor received the report, he checked the details one by one.

“…Then, was it Duke Ferrato who ended the damn serpent’s life?”

“That’s right.”

“Well.”

However, it could not be said that this work was solely the fault of Admiral Ferrato. It was because the damage dealt by Ashiel and Ferrato were competitively similar, but he just got the last strike by chance.

“As you all know, Grand Duke Nacht killed Loraxar almost alone. So I gave him the honorary title of commemoration…”

Currently, there were six people who were watching the emperor in connection with this matter.

They were Nacht, Euros, and Ferrato, the three heads of state and Crown Princess Arandier, and Sienna and Ashiel.

Among them, Admiral Ferrato nodded his head before anyone else.

“Yes. I do not deserve the honor.”

“Well, I can’t say you don’t deserve it. You’ve done your part well enough, and the imperial law will be on your side.”

“Your Majesty is right.”

“However…”

Duke Euros intervened with a polite tone.

“According to the Imperial War Law, the most appropriate owner of the water serpent’s heart jewel is Duke Ferrato, you are right.”

If one killed a high-ranking beast, one would rarely obtain a ‘heart jewel’.

It was a kind of essential jewel, and it contains much higher pure energy than the essential jewels extracted from the mine. Of course, it was also incomparably precious.

The reason why they were scrutinizing in detail as to who contributed to this annihilation war was because the ownership issue of this heart jewel was at stake.

“But there are other harvests in this war.”

At the emperor’s words, everyone’s eyes focused on Duke Euros. Duke Euros grinned.

“How the hell were you hiding the owner of the new Named, Duke? Wasn’t your mouth itchy?”

It was about Loreina, who declared that she was the owner of the Named Esperanza.

“What do you mean by hiding. It just hasn’t been long.”

“I heard that Lady Minangsi was subjected to a difficult situation, and even though it was very miserable, she did not back down and played an active part in the frontlines. It’s not easy to show courage on the first battlefield especially when she didn’t go to a military academy.”

If Loreina had heard it, she would not take it as a compliment.

“It’s all thanks to His Majesty.”

“…I, Your Majesty. I have one request.”

At that time, the hesitant Admiral Ferrato spoke up.

“I would like to dedicate this jewel here to Dame Hesaros, if you will.”

“…Oho?”

The emperor’s golden eyes gleamed.

“To Dame Hesaros?”

The emperor glanced at his nephew, Ashiel, who was frozen firmly in an instant, and Sienna, who was surprised by the outrageous words, and thought.

‘…Does this make things fun?’

Of these, only Admiral Ferrato did not seem to realize the subtle atmosphere.

He bluntly spoke out.

“Although I was lucky enough to cut off the serpent’s head, I would have lost at least an arm before that, if it weren’t for Dame Hesaros here.”

“My baby is amazing, but you said she saved your life from afar?”

“Yes, that is so.”

Duke Ferrato replied with a slight blush on his face.

“She gave me a self-defense seal before she went far away.”

“But why are you saying that so shyly?”

“That… I’m not!”

Admiral Ferrato waved his hand in embarrassment, his large body slightly fidgeting, and was perplexed from being stabbed in the right direction.

There was no expression on Ashiel’s face as he looked at the man who shyly recalled Sienna’s voluntary kiss without any guilt.

No one noticed that he was still clutching the armrests under the table.

Admiral Ferrato asked again while hesitating.

“Ah, by the way, Your Majesty. Please allow me to dedicate the heart to Dame Hesaros.”

“Oh.”

However, the emperor’s playfulness from finding a prey after a long time did not stop there.

“Offering a ‘heart’. There’s a subtle meaning.”

“Yes?!”

“Your Majesty.”

The emperor grinned, affectionately touching the hand of Sienna, who was softly intervening.

“Admiral, you should be glad that there are no rumor-loving people here. I’ll have nothing to say about the rumor that you fell in love with Dame Hesaros and proposed for marriage within three days.”

“Your Majesty…”

Admiral Ferrato groaned.

He didn’t really appreciate it because he didn’t like to gossip, but he had someone who liked to make fun of him.

“I don’t mean that, so…”

“Oh, why is a young man so timid? It’s good if you like her.”

Arandier, who couldn’t watch further, intervened.

“Stop teasing him. I know you’re having fun, but our minds are becoming distressed.”

“Ahem. Are you tired?”

“Yes. Very.”

“Well, let’s call it a day. I’m sorry. As I get older, I’ve got a terrible disease in that I want to pair up all the young people.”

At that point, the emperor pretended to stop teasing Admiral Ferrato.

‘But you know what? Ferrato didn’t deny that he has a crush on my baby.’

The emperor decided to keep that in mind.

Meanwhile, no one knew that the armrests of a chair in the audience room was slowly sagging in Ashiel’s grasp.

“Then this ends the issue of ownership.”

Duke Euros smiled at Sienna.

“Congratulations, Lady of Spring.”

His mysterious blue eyes looked friendly at first glance.

But Sienna never felt comfortable with this man.

It wasn’t just that he helped Loreina, or that it was clear that she had ties to the outside forces.

‘Somehow… His presence, whenever he’s by my side, I feel like I’m being pricked with a needle.’

Even if he didn’t do anything, the very existence of this man was uncomfortable.

But he talked to her kindly, so she couldn’t help but to respond.

“…Thank you.”

“Duke Euros, I have a question for you.”

At that moment, Grand Duke Nacht, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly intervened.

As if he was trying to protect Sienna from him.

Duke Euros smiled politely, placed a hand on his chest and spoke in a calm manner.

“The Great Enemy of Loraxar pays tribute.”

“I’ll ask about the basics of annihilation warfare. In a typical annihilation warfare, thorough preemptive investigations must be carried out, and an army with appropriate firepower must be assembled.”

“……”

“Did you forget about that?”

“How is that possible? Of course, it’s true that we didn’t expect this scale in the beginning…”

Duke Euros glanced at Admiral Ferrato.

“I soon felt something unusual and asked for the support of the Oceans. Besides, fortunately, your son, who guards the gates of the Underworld, was just passing through the Elbara Gorge.”

Elbara Gorge was a near-exclusive wasteland. How could he pass by by chance?

Duke Euros was saying that if we discuss the scale of the annihilation war, we should also try to figure out how Ashiel could have appeared as well… 

“Isn’t it a relief?”

Ashiel suddenly opened his mouth.

“Without such luck, this annihilation battle led by Duke Euros would have been recorded as a disaster rather than a victory for Elbara Gorge.”

That was entirely correct.

“Am I wrong?”

It wasn’t even a question. If you say it’s wrong, you should think about it again.

“Well, I agree too.”

Admiral Ferrato, who suffered the most from the mistakes of the preemptive investigation, agreed.

“This isn’t the place to talk about reparations, but we’re got a little bit of trouble.”

In this annihilation battle, two of Ferrato’s ships were completely destroyed and one was halved. The damage to their strength was indescribable.

The emperor nodded.

“Hmm, yes. It seems to me that he deserves a fair apology and reparation from Euros. Discuss the matter later, I’ll be a witness.”

“Yes, thank you, Your Majesty.”

“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Okay. Let’s stop talking about troublesome things. Nobody has eaten yet, right? My cook serves quite a treat.”

Most of them naturally nodded their heads at the suggestion of luncheon, but Duke Euros declined with a smile. 

“With this mistake, I’m busy with issues.”

The emperor murmured as he looked at Duke Euros’ back, who had asked for permission and turned away.

“Well, I don’t know what he’s living on. He never eats a meal.”

“…Ah, Your Majesty. Come to think of it, I also have an advance appointment!”

“You too?”

Duke Ferrato grunted, and nodded his head.

“I need to get decanto wood to build a new ship, but it’s not easy… I don’t know how long it will take.”

“Is it decanto wood?”

The emperor nodded.

“It’s not easy to find a tree that can only grow in purified areas.”

“Yes. Oh, if Your Majesty has the will to show me a favor, I can comfortably have a meal with you, but…”

Crown Princess Arandier laughed.

“Are you, like your predecessors, also aiming for the Imperial Palace’s garden? It’s absurd.”

“Ah. Forgive me, Your Majesty. It shouldn’t be easy to get a tree that has grown that much.”

Although Admiral Ferrato was trembling, he let out a sigh, as if he was really worried.

Sienna thought.

‘If it’s a decanto tree…’

Wasn’t that the tree that Sienna blew up in Nacht’s garden one day while she was practicing making purifying stones?

Sienna momentarily rolled her brain.

After the fact that Euros had concluded a deal with magical beasts became a fact, Grand Duke Nacht and the Crown Princess also conducted a follow-up investigation of the Ferrato family, just in case.

As a result, the Ferrato family was proven innocent.

It meant it would be a family that would play a major role in the fight against the outside world in the future.

‘Besides, this heart jewel… It’s uncomfortable to just receive, so this is good.’

With that in mind, Sienna raised her hand.

“Excuse me, Your Majesty. And Sir Ferrato.”

“Yes?”

“If it’s a decanto tree… I think I might be able to help.”

Admiral Ferrato was the first to react to the unexpected words.

“Is that true, Dame Hesaros?”

“It’s only been once, but I’ve grown a decanto tree before. I think it’s probably still possible…”

Well. Now, her physical condition was not bad, and she had grown a lot in many ways compared to when she was 11 years old… 

Sienna answered, showing her finger carefully.

“If you give me just one day, I think I can grow about five trees, similar to the head gardener of the Imperial Palace.”

“…Yes?!”

Admiral Ferrato jumped up.

“Hey, is that really true?”

“…It’s not a lie.”

The Grand Duke, who had placed a plaque on the decanto tree that Sienna had grown in this way, answered instead.

“Dame Hesaros!”

Admiral Ferrato grabbed Sienna’s hand, holding it.

“If you do that, this Frederick will promise, Dame Hesaros, Ferrato’s benefactor, to be an ally in difficult and trying times!”

“No, I…”

Sienna was flustered and embarrassed that her hand was suddenly grabbed. 

“Well, this hand…”

“Yes? Ah, ah! S-Sorry!”

Admiral Ferrato, who was simply excited, immediately let go of her hand; he was even more startled than her.

Far from being damaged by the sun and sea breeze, his handsome face with tanned charm turned red as if it would explode.

The emperor opened his mouth meaningfully, looking at Admiral Ferrato, who was embarrassed and apologizing repeatedly.

“As you can see, Duke Ferrato is a good guy. The men in that family don’t hold grudges from generation to generation.”

“Yes.”

Arandier pulled out a cigarette and chimed in.

“His predecessor was a pretty good guy too. Especially, his hobby is salvaging ancient ships that had sunk in the oceans and stealing treasures, so he has a lot of money. The people of that family.”

“Yes. This Emperor thinks it would be good for a calm and thoughtful child like our baby to meet a simple guy like that and live a life of unconditional love?”

A mischievous smile appeared on the emperor’s face. He spoke quietly.

“What do you think, my nephew?”

The grand duke barely replied:

“…It is still too early to discuss the matter of marriage.”

“What’s this? In this country, when you’re 16, everyone gets engaged, regardless of gender. That’s what I’m talking about, but you, aren’t you involved in the marriage of the baby at all?”

The reason Grand Duke Nacht was not involved in Sienna’s marriage was because he could not, but in the eyes of the emperor, it was a shame.

‘She’s the owner of the Named Hesaros, and she has a pretty face and a self-disciplined personality. Moreover, I, the Emperor, love her as a knight like my own flesh and blood.’

If he had such a child as his ward, wouldn’t it be normal to hurry up and pair her with his son before she’s taken away by someone?

But even though she was now eighteen, there was nothing between Siena and Ashiel.

The emperor trusted his nephew and endured it. He was sure they had all thought about it. One day he would be able to proudly boast that this pretty baby is part of his family!

However, the result of waiting was this.

A reasonable doubt raised its head.

‘Is this guy weighing our baby?’
(TL/N: ‘weighing’ in the sense of considering other ladies and comparing Sienna to them.)

He didn’t know what they were thinking inside, but he was disappointed.

The social world was also chattering, seeing that the union between Ashiel and Sienna was not being achieved.

The fact there were other people who secretly covet Ashiel.

It wasn’t all that great.

“If she’s not meant to be a member of your household, tell me here.”

The emperor was half sincere. The thought of making Sienna his nephew’s daughter-in-law was like a chimney, but he couldn’t wait like this.

The more he saw Admiral Ferrato, who recklessly insisted on repaying the decanto tree, and Sienna, who was in trouble and refusing, the more he thought they suited each other well.

“Your Majesty…”

The grand duke was troubled.

It wasn’t because Sienna wasn’t pretty or stuff like that.

So then, why wouldn’t he want to welcome Sienna into his family?

However, they made a fatal mistake long ago and lost the qualifications for Sienna to join their family.

Now, looking at Sienna’s face, he was so grateful that he could legally claim that that child was his ward.

He was just glad that Sienna hadn’t declared that she would leave the grand duchy and start her own life alone.

Just holding on to this fragile relationship was already shameless.

However, the emperor, unaware of the circumstances, did not stop his interrogation.

“Answer me while we’re at it, Ashiel. Do you dislike that child?”

“…….”

“If you don’t like her, I’ll have to step up now.”

“I…”

Ashiel thought.

He did not deserve her.

He, to him, did not deserve Sienna.

At the very least, if he spared a thought for Sienna, he should have said he didn’t like her here.

But no words came out.

Just imagining that he disliked Sienna was scratching the spot where his heart had disappeared, and it felt like he was about to die from the burning fire inside his stomach.

Especially… 

“Dame Hesaros, if you don’t want anything in return, you must make me your ally! Let me be a good friend who helps you with your work, free of charge.”

At Duke Ferrato’s words, a faint smile could be seen on Sienna’s face.

At the same time, Ashiel answered this way.

“…I don’t like her.”

No one rips their heart out for someone they don’t like.

Among them, Ashiel was a fanatic who could rip even a heart that had already been dug and sacrificed.

Even if his one and only goddess doesn’t want it.

“Hmm. You don’t like her?”

There was no satisfaction with the ‘I don’t like her’ answer about his baby, but the emperor was experienced.

The emperor instantly read the dark boiling emotions in his nephew and grandson’s eyes.

A deep, dark passion that seemed somewhat undesirable was hiding in his red eyes that he covered with glasses, pretending to be meek.

Like a beast that lurked behind the thickets of the dark night and waited to snatch its prey.

‘Oh… I think I made a mistake.’

‘I know now,’ the emperor thought.

Nacht wasn’t weighing Sienna.

Because Sienna didn’t open her heart to Ashiel, everyone was terrified.

‘Besides, Ashiel, this guy…’

If he expressed his feelings more than ‘I don’t like her’ – it seemed that he was doing everything he could to spare his words because he was afraid she would run away.

‘Oh my god.’

The emperor sighed. How did something so interesting happen?

The old emperor was in high spirits.

‘Well, of course. How dare they weigh my baby?’

While the emperor was disapproving and devaluing his own blood, Admiral Ferrato had reached a stage where he convinced Sienna and made a concrete appointment.

“The decanto tree is a symbol of my family, so there are as many seedlings as there can be. If you don’t mind, can I know when Dame Hesaros will visit my place?”

The admiral’s request was too eager to say that it was due to his pure urgency of obtaining the decanto tree.

Even Sienna, who had no sense for this kind of thing, was a little embarrassed.

“I can give you my time, but…”

As she responded in a ceremonial way, Sienna snuck a glance at Ashiel without realizing it.

“Well, that’s enough.”

Fortunately, at that point, the emperor stepped in as a mediator.

“Dear Ferrato, do you want a Decanto tree?”

“Ah, yes. Yes, but I…”

“Okay then, Dame Hesaros. When can you spare the time?”

There was no need to delay. As time passed, Sienna’s condition might worsen.

“It’s possible today.”

“Dame Hesaros! How can this grace…”

“Stop it, Prince Ferrato. Your gratitude should already be well known by Dame Hesaros, so from now on, please show it with your materials and actions.”

“Yes, of course!”

* * *

When the luncheon was over, Admiral Ferrato tried to escort Sienna as if it was natural.

“Wait a minute.”

At that moment, Ashiel intervened between the two.

“…I have something to tell you, just for a while.”

Sienna pondered for a moment, then nodded her head.

The two moved slightly, and Ashiel casted a spell to prevent their words from leaking out.

“…What’s the matter?”

“I called you to say it’d be better not to overdo it.” 

Then he started to speak about Sienna’s time-axis.

“For now, I’ve only stabilized your condition as a temporary measure…”

Unavoidably, Sienna flinched.

It was because despite the businesslike tone saying ‘temporary measures’, the memories were revived so vividly.

The breath that exerted pressure on the top of her guardless lips, seeped in.

The fingers that supported the back of her neck, and the strong arms that held her waist.

As he stubbornly bit her lips and swallowed, he tried to hug Sienna even a little more into his arms… 

Sienna instinctively took a step back.

A bitter smile spread across Ashiel’s lips at her defensive actions.

“…So I wanted to tell you that it’s better to be careful.”

“……”

“Because I don’t want to do something like that again.”

Ashiel said only that much and turned around politely.

As if he had never, ever, ever coveted Sienna.

But it couldn’t be forgotten.

It was more appropriate to call that behavior ‘craving.’ 

“Dame Hesaros? Have you finished talking?”

Compared to what Ashiel did at that time, it could be said that Admiral Ferrato had no self-interest at all.

The whisper was still vivid.

The whisper that came out harshly, the breath sounding ahead of the eardrum rather than the voice.

“…It would have been better for you not to remember.”

…Wouldn’t that mean, in other words, that he was happy to be able to imprint that kiss on her?

At her momentary realization, a chill ran down her spine. Sienna covered her lips with her hand without realizing it.

“Dame Hesaros?”

“…Ah, yes.”

At the sound of Admiral Ferrato’s voice calling again, Sienna barely regained her senses. A man who seemed to have no ulterior motives at all was looking at her admiringly.

When Sienna expressed that she was confused, the admiral burst into laughter and explained.

“No. I’m surprised that the Dame suddenly smiled…”

“…Me?”

Sienna twisted the fingers that covered her lips.

Yes. It was faint, but she was definitely smiling.

In an instant, Sienna froze.

As it turned out, she smiled a little as she recalled the close incident with Ashiel.

‘Why… Why?’

“Dame Hesaros.”

Admiral Ferrato’s pleasant bass tone pulled Sienna out of her shock.

“I didn’t mean to tease you. I meant it looked good.”

“Ah yes…”

Admiral Ferrato was a little ignorant, but he was an adult. He smiled and held out his hand, instead of adding more to the topic that Sienna didn’t seem delighted with.

“Then shall we go?”

“…Yes.”

Sienna took his hand.

* * *

The mansion of the ‘Ocean’ was not far from the Imperial Palace.

Compared to the Nacht mansion, the garden was larger and the mansion was slightly smaller. Not only was the size small, but the decor was a bit plain and the atmosphere was brighter.

“Well then.”

The easy-going Admiral Ferrato tried to open the door himself instead of calling someone.

…Thud.

But for some reason the door did not open.

Admiral Ferrato’s smiling face was slightly cracked. As if embarrassed, he muttered, “Huh, hmm.” He coughed and thumped the knocker.

“Is anybody there?”

There was no one who answered, but there was a rumbling sound from inside. Sienna couldn’t see it, but it seemed like a commotion was taking place.

After a while, someone asked,

“Who are you?!”

In the end, the admiral couldn’t stand it and shouted.

“I’m the owner, you bastards!”

At the admiral’s words, Sienna could hear the men inside screaming.

“It’s the Admiral!”

“What, already?!”

“He told me that he was bringing guests with him earlier!”

“I thought he was lying!”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute! Get rid of that first!”

Sienna was quietly observing the situation, wondering what was going on.

After a while, that is, after Admiral Ferrato bluntly threatened them several times, the door barely opened.

But the situation was not good.

“These bastards…”

The entry of the mansion was in a mess as if they had been drinking all night.

People presumed to be the culprits were trying to get rid of them, such as rolling the barrels, but the problem was that they weren’t normal from the start.

“Since a precious guest is coming, I should have sent a messenger to tell you guys to clean the place up and stay away!”

The man who was rolling a barrel from the other side protested.

“Yeah, that’s why I am cleaning it up!”

It was no excuse. Admiral Ferrato groaned and clasped his face.

“I’m ashamed. I shouldn’t show this to my esteemed guests…”

“No, that…”

Sienna’s brain, which had been trained in the military, was barely able to find a non-negative word to say in this situation.

“…They look lively.”

“It’s because it’s a tradition to be boisterous until your nose is crooked after a tough battle.”

“Do you always hold parties like this?”

“No.”

A dark smile passed over Admiral Ferrato’s face.

“…I only do this when there are many dead people to honor.”

With those words, Sienna seemed to have some idea of the Ferrato’s family tradition.

Anyway, it looked like a mess, but since they were all soldiers, the admiral gave a few orders and light kicks in the ass, and the place became something worth looking in about ten minutes.

“Oh my gosh, that person…”

And it was only then that everyone recognized who Sienna was.

Their eyes, filled with a mixture of wonder and curiosity, were familiar. Sienna nodded her head lightly and asked Admiral Ferrato.

“Now then, can I do what I’m supposed to do now?”

* * *

Admiral Ferrato took Sienna to the garden behind the mansion.

After leaving enough room for each decanto seedling to grow, Sienna nodded after confirming that they had been planted.

“I think this should be enough. But…”

“Are you missing something?”

“No, that’s not it…”

There was one difficulty.

Sienna looked at the elite soldiers of the Invincible Fleet of Ferrato, who looked at her with twinkling eyes.

The rough men who faced the harsh sea breeze were all looking at her with their eyes shining.

It wasn’t just because of the decanto tree. To them, Sienna was already the guardian deity who protected their lives in the nightmare battle with the serpent itself.

[It’s not like they will listen if you ask them to step back.]

Hesaros’ voice sounded pleased.

Her Named was consistently like this, he liked the moments when his owner, Sienna, was noticed and admired.

‘…If so, what can I do?’

Sienna stood in the middle of the yard where five seedlings had been planted.

And she embodied her Named.

A light roar spread. Sienna lowered her eyes and breathed through Hesaros.

And the next moment, she spewed smoke into the air.

“Come, little trees.”

With her lips spitting out the smoke, Sienna whispered tenderly.

“This is my little world for you guys.”

At the same time, the ground began to shake.

The roots of the fragile saplings grew frantically thick, absorbing Sienna’s magic instead of the nourishment in the land that had become her domain.

The roots grew enough to push the ground, and the trees’ waists became thicker.

The branches became long and lush as if they were stretching toward the sky.

“O-Oh, oh…!”

The branches that grew quickly began to cast shadows. Those who stood around had to retreat quickly so as not to disturb the growth of the roots.

Sienna was at the center of it.

In order not to fall on the ground where the roots grew and shook, Sienna rose slightly from the floor.

The soft, sparkling smoke and breeze wrapped around her. Her brown hair, which seemed to have been that long from the beginning, was fluttering.

“G-Goddess…”

Someone whispered like a gasp.

Sienna didn’t hear. She was concentrating on estimating the moment when the trees were all grown properly.

‘Now…!’

Eventually, when she realized that the trees had grown enough, Sienna slowly closed her territory.

Gently lowered from the air, her feet touched the ground. Her hair, fluttering in the breeze, swayed and sank.

A wind blew in the garden in the silence.

The lush branches that covered the sky shook with a shriek.

Wide shade was gently covering the area where the sun had been shining until before.

‘How… This…’

She just spoke to the ground like coaxing a child, yet she could grow such beautiful trees? 

Overwhelmed by the incredible sight, no one dared to speak, but Sienna misunderstood their reaction a bit.

“Um… is this not enough?”

It couldn’t be.

“Enough…”

Admiral Ferrato was somehow choked up and barely answered.

“It’s enough. Really.”

‘It looks like it’s done.’

Sienna grinned unconsciously in a sense of accomplishment.

Admiral Ferrato was a good man. In addition, the Ocean was caught up in Loreina’s scheme and suffered great damage.

She was proud to be able to help such people even a little in this way.

“I’m glad. I’m glad I could be of some help.”

The smile crept up to the corners of her eyes at the natural emotion. The green shadows cast by the leaves shook. Wind blew and her long hair fluttered yet again.

‘Huh…?’

Admiral Ferrato couldn’t give an appropriate response for a moment due to the shock that sounded like a hammer hitting the back of his head.

‘What… this?’

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

His heart started beating like crazy in a way it had never done before.

It was then that the admiral realized.

‘Damn it, I got a crush on her.’

The surprising thing was that it didn’t begin right now.

From the moment Sienna appeared like a flame in Elbara Gorge, his heart was taken away bit by bit, and everything that remained till this moment simply surrendered.

“If that’s enough, can I just go back now?”

“Ah… yes?”

As if hit by the back of the head (although it had penetrated unknowingly), the normal man became a fool in front of the realized love.

Someone patted the admiral on his side and whispered.

“What are you doing? Even if you fall backwards and your nose is broken, you look like a snack!”

Admiral Ferrato barely came to his senses when he was insulted with, ‘Have you lost your soul!?’

“Dame Hesaros!”

“…?”

“I-I’ll give you a ride!”

‘I’m just saying…’ His subordinate sighed from behind and pressed his temple.

He knew long ago that this family’s sense was like this from generation to generation, but who would have known that even with that handsome face, he wouldn’t be able to do a good job?

“It’s okay.”

Sienna smiled and blew smoke out again.

The smoke that spread thickly along with the sound made a passage in the air.

“I have my own way of going back.”

“Well, then.” Sienna gave her greetings, and disappeared into the forest road that appeared out of nowhere.

As soon as the passage swallowed her, the opening slowly closed and disappeared.

It was the art of moving through the visual realm that only the emperor and his direct descendants, or some outstanding imperials in history, showed off.

“…Sir, it’s the lady of the house. That is the lady of the house.”

His subordinate said again and again, a little dazzled.

“It is clear that Grand Duke Nacht and Grand Prince Nacht are crazy, they haven’t tied her up with the announcement of their engagement yet in the Underworld. In other words, there is a once-in-a-lifetime chance that you and our Ferrato will never get again. Got it?”

“Stop.”

Admiral Ferrato sighed.

“If you have time to talk nonsense, go and clean the house.”

“Oh, I want you to serve that lady!”

“I’ll take care of that even if you don’t talk about it!”

The sides of his face, as he pushed away the clinging subordinate, were redder than usual. The quick-witted subordinate noticed it quickly.

“Hey, if I don’t tell you, you’re going to do it properly, right?”

The admiral couldn’t stand it and kicked the cheeky subordinate’s shin.

“…I told you to clean up the house!”

“Oh, my lord!”

Ignoring the vicious subordinate, Admiral Ferrato murmured, pretending to turn his gaze toward the decanto tree.

“…Isn’t it necessary for the lady of the house to have a place she wants to enter first?”

Admiral Ferrato, who at first seemed so nice that he looked foolish, but one couldn’t judge a person just by his appearance.

His subordinate chuckled and responded.

“Yes, Admiral. I knew you would say that!”

The man who hunted the treasures of the great seas was greedy as well.

‘How much less, if the other person does not know of the treasure that has been obtained and does not know how to grasp it…’

Looking at the dotted white petals that Sienna left behind, Ferrato smiled.

He will do his best, and he will win in the end.

* * *

Moments later, Sienna appeared in a hardly-used drawing room of the Nacht mansion.

She originally thought of moving to her room at once, but… 

‘Maybe it’s because I’ve overworked, the coordinates are wrong.’

It seemed that she had no choice but to walk the remaining portion with her own feet.

Thinking like that, she took her first step.

“…Huh …”

Her footsteps seemed to go out and away.

By the time she realized she was dizzy, it was already too late.

Fortunately, at that time, someone grabbed Sienna as she was about to fall and held her tightly with one arm.

Before she could ask who it was, a soft voice rang in her ear.

“…I warned you that it would be better not to overdo it.”

It was Ashiel.

“You did…”

Sienna smiled bitterly at her and stood by herself, free from Ashiel’s arms.

“Thank you.”

Ashiel did not answer. Instead of answering, his red gaze rested on Sienna’s long, very long hair.

Sienna usually kept her hair length slightly above her waistline. So, the rapid growth was evidence that she had used her power to the point where her time-axis was jeopardized.

In Ashiel’s eyes, it seemed like evidence that Sienna wanted to help Admiral Ferrato, even if she had to overdo it.

“…That’s how much you wanted to help him?”

To the extent that she could even afford to rub her lips with him?

Although he barely kept his face calm, Ashiel’s insides were hot like the furnace, all to the top of his head, and it was like a lump of iron that would be crushed with a hammer.

Instead of answering, Sienna slowly met Ashiel’s eyes.

Then Sienna’s lips were about to open, as if she was about to say something.

For a moment, Ashiel was terrified. He was hotly angry, but at the same time coldly afraid.

He was afraid that the answer coming out of Sienna’s mouth would be ‘Yes.’

But Sienna did not say that.

“Come to think of it…”

Just one step closer, the distance between them narrowed.

“You’re approaching me in a hurry–”

Ashiel tried to warn her. It was dangerous to approach him any further than this.

But Sienna did something he didn’t expect. She grabbed him by the collar.

“What…”

Ashiel’s red eyes trembled, he was bewildered and shocked.

Looking at those shaking eyes, Sienna felt like there was a tickle in her stomach.

“There’s something I need to check.”

Halfway there. Sienna tightened her grip on Ashiel’s collar and pulled him down.

“……!”

Then she turned her head, and interlocked her lips with his.

Sienna, to Ashiel.

Ashiel, unable to accept the situation, was still stiff by the collar.

With a small breath, Sienna left the lips of the pitiful frozen man.

It was a very light touch.

But this little kiss confirmed it.

As she kissed Ashiel, her twisted and collapsing time-axis became quiet again.

Slowly parting her lips, Sienna asked, 

“Why… How?”

In front of the question of whether this was possible, Ashiel answered clearly.

“…Because I saved you.”

There was no need to talk about the circumstances.

The next moment, Ashiel rushed to Sienna like a loyal dog eager to confirm the existence of its owner.

“Hup…”

The lips that had earlier touched like a prank were eaten.

Sienna was taken aback by his tyrannical kiss, which took her breath away and snatched away her tender mouth.

“Mmm…!”

Even if she tried to pull away while their lips were apart for a while, it was in vain. She had no choice but to swallow the groans as he came rushing back to her.

Sienna eventually couldn’t stand being suffocated, so she pressed onto Ashiel’s chest and pushed him away. Fortunately, Ashiel quietly let go.

Perhaps he was also short of breath, or maybe it was just that his emotions had risen.

Taking a deep breath, he said,

“I told you not to come too close.”

“……”

“I told you not to overdo it.”

The fabric of Ashiel’s shirt was curled up in Sienna’s hand. Ashiel spoke calmly.

“So, I want to save you…”

“…….”

His face came closer. He whispered in a distance close enough for her to feel his breaths.

“Forgive me.”

…Even for a brief moment.

Their lips met again. Sienna couldn’t refuse.

He drew his breath back for a moment, replenishing it, and promiscuously mixed it again, as if mixing souls.

The yearning of the long-starved man poured out. He wanted Sienna, he wanted her, and he wanted her again.

It wasn’t just a physical graft.

It was like devouring a soul.

Sienna was caught up in Ashiel’s desperation. What was surprising was that her time-axis, which had been unstable and weakened during the entrapment, was being restored again.

The sense of piecing back again something important that was broken.

Why was it that her whole body was strangely frozen and then I felt tired as if it was melting?

‘No, I can’t…’

As she thought about it, her eyes were closed as if they were falling apart.

She felt like she should be here.

It seemed to be the only place in this world where she could be.

Everything seemed to fade except for the lips that were touching. The soles of her feet became light, as if they were floating off the ground.

At that moment, Ashiel’s lips fell. But it wasn’t for long. The place where the lips shamelessly moved to was just below her ear and on the pulse leading to the neck.

“Mhmm…”

Sienna stopped breathing and trembled at the painless tingling sensation and the moist sound of his wet lips.

A fragile vital point where even Sienna was bound to die if he bit her while she was off guard.

It was only then that she was belatedly alerted that she was invaded there.

‘Now this is… What am I…’

‘Do you think it’s okay to stay?’

‘Now, in the arms of Ashiel Nacht, do you think this is the only place in the world where you can be?’

Ashiel’s words were vividly played once again in her ears.

“I know you’re trying, Sienna. Your efforts are worthless.”

Those words that pushed Sienna away, who wanted to be necessary and of some help somehow.

One after another, the scene of his red eyes that looked down at her coldly at that time, and the self-defense amulet that was covered in dust and lying on the floor, brushed her mind.

His eyes, actions, and tone of disapproval showed his dissatisfaction that he had to tolerate Sienna living next to him…

It was chilling. Her mind flashed, she woke up; like ice was poured down her spine.

Sienna knew it in her head.

It was all because of the outside judicial law.

But that didn’t mean that the times she had been vehemently rejected were gone.

Rather, she had no choice but to embrace it because she lost the place to resent, so it was a festering memory.

She thought it would be okay if she covered up the time, but now she knew it wasn’t.

“Sienna? Wait…”

Sienna tightened her arms and started pushing Ashiel away.

“Let go…!”

When Sienna let out a terrified refusal, Ashiel immediately released her arms.

Sienna panted, staggered, and desperately distanced herself from Ashiel.

“Sienna, danger…”

“Don’t come close!”

A sharp cry that sounded like weeping.

Ashiel instinctively stretched out his hand toward Sienna, who was moving dangerously. But he soon stopped short.

It was because of the terrified green eyes were staring at him, trembling relentlessly.

“Sienna…”

“Don’t come, please…”

Sienna was terrified. She was afraid.

She couldn’t believe that she had felt so deeply reassured in Ashiel Nacht’s arms.

‘Oh my god…’

Her blood seemed to turn cold.

If she was caught one more time, then it seemed like she would collapse helplessly without ever regaining her senses.

So Sienna ran away.

She didn’t look back and she left in a hurry, so she didn’t know how Ashiel collapsed behind her.

* * *

An Epic beast died in the annihilation war of Elbara Gorge.

After the informal announcement was over, the emperor declared a banquet to commemorate the victory.

That day, Sienna, who ran away from Ashiel, temporarily returned to school.

It was fortunate that she had a place to keep herself away from Ashiel until she attended the victory banquet.

‘If not, I might have locked myself up in the garden.’

[Don’t say anything dangerous. How many times do I have to tell you to refrain from using the image world for the time being?]

“I know.”

[If you really want to use magic like that, just use– is it Ashiel or something? I think he will like it if you use him.]

“No.”

Hesaros, who knew Sienna so well that he knew she would respond this way, leisurely cushioned it.

[So be patient.]

“I will.”

[Yes, well, why are you so pretty when you’re this obedient?]

Sienna’s lips twitched.

Turning a blind eye, she asked Hesaros.

[But what are you going to do about that? You said you need a partner to attend the victory banquet.]

That was another pain in the butt.

Of course, she wanted to avoid attending with Ashiel, but the problem was that there was no good substitute for a partner.

‘Michael Nacht, why would you go on a business trip at a time like this?’

As she grumbled as she walked down the campus, someone standing at the side noticed her and started running to her.

“Lieutenant Hesaros!”

She did not have a badge of rank, but her green name tag indicated that she was a cadet in her third year.

“What’s going on, cadet?”

“A fight broke out between the freshmen!”

Sienna’s brows furrowed slightly.

“Then what are you doing, not stopping it?”

“That…”

Ah. Sienna understood. Apparently, the person involved in the fight had a rather difficult status for this cadet to intervene.

“I’m going.”

“T-Thank you!”

When she arrived, there was more chaos than expected.

Sienna smiled in spite of the situation. At first glance, in the midst of a crowd of more than 20 people, at least five people were punching and fighting.

Indeed. It was understandable for a cadet who had been around for three years to contemplate and look for someone to stop them.

Sienna exclaimed, raising her voice with her magic.

“Stop moving!”

Everyone was startled by the loud shout and looked back… 

“S-She’s a senior!”

The third year who brought Sienna quickly shouted.

“What are you all doing, not saluting Lieutenant Hesaros!”

Lieutenant Hesaros was famous not only within the school, but throughout the empire.

The new students who had been watching stood properly and saluted in unison.

“Yes! I see you, Lieutenant Hesaros!”

The freshmen who fought in the center also saluted in a hurry as if there were no small fights.

But they couldn’t avoid her eyes.

Sienna looked at the students and pointed out those who were even a little ragged in their clothes.

“You, and the three standing next to him. Also a brown-haired cadet in the back row at 4 o’clock. The rest?”

“Yes! Lieutenant!!”

Ouch. Her ears were going to explode. Sienna frowned slightly and checked the time.

“At this present time, there are thirty minutes left until the roll call. Is it your intention to not attend?”

“No!!”

“The answer is good.”

It didn’t seem like a compliment, but the intention of the utterance was not clear.

As the freshmen looked around each other stupidly, the third-year cadet could not overcome her frustration and shouted,

“Why aren’t you running!”

Ah.

“Everyone, return to the dormitory!”

“We’re going back!!”

Seeing the rest running up to their dormitories, Sienna clicked her tongue inwardly.

‘At this time, they should run in a single file.’

Those who have received basic military training should look like that. Sienna thought to herself that she should personally find out who the trainers in charge of their grade were.

‘Now rather than that…’

Sigh. Sienna looked back at her students that were left behind.

‘Huh?’

Lou Melanche had a stiff look on his face, he was pretending to be a stranger to Sienna.

…For once, Sienna let it slide and opened her mouth.

“Cadets, regardless of the reason for fighting, at the military academy, you will be subject to disciplinary action.”

“……”

“But you’re freshmen, so I’ll give you a chance. Anyway, if you have a reasonable excuse, try it.”

Among the four, the cadet, who was in the most miserable condition with blood on his lips, opened his mouth in anger.

“That commoner… Cadet Lou Melanche has insulted us and our families.”

Sienna nodded. This time she turned to Lou, and she asked,

“You have nothing to say?”

“There is none.”

“L-Lieutenant.”

The third-year cadet sneaked in and tried to explain the situation. Sienna smiled softly.

“I know. Don’t worry.”

Waving her hand, Sienna looked at the cadet who claimed to have been ‘insulted’ again.

“Cadet Oswald. Just one question. Why was it you who were insulted, but also you who were punched?”

“…That…”

“Isn’t the one who usually gets the fist out first is the one who was insulted? Maybe it’s because your fighting skills aren’t great…”

“No!”

Cadet Oswald exclaimed furiously.

“That orphan cowardly struck me first!”

“Your words mean that Cadet Melanche, a commoner orphan, first insulted and even punched a nobleman.”

The other three were trying to stop him , but the agitated Cadet Oswald couldn’t stand it and started yelling.

“Yes!! How many times do I have to tell you to understand?!”

“In a country where you could be sentenced to death for insulting the nobility.”

Sienna’s eyes were still. It was then that Cadet Oswald was taken aback.

“Cadet Lou Melanche. Are you crazy?”

“No.”

“If not, why did you beat Cadet Oswald?”

“Lieutenant Hesaros.”

Oswald intervened again with provocative eyes.

“Even if I said a few words first, it is a felony to insult a nobleman under the Imperial Law. You know that, right?”

“Yes, Cadet Oswald.”

Sienna’s eyes remained still, and her voice even sounded gentle.

“Were you so upset that Cadet Lou Melanche, who was nothing more than an orphan, had overtaken you and took the top spot?”

…But the content of her words wasn’t like that at all.

Oswald’s face turned red at the stabbing words that came without warning.

“G-Gee, are you taking sides with a similar orphan now?”

“You bastard…”

Lou, who had been silent, gave an angry glare at the insults to Sienna.

“Quiet!”

But Sienna strictly restrained him.

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“Do not mix words with each other.”

It was an unreasonable silence, but since it was Sienna and no one else, Lou bit his mouth as he cut off his piercing eyes.

Sienna again spoke to Cadet Oswald.

“Yes, you know, neither me nor Cadet Melanche grew up with parents and got a proper education. I admit it.”

Cadet Oswald snorted, but Sienna continued to speak peacefully.

“But, if the top position was taken away by such an orphan, then isn’t it you who actually tarnished the name of your family?”

“…What?”

“You were born of noble descent, and probably began receiving early education at the age of ten or so. A proper education that orphans cannot afford.”

“……”

“However, you, the beneficiary, could not even win over those who were nothing more than ‘commoner orphans’, as you say.’”

It was said in a roundabout manner, but to summarize, ‘your existence itself is a shame to the family’.

“If it’s a crime of insult, shouldn’t you at least slap yourself in the face?”

“You…!”

“Oswald!”

“Stop!”

Fortunately, Oswald’s brainy and loyal friends dissuaded him.

“Dame Hesaros, Oswald! Calm down!”

The woman in front of him was an orphan, and was not someone to be despised.

A genius cadet, Nacht’s ward, the owner of the Named, the emperor’s knight, and the commander of the entire army.

Even if all his parents, as well as his grandparents, were still alive, he could not defeat any of the guardians surrounding this woman.

Was that all? This time, didn’t she come back after she cut the head of an Epic beast, a water serpent from the canyon annihilation war?

Neither in the background nor personally; she was not an opponent that could be defeated.

“If you are dissatisfied with my placement, please send a letter of protest to His Majesty the Emperor.”

It meant shut up and get lost.

“Now, break up! And you, remain.”

When Sienna pointed out Lou, the third-year cadet took note and dragged Oswald and the rest of his friends towards the dormitory.

Sienna sighed inwardly.

Now, Oswald would completely forget about Lou Melanche as he grinded his teeth against her.

‘I guess that’s enough.’

A sigh came out. Although she said all that to protect Lou, she was not very happy that she crushed one freshman, even bringing up His Majesty the Emperor.

“It’s been grand since day one.”

Lou gave a hoot.

“I couldn’t help it.”

“Yes, you couldn’t. Why not?”

From the moment Sienna began receiving dividends for her stake in the essential mine, she became a proud sponsor of the Melanche Orphanage.

But she couldn’t visit as often as before.

It’s been a long time since we met, but I’m glad you’re still the same.”

“…Are you happy to see me?”

“Then why aren’t you happy to see me?”

Lou’s blue eyes seemed to be dissatisfied with Sienna about something, and he stared at her, who answered with ease.

“…Why? What did I do wrong?”

“Why did you leave during the entrance ceremony?”

“Huh?”

Ah. Sienna then remembered that she had disappeared in the middle of the entrance ceremony, while Lou was taking the oath.

“That…”

But she couldn’t tell the truth, ‘I actually did a regression, but as a side effect, my time-axis was disturbed and I vomited blood’.

“…Do you have work…?”

“You must have.”

Lou snorted softly.

Sienna asked back without realizing. A habit she got from talking to Hesaros.

“Are you upset?”

Lou’s blue eyes stared at Sienna.

‘Huh.’

But somehow, those eyes look a little familiar, don’t they?

“…Go.”

Oops. Sienna later realized her mistake.

‘Is he pissed off!’

Wasn’t that the kind of words that would be in the top 5 when it came to the words that boys in their mid-teens hate to hear the most?

Besides, after surpassing Sienna’s height, Lou had begun to explicitly hope that she would not treat him as a little boy.

“Excuse me.”

“You said one can’t miss the roll call, Lieutenant Hesaros. If you don’t mind, I’ll be on my way.”

“The serpent…”

At that moment, an idea flashed through Sienna’s mind.

“Lou, are you busy in a week?”

“…….”

“I have a victory banquet one day next week and I need a partner.”

Lou’s blue eyes widened slightly.

“That means…”

“Um, if it’s okay with you, can you come with me as my partner?”

Whether Lou was bewildered or surprised, he began to stare at Sienna without answering. Sienna added urgently, thinking he would refuse because he was sulking.

“I don’t have anyone I can go with. It’s either you, or I might suffer a lot at the banquet that day.”

“……”

“You can wear the uniform to attend. I will too. It’s okay to leave after a while. Can you?”

Lou, who had been listening silently, said abruptly.

“…I’ll go.”

“Really?”

“Then am I lying?”

Lou turned while speaking bluntly.

Thinking that she had solved her troubles, Sienna exclaimed with a lighter heart.

“Thank you! You’ll be late for roll call! Run!”

Sienna smiled a little, looking at Lou’s back as he started running without a word.

[Huh.]

But Hesaros suddenly sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

[There’s a worry you don’t need to know.]

Hesaros mumbled in a low tone.

[You’re luring this guy and that guy, but it’s not really your fault. It’s not a sin for others to recognize that you’re handsome and beautiful… It may be tiring, but if you don’t notice that much, that’s okay…?]

“…?”

[No, it’s okay. Don’t pay too much attention .]

* * *

Time passed, and it was the day of the victory banquet.

The emperor and crown princess were frugal and practical people, and the empress had also died long ago, so the imperial banquets were held only as often as necessary.

So, once a banquet was held like this, very few people did not attend.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that it was a place where nobles from all over the empire gathered. Among them, the most talked about topic was none other than Loreina Minangsi.

“If it’s the lady of the Count of Minangsi… who is that? Why, she once had a reputation as a healing wizard….”

“That’s right. This time, it’s said she became the owner of the Named.”

“It’s been a long time since she’s appeared in the society right? There’s no news of an engagement.”

“Well, maybe she’ll be the Duchess of Euros?”

At that moment, there was a slight buzz from the entrance.

“Who has arrived?”

The madams stuck their faces out from behind their fans.

“Someone said it’s Dame Hesaros.”

The black military uniforms of the military academy were marked with epaulets and decorations indicating rank and merit.

“She’s grown up really well. Though it’s a bit odd that we haven’t heard of her engagement.”

“I know. But who is the boy next to her?”

It was then.

“Dame Hesaros!”

From the inside crowd, a large blond man was rushing through and approaching the entrance.

It was Admiral Ferrato.

“Your Excellency.”

“Please make it easy for me to speak. I was waiting for you to come. But this is…”

“This is a friend I personally support. I wanted to give him a little experience in commemoration of winning the top position in the military academy entrance exam. Lou?”

“…I see you, Duke Ferrato. This is Lou Melanche.”

Duke Ferrato smiled with a pleasant expression.

“I was wondering why you refused my request to attend as partners, and that’s why. Will you accept me if I enter again and become the top student?”

A light murmur spread among the people who were listening to the conversation of the three, while pretending not to be doing so.

“Duke Ferrato of the Oceans asked Dame Hesaros to be his partner?”

“Does it appear that Duke Ferrato is interested in Dame Hesaros?”

“Maybe, that’s why the engagement was delayed?”

A cheer mixed with awareness spread among the people.

“That’s right, that’s all there is!”

The two best grooms in this empire were competing!

The exciting news spread like wildfire.

Five minutes later, word has it that Ashiel Nacht and Frederick Ferrato were competing in good faith for Dame Sienna Hesaros. And Sienna, who had yet to make up her mind, attended the banquet with her privately sponsored child, not holding either one of their hands.

People who have long been thirsty for large-scale love stories seem to have almost forgotten about Loreina Minangsi, who appeared as the owner of the Named after seven years, which had been the topic a while ago.

“By the way, did she mention that boy is at the top of the military academy?”

“He’s a freshman student sponsored by Dame Hesaros, who is certain to become the hostess of one of the three great guardian families in the future…”

Upon sighting the new talent who appeared like a comet in society, people’s eyes glinted all at once and ran their mouths.

“Is everyone like this?”

In response to Lou’s question, who seemed to have gotten tired even before the banquet officially started, Sienna shrugged and answered bluntly.

“Well. It seems a little worse than usual, but it’s fine today. It’s not like there’s a bad rumor going around.”

Lou quietly shut his mouth with an uncomfortable expression on his face when she said that it would be bearable as long as he didn’t get criticized.

It was because he had learned that if he said anything wrong, it would spread all over the hall in just a few steps.

Sienna felt a little sorry then. She realized too late that she had brought a child who had not adapted, to the center of her rumors.

“Lou, if you feel very uncomfortable, would you like to move by yourself?”

Admiral Ferrato quickly nodded his head in agreement.

“Um. The Imperial Palace’s banquet hall is spacious and it seems that many students from other military academies attended today, so it won’t be difficult to rest unnoticed.”

“…Is that so?”

Lou narrowed his blue eyes and looked at Admiral Ferrato.

‘At first glance, it sounds like words of care…’

He was here today because he promised to be Sienna’s partner.

He hated the thought of stepping down because he couldn’t adapt as it would mean breaking his promise, but the bigger problem was this man in front of him.

‘Is it Admiral Ferrato?’

As soon as Lou backed away, it was obvious that this man would quickly assume the role of Sienna’s partner.

Of course, Admiral Ferrato would be much more suited to occupy Sienna’s side than such a young boy like him who had barely caught up with Sienna’s stature, but… 

“…It’s okay.”

He didn’t want to back off.

“Because Lieutenant Hesaros told me to get used to this kind of position.”

“There’s no need to overdo it… Are you really okay?”

Instead of answering, Lou looked at Sienna for a moment.

When others saw him, he only had sharp eyes similar to his usual, but Sienna, who had known Lou since childhood, was well aware that he had a habit of staring at people like this right before they do something similar to pampering.

Of course, Sienna did not know that she was the only one who pampered Lou, who was rude even to Director Melanche, who had loaned him her last name.

Lou whispered.

“…So let me stay by your side.”

At his obvious request, which she couldn’t even call a request, Sienna laughed.

“It’s not easy, of course. You’re my partner today. Of course I should be by your side.”

Upon hearing Sienna’s affirmation, Lou gave a challenging gaze to Admiral Ferrato.

‘Him?’

Admiral Ferrato belatedly noticed it belatedly at the poisonous eyes that could only be seen as a young man’s attack.

‘This guy is also a competitor…?’

He noticed, but it was already too late.

This was what Lou said to Sienna.

“I want to go to the side with drinks and food over there and rest for a while.”

“Yes, that would be nice.”

Nodding her head, Sienna smiled apologetically towards Admiral Ferrato.

“Sir, as you heard, your partner is having a hard time. I hope we can chat again next time.”

“No, that, I…”

But it was already too late.

“Oh, my lord, Duke!”

“Heh heh, it’s nice to see you like this!”

As soon as Sienna showed signs of retreating, a crowd gathered around him.

Admiral Ferrato, who has a good personality and has wide connections, was close to many people, and there were also many people who wanted to get to know him.

In the end, surrounded by the crowds, he had no choice but to watch Sienna and Lou leave side by side for a quiet place.

* * *

Sienna headed with Lou toward the table where the food was placed, moderately entertaining the people who wanted to talk.

The moment she tried to hide herself among the people who came and went in moderation.

“…This is not a suitable place for one of the main characters to be at a victory banquet.”

A clear and calm voice. It was Crown Princess Arandier.

Arandier stopped Sienna who was in a hurry to greet.

“No, no. Don’t salute in a place like this. Everyone seems to be looking at us.”

“Yes, I understand. Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

Lou quickly took a step back.

Arandier glanced at Sienna with sharp eyes resembling the emperor.

“I’m sure the Emperor granted you permission to enter Madam. Rebecca’s dressing room, Dame Hesaros?”

Why did Sienna come in a uniform rather than the best dress in the empire that Rebecca could make for her?

Sienna replied with a polite smile.

“I’m really grateful that His Majesty gave me permission to use the royal dressing room, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go in and out like my own house…”

Arandier smiled as he tilted his glass of champagne.

“You pretend to be humble, but really, you were lazy.”

She hit the nail on the head, but Sienna did not panic and spoke.

“Today, I’m attending the victory banquet as a soldier who brought victory.”

“Hey. I really liked that excuse. Do you have any more?”

Well. It seemed like it would be okay to confess at this point.

“This uniform was actually made by Madam Rebecca.”

At her last words, Arandier couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

People’s attention was drawn to the laughter of a person who was famous for not smiling often and being strict.

However, everyone judged that if they joined the conversation in that situation, there was a high probability that they would interfere with the eccentric princess’ pleasure rather than benefit, and thus they pretended not to see it.

Arandier laughed.

“It’s interesting, it’s very interesting, Dame Hesaros. You’re more eloquent than I thought.”

“No. I’m glad you enjoyed it, Your Majesty.”

“Yeah, I was very bored, but you soothed me. Everyone is absent or late.”

Grand Duke Nacht went out to monitor suspicious movements in the Eastern direct territory, and Duke Euros said that he had to leave due to family circumstances.

In other words, the part about being late was aimed at Loreina.

Sienna smiled bitterly.

‘Because she likes being the main character.’

She was probably making an appearance worthy of the title, ‘Loreina, the Healing Angel, has returned as the owner of the Named’.

Arandier asked Sienna, who was about to be immersed into her thoughts.

“Is the kid standing behind you your partner?”

“Yes.”

When Sienna blinked, Lou bowed his head and offered his greetings to the imperial family as a commoner.

“I see Your Highness the Crown Princess. My name is Lou Melanche.”

“Well. I’ve heard of your name. You’re the top student this time…?”

Arandier’s words faded softly.

“…Your Highness?”

Why did her words trail off?

Sienna glanced at Arandier slightly and noted that her gaze was fixed on Lou’s bowed face.

It was as if she suddenly realized something she had forgotten.

If she dared to guess, the crown princess seemed to be shouting, ‘This can’t be.’

“…Two semesters before Sisyphus, it’s not easy to take the top spot among all cadets.”

But Arandier soon skillfully hid her agitation.

“Keep working hard. Even for the sake of Dame Hesaros, who looks after you.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Well then, Dame Hesaros. I’ll leave you alone.”

After Arandier retreated, Sienna, without realizing it, looked at Lou’s face, which Arandier had looked at in shock.

Lou had brown hair and a dark face, and at first glance, he simply looked plain and ordinary.

But if she looked closely, he was a pretty good-looking boy.

…Especially his sharp, bright blue eyes.

‘…Huh?’

The moment when Sienna felt a sense of déjà vu she had never felt before from the familiar appearance of Lou.

“Look over there!”

“Oh my God, my God!”

The entrance to the banquet hall became noisy.

“It’s Loreina Minangsi, that lady!”

A golden dress that spreads like embroidered light.

‘Ah…’

Just as in her memories of a long time ago, a young lady with a lovely and shy face appeared.

The Healing Angel, Loreina Minangsi, became the owner of the Named, and she was returning splendidly.

But that wasn’t the only surprise.

“Is that the Grand Prince…?”

“How could that…”

Loreina gently looked around in amazement. Yet she did not let go of the arm that she had held tightly.

…Ashiel Nacht’s arm.

Unknowingly, Sienna stared blankly at the scene like a nailed ornament.

She couldn’t believe it. It was as if they had all returned to the past, to that miserable time.

To the time when Loreina was a child of Nacht, and everything shone centered around Loreina.

It felt like her feet were going to give way.

‘Everything I thought I had accomplished or changed…’

Was it in vain?

She thought she would never be betrayed again. So she thought she wouldn’t love.

Sienna knew. Shortly after they recalled all their memories, the people of Nacht wanted to ask her for forgiveness.

But she adamantly refused.

The words of apology, she didn’t want to hear it.

She did not want to know about their memories, regrets and atonement.

It wasn’t because she hated them unforgivably.

She was afraid she would forgive them.

She was afraid that if she forgave deeply and accepted them again, she would love them.

I was afraid of being completely betrayed once again.

Even if it wasn’t their true intentions, she couldn’t be relieved.

Was there a law that says one wouldn’t get hit twice by the outside forces and their judicial law?

‘Like this.’

She was cold from head to toe.

‘If I don’t love, I won’t be betrayed. I believed so.’

Sienna thought coldly.

‘Yes, at least I wasn’t betrayed.’

She didn’t love. So, even at this moment, she was not betrayed.

Whether that appearance was Ashiel’s true intentions, or for whatever reason, it had nothing to do with Sienna.

‘I was not betrayed.’

Her heart ached because this reality resembled an old nightmare.

Sienna believed so. She tried to believe.

* * *

Turning back to a time before the victory banquet; the day Sienna ran away from Ashiel’s arms–
(TL/N: buckle up guys, more secrets are unfolding.)

At that time, Ashiel, who was left alone, thought in dismay.

‘Sienna said she has something to check’.

Perhaps she wanted to check if contact with him was needed for her physical condition to recover.

And as soon as she found out, she got fed up and ran away.

‘She ran away… again…’

Ashiel closed his eyes sadly.

Was it terrifying to Sienna that he had saved her, or was it terrifying to encounter the fragments of greed wriggling inside of him, who pretended to be meek?

Maybe both of them frightened Sienna.

Ashiel, such an unqualified person saved her, which was why it was necessary to kiss and exchange breaths with him regularly in order to live…

In the end, the undeserved sinner wanted her.

‘Why wouldn’t it be terrible?’

He could understand. Even thinking about it himself, he was getting nauseated.

In the past, the castle of the underworld and the people living in that castle were tricked by evil magic.

But no one had been so thoroughly played, except for Ashiel.

Ashiel clearly remembered; that night seven years ago.

After Sienna took her life, how severe winter had came…

* * *

That winter night was unusually long. There were many times when the sun didn’t shine even in the middle of the day.

“…Ugh.”

Ashiel woke up with a choked breath.

Around that time, it was his routine to have nightmares, and when he woke up, he couldn’t remember what he had dreamed.

He looked around, but it was his usual room, except that it was strangely dark even at dawn.

But something… 

There was an inexplicable sense of discomfort. Why was it that everything that had been stable for so long suddenly felt like a castle built on sand?

‘No.’

It was simply a bad dream. There was no need to obsess over feelings.

In order to ignore the warning of instinct that ‘something is wrong’, Asiel compulsively pursued his ‘daily life’.

He got up from bed as usual, rang the bell, washed his face and changed his clothes.

It was then.

“Grand Prince!”

It was the butler.

“…What’s going on?”

“I-It’s, it’s just…”

The butler, who was always calm, was strangely unable to speak properly that day, and just urged him, saying, “Come and see, you’ll know.”

Ashiel hardened his expression to be colder than usual.

He did this so as not to spread unnecessary anxiety to the staff when the grand duke was away for battle.

The butler led him towards the stable.

He was just getting closer, but he could smell the bloody scent. As he approached, he assumed that something was seriously wrong… 

“It was discovered by the stable keeper a while ago.”

Blood spilled from the horses, and all were lying dead.

It was not cut in the throat or stabbed in the stomach, but blood that smelled as bad as rot formed a puddle.

If that had been the case, he would have suspected the horse’s food or drinking water.

However… 

The weeds that had sprouted near the horses were all dried up and black.

Even the trees were half-rotten.

They were dead, as if forming a prayer circle.

As if to say that life did not deserve to live here.

From then on, animals died from diseases of unknown cause, and plants withered away.

However, the disaster did not stop there and reached people like a ladder.

“Ahhhhhhhh!”

A shattering scream echoed through the castle.

Everyone woke up and hurriedly gathered at the front door… 

“Ugh…….”

“Oh my god……!”

Someone was hanging from the chandelier fixed on the high ceiling of the castle’s main entrance.

Every time the body shook with a squeaky, grotesque sound, there was a snapping sound of something falling.

‘Suicide?’

No, no. It couldn’t.

How could someone hang themselves from that high chandelier?

Ashiel quickly looked around him. But the castle was only silent.

If the dark darkness that covered every corner of the castle seemed to be moving slowly, would it be a mistake?

The darkness seemed to whisper.

It’s just the beginning.

The prediction was not wrong. During that harsh winter, countless people died in the underworld castle.

Some chose to commit suicide, and on one occasion, a the body of a person who disappeared was found in a terrible state, as if half of the back of its head had been devoured, and with a desperate expression on its face as if trying to run away from something.

He even tried calling a Terraformer to purify the entire castle.

However, some of them ran away without looking back as soon as they saw the castle, and the remaining few failed to purify the castle.

“I’m sorry. The fraud surrounding this castle is so deep and strong… To be honest, I want to tell you to abandon it.”

In all the circumstances, Michael stood firm.

“That kid. It all started after that kid died.”

It was said that it all started with Sienna’s death.

“It’s not unfounded. Everyone, think about it. What if that kid was a Terraformer?”

“A Terraformer?”

The grand duke looked surprised at the sudden remark.

“I’ve researched at the library. Terraformers who are born with strong qualities are called the children of purification, and it’s say that they can purify their surroundings just by living and breathing.”

“You mean…”

Michael nodded his head.

“Since that kid died unfairly, no one in this castle was protected anymore.”

Michael explained that this castle and all the people living here were exposed to the devouring prey by evil spirits.

“According to what you said, Michael…”

Ashiel barely opened his mouth.

“Are we paying the price for killing the child of purification?”

It was a reasonable statement, and it was also a hopeless diagnosis.

“There is one blind spot. The talent we saw in that kid wasn’t that great. But…”

Michael’s words were barely audible. Ashiel quickly fell into thought.

Come to think of it, whenever he thought of that child, Sienna, his head would become foggy like a mist.

Yes, come to think of it…

Why did he hate her so much?

Come to think of it, Ashiel never hated a person who worked hard.

In spite of the limitations that clearly exist in reality, Ashiel considered the spirit of constant effort to be noble, and he was sometimes fascinated by it.

In the mist that made his head throb, Ashiel struggled to remember.

Sienna’s calm expression, the way she maintained composure despite his cold rejection, and her simple and neat way of speaking…

The more he recalled them one by one, the more uncomfortable he felt. Ashiel was dazed in shock.

‘I did things like that… Am I the kind of person who would hate such a person?’

He wasn’t.

Not only did he dislike everything that made up Sienna… 

It was as if he had refused everything that could fascinate him.

He just realized. That he despised and hated Sienna without context.

‘Ugh…’

He had a sudden headache.

His mind began to blur again.

As if it was about to erase what he had just realized.

Ashiel clenched his teeth. He still didn’t know why, but it was because of a cool intuition that he shouldn’t forget what he had just realized.

“Brother! Are you okay?”

Ashiel groaned and chewed the flesh in his mouth without forgiveness.

Blood oozed from the tattered flesh and the exhilarating pain burned in his mind, and he seemed to have come to his senses a little.

“Father…”

Ashiel spoke to the grand duke with blood-stained lips.

“…The Emperor passed away long ago, and Aunt Arandier long ago suffered damage to her abilities as a Terraformer.”

“Yes, there are no more powerful Terraformers left in our time.”

“No way.”

Michael muttered desperately.

The same reasoning flashed in the minds of the three at the same time.

If evil attempts had been made to exterminate the existence of Terraformers, they would have been successful…

What if Sienna was also a victim of it?

“For now, Brother…”

Michael barely spoke in the heavy atmosphere.

“Careful. If this castle is corrupted by fraud… the most dangerous thing is actually your older brother.”

He was right. Ashiel, he and this underworld castle were connected.

‘Maybe, Sienna, why my head hurts when I think of her, and why I hate her…’

It was a cool realization. Seeing Ashiel like that, Michael gave advice in a tone that conveyed he was a little afraid.

“Brother, you might already be a little crazy now.”

“…Yes.”

Ashiel smiled faintly.

“Perhaps I am.”

And if what he was speculating at this moment turned out to be true… 

That would be the moment when he would go completely crazy.

“Grand Prince.”

A woman in a bright dress approached Ashiel, and glanced at his father and younger brother.

It was Loreina Minangsi.

The only ward of Nacht in this underworld now.

“You don’t look well. Is something going on?”

Loreina tried to gently caress Ashiel’s arm, but he shuddered involuntarily and struck her arm away.

“G-Grand Prince?”

The moment Loreina approached him;

Ashiel clearly felt the sensation that filled his head with fog.

…Fraud was trying to invade his mind.

Ashiel asked without realizing it.

“…Is it you?”

“Yes?”

Loreina tilted her head.

Her bright green eyes, like the buds of a spring day, looked innocent and transparent.

“What are you talking about…”

For the first time, Ashiel realized a sense of incongruity from her pure smile.

In this cursed castle, it seemed that only Loreina was basking in the bright sunlight.

It was surprising that he didn’t feel it was weird until now.

“I’m sure you’re nervous because of what’s happening these days. I understand.”

“…….”

“In my opinion, in this situation, a change would be good.”

Ashiel calmly straightened his expression.

“What’s the occasion?”

And as he asked for Loreina’s intentions again, he thought fiercely in his head.

‘There is no evidence.’

In a situation where he didn’t even know the motive, if he questioned Loreina, who was a promising healing wizard, he might miss it.

Loreina smiled broadly, not knowing what Ashiel was thinking.

She was happy and beautiful, like a flower in full bloom, like the main character of the whole world.

“It’s our wedding.”

“…….”

“I’m ready to accept if the Grand Prince proposes to me.”

It was only then that the foolish Ashiel realized.

This woman had a motive.

It wasn’t impossible for her.

What if Loreina Minangsi saw Sienna as her competitor?

If Sienna, a brilliant terraformer, was ruined and killed in the process…

Ashiel covered his mouth in disgust. Meanwhile, the pain that gripped his head continued.

Ashiel gritted his teeth and endured it. If what he guessed was true, it shouldn’t be forgotten.

Fortunately, as he tried to focus on his thoughts on Sienna, he was able to recognize and resist the spells and the fog that was clouding his mind, to a greater extent.

From that day on, Ashiel went in and out of the library, and on the other hand, began to monitor Loreina in secret.

In the meantime, he wondered if there was something that could help preserve his memory, so Ashiel secretly checked to see if there were any remains of Sienna.

However, the only answer that came back was that it was all disposed as it belonged to a sinner.

It was as if the whole world was whispering to him to forget and to relax.

It’s something that couldn’t be undone anyway, and if you dig into it, you’ll only face sin.

Can you handle that guilt?

‘No.’

He would definitely fall apart. But Ashiel shook his head to shake off the fierce temptation.

It was something he had to do, even if he only received the guilt he had to bear.

If the only thing to return to the dead was honor, then he should find it and return it.

Some time after that—

“…What is that?”

“Ha, heuk!”

He finally caught a suspicious movement.

An unknown employee was creeping around the castle in the middle of the night.

As people died, there was a shortage of manpower, and as rumors spread that it was a cursed castle, outside personnel were engaged.

At the murderous inquest of the grand prince, the employee took out half-burnt objects from his arms and laid them flat on the floor.

“Hey, I don’t know anything! It hasn’t been long since I came to this castle… I was just told to pick this up and……!”

Objects were scattered randomly on the floor.

Books, hair bands, and other items that were both expensive and inexpensive were mixed.

But Ashiel knew the moment he saw it. It was because his head cleared slightly the moment he picked up the half-burnt object.

These were items that Sienna had touched often.

Loreina had been persistently finding and removing the traces of Sienna in order to take more complete control of the castle.

‘How…’

His eyes seemed to burn black.

Ashiel fueled his fierce anger to pursue Loreina’s sins.

In the meantime, it seemed that the world was falling apart, but he didn’t care.

To be precise, there was no time for that.

The moment he finally obtained proof that he could kill Loreina with a single strike.

Loreina… 

“I’m late.”

…He went to her with his own two feet.

“You…!”

Ashiel summoned Thanatos at once. He didn’t have time to shoot an arrow. He smashed the barrier of her room with the Named he just called out.

Bam!

Kriiiii-chak, chak!!

Although it was cracked, the barrier was strong. Ashiel mobilized even his fists to hit the barrier with her whole body.

Behind the barrier, Loreina grinned as she watched Ashiel’s blood and blood-curdling cries flow, and she grabbed her stomach and laughed.

“Do you want to kill me?”

She pressed her face close to the cracked barrier. Ashiel couldn’t bear it and slammed his fists on it, the incontinence spread, but that was all.

The blood that splattered from his fists spread through the incontinence of the barrier. Loreina’s shape was strangely distorted.

It was as if that was Loreina’s true face.

Ashiel took a breath. Now was not the time for him to be outraged.

Originally, this castle belonged to Ashiel, so if he wanted to, he could open the gates of the barrier.

But it was deeply tainted with fraud and the controls were not listening.

At least, since it was Ashiel, he could break the barrier.

‘I can break it.’

He clenched his jaw.

Again, Ashiel struck the barrier with Thanatos.

Bam!

Kriiiiik-chak, chak!

With just a couple more hits, the cracks spread deep enough to completely break it.

At that time, amazingly, a deep smile spread across Loreina’s lips.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t do anything about me. I’ve learned something from Sienna, that bitch…?”

“…You!!”

Ashiel roared. But as he struck the barrier once more, Loreina emptied the bottle in her hand.

“Ah, this is so exciting…”

Kurgh, Loreina vomited blood and muttered unknown words.

“Sienna, I should have killed you with my own hands then, so you could be mine…”

It shouldn’t be like this.

That woman must not die like this.

“Tell me who’s behind you.”

Ashiel’s eyes were all red with blood dripping from the whites of his eyes.

“Tell me who’s behind you!”

Loreina didn’t pay attention to the cries that squeezed his lungs. She was preparing to say her final venomous words.

This stupid man.

“…Do you know what law is in this castle?”

“….…”

“You’re indifferent to the person you like, and the deeper you like, the more you twist it with your emotions…”

Rejoicing, Loreina laughed.

“The moment I die… the magic will be completely broken…”

“……”

“If you really loved her deeply…”

“…You’d rather want me alive.”

With those last words, Loreina closed her eyes.

She had a quiet and clean ending that did not suit a wicked woman.

“Ugh…”

At the same time, something poured like a tidal wave into Ashiel’s memory.

It was a decade of love… 

It was despair for the rest of his life.

* * *

How should he express that?

Flowers were blooming in his memory.

Just by liking someone, ordinary and unimpressive moments turned into lovely ones.

And at the same time, a blizzard came, freezing and crushing all the flowers that were about to bloom.

Because the protagonist of that lovely moment was already dead.

And even in his memory, he never… 

He didn’t make her laugh, or at least made her feel comfortable, or treat her like a normal person.

How and in what way did she take her life?

Ashiel despaired as if vomiting his blood.

Every moment he pierced his heart as if he was walking a path paved with shards of memory.

But Ashiel was not in complete desolation.

“Brother! What are you going to do?!”

Michael shouted at him, who had almost locked himself up in the library.

“What the hell are you doing? Do you know what hell the world has become?!”

Ashiel laughed.

He couldn’t remember what Michael said at the time, or what was behind Sienna’s ending, but… 

He could remember his answer.

At that time, Ashiel replied:

“Michael, I will turn back time…”

At any cost.

Turning back time was not an impossible task for one person in this world, Ashiel. 

He never thought he would ever do something like this, but there was a way to try.

He was qualified, and the price was ready.

But he soon ran into a problem.

‘A medium.’

A medium was needed to turn time.

He needed Sienna’s, to be precise, a trace of Sienna’s magical power that would serve as a coordinate in the magic that turned time.

Magic items made or used by Sienna were the best, but if he didn’t have them, he would have to have parts of her body like hair or something she had been using for a long time.

‘No.’

Sienna lived in this castle for nearly ten years. In general, it didn’t make sense to not have any belongings, but the problem was that Loreina had gradually removed Sienna’s belongings.

The remaining half-burned pieces that Ashiel saved were not qualified as a medium.

And the magic items Sienna made… 

…Not one was left.

“Heh heh, heh, haha…”

A burst of laughter burst out of Ashiel’s mouth. It was similar to crying.

What a son of a gun he was.

Not one of the small devotions and efforts that that girl had given him countless times remained.

Did he really have the right to save Sienna?

At that time, when Ashiel was so devastated in a room that had been turned upside down… 

…He could feel a strange sensation behind me.

It was such a bizarre feeling, like a little tickling on the back with a fluffy dandelion puffs

“Grand Prince Ashiel?”

It was Sienna’s voice.

He couldn’t believe it.

“Sienna…?”

Even when looking back at her, he thought he was finally completely mad and hallucinating

But Sienna was really there.

She looked like she was about ten, but it was definitely Sienna.

“Sienna, you’re, Sienna right…?”

Checking desperately, Sienna flinched and staggered back, as if he looked strange.

“Sienna!”

Then she started running away.

Ashiel started following her blindly, without looking sideways or back.

But no matter how fast he ran, he couldn’t keep up with Sienna.

It was as if when he took one step, Sienna took three steps ahead.

Soon Sienna stood somewhere, in front of the door that seemed to leak light.

She opened the door without hesitation.

‘No…!’

And, without a second thought, she disappeared into the light.

After swallowing Sienna, the light also went out without a trace. Ashiel arrived in front of the door that was barely open.

It was a small, shabby room. Each piece of furniture was covered with a cloth, but even that was covered with dust.

Belatedly, he thought about whose room it was, this small, shabby room with neither adequate ventilation nor thermal insulation.

It was Sienna’s room.

Suddenly dizzy, Ashiel fell to his knees. At that moment, an unnatural floor board caught his eyes.

Under the board that was lifted with a small creaking sound… 

There was the self-defense amulet Sienna made, covered in dust.

What he had once received from Sienna was hidden under the floor of her room… 

He picked up the small object with trembling hands. He knew what was going on behind the scenes.

Perhaps one of the things he received and left unattended because he didn’t know it was precious caught Sienna’s eyes.

Sienna seemed to have picked it up and hid it in her room.

She had at some point started not to present her self-defense amulets, which she had always given him.

She did not simply give up because she was sick of his indifference without an answer.

‘This… She went through all this…’

He put her through this.

No status, nor the achievements that Ashiel Nacht gained throughout his life was of any use.

Ashiel fell on the dusty, shabby floor of the room, and begun to weep.

But he couldn’t keep crying like that forever.

It was time to turn it all around.

Some might struggle to find a grand cause for Ashiel’s actions to save the world.

Wrong. Ashiel just wanted to give everything back to one person.

The girl he loved without knowing that he loved her.

A chance to regain everything that was taken from the child who lost everything because of his foolishness.

Her chance to utterly turn away from the people of this underworld who had ignored her.

Life, time, everything.

Damn it, he just wanted that girl to come back to life.

Ashiel stood in front of a very old wooden door.

In front of the door engraved with ancient words and geometric knots, he opened his mouth.

“As a qualified owner of the Named, Ashiel Nacht…”

The wind rose.

“…the keeper of time, ask the Millennium Box for a contract.”

Bang!

The door opened.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew from the open door. Inside the door was a distant and deep abyss.

Ashiel took the golden ring from his thumb and threw it into the open door.

It was a signet ring that was inherited by the successors of the Underworld.

“With this, the contract is sealed.”

[I admit, you are qualified…]

In the invisible darkness, a distant voice shaking the air asked.

[…What is the price?]

Ashiel answered without hesitation.

“I offer my heart.”

* * *

After the first day of memory recovery, Ashiel regained more memories sporadically.

The memories he regained were mainly about the contract that day, the contract that threw everything out from Ashiel.

Through personal research, Ashiel discovered that the contract had created an irreversible link between him and Sienna.

Sienna, who regained her time with Ashiel’s heart, became unable to properly maintain her time-axis without him.

For Sienna to exist fully and completely in this world, she needed constant contact with Ashiel.

Ashiel was not… frankly, saddened by the fact.

No, at this rate, he couldn’t say he was honest.

To his horror, the depths of his heart were delighted that Sienna could not survive without him.

‘How could I…’

The feeling was genuine enough to cause nausea, Ashiel thought.

But there was no other way.

When the time-axis completely collapses, Sienna would disappear from this world without leaving a trace.

That moment came a little earlier than Ashiel had expected.

After kissing her for the first time like that, Ashiel thought as he looked into Sienna’s bewildered eyes:

Sienna didn’t want anything from him. She doesn’t even want an apology, so would she want this for life?

Would she accept that she has to live her life this way?

The result; Sienna did not accept it.

She rejected Ashiel and ran away.

It was clear to him.

Sienna didn’t even want life from him.

It was a fact he had to accept.

But it wasn’t easy. So, even now, Ashiel could not enter the banquet hall where Sienna would be, and was hovering outside.

He knew himself well. If Sienna chooses to die to not get involved with him… 

…Could he accept it?

Unable to answer, Ashiel could not face Sienna.

“…Oh my goodness?”

It was Loreina who discovered such an Ashiel.

* * *

As Sienna predicted, Loreina was doing her best to be the perfect star of the day.

But even though she was perfectly dressed, her anxiety was not soothed.

The moment the carriage shook and the maid’s body tilted slightly towards Loreina… 

“Can’t you be careful?! My dress is wrinkled!”

She groaned and burst out in anger as if she had waited.

“I-I’m sorry, miss!”

Even as she stared at her maid, who was sweating in nervousness, Loreina knew.

She wasn’t mad at this maid.

‘It’s been seven years. I’ve endured seven years.’

She endured being forgotten in the minds of people in order to re-emerge in a flashy way.

Loreina, she believed, would be able to monopolize the accolades of the empire if she only showed up again, she had no doubts.

It was a colorful and beautiful dream.

That was now shattered to pieces.

All those years, she sacrificed everything and did not hesitate to do anything terrible, but again, at the decisive moment, Sienna interrupted her.

Loreina gritted her teeth.

The humiliation of having to stand in front of people stained with the blood and flesh of a dirty thing.

Even after that, the only fame Loreina gained over Sienna was that ‘a new owner of the Named appeared’.

She felt like not showing up to the banquet today, but it was a shortcut to ruining her reputation.

That was when Loreina got off the carriage.

In the garden, a little far from the entrance, the back of a man who was silently standing caught her eye.

The man she once wanted to get her hands on, but she couldn’t.

…It was Ashiel Nacht.

‘Why is that man here?’

‘Isn’t that the man who disturbed me with Sienna during the Elbarra Gorge annihilation battle?’

Of course, as Nacht’s eldest son, he should be escorting Sienna, who was no less than his future spouse.

‘Why is he standing there alone like that…?’

‘Did the two of them have a fight?’

…In a flash, a vicious plan flashed through Loreina’s mind.

“Oh, my lady!”

“No!”

All of Euros’ people that surrounded Loreina were her servants and watchers.

Over the years, Loreina obeyed and acted on the orders of Duke Euros.

But what was the result?

‘Failure.’

What about magical beasts and judicial law?

Loreina was no longer afraid of such things. Over the years, she had become accustomed to the Duke of Euros.

As she thought so, she activated her magic spell, a mixture of judicial law and magic, which was her main skill.

It would be good if it works, let’s try it…

‘Oh?’

Unexpectedly, Ashiel’s mental defense was almost completely down.

A grin slowly spread across Loreina’s lips.

‘How could such a golden opportunity…?’

If she grabbed this man’s arm and entered the banquet hall together, how would people react?

Sienna, what kind of eyes and expression would that girl look at the scene with?

Just thinking about it made her heart flutter. She was both suffocated and ecstatic the whole, as if breathing my heart out for the first time.

“Come on, Grand Prince… look here.”

At that call, Ashiel slowly turned his head.

‘It’s okay.’

Loreina did her best to seduce Ashiel with a soft voice.

“Look at me…”

The moment when Loreina thought the seduction magic was working and was about to call for joy…

“……?!”

Ashiel’s hand approached the nape of her neck like lightning.

A cold sweat broke out as his hands neared her neck… Thanatos was summoned, about a span in size.

‘Like this…?!’

The enemy was a bow and arrow, but Loreina knew.

The energy contained there was destructive enough to blow up even a castle if administered wrongly.

“…Did you think I’d be fooled again?”

In the face of a life crisis, chills went down Loreina’s back.

‘Damn, how…’

How did he beat her magic? In a state where his defense was as low as this?

“Calm down, Grand Prince. If you kill me now, you will be in a lot of trouble…”

Ashiel snorted, but it was true.

After regaining his memory, what could be the reason he didn’t kill Loreina right away?

Of course, it wasn’t for fear that his own position would become difficult.

Loreina was just the tail.

Even if he killed her, it would be nothing more than venting his anger.

‘Ugh…’

Ashiel bit his lips. He actually hadn’t completely broken Loreina’s magic, thus he couldn’t properly carry on his thoughts.

‘It’s a chance!’

Loreina did not miss that moment.

‘I can’t die like this!’

She displayed cunning wit for a moment.

“…Sienna?”

It worked. Ashiel’s eyes darkened.

“What am I doing…”

Ashiel hurriedly removed his hand from Loreina’s body. Still, he looked very confused.

“…Yes, that’s right, Grand Prince. It’s me.”

While answering that, Loreina clenched her teeth.

She did it, but she didn’t feel well. On the contrary, her pride was horribly crushed.

It didn’t work when she casted a spell with all her might, but as soon as she put on the hateful Sienna’s shell, he was dazzled?

It was absurd.

‘What the hell is she…’

Damn Sienna, how was she so loved?

‘What is she!’

Loreina resisted the urge to scream. Because this magic probably wouldn’t last long either.

‘Quickly.’

Now, her crushed pride wasn’t the problem.

Before this magic is over, she must cause a big crack between Sienna and Ashiel.

Even if everyone knew that someone loved her so much, Sienna herself must not know that.

‘I can’t let you have what I can’t get!’

* * *

Therefore, Loreina led Ashiel’s arm and entered the banquet hall with great success.

It was a dire situation as she had to put all of her energy into maintaining the spell…

“Oh my gosh. Are you Lady Loreina Minangsi?”

“Why is Lady Minangsi with Grand Prince Nacht……?!”

It was thrilling to have people talking and looking at her while Sienna stared blankly. She thought she could endure holding the magic.

Loreina grabbed the arm of Ashiel, who was standing like a stone statue, and dragged him.

When she saw herself reflected in his blank eyes, she leaned towards his body and whispered:

“Now, Grand Prince. Give me a kiss, for everyone to see.”

The victory banquet isn’t over yet… In case anyone is wondering, that signet ring is most likely the ring that Sienna found in the treasure trove while she was looking for a house for Hesaros.

Ame: Did I ever mention somehow volume 2 isn’t pre-split and so I have to do the splits myself? Kekekeke, I feel so evil ending this at that line, and I am loving it!!!! Okay, jokes aside, I pretty much went from “I hate Ashiel” to “Hmm… *squints* I guess you could be given a chance…”

Next chapter, some overdue heart to heart talk between Sienna and Ashiel! And, someone’s life is going to be targeted… (you’re welcome to guess who’s life is it, but no prizes x)

ZZZZ: -speechless-

Tassie: I’m the kind of person that even if the ML is an asshole, if he’s a redeemable asshole I’ll like him lol. That offer my heart line thoooo ;-;;;; BUT I SWEAR TO GOD THERE BETTER BE A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THIS YOU LIL SHIT!!!

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