The long, exhausting day finally drew to a close. The sun sank toward the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the kingdom.

  Thanks to Alaric knocking nearly all the barbaric men unconscious, the soldiers were able to capture them without suffering a single casualty.

  Yet the aftermath was bittersweet.

  Nearly all the residents of the lowest district had been involved in the scandal, leaving only a few innocent families untouched.

  At the heart of it all, the mastermind was Ella and Emma’s mother, now bound in chains and awaiting interrogation in the royal prison.

  The group walked across the bridge leading to the palace.

  Alaric carried Emma on his back; though his healing magic had sealed her wounds, the fatigue and deep emotional scars left by her mother’s betrayal still clung to her deeply.

  Ella stared at her twin with worried eyes, unable to mask the ache in her heart.

  Noticing this, Alaric let out a quiet sigh.

  “I’ll cover your work in the palace, Ella,” he said, breaking the silence.

  “You should stay with her until she fully recovers.”

  Diana walking ahead of them, glanced over her shoulder, slightly startled.

  “Ella’s duties in the palace are hard, though. Can you really handle it?”

  Alaric turned to Ella. “What chores do you usually take care of?”

  “I work in the laundry with Tetra,” Ella replied softly, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite her weariness. “Can you even do laundry, Alaric?” she added with a teasing tone.

  “I-I’ll try my best!” he stammered, adjusting Emma on his back. “Besides, I’ve gotten used to palace work ever since Her Majesty asked us to help out.”

  Diana raised a brow. “I only asked you all to work for a day, didn’t I?”

  He nodded sheepishly. “Yeah… but you told us we’re like family here. That’s why most of us kept helping just to keep the palace running smoothly.” He laughed softly, though the awkwardness in his voice betrayed a hint of embarrassment.

  Diana smiled to herself. Now that I think about it, I did see Spence-san carrying a whole stack of laundry boxes the other day… The thought made her chuckle softly.

  “You’re not thinking about dating one of the maids just because they’re cute, are you?” she teased, tilting her head with a sly grin.

  Both Ella and Alaric froze, eyes widening in perfect unison.

  “That… never really… crossed our minds, Your Majesty,” they said together, their voices awkwardly overlapping.

  As they neared the other side of the bridge, a familiar figure came into view, leaning casually against a lamp post, arms crossed, his posture calm yet watchful.

  When he noticed them approaching, a faint chuckle escaped his lips.

  “Good work today, everyone,” he said, his tone laced with quiet amusement.

  They slowed to a stop, their eyes narrowing ever so slightly, brows knitting at his sudden appearance.

  “Leo,” Diana said, her voice steady but questioning.

  His gaze swept over the group, lingering long enough to confirm none bore serious injuries. Only then did he exhale, the faintest trace of relief softening his features.

  Turning sharply, he spoke with crisp authority.

  “Alaric, head to the infirmary immediately. Once you’re done, come to my office.”

  His attention shifted to Diana, and his tone deepened, no longer playful but serious, carrying a weight she could feel.

  “Your Majesty, I have something important to discuss with you. Please come with me to my office.”

  Diana sensed the gravity behind his words and nodded silently, stepping forward to join him.

  Ella glanced at Alaric. “I’ll go with you.”

  But Leo’s gaze turned to her. “No. You’ll come with us. You witnessed something… extraordinary today. It’s best that you know the truth as well.”

  Confusion flickered across her face, but she nodded.

  Once they stepped inside the palace, Diana’s eyes widened in surprise.

  Everyone was waiting for her, their faces marked with worry and concern. Rose, whose complexion had been pale from anxiety, suddenly lit up the moment she saw Diana.

  Just as they were about to rush toward her, Leo raised his hand, stopping them gently but firmly.

  “I’m sorry to hold you back,” Leo said, his tone calm but serious.

  “I know how much you’re worried about Her Majesty, but there are matters I must report to her immediately.” His gaze swept from left to right, steady and resolute, before he allowed a faint smile to surface.

  Everyone exchanged glances, then nodded as one, trusting his judgment.

  “Whatever it is, please protect Her Majesty!” Sasha stepped forward, her expression unwavering, her voice carrying conviction.

  “We know what’s happening in the kingdom, Leo-san,” Rose added, her tone earnest yet soft.

  “So please… protect her at all costs.”

  Diana’s heart sank and swelled all at once, overcome by the warmth of their genuine care.

  Towa… I’m happy. Everyone truly cares for us now, she thought, a fragile smile forming on her lips.

  Leo chuckled softly, nodding. “I swear on my life, I will protect her at all costs.” He placed his hand firmly over his chest, a gesture of absolute promise.

  Rose drew in a deep breath, her eyes shimmering as they met Diana’s. The glow in them was so bright that Leo found himself briefly mesmerized.

  “We’ll focus on the task you entrusted to us, Leo-san,” she said, stepping to the front of the group and clapping her hands with quiet authority.

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  “Let’s do this, everyone!”

  Their faces lit up with determination as they nodded in unison.

  “I leave that to you, Rose,” Leo said with a small smile, before turning to Diana and Ella, who were still caught in their thoughts.

  “Now… let’s go.”

  As they walked through the palace corridors, Diana’s gaze lingered on his back. Broad and steady, it carried a presence that made her feel, if only for a moment, completely safe.

  Her eyes widening ever so slightly when she noticed those golden embers flickering into existence around him.

  Whenever I'm with him, these embers spark brightly yet vanish like ashes.

  “What did you ask them to do?” The words slipped from her lips before she even realized she’d spoken.

  “Remember the letter you gave me?” He stopped beside a door, his hand resting on the brass knob.

  “The marquis responded and he'll be arriving tomorrow.”

  “That fast?!” Diana blurted, unable to hide her surprise.

  He nodded. “That’s why I ask Rose to prepare the things that are needed for tomorrow.”

  He opened the door and stepped inside, and they followed only to freeze at the sight before them.

  A woman with black short hair sat on the sofa, a book balanced neatly in her hand, her legs crossed with casual elegance.

  Her serious expression softened the moment she noticed their stunned faces.

  With a warm smile, she lifted her hand in greeting.

  “Welcome back, Your Majesty. Ella. I’m glad you’re both safe.”

  “T-T-Tetra?!” Their voices overlapped as they rushed to her side, wrapping her in an embrace.

  “We were so worried!” Ella added breathlessly.

  Tetra laughed softly, almost embarrassed.

  “Sorry I didn’t come to you soon after the fight ended. There was something I needed to discuss with Leo-san, so I returned ahead of you.”

  Diana shook her head and stepped back, relief softening her features.

  “It’s alright. You’re safe and that’s all that matters.”

  Leo, who had been watching in silence, perched casually on the edge of his desk. Yet the way his eyes sharpened carried no hint of ease.

  “May I have your attention now?” His tone cut through the air, calm but edged with gravity.

  The room seemed to still, tension settling like a weight.

  Diana nodded slowly. “I… also have something I’d like you all to know.”

  Leo looked at Tetra, giving her a slight nod before turning to Diana. His tone was calm, but his words carried weight.

  “I’ve been investigating the Cathedral’s secrets for months yet I found nothing of value. But during Tetra’s battle against one of their bishops, he… revealed something.”

  He locked eyes with Diana, his gaze sharp and unwavering.

  “They came to destroy the Kingdom.”

  He pressed his lips together, tension clear in his expression.

  “But their reason for doing so remains unknown to me.”

  Diana took a step forward, her movements deliberate, her voice resolute.

  “I think I know their reason.”

  The room fell silent.

  Every pair of eyes turned to her, curiosity and unease hanging heavy in the air.

  She exhaled slowly before continuing.

  “Before we discovered that strange, enormous place… a mysterious creature was guiding us along the way.”

  “That skeleton!” Ella blurted, then quickly covered her mouth.

  Tetra nodded thoughtfully. “I wondered where it went once the battle began.”

  Diana’s gaze grew more intense.

  “That creature shared critical information with us, not just about the Kingdom’s founding, but about my father’s legacy too.” Her eyes shimmered a little.

  Her hands trembled slightly as she lifted one, staring at her own palm before returning her focus to Leo.

  “At first, I doubted him. But when I touched the book… Strangely, all the memories of this world, its entire existence flooded into my mind.”

  Tetra and Leo exchanged a glance, eyes wide, both startled yet unable to deny the conviction in her tone.

  “That’s why I believe him,” Diana said firmly. She drew a deep breath, steeling herself.

  “And now, I’ll tell you everything I know, from the very beginning to this moment. So please… listen carefully.”

  After a couple of minutes, she explained everything she had learned earlier—

  the grim truth about Towa’s father, who struck a deal with the Demon God to extend his life for hundreds of years. But the debt he owed was never repaid.

  Instead, he passed the burden to his daughter and ended his own life, leaving her to face the judgment of the divine pillars descending upon to destroy the Kingdom.

  Leo’s eyes widened in disbelief. Yet when his gaze locked onto Diana’s, he knew she wasn’t lying. He exhaled heavily, covering his face with one hand.

  “I see,” he murmured, his low voice carrying across the room.

  The air around him thickened. Diana saw faint golden embers flicker across his body before vanishing into the stillness.

  “I’ve been thinking a lot these past few months,” he continued, his voice low but edged with tension.

  “Ever since the Cathedral’s rise to power, problems have been creeping up… one after another. It feels wrong. And why—” his gaze darkened, “—why is Towa the one who has to pay for her father’s greed?”

  His hand tightened on the table, the wood splintering with a sharp crack under his grip.

  “That’s not just unfair, it’s infuriating!”

  His golden eyes burned brighter, narrowing fiercely, and all traces of gentleness vanished replaced by raw anger.

  Diana stepped closer, her movements slow but steady, and placed her hand gently against his cheek. She lifted his face until his gaze met hers.

  “Calm down, Leo,” she whispered, her voice warm and soft, like sunlight breaking through a storm.

  Leo locked eyes with her, yet the fury burning inside him seemed to subside away with every passing second.

  “We already know who’s pulling the strings. But if you lose your composure and strike out of frustration, everything we’ve worked for, all the information we’ve gathered will mean nothing. So… please, calm yourself.”

  Her eyes shimmered again, brighter than before like a star swelling to life, casting sparks in their depths.

  Leo was totally captivated by their beauty. His frustration melted away, replaced by something softer and warmer. Without realizing it, he nodded.

  “Leo…” she whispered, her voice almost trembling.

  “Hmm?” he hummed, leaning slightly closer as her hand rose to gently touch his cheek.

  “If I’m being completely honest… we’re no longer just dealing with rebels. We’re facing the army of a demon god, a being capable of obliterating the world itself. And the only one I can truly rely on to stand against them… is you, Leo.”

  Her voice quivered; her lips trembled as she shook her head, desperation clinging in her heart.

  “This has gone far beyond my control… Towa’s sacrifice cannot be in vain—

  I refuse to let it be! That’s why… I have to say this. Our lives lie in your hands.” She pressed her lips tightly.

  “The people’s lives lie in your hands. P-Please… save us!”

  A single tear slid down her cheek out of frustration of not being able to do something.

  Leo’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected this, such heavy, heartfelt words. Yet… hearing them stirred something inside him, something that made him feel strangely happy.

  With a gentle motion, he brushed the tear away and smiled softly.

  “Even if the whole world turns against you, Diana… I will be your blade, the one that cuts down everything in your path.”

  Slowly, he lifted her face toward his and Diana barely had time to process what was happening before he leaned in, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to her cheek.

  Bang!

  The door slammed open, the sharp echo rattling through the room.

  “I apologize for the intrusion, but Rose said Her Majesty is here!” Beatrice’s voice cracked with desperation as she scanned the room. Her gaze landed on Diana who was hastily pushing Leo away, her cheeks burning crimson.

  “B-Beatrice? What’s the matter?” Diana stammered, her tone laced with embarrassment.

  “W-We have a serious problem, Your Majesty!” Beatrice gasped, nearly out of breath. “The four enormous plantations we built across the land… were attacked this morning!”

  Diana’s eyes widened, the color draining from her face. Her mouth hung open in shock.

  “The workers we sent there and the soldiers guarding them have just returned. Most of them are in critical condition!” Beatrice continued, pausing to catch her breath. “They’re in the palace infirmary right now. Please, Your Majesty… you must come quickly!”