CH 107-114

Chapter 9: Goddess of Spring

( Note: This chapter comprises of episodes 107-114)

The earth’s axis shook.

The sharp sounds of knives and weapons, the incomprehensible shouts of thousands of people, and the flurry of demonic beasts were mixed together.

The war situation could not be said to be good even with empty words.

“Do not be distracted!”

Type 1 reinforcement wizards roamed the battlefield on horseback, each wielding their weapons.

“Yeah!”

The Uncommons screamed every time the trained enlisted men swung their arms.

In most cases, with one or two touches, at least one demonic beast would surely meet its end.

But…

“There are too many.”

“Well.”

The battalion commander raised his hand. Permission to fire was given.

Type 1 reinforcement type wizards, who had fallen behind, stacked spells all at once.

After a while, a magic circle appeared on the ground, and flames fell like cannons on it.

Once again, the demonic beasts screamed and perished in large numbers.

Thanks to this, the soldiers on the front line were able to breathe for a while.

But only for a while.

“Shit…”

As many as they had killed before, no, more than that, the demonic beasts were coming again in droves.

“Kihee-ek!”

“Oh, don’t come!”

Even though it was the lowest level of beasts, the sight of a group of beasts running wild with the desire to taste human flesh came crashing down like a wave… .

Being human, everyone had no choice but to feel devastated.

“Die! Die!”

“Ugh!”

Panic began to spread among the soldiers.

The battalion commander also noticed this.

‘Is it a panic wave…?!’

There was a principle in the battle against the beasts.

It was necessary to preemptively investigate the scale and to wipe them out at once with overwhelming firepower.

Otherwise, humans could not stand it.

Prolonged battle meant that one had to face the fraud of the demonic beasts for a long time.

The human mind, when overwhelmed by fraud beyond what it could handle, would fall into a state of panic at some point and collapse.

Mass panic that occurred during battle. Panic waves.

If the critical point was crossed in the state of the panic wave, it would soon be impossible to identify a peer.

Loss of intelligence would lead to loss of self.

There was only one ending that awaits for such one.

‘Turning into a magical beast.’

Regardless of the importance of winning the battle, the subjugation planned today was never on a scale that would escalate to this extent.

This area also served as a military base as the academy city where Shioban Military Academy was located was nearby.

Therefore, this subjugation battle was an annual event.

In the original case, the cadets would have gone out for practice, but the command team, who received the scout report, believed that the scale of the subjugation was slightly beyond the scope of the students at the time.

According to the commander’s judgment, the mission had been transferred to the battalion temporarily stationed nearby.

“Support?”

“It will be here soon!”

To make matters worse, it started to rain.

The physiology of the beasts was different from that of humans. They were also affected by the weather – they would lose strength during the day or when the sun was shining, but on the contrary, they would become stronger at night or when the weather was bad.

“Can’t wait for support. Retreat!”

“All troops! Retreat!”

“Don’t break the line and go southeast!”

The flag, which signaled retreat, rose, but it was unclear how many people would be able to see the flag in the melee when the panic wave started.

Especially in a situation where beasts were attacking from all sides.

Reluctantly, the battalion commander rode his horse to the southeast in person.

It was a movement done to drill a direct escape route.

“Keeek!”

As he swung his mace, the heads of the three beasts exploded at once.

It wasn’t a futile act to show off. This was because the magical beasts would only lose its combat function only when it loses its head, or when its lower extremities were amputated, or when its spine was crushed.

In that way, the battalion commander and other command units smashed between the beasts and secured an escape route. The front also maintained its formation and began to retreat in the direction the commander was leading.

But…

“Commander, it’s raining…!

The rain that suddenly fell was not ordinary rain, but muddy rain.

“This…!”

Mud was also splashing onto the floor. The speed of the horses began to slow considerably.

“It’s an Uncommon variant! It’s turning the whole area into a swamp…! Perhaps this is the nest of a great beast!”

“Ah, damn it…!”

“Sa, save me!”

The only way out was blocked.

That fact began to spur the panic wave that started.

“Move!”

“Die, die, die!”

“Everyone, calm down!”

People screamed and tried to turn their horse’s head at the same time, but…

“Grrrr…”

The beasts that rose from the sticky mud began to grab their ankles. They became tangled up with each other and started to use mischief.

Malice and fear.

Hate and anger…

All of them were emotions that were as good as sacraments for the beasts.

The beasts started to rampage even more.

People wielded weapons in their hands and tried to open the way, but it was in vain.

Kill one, and two would fill the spot.

If you kill two, four would fill the spots.

In the midst of the pouring muddy rain, the panicked people began to slowly lose the ability to identify things.

Right then.

“Haah, hah…”

Among the human lines, someone’s body began to twist.

“That– ahhhh…!”

“Damn it, it’s a beast!”

“Everyone, avoid it!”

“Just kill me!”

It was hell.

It seemed that no one or force would be able to stop the looming disaster ahead.

Right then.

It began with a small spark.

The moment when a small spark that no one noticed lit up in the rain…

“Kiek?!”

The magical beasts that had been aggressively attacking until now stopped their actions all at once.

A roar spread among the beasts. People also paused for a moment at the sudden change.

‘What…?’

At that moment.

In the midst of a melee where time seemed to have stopped, the embers immediately increased in size.

“Kieeeeeeek!”

The demonic beasts began to retreat with a scream that was never heard before.

The fire that had swelled up to the size of a human soon calmed down like a lie.

A person wearing a black cloak stood in the place where the fire had died down.

“Y-You…”

“I’m a little late.”

The person who answered silently took off the hood. Her voluminous brown hair flowed down to the waist.

A calm expression with gleaming green eyes that did not suit this muddy battlefield at all.

“…I’m the support.”

At the same time, the flames spread in all directions.

Huge magical power spread like an explosion.

The flames drew a trajectory on the ground, forming a geometric pattern.

Over the green eyes of the one and only reinforcements, a golden pattern was forming like it was spreading on the ground.

It was as if her eyes had been dyed with gold like a furnace.

“C-Commander…!”

As if possessed by those eyes, the battalion commander only came to his senses at the lieutenant’s call.

I looked around and saw fireworks scattered all over the place.

Thousands of thousands of tiny fireworks rose through the muddy rain, ate the raindrops and turned them into mist.

It was like the fluttering petals of a lovely spring day.

But it wasn’t just meaninglessly beautiful.

As the mist grew, the rain cleared up and then stopped.

“Oh my gosh…!”

The swamp beasts began to run away desperately at a slow speed, but their moist skin was already crumbling.

‘Terraformer…!’

It was the Terraformer.

There was only one person in the whole empire who could appear in this way, and who could do such a thing.

The garden owner of a burning spring, long hair scattering in a storm where ashes and flames mixed like petals.

“Spring…”

“She is the Goddess of Spring!”

The people who had almost lost their egos regained their senses and cheered.

The expression of the woman, Sienna, had a very slight frown that those who were cheering couldn’t even notice it.

[That. It seems there are no rumors that you don’t like that nickname.]

“Don’t make fun of me, Hesaros.”

While grumbling bluntly, Sienna manifested her Named.

An item that did not suit the battlefield was placed in Sienna’s hands.

(T/N: pretty sure it’s the cigarette holder… remember that? Well, if you don’t then it’s what she’s holding in the novel cover above.)

“I am going to declare my territory. Please prepare.”

[It would be better not to do that here.]

It was a land so exhausted with fraud that it became a nest for beasts. Since it was about Sienna, he was standing his ground.

[Besides, you’re now–]

“The panic wave has begun.”

Sienna cut the conversation off softly.

“There is no other way.”

[Yes, I guess so.]

Hesaros sighed.

[It’s like this every time you dry it. The bad habit of always using the fact that you’re a genius as a weapon to do everything shows no sign of improvement.]

However, unlike his words, sparks rose vigorously from the holder.

[Here we go. Be prepared.]

“I am.”

[Indeed?]

Along with the sarcasm of Hesaros, a large amount of magic power escaped like low tide. Sienna, who had firmly prepared, was still hit to the point where her eyes turned black.

‘……’

But she couldn’t express it.

If Sienna stumbled even a little here, the army that only looked at her would be defeated.

Keungg!

With the sound of resonating air, a huge amount of magic power began to move the stagnant magic in this area.

Dark clouds covering the sky began to spin in a circle.

‘It’s a reckless attempt!’

It was as absurd as trying to move a huge lake with the wind.

The fraud was burned for most part, but this area was a nest of demons; which was why the stagnant magic in this area itself was tainted with fraud and became turbid.

But…

“Oh my God…”

“Oh my God… this is…”

An absurd thing happened.

The magic that had been stagnant for a long time rumbled and started to shift.

[Now!]

Sienna opened her eyes. Golden eyes shining.

And slowly parted her lips.

“Come, you unclean ones.”

These were some magical words.

Having absolute authority over this land purely by her power.

“…This is my garden.”

At the same time, the massive stream of magic completely regained its velocity.

Kwahh!

The sky, which was like the eye of a typhoon, drew a round trajectory and swept through the dark sky.

The dark clouds that covered the sky scattered, revealing its splendid majesty.

‘The air…!’

It had changed.

It was indescribable, but the stagnant, heavy, and weighty things seemed to have disappeared.

‘It’s as if the gravity acting on the entire area has been cut in half…’

Then, Sienna raised her head.

“Battalion commander.”

“What, yes?”

Under the fluttering cloak, what Sienna was wearing was obviously the uniform of the military academy.

However, the battalion commander was not even sure if he dared speak to this Terraformer.

But Sienna only reported clearly.

“I have completed the declaration. For the time being, this is my realm. The range is about 11 territories around me.”

Considering the fact that an ordinary Terraformer declared an realm of about 3 territories, Sienna was playing the role of three people by herself.

He couldn’t even begin to imagine how great it was.

“And I will deliver the division commander’s instructions.”

“The division commander’s?”

Sienna nodded her head.

“There will be no retreat. Continue the subjugation.”

Sienna stomped on the head of the surviving swamp beast trying to escape, it struggled under her flaming feet.

It couldn’t escape, and so it ceased to exist.

But rather than doing anything big, Sienna was just indifferent, as if she had crushed and killed a mosquito.

“Exactly, this is what he ordered.”

It was by no means a loud shout, but to those in Sienna’s realm, she could be heard clearly as if she was speaking right next to them.

“Annihilate the nest.”

“!”

The battalion commander looked around.

The beasts who seemed to be frightened at Sienna’s appearance did not completely run away.

They just got out of Sienna’s realm and were peeking over from there.

‘But…’

…The situation had changed.

Now he could never say that he was at a disadvantage.

With the appearance of one person, everything changed.

The battalion commander took a deep breath.

And shouted,

“Fix the battle lines!”

Their retreat was over.

It was a time of annihilation.

* * *

Murmurings were heard.

The sounds were so choppy that it was hard to tell how many people were talking.

Sienna’s eyelids twitched.

She could sense that people’s attention was drawn to her from just that small movement.

“What time…”

“It’s three o’clock in the afternoon. Are you okay, Master?”

As soon as she heard it was three in the afternoon, Sienna immediately got up like a machine.

“The report…”

“The 23rd captain is with the division commander. Master, please rest more.”

“No.”

Even though she was frowning a lot at the onslaught of headache, Sienna did not break her stubbornness.

There was a clicking sound of a tongue from one side.

“Lieutenant Gildinak, at this point, it’s time for you to realize her stubbornness.”

(T/N: Isabelle Gildinak – the one who was under fraud and challenged the then-asleep Hesaros in Chapter 3. Remember how her mother, Countess Gildinak, said they were going to serve Sienna to repay her for saving and sparing their lives? This is why Isabelle uses ‘주군’ to address Sienna, an old title used by people who served a king.)

It was Michael.

“Hey, drink this first.”

A small, unknown bottle was pushed into Sienna’s hand, but she drank it without questioning it.

Indeed, her mind cleared.

“Good job, it’s good.”

Michael’s medicine was useful, as always.

“If you have the energy to see and take care of things as soon as you open your eyes, why not check if all your limbs are attached to your body first, huh?”

…Although there was a fatal flaw in that she had to listen to his nagging for about 30 minutes to get a bottle of medicine.

The expression of the gorgeous woman with red hair, who was looking at Sienna anxiously next to him, became cold.

“Lieutenant Michael. Don’t blame my master.”

“Ha!”

Michael, now a young man, made a loud sneer.

He grew up to be tall, and he was acting like a mannequin in a show window in a dressing room, wearing a loose robe over his skinny body.

When she looked under his eyes, which were half covered by glasses, his complexion was pale, as if he had stayed up all night for about thirty hours.

Although he stayed up all night in the lab and had strange followers who became more enthusiastic as his face became more nervous, the problem was that Sienna and Isabelle were far from being one of his followers.

(T/N: Michael’s worried about Sienna.)

‘I’m in trouble.’

Michael stayed up all night and was full of irritation, yet Sienna was like that, so he snapped and was even more heated up.

“Lieutenant Gildinak, Lieutenant Colonel is broad-minded, so while he may be able to accept that he cuts my weight and raises my major, but not me?”

Isabelle Gildinak’s cool blue eyes and Michael Nacht’s red eyes stared at each other.

There was a spark among the beauties, but it wasn’t romantic at all.

Rather, they lived as if they were going to kill each other.

‘It’s not surprising.’

Sienna sighed. Even after reuniting at the military academy entrance ceremony, these two had never been on good terms with each other.

If it wasn’t for Sienna being their common interest, the two would probably have lived with each other as if they were cows and chickens – which was, having no relationship at all.

“Michael Nacht, why don’t you thank my master for her generosity in tolerating a weary human like you?”

“Aha… You came out like that.”

A tense smile spread across Michael’s lips, who had been stabbed.

“That’s right. It’s because she has a weak heart. If she was like me, she would have strangled someone like you without even looking at your face.”

“Michael.”

“But, then what? I took advantage of her weak heart, do you have anything to add? Isabelle Gildinak, who once challenged Hesaros?”

“This bastard is real–”

“Both of you, stop!”

Sienna shook her head, which was about to begin throbbing again.

As planned, she became a cadet at the age of 14.

The problem was that this was all of Sienna’s life that went as planned.

Beyond that, Michael became Sienna’s classmate through early admission. And Isabelle, who had already been commissioned as a lieutenant and was a famous student in the school, followed Sienna, a freshman who had just entered the school, calling her ‘Master’.

It was far from the ordinary and simple school life that Sienna had dreamed of at first.

“Master.”

“Sienna.”

As if they knew what they were doing was wrong, they were a little down and called Sienna. But Sienna was cool-headed.

“I think my school days are all ruined because I got involved with the two of you.”

“That…”

Isabelle Gildinak, who now had a troubled expression on her face, was a gifted student who always took the top spot in the overall ranks of the military academy.

What else? Her family owned the essential jewel mine, so even few professors could not treat her carelessly.

Besides, she was also a very attractive beauty.

Michael, who was cultivating fanatical followers, was also a genius recognized as the youngest potion master ever to enter the military academy early.

It was such an honor that his title of ‘Second Son of Grand Duke Nacht’ was pushed back.

Being among these people, how could her school days be quiet?

Michael looked at Sienna, who shook her head, saying, ‘I didn’t want to live conspicuously.’

“It’s not something Dame Sienna Hesaros, who became a knight to His Majesty at the age of eleven, would say…”

“That was a long time ago.”

“Didn’t you pass two semesters of Sisyphus at once?”

“It wasn’t just me. So did you, you were close to me, and Isabelle was also like that.”

“But I didn’t get all A? We’re not monsters like you, who don’t have a single flaw on your report cards.”

The academic system of Shioban Military Academy was unique.

The admitted students received basic military training as cadets and were commissioned as lieutenants immediately upon completion of two semesters.

In other words, those two semesters were notorious enough to be said to have compressed 4 years and 8 semesters at a general military academy.

That was why it was nicknamed ‘The Two Semesters of Sisyphus’.

Like Sisyphus, who must forever roll a rock to the top of a mountain for deceiving God, it was a terrible kind of joke that one would repeat these two semesters forever.

Of all the cadets who entered each year, the number of students who completed two semesters at once did not exceed ten.

However, as Seth had guaranteed, Sienna quickly broke through the first year of the infamous Shioban. Additionally, with perfect grades without any scratches.

The performance was still being talked about as a legend under the name of ‘The Integrity of Sienna Hesaros’.

However, the main character of the legend was only dull.

“How can you call me a monster?”

Michael pretended to grab the back of his neck.

“Hey, go out and tell all the cadets who have low blood pressure to get together. Sienna Hesaros will fix them in one-shot.”

“That’s not you, Michael Nacht.”

Sienna searched through the drawers for scissors to cut her long hair.

“I don’t know about anyone else, but it’s ridiculous that you treat me like a monster. Oh, thank you.”

Isabelle smiled as she handed the scissors.

“You’re welcome, Master. May I cut it for you?”

“I’d be more thankful if you did.”

These days, Sienna’s hair would grow beyond her control if she used magic.

Although there were no abnormal findings on examination, there was nothing she could do about the inconvenience.

Isabelle began cutting Sienna’s hair to slightly above her waistline.

There was no specific request, but Michael flicked his fingers to cast a spell. Then, Sienna’s cut hair burned away before it piled up on the floor.

At the end of the spell, Michael laid out the excuses he said every time.

“I slipped in military geography and hand-to-hand combat practice. Unlike you.”

“In the military geography class, you didn’t attend class for two semesters because the professor gave a group assignment, and why did you forget and stayed about three nights in the lab before the hand-to-hand combat test?”

There was also a degree of deception, but Michael admitted defeated, saying,

“Do you remember all those little things?”

Thirteen-year-old Michael and fourteen-year-old Sienna passed two semesters of Sisyphus side by side and became lieutenants.

After that, while completing three more years of service, they went through all sorts of unusual things.

During the exam period, they stayed up all night together, swearing at the professors, and bumped into a senior with a bad personality who was ridiculously jealous…

Before they knew it, the past was weathered under the weight of time and reality.

Now that they were seventeen and eighteen respectively, their relationship had become more worthy of the title of ‘classmates’ rather than ‘bad ties of the past’.

Sienna nailed it exactly.

“Anyway, you keep treating me like a genius, but at least I work hard enough that the results are convincing even in the eyes of others.”

“I agree with that.”

“Oh, yes. You are right. Lieutenant Hesaros’ words are a hundred times correct.”

“I’m tired of arguing like this all the time.”

Michael’s eyes lit up.

“…Then, shall we make a bet?”

“What?”

Sienna groaned as if it was terrible.

“No. What else are you going to do?”

“What else? When did I do something?”

With a smile, Michael gently soothed Sienna, who was on alert.

“I was just thinking of asking others, since we couldn’t reach a conclusion even if we kept arguing amongst ourselves. Sienna Hesaros or Michael Nacht, who’s more human-like? Don’t you think it would be fun to vote on a poster board?”

“No. Not at all. Why would you do such an embarrassing thing?”

Through years of experience, Michael already knew that Sienna would be reluctant.

He smiled and pulled out a prepared negotiation proposal, a card that Sienna could not refuse.

“If you win, I will give the oath and speech in place of you at the entrance ceremony this year.”

“Master.”

Isabelle tried to stop her, but it was too late.

“When are we going to do it? Can I go out and paste it right now?”

‘Caught her.’ Michael pretended to be relaxed, holding back his desire to whistle, and replied, “Let’s go out when you’re done cutting your hair.”

And the result of the bet was…

“…Next, there will be a welcome speech from the student representative, Lieutenant Sienna Hesaros.”

Michael tapped Sienna, who was lost in the crowd, on the shoulder.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going?”

It was then that Sienna realized her mistake.

“I should have asked who is more annoying, not who is more human.”

“Oh yes. That has a little possibility, but it’s already too late, hah.”

Looking back at the smiling young man’s face, Sienna sharpened her teeth.

“Michael Nacht, one day I’ll really destroy you.”

Michael just smiled and nodded.

“Oh yes. But first, go give your speech, then come down and kill me.”

“What are you doing? The freshmen are waiting.”

With the feeling of being taken to the slaughterhouse, Sienna got up from her seat.

Whatever it was, the appearance of Sienna wearing the black uniform of the military academy and going up to the podium was pretty cool.

Maybe it was because of her anger towards Michael, for she had a colder and sharper expression on her face than usual.

“…As the representative of the current students, I would like to welcome all new students. This is the end.”

Even though the welcome speech, which barely lasted two minutes, was firmly concluded, people applauded with deeply impressed expressions.

Michael put his finger against his lips and made a loud whistling sound.

Sienna, who discovered him, was seen moving her mouth.

‘Die.’

It was fun.

Just at that moment when Michael smiled.

“Then, next is the oath of the freshman representative. Freshman representative, Lou Melanche. Forward!”

A boy with short brown hair stood up from the crowd.

“Lou Melanche, it’s the first time I heard of that name. He seems like a commoner.”

“To be a representative means that he won the top place in the entrance exam…”

The ranks after admission were mixed up in a mess through the two semesters of Sisyphus. But at least the top place of the entrance examination was usually occupied by nobles who had gone through early education seriously.

“I don’t think it’s a case of having a sponsor when he was young like Dame Hesaros, is it?”

Lou stood on the podium with a clear look of annoyance, perhaps not knowing that his appearance alone would cause a slight uproar.

As the student representative, Sienna handed the oath and asked.

“You didn’t run away?”

“Yes.”

Lou didn’t like to stand out even more than Sienna.

“It’s great.”

“What.”

With an indifferent reply, Lou accepted the oath.

From the expression on his face, Lou came to the podium despite standing out simply because he ‘wanted to receive the oath from Sienna’. If Michael had been called as the student representative, he would have left without looking back.

The moment Lou stood in front of the podium and started taking the oath as the freshman representative.

‘…Uh?’

Sienna suddenly felt a fishy smell rising through her nasal passages and instantly covered her mouth.

‘Ugh…’

At the same time, she felt intense dizziness.

[Hey Sienna!]

Thanks to Hesaros’ urgent call, Sienna was barely able to stagger and stay centered.

“Lieutenant Hesaros?”

“I’m sorry, one moment.”

She quickly apologized, went downstairs and exited the venue through the side door.

Fortunately, there were not many people outside because of the crowds at the entrance ceremony hall.

But nowhere was a safe place. Sienna moved her legs quickly.

‘I have to get to the dormitory at least…’

It’s not too late to fall down then.

She was in a hurry, but there was no other way than to hasten her footwork. Using magic in this situation could have made things worse.

However, there was a limit to the endurance of the human will.

The moment Sienna finally stumbled in the middle of the road and was about to collapse…

“…Hey, Sienna! What’s wrong with you!”

“Master! Calm down, Master!”

As soon as Sienna ran out of the auditorium, Michael and Isabelle followed suit as they sensed something was wrong.

The truth that she had been hiding would be revealed, but it was fortunate. Sienna collapsed helplessly into Michael’s arms.

“Damn! Your face is covered in blood! What the hell is this?!”

“The ward… No.”

“What?”

Not the ward.

At that word, Michael and Isabelle quickly noticed.

First, it was not like it was a day or two that Sienna had been so sick.

Second, the truth that she had hidden until now, and planned to continue doing so in the future.

“…….”

“…….”

Michael and Isabelle quickly exchanged glances. Soon, Isabelle carried Sienna on her back.

Michael gave a fierce warning as he took off his uniform jacket and placed it over Sienna’s head.

“We’ll see when you wake up.”

“Haha…”

That’s scary.

As Sienna muttered so, Sienna finally fainted.

* * *

After a certain amount of time had passed after the entrance ceremony, Sienna barely returned to her senses.

“Master, are you awake?”

“Well…”

Isabelle rushed out a glass of water to Sienna, who got up from her lying position with a frown.

Michael stood, leaning against the wall, silently staring at the scene.

Finally, Sienna drank her glass of water.

“Explain.”

“Well…”

Sienna turned to Isabelle.

The quick-witted Isabelle nodded her head.

“I’ll go out and get some painkillers. Lieutenant Michael, where is it kept in your lab?”

“…The second small case on the left side of the desk in the lab.”

“All right.”

The moment Isabelle left, Michael sighed heavily and touched his forehead.

He signed, casted a soundproofing spell and asked,

“Sending her out, can I understand from that? …Is it related to ‘that’?”

If there was a need to send Isabelle away, who was a little crazy because she was a faithful knight of Sienna, that was the only reason.

Michael snorted.

“Time Regression.”

“That’s right.”

Sienna readily admitted. Michael hurriedly asked again.

“What the hell is going on? Did the two of them finally move? Did you just get attacked?”

“It’s not that…”

Where should she start explaining? Sienna chose her words.

“You know the grand principle of existence.”

“Why is the name ‘Joffrey Heiron’ coming out here?”

Joffrey Heiron, the founder of modern magic, said:

It takes two magics to establish a being.

All beings were magical structures supported by two pillars – time and space.

“…No way.”

Indeed. Not to disappoint his nickname of ‘genius’, Michael seemed to have guessed the situation with just that much clue.

Sienna nodded her head.

“My time axis is collapsing.”

“……”

“To be precise, one of the two pillars that constitutes my existence must have cracked.”

Michael looked at Sienna with a pale face.

Even if there was a crack in one of the pillars of your house, it wouldn’t be easy to say something casually like that.

The collapse of one of the two pillars of existence meant that Sienna’s existence itself could be magically collapsed.

Regardless of whether that was possible, if that happened…

Michael’s brain as a wizard drew conclusions ahead of emotions.

“…You might rather die gracefully.”

Those were terrifying words, but Sienna only nodded her head. Lightly.

“Yes.”

“When did you know?”

“It hasn’t been long.”

“Symptoms?”

“It’s been a while.”

All the answers flowed out so easily.

“You, really…”

He couldn’t believe she had hidden it.

“…In my medical opinion, you should be put in the ward right now.”

Sienna laughed a little.

“Are you laughing? Are you laughing now?”

Michael’s eyes doubled in size.

“Is it time for you to laugh? It’s been a while since you’ve had symptoms! If it was that serious, the dog would have gone to the hospital on its own! What happened to you…… Did you get a brain disease? Huh?!”

“Maybe.”

“Why? Why?”

He was angry.

He hated her face that was just smiling plainly without any anger, awkwardness, or regrets.

“You might not believe it, but this is the first time I’ve vomited blood.”

“That’s right.”

“It seems to be a side effect of the regression, but you, the Grand Duke, or the Grand Prince… Everyone doesn’t remember the circumstances of the regression.”

“But if you had a problem, you should have reported it!”

“Anyway, I was going to tell you soon. It’s a matter of ‘my safety’.”

Michael, angry at those words, sank as if covered in cold water.

Sienna was confining her troubles to her safety.

A problem with her well-being meant that a grave crisis that could bring the world to an end was approaching.

This was the reason for the disclosure of information.

What if the world continued turning without any problems whether or not she lives or dies like a normal person?

Sienna wouldn’t have said anything.

“It’s kind of weird to say that it’s a relief, but Hesaros is monitoring the situation, and it’s progressing slowly enough that I’m a little sorry to have to say it, so don’t worry too much about it.”

Michael couldn’t say anything.

It had been seven years.

Because he was bad enough to endure the shameless disgust of himself, he was the only one of the three Nachts to continue to stick by Sienna.

After seven years like that, he was barely able to pretend to be a friend.

But that was it.

Superficial words, superficial relationships.

A relationship that was desperately continued; by pretending not to remember what they both clearly remember, by sprinkling sand over the things that were deep inside.

Michael never apologized.

He was afraid of it not being accepted.

So he was avoiding it.

He was delaying the judgment time infinitely while badly pretending to be a friend.

No one else but Michael knew himself best.

He was cowardly.

Sienna never once criticized Michael for being brazen.

She quietly drew a line, and roughly matched what he did outside that line…

She told him when she felt like he was about to reach the line.

‘You’re up to here.’

As was often the case during his seven years with Sienna, Michael wanted to hang on. He wanted to cry on Sienna’s lap and beg for forgiveness because he did something wrong.

But what if Sienna refuses?

What if he loses even this superficial friendship?

…The cowardly Michael kept his mouth shut like that again today.

“…I’ll tell my father and older brother.”

Sienna Hesaros’ least shunned Nacht.

A friend who seemed close on the outside.

The selfish and cowardly Michael could not give up this position at all.

“Yes.”

Sienna got up from the bed while saying that. Then she opened the envelope that was on the desk.

It was an order to participate.

“Wouldn’t it be better not to participate for a while?”

“As a soldier? What should I do if I’m told? And this.”

Sienna looked at the notice. It was stamped with a seal.

A seal of a dragon with its wings spread out.

…It was the seal of the Heaven.

“It’s a massive annihilation war led by Euros.”

“Wait, what?”

Michael snatched the notice with lightning-fast reflexes.

He couldn’t believe the content; even though he wiped his glasses and read it over and over again, the writing didn’t change.

“You mean… these crazy people asked for your support?”

“I’ve been holding my breath for seven years, it’s time to do something.”

After deciding to support Loreina seven years ago, Duke Euros pretty much locked the gates of the Northern Territory and began to live there.

Nominally, it was to settle the confusion within the territory caused by the death of the householder and the succession of the household.

Even when the Knights of the Heavens participated according to the Treaty of Protection, he was often absent.

“You can’t be…”

“No, I didn’t know. I just ripped it open and found out.”

Sienna knew it was an order to participate, but she didn’t expect it to have Euros’ heavens seal stamped on it.

“What are you going to do about this?”

“Did you not hear me earlier?”

Sienna was a student at the Shioban Military Academy and was a lieutenant in the Imperial Army.

Although her noble status was considered higher than the military class, as long as she belonged to the military, she had to obey.

An order came, and saying ‘I won’t go’ to that…

“It’s like saying I’m going to quit being a soldier, what’s the difference?”

“That’s fine! Let’s give it all up.”

“It’s not just Euros’ seal here. There’s also the seal of the chief commander.”

“Anyway, with the commander, how can I not do it?”

That moment.

Suddenly, a huge force broke through the barrier Michael had built.

With a gust of wind, the empty walls of the dormitory opened their black ‘mouths’.

It looked as if the wall had been cut through, but the room next door did not appear.

There was only a long passage made of magical power.

It was a familiar phenomenon.

‘The imaginary world of a Terraformer is connected!’

Michael’s complexion turned pale.

“The devil was said to come if one called him…”

“…You have a talent for reciting old sayings.”

From the dark passage, someone appeared with a disciplined gait.

Dressed in a uniform with golden epaulets, she was taller than most men.

Her half-white hair was neatly tied back, and her golden eyes full of anticipation were flashing.

Sienna straightened her back and saluted.

“Yes! I see you, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

It was Crown Princess Arandier.

“Well.”

When the crown princess nodded, Sienna lowered her hand and placed them behind her back.

The crown princess’ eyebrows moved softly.

It meant that she was satisfied.

‘You’re disciplined every time I see you.’

She was satisfied with the movement of not freezing more than necessary and naturally ingrained greeting.

But on the other hand…

“Hey there, Auntie.”

This guy still sucks. Arandier clicked her tongue and coldly kicked Michael’s shin.

“Ack, ugh, wait a minute, Your Highness the Crown Princess!”

“I like the term ‘Auntie’. Where is the guy who says to quit? Are you kidding me?”

Although her harsh commanding voice was very similar to that of the emperor, Sienna kept quiet, knowing that she was not very fond of her resemblance to the emperor.

But Michael, as always, took the rod with his mouth.

“I heard that Euros called her! No, since I’ve already mentioned it, I’ll ask. Your Highness, what the hell were you thinking of allowing that… argh! Oh, seriously!”

Michael grabbed his head this time.

“You hit me again!”

“You should have been prepared to be hit when you said something stupid like that. That support was not requested by Euros.”

“…It isn’t?”

“Yes.”

Arandier sat down in the chair Sienna had pushed.

She rummaged through her pockets and pulled out a cigarette, lighting a spark.

“I pushed it to the chief commander’s authority.”

“What?!”

Sienna raised her hand to stop a second round of argument from breaking out due to Michael’s outburst.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes.”

“May I ask why?”

Arandier put down her half-burned cigarette.

“The imperial family and the three major guardian families do not have a general military relationship. It’s close to an alliance.”

The three major guardian families were guaranteed independent rulership compared to the general lords.

There was no way to catch Euros, who had cut off all its tails and chose to live in seclusion, just by suspicion alone.

“But not everything is hidden.”

“……”

“Lorraina Minangsi will appear in this annihilation battle.”

…It was a name she hadn’t forgotten.

Seven years ago, the scheme devised by the outside world was completely thwarted as Sienna remembered the failures of the past.

Loreina Minangsi did not even set foot in Nacht.

The emperor was still alive.

And Sienna safely became the owner of Hesaros and awakened as a child of purification.

However, despite having their elaborate plans thwarted, Euros did not abandon Loreina.

“According to the investigation, this annihilation battle will be the stage for Loreina Minangsi.”

In order to re-introduce Loreina, who was forgotten by the world as if she had died, an intense event that would be engraved in people’s minds was needed.

There was nothing better than a hero for those who are afflicted by war.

‘In other words.’

Euros, magical beasts from the outside world…

It meant that it would start again.

“Dame Hesaros.”

“Yes.”

“We must stop the child of Euros from becoming a fake hero. Can you do it?”

It was faster for Sienna to nod her head than for Michael to say something.

“I will.”

It wasn’t a matter of whether it could be done.

It was something she had to do.

* * *

Hearing her affirmative answer, the crown princess returned immediately.

It was unbelievably correct that the emperor’s age was now closer to ninety than eighty.

The crown princess had to prepare for succession in case of emergency while protecting the confrontation system that was synchronized with the emperor.

Thanks to this, Nacht’s number of appearances increased exponentially on behalf of the imprisoned princess.

“Besides, since it’s an annihilation war led by Euros, there’s no room for Grand Duke Nacht to intervene.”

“So I can only watch my sick master go to battle?”

Isabelle hit the nail on the head.

“I mean, she must be tired even now.”

“Ah, that’s why I gave her medicine. I’m afraid she’ll walk around doing useless things when she’s sick.”

Huh? Isabelle’s eyes lit up slightly.

“In times like these, you are useful.”

“Yes, yes.”

Apparently, he couldn’t tell Isabelle everything about it.

If Isabelle had found out about the situation, she might have tried to strangle Michael to death, far from having a conversation like this.

‘Because she thinks that she cares for Sienna the most.’

Michael hated Isabelle Gildinak terribly.

Compared to what he and Nacht did, this woman did not commit any major wrongs despite being manipulated by the same fraud.

On the first day of reuniting with Sienna at the military academy, Isabelle knelt down and apologized to Sienna.

Michael could still vividly recall the event.

“Please forgive me for being rude to the owner and benefactor of the Named Hesaros.”

Among the majority of Sisyphus, few geniuses broke through the first two semesters at once.

Isabelle was a famous cadet among the few.

To the extent that everyone murmured at the scene that that Isabelle Gildinak was on her knees.

He was able to clearly remember that Sienna, who was bewildered, raised Isabelle herself, asking, ‘Why are you doing this much?’

“I forgot about that a long time ago, so you don’t have to ask for forgiveness.”

Isabelle was forgiven so simply.

He became jealous; he became angry.

Michael swept his face down with his hand once.

“Lieutenant Isabelle.”

“If you’re going to call me a lieutenant, show me reasonable respect.”

“Then, Lady Isabelle.”

“…Yes, Your Highness the Second Prince.”

Seeing Isabelle answering as if chewing and spitting, Michael smiled a little.

“As expected, I don’t like the lady.”

“Likewise.”

“Because the lady reminds me of how cowardly I am?”

It was true. What he hated more than anything else was his own cowardice in not being able to courageously admit his mistake and ask for forgiveness like Isabelle.

The young man’’s miserable self-confession revealed his weakness. At one glance, the fragile appearance of the young man…

“I’m glad I can teach you that.”

Isabelle just snorted.

“In the future, think often and reflect on yourself.”

“Well, in terms of human nature, of course.”

* * *

That time when Michael and Isabelle attacked each other like snakes trying to eat each other.

Sienna was not asleep.

She was alone on the watchtower.

‘It’s obvious that it’s Michael Nacht’s trick.’

Sienna knew Michael as much as he knew her.

“Right, right.”

To appease the hawk who was flapping its gigantic wings, Sienna unwrapped a small package and letter from its ankle.

[I don’t think that pouch contains what you asked for.]

“I know.”

Not long ago, Sienna sent a letter. It was to borrow a book from the Nacht’s library.

‘Heiron Edition.’

She was wondering if she could get any clues about the collapsing time axis in a scholar’s book that explained the great principle of existence.

The problem was that the Heiron edition was a rare edition with only ten copies released to the world, and fortunately, one of them was in the archives of the Grand Duchy of Nacht, and Sienna knew about it.

She also had the right to take out the books from the collection.

However…

“…They can’t lend me the book.”

[What? Why? Why are they being narrow-minded all of a sudden?]

“It’s not that…”

It wasn’t about being narrow-minded.

The Heiron version was not in the library.

“Someone took the book out before me.”

[Who is that?]

“…Ashiel Nacht.”

It was a name she had never forgotten, but she never expected to see at this moment.

A cold wind blew from the sky. However, the goosebumps that appeared all over Sienna’s body were not due to sudden irritation.

‘Why that person?’

Was it really a coincidence?

Hesaros silently brought Sienna, who was bewildered,  back to her senses.

[What’s in that pouch?]

“Ah, this is…”

Sienna turned the pocket upside down. An old signet ring, rusted in green, tumbled out.

[This…]

“The ring I got from the treasury when I took Hesaros out.”

To be honest, its existence was something she had forgotten about.

“When I said that the time axis was collapsing due to the side effect of regression, only two things came to mind.”

Joffrey Heyron, who summarized the grand principle of existence, and the ring from the treasure trove.

To be honest, Sienna hadn’t really thought much about how she was able to come back.

There were many more important things than trying to figure out the cause of what had already happened.

‘Besides, it must have something to do with Nacht.’

If she had tried to find out about it prematurely, it seemed like it would get entangled.

But since the regression side effects were experienced, the identification of the cause could not be delayed any longer.

[Why did you think of this ring?]

“While in the treasure trove, I had a vision when I lost my mind for a moment.”

[Vision?]

Sienna nodded her head.

It was still vivid.

The image of Ashiel who followed after her, calling her name desperately, unbelievably.

“…At first, I thought it was an illusion, but somehow it wasn’t just an illusion… I wondered if it might have been something that occurred in the time period after I died in my first life.”

[…Time, time…]

Hesaros seemed lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Sienna tried to scrape the rust on the ring with her fingernails, but to no avail.

[…Let me look at that.]

When Sienna calmly placed the ring on her palm and held it out, the flames that appeared in the air flared up and spread to the top of her palm.

After a while, the fire was extinguished, and a clean, thick gold ring appeared.

“Uh…”

What was engraved on the signet of the ring was obviously a split pomegranate and a crow with wings outstretched.

“…Nacht’s emblem?”

But that was all.

Usually a signet ring was for only one person, and often, it was made when a child was born and a name was decided.

‘But there is no name here. It’s just engraved with Nacht’s symbol…’

In addition, the thickness of the lines, the wings of the crow, and the shape of the pomegranate seemed to be strangely different from Nacht’s recent crest. She couldn’t be sure though.

It was then.

[Sienna. You better carry that ring.]

“What?”

Sienna couldn’t hide her wretched expression.

“No. Everyone would think I had a private engagement with the Grand Prince if they knew I was carrying something like this.”

[You can put it on a string and hang it around your neck.]

“Why?”

[Don’t you get it?]

“……?”

[Your magic power now, I think it has never been as stable as this?]

“Me?”

At those words, she checked her body to see if it was okay…

“…It’s true?”

[The ring seems to be helpful, so it is better not to separate from it for the time being. And…]

Hesaros sighed uncomfortably.

[…There is one thing that just came to mind…]

There was an unfamiliar tension in Hesaros’ voice.

[There is a legacy that can be involved in time. Related to Nameds.]

Did he remember that important thing only now?

It was not like Hesaros.

“What the hell is that?”

[The Millennium Box.]

Hesaros replied.

It was the name of the magic that protected the Named from the destruction that ended the Age of Prosperity.

“Therefore…”

Meanwhile, Hesaros said that he had been losing his memory of the Millennium Box to an unnatural degree, but he had never thought it was strange.

[I don’t know why, but the moment I purified the ring, I regained my memory.]

“…All of them?”

[No. Unfortunately, what I remember is that the Millennium Box can be involved in time, and because of that, us Nameds have been preserved. That’s it.]

What the hell did the Millennium Box look like?

Was it really a box?

Hesaros said he had no memory of anything.

“Come to think of it, I’ve never seen anyone explain exactly what the Millennium Box is, and why it’s not handed down while Nameds are.”

Like other Named, if it was used in the middle of a battle, there should be a record of it in the actual battle.

“Now that I think about it, it’s as if the records were wiped out…”

[It’s unnatural. Sienna, the treasure trove of Nacht Castle, if you really went through your first life–]

“For now, there’s a very high chance that the trove is a Millennium Box, or there’s a Millennium Box in it.”

[That’s what I mean.]

Sienna looked down at the ring that was on her thumb.

“Hesaros.”

Many thoughts and possibilities ran through her head.

“If there is a Millenium Box in Nacht Castle… Is it possible to turn back time with it?”

[…As I said before, a price had to be paid.]

That was not to say it was impossible.

[Is there something you’re pointing at?]

“Yes.”

She seemed to know at least one thing – whom to talk to.

* * *

The site where the annihilation battle hosted by the Blue Dragon Knights of Euros would take place was Elbara Gorge.

Sienna was scheduled to depart three days ago and join as support.

Michael objected, but stopped persuading when he heard that Sienna had contacted ‘someone’.

Then, he was locked up in the lab for some time, and…

“Here.”

Ten days later, he appeared in front of Sienna with a dark, dead face.

“…Did you die and then came back to life?”

Instead of answering, thump, a heavy square leather bag was placed in front of Sienna.

“What’s this?”

“First aid kit.”

“This…?”

To Sienna’s knowledge, a first aid kit was a small, over-the-counter kit containing a bandage, disinfectants, and a few potions for simple first aid.

But what Michael came up with was…

“From here to here. This potion works best for stab wounds. While this is a potion that restores damage to the skin over a wide area. You can use it for burns. And this is for internal use. This is an emergency transfusion potion when you run out of blood, and this is…”

There were so many that it was embarrassing.

“Carrying all these around would be a field hospital.”

“Listen carefully to my description. All medicines are labeled by type. The lower grade potions are on the left, and the intermediate, advanced, and superlative grades are on the right. Did you understand?”

“Very?”

It was written that even if your limbs were cut off, it would heal if you spray this potion and then reattach it?

“Did you have all the ingredients to make this?”

Michael answered in a terribly raspy voice, rubbing his pale face with his hand.

“The black market in the underground city. All you need is money.”

“You went down there?”

Did he have time for this?

“You said you’re busy. How’s your thesis outline?”

To Sienna’s knowledge, Michael was not free this year.

Michael warned with dark eyes like dead fish.

“Don’t talk about the thesis.”

“Oh sorry.”

This was her fault. Sienna meekly admitted.

“Anyway, take it.”

“…I’m not going to fall asleep right away if I drink this and be unable to do anything, am I?”

“That’s possible…”

Michael groaned as if he was really tired and fell on the bed. As soon as he fell on it, she heard the sound of steady breathing.

Sienna stared at the neatly packed colorful vials.

It was the best of the cowardly Michael Nacht.

“…Hesaros. People are very strange.”

There were things you wouldn’t know unless one told you.

But sometimes there were things that could be conveyed without saying anything.

Michael stayed by Sienna’s side for seven years.

She thought that maybe that could be more difficult than a word of sincere apology…

She just heard it all of a sudden.

* * *

A hawk with huge wings was cutting across the sky.

But flying in the sky wasn’t just one hawk.

Kwaaak!

With a terrible ripping sound, a flying beast was chasing the hawk.

On the ground, a man was riding a horse.

Grasping the reins, he lowered his posture to increase his speed, and when he reached a certain point, the man elegantly stirred the air with one hand.

From the tip of his fingers, as if drawn by a painting, a huge bow shining in silver appeared.

The bow, which had nothing hung on the protest, was aimed at the air.

The horse was still running on the ground, but the man’s upper body moved with great precision.

A thick muscle stood out on the arm that pulled the string.

Red eyes calmly waited for the right time.

And the very next moment…

Swhook!

An invisible arrow accurately hit the magic beast along with a gust of wind that resounded in the sky.

“Kiiik…”

The beast with a torn body fell, unable to overcome the great power.

The hawk flew into the distant sky as if continuing to run away.

The man, Ashiel, sat down and slowly slowed down.

Guwuuak!

The remains of the beast fell.

“You, human, liver…”

Even after it’s body was torn and falling, the beast, which boasted tenacious vitality, muttered to Ashiel.

“All… the whole, flesh, ah, not… the cursed one….”

Kwajik!

Ashiel’s horse trampled the rest of the remains, and the will was never completed.

Ashiel spread his arms. Then the hawk in the distant sky turned around and gripped his arm as if hunting.

“Hey. Be still.”

Ashiel unfolded the letter, pacifying the hawk that traveled more than thirty kilometers.

“Ashiel!”

His friends who were late came running on horseback.

Ashiel sent the hawk away. Jonas whistled.

“It’s a really scary size whenever I see it. If you were just a little smaller, it would have looked like you would have been eaten.”

Ignoring his friend who was making a fuss, Ashiel opened the letter.

A double-folded piece of paper that was nothing more than a note rather than a letter.

But the handwriting on it…

“…Hey, what? What’s with that scary face? Did you get an obituary?”

It was Sienna’s handwriting.

I have been involved in the annihilation battle of Euros. I need help.

Sienna called him.

* * *

After obtaining permission to use the emergency portal, Sienna moved to a military base near Elbara Gorge.

“Dame Hesaros! You have arrived!”

However, the words of the person in charge who greeted her were unusual.

Sienna had heard that the annihilation war of Elbara Gorge had just begun.

“The war should have started tomorrow afternoon.”

“I’ve heard there were a lot of signs from the Knights of the Heavens’ reconnaissance squad…….”

[It looks like he’s trying to end the war before you come.]

Sienna agreed.

‘I can’t let him do that.’

“I must leave at once.”

“Yes. I’ll attach an escort. It takes about half a day from here to the gorge, but the road will not be smooth.”

“Thanks for the favor, but it’s fine.”

“Yes?”

With a smile, Sienna waved her hand once, and a passage appeared in the empty air.

“This…!”

A slight chill blew from the passage.

“Then.”

Sienna politely saluted and walked towards the passage. After a while, the passageway that swallowed Sienna was gently closed.

“Oh my God…”

All that was left on the floor were the petals that had been swept away by the wind.

Leaving the astonished ones behind, Sienna attempted to connect to Elbara Gorge as soon as she arrived in the visual realm.

Hesaros warned.

[Even if your condition has slightly improved, it won’t last long if it’s like this.]

The visual realm was not a convenient means of transportation that could be used without restrictions.

Of course, if it was Sienna, it wouldn’t matter if she were to travel around the continent with her garden, but not now.

(TL/N: just a reminder, the garden is the imaginary world. Remember the emperor and his garden?)

“There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s already too late.”

Moments later, Sienna appeared in the air above the valley overlooking the gorge.

She didn’t learn the magic of flying. What she did was to summon her garden just enough to step into the air and stand there.

The sound of magic exploding splendidly and weapons colliding from below could be heard.

[It has started!]

A strong wind blew.

Sienna hid from sight, and looked at the war situation.

Following the current flowing through the narrow crevice of the gorge, the demonic beasts were screaming and rushing in.

The knights of Euros riding tamed drakes were approaching from the air. And on the downstream side where the steep valley widened and the current became gentle…

“…The ship of Ferrato.”

As previously notified, the sailing ships of the Oceans had arrived.

Seeing that someone was holding up a blue flag with waves and a mast, it looked like they were also participating in the war.

It was Euros’ plan. In order to prevent the attention from being drawn to Sienna’s sole support, he urgently sent a request for support to Ferrato.

So that the headlines would change to ‘The three great guardians gather after a long time’ rather than ‘The Goddess of Spring participates in the war’.

‘By the way…’

‘Will he be able to arrive on time?’

[How are you going to dig in? I don’t think it’s going to go as you originally planned.]

It was unfortunate that Ashiel could not arrive on time, but there was nothing she could do.

“The battlefield in Elbara Gorge will be designed so that Loreina can contribute.”

Sienna expanded her field of vision with her magical powers, and examined the situation closely.

Loreina’s figure had not yet been seen.

Perhaps the intention was to appear miraculously when the war situation seemed to be getting worse. So far, it was in line with Sienna’s prediction.

‘And…’

The flow of demonic beasts facing the Oceans was unusual.

With her vision widened and her hearing improved, Sienna could see clearly.

“Admiral!”

Among Ferrato’s slightly defensive soldiers, a man emerged.

A handsome man with dark blond hair and a face tanned by the sea breeze exclaimed with a cheerful smile.

“Everyone, get out of the way!”

The soldiers retreated all at once at his loud cry, and the man swung a huge sword.

Sienna recognized it clearly.

That’s…

‘A Named!’

“Oh my!”

“Damn!”

In one blow, not only the beasts that were climbing toward the ship, but also the beasts that were about to jump off the cliff on the other side were destroyed in one blow by the water droplets.

[Ooh. Is that Wind Locker? Long time no see.]

As the qualified owner of the Named, the young Admiral Ferrato was demonstrating dazzling firepower as soon as he entered the front line.

At that moment, a scene flashed through Sienna’s mind for a moment.

The figure of the grand duke, the head of Nacht, who was bleeding and dying with a pale face.

“…Hesaros.”

[Yes?]

“Would Loreina give up the title of ‘Healing Wizard’?”

Her words were a question, but Sienna already knew the answer.

Loreina would never give up. She couldn’t resist becoming something more special than Sienna, the Terraformer.

‘They didn’t bring in Ferrato just to cover my name.’

What if Loreina, who appears miraculously, saves Ferrato’s young admiral from crisis and heals him?

At the same time, a huge fraud rose up in the upper reaches of the valley.

“Ahhhh! That’s…”

“It’s a water serpent! Its estimated rank is at least Unique…!”

–Burghhh…

A huge serpent roared as it rose up along the stream of the valley.

–You humble people!!

Sienna decided.

“…I’ll protect Ferrato first.”

* * *

‘Tremendous…!’

That was the sentiments of those who saw the serpent rising up among the huge and high valleys.

As the Dragon Knights of Euros tried to attack in unison with their lances, the serpent roared in annoyance and twisted its body.

Ugh…!

“Ahh, a rockfall!”

Rocks rolled down from both sides of the valley. Without a chance, the soldiers were struck by stones and vainly lost their lives. The valley began to be stained with blood.

“Admiral…!”

“Well!”

Admiral Ferrato sent a signal to the Dragon Knights to retreat. Then he gave strength to his hand and swung his sword.

“Everyone, lower your head!”

Swaeaeaeaek!

Bang, kwagwang!

The concluding result; falling rocks were split by the wind caused by the admiral, and thus striking the water serpent.

–A little human…!

The giant blue serpent’s eyes began to glow red. Along which, the serpent opened its mouth wide.

Kwak kwak kwak!

At the same time as magic cannons were fired from its gaping mouth, one of Ferrato’s sailing ships was split in two.

“Ahhh…!”

Acid poison was shot together onto the crushed wreckage of the ship.

Sailors who were splattered with acid poison were also not safe.

“A-Admiral…!”

“S-Save me…!”

A soldier slumped down, his bones exposed as his flesh melted in a terrible form.

“That serpent…”

–Human, you are next.

Without any time for the humans to prepare, the serpent opened its mouth once again, this time towards Admiral Ferrato.

“Admiral, you must avoid it…!”

“No!”

Admiral Ferrato gripped his Named, Voyager Wind Locker.

And swung it!

Whoong, oong!

The magic cannon fired by the water serpent was blocked by a shield made from the wind created with that intention.

“W-Woah!”

“Hurray, Admiral!”

The soldiers, who were terrified, cheered, but the situation was not so easy.

Taking advantage of the blockade of the admiral, who boasted great firepower, the existing surrounding beasts began to attack.

“Ah, Admiral! Avoid it!”

At that time, an unswerving beast attacked Admiral Ferrato.

‘This…!’

But the admiral could not defend himself.

If he put down his sword to defend himself, the water serpent’s magic cannon and acid poison would attack Ferrato’s fleet.

‘Damn it!’

In the moment of despair.

Just then…

“Oh my!”

Flames rose in the air.

It was a flame that destroyed the beast that had been digging for the life of the admiral with one blow.

A person who had never before appeared in the flying sparks.

Admiral Ferrato looked at the person in disbelief.

The long hair that grew in an instant fluttered in the wind…

Green eyes on a bright and white face looked straight at him.

“Y-You are…”

“It’s a little late.”

Somehow these days, wherever she went, she seemed to be starting with this line. Sienna answered.

“…I’m the support group.”

And then, a flame erupted.

–Kuuuregh!

The water serpent engulfed in flames screamed. Soon after, it started to rain, rumbling and thundering as if the water serpent had called.

–Hateful human! You have appeared! Like the hateful lion of spring!

Admiral Ferrato gave orders at the speed of a thunderbolt.

“Now! Wizards, use your enchantment! Stop that bastard from destroying the valley any more!”

“Yes, I understand!”

“And you!”

Admiral Ferrato looked at Sienna with scorching eyes.

“Thank you for saving this general’s life. When the case is over, I… ugh!”

“Wait.”

It was difficult to run out immediately just because his life was saved.

‘The Grand Duke was also attacked and put into a dangerous state.’

If so, minimal protective measures were required.

“Duke Ferrato, excuse me for a moment.”

“Huh…? Ack!”

There was no time to delay. Sienna grabbed the admiral who was one head taller than her by the collar and pulled him down.

And she kissed the handsome forehead that was helplessly lowered.

“You, you, y-you just…!

Sienna confirmed. There was definitely a mark on the man’s forehead.

“Now what…!”

“I have engraved a seal for a while. As long as this seal remains, you will receive my protection.”

“Well, if that’s the case, why didn’t you tell me in advance!”

“Excuse me. I don’t have time.”

Truly. Now was not the time to be explaining.

“Let’s go.”

“Well!”

Admiral Ferrato placed strength into the hand holding his Named. Wind Locker made fun of him with a few words, but instead of answering, he swung his sword vigorously.

Sienna, who was left behind, murmured.

“…I guess he hated it more than I thought.”

[You… No, no.]

Hesaros shook his head.

And this whole scene…

“…Wow, this is no joke. Since when did your family’s guardian and Brother get along?”

Ashiel, who appeared above the gorge, witnessed everything.

“Well, there is no law that says that a ward must be bound to a person in his or her supporting family.”

Jonas, who had no sense, whistled without knowing what was going on, but…

Dehan felt that the temperature of this space-time fell below the freezing point a little while ago.

(TL/N: reminder that Jonas and Dehan are Ashiel’s friends… who were just doing their own things and not mentioned in this novel since chapter 3 or something.)

He had empathic intelligence that could infer why Ashiel had been driven here at a speed greater than that of a human being, so it was painful.

“I don’t think that was the purpose…”

“Ah. My brother is a bit annoying, but he’s a good guy.”

“No, Jonas.”

Jonas tried to make a trumpet with his hand around his mouth and shout, as if he could not hear the desperate voice trying to stop him.

“Brother! I’m in favor of… ugh!”

In the end, Dehan, who could not bear to hear further, hit Jonas’ stomach.

“Uh… you, why, crazy…”

“I’m sorry. I did it because I thought you might die if you talked more.”

“I think you were just trying to kill me…?”

“That’s not bad either.”

Dehan glanced at Ashiel as he answered without sincerity; and the latter, fortunately, had succeeded in suppressing his emotions while his two friends had a stupid conversation.

‘The question is, when does a person like that explode…?’

In Dehan’s view, Ashiel was a cumulative unexploded bomb.

It seemed that the moment when even a very small spark flew over, the dark emotions that were swallowed up would explode all at once.

‘It makes everyone who sees it anxious.’

‘Please don’t let Jonas set it off, and if he does, I won’t be next to him.’

Dehan prayed briefly.

Ashiel ordered.

“Let’s start.”

Currently, they were ‘a mysterious force that happened to pass through this area during the operation’.

Jonas whispered when he saw Ashiel calling out Thanatos rather than announcing his joining of the large-scale war.

“Isn’t it a lie that even a passing dog wouldn’t fall for?”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s not a sincere lie meant for deceiving, it’s an excuse to spit out.”

“Aha.”

Thanatos was a strong bow that could not even be pulled with the strength of an average adult male.

Seeing Ashiel pulling the huge bow indifferently as if he didn’t put any effort into it, Dehan prayed again.

‘Please make Jonas aware as soon as possible.’

Otherwise, it was likely that sooner or later he would witness the unfortunate event of Jonas’ head being broken by Ashiel’s bare hands.

In the meantime, Ashiel fully drew the bow and took one breath.

Soon after…

Whoosh!

Wham!

–Kyaaaak-!

The arrow that Ashiel had shot hit the right eye of the water serpent.

‘……’

It was then that Sienna noticed.

‘It’s Thanatos’ arrow!’

[He’s here.]

“Yes.”

The water serpent tried to wrestle, but it was impossible because he was bound by the magic of several wizards.

Sienna considered the situation for a moment.

Loreina would undoubtedly try to use her miraculous powers when the situation is at its worst.

‘Of course, she’s going to try to put an end to that water serpent.’

It was clear what had to be done.

‘Before Loreina is ready, I will have to finish the water serpent here first.’

‘That water serpent is at least a Unique variant of the species.’

Perhaps it might even be Epic.

‘It won’t be easy, but…’

When she looked to the side, she saw Duke Ferrato swishing his sword vigorously. Thanks to Sienna’s Seal of Purification, whenever he evoked magical powers, there was also a gentle spark, helping to defeat the demonic beasts.

‘Three Named owners.’

It was worth a try.

‘I’ll put all my energy into it and finish it at once!’

Sienna embodied Hesaros.

Then she breathed in the flames and spread smoke into the air.

It was ready to declare her territory.

“Gek…!”

“Turn it off…!”

In the presence of the Terraformer, the lower ranks began to scream and save themselves.

“Now! All-out attack!”

Under the command of Admiral Ferrato, everyone went on the offensive.

The sudden surge of power made Sienna’s head dizzy. As she lowered her head, her long hair fluttered in the air.

‘No… No, wake up.’

Sienna clenched her teeth.

‘Now is not the time to fall.’

Controlling her breathing, Sienna raised her head again.

“…No way.”

“……!”

Someone was approaching her from behind.

“You…”

“Of course, you’re here to sabotage my plans, but…”

…Under the hood, green eyes brightly smiled.

“I’m sorry, but this time it won’t go the way you think.”

A magical power close to fraud invaded Sienna.

A huge incontinence arose in the time axis that had barely balanced and stopped collapsing.

[Sienna…!]

There was no time to judge otherwise.

Sienna managed to squeeze some strength out despite the pain that was as if her whole body was twisting and opened her garden.

As the scenery of the battlefield disappeared, the image of her world began to be overlaid.

The girl took off her hood as she watched Sienna run away with her last strength.

Her golden hair waved.

Like the main character the world loved.

She was Sienna’s older sister, and she was as beautiful as back then…

‘Goodbye.’

…It was Loreina.

The world was closed.

In the next moment, Sienna stood alone in the ruined garden.

“Ugh…”

“Sienna! Are you okay?”

Hesaros, who appeared after a long time, grabbed Sienna’s shoulder as she fell to the floor.

“Hesa… ros…”

Hesaros exclaimed, “Damn!” as he watched Sienna swallow her breath.

“I’ve got rid of the fraud, but the time-axis is twisting. First of all, you can’t be in your world anymore!”

The imaginary world was a world built on the existence of Sienna.

Under the current circumstances, the longer she stayed here, the faster the collapse would be.

“Ugh…”

Hesaros urged Sienna, who could not stand the collapse and vomited blood.

“Calm down! You can do it later if it hurts!”

“Hah… yes.”

“You have to get out of here somehow. Can you find a connection point?”

“Hah… ugh…”

Sienna desperately searched for a corner out of the crumbling garden.

An escape route out of the collapsing time.

That moment.

‘There is…!’

An irresistible force was calling Sienna.

It didn’t matter who it was or how it was calling Sienna. Sienna opened a passage with her last strength towards it.

However, it was very difficult to stay centered on the shaking ground and escape to the outside world.

The passageway narrowed slightly in front of her.

“…Ena!”

Just then, she heard someone shouting.

‘Who?’

“Sienna!!”

Someone’s strong arm came in through the narrowing gap.

Without looking any further, Sienna took the person’s hand.

Whoosh, her body went like a paper doll.

“…Ugh!”

The next moment, Sienna was in reality.

But she didn’t come to her senses quickly.

“Sienna! Damn it…”

A large hand held Sienna’s face, who was losing consciousness while being held in her arms.

“I’m sorry. There’s no other way right now.”

“…?”

Red eyes flashed across her blurry vision.

It was a familiar face, approaching too close.

A harsh raspy whisper rang in her ears.

Next…

“…So please don’t remember.”

Their lips intertwined.

‘Uh…?’

Sienna slowly blinked, blankly.

The person bit Sienna’s lips with a sigh, as if her blood-soaked lips weren’t greasy or dirty.

The invader actively crushed and attacked her lower lip, which opened weakly like a withered petal.

The hot and desperate breaths were mixed well.

“Hah…”

The stinging breath tickled his ears.

Sienna involuntarily closed her eyes, her back tingling.

“…I know you don’t like it. I’m sorry.”

Her lips fell for a moment and whispered over her lips.

But it was only for a moment that he fell.

“Please be patient. There is no other way right now…”

He was speaking as if kissing Sienna was an act of rescue.

But the desperate and tight kiss that swallowed her lips again…

It was too deep for a selfless medical practice.

Even Sienna, who was a child in this respect, could tell for sure.

“Stop…”

The opponent’s movement stopped at the words that were barely spit out.

Soon, the lips that had been pressed against each other slowly fell apart.

At the same time, all senses began to return.

The pungent smell of the battlefield pierced through her own bloody smell, and the cries of powerful soldiers awakened her hearing.

Sienna blinked a few times to adjust to the clear vision.

“…Are you okay?”

As she looked at the person, she noticed his lips were wet with blood.

Sienna slowly recognized him, and she recognized him quite clearly.

“Ashiel…?”

A bitter smile spread across the man’s face.

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

Ashiel pretended to be considerate with his mouth, but the depths of his heart whispered joyfully.

‘You remembered.’

“How, why…?”

He would never forget it.

Sienna hated him terribly, but the kiss was sweet enough to remain in his memory forever.

Perhaps in the distant future, when Sienna thought about today, she would not even remember that she had kissed Admiral Ferrato’s forehead.

The memories he left behind would be deeper.

He was so happy and ecstatic about that fact…

Ashiel had to put force to his cheeks so as not to laugh inadvertently.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Sienna did not have the strength to guess what Ashiel was thinking inside.

Because…

‘The collapse of the time-axis… It stopped.’

The subjective symptoms, such as the pain that twisted and squeezed her whole body, disappeared.

As she quickly checked the flow of magic from her heart, she noted she seemed to be able to use magic to some extent for a while.

Of course, Sienna was about to ask Ashiel what he did, like ‘How did you do it?’

But at that moment, a huge gust of wind swept the area.

–Boorish people… I won’t let you live!

The water serpent lifted its head from the valley with a scream that seemed to tear her ears.

–I’ll feed on all of you!!

The red and long vertical lines of the serpent’s eyes appeared as if they were torn, and the scales around its neck stood up like a hawk’s feathers.

“Shit…”

Sienna inadvertently spit out abusive language.

She knew it as soon as she saw that aggressive form.

Now was not the time to be leisurely asking about the story.

Ashiel immediately understood the situation.

“…It’s because Loreina Minangsi has appeared.”

This gorge was the place for Loreina to become a hero.

In other words, the moment Loreina appeared was the highlight of the play.

“The situation will be extremely unfavorable.”

“Get on the horse.”

Sienna and Ashiel were far from the gorge. Ashiel said he had no choice but to go to a place where there was no one around to get Sienna out.

Ashiel put Sienna in front of him and sat right behind her. Born to run at the forefront, the gigantic steed never slowed down despite carrying one more person.

–Kyiii-ahhhh!

When the water serpent lifted its tail and slammed it down, one of Ferrato’s sailing ships was destroyed.

With a pounding heart, Sienna quickly scanned the damage. Fortunately, Admiral Ferrato was still unharmed.

Of course, he didn’t mean much to Sienna. After a short encounter, she felt Duke Ferrato was a good person and would be a great force in the future, so she was purely worried that he might die due to Loreina’s schemes.

Ashiel didn’t know. But that didn’t mean he was okay with Sienna watching Duke Ferrato’s life or death with worried eyes.

‘No, no.’

Ashiel gave strength to his hand holding the reins, and struggled to push himself.

By what qualification was he jealous of who Sienna watches?

He took the circumstances as an excuse to kiss her and secretly enjoyed it, which made him guilty enough.

“…No.”

Sienna muttered. Ashiel was startled.

“What…”

“It’s too far away.”

Fortunately, Sienna’s words were not directed at Ashiel.

“What should I do? I don’t think I can expand my territory up to that point right now.”

Ashiel sighed involuntarily.

While he had feelings that he shouldn’t have, Sienna was looking at the ships and trying to find a way to minimize the damage.

‘If not…’

A deep part of his heart vomited poison.

‘…Are you so desperate to save Duke Ferrato?’

It seemed crazy. No, he felt that he had gone crazy already.

Ashiel clenched his teeth. Was this really what he should think in a real-time, death situation?

Apparently, his jealousy didn’t have the slightest bit of shame and he himself didn’t know shame either. Besides, it was clear that he had gone completely insane.

Fortunately, Sienna was so focused on the battle that she didn’t seem to notice at all how crazy the man driving the horse was behind her.

“It can’t be like this.”

His goddess had a wide heart. Enough to forget for the sake of a great cause, even if her lips were stolen by a son of a gun.

Sienna held the saddle; she let go of her hand and embodied Hesaros over it.

At the same time, a huge flow of magical power was felt from Sienna’s body.

“Wait…!”

Ashiel gave strength to the arm that wrapped around Sienna’s waist. The sensation of her back touching his chest, his body heat rising from her scorching heat, made Sienna let out a shallow gasp and stopped the flow of her magical energy.

“Isn’t the distance too far?”

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing like this!”

It was absurd.

A person who almost just died and was resurrected was trying to save another person.

It was a noble way of life that the usual Ashiel would have respected.

“No.”

If it wasn’t Sienna.

“There will be a way without overdoing it.”

“However…”

“It’s a request, please. Don’t risk your life.”

‘In front of me.’

‘Because I still don’t know what to do. Please.’

Sienna had no way of knowing the heart of Ashiel, who was barely holding back what he wanted to plead. She cried out,

“You can’t get there at this speed!”

At just the right time, the water serpent roared once more.

–Foolish bastards… die!!

The water serpent opened its mouth wide and shot out its poison.

Seeing the flow of its magic, it seemed that the water serpent was hoarding its power to fire its magic cannon once again.

If it goes like this, aside from stopping Loreina from becoming a hero, those who she could have saved would die right before her eyes.

Just like Sienna from those stupid days.

Being used to create Loreina’s achievement, and many people would die without knowing that they had been used.

‘No…!’

She couldn’t just wait and see.

To Sienna, who was becoming hot-headed, Ashiel coldly stabbed her in the chest. He said,

“You’re not denying that you’re risking your life.”

Damn it. Sienna bit her lips. Ashiel asked again.

“Can’t we just solve the distance problem?”

“What are you going to do? Do you have a way?”

Ashiel calmly replied to Sienna, who stared defiantly at him.

“Perhaps it’s enough to try.”

Ashiel asked Sienna to look at his waist.

Sienna pulled out of the pouch on his waist. In it, there was something like a small stone with a familiar aura.

“This…”

It was a gem that Sienna once tried to make into a purification stone and failed.

To be precise, it was ‘the empty shell of the essential jewel scratched by the traces of Sienna’.

Sienna muttered without realizing it.

“This has been…”

Yes, she’d get sick of it. Ashiel smiled bitterly.

He did not appreciate what Sienna had given him, throwing it all away.

It was only after Sienna’s mind changed that he came to his senses late, and this was all he could have.

Thus, he didn’t want to be caught. Because if he was found to be cherishing the worthless object she discarded, it seemed like Sienna would be completely fed up with him.

“…If you put your magical power here, can you use it as a medium to expand your territory?”

“It’s not impossible, but how can we get this over there… ah.”

She almost asked the stupidest question she could ask in this situation.

Sienna filled the empty jewel with magical power. Then she held it out to Ashiel.

“Hold on tight.”

Ashiel handed the reins to Sienna. And he summoned Thanatos.

“W-What…”

As part of her military training, Sienna also learned to ride a horse, but Ashiel’s horse was really powerful.

She had to strengthen the grip of her hands for a while to control the reins.

“Hold on a second.”

Sienna lowered her posture instead of answering. Seeing Ashiel balancing on a swaying horse while pulling a huge bow like Thanatos, she didn’t want to say anything about it.

Ashiel drew his bow and searched for a suitable target.

Indeed, he could see Loreina Minangsi, dressed in fluttering white clothes, calling out while on a drake with a confident expression on her face.

Perhaps when she, with her long blonde hair, appeared riding her drake, she would look like an angelic embodiment.

That was how she would try to deceive everyone again.

…Just like when they once took Sienna out of Nacht’s hands and destroyed her.

He knew. Everyone in Nacht was stupid. In particular, he had never once doubted his irrational disgust towards Sienna, a feeling that had no source. He was stupid.

However, it wasn’t because Loreina Minangsi deceived him that he hated her.

What could he say if Loreina, who took Sienna away like that, let her live her happiest life without exploiting her?

But Loreina broke Sienna.

And Ashiel had no intention of forgiving her.

Because Loreina thoroughly trampled on Sienna and made her die miserably for the sake of her own garbage-like self-achievement…

Ashiel aimed directly at the drake’s neck. And he released the arrow that had been pulled taut.

Wham, whoosh!

A powerful wave of magical power flooded the ground, trampling on it.

A knight who sensed the abnormality pulled Loreina who was riding the drake to the side.

“Lady Minangsi, be careful!”

Whoosh!

Ashiel’s shot pierced the neck of the drake that Loreina had her hands on earlier.

The powerful force with murderous intent ripped the drake’s neck off at once and blew it away.

The flesh and blood of a dead drake spattered like a fountain on the nearby Loreina’s shiny blonde hair and clean white clothes.

“…G-Gahhhhh!!”

At the same time, Sienna exclaimed.

“…Come, you unclean ones!”

A flame rose from the place where the drake’s neck disappeared. Its body turned to ashes in an instant.

In front of Loreina’s eyes, a huge flame of fire spread like petals.

As if a flowery wind was blowing across the gorge, sparks flew around.

Sienna completed her declaration.

“…This is my territory.”

Spring has arrived.

We’re back!! Just 50ish more episodes to go~

Ame: Our babies are older now!!! There’s not just one kiss, but TWOOOO!!! (okay, the kisses are for protection and whatnot but shhhh…) All the key characters are/will be gathered together for this annihilation war and its aftermath, just how will things unfold?

ZZZZ: I want to see Sienna’s territory, let’s see her pave her own flower path! Also, it’d be pretty to see all those spark/petals flying around. Kind of like fireworks?

Tassie: I don’t even know what to say except THAT LAST LINE OH MY GOD IM DED ALSO 2 KISSES???? THEY BE SPEEDRUNNING OH MAH LAWD