Chapter 4
Artiella narrowed her eyes, wondering if she had seen wrong.
She hadn’t.
The Duke’s Aura was concentrated around his upper body—
especially around his chest.
If he were using it to heighten his senses, the Aura should have flowed in a steady pattern.
But it didn’t.
Instead, it seemed to move on its own, completely independent of its owner’s will.
Now that I look closely… even the sparkling is irregular.
A fool blessed with extraordinary talent?
Some of the tension left her shoulders.
She had assumed the Duke had sensed the intruder and was preparing to strike.
Apparently not.
He had simply come outside to enjoy the evening breeze.
Even so, she couldn’t just jump out and swing her sword.
She had no idea how strong he truly was.
And if there turned out to be nothing wrong with him, only the temple would end up in trouble.
Approaching him without permission would earn her a severe scolding from Yusiel.
…And that would be terrifying.
I’ll just check his soul quietly.
Finish showing off your Aura already and go inside to sleep.
The problem was…
He didn’t seem to have any intention of going back in.
Instead, he rested his chin on one hand and gazed up at the moonlit sky with a gentle smile.
The scene looked like a painting.
He resembled the princes from the fairy tales she and Yusiel used to laugh over as children.
Even so…
You’re still someone who might kill me.
Artiella shook her head, forcing herself to stay focused.
“Ahem.”
Just then, Duke Rupel cleared his throat.
“I know you’re there.”
His Aura continued sparkling aimlessly.
Yet despite noticing the intruder, he remained completely calm.
Why isn’t he calling for his guards?
That only made Artiella even more wary.
His reaction was far beyond anything she had expected.
Was that relaxed attitude just an act?
After all…
Someone born with such overwhelming Aura through divine blessing couldn’t possibly have gone this long without learning how to use it.
That would be an incredible waste of talent.
“You actually made it this far.”
His voice was calm.
“You’re more original than the others.”
“And quite talented.”
Whether because assassination attempts were commonplace…
Or because he was simply hiding his own abilities…
He seemed absurdly relaxed.
Still…
The way he phrased things sounded rather suspicious.
“You’re certainly braver than the other young ladies.”
“But what’s impossible is impossible.”
“If you leave now, I’ll pretend none of this happened.”
“So please… go home.”
An assassin pretending to be a noble lady?
That trick was usually reserved for men with wandering eyes.
The coachman’s story suddenly seemed much more believable.
Artiella quietly wrapped her hand around Bardo’s hilt.
At that exact moment—
A strong gust of wind swept through the garden.
The annoying breeze pushed aside the leaves concealing her.
Their eyes met.
“You…”
No helping it.
Since she’d already been discovered…
She might as well pretend to be an assassin.
Artiella leaped gracefully onto the balcony railing.
The instant she landed, Bardo’s blade pointed directly at Duke Rupel’s throat.
Apparently…
He hadn’t expected that.
He instinctively took one step back before lowering his eyes to the sword resting against his neck.
His long, thick eyelashes gracefully lowered…
Then rose again.
The corners of his lips lifted.
“H-Haha…”
He’s… laughing?
Now?
In this situation?
“You won’t win someone’s heart by threatening them with a sword.”
“It’s a fake sword anyway.”
“And…”
His expression suddenly became strangely sorrowful.
His moist eyes looked heartbreakingly beautiful against his flawless face.
“If you value your life…”
“…don’t ever come to see me again.”
Rather harsh words…
For someone with such an innocent face.
“Duke Rupel, if you stay still…”
“Hm?”
Artiella suddenly sensed something wrong and looked downward.
Crack.
The marble railing beneath her feet split apart.
She instantly lost her balance as the stone gave way, throwing her backward.
“Huh?”
For the first time…
Annoyance appeared on Duke Rupel’s face.
“I told you to go home!”
“Why does everyone keep risking their lives over someone like me?!”
…Is he worried about me?
She didn’t need his concern.
Falling from the third floor wasn’t enough to kill Artiella.
No…
This is the perfect chance.
If she checked him while everything was in chaos…
The Duke probably wouldn’t remember exactly what had happened.
Without hesitation, Artiella poured pale-green Aura into Bardo.
Ancient patterns bloomed across the Holy Sword’s blade.
Through them…
She saw Duke Rupel’s soul.
What…?
It’s… unbelievably beautiful.
She was genuinely stunned.
There wasn’t even the faintest trace of an old sin—
something almost every ordinary soul possessed.
It was a soul worthy of an archangel painted in holy scripture.
Other than Yusiel…
She had never seen one shine so brilliantly.
Then—
Her eyes stopped on something completely unexpected.
Why is his shadow… so black?
Shadows were naturally black.
But his…
His shadow was unnaturally dark, as though it could swallow everything into itself.
What… is that?
Her instincts screamed that it was evil.
Bardo sensed it as well, letting out a low, ominous hum.
Without hesitation, Artiella swung the Holy Sword toward the shadow.
But Duke Rupel stepped in front of it.
The blade struck his body instead before flying from her hand and falling to the ground.
“Ugh!”
Instead—
The Duke reached out and caught her arm as she fell.
“Hey!”
“Miss, are you alright?”
“No!”
“Hey!”
“Stay with me!”
Her body went limp in his grasp.
It was the backlash caused by Bardo colliding with an exceptionally pure soul.
When Artiella opened her eyes…
Everything around her was pitch black.
As she cautiously felt around, trying to stand and find an exit—
“Awake?”
“Who’s there?!”
She shouted, instantly drawing her sword.
A mocking laugh echoed through the darkness.
“So…”
“The owner of the Holy Sword has come to judge me?”
Duke Rupel…?
Recognizing the voice, she turned toward it.
There…
A black shadow stood.
The same unnaturally dark, sinister shadow she had seen on the balcony.
It slowly walked toward her.
With every step…
Its form became clearer.
Soon, she no longer needed the Holy Sword to see what it truly was.
Disgusting.
The criminal she had judged that morning was nothing compared to this monster.
It had a long lizard-like tail.
Eyes slit like a serpent’s.
A protruding snout.
Crooked teeth mixed with enormous fangs.
Its entire body was covered in grotesque boils.
Where the boils had burst, writhing maggots crawled over the exposed flesh, devouring it alive.
A monster like this…
Was evil itself.
The Origin of Evil…?
The creature grinned.
“You can’t judge me.”
“What nonsense!”
“We won’t know who’s stronger until we try!”
Suppressing the nausea rising in her throat, Artiella kicked off the ground.
“By the authority of God…”
“I pass judgment upon you!”
She finished the brief invocation and swung her sword in one swift motion.
The monster casually knocked her hand aside with overwhelming speed and strength.
The impact forced her to drop the Holy Sword.
Its grotesque smile widened.
The creature wrapped one hand around her throat.
“Ghk…!”
I should’ve listened to my sister…
The monster inhaled deeply.
“What a delicious scent.”
“Ahhh!”
As though sampling food…
Its long, revolting tongue slowly licked her cheek.
Disgusting!
Absolutely disgusting!
Her fighting spirit flared.
If she died like this…
Yusiel would probably keep scolding her even in the afterlife.
Drawing every last drop of Aura she had left…
Artiella focused all her strength into one foot.
Thud!
She stomped hard onto the monster’s shin.
The creature staggered backward.
Even after clearly suffering internal damage…
It simply laughed.
“Hahahahaha!”
“This is fun.”
“So very fun.”
“Go on.”
“Do your best.”
“That is…”
“If you can find the real me.”
Artiella instantly snatched up the Holy Sword and lunged toward the direction the monster vanished.
“Don’t run!”
She thrust her blade forward with all her might—
“My!”
A completely unfamiliar voice rang beside her.
Her eyes flew open once more.
“You’re awake, Miss.”
…A dream?
Or… a prophetic vision?
Artiella blinked.
Warm sunlight streamed across a marble ceiling.
This isn’t my room.
Her own quarters didn’t have ceilings this high.
Nor did they have elegant lace curtains draped around the bed.
“Where…”
“…am I?”
“You’re in the guest room of Duke Rupel’s estate.”
The speaker was a kindly middle-aged woman.
She gently slipped a pillow behind Artiella’s back and helped her sit upright.
“The guest room?”
“Why would I be…”
Then she remembered.
She had struck the Holy Sword against the wrong person.
This was the punishment.
It also meant…
The Duke wasn’t an evil man.
Still…
Making me lose consciousness while falling through the air?
Was the Holy Sword trying to kill me?
As Artiella frowned silently, the woman looked at her with concern.
“The Duke said you fell from the old balcony railing after coming here to confess your feelings.”
“You don’t remember?”
“…Confess?”
Artiella’s eyes widened in bewilderment.
The woman chuckled warmly, finding her reaction adorable.
“The Duke said he was deeply moved by your courage and determination.”
…I feel like the Duke said something very strange.
Artiella tilted her head, still utterly confused.
The woman gently took her hand.
“Congratulations, Miss.”
“…Congratulations?”
“For what?”
A radiant smile spread across the woman’s face.
“The Duke has accepted your marriage proposal.”
