Chapter 79
Salvation
“Huff… huff…”
I sank to the floor, gasping for air.
I had tried my best to avoid inhaling the mushroom’s poison, but all my efforts were in vain—the symptoms of poisoning appeared rapidly.
I had managed to freeze all the nearby mushrooms, so all that was left was to get out.
But my body wouldn’t obey.
“……”
Suddenly, I remembered the time I had died after drinking the poisoned wine that Ernant had given me.
The situation felt strangely similar, given that this too was a case of poisoning, and naturally, my mind wandered to certain thoughts.
I swore I’d never be poisoned again… and yet, am I dying from poison once more?
Is fate truly unavoidable?
If it was always going to end this way, then what was the point of being resurrected, of fighting so hard until now?
I shook my head as my thoughts reached that point.
No. My new life was not in vain.
Even though I was dying again, I had saved many lives along the way.
Johannes, Adelheid, Elma—they all had a better future because of me.
So it wasn’t meaningless.
As I thought this, my strength drained from my body, and I collapsed onto the floor.
Feeling the end approaching, I closed my eyes.
No—I tried to close them.
Fwoosh—
A black, scorching flame suddenly erupted before my eyes.
I opened my eyes again and stared straight at the flames.
A flame so black it seemed stained with ink.
I knew this flame well.
Even before I could call out the owner of the flame, his voice reached my ears.
“Why…”
In a low voice, he asked a question and then reached out, lifting me effortlessly into his arms.
Only then could I finally see the face of the commander, the one I had been waiting for so long.
Just as in the past, his expression seemed on the verge of breaking as he asked me again:
“Why are you here? Why in this state? You said not to worry in your letter…”
I struggled to speak, moving only my lips several times before managing to answer.
“…I’m sorry.”
“……”
“I’m sorry.”
Having met him after so long, I had wanted to show him a better version of myself.
I couldn’t, and all I could do was feel sorry.
“……”
He gazed at me in silence, then finally spoke.
“You can relax now.”
Hearing those words, the guilt and tension that had weighed me down melted away like magic.
It was strange, and I slowly closed my eyes.
The heat of the surrounding flames and the grotesque cries of the monsters felt distant, like a dream.
Outside the rift, Preet, who had been dragged out, shouted the name he had been calling desperately.
“Yulia!!”
No matter how desperately he called, the knight carrying him did not let him go.
Frustrated, Preet pounded on the knight’s back, protesting.
“Let go! Yulia is still inside the rift!”
“It’s not possible, Your Highness. I too sympathize with Lord Shunestern’s situation, but if you go in now, you will be in danger as well.”
“But if we don’t save her now—”
“Why not use your ability to create an escape route for Lord Shunestern instead?”
Hearing the suggestion from the holy knight, Preet stopped struggling.
He hadn’t thought to use his ability, too focused on saving Yulia immediately.
Just as when he had rescued Yulia from the rift before, using his ability to create a passage would make it easier for her to get out.
Preet quickly lowered himself to the ground and began drawing power.
He intended to create an exit for Yulia, but in the end, it turned out to be unnecessary.
“Your Highness! Someone is coming out of the rift!”
Hearing this, Preet immediately looked toward the rift.
As the knight had said, two people were emerging from it.
A tall man with black hair, and a woman unconscious in his arms.
Is that Duke Habicht? When did he enter the rift? I don’t remember seeing him go in…
There was no time to ponder.
As soon as Preet saw the woman’s face, he dashed toward them.
“Yulia!”
He reached out to her, but just then:
“Don’t touch her.”
Startled by Martin’s cold warning, Preet stopped and looked at him.
Martin’s gaze was sharp as a blade, fixed on Preet.
“Step back and don’t interfere.”
The holy knight observing the situation immediately protested.
“How dare you! Have you forgotten who this is? This person is the—”
“The Pope. Preet von Emersheide… I know exactly who he is. Did you think I’d forget a face I see every year?”
Ignoring the knight’s protest, Martin continued.
“Pope, why didn’t you inform me immediately that Yulia was in the Grand Hall?”
“That was due to certain circumstances—”
“What circumstances made you hide my subordinate from me?”
Martin sneered with contempt.
“You didn’t hide her because of some ‘circumstances.’ You just wanted Yulia for yourself out of your filthy desire.”
Even the holy knight could not protest such outrageous words.
Martin said them with no regret.
Ever since Preet suddenly stopped the parade on Foundation Day to approach Yulia, Martin had wanted to say this.
Don’t look at Yulia with eyes full of sinister intent.
Words he couldn’t speak then, he now spat without hesitation.
“Don’t ever approach us again. You might not be shameless enough to come near again after leaving her like that, but just in case—”
Preet could not reply.
Because Martin’s words were true.
He had failed to protect Yulia.
Even being there, he had been powerless to prevent leaving her trapped in the rift.
“……”
Martin quietly passed by the guilt-stricken Preet.
Meanwhile, the Silver Knights who had followed him slowly gathered.
As they caught their breath, Martin briefly announced:
“She’s back. Let’s go.”
Then Martin and the entire Silver Knights departed.
Preet remained frozen, weighed down by regret and despair, until they all disappeared.
Late at night.
The reception room of Baron Kerrenburg.
Ernant, who had been waiting quietly there, muttered:
“They’re late.”
By now, Yulia should have returned to the Baron’s residence with the Pope, closing the rift.
But for some reason, she had not returned, even as darkness fell.
A grim suspicion crossed his mind.
Was she injured inside the rift?
Yulia was strong on her own, and with the Pope accompanying her, it seemed unlikely that monsters could have harmed her—but her delay still made him anxious.
Then another ominous thought struck him.
Could the Pope…?
Rumor had it the Pope was ascetic, nearly devoid of sexual desire.
When Ernant had learned Yulia was in the Grand Hall, he had not been worried.
He had thought the Pope would never touch Yulia.
But now, Yulia had entered the rift with the Pope—and had not returned.
Perhaps the Pope had touched her inside the rift.
Just then, Ernant jumped to his feet.
“Your Majesty! I have urgent news!”
A royal soldier dashed into the reception room, out of breath.
He had been stationed near the rift.
The report he brought, pale-faced, provoked Ernant’s fury.
“Duke Habicht came to the rift! He took Lord Shunestern out from the rift and disappeared westward!”
Martin had come.
And he had left.
Snatching Yulia, whom Ernant had been waiting for, in the process.
Ernant replayed the words in his mind and slowly asked again:
“What… did you say?”
“Th-the Duke took Lady Yulia von Shunestern west. I’m sorry we couldn’t stop him; the Silver Knights were all present there, so—”
“Enough.”
Ernant cut off the lengthy report and ordered his aide:
“They went west. Pursue Martin.”
“But Your Majesty—”
“Silence.”
Before the aide could object, Ernant snapped with fury:
“How long do I have to stand by? I couldn’t even retrieve one thing that slipped through my hands. How long must I wait?”
“……”
“This time, I’ll go myself.”
The aide could not stop him. Ernant immediately led his soldiers out of the Baron’s residence.
It was late at night.
