There is one unchanging law of the universe: bad premonitions always come true.

Rubia was feeling this more acutely than anyone else right now.

‘Why on earth?’

The children were all steadfast in their resolve. Despite the warnings about the dangers, they were still brimming with the thought of joining the Black Fangs.

Setting aside the issue of not wanting to deal with thirty more zealots, this was a significant problem.

“Do you all even understand the situation properly?”

Rubia sighed as she spoke.

Well, to some extent, she understood why these kids made such a choice.

Their lives, marked by being captured as slaves and enduring all kinds of hardships, were nothing but a wait for death.

Then, suddenly, a savior appeared.

It wasn’t strange for their young hearts to yearn for such a figure. Wanting to repay a favor was only natural.

However, this wasn’t something that could be decided so easily.

As the leader said, this was an incredibly dangerous matter.

A revolutionary organization openly defying the Empire.

Joining such a dangerous group of their own accord.

It wasn’t a choice she wanted to recommend.

‘Of course, originally, joining the Black Fangs wasn’t such a bad choice.’

Of the slaves rescued from the black market, those who had somewhere to return to were released after making a Mana Oath to prevent leaking information.

The ones left here were children with no means of survival or places to rely on.

Naturally, the chances of such children surviving on their own outside were slim.

They would probably be captured as slaves again, live as pickpockets and get caught, or worse.

Nine times out of ten, that’s how their stories would end.

So, it was reasonable to follow someone who promised to take care of their basic needs.

However, the current situation was very different.

The leader was more noble-hearted than she had expected.

Ian offered them another choice.

They didn’t need to join a dangerous group like the Black Fangs. They could stay here as dependents until they reached adulthood.

Looking at the children’s future, this was a much more rational option.

In every way, this was the better choice.

There was no need to choose the dangerous path.

Despite explaining this thoroughly, the children remained stubborn.

“You don’t know when or how you might die. You have to risk your life at every moment. Do you truly understand what that means?”

Even as Rubia said this, the children nodded.

That look.

It was clear what was happening.

They still didn’t grasp the weight of risking their lives.

Rubia pondered for a long time.

She didn’t want to resort to such forceful methods. She didn’t want to resort to threats either.

However, what if—

If someone were to die in the future because Rubia didn’t stop these kids now?

If lives were lost because she didn’t emphasize the danger strongly enough here.

She didn’t want that.

She wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully.

She had to prevent such things from happening.

Rubia’s expression suddenly turned cold.

Lately, there had been so many peculiar incidents that she rarely had to act and judge so coldly.

In the end, her essence was that of a businesswoman.

If it meant achieving her goal, she was prepared to use somewhat extreme measures.

Whoosh!

The artifact the leader had given her for self-defense.

The sword sliced through the air at her command.

With a whoosh, the sword brushed past one of the children fiercely.

The child, startled, collapsed onto the floor.

It was only natural.

If the direction had been slightly different, the child’s head would have been severed.

“You will face this kind of situation dozens of times… no, definitely more than thousands of times from now on.”

Rubia felt the atmosphere in the place change in an instant.

It was only natural.

Being prepared and actually experiencing it are two different things.

No matter how prepared one thought they were, when actually faced with the fear of death, everyone would react with such alarm.

The children probably realized it too.

The weight of this choice.

The true meaning of dedicating oneself entirely to the Black Fangs.

‘I didn’t want to go this far, but.’

Still, it was better than having these kids die because of her.

If they encountered such situations in actual combat, it would be too late to regret. Now was the only chance to turn back.

This was probably the reason why the leader insisted on confirming their resolve.

Rubia thought this as she looked at the children. And then…

Her face filled with surprise.

A girl caught Rubia’s eye.

Amidst the confused group, one girl was standing proudly, looking straight at her.

That little girl was slowly walking towards her.

“Please, do it again.”

Saying something incomprehensible.

*

‘Maybe I’m already dead.’

While being held captive by that dark mage, the girl had such thoughts.

When did it start?

The moment when she no longer screamed even as her limbs were torn apart.

Days when her limbs were dismantled and healed repeatedly, as the mage claimed to need to collect the sensation of pain for his research.

At some point, she stopped crying.

Even when the children in the same situation, those who could be called her comrades, had their limbs swapped and sewn back together like toys for the dark mage’s amusement.

Even when they were forced to surrender their right to see the world at the whim of a demon.

Even when she eventually lost her sight.

She just stared blankly.

Living without any thoughts.

Thinking was too painful.

It was better to be dead. It was better to have no thoughts at all.

At least that way, she wasn’t tormented.

It was a life no different from being a corpse.

A life where being alive didn’t mean living.

But then—

That person appeared.

As if by magic.

A knight straight out of a fairy tale came to her.

He showed her a miracle.

The shackles that seemed like they would bind her forever disappeared.

Even that demon-like human who seemed invincible was defeated.

She gained the freedom to live a new life.

A second chance in a life she thought was over.

However, the girl couldn’t be happy.

She couldn’t possibly be happy.

‘I’m not worthy of such a miracle.’

She wasn’t the heroine of a fairy tale.

She wasn’t a good enough person to deserve such a miracle.

When the children, numbered 1201 before her, died.

In truth, she felt a bit relieved.

She had said she wouldn’t think, that her life was no different from death.

But in reality, she felt joy.

She ended up feeling joy.

It wasn’t her.

That she survived. She smiled with that lowly joy.

The ugliness didn’t end there.

Even after receiving such great help from that person.

Even after receiving the undeserved gift of a new life. At the critical moment, she turned away from him.

During the fight between that person and the dark mage.

In that situation, she ran away.

She ran away, leaving behind the person who risked their life to save her.

There are limits to how disgusting something can be.

There are limits to how repulsive something can be.

There’s no way such a terrible, lowly person deserves salvation.

She shouldn’t be allowed to live a happy life.

And yet—

That person said.

It’s okay. It could happen to anyone.

He forgave her so easily.

That kind of unbelievable luck, that miracle, was given to her.

1201.

The countless people who sacrificed themselves before that number.

Among them, she was the one who was saved by luck.

She got a new life. Even though she didn’t deserve it, she survived.

So.

‘I can’t back down here.’

She knew that for sure.

She decided to become someone worthy of the miracle that had come to her.

She promised that one day she would help him.

She vowed to repay the overwhelming grace she had received.

Therefore.

The girl walked forward.

She felt the woman explaining the Black Fangs to her growing curious.

Even without her sight, the girl could feel it. She could sense more than she ever could by seeing.

“Please, do it again.”

“What… what are you talking about?”

“The sword. I can block it.”

She would prove she could be of help.

She would never back down.

“I’ll prove it. That I’m ready.”

“……”

“I’ll stay here until you do it again. For hours, days, years. As long as it takes.”

“…Are you serious?”

She could feel the woman’s face filled with bewilderment.

She understood why the woman in front of her was reacting that way.

Indeed. This was a foolish thing.

By common sense, everything that woman said was right.

It would be more efficient to seek peace by relying on the warmth of that person than by doing something like this to join the Black Fangs.

But.

Precisely because of that.

“I’ll never give up.”

She couldn’t back down.

She had promised.

Never to run away again.