“What the… is that?”

A hero guarding the boundary between the city and the outside, in the Northern Front Region, widened his eyes as he discovered something.

High in the sky, an unknown entity was scattering starlight as it swiftly flew from the direction of the city toward the outside.

To prevent unexpected attacks from flying demonic beasts, Martina had set up aerial defense magic in the front line area, but that magic was designed to shoot down anything approaching the city from the outside.

It did not target anything flying out of the city.

“Captain Martina, we’ve spotted a suspicious flying object!”

So, the hero quickly reported his finding to his captain, but—

“That light… Could it be that girl?”

By the time Martina rushed out upon receiving the report, the starlight had already flown beyond the barrier and into the outside.

*

And high above in that starlight, Sylvia, who had flown out of the city, soon felt the change in the air against her skin and stiffened her expression.

Her instinct was shouting at her.

It was dangerous from here on out.

A cursed land full of magic where no beings could survive, except for witches and demonic beasts.

Not even a single root of grass could be seen around her, let alone any living animals. Any ordinary person would collapse, coughing up blood just from breathing the air here.

This was Sylvia’s first experience with air outside the city, and she felt her body tremble in fear.

However, that fear could not turn her steps back.

If she turned back scared like this, thinking of the situation Scarlet would face, this fear was nothing.

Shaking her head once to rid herself of her weak resolve, Sylvia flew straight ahead.

The more she flew forward, the thicker the magic became.

Even though the sun hung in the cloudless sky, the surrounding area felt slightly dim due to the dark magic spreading in the air.

Yet, Sylvia found herself smiling and murmured.

“…I’m glad I’m Astra right now.”

Murmuring this, Sylvia focused on strengthening the elemental power that surrounded her.

The spirit of the stars, which is said to be the opposite of magic.

The reason she was able to move freely in this thick magic was solely because of that.

If she weren’t Astra, she would have possessed no such ability and would never have dared to come outside the city to save Scarlet.

Thus, in this moment, Sylvia sincerely thanked her birth as Astra.

Even though that lineage may have caused her countless sorrow, at this moment—

With that thought, Sylvia kept flying toward her destination.

Even though the thick magic obscured her view to the point where she couldn’t see far, that wasn’t a problem.

Yoon Si-woo’s pure white dagger.

That dagger, known as the Holy Sword of Truth, was guiding her to the whereabouts of the owner of the ring she always carried close in her pocket.

However, there was one thing Sylvia was unaware of.

The ability of the Holy Sword of Truth was to provide detailed information about the condition and location of a certain target.

To utilize that ability, a medium was required for connection to that target.

For instance, something like hair or a ring that had previously been stained with blood.

However, since Scarlet’s body had been reconstituted and altered as a witch, the only traces left by her previous body were not enough for a complete connection.

As a result, the Holy Sword of Truth could only inform Sylvia of Scarlet’s current location.

It could not tell her what situation Scarlet was in.

So—

The reason Sylvia could not arrive sooner was that by the time she got there, Scarlet had already been turned into rags by the hunting squad.

“Stop, please!!”

And when Sylvia urgently shouted to stop them—

It was already after the First Elder’s sword had sunk halfway into Scarlet’s neck.

Thus—

“Ah…?”

With a face full of astonishment, the First Elder pulled the blood-stained sword from Scarlet’s neck.

Drop by drop, blood fell from the sword making a dull thud as it hit the ground.

As the sword was pulled out, the crimson girl slowly collapsed, making a thud as she fell to the ground.

Sylvia, who witnessed this series of events unfolding in slow motion, rushed over to the fallen Scarlet, grabbing her hand and murmuring.

“Hey, hey, Scarlet…? Open your eyes… No, right…? Isn’t it…?”

Sylvia, why are you here?

The voices of those surrounding her asking that seemed to fade away as Sylvia muttered absentmindedly, looking down at the warm sensation she felt in her legs.

A scarlet puddle that had formed was dyeing her legs.

Sylvia shivered in terror.

The warm temperature of the bright red substance leaking from Scarlet’s neck.

And in contrast, her own body, which was growing steadily colder.

It felt terrifying, causing Sylvia to plead with Scarlet.

“Please… Please open your eyes… No… You can’t… It’s not allowed…”

Yet, even with her pleading, Scarlet’s hand remained unmoving.

Finally realizing the diminishing vitality on Scarlet’s face—

Sylvia understood.

She was too late.

This time too.

“Ahhh, huaaaahh…!”

Although she had run with all her might, the voice of the girl she could not protect echoed out.

She had promised.

This time, she vowed to help her.

Why, why was it the same, the same again.

Filled with regret and grief.

With sorrow and guilt.

Sylvia cried out.

It was at that moment.

[■■■■■■■■■!!!!]

A demonic beast’s howl rang out from somewhere, and simultaneously, a massive fireball shot up abruptly from the middle of a burning forest.

That flame took the form of a gigantic bird.

The enormous fireball soared high into the sky and landed right where the people were located.

“That, that’s…!”

“The Bird of Ending…”

The demonic beast that appeared before them filled the hunting squad members’ voices with shock and despair.

They were people who knew how terrifying the existence before them was and that confronting it, survival was impossible.

However, everyone who participated in the hunting squad had resolved to risk their lives.

Even if they died, they stepped forward shouting to protect what they valued more than their lives.

“Protect Lady Sylvia!!”

“Even if we die, we must ensure Lady Sylvia returns safely!”

[■■■■■■■■■!!!!]

The demonic beast howled towards them.

For some reason, the sound of that beast’s howl resembled the scream she had let out earlier, Sylvia thought quietly.

That beast might currently be mourning.

Perhaps it was angry because of its sorrow.

The beast seemed to be ready to unleash flames fiercely, indicating it had no intention of allowing anyone here to leave alive.

Sylvia felt it.

No matter how hard they tried, everyone here, including her, was going to die to that beast.

Even though the situation was like this, the lack of fear stemmed from the fact that this situation felt like punishment.

As the flames spewed forth from the demonic beast approached, Sylvia quietly embraced the collapsed Scarlet, her face wet with tears.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry. She murmured.

Now uttering apologies that would never reach.

And then at that moment,

Sylvia felt a gentle touch pushing her away.

*

A voice resonated somewhere.

“I won’t forgive you,

I won’t forgive you.”

And—

A cry filled with sorrow.

It reverberated loudly in her mind.

As she rose to her feet, there was a child crying with tears.

Perhaps it was too sad.

The child was angry at the people.

I questioned the child, blocking their path.

“What made you so angry?”

In response to my question, the child blurted out in frustration.

“I can’t hold in my anger anymore.

I will make those who hurt you suffer just as much.”

With that answer, I realized that the child was angry on my behalf.

It was a grateful thing, yet I said to the child.

“Just because you’re angry, you can’t do that to others.”

The child cried out in outrage.

“How can you say that when they have once again inflicted an unforgivable pain on you?”

“It’s not the first time, nor the second. I still remember you suffering because of them.”

“Then isn’t it right to burn it all away like back then?” the child said.

I shook my head at the child’s words.

When I shook my head, the child yelled.

“I’ve held back so much already.

I want to barge in and burn it all down; I’ve been holding back for 500 years.”

With that, I asked the child.

“Why did you hold back?”

The child replied with a sulky face.

“…Because I knew that in the end, you regretted hurting the people.”

With that answer, I smiled wryly and said.

“Yes, I regretted it a lot.”

I knew that acting in anger towards people would only lead me to sorrow in the end.

Saying that, I comfortingly patted the child’s head.

“I don’t want to regret like that again.

So, can you hold on just a little longer?”

When I pleaded like this, the child asked me with a complicated expression.

“Is that okay for you?”

Nodding at the child’s question, I replied.

“It’s okay.”

Then reluctantly, the child nodded and replied.

“If that’s what you want, then I will.”

After a moment spent silently looking at me, the child then suddenly hugged me tightly and murmured.

“Please don’t hurt anymore,

You are someone who has already suffered so much.”

“I hope that you won’t hurt anymore.”

Feeling the warmth transmitted from the child, I felt my pain dissipating and smiled at the child.

“Thank you, let’s meet again.”

[It was nice to see you again.]

With those words, the child fluttered their wings and took off towards somewhere.

*

For a moment, I stared blankly at the sky when I sensed a presence and looked around.

I saw people surrounding me, looking at me with complex expressions.

What were they thinking as they looked at me now?

A benefactor who had saved them from the demonic beasts?

Or a monster that had revived with the help of a beast despite being mortally wounded?

I couldn’t tell.

However, one thing was certain: no matter what they did, I would not harm them.

As those thoughts crossed my mind, I felt my consciousness fading owing to the earlier wound, and my body swayed.

It was then.

With a flash,

Bright light burst forth, like a flashbang going off somewhere.

“Ugh…”

“What’s happening all of a sudden…?”

People were squinting and grunting in pain from the unexpected flash of light.

As I opened my eyes after quickly recovering from the impact, I saw—

“I’m late, but I thought you might need help… Lady Scarlet.”

In front of me was Sylvia, drenched in tears, pouring them out on her way up to the starry sky.

Wiping her tears with her sleeve, she quickly extended her hand to me, urging me to grab it.

“Let’s run away, just the two of us.”

The last thing I saw before my consciousness faded:

Sylvia’s face, stained with tears, yet smiling brightly at me.