A few days prior.

Charlotte received word from one of her informants: a branch of *Licht* had been attacked.

Although it was only a small branch, not significant enough to be widely reported, the fact that dark mages were involved highlighted the gravity of the situation.

Upon hearing this report, Charlotte immediately set out to investigate.

*“Are you planning to go again?”*

*“I understand that Your Highness is striving for the sake of the ‘Rose,’ but using them to cure the illness is far too risky.”*

*“Especially in these turbulent times.”*

*“I hope you remember the weight of your responsibilities.”*

As always, the familiar nagging voice resounded, but she mostly ignored it.

She had been tracking the cult’s traces for months now, so this time was no different as she headed to the scene without hesitation.

Charlotte didn’t inform the imperial family about her movements.

There were too few people she could trust.

She moved with only a small number of escorts.

*‘This is difficult.’*

Arriving at the branch, the girl shut down the cathedral for investigation, but there was almost nothing to find.

The only thing that matched the reports was the blood splattered everywhere.

It was a gruesome scene, yet not a single body or piece of flesh could be found, making it almost supernatural for those investigating.

Charlotte’s expression remained as composed as ever as she pondered.

Had the missing people really been taken elsewhere?

If so, where should she start looking for them?

Should she change the search direction to the surrounding towns now?

She was deep in thought when—

“What is this...?”

Upon returning from briefly stepping out to send a message, she found all the guards protecting the cathedral unconscious.

Even her personal escorts were sprawled out, unconscious.

The cathedral’s doors were wide open.

Something ominous was clearly afoot.

Charlotte held her breath as she stepped into the cathedral, moving toward the source of the noise.

She didn’t forget to grip the sword at her waist.

*“...”*

The dark hallway carried an eerie air.

She followed the faint light.

As she descended the stairs leading to the basement, she spotted figures standing around the corner.

Each wore a pure white robe.

*‘Those are...’*

The figures seemed to be searching for something.

Charlotte observed them closely and soon noticed a familiar face among them.

Her lips unconsciously whispered the boy’s name.

“...Yuda Snekers?”

The boy Charlotte had taken an interest in for some time.

A few months ago, she had discovered by chance that Yuda possessed a terrifying hidden power, and since then, she had been keeping an eye on him.

It wasn’t out of fear.

It was simple curiosity.

With power like that, one would usually reek of malice, but the boy carried none of that dangerous scent.

Instead, he exuded the cool fragrance of winter—something she found oddly appealing.

*‘Why is he here...?’*

Could he be involved in this incident?

Hidden behind the wall, Charlotte continued to watch the unfolding scene.

Time seemed to pass slowly until—

“Shatter.”

With a single word, the boy cast a spell.

The bullet he fired struck the wall, breaking through multiple layers of barriers and revealing a hidden space.

It was a trace Charlotte’s eyes hadn’t detected.

*“Such tricks won’t work on us.”*

He muttered lightly to himself as he stepped into the mysterious corridor.

The other robed figures followed him.

Charlotte hesitated.

Logically, it would be best to retreat now, but an inexplicable instinct urged her to follow.

It felt as if she’d miss an important clue if she didn’t.

*‘Perhaps... I could find a lead about the Rose.’*

After a brief hesitation, Charlotte made her decision.

She moved stealthily.

The white robes of the figures fluttered.

The long, red corridor stretched out before them.

The sound of music echoed faintly in the background, adding to the strangeness of the scene, but the young princess didn’t falter.

She moved forward, thinking of the Rose waiting among the stars.

---

We walked boldly down the corridor.

It was wide and long, but the crimson hues made the scene aesthetically unsettling.

Not that anyone expected good taste from cultists.

“Master.”

As I surveyed the empty surroundings, a girl beside me spoke softly.

It was Neria, who had been flipping through documents earlier.

She seemed to have finished assessing the current situation.

“I reviewed the architectural plans of the cathedral, but there was nothing unusual. This corridor we’re walking through shouldn’t exist. It appears to be a space created by the cultists.”

“Is that so?”

“What do you think, Master?”

“To create such a large space and hide it with a barrier... it must mean there’s something beyond.”

“As we progress, the concentration of dark magic in the air is also increasing.”

“Let’s proceed with caution. Stay vigilant.”

“As you wish.”

We continued to tread down the blood-splattered corridor.

After about ten minutes—

“Master. There’s someone lying ahead.”

In the distance, a figure sprawled on the ground came into view.

It was a man dressed in black.

Judging by his priestly robes, he was likely one of the people who had gone missing during the recent attack.

“I’ll check his condition. If he’s alive, I’ll call the medical unit to—”

“There’s no need.”

“Pardon?”

“Just stand by.”

Even though we spotted the man, I didn’t let the members approach.

There was a reason for the caution.

Those who had experienced the Great Purge had already caught on.

The once-white robes were now stained pitch-black.

*‘Just as I feared.’*

A faint tune seemed to play from somewhere.

At the same time, the priest on the ground twitched a few times before springing up and charging at us.

His face was smeared with bright red blood.

The eyes that once held light were now filled only with darkness.

“Graaahhhh!!”

The scream came from human lips, but it was not human.

It sounded more like the wail of a beast wandering in hell.

Rotten blood streamed down like tears.

A priest corrupted by dark magic.

Overcome with fear and embracing despair, he had lost his faith, paying the price for abandoning his beliefs.

The deranged priest swung his mace violently.

*“...”*

*Swish!*

With the screech, the rosary around his neck quivered.

The once-sacred cross bore an unerasable stain of sin.

I flicked my finger slightly.

Then—

*Thud.*

With a faint sound, the priest’s head was severed.

The body, now without balance, wobbled before collapsing pathetically to the ground.

It fell in a disgraceful heap.

*“My bad feelings never miss, do they?”*

I muttered through clenched teeth.

I scanned the surroundings intently.

In retrospect, the layout felt familiar.

Though it was my first time visiting this branch in this life, I had cleared similar stages multiple times.

It seemed to be the handiwork of the same individual—a “work of art.”

“Deputy Commander.”

“Yes.”

“Any priests we encounter from now on, eliminate them. Only rescue those who still have their sanity. If there’s any sign of corruption, take them out.”

“Understood.”

Neria nodded without protest.

I brushed away the shadow residue from my fingers and looked down at the fallen corpse at my feet.

A priest whose eyes had turned from faith to madness, consumed by dark magic.

*‘I didn’t think they’d start moving so soon.’*

At that moment, the faint music began to echo more clearly.

A maddeningly beautiful melody, flowing with despicable greed.

Within the mysterious performance,

I whispered the name.

*‘The Conductor.’*

A mid-boss appearing in the latter part of the original story.

A self-proclaimed artist.

Simultaneously, the nightmare responsible for the highest death toll in the Great Purge five years ago.

We had stepped into the world he had constructed.

If the layout of this place was anything like the other stages I remembered, we didn’t have much time left.

The life of our missing ally hung by a thread.

“From now on, we push forward at full strength.”

“I’ll take the lead.”

“Irene?”

“I can handle the small fries faster.”

*Whoosh!*

Irene stepped ahead, igniting her sword.

Her crimson hair flared to life.

The eyes that had been a dark hue now glowed red, burning with intensity.

The girl slashed with her sword.

*Swish!*

“Graaahhh!!”

Another priest, now beyond salvation, rushed from the opposite side of the corridor.

He was exposed to the fiery slash and was soon engulfed in purifying flames.

It was the flame of life, purging corruption.

*Fwoosh!*

“Let’s go.”

The flames danced vividly even in the dark.

The fox glanced back at us.

For a brief moment, the rest of us paused, then nodded and pushed forward with renewed determination.

Behind us, only the fluttering of white robes filled the air as we surged ahead.