Chapter 35

“Army, prepare for attack!”

 

The sound of horns rang out powerfully into the sky. Startled by the horns, the knights and soldiers braced for battle and raised their weapons high.

 

A loud and booming voice echoed from the watchtower. It was Calix.

 

“Archers, prepare to fire!”

 

The archers stationed along the ramparts each set their oil-soaked arrowheads ablaze.

 

Calix raised his sword toward the sky and commanded: “Attack!”

 

Countless flaming arrows cut across the sky, shot out like red stars.

 

They rained down over the heads of the monsters charging toward the wall. Hundreds of the beasts shrieked and crashed to the ground.

 

“The monsters are down! Woohoo!”

 

Seeing that the first attack appeared successful, the soldiers let out a cheer.

 

“Did, did we get them?”

 

James asked in a trembling voice from right behind me. I bit down hard on my molars instead of answering.

 

Across the green meadow, flames licked through the air like wind. Thick dust and acrid smoke blanketed the grass.

 

Through the dust, the beasts that had dodged the flaming arrows were charging forward without slowing down their pace. A fierce, baleful light flashed in their yellow eyes.

 

Puffing hot breath from their sharp fangs, the monsters sprinted madly toward the fortress gates.

 

“The monsters are attacking the gate!”

 

The soldiers screamed in panic. A commander stationed on the rampart above waved his banner frantically.

 

“Hold them back with all your might!”

 

“Fire the catapults!”

 

The catapults mounted on the ramparts hurled stones in unison. The beasts struck by the sudden barrage of rocks flew backward, spewing blood and screams.

 

Yet that assault lasted only for a moment; the beasts stubbornly lunged forward once more.

 

The monsters were stronger and possessed more terrifying power than anticipated.

 

I hurriedly closed my eyes and tried to concentrate, but I could sense no monsters.

 

Only the screams and roars of slaughter and blood-crazed frenzy echoed in my head.

 

With my current strength, I couldn’t possibly control the entire swarm of monsters.

 

I was only capable of dominating one or two right in front of me. At this rate, it was completely useless in a large-scale battle.

 

Furious at my own helplessness, I struck the stone wall with my fist. James flinched and shrank his shoulders at the sight.

 

“Carls, what’s wrong?”

 

At that moment, a herd of a hundred monsters tangled together and rushed toward the gate.

 

Are they mindlessly trying to smash the gate open with their bodies? Foolish beasts.

 

The gate was sturdy, constructed of solid wood and iron plates. I had heard that even a battering ram used to breach gates in battle couldn’t easily shatter it.

 

Boom!

 

The fortress gate shook with a loud roar. The pack of monsters had slammed into the door all at once.

 

Arrows poured down from the ramparts like a storm, but the beasts simply snatched or swatted the flying projectiles away.

 

Some didn’t even care when arrows embedded themselves in their flesh, charging straight ahead regardless.

 

“Stop those monsters! Risk your lives to keep them off the wall!”

 

Commanders shouted at the top of their lungs, rallying the soldiers.

 

I joined the soldiers, throwing stones and hurling oil pouches set ablaze to fight off the monsters in a desperate struggle.

 

Flaming oil pouches slammed into various parts of the monsters’ bodies, triggering explosions. Swept up in fierce flames, the beasts twisted their bodies and shrieked in agony.

 

Even when the monsters at the vanguard were struck by arrows or set ablaze from head to toe, suffering in pain, the beasts surging from behind trampled their own kind and assaulted the ramparts.

 

“You crazy monsters, die!”

 

“Hold them off, stop them before they climb up!”

 

Only the desperate screams and frantic shouts of the soldiers echoed across the ramparts.

 

Without even ladders, the beasts used each other’s bodies as stepping stones to leap over the high walls.

 

After slipping against the stone surface and falling to the ground several times, one finally managed to leap up onto the top of the wall.

 

“Grr.”

 

“Aargh, a-a monster!”

 

Confronted by the monster right before their eyes, the soldiers were gripped by terror and stumbled backward with screams.

 

Following closely behind, the monsters crawled up onto the rampart one by one.

 

To stop the terrifyingly fast-climbing beasts, the knights swung their swords with all their might.

 

Arrows, spears, shields, swords, and axes flashed. Wherever weapons gleamed, blood sprayed, limbs were broken, heads were severed, and screams rang out.

 

Someone cursed, someone begged to be spared, and someone cried out desperately for their mother.

 

Before the soldiers could even properly swing their spears, they were torn to shreds by the beasts’ teeth.

 

The pungent stench of blood pierced the nose, and severed limbs, whose owners were unknown, rolled across the rampart.

 

Blood formed streams flowing across the stone floor.

 

Explosions that deafened the ears, ashen smoke blanketing the sky, the acrid scent of burning. The death screams that froze one’s entire body.

 

Faced with the harrowing true face of war, I was seized by terror and dread, struggling even to breathe.

 

It was all I could do to keep my trembling legs steady while gripping my sword.

 

Barely managing to focus my mind, I reached out a hand toward the beasts and gave an order.

 

“You monsters. Please stop… Stop, stop right now.”

 

My cry was far too small and weak to reach the monsters.

 

The beasts that had swarmed onto the rampart wielded monstrous strength, slaughtering the soldiers indiscriminately.

 

At that moment, a monster let out a shriek and lunged toward James and me.

 

“Watch out!”

 

James raised his sword and blindly threw himself to block my front. His frail shoulders shook like a reed in the wind with terror.

 

“Stop!”

 

Glaring at the eyes of the beast leaping into midair, I shouted.

 

The monster’s body instantly hardened like stone, and I threw myself forward immediately to swing my sword.

 

Right then, a giant beast with shimmering silver-gray fur burst through the tangle of monsters. Shaped like a wolf, the monster possessed an intimidating bulk with muscles rippling all over its body.

 

The silver-gray monster growled, its red eyes flashing menacingly. Saliva dripped from between its long fangs.

 

It swung its massive arm, aiming for my head. Without panicking, I rolled to the side and dodged.

 

James was pressed tight against the rampart, shivering uncontrollably. It would be bad if that beast went after James!

 

As I stood up to draw its attention, my helmet strap snapped, likely torn by the beast’s claws earlier. The helmet tumbled to the ground.

 

My brown hair tumbled down and scattered in the wind. Seeing me, James widened his eyes in shock.

 

The silver-gray monster let out a low, satisfied groan.

 

“You are a transmigrator.”

 

It was the language of monsters. To anyone else, it would have sounded like a ferocious beastly howl.

 

I panted heavily and leveled my sword. Concentrating every ounce of my mind, I commanded the beast.

 

“Stop. Kneel before me.”

 

Instead of obeying, the beast curled the corners of its mouth up into an amused grin.

 

Damn it, I don’t know if my power is lacking or if this thing is stronger than me.

 

The monster’s hooked claws clashed with my sword, producing a roaring sound that shook the atmosphere. Sparks flew. The beast glared at me with bloodshot eyes and asked quietly: “O being from another world, why do you not become our king?”

 

“Cut the crap and get the hell out of my sight.”

 

I spat out the words and stepped back.

 

“You, too, are a monster in this place. Your very existence threatens this world.”

 

I raised the tip of my sword and lunged, aiming for the beast’s heart. The monster easily sidestepped and avoided it.

 

“We cannot kill you. We have finally found our king, so we cannot kill you.”

 

“Shut your trap.”

 

I raised my sword again and charged at the beast, but frustratingly, it dodged as lightly as if it were playing with a child. From the very beginning, it had no intention of harming me.

 

“I will help you ascend the throne yourself.”

 

“What kind of nonsense are you planning?”

 

“A throne cannot be built without blood and sacrifice. My king.”

 

The silver-gray monster’s eyes flashed, and it abruptly spun around, darting toward James like an arrow.

 

No way? Is it trying to kill James?

 

“Stop! You monster!”

 

I roared, rushing forward and hacking at the beast’s shoulder with all my might. True to the noble sword of a crown prince, the giant creature’s arm spewed blood as it severed and fell onto the rampart.

 

The beast turned back to look at me with an expression of disbelief.

 

“When I tell you to stop, you listen.”

 

Relishing the terror filling the pupils of the monster that possessed absolute power, I drove my sword deep into its abdomen once more.

 

I felt it vividly travel up the blade and into my grasp. The sensation of flesh being sliced and bone being crushed.

 

Indescribable,

 

it felt good.

 

I felt the corners of my mouth twisting upward. I could no longer stop this pleasure.

 

When I kicked the sword out of the beast’s body, it dissolved into a heap of ashes.

 

“Erika!”

 

A roar filled with rage echoed from behind. Turning around, I saw Calix cutting through the swarm of monsters with teeth gritted.

 

With fluid, precise, and swift attacks, he cut down the monsters blocking his path.

 

“Erika! Why are you here?!”

 

Covered in the beast’s blood, Calix grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward him.

 

I caught my breath when those cold cobalt-blue eyes, hardened with fury and shock, drew near.

 

My breathing grew ragged, and my heart hammered violently. Why on earth was I smiling at a moment like this?

 

“I came to fight alongside you.”

 

Calix’s eyes froze.

 

The look of disbelief gradually rippled into a terrifying, uncontrollable fury.

 

As his brow furrowed deeper, he spoke in a grinding, strained voice:

 

“I will never, ever allow that. Erika.”

 

He gripped my wrist tightly. I could feel how truly angry he was with me. I flinched momentarily at his cold gaze, which felt capable of freezing a person solid.

 

Pulling me by the wrist and taking the lead, Calix’s back was covered in blood. His cloak was torn and burned, and his armor was dyed red with the monsters’ blood.

 

“Wait, Your Grace. Let go of my hand and talk to me. Where are we going?”

 

Even as I pleaded, he gave no answer.

 

The hand holding my wrist burned like fire. Resolutely, he held my hand and led me down the rampart stairs.

 

Below the rampart, it was chaos. Soldiers were busily shouting, hauling stones and oil, or carrying the wounded, while archers refilled their quivers and headed back up the wall.

 

A soldier hurriedly brought over Calix’s prized horse. Grabbing the reins, Calix shoved me toward the front of the saddle.

 

“Take my horse and escape through the West Gate immediately. If you keep riding straight, you will meet the Royal Knights.”

 

“Your Grace, what are you saying right now?”

 

I couldn’t understand what he meant. Was he telling me to run away alone? Why?

 

As I stood there blankly, Calix’s brow twisted violently. Roughly grabbing my waist, he tried to force me up onto the saddle.

 

Struggling to slip out of his grasp, I resisted mounting the horse.

 

“I can’t do this, I can’t run away alone. Let me fight too. Please, Your Grace!”

 

Boom!

 

With a massive roar, the rampart shook, and the gate shuddered.

 

Pillars of flame erupted on all sides, and thick dust obscured vision. Amidst the sound of falling stones and shifting ground, people’s screams and anguished cries mingled.

 

The desperate voice of the Knights’ Commander directing operations from atop the wall rang out:

 

“Commander, the gate is about to breach! Give the order, quickly!”

 

Calix clenched his teeth. Blue flames blazed in his eyes—the gaze of a knight who would rather die than ever surrender.

 

Taking off the family signet ring he wore on his finger, he hastily slipped it onto mine. It was an important ring engraved with an eagle, symbolizing the head of the House of Reinhardt.

 

“Remember this well, Erika. When you meet the Royal Knights, tell them you are Grand Duchess Reinhardt. They will treat you accordingly, and even if I die, your status and honor will remain yours.”

 

“Why are you giving me this… I, I can’t take this.”

 

You have given me so much, yet I had nothing to give you in return.

 

Swallowing the rising cry, I bit down on my lower lip until it bled.

 

“I’m not going. I’ll stay by your side until the end!”

 

Resisting with all my body and shaking my head, I was cut off by Calix’s rough, passionate kiss.

 

His strong arms wrapped around me tightly enough to shatter me.

 

Like someone about to plunge off a cliff, I clung to him.

 

His arms wrapped strongly around our bodies, pulling us flush together.

 

Our lips parted for one another, and our tongues tangled.

 

In the mingling breaths, the warmth of the flesh beneath my hands, and the sensation and heat touching the tips of our tongues, I felt comfort, happiness, sadness, and love.

 

Perhaps this was the final kiss of my life shared with him.

 

A desire welled up within me to take in every last inhale and exhale of his.

 

A single lock of his hair, his blue eyes, his warm body heat, his hot breath—I wanted to carve them all onto my body like an indelible brand forever.

 

In the midst of the battlefield where life and death were divided, amidst harrowing screams and flowing red blood, we indulged in the final kiss of our lives.

 

With ragged breaths, our lips parted.

 

His inhalations and my exhalations intertwined as if trying to breathe together until the very end of life.

 

A soft, sunlight-like smile spread across Calix’s blood-stained face.

 

“I wanted to offer you my everything. Please make sure you survive, for my sake.”

 

His large hand cupped my cheek.

 

Looking up at him, dazzlingly valiant, I curved the corners of my eyes into a smile.

 

His hand carefully wiped away the tears pooling at the corners of my eyes.

 

“From the very beginning, my heart was already yours.”

 

Calix took my hand and pressed it against his chest. The powerful beating of his heart transferred to my fingertips, flowing through my entire body.

 

Only the sound of his heartbeat and mine echoed fiercely; in this world, our existence was everything.

 

I forgot the fact that this place was a cruel and merciless battlefield.

 

In this place where hot flames and gray ash rose and agonizing screams echoed endlessly, the direction of my heart, which had only wandered without finding the path had finally found the right way.

 

And at the end of that road was him.

 

I gently loosened the arms wrapped around my waist.

 

Then, stepping out of his embrace as if dancing, I bowed gracefully.

 

“Erika… What are you?”

 

Calix looked at me with incomprehension in his eyes.

 

From this moment onward, I would no longer be able to rest in his warm embrace, nor receive his affectionate gaze in its entirety.

 

Even if his gaze of love for me instantly transformed into hatred and fury.

 

Even if he would never forgive me.

 

No matter what happens, you…

 

Swallowing back my tears and my smile, I raised my sword high. The sunlight resting on the tip of the blade was dazzling.

 

“No matter what happens, I will protect you.”

 

His hand reached out to catch me.

 

brushing aside that yearning touch with cold indifference, I turned on my heel and fled from him with all my might.

 

“Erika!”

 

Closing my eyes and ears, I dashed straight ahead. Before me, the gates, covered in flames and ash and slowly crumbling apart, came into view.

 

Thud! Thud!

 

The ferocious roar of the monsters charging to smash the gate once more echoed out.

 

Every time the beasts slammed their bodies against the gate, it bulged as if it were about to shatter at any second.

 

In front of the gate, hundreds of soldiers and knights stood ready with swords and spears for the final showdown.

 

The expressions of the knights arrayed before the verge of collapse shone with burning will and unyielding fighting spirit.

 

I could even sense a determination to defend the capital with their lives.

 

With my long hair scattering in the wind, I stepped out to block their path. Surprise and bewilderment flashed across the knights’ eyes.

 

“Who are you… ?!”

 

Several knights recognized my face, but turning my back on them, I glared at the gates.

 

I vividly felt the hot blood surging beneath my skin and the pulsing of my heartbeat in my ears.

 

Cracks slowly began to form in the sturdy gate that had seemed utterly unbreakable.

 

Boom—crash!

 

With an enormous roar, the gate shattered. It was the moment the sturdy fortress wall that had protected the capital of Ruberia for hundreds of years collapsed for the first time since its founding.

 

“No! The wall has fallen!”

 

“O gods, protect us!”

 

“We’re done for! We’re all dead!”

 

The screams and lamentations of the soldiers who witnessed this shook the sky.

 

Through the gap of the miserably broken gate, a fierce wind blew, pouring smoke and dust over the soldiers.

 

Beyond it, a black wave writhed. The monsters revealed themselves, flashing a dark red murderous intent.

 

They rushed forward with the momentum to devour me in a single gulp.

 

I thrust both hands forward toward the horde of monsters lunging at me.

 

Closing my eyes and focusing my mind, I began to summon the power of the monsters dwelling within me.

 

Flowing through my skin, bones, and blood, a colossal power surged through my entire body like lightning.

 

The absolute power and authority to place monsters beneath my feet were deeply engraved within my body.

 

“Erika! It’s dangerous!”

 

From behind, his desperate voice rang out as if coughing up blood. I did not look back.

 

All the fury crouched deep inside my body erupted at once. Along with the fury, an intense power surged up my spine.

 

The power of the monsters filling my insides rose, piercing through my body like a giant barrier.

 

Grr-rr!

 

Toward the horde of monsters rushing like a black typhoon, I commanded like a roar:

 

“Stop! Hear the king’s command!”

 

Just then, the knights raised their swords to protect me and blocked my front. But they halted as if caught under a spell.

 

Boom!!

 

Hundreds of beasts simultaneously knelt before me.

 

“No way. Th-the monsters stopped. How could such a thing happen?”

 

The soldiers watched the scene with expressions of disbelief, unable to trust their own eyes.

 

Hundreds of beasts bowed their heads toward me, awaiting my command.

 

Their gazes were directed solely at me. I could not tell what their bloodshot yellow eyes desired.

 

However, one thing was certain: these creatures unquestionably obeyed me alone.

 

The monsters appeared simultaneously with my existence.

 

The creatures and I were like evils breaking the balance of this world. They would live and die solely by my command.

 

Dropping my gaze, I commanded the beasts coldly: “Die for me.”

 

As my command fell, the beasts all rose in unison. The massive bodies of the monsters surrounded me like a long barrier.

 

“Aargh. The monsters are attacking again!”

 

As the monsters moved once more, the soldiers let out terrified screams.

 

Yet the monsters showed not the slightest interest in humans. The creatures that had been crazed with slaughter just moments ago focused entirely on me.

 

The sound of their frantically beating hearts, their ragged breathing, and the pungent scent of beasts mingled to envelop me.

 

Simultaneously, the monsters lifted their respective front paws. Claws sharper and stronger than swords gleamed as they collided with the sunlight. Without a single shred of hesitation, the beasts used their claws to slash their own throats.

 

There wasn’t even a scream. Streams of blood spurted from the beasts’ throats like fountains. One by one, they collapsed onto the spot like mounds of dirt. Every time a beast fell, the ground shook.

 

The blood spilling from the monsters created a red mist in the air, and their bodies turned to black ash that blanketed the sky.

 

The soldiers, watching this scene with wide-open eyes, couldn’t even manage a scream.

 

The ash of the monsters brushed past my cheek. It was fleeting and cold, vanishing the moment it touched my skin.

 

Only then did I slowly turn back to face Calix. He stood frozen, not even breathing.

 

“Who… are you?”

 

It was a look I had never seen before. Consumed by the betrayal and shock of a beloved woman, his bloodshot eyes trembled violently.

 

I could say nothing.

 

I didn’t even have the strength to utter a single word. Controlling the monsters had drained every ounce of energy from within me.

 

Leaning on my sword was all I could do to remain standing.

 

“All the things the monsters caused… it all started because of you.”

 

Calix spoke in a weary, shattered voice. The pain of betrayal loaded his words.

 

He stood completely motionless, fixing his gaze squarely on me.

 

His gaze was deep and dark. Filled with disbelief and rippling coldly, his gaze pierced straight through my heart like a sharp sword.

 

Just then, a stone flew toward my forehead.

 

“You monster!”

 

A soldier shouted fiercely and threw a stone at me. As the rock struck my forehead, red blood trickled down.

 

“Erika!”

 

Seeing the blood flowing down my forehead, Calix instinctively tried to rush forward.

 

Even in the worst-case scenario, his heart—ultimately worrying about me—only made me feel more wretched and tormented.

 

Before he could even reach me, the wound on my forehead vanished.

 

“How did the wound…?”

 

Calix’s expression shifted to shock and astonishment as he stared at my forehead.

 

The soldier who had hurled the stone at me stepped back with a scream. Someone trembled in fear and pointed a finger at me.

 

“I saw that monster controlling the monsters!”

 

It was a familiar voice. Turning around, I saw James.

 

Having gone through a fierce battle, his entire body was covered in blood. However, he didn’t appear to have any major injuries.

 

He survived. Thank goodness.

 

Our eyes met. James stepped backward, his face drained of color.

 

The terror, disgust, and rage mingled toward me hit me like stones.

 

“You weren’t the Goddess of War, you were a monster!”

 

“A witch! A witch called the monsters!”

 

“Die, leader of the monsters!”

 

People poured out their anger and hatred toward me, pointing fingers. Someone threw a pebble, or tried to shoot an arrow at me. Others prepared to set fire to oil pouches.

 

They no longer saw me as a human being.

 

They saw me as the monster that had slaughtered precious comrades and family, destroyed their homeland, and trapped them in a life weighed down by terror and fury.

 

Before it gets any more troublesome, I need to get out of here, but my body won’t move. I don’t even have the strength to twitch a finger.

 

Damn it, I never thought I’d die a dog’s death in a place like this.

 

A shadow fell over me, accompanied by the heavy, clanking sound of armor.

 

Glancing upward, I saw Calix’s back turned against the harsh sunlight.

 

He felt like a giant mountain standing to protect me.

 

“Commander, it’s dangerous! Step away from the monster’s leader!”

 

His loyal knight cried out urgently. Calix did not budge, nor did he say a word.

 

I wanted to tell him: Don’t do something foolish. Turn away from me.

 

Even knowing it was useless, I wanted to call his name one last time.

 

Yet my lips remained tightly shut, moving heavily as if they were made of stone.

 

“Aargh!”

 

“The, the monsters are attacking again!”

 

The beasts outside the ramparts broke through the shattered gate and swarmed back in. The screams of soldiers being torn to shreds in the monsters’ clutches pierced my ears.

 

“Army, attack! Do not retreat!”

 

Calix roared, raising his sword and dashing forward.

 

The swarm of monsters swept past me like the wind. They did not attack me. Passing me by, they lunged toward the soldiers.

 

“Aargh! Save me!”

 

The merciless slaughter began once more. Although the knights fought the monsters with all their might and the soldiers fired arrows, it was vastly insufficient to face the wave upon wave of advancing monsters.

 

A hellscape was unfolding before my eyes.

 

Explosions, screams, and the howling of monsters echoed eerily from all directions.

 

Amidst the heat of flames and acrid smoke, a thick stench of blood was rising.

 

Everything in my field of vision was drenched in blood. Everything collapsed, not a single thing left standing.

 

This hellish sight was entirely because of me.

 

As long as I existed, breathed, and lived in this world, monsters would endlessly appear, and my knight would endlessly suffer, fighting them until he ultimately went mad.

 

In the end, the ultimate villain destroying this world was me.

 

It was devastating. I no longer had the strength to support my legs and stand.

 

The ground itself was tilting away. Hope had vanished, leaving only agony.

 

“Set fire to the gate! Stop them from getting in!”

 

From far away, Calix’s urgent voice rang out with orders.

 

At those words, the soldiers snapped to their senses, dragging carts and wagons to pile against the gate, pouring oil on them, and setting them ablaze.

 

As the gate went up in flames, the monsters, vulnerable to fire, could no longer force their way through and shrieked in rage.

 

Archers atop the ramparts began firing flaming arrows toward the monsters clustered near the gate.

 

The soldiers, barely regaining their senses, fought back desperately, hurling oil pouches set on fire at the beasts.

 

I gazed blankly at the harrowing scene unfolding before me, like a reader reading a book.

 

Squish. Squish.

 

The calm footsteps approaching from behind, stepping over pools of blood. A languid yet clear, melodious voice.

 

“Cruel, yet beautiful. This landscape you’ve created, that is.”

 

Had I already fallen into hell? No, this land was already hell. That must be why that bastard had appeared before me.

 

I gripped the sword that had fallen near my feet. My vision was blurred, but I mustered my remaining strength and raised the blade.

 

The trembling tip of the sword aimed straight for his heart.

 

Franz stood there, scattering his silver hair, dressed in a spotless white uniform.

 

The cape draped over his shoulder was red, as though dyed in blood. Spreading his arms wide like wings, a benevolent smile rested upon his red lips.

 

He looked like a saint who had come to save those plunged in sorrow and grief. To my eyes, however, he was the leader of evil wearing a saint’s disguise.

 

Franz caught my blade with his bare hand. Blood began to drip from his palm, sliced by the sharp edge.

 

His long eyelashes slowly closed and opened. Beyond them were languid violet eyes. Reflected in those eyes, where madness and fever intertwined, was me.

 

With his remaining hand, Franz grabbed a handful of my hair and brought it to his lips. He pressed a precious kiss against my strands.

 

His violet eyes curved into thin crescents, and a seductive smile formed on his red lips.

 

“The screams and terror echoing across the battlefield are like a heavenly melody. Erika, how does it feel to have the whole world under your feet?”

 

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting, you bastard.”

 

“The queen of this world right now is you, after all. I sincerely congratulate the victory of the queen who commands the monsters.”

 

“Get the hell out of my sight right now.”

 

In the end, I met him at the end of hell. Fury surged within me, and I raised my sword to lunge at him, when a monster suddenly sprang forward, targeting Franz.

 

True to his madness, Franz was completely unarmed and barehanded.

 

With my eyes wide open, I waited to watch the beast finish him off, but a man in a black robe appeared like an arrow and slashed the monster’s waist. The monster turned to ash instantly and vanished into the thin air.

 

Franz whispered to me in a sweet voice:

 

“My Queen, would you grant me the honor of a dance?”

 

“You’re out of your mind. Piss off.”

 

Despite my curse words, Franz smiled as if truly delighted.

 

Franz knelt down before me. His pristine white uniform stained the color of blood, but he didn’t care at all.

 

“If that is what you wish,”

 

He pressed his lips to the back of my hand. As he touched his lips to the dried monster blood on my hand, his lips were stained crimson. It looked like a single red flower blooming on his pale face.

 

“I will tear this world apart. I will lay this world at your feet. Every drop of my blood, every fragment of my soul, solely for you. My Queen.”

 

I tried to brush his hand away, but the harder I tried, the more his fingers shackled and bound me.

 

It was a sickening sensation, like thorny vines sprouting from under my feet and wrapping around my entire body.

 

Franz whispered in my ear: “Only I can send you back to your original world.”

 

As if the air around me had vanished in a single instant, I choked for breath. My mind froze, unable to form any thoughts.

 

Rage flared up immediately, and with all my might, I yanked my hand free from his grip.

 

“Don’t lie. What kind of power do you think you have?”

 

Dozens of unfamiliar figures suddenly appeared behind Franz. Men draped in black robes approached silently on horseback. Even at a glance, they were well-trained elite knights.

 

Just when on earth had Franz built up a rebel force?

 

Among them, I felt a familiar aura. I narrowed my eyes and glared at the black robes. Through the folds of a robe, Palia’s face flickered like a phantom.

 

I couldn’t believe it. For a moment, I doubted my own eyes. Why was Palia here? Could she possibly have joined hands with Franz?

 

I met Palia’s cold gaze. No emotion whatsoever could be read from her expressionless face.

 

Franz looked down at me with a faint smile curving his lips. His hand still reached toward me.

 

“I have a Guardian Mage. She can send you back. Therefore, Erika.”

 

At Franz’s gesture, Palia quietly approached and reached out her hand toward me. I instinctively tried to run away, but suddenly his subordinates grabbed my shoulders, pinning me in place.

 

A white light burst from her hands. It was healing magic.

 

My physical condition, which had been on the verge of collapse, began to rapidly improve. I could feel my depleted strength refilling.

 

As I felt the vitality returning to my body, I gritted my teeth and glared at her.

 

“Why did you become Franz’s dog, Palia?”

 

Instead of answering, she placed her hand against my chest. I tried to avoid her touch, but I couldn’t budge an inch.

 

Listening to the sound of my heartbeat, she wore a satisfied smile.

 

“The Queen has fully recovered her strength. Congratulations, Erika.”

 

I glared at the mocking Palia. I barely restrained the urge to slap her across the face right then and there.

 

“I don’t care to receive congratulations from a traitor.”

 

At my words, Palia’s expression twisted with fury. She spat out a voice laden with malice.

 

“You’re mistaken. I was an enemy of the Ruberia Kingdom from the very beginning.”

 

“Weren’t you the Guardian Mage? You protected the dimensional barrier and guarded Ruberia!”

 

I couldn’t understand what Palia was saying. Even if the Guardian Mage hadn’t formed a formal political pact with the Ruberia kingdom, I had assumed they shared a symbiotic alliance.

 

Palia glanced at me briefly with cold, sneering eyes.

 

“I merely guarded the dimensional barrier, not Ruberia.”

 

A whirlwind of regret and remorse swept across Palia’s expression. It was an expression as agonizing as being bitten by a poisonous snake.

 

“Once upon a time, I wanted to protect it for her sake, but now it is just a filthy land I want to see destroyed.”

 

“What does that mean? Speak so I can understand!”

 

Anger flared up so intensely I wanted to grab Palia by the collar and shake her. I grabbed the arms of the subordinate holding my shoulders, twisting and shaking them off.

 

As I stepped toward Palia as if to lunge at her, Franz blocked my path.

 

“Move. I have no business with you.”

 

“A touching reunion can wait. Palia can open a dimension-transfer magic circle and send you back to your original world. Therefore, Erika.”

 

Franz extended his pale hand toward me. That hand was already stained red with blood.

 

“My Queen, come with me.”

 

Behind him, a storm of hell raged. The screeches of monsters and the screams of people echoed together in my ears.

 

In this world of despair, only he and I remained.

 

In the end, it played out just like the original story. Without a single deviation, Erika had become Franz’s subordinate and a member of the rebel forces.

 

I had merely circled back to the villain I tried so desperately to escape. I had only danced like a puppet within the damn destiny of the original work.

 

A hollow laugh escaped my lips like a gust of wind.

 

“In the end, I am taking your hand after all.”

 

I took his blood-stained hand. His fingers tightened around my wrist, intertwining so relentlessly as if to swear he would never let go again.

 

“You’ve finally returned to my side, Erika.”

 

His subordinates brought up horses. When Franz tried to help me up onto a horse, I immediately shook off his hand.

 

“Wait a moment. There is something I must finish.”

 

I stepped forward a few steps. His subordinates blocked my path with guarded gazes, but Franz stopped them.

 

Taking a deep breath, I focused on what lay ahead and raised my hand.

 

The rampaging monsters and the knights and soldiers fighting for their lives against them appeared like visions.

 

Right in the middle of it all, my knight, covered in blood, was holding his sword and fighting endlessly.

 

Calix’s increasingly heavy sword, his slowing movements, his ragged and irregular breathing—I could feel them as vividly as if he were right in front of me.

 

The seven years he had spent living for revenge against the monsters that killed his father had been an endless nightmare for Calix.

 

I wanted to wrap around that nightmare of his. I wanted to guard his sleepless nights.

 

When the morning sunlight shone upon him, I wanted to lie beside him and whisper, “Good morning.”

 

For a brief moment, I had deluded myself into thinking I could save him.

 

Yet I was still merely the villain of the original story.

 

The endless nightmare for him was me.

 

Tears welled up, blurring my vision instantly. I could no longer see Calix.

 

Closing my eyes, I commanded the monsters: “Stop!”

 

My voice echoed across the battlefield, carried by the empty air. The movements of the monsters halted in an instant.

 

Startled for a moment, the knights and soldiers didn’t waste the opportunity and began cutting down the monsters frozen like stone.

 

Calix stopped moving and turned back toward my direction. I hastily turned my head away. I would rather go blind than meet his eyes.

 

I turned as if to run away, but suddenly the strength drained from my legs. Was it because I had exhausted the monster’s power once again right after receiving healing magic? I staggered like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

 

Franz clicked his tongue and lifted me up effortlessly.

 

“You’ve used up all your strength again right after I healed you. What a willful Queen you are. Don’t push yourself.”

 

His tone, pretending to care for me, was repulsive.

 

Franz easily hoisted me onto the horse’s saddle and mounted behind me. Keeping my spine rigid, I grabbed the pommel of the saddle, but lacking strength, I kept pitching forward.

 

Without a word, he pulled my waist back so I leaned against his chest.

 

“Get away from me!”

 

“Stop being stubborn. Unless you want to fall off and break something.”

 

He grabbed the reins and whispered low into my ear: “Wouldn’t you like to say your final farewells to your knight?”

 

I kept my mouth tightly shut and closed my eyes. A single tear I failed to push back streamed down my cheek.

 

“Shut up!”

 

A hard, sharp voice burst out. As if pleased with my answer, Franz let out a short, brief chuckle.

 

“We fall back.”

 

Franz commanded his subordinates in a low voice. His men bowed their heads in unison. Only Palia held her head high, yet she complied with his orders.

 

Franz kicked the horse’s flanks hard and urged it forward.

 

Dozens of horsemen kicked up dust and rapidly bolted through the shattered fortress gate.

 

The swarm of monsters vanished into mounds of ash, and the surviving soldiers sat slumped in despair over the carnage of the battlefield.

 

Mages and healers hurried past, busy treating the wounded. William was visible among them.

 

Would there ever come a day when I could jokingly tell him, “As it turned out, I joined the rebel forces, sorry?”

 

Dozens of horsemen galloped out the broken gate without anyone to stop them.

 

At that moment, someone was running toward us rapidly.

 

Involuntarily turning back, I sucked in a sharp breath. My chest tightened so much I couldn’t breathe.

 

It was Calix. Having cast aside his heavy helmet and armor, he was chasing after me at full sprint in just his tunic, determined to win me back.

 

His eyes, visible through his disheveled black hair, shook violently, tangled in despair and fury.

 

It was impossible to outrun galloping horses at human speed to begin with. The distance between him and me only grew wider and wider.

 

He stretched out his hand as if refusing to lose me. The image of Calix desperately chasing after me faded away like a phantom.

 

“Erika!”

 

From far away, Calix’s blood-soaked voice calling my name echoed like an acoustic memory.

 

On the swaying horse, I did not look back.

 

I wished it were all a dream. I wished I were having a sweet, midday nightmare.

 

This heart of mine… in the end, it destroys you.

 

I ended up shattering the embrace of yours that I so desperately desired, with my own hands.

 

I hope this choice wakes you from your nightmare and brings you peace.

 

Even if you only feel hatred and bitter animosity toward me,

 

if this choice alone is the path that protects you and safeguards our precious people—

 

Everything in front of me was entirely red.

 

It was crimson and blurred, as though a dark world was blanketed by thin rose petals.