Dragging a travel bag along the precarious slope, I walked calmly.
My hometown, Rendel, lies just beyond this hill.
After all, it is part of the Birkender Marquisate’s territory, so it isn’t far.
Yet, to me, it felt a little farther away than it should.
“I’m finally back here.”
Perhaps because I hadn’t slept for two days, the excitement and joy only hit me belatedly.
Memories rushed through my mind like a panorama.
The earliest memory of my birth into this world.
The moments shared with friends.
My time at Larden Academy, which had been such a delight—it felt like I was the protagonist of a novel.
The kindness I practiced under Cruyff’s influence.
That’s something I’ll never regret.
…Though I did wish to conclude things beautifully at the end.
Looking back now, I’m a bit regretful that the ending wasn’t as perfect as I had hoped.
Still, overall, I have no regrets about my life.
“…Now there’s really not much time left.”
I blinked my heavy eyes slowly and raised my head.
Before I knew it, knights wearing black masks had surrounded me.
“You’ve come a long way. Sena Birkender.”
“If I just ask you to let me go, that won’t work, will it?”
“If you don’t resist, we won’t make it painful.”
As they spoke, they simultaneously drew their swords and approached.
‘Well, it’s obvious to anyone where I was headed.’
On their shoulders, I could see the emblem of a hawk—Granz Kairos, the Duke’s insignia.
The fact that they didn’t even bother to conceal it showed the rebellion had already begun.
It would be stranger if, at this point, it hadn’t.
Just how far ahead had the Duke planned?
I could almost hear the sound of Duke Granz laughing in my head.
‘If I use my divine power…’
Ten. I could probably take out half of them.
Then I’d escape through the gap in their formation.
Escape and keep running… but after that?
What should I do next?
I only have a week left.
Even if I drain their lifespan with my power, at best, I could take about 100,000 years.
I let out a bitter laugh.
“The gap in time is too overwhelming.”
What could a human with only two days left to live achieve by stealing their time?
I decided to accept death.
If possible, I wanted to close my eyes for the last time in my hometown.
‘Her Majesty will be fine. If I die…’
I closed my eyes.
“At least, let it be painless.”
It was a wish fit for a saint on the brink of death.
For a moment, the eyes of the knights—fearless even before the Goddess—were filled with an emotion they rarely felt: fear.
Right now, they were hesitating to strike down a defenseless boy.
Why?
Any romantic notions of sparing me should’ve died long ago.
“We are shadows.”
Then, one of the black knights spoke among their ranks.
“A shadow has no will of its own.”
Hearing those words, the leading knight clenched his teeth and raised his sword high.
As he prepared to deliver a clean strike—
“Who gave you permission?”
A golden-haired girl emerged slowly from beyond the hill.
“Who said you could leave as you please?”
It was Astria.
To me, it felt as though time itself had stopped.
“I never gave such an order.”
**
“Astria.”
“How dare you utter the Empress’s name with your vile mouth?”
Astria pushed Sena behind her and stood in front of them.
Sena was clearly flustered.
“Well, this is convenient. I was planning to come for the healer after dealing with him. Tyrant Astria. A coward who abandoned her throne and fled.”
“Insolent rebels with unbridled tongues.”
“Still posturing, are we? You’ve only recovered enough to stand and walk. You’re not in a condition to fight yet.”
Astria’s expression froze ever so slightly, and the knight smirked beneath his mask.
“I’ll enjoy seeing your face when you lose everything.”
“I’ve never once lost anything.”
“Then you’ll feel it now.”
One of the knights unleashed his Aura into the sky.
The massive burst of energy exploded above, creating a radiant light that was visible even in the morning.
A light so bright, it stood out starkly.
‘It’s a signal. There are others.’
Just as Sena opened his mouth to tell Astria that we should run—
Astria, who had been holding her sword for some time now, began to move.
“You seem to be gravely mistaken.”
Slash!
Her movements were imperceptible.
Only the sight of knights collapsing and spewing blood belatedly suggested that Astria had struck with her blade.
“Indeed, my legs have yet to fully recover.”
The knights, tense, charged toward Astria simultaneously.
It was as if black ink spilled across the ground, spreading rapidly.
“So?”
The ten knights appeared to pass straight through Astria.
Sena’s uneasy eyes stayed fixed on Astria.
Droplets of blood clung to Astria’s Holy Sword like beads of dew.
Thud, thud, thud.
“…!”
The knights who had passed Astria fell to the ground simultaneously.
Astria herself bore only a faint scratch on her cheek, without even a speck of dust marring her form.
With her characteristic aloof expression, she fixed her gaze directly on the knight who had dared to insult her earlier.
“And so, what was your point?”
“This… This is impossible. You mean to say… she’s already recovered to this extent?”
“Utterly pathetic.”
With a flick, Astria shook her sword in the air.
Blood droplets flew off her blade, landing on the knight’s face covering—a deliberate insult.
The knight, trembling faintly, wiped away the blood and spoke with forced composure.
“I concede. I underestimated an Empress who claimed the throne with nothing but her sword.”
Astria scoffed, enveloping her sword in a renewed aura in preparation for the next attack.
“But don’t think for a second that this is all we have. I’ve stationed more than enough forces around Rendel. With that signal earlier, reinforcements should be arriving any moment now.”
“Pay it no mind.”
Astria said with a smirk, taking a single step forward.
“After all, it’s a future irrelevant to you.”
Somehow, she was suddenly at the knight’s right side, a short distance away.
“…!”
Before the knight could react, Astria’s blade had already swept past.
Without leaving a single word, the knight’s head fell.
What followed was merciless carnage.
‘This is Her Majesty’s swordsmanship.’
Astria’s movements were devoid of waste.
They flowed seamlessly, like water, and her strikes always traveled the shortest possible path.
And with each stroke of her sword, without fail, one life was claimed.
There were no feints, no irregularities. She charged in the quickest manner, aiming solely for vital points.
Her swordsmanship was a reflection of her philosophy—stripping away the unnecessary, leaving only efficiency.
“…Your Majesty.”
Before long, the only one left standing on the bloodied ground was Astria.
Sena approached with sorrowful eyes.
“You’ve overexerted yourself.”
“As expected, I can’t deceive my capable physician.”
Astria let out a faint chuckle.
This battle had drained a considerable amount of her strength.
She now only had the energy to face an equivalent opponent one or two more times at best.
“Indeed, I can’t let you go. As for the reward I promised for your treatment, I’ll compensate you differently.”
Perhaps from the release of tension, Sena’s consciousness began to fade.
It was no surprise, given that Sena hadn’t slept in days.
“Your Majesty truly…”
Even so, there was one thing he wanted to say.
“You truly are… an impossible person.”
With those words, Sena collapsed as if his fuse had blown.
Astria caught him as he fell.
Anyone could see how much thinner he had become with each passing day.
Gently, Astria stroked Sena’s hair.
“…Don’t worry. I’ll save you. No matter what.”
Thud, Thud, Thud.
The ground trembled.
The sound of many horses galloping.
A swarm-like army on horseback was charging toward them.
‘That must be the reinforcements that knight mentioned earlier.’
Astria carefully set Sena down.
It was going to be a difficult fight.
Defeat wasn’t an option, but the real issue was time.
With so little left for Sena, she had to finish quickly.
“…This is…”
Just as Astria prepared to unleash her Sword Aura, her graceful brow furrowed deeply.
An overwhelming presence was approaching rapidly.
Boom!
Something fell from the sky.
The impact scattered sand into the air, obscuring visibility.
Astria swung her sword lightly to clear her vision.
“Unbelievable.”
She scoffed at the sight before her.
“Quite the dramatic entrance for a stray dog.”
The figure that had fallen from the sky was none other than Chris.
He was carrying people under each arm as if they were nothing more than luggage.
“Put me down! I need to see Sena right now!”
“…Is this any way to treat your senior?”
To his left was Chloe.
To his right…
“Isabella.”
At the sound of her name, Isabella flinched.
Chris glanced at Astria with a grin before turning and kneeling.
“Your Majesty.”
“Speak.”
“I have returned with a traitor and a new servant who will pledge loyalty to Your Majesty.”
Chloe, gasping for breath as the army drew ever closer, looked like she might faint.
And yet Chris, steady and unshaken, spoke with absolute composure.
In fact, there was even a smile on his lips, as though he found the situation thrilling.
“What are your orders?”
“Dispose of the beasts who dare to covet my throne.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Astria gave her terse reply and picked up Sena to carry him.
Just as Chris stood, Astria paused briefly in her steps.
“Oh, one more thing.”
Isabella flinched again, still staring at the ground.
“That insubordinate servant who’s been sulking and protesting for five years since I scolded them—after I’ve finished dealing with everything, I’ll personally deliver their punishment. Ensure they’re alive and brought before me.”
Isabella, stunned, stared blankly at Astria’s retreating figure.
Chris let out a soft chuckle, grabbing Isabella by the head and forcing her to bow alongside him.
“We accept Your Majesty’s decree.”
Astria resumed walking as soon as she heard their response.
