The evening breeze, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees, brushed against her cheek.
She lifted a hand to tuck back her wind-tossed golden hair, then raised her eyes—just a few kilometers away, the lights of the Empire Capital spilled like a river of stars.
The warm glow of magical lanterns intertwined with the glazed brilliance from the noble manors; though the hum of carriages and voices was distant, it was vibrant and alive, far livelier than the nights in the Holy Nation.
What a wonderful place.
She used wind magic to clean a stone, making sure there was no dust left before sitting on it.
Separated by several kilometers, she gazed at the Empire Capital, shining brightly even at night, and recalled the nights back in the Holy Nation.
She had looked down from the attic of the Great Cathedral, gazing out at the Holy Nation’s nights, only to find them endlessly monotonous.
Time seemed unable to leave any mark on that land; more than a decade had passed, and it remained unchanged—always strictly by the book, always so regulated.
There, everyone lived out their devotion to Aetherlan in their own way.
Even Vivian Arlene herself could not fully comprehend it, but she knew—she understood—Aetherlan truly did act for the world, for all of humanity.
She was a benevolent mother, yet suffered greatly for her kindness.
Vivian’s faith in Aetherlan was more of shame, of guilt.
Yet she never understood why Aetherlan chose her as the Holy Maiden, as her earthly voice—when she herself had never felt prepared.
This responsibility weighed so heavily upon her that she could barely breathe.
She’d hardly been a child for a few days before she was forced to grow up…
She began to think—how wonderful it would be if she hadn’t been born in the Holy Nation, if she weren’t the Holy Maiden.
But at once, she shook her head.
That was just running away.
Only she could serve as Aetherlan’s Holy Maiden’s Substitute; she had to shoulder this burden.
Though she did not approve of the Church’s xenophobia and rigidity, her upbringing was already etched into her bones.
She wanted to be a force for justice, to protect the citizens of the Holy Nation, and even more, to be worthy of that profound faith.
From childhood, Vivian had always wanted to be a force for justice and to protect the people of the Holy Nation.
“Ah… The roast chicken is going to get cold….”
In the end, the aroma of the roast chicken pulled Vivian from her memories.
She unwrapped the oiled paper—the golden skin of the roast chicken gleamed with oil, hot and fragrant with spices.
She took a big bite; the juices melted on her tongue, the flavor so rich her eyes narrowed with pleasure and her lips soon glistened with oil.
“Mmm… delicious~”
She ate until her mouth was shiny with grease.
She suddenly realized this wasn’t at all ladylike, and just as she was about to wipe herself clean and keep up her dignified image, she paused—there was no one else here to see her, after all.
Why bother keeping up the Holy Maiden’s appearance?
She decided to let loose, devouring the food with gusto, tearing off a drumstick and gnawing at it with relish, cheeks flecked with oil, eyes brimming with rare indulgence and ease.
Once she was full and content, she followed the sound of water to a nearby stream.
Moonlight scattered across the flowing surface, breaking into pieces of silvery scales.
She squatted, using the cold water and magic to wash away the oil from her hands and lips, fingertips gliding over the stream as she stared at her reflection—emerald eyes glimmered softly, golden hair fluttered in the evening wind.
There was less of the Holy Maiden’s stateliness and more of a girl’s vibrant youth.
She smiled gently at her reflection, yet suddenly felt hollow inside.
She’d always yearned to escape the Holy Nation’s constraints, to pursue the freedom of solitude, but once truly alone, she found herself missing Beccas.
“If only I could share this delicious roast chicken with Auntie.”
She pictured the two of them sitting on the big stone, gnawing on roast chicken, and couldn’t help but laugh aloud—but, most likely, Auntie would never indulge with her like this… Well… maybe Auntie could be as carefree as her, but it was almost impossible for Auntie to be this unrestrained.
She could almost hear Auntie’s voice: “Holy Maiden, this kind of greasy food is unhealthy.”
“Holy Maiden, it’s too dangerous to be outside at night.”
“Holy Maiden, do you even have any ladylike manners left?”
Sigh… Vivian let out a long breath and shook her head.
It really was easier being alone.
Just as Vivian sat for a while and was about to head back…
She stood up, brushed the grass off her skirt, and was ready to return when the sword-shaped pendant hanging at her chest suddenly flared with a gentle but resolute silver light—that was a fragment of the Moonblade.
“Moonblade? What’s wrong?” Vivian’s expression instantly became grave, all trace of relaxation gone from her emerald eyes, leaving only alertness.
The pendant’s glow grew stronger, clearly a warning. “Faithful of the Evil God? Here?!”
Her voice shot up, her heart pounding uncontrollably.
But she dared not act rashly; after all, she’d only just reached the third rank.
She couldn’t risk facing a Faithful of the Evil God alone—those sneaky rats always kept themselves well-hidden.
Any who dared to reveal themselves before others were already exceedingly powerful, and she couldn’t gamble on that.
But… right beside her was the Empire Capital of Kalishi.
If the Faithful of the Evil God slipped inside and massacred civilians… even if experts intervened, there would likely be heavy casualties.
Should she go?
Vivian asked herself.
Vivian gripped the pendant, her fingertips turning white.
If she shrank back now, did she deserve to be called the Holy Maiden?
Besides, with the Moonblade’s power, even if she faced a Transcendent, she was far from helpless.
“Vivian, you can do it.” She whispered to the night sky, her eyes growing determined.
“As the Holy Maiden, this is your duty. You have to prove you’ve grown up, that you no longer need Auntie’s protection.”
She took a deep breath, following the direction indicated by the Moonblade, and cautiously headed into the depths of the forest, each light step filled with unwavering resolve.
……
On the other side, after coaxing Floleen to sleep, Charlotte found himself wide awake.
The power of the Tree of Life surged within him, leaving him more alert than ever.
So, he put on his cloak and decided to go out to the outskirts to practice magic.
He activated [Veil of Mist Concealment], a pale magical mist enveloping him like a shadow merging with the night.
This magic concealed both presence and sight; unless he ran into someone vastly more powerful, no one would notice him.
Charlotte walked through the night and soon reached a lake on the outskirts of the Empire Capital.
Moonlight shimmered on the lake’s surface, casting ripples of light; reeds swayed gently on the shore, the scenery tranquil and beautiful.
“It really is a wonderful place.” Charlotte murmured in admiration and stepped onto the lake’s surface.
Charlotte took a step forward, moving slowly toward the lake’s center.
Beneath his feet, a crystalline blue magic circle suddenly glowed, complex patterns spreading along the ripples.
Wherever they passed, the lake water instantly froze.
The ice was clear as crystal, reflecting the moonlight, paving a frosty path straight to the heart of the lake.
He advanced steadily; with each step, fresh frost condensed beneath him, until he finally stood in the center of the lake.
Charlotte raised a hand, magic glowing white in his palm, and increased the output of the circle at his feet.
The crystalline blue light flared brighter, and frost spread out from him in all directions.
The crackling sound of freezing water rang out, ice patterns layered upon each other like blossoming crystal flowers.
In just a moment, half the lake was sealed in ice, the moonlit surface glimmering coldly—an astonishing, breathtaking sight.
“Charlotte… there’s a Divine Artifact….”
Aifel’s voice suddenly echoed in Charlotte’s mind.
Here, in the wilds at midnight—he’d only meant to practice magic, so how could a “Divine Artifact” suddenly appear?
“Where?”
“It’s running straight towards us….”
Again?