Chapter 130: Going to the Royal Capital

Rita knew there were still many things she needed to say to Cecilia, but just now was not the right time.

Now that Dolores, their common enemy, had fallen, there were things that inevitably had to be put on the table.

No matter how Rita tried to delay it, the time would eventually come when she could no longer run from it.

At the very least, for now, she could still postpone it a little longer, letting that fated moment come just a bit later.

Even if it was only by a few minutes.

“Lady Cecilia, let me take you back to the surface first.”

Rita withdrew her wings and tail, walked slowly to Cecilia’s side, lifted her hand to take Cecilia’s arm, and gently held Cecilia in her embrace.

Cecilia looked up at Rita’s face.

On any other day, Rita would have said, “Let’s go back to the surface.”

But Cecilia didn’t point out the unintentional change in Rita’s words. With a slight nod, she gave Rita her answer.

“All right.”

“Then, let’s go.”

Rita held tight to Cecilia’s hand, leaped up from the ground, and jumped straight through the hole she had blasted in the ceiling, following the path they had come.

Looking for the nearest exit.

Once again, she chose to run away.

But running away never solves anything, and Rita knew this all too well.

Whether in the past or now, it was always because she kept running from her problems, muddling through each day without ever making a decision that could determine her own future, that she had gotten into so much trouble.

Clear as day.

Rita lowered her lashes, and even in the boundless darkness, she could still see the outline of Cecilia’s always-calm expression.

She wanted to see through Cecilia’s thoughts, but that was far harder than seeing through the darkness around them.

Forget it, just stop thinking about it. I’ll put it off a little longer.

Delay it until the last second, until there’s no time left to delay.

She knew it was wrong, she knew it was pointless, but compared to facing the coming reality, she’d rather let her mind rest for a while longer.

Cecilia didn’t say a word, nor did Rita; only the sound of their footsteps and the crunching of stone echoed through the dark corridor.

When it comes down to it, how long can I keep running away?

“What I’ll do after defeating that woman? Why are you asking me that?” Valfys crossed her arms as she fell together with the kicked-down Rita. “If you want to kill, then kill; if you want to spare, then spare; if you want to make her your toy, I don’t care. We dream demons believe in free development.”

“If I really kill Dolores, then what?” Rita asked.

“I already said, we believe in free development. Asking me is pointless, right? But if you want to come to my side, I’ll teach you anything you want to learn. With my teaching, even if you don’t surpass me, most demons will be no match for you! Sister, I’m pretty strong!”

Valfys gave Rita a thumbs-up, then continued,

“Or, you could travel alone. Go see the sea monsters of the Sea of Despair, take a stroll across the Permafrost beyond the Northern Wall, or visit the Dark Elves of the Eternal City. If nothing else, you could test your strength against those true-blooded Blood Demons. This world is huge, and what I’ve taught you is enough to let you wander through most of it safely.”

“So, just do whatever you want. Whether you come back to find me or go somewhere else, I fully support you.”

Yes, as a dream demon, as long as I have strength, it doesn’t matter where I go.

That’s settled then. Once I get out of this tunnel, I’ll pursue my own future.

And that sliver of twilight was just ahead.

But Rita stopped before she reached that light.

In that future, would she be all alone?

Rita set down the Cecilia she’d been holding tightly in her arms and stepped back two paces.

“Lady Cecilia, go on ahead. I still have something to take care of.”

Cecilia’s golden eyes fixed intently on Rita. That look in her eyes—Rita had never seen it before.

At that moment, Rita suddenly felt she could understand some of Cecilia’s gaze.

A little helplessness, perhaps a little disappointment, and…

Forget it, forget it, Cecilia’s future has nothing to do with me anymore.

Cecilia parted her lips, as if wanting to say something to Rita.

Before Cecilia could speak, Rita suddenly felt a wave of intense danger.

It came from right behind her.

Rita didn’t have time to think—her body reacted instinctively—she leapt in front of Cecilia, swinging her sword at the rapidly approaching threat behind her.

Clang.

A crisp clash rang out, and Rita’s pupils instantly shrank to a pinprick.

The sword in her hand—custom-made for her by Cecilia from the carapace of the Lord of Night—snapped clean in two in that exchange.

At the same time, Rita saw clearly the face of the young woman who had cut her weapon.

Long gray hair flowed down her back, her whole body clad in a suit of ornate yet practical light armor, and in her hand was a long sword, its blade curved like a beast’s claw—the very culprit that had just cut Rita’s weapon.

With just one exchange, Rita could tell.

This woman—she was stronger than the Lord of Night, no, stronger than Dolores by far!

She couldn’t hold back! Otherwise, Cecilia would be in danger!

Golden sigils surfaced across Rita’s body, and in an instant, golden motes covered the broken sword. A half-transparent blade of light restored the shattered edge and swung straight at the gray-haired girl.

But that still wasn’t enough. She would have to draw on the power of the dream demon as well…

“Stop!”

Cecilia’s voice rang out from behind her, and Rita’s sword stopped mid-air.

But at that exact moment, the tip of the gray-haired girl’s blade was already pressed to Rita’s chest.

“Oh! Impressive!” Another figure dropped down from the tunnel ceiling, the hammer in her hand striking the stone tiles with a force that made the whole tunnel tremble. “You managed to block that? Even little Promi might not be able to do that!”

“Don’t mention Promi’s name.” The gray-haired girl shot a sidelong glare at her companion, sheathing her sword at lightning speed.

This person…

From her tone and her appearance, Rita already knew who this was.

The best among the Holy Knights, the Silver-Grey Fang, Brownie.

“Your Highness Cecilia.” Brownie lowered her head slightly.

“Your Highness Cecilia.” The hammer-wielding girl also lowered her hammer, placing one hand over her chest.

Rita couldn’t see Cecilia behind her, but she was sure Cecilia had responded somehow, which was why the two in front of her withdrew their formalities and turned their attention to Rita.

The hammer-wielding girl immediately noticed the golden sigil floating behind Rita. “Huh? Is that a sigil!”

“I’ve never seen a sigil like this before. There isn’t anyone like this among the Holy Knights. Who are you?” Brownie asked in a deep voice.

Who am I?

I’m just a dream demon who wants to leave this place.

“……”

“I wasn’t asking you.” Brownie cut Rita off coldly, turning her blazing gaze to Cecilia. “Your Highness Cecilia, even as a princess, you must know it’s improper to entrust your precious golden blood to a person of unknown origin.”

Rita waited a long time, but Cecilia didn’t answer, and she couldn’t help but turn to look at her.

Cecilia’s brow was slightly furrowed. Rita had known her for so long, but this was the first time she’d seen Cecilia look so uncertain.

Rita suddenly remembered.

Before her, Cecilia was always confident, intelligent, and strong—but that was never the whole truth.

She remembered the whispered gossip on the plaza when she first met Cecilia, the disdain in the eyes of those merchants who came to see her, the way others fell silent when the subject of curses came up, the way Cecilia had looked out the window that night with red-rimmed eyes.

Cecilia was indeed a princess, but at the same time, she was the Cursed Princess—a being the world refused to accept.

Commoners gossiped about her, merchants looked down on her, and even the Holy Knights treated her with hostility.

Rita suddenly felt angry, though she didn’t know exactly why.

No, actually, she did know—she was angry on Cecilia’s behalf.

“I’m not some person of unknown origin!”

Rita stepped forward, just as she had done countless times before, shielding Cecilia behind her.

Cecilia’s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Rita’s back.

Unfortunately, Rita didn’t see any of this.

“I am Lady Cecilia’s personal Holy Knight!”

“Brownie, she says she’s a Holy Knight!” The girl with the hammer looked on with undisguised amusement, shaking her head from side to side.

“You know she’s not a Holy Knight.” Brownie’s expression didn’t change as she coldly stated a fact known to all.

That fact was sharper than any weapon—in her mind, it was enough to silence Rita.

But Rita wasn’t shaken at all by this fact she already knew. “I will become a Holy Knight. I’ll become Lady Cecilia’s personal Holy Knight—an equal to you!”

“But you can’t even block a single blow from me.” Brownie lowered her lashes.

“I will, someday!” Rita replied loudly.

Brownie seemed surprised that Rita would say something so lacking in presence and so unconvincing.

It was an answer that had nothing to offer but sincerity.

“Pfft.” The other Holy Knight watching burst out laughing. Under Brownie’s icy glare, she finally stifled her exaggerated laugh, but the smile didn’t leave her face, and she gave Rita a big thumbs-up.

But Rita just stood there, meeting Brownie’s gaze—one that looked as if it could freeze her solid—without backing down even a step.

Suddenly, Rita seemed to understand.

She hadn’t thought it through, but this answer wasn’t given on a whim either.

This was Rita’s true and honest answer.

Now, she was a dream demon, but that didn’t mean she had to feel a sense of belonging to that identity. It didn’t mean she had to deny the thousands of days and nights she’d spent as a human.

All those moments of hesitation, of going with the flow, of falling into crisis, of being pushed forward—those were all proof of the person she had been.

So what now?

There was nothing else—she simply preferred to be among humans, preferred to be at Cecilia’s side.

That’s why she wanted to be a Holy Knight!

Princesses or sigil knights, it didn’t matter—she was going to smack anyone who bullied Cecilia until their faces were swollen!

“I will become a Holy Knight! I’ll be Lady Cecilia’s personal knight!” Rita declared with conviction, then turned around and, to the stunned faces of the two others, took Cecilia’s hand. “Lady Cecilia, let’s go!”

What a fool.

Even with the strength to defeat Dolores, even as a dream demon, even with all the mysteries that still surrounded her, Rita was still Rita—a fool was a fool.

From the very first day they’d met until now, she had always been the same, never changing.

No, perhaps she had matured a little? Even if it was only just a bit.

“All right.” Cecilia took Rita’s hand of her own accord, a gentle smile blooming like a spring breeze. “Where are we going?”

Rita gripped her hand tightly, just as she had countless times in the past.

“To the Royal Capital!”