The sky was impeccably clear.
Sunlight filtered gently through the treetops, softly resting on Finihiya’s rose-colored cheeks.
She sat as usual on the small hill by the sea, with rows of books placed beside her, passing the long hours away.
On her slender feet, wrapped in silk stockings that seemed fragile enough to break at a touch, rested an old, worn book.
Finihiya lowered her head quietly to read.
If not for the occasional flick of her right hand turning the pages, anyone might think this stunningly beautiful girl before them was a lifelike doll frozen in time.
A sudden chirping sound—
It was hard to say when exactly a few light brown squirrels had gathered around Finihiya, climbing onto her shoulders and occasionally onto this small hill.
Finihiya didn’t seem to mind the squirrels’ playful antics.
No one knew how long this peaceful moment lasted, until Finihiya finished reading the last page of the book, and the body that seemed frozen in time finally showed a faint pulse of life.
“Ugh…”
From her lips, delicate and soft like cherry blossoms drifting in the spring breeze, came a lazy sigh.
“Another biography…”
The book she had just been reading was a record from the demon side about the story of the “Lord.”
Its contents were almost identical to the ones from the Church’s records, all narrating what the “Lord” had done.
Perhaps due to different sources of information, some details varied slightly, but the overall story remained the same.
Her reason for reading this book was not only to see how the demons described the “Lord,” but also out of a small hope—that it might contain detailed records of Saint Attribute Magic.
But after finishing the entire book, a faint sense of disappointment welled up inside her.
Just like the Church’s records, it only mentioned that the “Lord” possessed powerful magical abilities, once known as the strongest magician among humans.
Because of the incredibly rare Holy Attribute Magic, and a unique form of magic, the “Lord” was able to summon angels to descend into the human world, wielding power comparable to that of the Demon Lord.
It was truly remarkable.
To have magical power that could rival the Demon Lord was an extraordinary feat for humans.
Demons had long lifespans, easily living for thousands or even tens of thousands of years.
Compared to humans, who only lived for several decades, growing powerful enough in just a few short years to challenge demons who had lived for millennia was simply unimaginable.
Even in thousands of years of human civilization, those capable of such feats could be counted on one hand.
And the majority of those were heroes.
Heroes were born when human civilization faced grave threats; some individuals heeded the Divine Decree and were granted immense power.
However…
During this recent invasion of human territory by Darlian-sama, no heroes were born.
That was why all the Human Nations had fallen within just four years.
Shaking off these wandering thoughts, Finihiya lifted her gaze and looked toward the distant horizon where the sea met the sky.
The strong sunlight poured down, and the sparkling sea surface shimmered in clear blue.
Her gaze inadvertently fell onto the grass nearby.
Like the vast ocean before her, a beautifully colored Mouse-tail Grass drooped its head weakly.
Staring at this scene, Finihiya’s delicate face softened into a gentle smile.
As if coaxing a child, she spoke softly.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look so listless?”
She raised her left hand, lightly touching the small bouquet at the end of the Mouse-tail Grass.
Suddenly, as if a breeze had stirred, the Mouse-tail Grass swayed with a rustling sound.
Though no wind stirred around them, it felt as if an invisible breeze from another world was gently caressing the area beside Finihiya.
In just a moment, the once drooping, sickly Mouse-tail Grass stood tall and robust, glistening with moist, healthy radiance under the dazzling sunlight.
Chirp chirp…
Just as she withdrew her hand and reached for another book to continue passing the time, the squirrels around her suddenly emitted hoarse cries.
Startled, they quickly leapt off her body and hid behind a nearby tree trunk.
Noticing this unusual behavior, Finihiya blankly lifted her head.
She shifted her gaze toward the source of the disturbance behind her.
A small surprise flickered across her face the moment her eyes landed there.
“A dragon?”
Less than two meters away from her, a little creature sat there, looking somewhat dazed.
It was a baby dragon, quite small—roughly the size of a cat.
Since some dragons could change their size at will, size alone wasn’t a reliable measure.
This young dragon was covered in beautiful blue fur, its head tilted slightly with curiosity as it sized her up.
Dragons were rare creatures.
So encountering one like this at such a moment naturally caused Finihiya’s expression to show mild surprise.
However…
If she had seen such a baby dragon out in the wild, she would likely keep her distance and remain cautious.
But seeing one inside a bustling city usually meant the dragon had a master who cared for it; otherwise, the city’s guards would never allow such a dangerous creature inside.
A soft “Goo~” sound came from the little creature’s mouth, reminiscent of a kitten’s meow.
Seeing no hostility from the baby dragon, Finihiya shifted her legs, slowly turning her body around.
She smiled faintly and extended a small hand in friendship toward the creature.
“Come here, little one.”
Goo~
The baby dragon stretched its head forward, sniffing her palm like a puppy.
Noticing the dragon didn’t react aggressively, she moved her fingers, gently scratching under its chin with her fingertip.
Goo goo.
The baby dragon seemed to enjoy the attention, its eyes half-closed in contentment.
“Hehe~”
Watching this adorable little creature, Finihiya covered her lips with one hand and chuckled softly.
After a bit of playful teasing, she rested her hand atop the dragon’s head, gently stroking the small head.
Wum wum~
The dragon made a spoiled sound from its mouth, clearly enjoying the soothing touch.
After a while of gentle petting, the baby dragon licked her fingertips with its tongue.
The ticklish sensation deepened the smile on Finihiya’s face.
Then, the baby dragon hopped over and lazily curled up on her lap.
Her right hand continued stroking the dragon’s fur slowly.
Gazing at the cute baby dragon, Finihiya tilted her head thoughtfully, wondering who the dragon’s owner might be.
It probably wasn’t someone living in this mansion.