While full of resentment and unease, their eyes, no longer containing thoughts of killing, turned away from me.

There was no lingering attachment to anything here.

However.

“Your Highness, about the maid I mentioned…”

“I sent someone. You’ll be able to meet her soon.”

Before completely leaving the place, he looked back.

The rusty guillotine caught his eye first.

Only now did it feel real.

I survived in front of the guillotine again. This time, without anyone’s sacrifice.

‘Leo…’

I glanced around and found Princess Lalahtu with my eyes. It didn’t take long.

Whenever she had descended was unclear, but Princess Lalahtu was standing in front of the execution platform, staring at me.
Behind her, Carsatuna looked out with a worried expression, alternately glancing at me and the princess.

Especially when she looked at me, her expression became more complicated.

Does she have any last words for me?

Last.

The word pierced my chest.

‘Right. This is the end.’

I was curious about what Carsatuna wanted to say, but I didn’t really want to turn my ear to the words she was saying.

With each step the horse took, a piece of lingering regret in my heart fell away.

‘What about Leo?’

I stared at the princess’s elbow. There would be droplets shining vividly inside her clothes. It was the tattoo containing Leo.

Tyrene said that the tattoo revealed when a priest used their power was a trace of the spirit. So, the princess’s tattoo was a trace of Leo.

‘I have to absorb it.’

If Tyrene, who had hidden her appearance because of Giovanni, were here now, she would probably advise to make contact quickly.

But looking at the two people with complex faces, it wasn’t easy to make up my mind.

‘What will happen to the kingdom if I absorb Princess Lalahtu’s power and leave?’

It was a kingdom maintained by the power of the priest.

If that power disappeared, it was unimaginable what would happen.

Even ordinary citizens who didn’t know anything would have a hard time.

‘Even the colleagues of Amtein, everyone.’

Thinking that, it wasn’t easy to move quickly, disregarding the little bit of affection left for Princess Lalahtu and Carsatuna.

While hesitating, Princess Lalahtu raised her hand to the sky, as if trying to say something profound.

With the wind, the wide sleeves descended, exposing her elbow.

The tattoo sparkled in blue. After absorbing the power a few more times, the tattoo began to be visible even without the priest using their ability.

The blue tattoo captured my attention. An intense impulse struck me, much like when I first absorbed the priest’s power.

That’s mine!

An immediate temptation to rush out and grab Princess Lalahtu overwhelmed me.

I clenched my trembling hand into a fist.

This was a reaction that occurred as the power increased.

「The spirits stimulated by the origin of the spirits you possess are trying to return. To the main body.」

The impulse to touch Princess Lalahtu, as Tyrene had said, did not subside.

The spirits, who lost their physical bodies and intellects, recognized me as their main body, which resulted from the unconscious desires within me and the spirits trying to return to me.

‘I’ve already absorbed quite a bit of the power of the spirits. There’s about ten places of power left. Now, I can even feel where the remaining power is. I might be able to summon it. But…’

If that happens, the kingdom will collapse.

The nobles, whether they struggle or not, have a lot of money, so they can live anywhere. But what about those who can’t?

Swoosh.

I released the power of the clenched hand.
Unable to quell my impulse when looking at Princess Lalahtu, I decided to close my eyes and turn my head instead.

Instead of Princess Lalahtu, Giovanni’s broad back came into view. The desire that had risen like a wildfire subsided.

I sighed.

The moment the word ‘give up’ crossed my mind.

“Don’t go.”

I turned my head back. There was nothing particularly noticeable.

‘Did I hear it wrong?’

Looking around again, I only received the gaze of the kingdom residents, who were becoming more vigilant.

Jenny was standing on the outskirts of the capital with the errand runner Giovanni had summoned.

Her appearance, stretching her neck while waiting for my arrival, was like a meerkat.

As soon as she saw me, she ran towards me and hugged me. With tears streaming down her face, Jenny asked.

“Miss! What happened?”

“I can’t live in the kingdom anymore. I’m going to the Empire. So, Jenny, you…”

“I’ll go with you!”

Before I could say anything, her response burst out.

“Live in the desert?”

“That’s okay. I’ve already decided to serve you for the rest of my life!”

I glanced at Giovanni. He nodded, as if telling me to do as I pleased.

In the end, I nodded. Jenny smiled broadly with a tear-stained face.

Jenny was hit by Kichef’s words.

She grabbed the hem of Kichef’s clothes with her fingers, slightly unusual to grab a stranger’s waist.

“Miss, are you really leaving like this?”

“Yeah. You’ve prepared the rest.”

I hesitated.

‘My vault hasn’t disappeared yet, right?’

“Can I stop by somewhere for a moment?”