Returning, Merem had a determined look on his face.

I gladly put on a silk gown and sat on the sofa for him.

After that, we indulged in chess with a touch of wine.

As we played, I unexpectedly found joy even though I lost three consecutive games.

“Your chess skills are truly remarkable.”

“You let me win.”
“No, it was a fierce battle. However, you took one step ahead.”

As my eyelids gradually grew heavy, it’s time to sleep.

Lying down on the bed first, I gestured towards Merem.

“Come here.”

When I slept alone, I never really thought much about sleeping alone. However, for some reason, after lying down with Merem, I wanted to continue like this in the future.

“Go to sleep first, Leo.”

“What about you?”

“I can’t sleep because I’m excited.”

Merem extended his arm, seemingly offering to be my pillow.

I didn’t refuse and leaned my head against his solid bicep.

Although I could feel the strength in his bicep, I didn’t say anything.

If I acknowledged even this, the shy one might go crazy.

“Have sweet dreams, Merem.”

Murmuring like that, I quickly fell into a deep sleep.

The warmth I needed enveloped me, making me feel happier and more fulfilled than ever.

Even though it might be torment for Merem.

“!”

Around five in the morning. Merem, who had barely fallen into a light sleep, suddenly woke up.

Thump, thump, thump.

His heart raced with excitement. Clutching the damp sheet with cold sweat, he took a deep breath and exhaled.

Next to him, Leonarda was peacefully asleep, wrapped in the fallen blanket.

Pulling up the fallen blanket over her body, Merem, who was stroking his tingling temples, narrowed his eyes.

‘I remember.’

A memory that had been neatly forgotten for a while.

It occasionally came to mind, but when I turned around, I forgot about it.

Today, at this moment, it surfaced in my mind.

‘My guardian spirit.’

A presence that pushed my back to make me stand firm so he could become stronger.

I don’t know the name. I don’t even know the gender.

Since I didn’t know his face or voice from the beginning, it was natural.

The guardian spirit, existing only in the flow of light, first met him when he was still a child, and then disappeared and reappeared, helping him in times of crisis.

‘Thirteen. At that time, the guardian spirit taught me how to instill fear in others.’

Thanks to that, he has survived until now.

‘How did I forget? The existence of the guardian spirit.’

Perhaps it was because I was too busy living, breathing was difficult, but… it was too huge to forget.

“…….?”

The chest that had been pounding erratically slowly found its place in Leonardo’s comfortable breath.

Merem, who opened his eyes in the dark, looked up at the empty space.

Approaching him, Eldaim spoke.

What’s wrong? Did you have a scary dream?

“No. Eldaim, do you happen to remember the guardian spirit?”

Guardian spirit? Ah, that strange thing you met when you were young. Are you talking about that bizarre existence that doesn’t fit any rules of the world and doesn’t follow any paths?

Worried that Leonardo might wake up, Merem held back as much as possible.

Barely nodding, Eldaim made a strange nasal sound.
Its existence is still a mystery to me as well. Everything righteous turned upside down, all flows reversed, neither moving forward nor backward. A truly peculiar existence. Fortunately, it was left alone, not causing harm to you.

Even the Spirit King Eldaim doesn’t know who that guardian spirit was.

No, what it was.

Why did it appear and help every time there was a crisis, only to suddenly disappear?

Overflowed with forgotten memories, Merem spent the entire night until morning.

As the sun rose and time passed, several days quickly flew by.

The atmosphere in the palace, which had become ominous due to the Empress’s assassination incident, reached a turning point thanks to the ‘prophecy.’

Devil’s extermination.

The Imperial faction, the noble faction, the temple faction.

An irresistibly attractive prey, accepted by everyone, was thrown before everyone through the Empress’s announcement.

It was the beginning of a large-scale devil subjugation.