Ivanne was attacked on the cheeks by Julie’s hand, and Nia, who saw this vivid scene for the first time, was even forgetting her loneliness and feeling fear.

[Star Icon]

In the end, dawn broke amid chaos, and Leon and Lucia received a key and a letter from the hostess.

“I said I would give it if you come back, but I’m not sure if it’s right.”

Apparently, she had left only the letter without any other measures, as if she expected them to succeed.

In that letter, there was a message written in Helbert’s rough handwriting.

[If you have made the decision, go to the backyard of the inn and have Leon’s captain dispel the illusion magic there. Then you will know why you have seen hope.]

“…….”

Lucia sighed a small sigh, thinking of Nia at the sight of Finn, who had fallen asleep in the hostess’s arms.

The task had ended sooner than expected, and they were planning to return without rest.

Leon, who had seen her small sigh, quickly followed behind Lucia, who was walking fast.

Then, someone tugged at his sleeve.

“Brother! I’ll give you this.”

“What is this…….”

Leon’s hidden golden eyes widened within his hood.

What the beautiful boy Ren handed over, while being hit in the side by the hostess, was a sparkling stone.

A mysterious appearance that shines in rainbow colors like a collection of insect shells.

And the name engraved on the stone…. Lucia.

Ren started whispering again.

“Mom insisted that I give it to you. I didn’t want to give it unless it was necessary, but that sister… won’t be easy.”

As Ren’s compassionate whisper ended, the hostess, who was smiling with her halfmoon eyes and covering her mouth, gave a thumbs up.

“No, no, it’s okay.”

“Ah, guest, don’t refuse. I can’t ask anything to the guests reserved on the third floor, and I don’t know when they will come. I want to give something to the people who saved our sons.”

Embarrassed Leon, at the hostess’s words, finally accepted the stone that Ren offered.

“That’s the name, brother. I heard you shouting earlier. It’s not wrong, right?”

It wasn’t wrong by a single character.

Even people he had just met in this short time knew enough to notice, but he himself…

Leon smiled bitterly.

“…Yes. Thank you. I’ll definitely use it when the lake recovers.”

Following Lucia into the door with a bitter heart, confusion ensued on the way to the backyard, where a sophisticated illusion magic barrier had been cast.

If he had not been a skilled magician, it would have been impossible to follow Lucia, who was reading the magic flow and proceeding along the boundary.

Soon, she stopped under a tall and dry tree,

“Here. Take a look.”

A map was drawn under the letter she handed over, showing the start of the barrier.

When he momentarily blocked the flowing formula from the beginning of the barrier, the surrounding scenery began to revive with a sudden refreshing scent.

Starting from the tree, the tranquil water of the spread lake, green moss, and even the refreshing young trees all around.

Even in such a landscape, the most beautiful thing here was the sparkling pollen falling like stars from the large tree.

“This is… truly beautiful.”

Astonished, he looked at the golden pollen he caught in his hand.

Then, when the wind blew and the pollen flew, wherever it touched, the deep black contamination seemed to retreat, and life began to sprout.
Regrettably, it became contaminated as soon as it was touched.

“Did you see, Lady Lucia? I must hear the details, but it seems that Father and the CommanderinChief have found the path to salvation!”

Lucia did not say a word in his joyous excitement.

No, it would be more correct to say that she couldn’t.

‘…It’s a sacred tree.’

Although she had only seen the tree in the painting hanging in the imperial palace, she remembered its unique shape of leaves, as if hands were layered upon one another.

A tree too loathsome to be called sacred.

Before regression, the documents stated that to manifest the sacred power, a saintess must be sealed alive in this tree.

That cursed tree was right in front of her.

So, there was no reason not to destroy it.

Lucia reached out her hand to the sword hilt with cold eyes.

Then,

“By the way, this tree seems to be a male tree.”

“……?”

“Ah, I apologize. Gender, I mean. Since Father’s hobby is gardening, I know a little. Judging by the appearance of the young trees around, it seems he selected a female tree for breeding.”

A tree… has a gender?

Lucia stopped her action to eliminate the tree for the moment.

If his words were true, it means that a tree that emits flower pollen with healing power could be bred without necessarily killing the saintess.

Sent here were Jashang, Helbert, and even the Emperor.

The efforts of those who certainly failed to produce any results in the future.

It wasn’t too late to destroy the tree after finding out what that was.

Lucia quickly turned her back for now.

Just looking at that beautiful and mysterious tree was impossible as her whole body was screaming out a sharp sense of caution.

Perhaps the added loathing and anxiety, constantly imagining her daughter who would be waiting for her, were the cause.

‘…I need to see Nia soon.’

Leon, who was watching her back, felt confused now.

‘…The lake is alive.’

He had confessed, though not willingly.

But as always, her attitude seemed to have already decided the answer.

Should he cling to this superstition and harbor vain hope in such a situation?

Being an earnest romantic, he soon shook his head.

No matter how much he wanted to be with her, if it wasn’t right, he thought he should hear the confession and the corresponding answer he had prepared himself sometime.

While he was casually throwing a stone on the ground, letting the children rediscover it,

[Dash] Cawww! Screeeech!

A strange bird screeching in the sky was seen flying at a fast speed.

And the bird was descending sharply as if a star were falling.

Lucia, who was already standing, kicked a stone that was hovering in midair with her foot, dropping the bird before Leon could even cast a spell.

Then,

[Dash] Whooosh!

The body of the crow that burst from the sky was not ordinary, as it burst into a great fire.

If that fire had fallen into the forest, it would have ignited a flame in an instant.

‘A suspicious monster. Is this what caused the village fire?’

Strangely enough, the charging monster was temporarily blocked by an illusion spell.

Lucia frowned, her curiosity piqued by this strange special mission that she had never done in the past, and quickly turned back.

It all happened in a matter of seconds.

Stunned and frozen, Leon, with the sound of his heart beating like the gentle ripples spreading from the center of the lake, recalled a line stuck on the wall.

‘In the blessing of the lake, love is sure to be fulfilled.’