“Do you know what my first thought was at the moment of my death?”

Thwack!

“Why couldn’t I say anything!”

Thwack!

“If I had known I’d die so pathetically!”

Thwack! Thwack!

“I should have said something satisfying before I went!”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Since the opponents weren’t human anyway, there was no need to feel guilty.

Luibel mercilessly beat her aunt, uncle, and cousins as they screamed and ran away.

[SYSTEM] Your happiness has increased by +300! (Happiness: 499)

[SYSTEM] Your happiness has increased by +300! (Happiness: 799)

[SYSTEM] Your happiness has increased by +300! (Happiness: 999)

[SYSTEM] Happiness has exceeded the maximum, some of the increase is not reflected!

Her happiness, which shot up to the maximum in an instant, broke through the ceiling.

[SYSTEM] Your happiness has reached its maximum!

[SYSTEM] Your strength temporarily surges!

Just as her anger had reached its peak due to Hezen in the past, causing a temporary surge in strength, her maximum happiness now boosted her power.

At some point, her uncle and cousins had scattered into black mist, and Luibel launched an attack towards her aunt.

“Kyaak!”

The final illusion, struck by her attack, also turned into black mist and fled outside the tent.

Then immediately, the background where she stood shook, and the tent that had been like a nightmare from her past life changed to the tent where she had fallen asleep a few hours ago.

Pweeit!

―Lulu niiiim!

Piya flew towards her.

“Are you alright, Piya?”

Pweeeit…

―Piya almost couldn’t return to Lulu nim.

Piya, folding its wings on Luibel’s palm, drooped its head sadly.

Pweet, pweeeit…

―Bad mist tempted Piya. Said it would make Piya the king of guide birds, so Piya, sob…

Piya trembled its tiny body and cried pweururururu.

“You did well, Piya. You still overcame the mist. That’s amazing, isn’t it?”

Pweet!

Piya stopped sniffling and nodded at Luibel’s praise.

Luibel came out of the tent with Piya and looked for Anselot and Klaus.

“Anselot! Sir Klaus!”

“Your Highness! Are you alright!”

Klaus ran over with a pale face. He too had just escaped from the hallucination.

“I’m fine, how about you, sir?”

“I’m alri…”

The moment his eyes met Luibel’s, Klaus trailed off and his face turned bright red.

[SYSTEM] enters a guarded state.

[SYSTEM] ‘s affection has decreased by −10. (Affection: 989)

[SYSTEM] enters a confused state.

[SYSTEM] ‘s affection has decreased by −10. (Affection: 979)

‘It seems he’s in a state where his affection drops just from hearing my breath again.’

Luibel thought as she watched Klaus’s affection decrease.

‘I wonder what he saw in the mist… No, let’s not try to think about it.’

She had a rough idea of what Klaus might have seen in the hallucination.

The only weakness of that perfect knight was romance, after all. He must have been tempted by beautiful ladies in the mist.

“But where’s Anselot?”

Anselot was nowhere to be seen. Luibel looked around the dimly lit campfire and asked Klaus.

“Didn’t you sleep together in the sleeping bag?”

“He went out to scout the forest and hasn’t returned since.”

A sudden uneasiness crept in.

Normally, he would have emerged from the mist by now, giving a flirtatious smile and saying, “Were you worried about me, Your Highness?”

However, even after Luibel, Piya, and Klaus had all escaped the mist, Anselot was still nowhere to be seen.

At a glance, he seemed like a man without any weaknesses, but the occasional melancholy look in his eyes kept coming to mind.

‘I’m exceptionally good at waiting, you know.’

‘Just, there’s only one thing I want. The death of the Light Dragon Helheim.’

Those red eyes, clearly soft yet somehow precariously unstable.

The deep, lonely look within them that somehow prevented further inquiry.

Remembering these things made Luibel feel a bit anxious.

“I need to find Anselot.”

Luibel quickly checked the mini-map.

However, Anselot’s location wasn’t visible.

This was because the mini-map of hadn’t been activated yet.

‘I should have found the lantern in advance during the day.’

Luibel bit her lower lip as she glared at the gray-covered areas of the map.

“This won’t do! I’ll search this way! Sir, please take care of that side!”

Luibel asked Klaus to cover the opposite direction and ran into the depths of the forest.

Pweet! Beet!

―Piya will help!

Piya, flying after Luibel, called out to her.

[Side Quest: Affection for Piya!]

Please pat the head feathers of Piya, the most gallant and cool baby bird in the world!

▶Reward upon success: Lantern

Along with Piya’s cry, a new quest arrived with a pporororong!

Luibel stopped abruptly and turned to look at Piya.

“Piya…!”

Piya had used all of its precious salary to create a side quest to help Luibel.

It was a kind of loophole, but offering a special item as a reward didn’t violate the rules.

“Thank you, Piya.”

As Luibel stroked Piya’s head feathers, the quest completion notification arrived immediately along with the Lantern as a reward.

Thanks to this, Luibel quickly activated the mini-map and ran towards Anselot’s location on the map.

And not long after, she was able to find Anselot.

“Anselot!”

But Anselot’s condition was a bit strange.

As if he couldn’t hear Luibel’s call, he kept walking towards somewhere with blank eyes.

“Anselot! Where are you going!”

Luibel quickly chased after him.

Then she stopped abruptly.

She had spotted the black mist in front of Anselot.

The black mist, which had been spread out widely, gradually gathered in one place and began to take on a human form.

Though it had no eyes, nose, or mouth.

Though it was a form made entirely of wriggling black mist.

The slender figure and flowing long hair were clearly in the shape of a young woman, imitating Luibel.

“…!”

For a brief moment, Luibel felt as if she had made eye contact with the black form.

‘What, what is that….’

Somehow, the creepy sensation made her feel uncomfortable.

It was just as Luibel was trying to shake off that eerie feeling and approach Anselot.

The black form embraced Anselot.

Anselot, without resistance, hugged the black form back and dropped his head onto its shoulder.

Drip―

Tears flowed down Anselot’s cheeks.

Anselot was crying. In the arms of the black form.

[This is the timeline separator]

Snow-white hair shimmered silver under the pale moonlight. A pair of eyes, red like flames blooming in darkness, were fixed on one place throughout.

You, with light pink hair fluttering in the spring breeze, bursting into laughter.

You are the hero of humans. The master of prophecy. The agent of light.

The prophesied child who will grasp the heart of the light dragon that devours the world’s light.

You were the only light and hope for humans, and I loved you.

In the slowly passing time. That love became a tragedy.

You are the plunderer who will take my life. The slaughterer who will extinguish my breath.

The revelation of light becomes fate, plundering my life, slaughtering my breath, shattering you to tear my heart into pieces.

In the empty ruins swept by the dragon’s raging flames. Remaining as a handful of ashes, I remembered you.

For a long time, for ages and ages, in the same place.

As punishment for defying providence, you became an eternal, unending penance for me.

You, now so distant that I have lost you forever.

You, for whom even longing has become an eternal sin.

You, who have departed forever, whose name I dare not claim as my own anymore.

If only I could remember with my soul… engraving, re-engraving, deeply carving over my broken heart.

‘Why do you have such sad eyes?’

Cool fingertips brush my cheek. Following that trace, I lower my gaze to find you looking at me with a worried face.

‘Did you wait for me?’

With a clear laugh, you ask me.

It’s strange.

Why are you here before me?

Smiling so brilliantly.

Without a hint of resentment towards me, who ultimately failed to protect you.

Thud.

Entrusting my body to your open arms, I dare to rest my head on the shoulder I couldn’t protect.

Embracing you, whom I can never lose again, with my whole body crushed.

I dare to beg.

…I’m sorry.

…I’m so sorry.

…Don’t go.

…Now, let’s be together.

With a burning soul in the damp eternity, I dare to beg and cling.

You smile at me in response to that sorrowful and yearning whisper.

‘Yes. We’ll be together forever.’

Returning the wish I had longed for so much.

‘Hel. My hell. My…’

[This is the timeline separator]

“…I’m sorry.”

A faint voice, like a whisper, escaped Anselot’s wet lips.

“…I’m so sorry.”

The moment I heard that sound, I felt as if the blood vessels around my heart were tightening.

Anselot begged, embracing the black form so tightly it might crush.

“…Don’t go. Now, let’s be together.”

Perhaps it was because I saw tears from a man I thought I would never see cry.

My chest throbbed unpleasantly.

Without realizing it, I grasped the hilt of my sword.

The black form nodded towards Anselot, then began to slowly engulf his body.

“No!”

I shouted, drawing my sword.

Then the black form’s head slowly turned towards me.

With nothing but wriggling black smoke where features should be, an eerie chill crept up.

Gripping my trembling hands tightly, I pointed the tip of my sword at the black form.

“Give Anselot back!”

The black form didn’t react.

Just as I was about to charge towards the black form that was staring at me,

Clang!

A spear made of pure white energy parried my attack.

It was Anselot’s spear.

“Never again…”

Still tightly embraced by the black form, Anselot muttered while looking at me.

“I won’t lose you again…”

For a moment, a cold killing intent flickered in his dreamy eyes.

White spheres that Anselot controlled appeared in the air with a rustle.

He embraced the black mist more tightly and stared at me with cold eyes.

Anselot’s white spheres all flew towards me at once.

Kuwhwahwahwahwahwang!

Kuwhwahwang! Bang!

Amidst the loud explosion sounds, Piya screamed.

Pweeeeet!

―Lulu nim! Anselot has gone mad!

Pweeeeeeeet!

―Look at those crazed eyes! Anselot has finally gone insane, Lulu nim!