Night had fallen over Denisse territory.
From atop the walls of the main city, Count Thomas gazed at the lights stretching beneath his feet.
Thousands of people still moved through the streets.
Entire families.
Men, women, and children.
All of them believed they were safe.
Thomas remained silent for several moments.
That was what surprised him the most.
How easily people accepted the promise of safety when they were afraid.
"Tens of thousands..."
He murmured the number as he looked over the sea of lights.
Tens of thousands of lives.
Tens of thousands of sources of mana.
He closed his eyes.
For years, he had searched for a way to surpass the limits imposed by noble bloodlines, ancient houses, and even the gifts bestowed by the gods.
Everything had its limits.
Until the demons had shown him another path.
Not the one he had wanted.
Nor the one he would have chosen under normal circumstances.
But he no longer had a choice.
If he did nothing, death was all that awaited him.
This path was far crueler.
But it was also far more efficient.
To them, a human life had no value because of its name, family, or status.
Only because of the amount of mana it contained.
A seasoned warrior could provide more power than hundreds of peasants.
A gifted mage was worth even more.
Thomas opened his eyes.
"With enough power... no one will be able to stop us."
Below, the people of the territory continued entering the places the cultists had prepared.
They called them shelters.
They promised protection.
They assured everyone that inside, they would be safe from the supposed epidemic ravaging the region.
And the people believed them.
One family after another crossed those doors.
Never suspecting what lay beyond them.
Summoning circles.
Altars.
Symbols carved into stone.
And creatures waiting patiently in the darkness.
Once the doors closed...
No one ever came back out.
A scream pierced the night.
Then another.
Moments later came the sound of chains dragging across the stone floor.
The guards stationed outside the entrances didn't react.
They had grown accustomed to it.
Thomas watched everything from the city walls.
His expression remained unchanged.
"It all would have been much simpler if House Douglas had followed the course they were meant to."
His expression hardened.
Caleb's death had produced a completely different outcome than expected.
Laurence hadn't destroyed House Armett.
Why had fate changed its course?
Thomas smiled faintly.
"In the end... I had no other choice. The Empire cast me aside."
Fifteen days had been enough to transform Denisse territory.
Entire villages were beginning to stand empty.
The roads grew quieter with each passing day.
And while the population steadily disappeared, the count's army grew larger with every passing night.
Meanwhile, in a café in Vayllen City, Keitaro, Richard, and Edward spoke in hushed voices. The warm glow of candlelight illuminated their faces, emphasizing the gravity of their expressions.
"I'm telling you, what I saw was real," Keitaro said, his voice firm despite the tension beneath it.
Richard's face turned pale.
"It can't be... Are you saying they're burning people alive?"
"That's only the façade," Keitaro replied. "The Denisse family claims it's an epidemic, but that's a lie. Every death is planned. Every sacrifice serves a purpose. We have to uncover the truth before it's too late."
Edward clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white.
"Damn them...! They made a pact with demons. They're sacrificing thousands of innocent people!"
At that moment, lightning tore across the sky.
Its flash reflected off the café's windows, briefly illuminating the city's streets. From there, Vayllen City looked as peaceful as any ordinary night.
But the three men already knew the truth.
Behind every closed door, in every dark alley, fear continued spreading like a silent plague.
They exchanged one final look.
They knew what was coming wouldn't be a simple confrontation.
It was a war against something that defied all logic.
Lusian had spent the past several days trying to speak with Elizabeth.
He hadn't succeeded.
Every time he approached her, she found a reason to leave.
If they were in the dining hall, she wouldn't even look at him.
If they met in the academy corridors, she quickened her pace.
And whenever he finally managed to catch up, one of her classmates would suddenly appear, claiming to urgently need to speak with her.
At first, Lusian thought she was simply angry.
Later, he began to suspect he had made a far more serious mistake than he had realized.
The problem was that, if he were honest with himself...
He already knew what it was.
Saving Isabella had brought him nothing but trouble...
And in the end, it hadn't changed anything.
Besides, understanding what went on inside a girl's mind was an entirely different matter.
That afternoon, however, he finally found her alone.
Elizabeth was walking through one of the academy's side corridors with several books pressed against her chest.
"Elizabeth."
She kept walking.
Lusian quickened his pace.
"Elizabeth, wait."
The young woman stopped, but she didn't turn around.
"I'm busy."
"I only need a moment to speak with you."
"I have nothing to say to you."
Lusian fell silent for a moment.
"That doesn't seem very fair."
At last, Elizabeth turned around.
The look she gave him made him regret those words immediately.
"Oh?"
"Well..."
She sighed.
"What do you want?"
Lusian gestured toward an empty corridor.
"Could we talk over there?"
Elizabeth hesitated for several seconds before following him.
Once they were alone, an awkward silence settled between them.
Lusian had rehearsed this conversation for days.
Now, he couldn't find a single word.
"About Isabella..."
Elizabeth looked away.
"I don't want to talk about her."
"But we have to."
"Why?"
"Because you're angry with me."
"I'm not."
Lusian simply looked at her.
Elizabeth held his gaze for only a few seconds before giving in.
"...I'm a little angry."
Lusian almost smiled.
"I knew it."
"Don't smile."
The smile vanished instantly.
Elizabeth hugged the books more tightly against her chest.
"I don't want there to be other women."
The words came out so quickly that she herself seemed startled by them.
"I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering who will be next."
She lowered her gaze.
"When I found out about Isabella... I tried to convince myself that I didn't care."
She paused briefly.
"But I did."
Lusian felt a knot tighten in his chest.
"I'm sorry."
Elizabeth looked back at him.
"Is that all?"
"I don't know what else to say."
"Then try."
Lusian opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Elizabeth let out a bitter laugh.
"What a disaster..."
"I'm sorry."
She shook her head.
"No. I don't know how to do this either."
"Do what?"
She looked him straight in the eyes.
"Talk to someone who matters to me."
Those words completely disarmed Lusian.
For the first time, he realized Elizabeth wasn't angry because of Isabella.
She was afraid.
Afraid that he didn't feel the same way.
"I don't know how either."
Elizabeth studied him for a few moments.
Then she smiled wearily.
"Then I suppose we're both fools."
Lusian let out a quiet laugh.
"I suppose we are."
Silence returned.
This time, it wasn't uncomfortable.
Elizabeth took a deep breath.
"Tell me something."
"I'm listening."
"Why me?"
Lusian froze.
He could have told her about the future.
About the cult.
About the coming war.
About the destiny he already knew.
But none of those answers belonged to Elizabeth.
So he gave the only truth he could share.
"Because it's you."
Elizabeth frowned slightly.
"That's a terrible answer."
"I know."
"An awful one, actually."
Lusian chuckled softly.
"No one ever taught me how to answer questions like that."
For the first time since the conversation had begun, Elizabeth smiled.
"They never taught me either."
The smile slowly faded.
"But I do know one thing."
She tightened her grip on the books.
"I don't want to become just another woman."
Lusian shook his head without hesitation.
"I would never compare you to anyone."
Elizabeth searched his face for even the slightest trace of uncertainty.
She found none.
"Can you promise me that?"
"Yes."
The answer came instantly.
Without conditions.
Without excuses.
Elizabeth watched him for several long moments.
Then she slowly let out the breath she'd been holding.
"Then do your best not to give me another reason to doubt you."
"I will."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"I'll accept that answer..."
She paused.
"For now."
Lusian slowly raised one hand.
He stopped just before touching her.
Waiting.
Elizabeth inclined her head ever so slightly.
It was almost imperceptible.
But it was enough.
Lusian gently brushed his fingers against her cheek.
She didn't pull away.
She simply looked at him.
Then she took a small step toward him.
Lusian understood her answer.
He closed the distance between them.
The kiss was brief.
Awkward.
So gentle that it felt more like a question than a certainty.
When they separated, Elizabeth lowered her eyes, unable to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks.
"Next time..."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"...have the courtesy to warn me first."
Lusian smiled.
"I'll remember that, Your Highness."
Elizabeth slowly shook her head.
"Here..."
Her voice softened.
"...I'm not a princess."
Lusian simply looked at her.
Those words sounded simple.
But to him, they meant far more.
Because when they were alone, Elizabeth wasn't the kingdom's future queen.
She wasn't the princess destined to bear the weight of an entire realm.
Nor was she the Demon Queen he had once watched destroy the world.
She was simply Elizabeth.
A young woman who had just allowed him one step closer to her heart.
And Lusian had no intention of betraying that trust.
He didn't know how much he would have to change.
He didn't know how many lives he would have to save.
Nor how fiercely he would have to fight against a destiny that seemed determined to repeat itself.
But one thing was certain.
This time...
Elizabeth would not walk the road toward tragedy alone.