Screams and explosions pierce the ears.

The fishy scent of blood continuously lingered at the tip of the nose.

Splash-!

A red puddle stubbornly clings to the feet.

It was a pool formed by blood flowing from corpses.

Park Hyun-a, standing on top of it, gripped her sword and shouted.

“You fucking bastards! What the hell are you trying to do!?”

“Lady Park Hyun-a! We must retreat!”

Warriors from Ultimoon Fes approached.

They too showed signs of major and minor injuries from the fierce battle.

“Retreat…? You’re saying retreat again?”

Park Hyun-a trembled while clenching her fist.

“Why did we even come here then? Just forget it and everyone goes back!”

Her voice gradually becomes more agitated.

The Ultimoon Fes warriors panicked, not knowing what to do.

Why was Park Hyun-a so excited?

“If we’re just going to retreat anyway, why come out and suffer like dogs? Fuck!”

Repeated defeats.

Since joining the war, Ultimoon Fes had never tasted a proper victory.

Only victories in small-scale local battles that had no significant impact on the overall war situation.

In all other important battles, Ultimoon Fes was completely defeated.

A continuous cycle of retreats.

Today was no different.

The siege of Swordrica, was one of the important strongholds of the Demon King Army’s 3rd Division.

Ultimoon Fes tried to help the Demon King Army defend Swordrica Castle but failed.

“That’s enough, Park Hyun-a.”

Kerbe Cowell, the leader of Ultimoon Fes, approached.

“If we die, there won’t be a next time.”

“Old man…!”

“The castle has fallen anyway. What can you do alone here? Let’s retreat for now and refine our strategy.”

Kerbe Cowell spoke in a calm voice.

Park Hyun-a stared at his eyes for a moment, then clicked her tongue and turned away.

“Whatever, fuck it. Do whatever you want with the strategy.”

“Thank you.”

Kerbe Cowell followed Park Hyun-a with a grin.

Following those two, the warriors of Ultimoon Fes also gradually withdrew from the battlefield.

Another repeated retreat.

The rain that fell just then washed away their traces of escape.

***

“A request for support?”

Choi Hyun-seok blinked.

Abelson nodded and read the paper again.

“Yes. When I woke up, there was this letter from Lady Park Hyun-a.”

“What exactly does it say?”

“Come right now. We’re in such dire straits we need even tiny hands to help. Um, what does ‘tiny hands’ mean?”

Abelson asked, tilting their head.

“It refers to children’s hands. Simply put, she’s calling me a kid. Something like that.”

“Ah.”

“Really, the way she talks, tsk.”

While Choi Hyun-seok was clicking his tongue and muttering,

Sara Dunphy, who was listening to the conversation nearby, cut in.

“So. What do you plan to do?”

“I don’t know. Things aren’t completely settled here yet.”

Two weeks had passed since the coronation.

Though it was a short time, the Mariette Kingdom was quickly finding stability.

However, they couldn’t be at ease.

Gatren was still eyeing the Mariette Kingdom vigilantly.

“The atrocities committed by Cardinal Vincenzo have nothing to do with the Deusis faith or Gatren.”

The Gatren Empire drew a clear line with Cardinal Vincenzo.

It was cutting ties.

What happened in the Mariette Kingdom was purely Vincenzo’s personal doing.

According to Gatren’s explanation, all the wealth he had extorted was also found in Vincenzo’s residence.

It was a decision typical of Gatren, who cared about their external image.

Of course, they hadn’t completely backed down and didn’t forget to pressure the Mariette Kingdom.

“However, since the suspicion that Abelson Mariette colluded with demons hasn’t been fully explained yet, we will suspend all diplomatic relations with the Mariette Kingdom until this fact becomes clear.”

In this situation, Choi Hyun-seok was busy running around trying to suppress internal sparks in the kingdom while blocking Gatren’s covert activities.

“Abelson. The Mariette Kingdom doesn’t have any Legends, right?”

“No. There are no Legends who share the kingdom’s cause.”

To make matters worse, the Mariette Kingdom had no Legends.

Of course, there might be unnamed Legends somewhere in the kingdom.

Many Legends lived ordinary lives while staying hidden in obscurity.

However, since they don’t share Abelson’s cause, it’s practically the same as not having any.

“The Holy Empire might do something at any time, so for me to leave…”

If Choi Hyun-seok leaves in this situation, it would be problematic in many ways.

If Gatren decided to make a move, there would be no way to stop them.

For example, if they sent a Legend-level warrior to attempt to assassinate Abelson, they would be helpless to prevent it.

“You have me, don’t you?”

Sara Dunphy said.

“I still have research to do here anyway. Until then, I’ll help Abelson.”

“Is that really okay?”

“I don’t know much, but I know that what’s happening where Park Hyun-a is, is important. For that proud mage to request help, the situation must be desperate.”

Given Park Hyun-a’s personality, she wouldn’t ask others for help unless absolutely necessary.

Yet she sent such a message, which means the situation must be that difficult.

“I appreciate the help, but…”

Choi Hyun-seok made a disgruntled expression.

Honestly, it was still difficult to fully accept Sara Dunphy as an ally.

Her reason for helping him was solely to research his body.

He had no idea what other thoughts she might be harboring inside.

Could they really trust Sara Dunphy?

“I’ll ask directly.”

Rather than agonizing over it, Choi Hyun-seok decided to just ask.

“You’re helping me because of your research, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then is there any reason for you to help Abelson instead of me?”

Sara Dunphy raised the corner of her mouth at his question.

“You’re right. I have no reason to help that young lady over there.”

“Then why…”

“I simply took a liking to her.”

Sara Dunphy turned her head to look at Abelson.

“I’m helping because I like her. There’s no other reason. Whether you believe that or not is up to you.”

“Hmm…”

Choi Hyun-seok closed his eyes.

What should he do?

This was a matter of Abelson’s safety.

From his experience, he knew Sara Dunphy wasn’t someone who spoke carelessly, but he couldn’t blindly trust her either.

“I’ll be fine.”

Abelson said.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“I can’t rely on Choi Hyun-seok forever. And it’s not that I don’t trust Sara Dunphy who’s here…”

Abelson took a breath before continuing.

“I’m the ruler of this kingdom now, aren’t I? I who should be everyone’s support can’t become a burden.”

Her expression showed firm determination.

Choi Hyun-seok silently nodded.

Going against Abelson’s will here would be no different from disrespecting her.

“Then without wasting time, I’ll head out right away. But…”

Choi Hyun-seok scratched his head with a troubled expression.

“How do I get there for support?”

“Here are the coordinates.”

Abelson held out a note.

On it were long strings of incomprehensible numbers.

Sara Dunphy looked at the numbers and nodded.

“These are spatial coordinates. I’ll help with the transportation, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you.”

Afterward, Choi Hyun-seok quickly packed his things and left the capital, Scolbon.

Since there was a barrier preventing spatial movement in the capital, they needed to get some distance away.

“Sorry for the trouble.”

“This is nothing.”

At a point about ten kilometers from the capital.

Having left the barrier’s range, he exchanged final greetings with Sara Dunphy before departing.

“Take this.”

Sara Dunphy held out a small sphere.

The mysteriously dark-colored sphere was about 4cm in diameter, fitting snugly in his palm.

“Break this orb whenever your life is in danger. I promise I’ll be there within 5 minutes, no matter where you are on the continent.”

“You didn’t have to…”

Choi Hyun-seok scratched his cheek with an awkward smile.

Sara Dunphy held out the orb again, urging him to take it.

“If you were to become a cold corpse, the joy in my life would disappear. Take it without feeling burdened.”

“Thank you.”

Choi Hyun-seok bowed his head and accepted the sphere.

“Well, it’s time to say goodbye.”

“Yes! I’ll be going now.”

“I’ll begin the spatial transfer. Close your eyes and accept the demonic energy I send.”

Choi Hyun-seok closed his eyes.

The moment he felt Sara Dunphy’s demonic energy taking over his body,

A familiar dizziness washed over him.

***

Choi Hyun-seok slowly opened his eyelids.

“Where is…”

An unfamiliar cabin.

Outside was already dark.

A cold air lingered inside the cabin.

Turning his gaze, he saw Park Hyun-a sitting in a chair at one side of the cabin.

“Older sister?”

He called out to Park Hyun-a while approaching.

“…”

No answer.

Looking closely, Park Hyun-a was dozing off in the chair with her arms crossed.

“It’s cold to be in a place like this…”

Choi Hyun-seok, who was about to shake Park Hyun-a awake, hesitated.

‘Wait a minute…’

He moved closer.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve never had a chance to look at her this calmly.’

Quite some time had passed since he met Park Hyun-a.

During that time, Choi Hyun-seok had never properly looked at her.

Whenever their eyes met, she would glare at him so fiercely that he had no choice but to look away.

“…”

Even while sleeping, her furrowed brow made her look angry.

Choi Hyun-seok crouched in front of her and quietly observed.

‘Looking just at her appearance, she actually looks younger than me.’

Choi Hyun-seok is twenty-nine years old.

Perhaps due to his large build and frequent exercise, his face didn’t look particularly young.

In contrast, Park Hyun-a looked to be in her mid-twenties at most.

‘Legends do age backward, but not to this extent.’

Humans grow younger every time they surpass certain levels.

Choi Hyun-seok had noticed slight physical changes in himself after recently exceeding 300,000 combat power.

This is probably why Legends can live for hundreds of years.

‘Older sister is too young even accounting for that.’

But Park Hyun-a’s appearance was too young even considering such rejuvenation.

There was one hypothesis that could explain this.

‘It means she came to this world when she was that young.’

She came to this world at a young age.

Rising quickly through the ranks at a young age and then growing younger again, she maintained this appearance even as time passed.

‘She must have gone through a lot.’

She fell into a strange world at a young age.

A harsh world where you couldn’t expect any public safety.

While it would be tough for men too, especially a young woman would have faced many hardships.

Perhaps her current personality was a kind of defense mechanism.

‘I’d probably get cursed at if I asked why she came…’

Suddenly, Choi Hyun-seok became curious.

To come to this world, one first has to die on Earth.

Then why did Park Hyun-a die at such a young age?

While he was lost in thought,

A loud voice rang in his ear.

“Hero! What are you doing!?”

“Shit! You scared me!”

Choi Hyun-seok jumped in surprise and glared at Rachel.

“What are you doing!?”

“That’s what I want to ask. What are you doing right now!?”

“I was just observing…”

Choi Hyun-seok jumped in surprise mid-sentence.

Sharp magical power was shooting from beside him.

“Oh? Observing~?”

Turning his gaze, he saw Park Hyun-a smiling fiercely.

“Uh… You’re awake?”

“Look at this bastard? What were you trying to do while I was sleeping?”

“It’s a misunderstanding! Just…”

“Just what?”

Choi Hyun-seok, who had been stammering, continued.

“… I was just looking.”

Choi Hyun-seok told the truth.

He had only been looking, nothing more.

That’s when Rachel cut in.

“No no no! I saw the hero looking with lecherous eyes! He must have been thinking all sorts of indecent thoughts!”

“Th-th-that’s…!”

Choi Hyun-seok panicked and tried to cover Rachel’s mouth, but it was too late.

“I knew it! You’re dead.”

Park Hyun-a stood up and stretched.

“Today I’ll revolutionize your rotten mindset.”

“No! That’s not it!”

Choi Hyun-seok shouted with an indignant expression but…

“Just die!”

Instead of an answer, what came flying was the fist of revolution.

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