Beep!

My ears were ringing, and I[1] couldn't hear anything.

"

Ah!

" I blurted unknowingly, but my word was not going to change anything.

The dust that entered my lungs made me cough.

The world around me was spinning around me, so I had no idea what was going on.

However, there was one thing for sure—someone was carrying me.

I felt better when I felt something cold on my face.

I stretched unknowingly and suddenly tasted something refreshing.

I drank ravenously, even though I had no idea what I was drinking.

My vision became clearer and clearer. I stretched my hand out and unconsciously took a big swig of whatever was in my hand. Moments later, I could finally see what was going on around me.

There were priests running around busily to treat the wounded, and there were agonized groans everywhere.

“They’re still alive,” a priest said.

“Let’s give them first aid…” another priest suggested.

“Do we have any potions left?” they asked.

“Hurry up and move. Hurry.”

I realized that I was in a completely different place.

‘Just now, I’m sure… I’m sure… I was hunting a bull.’

It felt like I had lost a piece of my memory, so I grabbed my aching head and tried to remember what happened. I nodded immediately because I could clearly remember that we were in the middle of a raid.

The ceiling collapsed, and Bahamut fell down.

After that…

‘I was busy following orders.’

The sudden variable made us commence a retreat. We were following the planned route when I heard a loud explosion.

I saw rocks falling on the expedition members.

I was sure Colonel Smith was with—

“

Ah…

”

‘Colonel Smith… Where’s Colonel Smith?’

“Captain Sophia?” someone said.

“...” “Are you okay?” they asked.

I turned to the owner of the voice and saw one of my team members.

They had injuries here and there, but they were still in good shape.

“What… happened?” I asked.

“I-I’ll report what happened, Captain. We were in the middle of the bull raid when the ceiling—”

“I already know that part,” I interrupted them.

“Afterwards, headquarters ordered us to retreat. While we were escaping using the route that the headquarters had told us to follow, there was an unexpected explosion,” they explained.

“And reinforcements came to rescue the isolated members,” I said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Where’s Colonel Smith?” I asked.

“He’s not in the condition to move. Actually, h-he ran all the way here while carrying you,” they added.

‘Colonel Smith…’

I smiled bitterly. It seemed that the connection I had made in the Federation had become helpful to me again.

“More importantly, you need to start moving again,” they said.

"Hm?" I asked.

“The field commander is seriously injured…” they said.

“So I have to report in,” I said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

It was part of the procedure.

I was sure headquarters knew everything that was going on, but a report was a completely different story.

Colonel Smith wasn’t in the condition to move, and the field commander was seriously injured, so the next person in charge had to submit a report.

Was it the Friendship Clan? I remembered there were a few people above me, but those people were either dead or injured, as I actually had to make a report myself.

I got up slowly and was struck by a wave of fatigue and pain.

I frowned due to the pain, but I could still move.

“If it’s too difficult for you…”

“No, I’ll go. I can’t abandon my duty,” I said.

“I’ll lead the way, Captain,” the soldier said.

“No, rest more. That’s an order,” I ordered.

“Yes, ma’am.”

I started walking toward the portable Commander's Camp.

When I walked up, I was asked an obvious question, and I responded immediately.

“I’m Captain Sophia, and I’m part of—”

“Confirmed, Captain Sophia. You can go inside,” the soldier said.

And that was when I heard a monotone voice...

[The Monarch of Lust and Eternal Sleep has descended.]

There was a loud boom, and I felt my heart drop.

I was trembling, and it felt like my blood was rushing to my head. "Oppressive" was the only word I could use to describe this mysterious energy, and it felt like it had engulfed me. Everyone in the Commander’s Camp looked in the same direction.

“

Ah…

”

I turned to look at what they were looking at.

‘What is that?’

“F-Father Lee Ki-Young?” someone muttered, but I could not really comprehend it.

‘What… the hell is that…’

There was something indescribable on the Goddess’ Mirror.

The figure had hair made out of white snakes, and he also had wings made out of the same snakes. The way the snakes wriggled around each other looked like they were mating. "Odd" was the only word I could use to describe their strange movements.

It was bizarre. Anyone could see that he didn’t look human, and he clearly didn’t look like the Honorary Cardinal of the Sacred Democratic Country and the Commander-in-Chief of this expedition.

The alien figure opened his mouth, and I saw a long and forked tongue.

A bizarre smile was tugging at his lips, and pitch-black tears were flowing down his face.

The smile tugging at his lips was bizarre, but it was more beautiful than anything else.

‘It’s beautiful…’

“

Ah…

it’s beautiful…”

It was really beautiful.

'Yeah, that sounds right.'

I had no idea what creature I was staring at, but he looked elegant.

Moreover, he also looked fragile—he looked so fragile as if he'd break at the slightest touch, but his fragility was what made him beautiful.

His transparent-looking pale skin looked smoother than anything else, and his thin, slender fingers seemed capable of performing the most dramatic performance in the world. The tears falling from his red eyes also looked like the sweetest juice in the world.

I couldn’t understand my own thoughts, but… I wanted to have a taste of that juice, even if it meant selling my soul to a demon.

If I could make eye contact with that being and hold his hands, I'd give him everything.

The beautiful being hovering in mid-air was a breathtaking sight.

‘I

want…

him.’

The word "possessiveness" suddenly popped into my mind. Afterward, a variety of disgusting emotions filled my head. Scenes I couldn’t express with words gnawed away at my brain. Blood rushed to my head and then dripped down somewhere.

I then realized that blood was dripping down my eyes.

My brain was actively trying to ignore it, but I ended up noticing it, as my vision getting redder and redder by the second.

For some reason, however, the redder my vision, the clearer that beautiful being became in my eyes. My vision had gotten redder, but the color of that alien figure remained the same.

‘I want him. I want that. I want to make it mine.’

I would be really happy if he were mine. I’d hide him somewhere where no one could see him and drink his sweet juice to my heart’s content. The emptiness and thirst in my heart would surely be satiated by then.

I'd be able to see what was inside him and get to know him better.

‘He's mine.’

I would not let anyone else have him.

I stepped forward.

Perhaps it was just me, but it felt like blood was flowing out of my ears as well.

[Please come here~]

I heard a voice, and it was like caressing my brain.

It felt like soft hands had entered my brain, massaging each and every wrinkle on it.

The tingling sensation was affecting my mind.

It was like my mind was…

‘It feels like my mind is turning into ice cream.’

He spoke more words, and those words felt like they were taking a bite from the ice cream, which was my brain.

“I-I-I…”

A towering giant fell to his side.

I checked the giant’s face before he collapsed and saw blood flowing from his eyes, ears, nose, and lips.

The giant was shaking as if he had lost his sanity, but I smiled at the sight.

The giant was vomiting blood, and I was still smiling.

The giant had a bizarre smile as well. No, it was not a bizarre smile. It was the happiest smile in the world. Was he seeing the same being as me? Or perhaps he was standing before that being?

“

Ahh…!

”

“

AAAAAH!!

”

“Sanctuary!” A clear, melodious voice echoed, vanquishing all of my thoughts.

Elena, the Elf Queen of the Blue Guild, appeared before me.

She was the only High Elf with emerald hair. After casting a spell, she entered the camp, and I was angry at her for what she had done instead of being thankful to her for bringing me back to my senses.

“You've never had any direct contact with him, but… you're in that state.

Whoo…

Are you okay?” Elena asked.

“...”

“...”

‘What… What was I doing?’

I looked at the Goddess’ Mirror again and saw a peculiar sight.

The Sunset Swordsman had summoned a giant. The giant severed Bahamut’s arm, but Bahamut's arm regenerated in an instant. The giant moved again, swinging its colossal sword.

However, all of my attention was on that bizarre being.

‘A mind attack…’

Was it a special ability? Or… a curse?

Moments ago, I was under a spell just like that Sunset Swordsman who was swinging his sword with a blank face.

“Thank you, Miss Elen

“You must forget everything that you saw here,” Elena interrupted me.

“...”

“The moment you get out of here, you must forget everything,” Elena repeated.

It was easy to figure out why.

‘That's really… the Commander-in-Chief.’

“This isn’t a request,” Elena said.

“...”

“I’m sure you’re well aware why I’m telling you this,” Elena added.

Elena of the Blue Guild was known to be gentle, so her attitude right now made it clear that I was correct.

‘That’s really… the Sub Guild Master of the Blue Guild.’

I wasn’t sure whether the continent could overcome this crisis.

No, the continent could bring down Demon Bahamu, but…

‘

“What… the hell… is that…” I mumbled.

The continent was up against an even bigger threat than Bahamut.

I felt dizzy again, so I placed my trembling hands on my head.

*An illustration of Jung Ha-Yan is included on the next page.

wooden spoon: It’s an illustration of Jung Ha-Yan in a wedding dress!

1. Captain Sophia’s POV ☜

Hikari's Thoughts