If you don’t love me, I will die.

Yuren narrowed her eyes and looked at Edward Radner.

He was described as a man with a sturdy build and honest eyes.

But even that honesty was an illusion.

Humans tend to label people as either good or evil.

So Edward, who is praised as honest and faithful among nobles, in other words, is a hypocrite who excels in politics and condemns those who deviate from her standards as evil.

Yuren knew such people well.

The fools of the academy who think they know all about magic without understanding the truth of dark magic, and the arrogant members of the magic society.

Edward is also one of them.

A hypocrite who acts noble without being noble themselves.

“I should have dealt with you sooner.”

Until yesterday, their hearts were clearly at odds.

Being a sorcerer who uses human emotions as a medium for magic, Yuren was adept at reading emotions, so she was unlikely to be wrong.

And as expected, until this morning, they hadn’t exchanged a single word as if they were complete strangers.

He had used the invisibility spell to eavesdrop, so she hadn’t seen it wrong.

But to suddenly appear like this…

Yuren prided himself on being quite cautious.

But this time, it seemed she had made a mistake.

He had overlooked that human emotions are fickle and can change like this occasionally.

Still, it didn’t matter.

No matter how skilled he was in swordsmanship, he was just a puppet of an earl.

He was renowned for his excellent swordsmanship during his time at the academy, but recently, rumors spread that his skills weren’t as sharp as they used to be due to inadequate training.

So, he would be powerless against the force of dark magic.

After all, dark magic is the truth.

It’s the one and only truth that shines light upon the ignorant.

“Bring me their heads.”

As Yuren reached out her arm, the three knights began to move in unison.

***

The knights are moving in sync with Yuren’s gestures…

Judging by their demeanor, they appeared to be knights from the Brontë territory, but the fact that they were moving according to Yuren’s will…

“Dark magic.”

Memories began to piece together beyond the span of three years,
and now the puzzle was finally coming together.

Yuren was undoubtedly a dark mage in the story.

She harbored great resentment toward the academy that expelled her.
She was a fanatical practitioner who believed that power lay within dark magic.

That must be the source of the ominous purple aura.

A menacing magic that operates through the vitality and emotions of humans…

“But it doesn’t matter.”

Whether it’s dark magic or nonsense, my duty is clear.

“My Lady, please stay behind me.”

Protecting Ania Brontë.

Just reminding myself of that resolve filled me with an inexplicable surge of power.

It was astonishing.

A simple change in mindset and the knights’ swords slicing through the air at me flowed like slow-motion footage.

Deflecting them was not a difficult task.

As I precisely aimed my blade at the knight’s hand, the knight’s sword in front of me twirled in the air before crashing to the ground.

“Edward! Be careful…!”
“Don’t worry, Ania.”

In response to Ania’s worried voice, I swung the handle of my sword toward the knight’s abdomen.

With a thud, the knight’s body lurched forward, and their hazy, dazed gaze finally returned to normal, showing a pained expression.

In an instant, I rushed towards the other two knights.

It was an action I wouldn’t usually make.

Approaching the enemy inevitably exposed vulnerabilities.

‘If you don’t act first, you’ll just be dragged around, My Lord.’

At that time, I couldn’t understand.

Why start a fight by exposing vulnerabilities?

“That’s what it means to protect.”
“But how does attacking the opponent relate to protecting?”
“Hehe, someday you will understand, My Lord.”

I now understand your words.

To protect even if it means burning oneself.

That determination becomes courage, driving away the superficial fears and distractions.

“Block it!”

Yuren chanted a spell.

As a result, a purple light began to flicker in the eyes of the knights.

But I felt I could do it.

Unfounded courage surged within me, believing I could take down the two trained knights and Yuren.

I thrust my body forward.

Diving into the knights’, I disrupted their awkward strikes, blocked their blades, and swiftly stabbed a knight in their side, causing their body to collapse.

Simultaneously, I felt the wind behind me.
With all my strength, I swung the sword in the opposite direction.

Sparks flew from the clashed blades.

I used the momentum of my spin to push their blade away.

Though I could have been pierced by a slight mistake, I wasn’t afraid.

My mind was chillingly calm, seeing only victory ahead.

Like a racehorse rushing towards the finish line, I focused on only one thing.

My sword found the knight’s knee through a small gap in his armor, immobilizing his movement.
Then, sweeping his other leg, my sword caused the knight’s body to fall forward.

「Paralyze.」

A spell I wouldn’t have dared to attempt out of fear of failure under normal circumstances instantly took effect.

The knight’s body seemed to freeze in place.

Now, only Yuren remained.

“Eik…!”

Yuren raised her hand, and purple magic began to swirl around it.

「Dispel.」

But I was faster.

My determination to protect Ania was stronger than Yuren’s intention to kill her.

‘Strong determination does not yield to defeat.’

Ricktman must’ve been a mighty knight.

“Ugh…!”

The magic circle forming at Yuren’s fingertips disintegrated as if time had rewound.

“This can’t be!”

Yuren screamed in disbelief, but my body was already closing in on her.

Desperately trying to use magic again, she attempted to draw another magic circle.
However, mixed with magic, my blade tore through it like paper.

“Damn it!”
“It’s over!”

I adjusted the sword once again and swung it down.

The sword, which had been swiftly cutting through the air, suddenly stopped.

Right beside Yuren’s neck.

A moment of silence passed, and the outcome was clear.

“Admit defeat, Yuren High.”
“……”

Yuren’s legs gave way as if her strength had drained out of her.

My sword still remained next to her neck.

“…I surrender.”

***

Afterward, Yuren was captured by the Brontë territory knights and imprisoned in the underground dungeon of the Brontë territory, with magic restraints in place.

Upon the festival’s conclusion, she would be transferred to the Imperial Central Detention Center in Calebar, the capital of the Empire, where she would face punishment according to imperial law.

Charged with attempted murder of a noble, illegal magic research, impersonation, and various other crimes, she would likely face a minimum sentence of life imprisonment.

But that was better for Yuren.

If she had remained by Johann’s side without being imprisoned, dark magic would have consumed her.

Her mind and life would have been devoured, leaving her trapped in eternal suffering, even in death.

Separately…

Upon hearing the news, Valentine Brontë went into a frenzy.

He abandoned everything and rushed over, embracing Ania and thanking the gods.

“I’m really grateful, Edward… If it weren’t for you…”
“I just did what needed to be done.”

The Duke grabbed my hand and repeatedly bowed his head in gratitude.

He offered to provide anything I needed, but I refused.

After all, I didn’t do it with ulterior motives.

I protected her simply because it was our promise.

And the festival continued.

It was because Ania insisted she didn’t want to ruin the festival with her actions.

Thanks to her, the villagers, unaware of anything, continued to enjoy the happy festival.

It was already nearing evening.

The time when the sun slowly crossed over the mountain peaks.

Ania and I headed to the festival grounds.

It was time for the prepared speech.

***

The night of the festival was deep.

Walking towards the village, the celebration climaxed.

Ania glanced at Edward’s profile, who was walking beside her and looking straight ahead.

‘I’ve come to keep my promise.’

‘I vowed to protect you.’

As she recalled those words, Ania’s heart began to beat faster.

And at the same time, she felt ashamed.

Edward had spared no effort to keep his promise to protect her,

Yet she had needlessly gotten upset because he couldn’t remember a childhood promise.

Moreover, hadn’t she promised herself that she wouldn’t lose her temper again?

She hadn’t even managed to keep that.

‘I am a fool…’

She couldn’t even face Edward.

“……”

Nevertheless, her heart swelled as she sneakily glanced at Edward’s face, softly illuminated by the moonlight.

When she thought it was all over, the memory of Edward appearing as a hero made her body tingle.

“Edward…”

Once again, it was this man who saved her.

“Ah… Edward.”

Just like back then when she was young,
this man had always been the one to rescue her.

“Edward.”

Ania inadvertently choked on the words that escaped her lips, but Edward was already looking at her.

He asked in a gentle voice, “Are you nervous?”

“No.”
“Just do as prepared and come down. Simple, right?”
“No… That’s not it.”

Ania rolled the words in her mouth that she wanted to say but couldn’t.

She should have said sorry. She should have admitted she was wrong.

But it took courage.

However, hadn’t Ricktman told her that she should speak with sincerity when apologizing for a mistake?

Though she wasn’t accustomed to expressing sincerity, if she didn’t say it this time, she felt an unsettling fear that Edward might leave her forever.

So, she decided to gather her courage and speak up.