Chapter 3

Yuri tried to move her immobile body, but it was difficult to even drink water without the help of others. Fortunately, she was receiving proper treatment.

“Is your body still having a hard time moving?”

“Ah. Yes. A little, a little…I’m fine now.”

“It is still very bad. After all, you lit the torch by yourself.”

The priest said so and laughed. It was the land of the goddess’s grace, but lately the goddess’ blessing has weakened. The family chosen by the goddess had not been born for several decades, and since there was no family of the goddess, the sacred flower did not bloom.

“It must have been difficult.”

The torch was a flower that proved faith in its existence, and the only one with power could make it bloom. In a world where there were only few remaining torches, a new torch had bloomed.

“It is amazing that a person without divine power can light a torch, but it is wonderful that you’re alive.”

It was, as the priest said. Torch was a flower that only the family of the goddess could bloom, but sometimes it grew by feeding on other things. It was the vitality of those who had a very pure faith. And, the person who lighted the torch usually died from depletion of vitality immediately after lighting the torch.

The priest blew the soup and fed it to her mouth. Yuri ate the soup awkwardly.

“I, I did, I did…. ?”

“Of course! You have proven your faith.”

“I, I didn’t do anything….”

“The seeds of the torch are spread all over the world. Your devotion has sprouted the seeds.”

“….”

But Yuri didn’t remember anything. According to them, Yuri was found curled up in a flower bed in the temple. And they said that there was a beautifully bloomed torch in her arms.

Yuri ate a little more of the soup he offered. It was the first time she had a warm and soft meal. To be honest, it wasn’t bad.

“Ha, when can I move?”

“It’s okay. Priests and paladins are also healing you with divine power. You will recover soon.”

It was still difficult to walk, but he said Yuri would recover soon if she continued to receive treatment with divine power. Fortunately, both the priests of the temple and the paladins of the temple all showed their will to help heal her with divine power.

“Everything will be fine.”

Yuri barely nodded her head. How can the hospitality be so different because of just one flower? On the one hand, this situation was terribly funny. Could this be the ‘destiny’ that darkness spoke of?

Yuri bit her lip. People with friendly faces, people with strange conversations.

It must have been the intervention of darkness.

“…thank you.”

First, Yuri decided to accept it. It was not too late to judge after watching everything.

****

“Aslan. Have you heard the story?”

“What story are you talking about?”

“I’ll give you a hint. It happened in your estate.”

They were playing chess and sharing wine with each other. Their refreshments were simple compared to their location. The Emperor of the Espelt Empire and Duke of Slevard the East.

The emperor, who looked quite old, said as he tilted his wine glass.

“It was just a coincidence.”

“Okay. The child lit the torch. Is she dead?”

“I heard she is still alive.”

“Yes, life is a constant.”

The emperor’s golden eyes glistened with desire. As he tilted his drink, he looked at the Duke’s expression. The Duke of Slevard was expressionless, but the emperor was reading his thoughts.

“Was it your daughter? Is she eighteen this year?”

“… Yes. That’s right.”

“That child. Do you still think about her?”

The Duke remembered that day about 10 years ago. How could he forget the day he lost both his proud daughter and his beloved wife.

“Forget it now. It’s already been 10 years.”

“No. I am still grateful for what happened back then.”

“Yes. Didn’t I help you?”

The Duke of Slevard saw the Emperor’s twinkling eyes. Somehow, he felt relieved from his stuffy heart.

When it happened to the Duke more than a decade ago, the Duke tried to execute his concubine and her child.

Then somehow he changed his mind and pleaded with the emperor to convince the temple to stop the execution of the child. The emperor then received a diamond mine from the Duke and sentenced the child to labor all her life.

‘It’s really strange.’

The Duke was a rational person. Obviously sad and angry. But because the child’s mother had committed a crime, he had not all reason to want to kill the child.

‘But why…Did I do that?’

However, at that time, he begged the emperor and even dedicated one of his family’s important sources of income, the diamond mine to the emperor.

‘There must have been something…’

The Duke of Slevard remembered the child at that time. Strangely, both the mother’s face and the child’s face were blurry. To be precise, all his memories of that time were hazy.

“She ran out of life…”

“Then, isn’t the sinner now dead?”

“She came back to life after receiving the favor of the Goddess.”

The Emperor fiddled with his chin. He immediately moved the knight one space, raised the corners of his mouth, and laughed out loud. The Duke looked at the emperor with a face as if he did not understand his intentions. At that moment, the emperor’s golden eyes flashed red for a moment.

“Isn’t the punishment enough now? Now is the time to forgive.”

“That’s right.”

The Duke answered him, moving along one of his pawns.

“She was born again… … … Eighteen is the age when she can get married.”

Saying so, the emperor picked up the cheese from the table. The ring on his long, lit up with colors and shone beautifully.

“There is also a suitable groom. What do you think?”

The Emperor smiled while grabbing Duke’s chess knight. The Duke shook his head for a moment at the sudden headache. It was as if his head suddenly became cloudy. Then, all of a sudden, he felt so at ease.

“Doesn’t the Duke need a new family too?”

“… … A child with dirty blood. I have no regrets.”

The duke answered in a hazy voice. The emperor said, “Yes. You are truly loyal.” and smiled happily. The emperor looked out the window to the north.

‘Not much time left. Soon the loser of the North, the power of Erentail will come into my hands.’

“Okay. You better get ready. The sooner the wedding, the better.”

“Yes. I will prepare it quickly.”

The emperor’s eyes gleamed red. It was a sight in stark contrast to his golden eyes.

****

“It’s like this, one step at a time, one step at a time.”

“Yes…thank you.”

These days, Yuri was having really comfortable days. The priests helped her rehabilitate as soon as her vitality began to slowly return. Some paladins were kind enough to make her a cane.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

“Yes Yes. More, thanks…… .”

Yuri looked at the cane in her hand. The wagon accident at a very young age cost her a lot.

‘Sometimes I was so tired that I sat down and asked for help.’

After the carriage accident, Yuri had no choice but to walk with her right leg limp. As the body grew, it got worse.

‘No one helped…’

Yuri’s expression turned cold. She forcibly raised the corners of her lips and pretended to smile.

She was afraid of the goodwill of these people. She was afraid that they might step on her feet again, or get angry.

“You will soon be able to walk.”

“Yes, thank you…… .”

Yuri bowed his head and said thanks. The knight, who received the thanks, immediately waved his hand and said “You’re welcome”, but Yuri couldn’t believe them.

‘Everything is strange. Darkness doesn’t say anything…’

On the nights left alone in the ward, Yuri called for the darkness under the bed. She wanted to ask what happened to this situation, but darkness did not appear in her desperate call.

‘then… .’

People were overly friendly. That was strange.

Yuri has lived her life looking at other people’s faces and examining their feelings. After living like that for 10 years, she was able to read people’s minds to some extent. But recently, she couldn’t read a single mind of the people around her.

‘Everyone is like an empty doll. This…Darkness did it?’

Yuri thought so and closed her eyes. ‘Grandpa would know it well.’

Unfortunately, they didn’t even allow her to go outside, so it was impossible to sneak out.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, no… … it’s nothing.”

So Yuri decided to just wait for a while. Until the darkness spoke to her again, and until this situation changed.

Yuri held the knight’s hand and continued walking. She certainly was feeling better.

“Okay, it’s a big deal…”

“Where is she?”

A loud noise was heard from somewhere. Yuri slowly turned back at the noise.

“Yuri! Yuri!”

He was an apprentice knight of the temple. He was calling out to Yuri, panting as if he was about to run out of breath.

“What a fuss.”

“I think you should go see quickly.”

“What? Me, me?”

“Yes, Lord…..The Duke is looking for Yuri!!”

It was then. Yuri heard a very small voice in her ear, as if someone was whispering. The shadow of the apprentice knight began to bend strangely.

‘Baby, fate begins.’

A wet, terrible voice. It was the voice of ‘darkness’.