n

n

nShe was on the verge of being sucked into it.

nHikan’s face was distorted by the totally unexpected accident. Dalia and Hikan’s eyes met.

n‘Why on earth! You didn’t come and are still there……!’

nIn fact, Hikan was also in a dangerous situation.

nBefore the magic blooming, the transcendent do not know how to use mana, so he keeps the enormous power within himself.

nIf it collides head-on with the mana of another transcendent, it could cause a major catastrophe more than the congestion, so it had to be avoided unconditionally.

nBut when he saw Dalia, standing as if her legs were stiff, for some reason, he felt a pain in his chest.

nIt was strange.

nHikan really seemed to regret if he missed her again this time.

nAnyway, he caught his heart that he was just trying to die, so it’s really okay to do that now. (*t

/n: I don’t know about this part, sorry)

n

n

n‘Although I know everything.’

nHe doesn’t know why she is looking at him to the end.

nAre you testing yourself to see if you’ll be saved again?

nHe hates tests. People who don’t expect anything from him anyway will test him and giggle as it was expected. Like a mother who abandoned him for not apologizing for breaking a friend’s leg by mistake.

nBut as soon as the white light came right behind Dalia, Hikan thought that it was okay.

nHis body moved first.

nHe ran and grabbed Dalia’s little hand. She was on the verge of being eaten by the light.

nNow, all he has to do is pull her.

nHe didn’t hesitate this time.

nHe saved Dalia Pesteros.

nIt didn’t matter if she tried to test him.

nDalia was very close. Seeing her up close, she was smaller and younger than Hikan thought. Dalia, who he thought would be deeply moved, just smiled awkwardly for some reason.

nShe gently pushed him back.

nTaken aback by the unexpected situation, Hikan missed Dalia.

nShe said silently, mouthing the word.

n‘It’s all right.’

n‘Don’t come.’

nAnd she smiled slightly.

nThe white light swallowed Dalia in front of Hikan’s eyes.

nHikan stared blankly at the scene. The sight of Dalia being eaten by the light in front of his eyes was totally unrealistic.

n“Even if brother hates me, I will like brother.”

nWhy do I have to remember this now?

nDalia herself told him not to come.

nDid she want to say that he didn’t have to save her on purpose like last time?

nIf you want her to disappear, you can just let her go?

n‘How the hell can you say that?’

nWhenever Hikan looked at Dalia, he felt as if he were looking down at a lake so deep that he could not even guess the depth of the water.

nNo matter how long I observed her, I couldn’t understand her.

nDid he actually want to tell Dalia at the time that he didn’t hate her?

nIt can’t be. It’s true that he hates her, but that’s his intention.

nHikan unwittingly tried to reach into it.

nBut before that, the Emperor hurriedly grabbed his collar and pulled him back.

n“Are you crazy right now? It’s deadly to be swept away by that force for a pre-blooming transcendent like you!”

nBut Hikan didn’t understand.

nHe just called his sister’s name to the sphere.

n“Dalia Pesteros!”

nThere was no answer. Hikan spat out curses.

n“Damn it, Dalia!”

nAs soon as the sphere swallowed the Dalia, it stopped expanding.

nThe Emperor raised and drew his sword, but not a scratch was found.

n“As expected… …the ‘protective wall’ has been activated. This whole sphere is a huge barrier. There’s no way we can pull this off.”

nThe Emperor sighed deeply.

nNow no one knew what would happen in that sphere. Hikan only glared at the sphere with bloodshot eyes.

n* * *

n‘Whoa, that was a close call.’

nDalia was greatly relieved.

nThis place seemed to be inside the ‘protective wall’ where the Duchess Blueport’s special ability was activated.

nIt was a white space close to nothing. I was nervous about what would happen when I came in, but all my limbs were attached and I didn’t feel any pain.

nAs Dalia predicted. This was not the place where the Duchess Blueport built to hurt others.

nDalia thought blankly.

nShe didn’t expect that Hikan would come to save her. At the same time, she felt fortunate that he was not affected by the Duchess Blueport’s mana.

n‘By the way, is Duchess Blueport okay?’

nIt was wise to come in here……right?

nDalia looked for Adrisha in worry. As she walked through the white space, Adrisha was also close by.

n“Dalia! As I thought……”

nAdrisha looked at Dalia and held her hand tightly, with a sad expression on her face.

n“I have to protect others, but I’m sorry. You came in here with me.”

n“No it’s okay. And for some reason here….I think it’s safe.”

nAdrisha nodded.

n“It’s amazing. Usually, the transcendent congestion causes a lot of victims. The barrier around us has never gotten bigger.”

n“I see.”

nThen Hikan’s innate mana will not collide with the Duchess Blueport’s.

nDalia sighed again in relief.

n“But……there’s a problem.”

nAdrisha said cautiously.

n“Here, it’s getting smaller.”

nDalia opened her eyes wide.

n“……Re, really?”

n“Yes, the wall was getting closer, so I kept backing away because I thought I shouldn’t touch it.”

n“Aha……”

nI hated being crushed to death.

n‘I thought it wasn’t a place to hurt others……’

nWhen Dalia’s expression darkened, Adrisha spoke brightly.

n“It’s okay. There must be a way.”

n“……”

n“That’s why I’ve been thinking, why don’t we go see the Duchess Blueport?”

n“Huh?”

n“Once the congestion begins, the Duchess’s condition will get worse. If the sphere gets smaller like this, we’ll meet anyway, so wouldn’t it be better to meet before that?”

nFor some reason, it seemed to have a point, but it was a strange remark.

nDalia contemplated for a moment and agreed. As Adrisha said, there was nothing else they could do in this situation.

nAnd she wanted to meet the Duchess Blueport, too. No matter what, she was her friend.

nDalia and Adrisha began walking towards the center of the sphere.

n“Dalia is……amazing. Even at times like this, you are brave. I couldn’t do this when I was Dalia’s age.”

nOn the way, Adrisha spoke in a somehow impressed tone.

nWhen she calmed down a little, Dalia was amazed at the reality that she was walking alone with the person that she adored. It would have been better if this was not their first meeting.

n“Adrisha is even better.”

n“What? Not really.”

nAdrisha burst into laughter in embarrassment.

nNevertheless, Dalia clearly remembered Adrisha’s attempt to stop the transcendent without hesitation.

nShe asked cautiously.

n“Adrisha said that you served the Emperor, right?”

n“Yes.”

n“What exactly do you do?”

n“Well, I don’t really do anything. It’s just that I respect him and follow him, and he doesn’t throw me out. Wouldn’t it be the closest thing to a servant?”

nEven in the original version, Adrisha always answered like this whenever she was asked about her relationship with the Emperor.

n“But you’re not a transcendent……weren’t you scared?”

n“Someone has to do it. Although I couldn’t protect Dalia in the end.”

n“……Amazing.”

nDalia expressed her heartfelt admiration.

nAdrisha smiled awkwardly.

n“……Thank you for your kind word.”

nWhile having a trivial talk, the two met Duchess Blueport after a while.

nShe stood still with a serene, sad look on her face.

nThe gloves and mask on her face were ripped off, perhaps due to the influence of the mana rush. Her dress was torn in several places, and the lace and decorations were separated.

nWearing a messy dress and showing her scars, she looked as weak and sad as a prey being chased by predators. Nevertheless, she was still as graceful and elegant as a deer.

nDalia tried to reach her first, but Adrisha hurriedly stopped her.

n“It’s dangerous, Dalia. If you touch her, she might explode.”

n“……Wasn’t it Adrisha who asked to come here to find her?”

nDalia asked, confused.

nAdrisha had a slightly troubled look on her face.

n“That’s also true. But I’m a little nervous when I see the Duchess right in front of me.”

nWhile the two were talking, the Duchess Blueport’s eyes lit up.

nShe slowly raised her head and looked at the two. Adrisha, who noticed it first, pushed Dalia behind her back.

nDuchess Blueport speaks in a restless and feeble voice.

n“……Miss Adrisha Beniter. Are you here to protect Dalia?”

nAdrisha glanced at Dalia behind her and nodded.

n

n

nDuchess Blueport forcibly raised the tail of her mouth and drew something like a smile.

n“This is a space to restrain me. People are not allowed to enter the walls here, but you can leave freely except for me.”

nThe words made Dalia feel sad again. This is because she knew why there were no casualties during the congestion event in the original.

nDuchess Blueport was incredibly thoughtful even when she was about to die.

n“Then……what about the Duchess?”

nDalia said in a trembling voice.

nThe Duchess replied with a sour but mild voice.

n“There’s no turning back the soul that has started the congestion. I’ll wait here slowly until my walls finish me off. “

nDalia knew why the walls slowly approaching this way.

nThe Duchess is trying to crush herself.

n