Elaria, Alex, and Jacob all held their breath.

Mirina's eyes slid over them, unreadable.

"You have passed."

Elaria exhaled, only then realizing she'd been holding her breath.

Alex didn't move.

Jacob swallowed.

Mirina's gaze lingered.

"…Barely."

Her attention swept over the three, finally settling on Alex.

"While it was entertaining to watch," she said, "it was not the only path you could have taken. You even killed innocents with your own hand."

Her eyes shifted briefly to Elaria and Jacob.

"And you two simply went along with his decision, without once judging the situation for yourselves."

Elaria and Jacob fell silent, stunned.

Mirina looked back at Alex. "Tell me, Alex. You killed people without blinking. How did it feel? Even knowing they were being manipulated."

Alex met her gaze without flinching.

"I felt nothing," he said.

Elaria and Jacob stared at him, shocked.

"Nothing at all," Alex repeated. "In fact, if I hadn't needed half of them alive to see that the lame‑ass hero was innocent and clear his name, I would've burned that country down myself."

His voice stayed calm.

"And those 'innocents' you mentioned? They were eagerly waiting for that guy to die, like they'd get some kind of satisfaction from seeing his corpse. They forgot that without him, they'd already be six feet under—or worse, enslaved. Not one of them asked why. Not one of them even thought for a second that he might be innocent or framed."

Alex gaze did not waver.

"I hate hypocrites like that the most. So yes—I didn't feel anything. The closest thing I felt was… how can I say it yes—exhilaration."

"It was exhilarating."

Elaria and Jacobs mouth fell open.

A faint frown appeared on Mirina's face.

"So you enjoyed it."

"Yes," Alex answered, smiling slightly. "And if you told me to do it again, I would. Again and again, the same way."

Elaria elbowed him sharply. "Shut up, Alex. Don't make her think we're crazy people. Let's take the fruit and leave."

Jacob's mouth opened, then closed again. He thought.'Why is he trying to make the guardian spirit angry…?'.

Alex tilted his head. "Why, Ms. Mirina? Did you not like what I said?"

Mirina didn't answer him.

Instead, she turned to Elaria.

"Don't you have anything to add, Princess?" she asked.

"I… I…" Elaria began.

"What is it?" Mirina pressed. "Say it."

Elaria stiffened.

"Why did you not choose?"

The words were simple.

Inescapable.

"You possessed a will of your own," Mirina said. "Yet you followed him blindly. Why did you allow another to decide in your place? Are you not supposed to become a ruler in the future? Yet you did not even try to resolve the situation in your own way."

For a moment, Elaria stayed silent.

Not because she had no answer.

But because she refused to lie.

She lowered her gaze.

When she spoke, her voice was steady, though quiet.

"Because I was afraid."

Mirina did not interrupt.

"Not of the situation," Elaria continued.

"Not of the people there."

Her fingers clenched at her sides.

"I was afraid of being wrong."

Her eyes lifted.

"If I chose, and the hero died…"

"If I chose, and the kingdom burned…"

She swallowed.

"Then the sin would be mine alone."

She drew a breath.

"Following Alex meant the burden was shared."

She didn't try to sugarcoat it.

"That was my weakness."

Mirina remained silent.

Elaria went on.

"But it was also honesty and selfishness of mine. I knew I wasn't ready to judge a whole world. I knew my mercy would hesitate."

She took another breath.

"And hesitation kills as surely as cruelty."

Her voice shook—just once.

"So I chose not to pretend I was something I am not."

She straightened her back.

"I followed because he could act when I could not. But it also made me realize this is a weakness I have to overcome if I want to be a good ruler for my people—and make this nation better and stronger."

She bowed her head slightly.

"That's all. Nothing else. This was my shortcoming, and I'm not afraid to admit it."

Mirina's lips curved into a small smile.

"It seems it was a good experience for you," she said.

Elaria nodded. "It was."

Mirina's gaze turned to Jacob.

"And you, young one," she said. "You also have free will. You did not interfere and chose to follow. Why?"

Jacob's shoulders stiffened.

For a second, it looked like he might dodge the question answering some righteous bullshit.

But he didn't.

He looked straight into Mirina's eyes, his body shaking.

"Because I saw myself there," he said quietly. "A reflection of myself—or maybe what will happen to me in the future."

Mirina waited.

"I'm an elven noble," he said. "At least… on paper."

A faint, bitter smile tugged at his lips.

"A bastard son. Useful when obedient. Ignored when not."

His fingers curled.

"I serve my family loyally. I keep my head down. I believe that if I do everything right… it will mean something."

His voice tightened.

"But it doesn't."

He raised his gaze again.

"When I saw him kneeling there, waiting to die, I didn't see a hero. I saw someone who'd already paid the price for his blind loyalty."

He paused.

"They weren't killing him because he was guilty. They were killing him because he was no longer convenient."

Silence spread between them.

"That's what happens to people like us whom follow blindly" he said.

His eyes flicked briefly toward Alex, then back to Mirina.

"So when Alex acted… I was relieved," he admitted. "Because I knew waiting would lead to guilt, pain, and regret. That maybe i could've done something else that would have yielded a better result and kept thinking like that for my whole life so i am glad he wa there to make the decision."

He exhaled.

"I didn't stop him because I didn't want to see the hero die. Because I saw a reflection of myself in that hero."

Mirina studied him for a long second.

"So. You recognized yourself," she said. "And chose acceptance over intervention."

Jacob didn't argue.

"Yes," he said.

Mirina nodded once, then turned back to Alex.

"It seems one of you is stubborn to the core just trusting himself refusing to rely on those close to him and refuses to believe in them."

She held his gaze.

"You should start trusting others too," she said. "You do not know when you will need them."

"I appreciate the advice," Alex replied, "but the last time I trusted someone, I was left alone to die. So it will never happen again."

"Just as I said," Mirina sighed. "Stubborn as hell."

She looked at Elaria.

"And you," she said, "should start believing more in yourself, instead of relying on someone else to make decisions for you."

Elaria's cheeks flushed red. "I understand," she said softly.

Alex muttered under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear, "Loser."

Elaria snapped. "What did you say, you lame‑ass acting bastard?"

Alex's mouth twitched. "I acted perfectly. Those people actually believed I was a real angel, okay."

"More like an ugly one," Elaria replied.

"Take that back."

Mirina shook her head slowly, a faint, exasperated smile tugging at her lips, and turned to Jacob, who was deep in thought.

"It seems you have found your way," she said. "And know what to do from now on."

Jacob nodded.

He bowed his head. "Thank you for making me see that. Now I know what I have to do."

"Good for you, little one," Mirina said gently.

She straightened.

"As I said before—you guys passed barely. But it was still a commendable effort. So it's time for your reward."

The ground trembled.

The World Tree behind her began to shake, leaves rustling in a powerful, vibrant wave. Clusters of tiny flowers blossomed along several high branches, blooming all at once. Time seemed to speed up as the blossoms swelled, shifted, and slowly transformed into fruits.

Three of them.

They glowed softly.

One was a translucent emerald, its skin veined with faint golden lines like a miniature world filled with rivers of light.

The second was a deep sapphire blue, tiny stars flickering within its surface as though it held a night sky inside.

The third was pale silver, almost white, with a soft mist curling perpetually around it, giving it an ethereal, untouchable feel.

Mirina flicked her finger.

The three fruits vanished from the branches and appeared in her hands.

A fist-sized, teardrop-shaped fruit with a translucent jade-gold skin, inside which three glowing currents—green, blue, and silver-violet—slowly spiral like living veins. It pulses with a soft heartbeat of light, as if the World Tree itself is breathing within it.

Elaria and Jacob each reached out, reverently taking one fruit from her.

When Alex extended his hand toward the remaining fruit, Mirina reached out and caught his wrist.

"I also have something else for you," she said.

---

A/N:

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