The rain had picked up now. I still heard screams, though — distant, fading. But I also heard the hard drumming of the rain against stone, against flesh, against everything.

Perhaps the rain was mocking me? Sympathizing with me?

Whatever it was, I hated it. Today. I hated today.

Unsure of what was happening around me, I clutched the body tightly in my hands. The charred flesh was still warm. Still warm, and she was already gone. Lira was gone… the realization was setting in, piece by piece, like shards of glass sliding into my chest. And all that she had left me was memories and gratitude.

What pained me most was the reason why all of this had to happen. She'd mentioned that if someone were to know about the method we used to increase our spirit essence, we could both be killed.

'Is that it then?! Did someone find out? Who?'

At the same time, my mind was drawn to what Emma had told me. It was the queen who'd summoned Lira. As far as things went, the queen was the last person to see Lira before her execution.

'Something must've happened.'

I didn't think it was just about the dual cultivation. It was more than that — it had to be — because there was no way anyone would've found out about that. We'd been careful. Hadn't we?

'I have to have an audience with the queen.'

That seemed like the only plausible solution right now. To ask her what went wrong. I'd ask politely, because she was the queen. If she refused, then I could burn her daughter before her eyes just like they'd burned Lira.

The thought of it fueled me with passion. And passion fueled me with strength.

"Is it you?"

A tight voice cut through the rain from behind me.

"Are you the rebellious otherworlder who set innocent lives on fire?"

'Huh? How did she—'

I turned my head. My eyes were deep, hollow, etched with the pain of grief.

And she saw it.

She looked down at the charred body in my arms with glowing crimson eyes, her black hair plastered wet against her face. Then she shifted her gaze, scanning the entire square.

My gaze followed hers, somewhat. The whole place had become a graveyard. There was silence now — not because the rain had driven people away, but because many had lost the strength to run from a flame that ignited deep within their soul and burned them from the inside out. Some died instantly. Some died slower.

But right now, the place was silent, except for the sound of metal clashing somewhere in the distance.

"Otherworlder." She looked down at me. "Look at what you have done. Innocent people… wives, mothers, fathers, whose loved ones are waiting for them at home… you murdered all of them."

A harsh pain bubbled in my throat as I tried to speak.

'What is she saying? What nonsense is she spitting?'

She extended the sword in her hand toward my face, her features contorting in anger.

"You deserve to be purged for this. But mother's orders are absolute… you live today by her grace. Grovel and thank her when you see her." Her voice was tight, controlled. "Now, I want you to stand up and follow me. Let's not make this hard on ourselves. You feel remorse, don't you? If you have any shred of humanity left in you, then you ought to be despairing at this sight. Surrender yourself without violence and let the church guide you to purgatory."

"The… church?" My voice came out hoarse, barely recognizable.

She frowned.

"Yes. The Eternal Light that forever shines upon our feet, that illuminates our path and cleanses our soul. It is also a light that burns infirmities and leads our soul to purgatory, where you burn according to the weight of your sins." She paused, as if trying to soften the blow. "The silver lining is, since you surrendered with remorse, the Eternal Sun will certainly bestow his mercy upon you."

Despite the situation, she seemed to speak with a little care — albeit twisted and nonsensical to me. Perhaps she knew where the rage was coming from. Perhaps she understood it.

'She doesn't understand a damn thing. Church… guide? It's the same damn thing everywhere you go — every world, every kingdom, every power structure. It's all a freaking game of control to them. All of it.'

"Otherworlder, I won't say I understand your pain — it doesn't forgive the acts — but you can—"

"Shut up."

The small frown perpetually etched upon her face deepened.

"What?"

Slowly, I rose to my feet, leaving Lira's body gently on the platform. I repeated myself as I did.

"I. Said. Shut. The. Fuck. Up." I straightened, facing her fully "You keep running your mouth. It's annoying."

My daggers sparkled into existence as I summoned them. I wasn't about to turn this into a debate session. I would just kill all of them.

I had the power to anyway.

I glanced at Pyre Saint, who remained at her initial position, unnervingly still.

"Looking away when you declared war?" Her voice cut through the rain. "I see you had no proper lesson."

Her sword was already coming down.

She was fast — faster than I'd expected. I thought I'd gotten fast, but this… her blade was a blur of motion, arriving before my body could even process the need to respond.

'Shit—'

But someone else entered the fray, blocking the strike in an explosion of force. Blue coat and white hair flared through the air as steel met steel.

He glanced back at me sharply and barked:

"Take Lira and get out of here! This isn't someone you can fight!"

My body shook — not with fear, but with a surge of joy and relief that nearly buckled my knees.

"Tristan! Li—"

"Go! Now! Dismiss your spirit!" His shout cut through my words like a whip. "Levi! Take him!"

Meanwhile, the lady staggered back from the block, her expression darkening with wary calculation. She studied Tristan without joy, then turned her gaze to the figure standing beside me — the one I'd barely registered in the chaos.

"The Speed King…" Her eyes narrowed. "And an Outlaw."

She looked back at Tristan, lips pressed into a thin line. "I've always known you were shady. Your refusal to come under the light of the Church, depending on your own strength — it's always rubbed me the wrong way."

Tristan smirked in a manner that only irritated her more. He raised his chin, voice dripping with that haughty tone he always had.

"Or you're just jealous you're only a B-rank." He shrugged. "Plus a weak-ass bloodline user."

He pointed at her casually, as if gesturing toward something mildly disappointing.

"Oh, you're certainly not gonna be enough. You sure you don't wanna call your partner? 'Cause I'm slightly pissed, Lyanna." The smirk sharpened into something colder. "And I really might not spare your ass like that time in Bouvred."

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