In the royal castle of the Sin Kingdom, dusk quietly settled over the high towers.
The office windows were half open, allowing the fading orange light of the setting sun to spill across the room. Dust drifted lazily in the warm glow, and the air felt calm—almost deceptively so. Papers, books, and documents were neatly spread across a large desk where three figures with different-colored hair sat together.
"Working" would have been an overstatement.
Aurora was the only one truly working, her attention focused on the documents before her. On either side of her, Astro and Siegrain were seated—each buried in books taken from her desk, though neither looked particularly enthusiastic.
"I miss Dad… when is he coming back?" Astro finally muttered, closing his book and slumping slightly.
"Well, he has work to do," Siegrain replied from the other side without lifting his eyes from the pages. "He is the commander-in-chief. With the Inca Kingdom causing trouble at the border, he needs to be there to maintain morale."
"You're too boring, Siegrain," Astro sighed. "I know all that. But that doesn't mean I can't miss him, does it?"
"You don't miss Dad," Siegrain said flatly. "You just miss the fact that you didn't get to show him your new spear techniques."
"It's a polearm, not a spear this time," Astro corrected, looking at Siegrain as if he were an idiot.
"What's the difference? They look the same."
"All spears are polearms, but not all polearms are spears. Polearms can have edges parallel to the shaft," Astro lectured seriously. "You should learn about weapons too."
"No, I'm good," Siegrain shut it down immediately.
"Just say you're lazy. What if you find a girlfriend who likes weapons? You won't have anything in common."
"You spent too much time with Dad," Siegrain finally looked up, staring at Astro. "You're thinking about weird things now."
"Hm?" Aurora spoke without looking up from her papers. "Did your father teach you about 'weird things'?"
"Well… he said if I mastered the new move, I could impress a girl. Maybe even get a girlfriend," Astro answered honestly, completely selling his father out. Although there were no girls he wanted to impress, it sounded cool at least.
"What do you mean?" Siegrain tilted his head. "Like a mating dance birds do—but with weapons?"
"Cough—!" Aurora nearly choked on her saliva.
"Is that how Dad married you, Mom?" Siegrain asked curiously, seeing her reaction.
"Of course not!" Aurora coughed again. "Who taught you that?"
"Aunt Celestia did," Astro replied immediately… selling Aunt Celestia, too.
"What are they even teaching you…" Aurora sighed.
"Come to think of it, Aunt isn't back yet," Siegrain changed the subject immediately… otherwise, he had a feeling that his idiot twin brother would sell him out too…he glanced out the window and said, "She said she was going to Fiore, right?"
"That's where the Fairy Tail guild is, isn't it?" Astro said thoughtfully. "Dad talks about them a lot. Is that where she went?"
"Celestia said she was visiting the Heartfilia family," Aurora answered the question. Honestly, she didn't have a good impression of Fairy Tail except for the fact that they gave Arthur a home… after all, the only other person she met from that guild was Ivan, the son of the guild master. And that meeting did not…go that well…
That idiot had way too many ambitions and thought way too highly of himself. She just took care of him like she took care of everyone else who tried to make a move on her… well, except for Arthur~
"The family that invented the railway system?" Siegrain asked curiously, not knowing what his mother was thinking about.
"Yes. That one." Aurora snapped from her thought and replied.
"That sounds nice…" Astro yawned, resting his head on the desk. "Why don't we have that here?"
"Yeah… Mom shouldn't miss that opportunity," Siegrain said, yawning as well.
Aurora wasn't surprised they knew about such things. She often taught them politics and let them observe her work—not because she wanted perfection from them, but because princes who fell below the average would suffer greatly when they grew older. It would be an abuse if she only spoiled them and made them fall behind the rest of society.
Seeing their exhaustion, she set her papers aside. With one smooth motion, she pulled both of them onto her lap and hugged them close.
"It's because there are countries that don't like us," she said quietly. "They don't want us to develop."
"So Dad can't be with us… just because they're jealous?" Astro murmured, leaning back against her and looking up.
"That's stupid," Siegrain added. "Why can't everyone prosper together? Wouldn't a world without conflict be better?"
Aurora paused.
For a moment, she had no answer.
A world without conflict…
A world where she could stay in Arthur's arms forever.
A world where her children never had to fear war.
She tightened her embrace.
"I may be a bad mother for saying this," she said softly, "but I don't have the strength to create such a world. And even if I did… I wouldn't do it. There will never be eternal peace. Everyone has different values. Different goals."
She looked down at them and smiled gently.
"All I can do is give you enough advantage to live in this world. I don't want you to take peace away from others. But if someone tries to take it from you…"
"Then you protect each other."
Astro and Siegrain looked at each other for a moment with a question mark on their face…
"Don't worry, Mom," Astro said seriously. "I'll protect the useless Siegrain."
"I am not useless," Siegrain snapped. "And I don't need your protection."
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't."
Aurora watched them bicker again, smiling helplessly, and hugged them tighter.
"Mom… I can't breathe…"
"Can't breathe…"
"Hehe, sorry," Aurora laughed softly. "My Astro meter and Siegrain meter are almost full."
She loosened her grip.
Siegrain looked up and noticed the tiredness in her face.
"Mom… why would you not ask us to protect you?" Siegrain asked quietly.
"Hm?…" Aurora blinked. "Because it's a parent's job to protect their children."
"Then…" Astro asked, tilting his head. "Why do you keep saying you're a bad mom? I don't think there could be a better mother than you."
"Yeah, I also don't think there could be a better mom than you."
They had heard other people complain about their moms from time to time. Even Cedric did it— when talking about Aunt Agnes.
But no matter how busy or tired their mom was, the moment she saw them, she always greeted them with a bright smile. She could be strict about certain things, and sometimes she was a little scary—but they knew it was always for their sake.
"Yeah," Siegrain said, smiling brightly. "When I grow up, I'll protect you too."
"Hey!" Astro protested immediately, seeing Siegrain steal most of their mother's attention. "I'll be the one protecting Mom from bad guys! Unlike you, I both study and train."
"…"
Siegrain stared at him, speechless. Did this idiot think people just use magic to decorate houses?
Aurora looked surprised.
For a moment, she truly didn't know how to respond.
When she was a child—when she needed protection the most—there had been no adults who came to help her. No one to shield her. No one to tell her it would be okay. Because of that, she poured all her love and attention into her children, hoping that they would never feel the same helplessness she once had.
Truthfully… she didn't even know how to be a good parent.
She never had a role model to follow.
She remembered how terrified she had been when she found out she was pregnant with them. What if they hated being born to her? The Synairis family was full of lunatics—well, most of them at least. And this kingdom wasn't peaceful either.
Would they resent her someday for bringing them into this world?
If they had been born on the western side of the continent, maybe they could have lived easier lives… better lives…
But—
She hugged them tighter again. No matter what happens… she would at least make sure to…
"Fine… fine," Aurora said softly. "Both of you can protect me when you grow up. But right now, you're still young… so let me fulfill my duty."
"Mom…"
"Can't… breathe…"
"Sorry," Aurora said with a smile. "My Astro meter and Siegrain meter have just been upgraded. I need to fill the new space."
"…"
"…Didn't it upgrade just last week?"
"Oh… it upgraded again… looks like I need a bit more hug…please?"
"..."
"..."
Somewhere in Ishgar
A brown-haired man walked through a long, silent corridor.
The sound of his footsteps echoed faintly against the stone walls, each step swallowed by the oppressive stillness of the hallway. This was a corridor he would walk many times in the future—whether he wished to or not. Tall pillars lined the sides, their surfaces worn smooth by time, and the faint scent of iron lingered in the air, as if the stones themselves remembered blood long since spilled.
He finally stopped at the end of the corridor.
Before him stood a massive door, old and heavy, its surface scarred by countless marks—some from age, others from violence. Golvax raised his hand, hesitating for a brief moment. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, then pushed the door open.
The room beyond was dark.
Almost completely so.
The only source of light came from the far end of the chamber, where a throne sat elevated atop a short flight of stairs. The dim glow cast long, twisted shadows across the floor, making the space feel larger—and far more suffocating—than it truly was.
The throne itself was made of skulls and bones, stacked and fused into a grotesque monument. Some of the bones still bore traces of dried blood, darkened with age but unmistakable in color. The sight alone was enough to unsettle most men.
But Golvax did not look at the throne.
His eyes were fixed on the man sitting upon it.
The figure leaned back casually, as if seated on nothing more than an ordinary chair. He wore a silver windbreaker that reflected the faint light, giving him an almost unreal presence in the darkness. His features were delicate—beautiful, even. It was an odd word to describe a man, yet no other suited him better.
Long silver hair fell past his shoulders, its tips tinged faintly green, like leaves touched by decay rather than life.
Slowly, the man opened his bright green eyes.
His gaze settled on Golvax, sharp and lazy at the same time.
"Did you find anything, Golvax?" he said calmly, popping a piece of candy into his mouth.
"Yes," Golvax answered, lowering his head slightly. "Queen Aurora is very popular among the people of the kingdom. However… there are still those who despise how she governs."
He paused for a brief moment.
"It is mostly people from the… Synaris clan."
The silence that followed felt heavier than the darkness itself.
Golvax held his breath, unsure whether he had overstepped. After all, his master did have…some history with them.
But the man on the throne merely stopped chewing for a second. Then, slowly, a lazy smile formed on his lips. Old memories surfaced in his mind—memories buried deep, from a very long time ago.
"Continue, Golvax," Vindex said casually. "Anything about Anantea's movements in that kingdom?"
"Yes," Golvax replied, straightening slightly. "There are rumors that Anantea was there for the second prince."
He hesitated again, choosing his words carefully.
"I believe whatever she attempted with the second prince… she at least partially succeeded. There were numerous visits from doctors and wizards afterward, checking on the second prince repeatedly. Although the prince appears completely fine now."
Golvax continued with a steady voice. "It was not difficult to notice. No matter how much Queen Aurora tried to suppress the information, word still spread—especially among the Synaris clans. They possess many mind wizards."
"Is there anything special about him?" Vindex asked, frowning slightly.
He leaned forward just a bit, resting his chin on his hand.
"I would understand if she went after the queen… or the king," he continued. "But a child? Is it because she saw something in that child's future?"
"I cannot say for certain," Golvax answered. "However, there were guards who overheard her intentions. She wanted to turn him into a weapon while she was there."
"At least… that is what the Synaris—"
"Do not mention that clan's name again," Vindex cut in sharply. He was getting tired of hearing that clan's name…
The lazy tone vanished for just a moment. His expression darkened as unpleasant memories surfaced—memories he had no interest in revisiting. He didn't simply hate them… he despised them. If it weren't for them, he wouldn't have to be cursed like this.
"My apologies, Master," Golvax said immediately, bowing deeply. "If we wish to infiltrate the kingdom, however… I have another piece of information."
He lifted his head slightly.
"We can team up with—"
Inside the Sin Kingdom
A gigantic black cube hovered high above the royal capital of the Sin Kingdom, its presence swallowing the night sky. Crimson patterns crawled across its surface like living veins, pulsing slowly, ominously, as if the structure itself were breathing. Even from the ground, the pressure it emitted was suffocating, bending the air and weighing heavily on every living thing beneath it.
Then it happened.
Explosions erupted one after another, tearing through districts with merciless precision. Towers collapsed, streets shattered, and entire buildings vanished in flashes of violent light. Fire and debris rained from above as shockwaves rippled through the capital. Screams echoed through the chaos—some cut short, others drowned out by the thunder of destruction.
The queen's evacuation order had come the moment the cube became visible on the horizon. Most of the citizens had escaped.
But not all.
From within a burning street, smoke parted violently as a figure stepped forward.
A blond-haired man wearing a sleeveless tank top emerged from the flames, his grin wide and unhinged. His body was lean yet coiled with explosive power, veins standing out unnaturally beneath his skin. In one hand, he casually held a royal guard by the collar, lifting him off the ground as if the man weighed nothing.
Jackal.
"Did you really think your measly little sneak attack could work?" he sneered, tightening his grip. "You lousy human."
The guard clawed weakly at Jackal's arm, gasping for air. "Who… are you…?" he forced out. "Why… why are you attacking our kingdom…?"
Jackal tilted his head, genuinely considering the question.
"Well… your queen didn't know how big the sky was," he said lazily. "She pissed off so many people that—"
"Oh, so you are one of them… Haha…"
Jackal stopped.
The guard was laughing.
"…Did I say something funny?" Jackal asked, confused, his grin faltering slightly.
"No…" the guard coughed, blood trickling down his chin. "If our queen really went against you… Then you people must be the biggest pieces of shit imaginable."
"..."
For a moment, Jackal was a bit shocked… he didn't expect the people of this kingdom to trust their queen so much.
"Stop trying to act mighty," the guard continued weakly. "Just kill me already. Even being touched by you feels disgusting."
For a moment, the street went quiet.
Then—
BOOM.
The guard's body detonated violently, exploding into fragments of flesh and blood that splattered across the ruins. The blast shook nearby buildings, sending loose debris crashing down.
Jackal clicked his tongue in irritation. "Tch… annoying."
"What are you doing just standing around, Jackal?"
A cold, emotionless voice spoke from behind him.
Jackal turned as a woman stepped out of the smoke. Long dark hair fell down her back, framing her calm, expressionless face. Curved horns rose from her head, clearly not the result of any transformation magic.
Seilah.
Her eyes swept over the destruction without interest, as if the ruined city were nothing more than a discarded toy.
"The people of this kingdom are pissing me off," Jackal growled. "We should have hurried… most of them already evacuated. The only ones left are wizards and royal guards."
He clenched his fist, irritation bubbling over.
"And none of them are afraid of dying."
"In the Sin Kingdom," a calm voice interrupted, "We consider death another adventure. You will find no one here who is scared of their own death. People here will happily give up their lives if it's to protect someone important to them."
Both demons took a look at each other before turning back… they didn't even sense any presence behind them, you know!
From within the drifting smoke, a man walked toward them at an unhurried pace. He wore a long white coat, pristine despite the destruction around him, his hands tucked casually into its pockets. His hair was dazzling white, reflecting the firelight, and his golden eyes were sharp—far too steady for someone standing before Tartarus.
Jackal frowned. "Who the hell are you?"
For just a brief moment, an unfamiliar sensation twisted in his gut.
A bad feeling.
He scoffed immediately, forcing it down. There was no way he'd just felt threatened by a human. But this human…
"You can call me Julien," the man replied calmly. "Now… I hope you share our view on death."
His golden eyes lit up in the dark…
"Because with how painful I plan to make this, I'd start feeling bad if you thought going to hell was punishment too."
"You talk big for—"
Jackal never finished the sentence.
A flash of blinding white light erupted.
Julien vanished.
Before Jackal could even react, Julien reappeared directly in front of him, his hand already extended, stopping just inches from Jackal's head.
"Lux Ruina."
The whisper was the last thing Jackal remembered from that night.
A colossal explosion of pure white light engulfed the street, dwarfing Jackal's own detonations. The blast erased everything within its radius, the shockwave tearing through the district and ripping buildings apart as if they were made of paper.
Seilah was thrown violently backward, crashing through multiple structures before slamming into rubble. Her vision went completely white, her senses overwhelmed by the light. When she finally regained sight, all that remained was a massive, scorched clearing.
Jackal was gone.
"He didn't seem human," Julien said calmly, walking toward her. One by one, glowing orbs of white light formed behind his back, arranging themselves in a slow, perfect circle. "Neither do you. I have never seen souls like these before… What type of monsters are you?"
Seilah pushed herself free from the debris, her expression tense for the first time.
"You're the one who looks like a monster to me," she murmured. "Now I see why he didn't want us entering the castle."
Her eyes narrowed.
"The Sin Kingdom has some talent, it seems."
Julien suddenly stopped.
He looked up lazily with his hands still in his pockets.
From the massive cube above, several humanoid figures leapt down.
Their dark forms cut through the night like falling blades, slamming into the shattered streets around Julien one after another. The ground cracked beneath their landings, debris lifting into the air as a crushing pressure flooded the area—thick, heavy, unmistakably demonic. It wasn't killing intent alone; it was the certainty that the gate of death stood nearby.
Tempester straightened first, his body lean and distorted, his skin marked with jagged patterns as wind and poison-like miasma coiled faintly around him. He rolled his neck once, grinning wildly.
"Heh… so this is the human who blew Jackal away?" His eyes gleamed with sick excitement. "You look breakable."
A heavy impact shook the street as Ezel landed, his massive frame towering over the others. His four demonic arms flexed slowly, veins bulging as raw power radiated from him. He looked down at Julien with open contempt.
"Enough talking," he growled. "Humans exist to be crushed. Nothing more."
Torafuzar rose from a pool of blackened water that spread across the ground beneath his feet, his sharp features twisting into a sadistic smile. The liquid around him rippled as if alive.
"Try not to die too quickly," he said mockingly. "I prefer it when they struggle."
Beside him, a hooded figure stood unnaturally still.
Keyes.
Only his glowing eyes were visible beneath the shadows of his cloak, a faint, whispering aura seeping from him as if countless unseen things lurked just behind reality.
"A living human standing calmly before us…" he murmured. "How refreshing. I wonder how loud you'll scream."
Last to move was Franmalth.
His bulky form shifted unnaturally, magic pulsing beneath his skin as if countless stolen powers slept inside him. He sniffed the air, eyes narrowing.
"Hm… strange," he muttered. "This human doesn't smell afraid."
Seilah stepped fully free of the rubble, her expression calm once more as she took in the completed formation around him.
"But it doesn't matter," she said quietly. "No matter how strong you are…"
Her eyes locked onto Julien.
"…you alone can't win against all of us."
The circle closed.
Julien lazily looked at all of them. Even with facing so many monsters… There was not a single ounce of fear in his eyes.
"Alone?" Julien tilted his head, genuinely confused.
Seilah suddenly heard footsteps behind her.
Slow. Heavy.
"You bastards dare destroy our home…" a furious voice rang out. "Don't kill them so fast, Julien…. I want to cut their bodies piece by piece while they are still alive… I want to make them regret even being born."
A woman in a maid uniform emerged from the smoke, dragging a massive greatsword behind her. The blade scraped against the ground, sparks flying. Her eyes burned with uncontrollable rage as she focused on Seliah.
"Well, you heard my wife… Don't run away, please…"
Far outside the city, a carriage rolled to a sudden stop.
Inside, a short blue-haired woman stared at the distant capital, smoke rising into the sky. Her eyes widened as they locked onto the gigantic cube hovering above the city.
"…What is happening?"
Inside the castle halls, a green-haired woman extended her palm toward a humanoid monster. She wore a deep green, form-fitting corset that hugged her upper body, a matching miniskirt, and thigh-high boots, a heavy green cloak trailing behind her.
The creature let out a distorted screech as its body twisted and folded in on itself, metal grinding against metal, until it collapsed into nothing more than a lifeless slab of twisted steel that clattered across the marble floor.
The woman exhaled slowly before turning around.
A man with dark purple hair stood there, face-to-face with her, as if he had been waiting all along.
"So," Aurora said calmly, her eyes fixed on him, "who sent you here?"
Outside the castle walls, she could feel it clearly—the guards and court wizards were locked in battle against some kind of mechanical abominations. And yet this man had ignored all of that and walked straight into the heart of the castle. The implication was obvious. If the city was the distraction, then she was the target.
"My name is Mard Geer," the man replied casually, rubbing the cover of the book in his hand with slow, deliberate movements. "Though I don't see a reason to explain a business transaction to someone who's going to die tonight."
"…Business transaction," Aurora murmured.
Her brows furrowed as waves of feelings of pain, fear, and death echoed through the castle. Even now, despite the destruction and chaos, her people were still fighting. They hadn't given up.
"For some business transaction," she said quietly, her voice trembling with restrained fury, "my people have to suffer? For the selfish desires of people like you outside, families have to be torn apart in my kingdom… Is this what it's come to?"
Magic surged violently from her body, the air around her warping as her emotions began to slip. The floor beneath her feet cracked faintly under the pressure.
'Arthur is not here yet, but Astro and Siegrain already took the secret exit. They'll be safe.
And if this man is truly the leader of the attack… then I have no reason to wait anymore.'
Aurora studied the man in front of her carefully. She couldn't read his thoughts—not even a fragment. It was as if his mind was sealed shut, forcibly suppressing everything within.
"Since you dared to step into my territory," she said coldly, her cloak lifting into the air as unseen forces wrapped around her, "don't even think about running away before I'm done with you."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Mard Geer replied with a faint smirk.
The tension between them snapped.
Mard Geer moved first, raising two fingers and pointing them toward Aurora.
"Thorns."
Aurora twisted her body mid-motion and leapt backward into a backflip, barely avoiding jagged thorns that erupted from the ground without warning.
"—Curse?"
Aurora could tell from one glance that they weren't formed from magic. That alone made them dangerous. Curses always carried unpredictable effects—getting hit wasn't an option.
Before she could land, Mard Geer waved his hand again. Thorns burst forth from the walls, the floor, even the ceiling, converging toward her from every direction while she was still airborne.
Aurora's eyes glowed a brilliant green.
"Blazing Flame Dominion."
Twin green flames ignited in her palms. She twisted her body sharply in midair, spinning as she released the flames outward in a violent spiral, incinerating every thorn that came near her. Burning fragments disintegrated before they could reach her.
She landed smoothly, flames still dancing around her hands, casting an otherworldly glow across the hall. Dropping into a crouch, she pressed her right hand against the floor.
"Absolute Frost Dominion."
Green ice exploded outward from her position, racing across the hall in an instant. The temperature plummeted as the frost surged toward Mard Geer, threatening to swallow him whole.
His eyes widened.
Just before the ice reached his feet, he flicked his wrist, a white rose blooming instantly in his palm.
"Explosion."
The detonation rocked the entire castle. Walls cracked. The ceiling groaned as debris rained down.
"Imperial Bastion," Aurora whispered.
A massive metal shield formed instantly before her, absorbing the blast head-on. When the blinding light finally faded, she lowered the barrier.
Mard Geer stepped out from the smoke, completely unharmed, still holding the book in his hand as if nothing had happened.
"It seems I can't go easy on you, human," Mard Geer murmured, patting the book in his arms gently.
Aurora narrowed her eyes, seeing his body twisting.
His body shifted subtly at first—muscles coiling unnaturally, shadows crawling across his skin like living ink. Then, with a sudden, almost fluid motion, wings black as midnight unfurled from his back.
"…A demon?" she muttered. "That explains the curses."
"The correct term would be Etherious Demon," Mard Geer said calmly, although his voice seemed more demonic now. "Unlike other demons, we Etherious cannot use magic at all. Instead, we were created to weaponize curses to their absolute limit and dominate the battlefield through them."
"Curse abilities?" Aurora repeated. "If that's what makes you think you're special, then I have bad news for you."
A mark began to form beneath her right eye, slowly creeping upward. When it reached her eye, she opened it fully.
Blue.
A piercing blue iris surrounded by dark sclera.
"Oh," Mard Geer said with a smile. "This is getting interesting."
He spread his wings wider, his expression turning serious. He could feel it—the cursed power radiating from that eye.
"So I was right to come alone," he said quietly. "Anyone else would've already been lost to that ability."
Even Mard Geer, whose mind was stronger than most living beings, could barely resist the influence of that eye. He knew it instinctively. If he let his guard slip for even a moment, her curse would seize control of him completely—and there would be no escape.
"But unfortunately…" he said coldly, raising his gaze to meet hers, "…you already lost, human."
"What are you—"
Aurora stopped mid-sentence as the space between them shifted.
"It seems like you guys are enjoying fighting… mind if I interrupt…"
A long, silver‑haired man stepped forward, placing himself between them out of nowhere without a trace of fear.
"Astro."
Aurora didn't care about him. Her attention was locked onto the child floating unconscious beside him, and the moment her eyes focused, her breath hitched. Silver, tattoo‑like markings spread across his body in ominous patterns, faintly glowing, and beneath his eye, the Imperium mark had appeared once more.
"Astro… no… what did you do to him?"
"Well… he wasn't what I was looking for," Vindex replied casually. "So you can take him back."
He threw the unconscious Astro toward her. Aurora caught him instantly.
"Astro… Astro, wake up…" she whispered urgently. Hearing her voice, Astro stirred faintly. Tears streamed down his face before he could even open his eyes.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
"It's okay," Aurora said, holding him tighter, her voice trembling. "You're going to be fine."
"But I have to say," Vindex continued with a smile before he gave a wink to Mard Geer behind, signalling him to stop for now, "you have some really talented children, don't you?"
Aurora's eyes widened. She hugged Astro closer, her arms tightening protectively as she looked up at Vindex with burning rage.
"Where… where is Siegrain?"
"Why don't you ask the son in your arms," Vindex said with a teasing voice, "about what he did to his own brother."
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" Astro cried softly again, his small hands clutching her desperately.
"Astro, it's okay. Calm down, I am here." Aurora said gently, patting his back.
"I… I…" His voice shook. "He sent Siegrain somewhere… before that, I think… I think I used the Imperium Curse on him… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…I didn't mean to… I really couldn't control my body…"
As he spoke, the silver markings on his body began to fade. He grabbed her hands tightly, afraid to let go.
"It's okay," Aurora whispered. "I can… I can reverse it. It will be fine… Your brother will be fine. Trust me."
"Really?" Astro smiled weakly. "That's good… that's good…He is probably scared somewhere… Please find…"
His eyes slowly closed again. His grip loosened, but Aurora immediately tightened hers.
"…Astro… Astro…" She shook him gently, panic rising as her eyes widened. Slowly, she lowered her head to his chest. There was no heartbeat.
"Astro?" she whispered.
"Astro?"
"So even one of the strongest wizards of this era isn't free from this weakness," Mard Geer said lazily as he sat upon the throne in the middle of the room, reverting to his previous form. "It's honestly so boring. Humans and their feelings… they make you so useless… no matter how strong you are."
"I told you there was no need to take her seriously," Vindex added, looking down at Aurora. "Once there's nothing left to protect, she'll lose the will to fight. No matter how strong she is."
Aurora didn't move or respond to them. She couldn't even hear what they were talking about. She simply stared at Astro's lifeless body in her arms, as if her mind refused to acknowledge the reality before her. As if it were still living when Astro was running around.
"Astro… your name is going to be Astro Synaris. You'll be the second prince of the Sin Kingdom."
A weak Aurora whispered those words after childbirth, gazing at the child beside her.
"Astro, say mama."
"Alala," baby Astro replied, looking at her as he laughed.
"No… mama. Say mama."
Astro tilted his head… feeling a bit… before closing his eyes and smiling widely again.
"Alala."
"…."
"Astro, you need to eat more vegetables."
"Astro… what did that woman tell your dad? Tell your mom."
"Come on, Astro, I need to fill my Astro meter. Please? It's almost empty. If I don't hug you now, I might pass out from Astro deficiency disease."
"Hm? My work? That might be hard for you to understand… okay, okay. Come here, I'll explain it."
"Astro… It's okay. The fever will go away soon. It will go away soon…"
"Hm? Your father's training ended early today? How about we sneak into town? Go get your brother and don't tell your father."
"Did you have a bad dream? It's okay. You two can sleep with me tonight. Your dad doesn't mind… right?"
"Astro…"
"Astro…"
"Astro…"
Her mind shifted again.
"Arthur, look… he's holding my finger so tightly. How cute…"
Aurora smiled as she extended her finger, watching Astro wake up and grab it instantly, refusing to let go.
"He definitely likes me more," she said smugly, looking at her husband.
"Well, no matter how much he likes you, it can't be more than me," Arthur replied with a smile.
Aurora rolled her eyes, then looked at the two children in the crib with a gentle expression. It was unknown what was going through her mind, but she just smiled gently for a long time.
"Thank you for choosing me as your mother," she whispered finally. "I promise I will be the best mother in the whole world…I promise that I'll make sure you grow up healthy and happy. I want you to live the life I never got to… Siegrain… Astro…"
Whether baby Astro understood or not, he laughed, gripping her finger tighter.
"Astro."
Aurora looked down at the lifeless body in her arms. His hand still rested against hers, but it wasn't holding tightly anymore. His palm was bigger than when he was a baby…but it was still… smaller than hers.
It was still… too small…
"Astro…"
"I'm sorry… I wasn't a good mother."
"I'm sorry. You had to… pay for my sins."
"I think she's completely broken," Vindex said with a smile.
"You can finish her," Mard Geer said, turning away. "My people should be done with the capital by now. I'll destroy the rest. After tonight, there won't even be a shadow of the Sin Kingdom in this continent."
"Sure. I really appreciate your willingness to work with me, Mard Geer."
"Don't get me wrong. It was only because our goals intertwined with each other."
Mard Geer rubbed the book in his hand as he stood, about to leave—then stopped. The ground trembled beneath them.
"What is happening? Is this your guild's doing?"
Vindex looked around as the shaking grew heavier.
Somewhere in Earthland, a cloaked figure with long dark blue spiked hair slept peacefully. His eyes snapped open.
"No… I don't think so."
Mard Geer felt it too—a bad feeling, a very bad feeling.
"I couldn't protect you from paying for my sins…"
A cold whisper echoed through the hall. Both Mard Geer and Vindex turned as a green glow enveloped Aurora's body. She gently laid Astro's head on the floor.
As she rose, the shaking intensified. The pressure of her magic crushed the air itself, forcing both of them to struggle to remain standing.
"What is happening?"
"An earthquake?"
"Go outside—"
People even outside the Sin Kingdom could feel the ground shaking in the middle of the night.
"Sir! Reports say all of eastern Ishgar is experiencing massive seismic activity!"
"What?"
"I couldn't protect you," Aurora whispered, her voice hollow. "But I will at least make sure…"
For the first time, both Mard Geer and Vindex stepped back subconsciously.
Aurora slowly raised her head as the castle roof started to crumble around them. Through the dust, her emotionless eyes… one burning bright blue and another burning bright green.
"I will at least make sure to avenge you."