Announcement.

The silence wrapped around the scene, carried on Elen’s sorrowful voice.

Not just Van and Kai, but even the guards, including Duran, took time to grasp the meaning of Elen’s words.

“...the core of the Monster Tempest?”

Duran murmured, a faint tremor in his voice.

He might not understand what “core” meant, but he understood what “Monster Tempest” meant.

From the guards positioned far in the back, visible fear rippled outward like water waves. They finally understood—the catastrophe that had struck the Tembar Kingdom was about to happen here again.

In the Helgner Kingdom, children had been lulled to sleep since infancy with tales of that very disaster.

Why had it happened in Tembar?

Because they’d angered the spirits and lost their protection—so the story had always gone.

The people within the castle had long known that the Kingdom of Helgner had lost the protection of Lore.

The guards paled, realizing once more that they’d truly angered the spirits.

"This proves it—Tembar is now a cursed land. Isn’t that right, Princess Elen?"

Duran spoke, glancing with distaste at Gadiel, who lay crumpled behind Elen.

He was interpreting Elen’s words to suit his own ends.

"Then even more reason to finish them off—otherwise, calamity will fall upon this land."

The calm, collected tone of Duran snapped the guards back to awareness.

In unison, they drew their swords. The tips all pointed at Gadiel.

"Princess Elen, you said just now that girl wouldn’t survive, didn’t you?"

Duran said, eyes on Amiel, frozen by Elen’s magic.

"...I did."

"Still, Princess Elen, you're kind-hearted, aren't you? Mercy has no place in the Kingdom of Tembar. That prince sheltering there— he came here to slaughter this little girl. This girl was doomed from the start."

"...Eh...?"

It took Elen a moment to process Duran's words.

Of course, given his royal status, it should've been obvious—Gadiel had come here to kill Amiel. But Elen froze anyway, caught off guard by her own assumptions.

Gadiel, kind-hearted as he was—surely he couldn't be capable of such a thing.

But the situation wasn't kind at all. Amiel had been trying to kill Gadiel and the others.

Without waiting for Elen’s reply, Duran murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

How could King Tenbair possibly ignore the existence of the hero and Princess Elen? He sees children as nothing more than tools. The Kingdom of Tenbair has no qualms about discarding anyone who gets in the way—just like that little girl did. Elen is being deceived... Poor thing.

True, given Lavisael’s motives, it wasn’t entirely unthinkable.

But Elen had come to understand—through all these repeated exchanges—that Lavisael wouldn’t act so impulsively, not like this, not now. Not after the old king.

A war with a neighboring country? That could’ve been done anytime. Even when Lovell returned and the commotion began, the chance was there.

But the Kingdom of Tenbair had already lost countless people to the Monster Tempest.

Even knowing full well that we couldn’t count on the spirits’ favor anymore, Raffilia wasn’t about to repeat the same foolish mistake—losing more of her people while the gap in power against the neighboring nation grew ever wider.

“We’re different from that country. We swear to honor the spirits, to cherish the Vanklyft Family.”

“…You still don’t get it. What the Kingdom of Tenbair truly values most.”

“What—?”

“Isn’t it the spirits, in your country?”

“Of course. The spirits are with us.”

“Tenbair doesn’t cling to what it can’t have. It faces reality. It’s always asked itself what matters most. That hasn’t changed—even before the curse.”

“…………”

“Going against that resolve, what that child did—was the spark of war. Stopping it? That’s the duty of the royal family. But Gadiel…?”

Elen clenched her small fist. Gadiel had come to this land bearing the duty of royalty—yet he’d done what he shouldn’t have.

“Gadiel shouldn’t have helped me…”

Her voice trembled, faintly. A storm of emotions churned deep inside her chest, rising like boiling water.

Her heartbeat wasn’t just racing—it felt like it was bubbling, seething, ready to burst.

“But Elen, my dear. What if even that was part of Tembarr’s scheme? Maybe he just prioritized your favor… nothing more.”

“…Yes. Maybe. That’s possible.”

Ravissel was certainly that kind of man. The kind who put people first, even turning the spirits’ curse into a tool.

She knew that well enough. But Gadiel was different.

She’d heard he could change. That there was hope… that’s what Gadiel had said.

I can't fathom what Lavisel and Gadiel are thinking. Both could be true—and yet completely different.

But there was one thing Elen knew for certain.

Only in the moment when the cries of my kin faded away did I feel true.

The scene that resulted was clearly different between Lavisel and Gadiel—I could assert that with certainty.

"Whatever Tembair's intentions are, it doesn't matter. I'm here for my own purpose."

Hearing that, Duran was delighted.

"Princess Elen, that is this..."

Durran pointed at the bundle wrapped around Amiel and laughed.

You came to drive away the calamity, didn’t you?

Durand meant to say it with absolute certainty.

The bait became more bait, and a great catch was reeled in. From Duran’s perspective, having Elen appear here was the greatest stroke of luck.

Let the war break out because of Amiel—perfect. If another royal family tries to dodge it, we’ll just eliminate them all at once.

If any Vanklyft Family member shows up in that mix? That’d be a total win.

Whether it’s Sauvel or Lovell, Elen’s got to move because of her family. That’s the trigger.

The moment Lavisiel said “immediately,” Duran was certain. The only one who could pull off that kind of move in that country was the hero Lovell, blessed by spirits.

If we can stop Amiel’s movements, Lovell’s spirit will go ballistic. Maybe even declare the Tenbair Kingdom an enemy… and finally wipe them out.

No matter which way it goes, as soon as Amiel switches sides, everything tilts in our favor.

Durant had been investigating Elen too. He’d been furious at Lavisel for meddling with the Vanklyft Family, and utterly captivated by the way that reckless move had nearly brought the kingdom to the brink of ruin—exactly the kind of bold, dangerous flair he admired.

Durant couldn’t help but think Elen was the only one truly worthy of him.

Right now, just as planned, Gadiel was lying low, and Amiel was sealed away.

Elen had been confirmed as a kind-hearted girl. Durant reasoned she wouldn’t just abandon a nation that hadn’t even harmed her, especially not one that the Tembar Royal Family had begged for help. She’d have to act.

But Elen had answered with something entirely outside his calculations.

“You said it yourself just now. That disaster was your own doing. Why should I be the one to step down?”

“W-what…?”

Durant’s mouth twitched. He tried to laugh it off, but the effort twisted his face into something grotesque—anger mixed with disbelief.

Elen spoke, her eyes locked straight ahead.

“I really hate it when my family tries to hurt me.”

The moment Elen said that, the substance enveloping Amiel twisted as if struck from within.

Bong. A dull sound, like it came from deep underground.

The smooth, spherical barrier surrounding Amiel warped inward, bulging unevenly—like it was being attacked from inside, the sound echoing through the ground.

Amiel was resisting. Durant remembered what Elen had said about time being on their side. His face paled.

Panicked, Durant snapped his gaze back to Elen—only to find her utterly still, unshaken, staring at him with no flicker of fear.

Her face was calm, but somehow… smiling. Just slightly.

In that eerie moment, her smile sent chills down everyone’s spines.

"Elen, Princess! We didn’t touch your family! It was that cursed Tembarl royal line!!"

"You were the one who used my father as bait for negotiations. Maybe it was just talk. But you know I can’t forgive that—it was the spark that set everything off."

"……!"

"To me, it’s all the same. You only care about yourself, steal what’s precious to us, then treat us like disposable trash. How is your so-called Tembarl Kingdom any different?"

"What?! When did you—"

"Not just my father. Lore too."

"W-what…?"

The moment Elen said Lore’s name, Duran’s eyes snapped open, his composure shattered.

"You tried to take something precious from Lore. That’s why Lore fought so desperately. Hid it. Protected it. From you."

"!?"

Elen stared at Duran, whose face was blank with confusion, and spoke in a flat, calm voice.

"Lore has always watched over this country. It was a promise—very important—one made between a spirit who lives forever and a human. Even if we’d never meet again, Lore kept that promise."

"…………"

"One day, I met someone who was the same yet different. But to a spirit, it’s still the same person. I was happy. I missed them. I knew things had changed, but I couldn’t help it—I kept thinking about them."

"That’s… impossible…"

"You tried to take it away. Just because it was inconvenient for you."

Duran’s face visibly paled, finally catching on.

"I make up my mind once, and I see it through completely. The King of Tembar managed to avoid that fate with his skill. But what about you?"

The moment she said it—her words sharp, her confidence absolute—Duran felt it in his chest. The weight of her power, the danger of it. And already, regret was curling inside him like smoke.

Duran, just like Lavisel, had touched Elen’s nerve.

“Please prepare yourselves.”

All Duran could do was stare blankly as Elen’s declaration rang out. From beside him, the dull sound of something breaking through the substance enveloping Amiel echoed like a countdown.

September 25, 2018, the manga adaptation by Mr. Yutaka Ohori launched in Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan, October issue. Please look forward to it!