Family's support.

The word "resolve" Elen had spoken herself—it was more like she was telling herself, over and over.

Without resolve, you can't protect what matters. She kept chewing on the goddess’s words, again and again.

This was the first time Elen, as a goddess, would "purify" Amiel.

If things stayed this way, the Helgner Kingdom would turn into a land of death.

To prevent that, no matter what, she had to purify Amiel right here, right now.

But just as Elen was about to unleash her power, suddenly a familiar face appeared before her eyes, and she and the others were startled.

"Damn you, cat! You’ve scarred my face!!"

Hose, who should’ve been evacuated, stormed forward, furious, and threw something with a *poom*.

It spun through the air, then landed with a *thud*.

"Whoa!"

Rolling alongside it, just like the thing thrown, was Ryle—same face as Gadiel. Then Tiots.

I realized Lore and the others had been transported here with Hōze.

“Why are you here!?”

Lore, noticing Elen’s shock, shouted at her with a startled expression.

‘Your Highness! Please, please, stop!!’

“Huh…?”

‘Don’t let the darkness stain our country… my country!’

“Impossible… Lore… your Highness?”

Durant’s voice came out dazed. He seemed stunned by Lore’s sudden appearance—someone who hadn’t shown up at all until now.

Lore seemed to notice Durant too, but ignored him, pleading desperately to Elen.

‘I heard Durant brought in a cursed one. But… but it’s not my fault!’

The words cried out by Klaha hit Lore like a slap. That’s when Lore finally understood exactly where she stood.

Maybe it was something beyond my understanding. But Lore finally realized—she’d been so caught up in the joy of meeting Lüür, she’d completely forgotten about Duran and the others, even though she’d promised to protect them.

It all twisted around, warped, until it became this.

Lore begs, it’s all her fault.

“Too late now. That child… can’t come back.”

Elen’s voice sounded cold.

But when Lore looked at Elen’s face, everyone there noticed. Elen was holding back tears, her expression utterly heartbroken.

The quiet plea in her eyes—now, finally, Lore and the others understand. The true meaning of Elen’s anger wasn’t what they thought.

It was the cursed being they’d been so angry at—Elen had been worried about *that* all along.

Loire blinked, caught off guard.

‘Princess…? You can’t mean… the cursed one…?’

“That cursed state? It wasn’t her fault. *You* pushed her to the edge! You forced your own convenience onto her—what’s the difference between a cursed king and *you*!!”

The founder of Tembael, who’d tried to protect the kingdom from the Monster Tempest but got it wrong.

But Duran had used Amiel with malice. He’d laughed at Amiel’s downfall, at Gadiel’s death while protecting Elen—like it was deserved.

Elen’s magic, strained from fury, snapped with a loud crack, breaking her hold on Amiel.

“Shit—!”

Panicking, Elen tried to re-cast the spell, but the darkness, now aware of the spirit, lunged straight at Loire.

‘Gyaaah—!’

Loire let out a sharp, hair-raising cry. The voices of Duran and Ruel shouting her name echoed through the air.

“Gh—!!”

“Your Majesty!”

Orgas cried out, shielding Loire with his left arm. He swung his sword desperately, severing the dark tendril wrapped around Duran’s right arm—but the shadow clinging to Duran’s arm remained, slowly stretching out a tiny hand to devour him.

Loire screamed, horrified.

‘Duran! Duran!!’

Her agonized cry rang through the forest.

Then, suddenly, a new spirit presence appeared—and a white cat materialized.

‘Loire!’

‘N-nee-sama…?’

‘Hurry! If we don’t act now, Duran’s done for!’

Ere, Loire’s counterpart, shouted.

Loire snapped back to herself, and together with Ere, she unleashed their power.

The two cats circled Duran, their fur bristling as they reached toward the darkness that crept forward, shivering with dread.

A hiss—sharp and defiant—and the two cats flared with light. Two bursts of radiance bloomed outward, instantly tearing the darkness from around Duran.

“Hurry! Run!”

Where the shadow had clung, fabric sizzled and melted, skin oozing and blistering like wax under fire.

Not even flinching, Duran yanked Loire close to his left side and pulled himself away from Amiel in a rush.

Elen tried again, summoning various minerals to restrain Amiel—but every attempt just bounced off, as if the air itself had turned to stone.

Amiel’s silent scream vibrated through the earth, like a mountain groaning.

“Guh…!”

Magic came one after another, endless. If this keeps up, even Elen will run out of strength.

‘Your Highness!’

‘I’ll lend a hand!’

Lore and Eire strained to shine light and clear away Amiel’s darkness, but Amiel’s scream shook the earth like a mountain groaning.

‘Gyah!’

“Lore!”

Ryul hurriedly caught Lore in her arms. Eire noticed Duran staggering and dashed toward him.

“You’re…?”

‘Forgive me… forgive me… it’s my fault Lore’s like this… my fault…’

Eire clung to Duran, crying.

Duran stared, bewildered, at the white cat spirit before him. Then he suddenly looked around—was Lore okay? He spotted her, safe in Ryul’s arms. Duran gritted his teeth, enduring the same unrelenting pain in his arm, as if the wound had never healed.

She couldn’t keep up with the advancing tendrils of Amiel. This was pointless.

(What do I do…!)

The panic bubbling on Elen’s face—she barely noticed it—when she suddenly realized a voice was calling to her from somewhere.

———E-le…, y-ou, …b-ub…

(That voice…?)

Elen jolted. The words Origin had said.

The meaning behind the Dual Goddesses’ “We’re fine.”

She’d taken her role head-on, without flinching.

(No. I’m not alone. I have my family!)

“Ark-sama!!”

Answering Elen’s cry, a soft, radiant light descended gently.

Amiel, sensing the sudden arrival of this power, recoiled as if frightened—dragging shadows across the air with a hiss.

“Finally… you’re here. My little goddess.”

Ark smiled warmly at Elen, then narrowed his eyes the moment he saw Amiel.

Ark suddenly pointed at Amiel, and the darkness filling the air shuddered violently, trembling all at once.

With a mocking twist of his finger, Ark made Amiel’s darkness spin wildly around Amiel himself—gurrrrrrrrrrrr—like a whirlwind.

‘Gyaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!’

Was it Amiel’s scream? Or just the sound of the world spinning out of control?

(Ark-sama can’t stop the mana… but he can control its movement…)

If it can’t be stopped, just compress it into a sphere and spin it. Spirits who command mana can shift their power’s direction with ease.

“Amazing…”

Ark’s quiet chuckle reached Elen’s ears, and he turned to look at her, smiling faintly.

“You… really did your best…”

The warmth of Ark’s hand brushing her hair made Elen’s tension snap—like a thread finally breaking.

"Thank you… Ark-sama…"

The others around them stared blankly at Ark and Amiel. They seemed frozen, unable to move after witnessing Ark’s overwhelming power.

Can’t afford any more distractions. Now’s the time, Elen thought, tightening her resolve.

Ark noticed Elen’s sharp gaze fixed on Amiel, and stepped behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I’ll assist. It’ll be fine, Elen."

"Yes!"

This is it—the moment to save a soul tainted by curse.