‘Seriously.’

Holding Tie in his arms, Tesetan clenched his jaw tightly.

Ribia was gasping.

"W-what do we do? I... can’t... breathe..."

Her face had gone even paler than before.

Tesetan quietly ground his teeth.

If they were outside...

At least they could find a Holy Knight with healing power.

And at that moment—

"Ribia!"

Allerik, having regained consciousness, rushed over from behind.

The moment he saw her condition, his face turned pale.

"You...!"

"Allerik... you... you’re bleeding..."

Ribia gave a faint smile as she looked at his torn shoulder.

Allerik froze for a moment, then his face twisted.

"Is my shoulder what matters right now?! How are you even—!"

Ribia’s eyelids trembled.

She was barely holding onto consciousness, her pupils on the verge of losing focus.

"Squad leader... vice..."

Unable to bear it, Allerik turned.

"Anything! Isn’t there anything we can do?! The vice squad leader can—!"

He stopped.

Tesetan’s gaze darkened.

He understood what Allerik was trying to say.

Tesetan answered quietly:

"My power of faith cannot heal."

"......."

"It’s not meant for that. I’m sorry."

Tesetan wielded both magic and holy power.

But that only applied to his combat style.

To use holy power as healing required years of training.

Even Alexander had needed nearly ten years.

"Then..."

Allerik turned his gaze to Tie.

Tie looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

"There’s... nothing? You’re a necromancer..."

"......."

"You’re the first to wield the dark attribute, so..."

His voice gradually faded.

He understood it himself.

Magic, by its nature, does not heal.

No matter how strong Astie was, she couldn’t simply heal like that.

Especially not a wound as severe as Ribia’s.

"That’s enough... Allerik..."

A barely audible voice spoke.

Ribia struggled to breathe as she looked at him.

"I’m... the one who’s hurt... and you... are blaming them..."

Her gaze shifted to Tesetan and Tie.

"Squad leader... vice... even if I die because of you... that’s not true, right?"

"Ribia!"

Allerik shouted, but she didn’t stop.

"I... should have... landed better..."

The hand holding her wound slowly dropped.

"Ribia! No!"

Allerik grabbed her.

He brushed her pale cheek again and again.

"Stay awake. We’ll get out soon. They’ll heal you outside, it’s nothing, you hear me?"

"......." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

But there was no response.

Her gaze unfocused.

Her body barely moved—only her chest faintly rising.

Tie unconsciously clenched her fists.

Tears blurred everything before her.

‘Aunt Ribia...’

Suddenly, she remembered.

The day she first saw Ribia in her dream.

"Little miss. You must always stay healthy."

Now Tie understood.

Why Ribia had called her “miss” back then.

‘Because Tie is Papa’s daughter. And Ribia is his subordinate.’

"Always... always be happy..."

"Uu..."

Before her eyes, someone was dying.

The one who had wished for her happiness the most.

‘It’s because of Tie.’

It was all her fault.

She hadn’t caused the collapse.

But then and now, Ribia had been hurt protecting her.

‘If Tie hadn’t existed... if she hadn’t come to find Papa...’

Would this have happened?

In another timeline, Ribia had lived much longer.

Tie’s lips trembled.

‘Because of Tie, she got hurt... if only earlier...’

She had come to protect.

And ended up causing a fatal wound.

The child’s body trembled even harder.

Tesetan pulled her closer, not taking his eyes off Ribia.

Nearby, Allerik muttered:

"No... no..."

They had both already lost comrades.

But Ribia...

With trembling hands, Allerik kept trying to gather magic.

It was all he could do.

But the exhausted magic fell apart.

And at that moment—

Ribia let out her final breath.

Her chest stilled.

Allerik froze.

A dead silence filled the space.

"...No, Auntie!"

Tie broke free from Tesetan’s arms and rushed forward.

"Auntie! Auntie...!"

Allerik stared at her with empty eyes.

Astie desperately shook Ribia’s shoulders.

Allerik slowly lifted his gaze upward.

There were no tears.

"Let’s try not to get hurt today too..."

Those words echoed in his head.

"...Astie?"

At that moment, Tesetan spoke quietly.

And suddenly, light filled everything around them.

Allerik lowered his gaze.

And froze.

"Squad leader?"

At the tips of Tie’s fingers flickered a familiar golden glow.

A beam ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) of light radiated from her body, illuminating the enclosed space.

"Auntie... you can’t die."

Tears fell from her eyes.

Not understanding what she was doing, Tie wrapped her arms around Ribia’s neck.

The golden light began to flow into her body.

Allerik gasped.

The wound on Ribia’s cheek healed instantly.

There was no time to think.

Allerik took a deep breath—

And pulled the stone shard out of her side.

"Auntie..."

Through Tie’s sobs, blood poured from the wound.

But the golden light stopped it immediately.

Allerik breathed heavily.

The wound closed at a rapid pace.

Fused vessels, restored muscles and ligaments—

"How... holy power..."

he whispered.

Not even noticing that the wound on his own shoulder had healed as well.

"...khh!"

Ribia inhaled sharply.

Tie lifted her head.

"Auntie!"

Ribia blinked slowly, looking at Tie’s radiant smile.

‘...I died, didn’t I?’

She didn’t understand what had happened.

With a trembling hand, she touched her side.

But only a faint mark remained, like an old scar.

"What just..."

And at that moment—

‘My daughter.’

A vision appeared before her eyes.

‘Her name is Astie.’

Tesetan.

But different—rougher features, an unfamiliar aura.

‘I will raise her.’

Ribia grabbed her forehead.

‘In a safe and warm place. As the happiest child.’

‘.......’

‘No matter what.’

Ribia turned her head toward Tesetan.

And met Allerik’s gaze.

He had the exact same expression.