Leo slowly walked toward the center of the enormous circle of candles.

Each step he took made the silence inside the Church feel even heavier.

With a calm motion, he raised a hand to his face.

The black mask, decorated with fine white stitching, slowly slipped away from his features.

A faint murmur spread through the audience.

The Knight of the Flame Lion.

One of the Church’s most admired heroes.

His expression was completely serious.

There were no tears.

No theatrics.

Only a face hardened by thoughts that no one else seemed able to understand.

Beside him, Ava respectfully stepped back, yielding her place before the great red candle.

Saint Gabriel watched the scene with an expression filled with false sorrow.

He lowered his head slightly.

"It is difficult to imagine the pain of losing a sister."

Many nobles nodded, visibly moved.

Others lowered their heads in respect.

Nox, however, never took his eyes off Leo.

Something didn’t add up.

Without looking away, he spoke quietly.

"Tessa."

"Yes?"

"Do you think your brother would be capable of hiding the fact that you’re still alive from the Church?"

The redhead remained silent for a few moments.

"I don’t know."

Her eyes stayed fixed on Leo.

"If you had asked me a few days ago..."

"...I would have told you it was impossible."

She took a slow breath.

"But now..."

She frowned.

"...no one seems to know I’m still alive."

Nox crossed his arms.

’So Leo chose to keep it secret.

Or there’s something much bigger happening behind all of this.’

"We’ll have to observe."

Tessa turned her head slightly.

"Has the plan changed?"

"No."

He answered without hesitation.

"But your brother’s presence complicates things quite a bit."

"Because of Dawn?"

Nox nodded.

"If Leo gets involved..."

"...freeing the princess or taking her hostage will become much more difficult."

Tessa looked back toward the center of the hall.

"I didn’t expect to see him here."

"Neither did I."

◇◆◇

While everyone’s attention remained focused on Leo...

Nox used the crowd’s movement to quietly approach Misty.

The dancer was still holding a glass of wine, smiling with perfect elegance as she pretended to listen to an elderly noble ramble about his vineyards.

As Nox passed beside her, he barely moved his lips.

"The moment the candle is lit..."

"...put out every light."

Misty didn’t even turn her head.

"Every single one?"

"Every single one."

An amused smile spread across the dancer’s face.

"Understood."

She continued the conversation as though nothing had happened.

"How fascinating..."

she replied to the noble.

"I had no idea there were wines more than fifty years old."

Nox kept walking without stopping.

◇◆◇

At the center of the circle...

Ava stepped aside completely.

The massive red candle stood planted among the others.

Leo was left entirely alone before it.

He slowly closed his eyes.

A faint dark energy began gathering around him.

Tiny ashes floated through the air.

The murmurs disappeared.

Then...

A gigantic black sword slowly began to materialize before him.

It didn’t appear all at once.

First came the hilt.

Then the guard.

Finally, a blade forged entirely from compressed ash took shape.

It was an imposing weapon.

Heavy.

As though it had been born from an eternal fire.

Even Nox found himself intrigued.

’That sword...

It doesn’t look like an ordinary ability.’

Saint Gabriel raised a hand.

"Extinguish the lights."

The guards quickly spread throughout the hall.

One after another...

The great chandeliers were snuffed out.

The lamps stopped illuminating the vast Church.

The only remaining light came from the enormous circle of candles.

The entire hall was bathed in a warm twilight.

Leo slowly opened his eyes.

He gripped the sword with both hands.

Then took a single step forward.

"I will never..."

His voice echoed throughout the Church.

"...abandon my sister."

Everyone listened in absolute silence.

"I wasn’t prepared to lose her."

He tightened his grip on the sword.

"I trust her."

"I trust every decision she ever made."

His gaze remained fixed upon the great red candle.

"If all of this happened..."

"...then I will continue believing in her."

An intense orange flame slowly spread along the ash blade.

The fire reached its tip.

Leo thrust the sword forward once.

The flame shot out like a perfect line.

It struck the great red candle directly.

Its flame ignited instantly.

The entire Church erupted into applause.

Some nobles began praying.

Others lowered their heads.

Many openly wept.

But Leo...

Wasn’t mourning a dead sister.

’Why...

Why did the Church declare her dead...?

And what was she doing alongside a demon...?’

Those questions weighed far more heavily than any ceremony.

While everyone stared at the newly lit flame...

Nox searched for Misty.

He found her on the opposite side of the hall.

She was looking back at him.

She smiled.

Then made an almost imperceptible movement.

A single graceful pivot on the tip of one shoe.

An elegant kick through the air.

So fast...

That no one seemed to notice it.

A tiny blade of wind silently crossed the hall.

The current swept across the great circle.

And in a single instant...

Every candle went out.

Darkness swallowed the Church.

Chaos engulfed the hall within seconds.

"W-What happened?!"

"The candles!"

"I can’t see anything!"

The screams blended together with the sounds of hundreds of people moving at once.

Nox smiled beneath his mask.

"Now."

Dozens of black chains burst from the shadows beneath his feet.

They didn’t target the people.

They shot straight toward the ceiling.

The first great crystal chandelier exploded into thousands of fragments.

The chains slithered through the hall like living serpents.

Each one found another light fixture.

Each one shattered it.

Crystal rained across the enormous hall.

"Protect the Saint!"

"It’s an attack!"

"Everyone, stay calm!"

But calm had already disappeared.

The nobles began shoving one another.

Many stumbled.

Others screamed, convinced they were under attack.

Wine glasses shattered on the floor.

Tables were overturned.

The guards struggled to force their way through the panicked crowd.

Saint Gabriel raised his voice.

"Nobody panic!"

His command was completely ignored.

Nox grabbed Tessa’s arm.

"It’s time."

She nodded immediately.

"We’re going after Dawn."

The two of them began moving through the confusion.

◇◆◇

From one side of the hall...

Misty could barely suppress a smile.

"What a mess..."

A group of nobles crashed toward her as they tried to flee.

The dancer gracefully spun between them as though performing on stage.

Not a single one managed to touch her.

Meanwhile...

Catherine stared at the scene with wide eyes.

"This... is insane."

Even so...

She didn’t let the opportunity go to waste.

A man ran past her.

By the time he got back to his feet...

His watch was gone.

A woman stumbled beside her.

Her coin purse vanished.

A merchant fell to his knees.

His wallet mysteriously changed owners.

Catherine smiled.

’What a wonderful place...

Nobody notices a thing.’

◇◆◇

"Seal every exit!"

one of the captains shouted.

"Don’t let anyone leave the Church!"

The knights finally began reacting.

But the darkness worked against them.

Nox moved as though he knew the building by heart.

His Danger Sense pulsed constantly.

’Left.’

He dodged a spear.

’Right.’

A noble slammed into him.

’Down.’

A serving tray flew over his head.

Every warning came only an instant before it happened.

It felt strangely natural.

’So this is how it works... Interesting.’

Tessa stayed close behind him.

"I didn’t think you’d be this good at moving through a crowd in complete darkness."

"Neither did I."

he replied with a smile.

◇◆◇

On the opposite side of the hall...

Leo remained perfectly still.

His sword was still in his hand.

He didn’t chase anyone.

He didn’t shout orders.

He simply watched.

’This wasn’t an accident.’

He could feel it.

Someone was behind this.

And whoever it was...

Knew exactly what they were doing.

His eyes slowly swept through the darkness.

Searching.

Waiting.

◇◆◇

"Your Majesty!"

One of the guards hurried over to Helen.

"We must evacuate you!"

The Queen barely looked disturbed.

"Very well."

she replied calmly.

"And my daughter?"

The guard looked into the darkness.

"I can’t see her."

Helen smiled.

"She won’t get far."

"She’s still wearing the chains."

◇◆◇

But Dawn was smiling too.

Leaning against the wall...

She heard footsteps approaching.

She didn’t need to turn around to recognize them.

"So it was you."

she murmured.

Nox appeared beside her.

Tessa remained several meters behind, keeping watch for anyone who might discover them.

"I told you to wait."

The princess let out a soft laugh.

Nox looked at the chains around her wrists.

"Do those things block your powers?"

"Yes."

"What a nuisance."

Dawn raised an eyebrow.

"Are you going to break them?"

"I’m going to try."

Nox slowly reached toward one of the chains.

At that exact moment...

His Danger Sense activated again.

A chill raced down his spine.

’Above.’

Without thinking...

He shoved Dawn aside.

Then jumped backward himself.

A massive pillar of fire tore through the exact spot where they had been standing only a moment before.

The impact shattered part of the marble floor.

Even Tessa had to shield her face from the heat.

The three of them immediately looked up.

Standing atop one of the staircases...

A lone figure held a sword wrapped in flames.

It was Leo.

He didn’t look angry.

He didn’t even look surprised.

He simply watched them.

His gaze slowly moved from Nox...

To Dawn...

And finally settled on Tessa.

For one long, endless second...

The two siblings locked eyes.

Leo didn’t say a single word.

Yet...

The hero’s expression hardened once more.

Because all around them...

Dozens of knights were beginning to arrive.

And if he wanted to protect his sister’s secret...

He would have to decide, at that very moment, which side he truly stood on.