Episode 66
‘This is… right, it’s because things might get worse. If something happens to Raphael or Bella… it’ll be a disaster.’
Even if the original storyline had gone off course, they were still vital players with important powers.
They were supposed to be the ones to take down the Empress, the true villain who would soon make serious moves. Desirée couldn’t let them fall so easily.
Louisa rubbed her forehead roughly and slowly raised her head.
“I’ll go.”
Her voice was laced with a sigh, but it was firm. Her gaze met the Duke’s, who had been quietly watching her. His brow creased ever so slightly.
“…Are you sure about this?”
He wasn’t concerned about her going per se, but rather that if she ended up in a situation where she was needed, it would be hard for her to keep her powers a secret.
‘Either way, I won’t be able to live peacefully until this is resolved. If I ignore it now, things could spiral even further.’
Louisa knew she would regret it either way—whether she went or didn’t. But if she was going to regret something, she’d rather do it by taking action than sitting back with anxiety.
There was no helping it. She’d already gone through the trouble of starting a wine business just to make money. If this world collapsed, what would any of it matter?
She had no intention of dying unfairly again like in her previous life—dying from overwork with nothing to show for it.
“Yes. I want to go see it for myself.”
Her lavender eyes sparkled with resolve.
Though they suddenly changed their destination to the Eastern region, no one questioned it.
Partly because they were too busy to care—but mostly because everyone knew Duke Blake was highly knowledgeable when it came to monsters. If he wanted to go east, it might be because he already had some insight into the outbreak of dark energy there. Without delay, the portal to the East was opened for them.
Upon arriving, Louisa quickly arranged a carriage and headed directly to the site. The incident hadn’t occurred near the border, but near the temple.
“…Just like in the North.”
Damien murmured, and both the Duke and Louisa slowly nodded. They looked around at the brush-covered area with peculiar expressions.
“Louisa, we’ll go fetch the Holy Knights. You stay here.”
“They seem to be intentionally avoiding contact. Maybe I should go check for myself?”
“No. They’re probably not moving because they fear contamination—but that’s unnecessary. Dark energy isn’t contagious, just poisonous.”
Louisa paused, wondering if waiting here really was the best option.
From the look of things, just like in the North, something must’ve happened inside that brushy area. If there were tunnels again, she wanted to at least get a distant look.
She wanted to gauge how strong the dark energy was compared to the thick, burning scent and dense aura that had filled the Duke’s mansion when he was brought back injured.
“I won’t go close. I just want to see what kind of place it is.”
She had spoken her piece, but if the Duke firmly refused, she was ready to give in and fall back. Arguing would only waste time; she’d rather focus on helping the injured.
“…Alright.”
Surprisingly, the Duke gave reluctant permission. Despite his concern, it seemed he was trying to respect Louisa’s decision—just like he’d promised in the carriage.
Quietly, Louisa took hold of his arm and walked deeper inside.
The wooded forest was eerily silent. Not even a single insect chirped; only the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze could be heard.
‘Ah… the dark energy…’
It was nearby. Louisa grimaced slightly as the air grew thicker with it.
‘Definitely potent.’
In the past, she would’ve worried about coughing up blood. But not anymore. Strangely enough, after repeated exposure to divine purification in the North, she felt a strong energy flowing through her body.
Especially after purifying the Duke’s dark energy, she hadn’t felt the slightest weakness—which only reinforced her suspicions.
‘But it’s prickling my skin… are others not affected by this?’
Maybe her sensitivity to dark energy had grown. Judging by everyone else’s expression, they didn’t seem to notice. So Louisa kept quiet.
“How much longer do we have to stay here! People need treatment now!”
They must’ve arrived. A growling voice filled with suppressed anger echoed out.
“The Saint hasn’t returned, has she?”
“You’d think we were infected with a plague or something. They won’t even let us leave.”
Anxious voices followed. Louisa’s group stopped behind the temple clerics, who stood in a line, blocking the knights.
“I told you to wait just in case. That’s all. This isn’t some scheme.”
“Did you bring someone new again? We’re not experiments! How long are we supposed to wait for you clerics to awaken your powers?”
Louisa stepped forward with the Duke, and the crowd instinctively made way for them.
Just then, a cold voice cut through the air.
“We’ve waited long enough. If the Saint refuses to come, I’ll go to the temple myself and find a solution.”
As the knights moved aside, Raphael appeared. He swept his icy gaze over the clerics standing before him, radiating a chilling pressure that made the air around him feel stifling.
‘So he’s not injured after all.’
He looked tired but otherwise fine. Louisa felt relieved—not out of concern, but because they couldn’t afford to lose a powerful ally. Well… maybe she did worry a little, but purely in a human way…
‘What am I even saying? Why am I making excuses to myself?’
Louisa scratched her cheek awkwardly and gently nudged the startled clerics aside to make room. Murmurs rose immediately.
All eyes turned to her with disbelief—what was she doing here, when she clearly shouldn’t be?
“…Louisa?”
The icy atmosphere shattered like glass. Raphael’s eyes widened. His normally composed platinum hair was tousled, and he wore a deeply troubled expression.
And yet, even disheveled, his handsome features couldn’t be hidden. He practically shimmered, like someone basking in all the sunlight for himself.
Louisa looked away from him and instead glanced at the Duke and Damien beside her. Then she offered Raphael a polite nod.
Still stunned, Raphael stared as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“Commander.”
His brows suddenly drew together.
“Louisa, what are you doing here?!”
His voice was sharp and almost scolding—he had lost his composure.
“Duke Blake. How could you bring the lady here, to such a dangerous place?!”
“I asked to come.”
Louisa quickly waved both hands, startled by Raphael’s glare at the Duke.
The Duke, though clearly the target of Raphael’s hostility, remained calm and quietly stood by her side as if to protect her.
“I want to see the injured. Maybe I can help.”
“…Leave. Now.”
Raphael hesitated before coldly spitting out the words.
“This is a dangerous place. It’s not somewhere you come just to satisfy curiosity.”
It had been a while since someone had spoken to her so harshly.
But she understood where he was coming from. This was the first time even he had faced such a powerful outbreak of dark energy—and here she was, a young noblewoman who had just awakened her divine power, acting bold in a dangerous situation. He was probably already on edge with injured comrades to worry about.
“I’m not here out of curiosity. I really think I can help.”
Louisa replied calmly.
“Even if you have divine power, that doesn’t mean you can handle this. If purification were that easy, the other clerics here would’ve already awakened their abilities. But nothing’s happened. Leave before you get hurt.”
Raphael’s lips twisted bitterly. Oddly enough, he looked like he was watching her for her reaction—as if he was gauging her response.
“If we keep stalling, the injured might not make it.”
“I said—”
“Raphael.”
“…”
“Please. Just trust me, this once.”
Louisa stepped closer to him.
“Commander, forgive the interruption, but this isn’t the time. We need to return to the temple and bring the Saint back.”
“The one who’s supposed to come won’t, and the one who shouldn’t be here won’t leave… ha…”
The holy knights were clearly at their limit. Even with the Duke present, some of them couldn’t help clicking their tongues at Louisa as though she were a thoughtless child.
Louisa gently shook her head at Damien, who was trying to stop her, and took another step forward.
“Then bring the Saint while I assess the situation here. I understand why you’re hesitant to trust me, but we all know time is running out.”
She could have left and spared herself the scolding, but she didn’t want to return empty-handed.
She understood their feelings. Still, part of her wanted to silence them by proving her power right in front of their eyes.
‘But why is Bella still at the temple? She’s the one who said she’d take care of everything while I relaxed… and yet here I am, in the middle of all this. What an irony.’
