chapter 18
“…Lia. …Lia!”
Someone was calling her name from afar.
But when she looked around, all she could see was thick darkness. She tried to open her mouth to respond, but no voice came out.
“Asilia!”
Suddenly, a heavy hand was placed on her shoulder.
Startled, Asilia gasped and turned around—standing before her was a familiar face.
“You…”
“Why are you just standing there? It’s food distribution day! If we don’t go now, we won’t get anything again!”
The boy before her spoke animatedly.
He looked about ten years old. Definitely young, but oddly, he was a hand taller than her.
His clothes were so shabby it was questionable if they provided any warmth.
“Asilia, hurry up!”
But that wasn’t the problem.
He was speaking to her like he knew her well. Calling her name meant they were close… but—
“Who are you?”
She didn’t recognize him at all.
“What do you mean, who? Did you go hungry yesterday or something? Is that why your brain isn’t working?”
His words were sharp and biting. When she didn’t respond, the boy frowned and grabbed her wrist.
“Let’s just go. You need to eat something to come to your senses.”
Looking at the hand dragging her along, she noticed that her own hand was small too. Asilia stared at it as she was pulled along, examining her own condition.
Dirty clothes.
Hands so grimy she couldn’t remember the last time she’d washed them.
“Is this really me?”
At least in her memory, she’d never looked like this.
But that boy was clearly calling her “Asilia.”
Before she could fully grasp her confusion, the boy pulled her into a run toward the distribution center.
To help starving, abandoned children, Revilla handed out leftover bread once a week.
“You’re the last ones.”
Barely making it in time, the boy received a loaf of bread. He split it in half and handed one piece to Asilia.
“This is your share. Don’t give it to anyone—eat it!”
“…”
“Don’t zone out and let someone take it again!”
Leaving those words behind, the boy hurried off, saying his mother was hungry and he had to get back.
Asilia stared at his retreating figure for a while before turning her gaze to the bread in her hands.
“Did something like this…”
…ever happen?
She tilted her head in thought, but nothing came to mind.
“A dream…?”
They say that vivid dreams can feel warm and real. Maybe that’s what this was. As she mulled it over—
A shadow fell over her.
“Hey, give it.”
When she looked up, three kids stood in front of her. The one in the middle shoved her shoulder, clearly demanding the bread in her hands.
“Are you deaf? I said hand it over!”
A blunt hand shoved her shoulder again.
Asilia, thrown off balance by the unexpected strength, dropped the bread. The biggest kid picked it up immediately.
“What do you think you’re—!”
“You gonna fight back?”
She didn’t even have time to finish her sentence.
One of them shoved her again, knocking her to the ground.
The moment she fell on her rear, a fist came flying.
She knew she had to dodge—but she couldn’t.
A foot aimed directly at her stomach. She curled up in shock, but it slammed into her side.
“Ugh!”
It hurt.
Is this not a dream?
As the question crossed her mind, all three kids began kicking her at once.
Their kicks rained down mercilessly. There wasn’t even time to think of resisting or defending herself.
Then—
A long cloak wrapped around her body.
Asilia slowly looked up. The person behind the cloak asked in a low voice:
“Shall I kill them for you?”
It was a sincere question.
As she opened her mouth to respond, everything she had just seen vanished as if it had been a lie.
Darkness returned once more.
“…”
There was no sound.
Only Asilia’s breath echoed through the darkness.
“What is this place…?”
What was this dark space? And who was the person who had just saved her?
There were more questions than answers.
“Just sitting here won’t solve anything.”
Whether she’d fallen under someone’s spell or was merely dreaming—it didn’t matter. What mattered was escaping.
So she walked.
Hoping that if she kept walking through the darkness, a path would appear.
She called out names of people she knew, shouted into the void hoping someone might answer.
But there was no response.
“…Ah!”
Then—
A familiar voice echoed.
It was so faint, she wondered if it was just her own voice echoing back.
“Is someone there?”
After a long silence, the voice came again.
“…Silia!”
Someone was calling her name. It was—Cretes.
“…Your Majesty?”
Why was his voice the first thing she heard?
“This way. Come this way!”
Once she recognized the voice, it grew clearer. When she looked around, a golden beam of light pierced the darkness.
Asilia ran toward it—like someone finding an oasis in the desert.
But just before she reached the light, she sensed someone behind her.
“…?”
She turned around—and saw a child standing there.
A girl with a face identical to her younger self. But her clothes… they didn’t match any memory.
Emaciated from hunger. Dirty, ragged clothes.
Had she ever truly looked like that? Or was this a fabrication of this strange space?
Just as Asilia opened her mouth, the girl spoke first.
“You’re about to make another choice you’ll regret.”
The girl approached slowly, holding a dagger.
The same dagger Asilia had used when she took on her first mission after entering the palace.
“That’s how we survive, isn’t it?”
With those words, the girl pushed Asilia with all her strength.
As Asilia staggered back, she was pulled into the golden light.
“You…!”
“…”
“Who are you?”
Asilia asked, but the girl only watched her quietly. As her legs, body, and face were swallowed by the light—
Only then did the girl speak, softly:
“I am the regret created by your choices.”
As the light faded, darkness returned once again.
And as it did, the girl repeated the same words over and over like a chant:
“All according to His Majesty’s will. I offer my body to carry out his command. For His Majesty, and for the peace of great Revilla…”
“Haaah…!”
Gasping for air, Asilia opened her eyes.
Her pounding heartbeat rang in her ears.
“Asilia!”
Before she could make sense of her surroundings, someone hugged her tightly.
Black hair and a warm scent.
It was Cretes.
“Thank goodness you woke up… Thank goodness…”
His voice trembled.
No, not just his voice—his entire body was shaking.
“…Your Majesty?”
When Asilia gently called out to him, Cretes finally loosened his embrace and looked into her face.
As if handling something incredibly precious.
“Thank you for waking up.”
His voice was restrained, thick with emotion. Then, once more, he pulled her into his arms.
As if he would never let go again.
As if he would keep her in his embrace forever.
For a moment, Asilia considered pushing him away, but then shook her head.
Even she couldn’t turn away someone who approached her with such sincerity.
“You’ve been asleep for a full week. We’re so glad to have you back.”
Hymos spoke with a haggard face, as though he hadn’t slept once during that time.
“I remember defeating the beast… but what happened after that?”
At her question, Hymos parted his lips, hesitating.
But before he could speak, a voice came from behind them.
“I’ll explain that part.”
