Arc 1 : Epilouge

[Raul PoV]

The survival exam had finally come to an end. Nine participants died after being devoured by monsters in the forest, and three more were killed by Ouroboros agents. Still, the academy chose not to release this information to the public. Their reputation would be tarnished if word got out that their instructors had been caught off guard, letting assassins roam freely through the exam grounds.

Honestly, the main reason I'd managed to defeat those three assassins was because I knew about their unique Slippery Skin ability, while none of them had any knowledge of my own abilities.

In a life-or-death fight, knowing your enemy's capabilities in advance is critical—it's one of the most decisive factors. If those three had adapted faster to what I could do, I would almost certainly have been the one who ended up dead in that fight.

That's exactly why I need to be careful about not casually showing off my magic or signature skills in public.

That fight was the first real battle I'd faced. I need to grow far stronger—gather more public resentment to unlock my next Profound Codex. I also need to push Olen Mask to hurry up and craft artifacts I can use in combat.

Right now, we were in Navajo City—the capital of the Duchy of Artagnan, a territory in the northern part of the Empire ruled by Duke Julian de Artagnan, Valeria's father. I figured she'd gone to visit her father at the Castile Tower of Magic during this break.

I was in the city center to buy a newspaper. Today was supposed to be the day the temple announced the Saint candidates who would undergo the Trial in the Holy City of Notredame.

In the game, Ariel would go through three trials alongside three other Saint candidates.

Speaking of Ariel, she'd healed me back at the center of the Monster Forest. She really was a kind woman—it made perfect sense that she'd become a Saint of the Temple of Diana. I was certain she'd end up saving countless lives once she was formally recognized as the most sacred girl in this world.

Arriving at a newspaper stall, I bought a copy to catch up on news about the Empire.

"How much for this?" I asked the vendor.

"Just 20 kufer, sir."

I handed him a silver coin and took the newspaper. "Keep the change."

"Thank you, sir. Have a wonderful day."

After buying the paper, I sat down on a bench along the street to read.

There were several interesting pieces of foreign news—rising numbers of immigrants from the Kuwalid Nation, the Tsardom of Slavia suffering devastating monster incursions across its territory, and finally... the announcement of the newly selected Saint candidates from various nations.

"This can't be right, can it?" I muttered, shocked by what I'd just read.

Because among the four names listed as chosen Saint candidates for the Temple of Diana, Ariel's name was nowhere to be found.

"Ughh... have I altered the story's course again?"

***

[3rd PoV]

In a cave somewhere within the Republic of Venetia, six mysterious masked figures had gathered to discuss something.

They were members of The Masquerade, one of the heretical groups most sought after by the followers of the Temple of Goddess Diana.

"I've located the whereabouts of the wearer of The Fool's Mask," said a woman holding a book. "He was detected wearing it again three days ago in the Duchy of Hernand—the Aragon Empire, specifically in the Monster Forest."

"Isn't that where academy students take their exams?" murmured a woman dressed as a dancer.

"You're right, Dancer," the woman with the book continued. "Which means... the mask's owner is either an instructor stationed there or one of the students at Grunbelt Academy."

"Hah... I really don't want a partner who's still so young," said a man holding a puppet in his hand. "They're the type that dies quickly, just like the previous Fool."

"Puppeteer, you'll be the one to find and recruit him," the woman with the book said.

"Huh? Why does it have to be me!?" the puppet-wielding man complained.

"Because you're the only one here without a partner already," the woman with the book replied. "The Temple's are ramping up their efforts to wipe out the Children of Destruction. We need to move quickly and recruit him for our plan going forward."

The Masquerade... a heretical group hunted relentlessly by the authorities of the Temple of Goddess Diana. They were known for assassinations, kidnappings, and robberies.

No one yet knew the true reason behind their actions. What was certain was that the Temple authorities pursued them because they protected the Children of Destruction and used them as weapons against the Temple's teachings.

***

[??? PoV]

The pounding of horse hooves rang loudly in my ears, and the biting cold wind stung my body like needles. Right now, I was riding with a company of one hundred soldiers, heading toward a village reportedly under attack by a horde of monsters.

After two hours on horseback, we finally arrived at the village.

From a distance, I could see monsters tearing through the villagers' homes, while some residents fought back desperately to protect the families they loved.

"Attack those monsters!" a knight commanded.

He was Ivan Vasily—Captain of the Guard at the Romanova Palace.

Why would the Captain of the Guard bother personally leading troops to exterminate monsters in a village like this? It was because the Tsardom of Slavia—my homeland—was suffering a severe troop shortage due to monster attacks breaking out across various regions of the Tsardom.

"Evacuate the villagers!"

The soldiers began engaging the monsters there.

I dismounted my horse to help them in the fight.

"Your Highness! Leave this to us! There's no need for you to trouble yourself!" Ivan said, trying to stop me from entering the village.

"Don't try to stop me, Ivan," I said, staring at him coldly. "With my magic, these monsters will be dealt with quickly, and none of our soldiers will die needlessly!"

"But Your Highness, if you keep using your magic, your condition will—"

I stared at him while letting my mana pressure flow out, cutting him off before he could finish.

"This is an order from your princess, Ivan. Do you dare defy it?" I asked seriously.

Hearing my words, Ivan simply lowered his head in silence. I then broke into a run toward the village to help the soldiers fighting there.

"Ice Spear!"

I aimed my palm at a monster about to devour an elderly man, and an ice spear formed and shot toward it, striking it in the neck.

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The monster died instantly.

I rushed over to help the old man.

"Are you alright?" I asked as I helped him to his feet.

"I'm fine, Your Highness," the old man said, his body still trembling. "Thank you for saving me, Princess Alisha."

"It's no trouble. Please hurry and get away from here, sir. About 300 meters behind us, there are priests and soldiers who'll help you evacuate."

The old man nodded and left the area.

—Roaarrr!

I heard a monster's deafening roar.

Turning around, I saw a Yeti monster, six meters tall, tearing apart the formation the soldiers had built.

"Aghhh! Help me!"

One of the soldiers was sent flying through the air after being kicked by the giant beast.

"This monster's too strong! Fall back! Fall back!" shouted the platoon leader.

I rushed forward to help them. For a monster this size, tier-three magic wouldn't kill it outright. I'd need to use tier-four magic instead.

Aiming my palm at the monster, I began chanting the incantation.

"Blizzard Rain!"

After finishing the chant, a massive magic circle formed above the giant monster. A dozen enormous chunks of ice then rained down upon it.

—Roaarrr!

Its body collapsed under the weight of the falling ice, some of the chunks even piercing straight through its flesh.

Before long, the hail of ice stopped. The giant monster's body lay shattered and crushed by my magic.

"Long live Princess Alisha!"

"Long live Princess Alisha!"

Long live, huh? Hearing that made me want to laugh.

After defeating the monsters, I made my way to the carriage to head back to Romanova Palace. My duty here was done.

Inside the carriage, I gazed out the window at the surrounding scenery. Land blanketed in beautiful snow stretched as far as the eye could see. With the year drawing to a close, the weather in this country would only grow harsher.

With monster attacks still showing no sign of slowing, it would be difficult for us to get through the coming season. There would be food shortages, a lack of shelter to survive the cold, and citizens losing their livelihoods because of this ongoing disaster.

The Tsardom of Slavia was never a wealthy nation. The soil here wasn't as fertile as the lands to the south, and we relied almost entirely on mineral exports for our national income. We were trying to develop other sectors, but it would take time before any results showed.

Even though our country held the largest territory in the world, all of it was little more than empty land buried under snow.

Our location also wasn't particularly favorable for trade, which kept our mineral exports from ever reaching their full potential.

Thinking about my country's worsening condition weighed heavily on my heart.

"Uhuk!"

My head began to spin, and I couldn't stop coughing until I fell out of my seat. A smear of blood from my mouth appeared on my palm.

"My condition keeps getting worse..."

Yes... I carried an illness that couldn't be cured. The priests estimated I wouldn't live past the age of twenty.

"I have to do everything I can for my country with whatever life I have left..."

.

.

.

Once I arrived back at the palace, I hurried straight to my younger sister's room. In just a few months, she would need to travel to the Holy City of Notredame to undergo the Trial for the selection of the next Saint of the Temple of Diana.

Arriving at my sister's room, I found a butler chatting with a girl with shoulder-length gray hair.

The two of them were the most precious people to me in this entire world.

"Ah, sister! You're back?" Anastasya greeted me as she noticed my arrival.

"Princess Alisha, welcome back," the butler said.

I smiled warmly at him.

His name was Leon. I'd found him ten years ago, when we were both still children. He was the same age as Ana, my younger sister. But I alone knew the truth about his real identity.

Leon's true name was Leonidas Agonid—the prince and sole heir of the Kingdom of Greco, which had since become a republic. His entire family had been executed by their own people, and the noble titles in that nation were stripped away entirely. They'd since adopted a system of government similar to the Republic of Venetia.

But Leon himself had no idea about the truth of his own identity. I chose not to tell him, unwilling to risk him making some reckless decision that could put his life in danger.

All he knew was that he was the son of a farmer whose village had been destroyed by a monster attack.

"Ana, how are your studies coming along for the upcoming Trial?" I asked my sweet little sister.

"They're going great! Archbishop Rasputin's lessons are so easy to understand!" Ana answered, sounding full of energy.

"That's my little sister for you—so talented!" I praised her, stroking her hair.

—Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Excuse me, Your Highness."

I heard a servant's voice from outside the room.

"Princess Anastasya needs to return to her training," the servant said. "You've also been summoned by the Tsar to his study."

Hearing the servant's words, Ana rose from her seat and walked out of the room.

"See you later, sister, Leon!" Ana said, waving as she left.

Now it was just Leon and me alone in the room. Glancing over at him, I noticed his expression had shifted from before.

"Alisha!" He grabbed my hand. "Do you know how worried I was!? Why wouldn't you let me come with you to fight those monsters!" His tone was tinged with frustration.

That's right—this is how we speak to each other whenever no one else is around. It's because Leon and I have always been together since we were children. He's seventeen now, the same age as Ana, who's a year younger than me.

"I already told you, didn't I? Your duty is to protect Ana," I said, keeping my tone as natural as possible. "I'll be fine even on my own—have you forgotten? I'm quite strong, you know."

"But... I want to always be by your side, Alisha!" Leon exclaimed, pulling me into an embrace.

I was well aware of Leon's feelings toward me, but I couldn't bring myself to answer them. My time left in this world wasn't long. I wanted Leon to build this nation together with Ana, and for the two of them to marry, becoming Tsar and Tsarina.

Leon could also lay claim to his throne in Greco someday. If that came to pass, this nation's future would be far brighter than it is now.

So, forgive me, Leon. I can't return your love, even though part of me wishes I could.

"We should hurry and go see my father, Leon," I said, pulling away from his embrace.

"Alright."

We left Ana's room and made our way toward my father's study.

The servants bowed as I passed them along the way. They were members of noble families who no longer held any real role where they lived.

Leon, as my personal attendant, was different from them—his status was far higher than theirs, despite his troubled background.

Arriving outside my father's study, I knocked on the door.

"Father, it's me."

"Come in."

With his permission granted, the two of us entered the room.

Father sat in his chair, reading through a report. Stacks of documents covered his desk, evidence of just how hard he'd been working.

"Ah, Leon, you've come along too, I see?" Father said, noticing my attendant's presence.

"Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesty," Leon said, bowing to my father.

"No need to apologize. You're practically family in this palace by now."

Father also knew the truth about Leon's real identity. That was precisely why he didn't mind a man being so close to Ana and me. I suspected he had similar plans in mind—to eventually have her marry Leon as well.

"Have a seat, Alisha. There's something I need to discuss with you," Father said, his tone shifting slightly this time.

I nodded and took the seat in front of his desk.

I wondered what Father wanted to tell me this time. Aside from matters concerning the state, he rarely brought up anything else with me.

"You're aware of our nation's current situation, aren't you?" Father asked, opening the conversation.

"Of course, Father. This is the worst condition our country has faced in the past twenty years," I answered, my heart heavy just thinking about it.

"A week ago, Duke Alvaro de Garcia of the Empire came here to discuss a business matter."

Duke Alvaro? I believe he's the Head of Intelligence for the Aragon Empire—ruler of the Duchy of Toledo, located in the northeastern region of the Empire.

What could he possibly want, traveling all the way here from the south?

"He's offering a substantial business partnership and investment in our nation," Father said, his expression beginning to shift.

"Isn't that a good thing? Given the state our country's in, that could really help rebuild our economy," I said, filled with hope.

For the past several years, no merchants or foreign nations had shown any interest in doing business or investing in the Tsardom of Slavia. That was because of the sudden monster crisis plaguing our land—it made everyone too afraid that any partnership with us would fail.

But then, what would make Duke Alvaro want to invest here, given how poor our country's current condition was?

"But there's one condition attached, for this partnership to move forward," Father said, clearly struggling to get the words out.

"What kind of condition?"

I'd do anything to help fix this country. Whatever it took—if it meant leaving this nation better off in whatever time I had left, I'd gladly do it.

"You're to marry his son after his graduation."

Hearing Father's words, I heard Leon click his tongue in obvious irritation. But Father paid him no mind and kept his eyes fixed on me.

"What do you think, Alisha? I don't want to force this on you."

Marriage? With barely more than two years left of my life?

"I'll give you one day to think it over," Father said, seeing that I hadn't answered right away. "You and Leon may go now. There's still work I need to finish here."

The two of us left Father's study, my mind still turning over everything he'd just said.

It was true—the Duchy of Toledo was one of the wealthiest territories in the Empire. The Garcia family was also known for its immense fortune. If this partnership went through, our nation could recover far more quickly.

"Alisha..."

Hearing Leon call my name, I turned to face him. His expression looked sorrowful, as if he were on the verge of tears.

"Please, I'm begging you—turn this offer down, Alisha," Leon said, his voice trembling. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides.

"Why should I turn it down? This would make the Tsardom of Slavia stronger, and I could spend what's left of my life doing something good for my country."

I looked him straight in the eyes as I said it.

I knew exactly why Leon didn't want me marrying another man. It was because he loved me—he didn't want me to end up with anyone but him.

But this time, I decided to give him a chance. If he had the courage to confess his feelings to me and tell my father that he could fix this nation's problems with his own abilities, then I would refuse this marriage offer.

But Leon only stood there in silence, head bowed, unable to answer my question.

I could only sigh and continue walking toward the palace library. Leon tried to follow, but I stopped him. For now, I wanted some time alone.

Once I reached the library, I picked up a book documenting the world's noble lineages that was kept there.

I turned to the section on the Aragon Empire and searched for the Garcia family.

"Raul de Garcia, is it?"

What kind of man was about to become my future husband?