Chapter 190: Let’s be happy again, my child.

Mardian looked down at me with a sly smile.

“Are you all ready?”

“…Yes.”

I mumbled quietly, avoiding her gaze. Every time I made eye contact with Mardian, memories of last night swirled in my mind.

Still, it wasn’t something I could avoid forever. Today was the day we said goodbye to the Märchen city and returned to the Empire together.

There wasn’t much I needed to prepare. I had only brought a small travel bag when I first came here.

But things were different for Mardian.

She had to sell off her collection of artworks and convert the remaining city assets into Imperial gold coins.

This mansion was planned to remain as a tourist site, but everything else had been sold.

Normally, it would’ve taken quite some time, but Mardian said she had already begun preparing to leave ever since she ran into me.

And so, all the property was dealt with. The only remaining ties were those of the Black Rose.

“Anyone dissatisfied with their severance pay?”

In front of the mansion gates, Mardian slowly swept her gaze around, one hand in her pocket.

In each of their hands was enough gold to live comfortably for years without working.

“Uh, no complaints here.”

“I’m fine too… This is more than enough.”

Those who had initially protested the sudden news of dismissal quieted down one by one once the gold was in their hands.

“I’m fine with it too, Lady Mardian.”

Russell accepted the severance pay without complaint. In fact, she looked relieved. Perhaps she had seen this coming to some extent.

“No complaints here either.”

Erina smiled faintly as she looked at me.

Honestly, I was surprised. I had expected everyone else to go along quietly—but not Erina. I thought for sure she’d raise a fuss.

But her gaze was surprisingly calm. So calm, in fact, it was almost eerie.

“I see.”

Mardian replied shortly and turned around. There was no sign of regret on her face.

The other women were the same. As if the gold in their hands was all that mattered, they each took a step back without a word of farewell.

Mardian climbed into the carriage and reached out her hand to me.

Just as I was about to follow her up—

“Wait.”

A voice called out to me.

I slowly turned my head. Erina was approaching, a soft smile on her face as she quietly extended one hand.

“I wanted to apologize… for everything I did to you.”

Her sudden apology stirred confusion among the onlookers.

Even Russell, who had kept a composed expression, looked dumbfounded, as if to say, “What the hell is she doing?”

I was just as bewildered.

Erina wasn’t the type to act like this. Had the gold changed her that much?

…But I didn’t feel like thinking too deeply about it.

I had no lingering feelings for her either.

“It’s okay. I don’t really think much of it.”

I lightly shook her hand once.

After the brief handshake, I let go and turned to climb into the carriage with Mardian.

But Erina didn’t let go of my hand.

“…Lady Erina?”

Still smiling, she looked at me and asked quietly,

“Do you really forgive me?”

“I never hated you, so don’t worry about it.”

The atmosphere was different from usual. My voice was gentle, but something felt off.

I glanced briefly at Russell.

She, too, silently shook her head, clearly unable to make sense of Erina’s behavior.

“So you don’t hate me…”

Erina’s voice followed.

A sensation like something sticky and filthy crawling over my skin made every cell in my body stand on edge.

“…That’s a relief. Truly… a relief.”

A smile spread across Erina’s lips. That bright smile soon twisted grotesquely, stretching sideways as if tearing her mouth apart.

“…Huh?”

I blinked blankly.

It was a chilling and alien sight.

“Thank you. Now I can begin again.”

Soon, Erina’s body began to change.

Her bones dislocated as her form shifted. Something squirmed beneath her skin, and her bones twisted again as her shape distorted.

“Come back into my arms, my son. Or rather…”

The woman standing before me was no longer Erina.

No — could she even be called human in the first place?

“…Now, my daughter.”

A voice I could never forget.

The voice that once whispered countless words of love to me, while simultaneously tearing me apart with cruelty.

My whole body froze at the sound of her voice — the voice I had only ever heard in nightmares.

My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor.

Looking up at her with trembling eyes, I muttered powerlessly.

“M…Mom…?”

[Let’s be happy again, my child.]

With those final words, deep darkness swallowed the world.

As my vision faded, the last thing I saw was—

A sacred relic radiating dazzling light in all directions. And then…

“Tina!!!”

Mardian’s desperate eyes, running toward me.

***

“When do you think they’ll arrive?”

“Well, they left in the morning, so probably just before sunset.”

Viviana replied to Lillian’s question, gently sipping from her teacup.

“I can’t wait to see her…”

Nia twirled a strand of hair around her finger, murmuring to herself.

“The most important thing for Tina is stability. I plan to let her rest fully at the estate for a while,”

Artasha said firmly, leaving the other women with nothing to say. They all kept their mouths tightly shut.

The estate of Baron Blanc.

Here, three women had gathered to prepare for the return of their beloved Tina.

They hadn’t even heard her voice for nearly a month, and parched by the drought of her absence, they waited for her desperately.

Each harbored a deep, aching longing in their hearts, yearning for her to come back.

But the one who returned to them was not the sweet, lovely girl they remembered.

“…What is this?”

Lillian was the first to sense something strange and looked up.

A woman appeared before them.

Nia, trembling with a sense of overwhelming rejection, hid behind Vivianna.

Her form, bathed in a soft light, exuded an aura that embodied the very essence of holiness.

Even Artasha , an ordinary human, could instinctively sense it.

This woman was no ordinary being.

“Goddess…?”

Liliane called out to her in a trembling voice.

In history, there had never been a time when a goddess descended to the world.

Because of this, no one knew her face.

Still, Liliane instinctively realized it. The woman standing before them was the goddess herself.

[My apostle. This is the first time we meet face to face.]

Everyone was stunned by her words.

“Goddess… why…?”

The reason the goddess revealed herself to the humans.

Whatever it was, it didn’t seem like a good omen.

[There’s no time, so I’ll get straight to the point.]

The goddess’s gaze lingered on Artasha.

[A demon has appeared. And not just any demon… one with the power of divinity.]

Vivianna stepped forward.

“Could it be…?”

[I’m talking about the one they call the Great Demon.]

“…Could it be Tina?!”

Artasha’s shout echoed through the room.

The goddess quietly nodded.

“That’s impossible!”

Nia, who had been hiding, screamed and jumped out from behind Vivianna.

“That can’t be! She couldn’t have found Tina yet! It would’ve taken at least a few more years!”

[You’re right… The Great Demon becoming aware of this world is entirely my fault.]

“…What?”

Nia’s eyes trembled at the incomprehensible words.

[There’s no time to explain in detail right now. What’s important is that we need to stop that demon.]

The goddess walked toward Artasha and took her hand.

[We need your help.]

Artasha felt a rush of bewilderment at the unexpected request, but she knew that one thing was important above all else right now.

Tina was in danger.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Artasha responded.

“Please, tell me.”

[Let me borrow your body.]

“…My body?”

When Artasha questioned, the goddess nodded calmly.

[For any divine being to affect this world, a vessel is needed. The Great Demon, myself… and even that little demon over there.]

The goddess glanced meaningfully at Nia before continuing.

[Of course, I can exert some power without a vessel. But to use my full strength, I need a body.]

“…Wouldn’t the bodies of Lady Princess or Saintess be more suitable than mine?”

[No. It must be you. Only you can fully protect that child.]

Despite the confusing situation, Artasha managed to calm her mind, her gaze growing steady.

“I won’t lose my daughter again.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, she stared at the goddess.

“You may take my body.”

The goddess’s eyes flickered for a moment.

[…Thank you. And don’t worry too much.]

The goddess gently placed her hand on Artasha’s shoulder.

[As long as my gift is protecting her, even the Great Demon will not be able to harm her.]

When the goddess clasped her hands together, a brilliant, pure white light spread out in all directions.