A Miracle Arrives

Vermilion, heading west, panted and searched his surroundings meticulously.

When he was with Anis, there were only two times she’d ventured this far, and both times they came near here.

According to her, it was the only place nearby where apricots grew, so she would come here whenever she wanted to eat apricots.

While reminiscing about his short but memorable times with Anis, he looked around.

“That’s…!”

He spotted something sparkling on the weeds covering the ground. He rushed over and picked it up.

It was none other than the pendant Vermilion had gifted her as a token of gratitude for saving his life-though it was a meager offering, it was the least he could do.

There was no mistaking it.

After all, it was a precious item his mother had given him as a gift on the day of his first debut into high society.

‘Was she attacked by a wild animal? Or…’

Vermilion, lost in thought as he looked down at it, closed his eyes tightly and focused his magic power.

Then, the faint sky-blue magic power contained in the pendant gradually leaked out, spreading around like a heat haze, as if responding to his call.

It was a common magic used by search parties to trace a person’s movements through their magical residue, but there was something strange about this.

For some reason, the magical trace completely disappeared here.

Only then did Vermilion realize that this was not a simple attack by a wild animal or the work of bandits.

If she had been dragged away by them, the magical residue should have continued along the path.

The fact that it didn’t meant that whoever kidnapped Anis from here had left using high-level magic like teleportation.

Vermilion could only think of one group of people who would do such a thing.

‘The Eyes of Dawn. It’s those bastards.’

Realizing the reality, he clenched the pendant tightly.

The only fortunate thing was that the magical residue on the pendant was quite strong, suggesting that she hadn’t left this place long ago.

If he chased after them right now, he might be able to prevent the worst-case scenario.

But to do that, his own strength alone wouldn’t be enough.

Kyle, he needed his strength.

“Come forth.”

Jjiik.

As he placed his hand on the ground and uttered the incantation, a small rat appeared.

Before living with Anis, he used to be terrified of rats, but because of the deep memories he shared with her, he made a contract with a rat as a summon to help him.

It was small and quick, and very skilled at gathering information, making it perfect for Vermilion’s needs.

“Go and bring Kyle and Princess Eleanor.”

The rat nodded at Vermilion’s command and scurried across the ground towards the opposite side with movements much faster than other rats.

Please, let nothing happen.

Now, all Vermilion could do was pray.

＊＊＊

Ttuk. Ttuk.

Water dripping from the stalactites in the cave hit the ground, making sounds at regular intervals.

When Anis, awakened by the sound, opened her eyes, all she saw around her was darkness and a small, flickering torch.

“Looks like you’ve come to.”

As she sighed and looked around again, a figure appeared from the darkness.

He looked to be in his sixties.

Unlike his finely wrinkled, kindly face that reminded her of a neighborhood grandpa, the wicked smile on his lips sent a chill down her spine.

“…It was you. You wicked villain.”

But the voice that came from her mouth was filled with more anger than fear.

“You remember me.”

“Of course, I do. The enemy of my mother.”

Anis frowned and retorted at him, who was looking at her with surprise.

How could she forget?

When she was only ten years old.

Although they were a humble family living without a father, they still relied on each other and lived happily-until this arch-nemesis came and tore the mother and daughter apart.

“You’re still alive.”

“Hehe, yes. I almost kicked the bucket with your mother.”

He smiled as kindly as possible, then nodded with a sinister grin and suddenly unbuttoned his top.

A scar more hideous than the burn mark on Anis’s left arm appeared, stretching from his upper chest to his abdomen.

It was the result of the miracle Anis’s mother had performed at the cost of her life to save her daughter when he had tried to carry out the same mission as today under orders in the past.

Although the phenomenon was a miracle, the scar left behind was almost like a curse.

The power was so great that it had been tormenting him for nearly ten years.

“That wicked bitch. Daring to refuse the grace we were so kindly offering and committing such an ungrateful act.”

“Shut up. You’re not worthy to speak of her, you vile bastard.”

“A vile bastard? Heh heh, you’re funny. Like mother, like daughter, huh?”

The Archbishop chuckled as if amused, staring intently at Anis.

It might not be visible to the eyes of ordinary people, but he could see it clearly.

The faint golden aura still surrounding Anis’s body.

It must be the last miracle her mother left her before she died.

If he laid a hand on her to vent his anger, it wouldn’t end with a scar like the one on his chest.

He was furious about that fact, but on the other hand, he liked it very much.

It was a glimpse into the miraculous power this mother and daughter possessed.

‘If I take only this girl, there’s still a way for me to survive.’

If she saw this power, he had no doubt that even *she* wouldn’t treat him poorly, and the Archbishop smiled contentedly.

But there was something he had to do first.

“Is anyone there?”

“Yes, Archbishop-nim!”

When he opened his mouth towards the darkness in a low voice, a masked man appeared from a place where no presence had been felt.

He was wearing a pure white robe that shone brightly in the dark cave, almost like a priest’s robe.

Normally, it should have evoked a sense of holiness, but Anis thought it looked more like criminals trying to hide the bloodstains on their bodies.

“Begin the ritual. We must erase the miracle left in this woman’s body. But, it’s a body that must be shown to the Apostle-nim, so don’t hurt a single hair on her head.”

“I will obey your command.”

“……!”

Anis’s eyes widened at the conversation between the two men.

Erase the miracle?

Could it be that they were planning to erase the miracle her mother had left to protect her and then take her back to their headquarters?

For Anis, that was the only thing she could rely on in this situation, and she felt like the sky was falling.

If the miracle her mother had left behind disappeared, she wouldn’t be able to resist whatever wicked things they tried to do.

Even if they committed unspeakable acts, she wouldn’t be able to lift a finger.

Anis, envisioning her future painted with darkness, revealed a determined look.

Wouldn’t it be better to end her life here and now?

“Eup!? Eu, eup…!?”

“You think I’d let you kill yourself?”

“Eueueup…!”

But before she could bite her tongue and attempt suicide, the man noticed the change in her eyes and stuffed a thick cloth into her mouth.

With even her last escape route blocked, Anis’s eyes were filled with despair.

It wasn’t just because of the bleak future of being dragged somewhere unknown and being manipulated by them as they pleased.

It was just that the face of Vermilion, who would one day return to the house where the owner was now gone, came to her mind, and she felt sad.

If she had known this would happen, she would have asked him to take her with him back then.

No matter what his circumstances were, she would have acted like a spoiled child and said she wanted to be with him.

Because she had lost her parents at a young age and had become an adult too early, she had tried to understand and accept Vermilion’s circumstances, and that was why this situation had occurred.

If she had been just a little more spoiled.

If she had been a bad woman who put her own circumstances first rather than worrying about others.

She wouldn’t have had to face such a futile and heartbreaking farewell.

‘If only I could have seen your face one last time.’

As the man’s hand slowly approached and began to block her vision, Anis regretted it in her heart and pictured Vermilion’s face.

And she spoke her last words of farewell, though they would never reach him.

Just as that hand was about to touch her, about to erase the miracle that surrounded Anis and her memories.

Kwaaaang─!

A huge roar that seemed to collapse the cave, and light streamed into the darkness.

“Anis, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

At the end of her gaze, a man stood with a brilliant halo in the background, smiling with sorrowful eyes.

The miracle she had been waiting for the most had arrived.