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“Until the day comes when I drive away the darkness with my light….”

Bella, dressed in pure white, knelt on the grass.

“I will not stop punishing evil.”

Her hands, clasped as if in prayer, showed not a single sign of wavering, as if reflecting her resolve.

“I, Bella Izakhel, solemnly swear.”

Her appearance was nothing short of a saint born from light.

As Bella slowly opened her eyes, a golden-haired, blue-eyed girl placed her hand on Bella’s head and spoke.

“Bella, you are more than worthy to wield my light.”

Michaela, the master of paradise, spoke in a solemn voice.

“I, Michaela, trust your oath and bestow upon you this light. Keep your promise.”

Michaela’s hand began to glow.

A radiant light enveloped Bella from head to toe.

The oath of light, passed down since the hero Alonso Izakhel.

In the past, many families received divine favor, but now, only the Izakhel family maintains communication with the gods.

A family loved by God.

This is why the Izakhel Duke Family still holds such high prestige.

“You may rise now.”

“Yes.”

As Bella stood, she felt the divine grace filling her heart.

Though she had performed this oath every year since she was a baby, it always felt new.

Through this oath to God, she felt herself becoming a nobler, more sublime being.

Just like her ancestor, the hero Alonso Izakhel.

Clap, clap, clap…

At the sound of applause, Bella turned her head to see a timid-looking man standing there.

“You’ve done well.”

“Father….”

Duke Fred took off his coat and draped it over Bella.

“That dress shows too much shoulder. You’ll catch a cold.”

“Father, really… Do you still think I’m a child?”

Though exasperated, Bella put on the coat.

Seeing this, Fred sighed in relief and bowed politely to the master of paradise.

“It’s been a while, Michaela.”

“Indeed. You’re still as foolish as ever.”

“Foolish? Me?”

“Yes, foolish. Do you think you’re clever? Why are you even here? Bella could have come alone.”

“Ahaha… Well, as the head of the Izakhel family, it’s only proper to show my face to you, Michaela.”

“Enough. Since when did you care about such formalities? Frankly, it’s more polite for you to stay out of my sight.”

“Well, that’s….”

Fred was visibly deflated by her harsh words.

Michaela clicked her tongue, clearly displeased.

“Tsk. I don’t know how someone like you came from Alonso’s bloodline… Though I suppose it’s all part of ‘His’ plan….”

“Ah, now that you mention it, Alonso defeated the Demon Lord at my age, didn’t he?”

As if suddenly remembering, Bella asked, and Michaela nodded.

“Yes. Even now, he was beyond human. Even before receiving divine protection, he could fight demons on equal footing.”

“Alone, without divine protection?”

“Yes, yes.”

Demons, the ultimate form of monstrous beasts, possessing high intelligence and immense power, are not beings that humans can face alone.

So, for Alonso to face demons with just his human body, without divine protection, was truly remarkable.

“When I gave him the protection of light, he went around smashing demon heads with glee. In all of history, there’s only been one like him—Alonso.”

When the second Demon Lord appeared in the past, the hero never showed himself.

Countless people lost their lives to the demons and monsters under the Demon Lord’s command.

Then, Alonso appeared before the despairing people.

A human, not a hero, saved the world.

Though he had divine protection, if it had been anyone but Alonso, the world would have surely perished.

The title of “hero” wasn’t given to Alonso for nothing.

The Izakhel family’s enduring fame is entirely due to Alonso’s achievements.

‘Hero….’

Bella suddenly felt fear.

She had lived with pride as the heir to the Izakhel name.

As the successor of the Izakhel Style of swordsmanship, she never neglected her physical and mental training.

All so she wouldn’t bring shame to the legacy of the great hero Alonso Izakhel.

But every time she thought of Alonso’s achievements, Bella felt both pride and pressure.

It had been a long time since the second Demon Lord was defeated.

Perhaps the third Demon Lord would appear during Bella’s lifetime.

When that time comes, could she surpass Alonso’s achievements?

Could she face demons like Alonso did?

Honestly, Bella wasn’t confident.

When she was once captured by thugs, she had felt so powerless.

What if her opponent was a demon… Could she win?

Feeling disheartened, Bella cautiously opened her mouth.

To seek advice from her steadfast, if somewhat childish, god.

“Michaela, do you think I can become like Alonso?”

“Yes.”

Michaela answered without hesitation.

Naturally, curiosity arose.

“…Interesting. How can you say that so easily?”

“Because it’s the truth.”

Michaela rubbed her nose.

“You’ve always been like that. I know. I’ve been watching you all along.”

It was a rather profound statement.

Was it because she was a god? Or was it because of her serious gaze?

Bella couldn’t help but listen intently.

“You never misuse the power I’ve given you. You’ve always been just and always stood by the weak. If Alonso is a hero who will never appear again in history, Bella, you are a child who will never appear again either.”

“Ah… Um. You’re praising me so much, it’s kind of embarrassing.”

“Do you think I’d praise you for no reason? You have the potential to be a hero like Alonso. You could say it’s a case of ‘generational inheritance.'”

Duke Fred, who had been watching, awkwardly laughed, feeling somewhat guilty.

“Hmph… You’re such a bore. Well, it’s time to head back carefully.”

“Yes. I’ll visit again soon.”

“Sure. But leave Fred behind.”

Fred’s shoulders slumped pathetically as he headed back.

Bella was about to follow him when…

“Oh, right.”

Michaela’s words stopped Bella in her tracks.

“I asked you jokingly before, but do you really plan to marry that man?”

“Huh? Of course… Wait, no!? What?! No way?!”

Caught off guard, Bella panicked and whispered into Michaela’s ear.

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?! You scared me, and I misspoke!”

“Ahahaha. Your reaction is quite amusing.”

“I don’t know why you’d think that. The chance of me marrying someone like him is less than 1%.”

“You didn’t say it’s absolutely impossible.”

“I told you before, unless he begs me to marry him….”

“It will be painful.”

“What?”

Bella was speechless at Michaela’s cryptic words.

Her expression held emotions too complex to put into words. But it was only for a moment.

Michaela’s face returned to that of a cheerful child as she spoke.

“It’s nothing. I’m just rooting for you.”

She waved her hand at Bella.

“May fortune be with you on your path.”

*

Inside the carriage heading to school.

Helga, sitting across from me, spoke in an excited voice.

“It’s a good thing he confessed before we had to pull out his tongue.”

Hmm. A chilling metaphor.

“Really… If we pull out their tongues, we can’t understand what they’re saying at all.”

…Anyway, it’s a metaphor. It’s better to think of it as just a metaphor.

“So, what did he confess?”

“Ah, yes. That man had been making a lot of money through dishonest means. Not just the money he sent to the villagers, but also the money he extorted under ridiculous pretexts.”

I nodded naturally.

Given that he, as a serf manager, frequented gambling dens visited by nobles, it was easy to guess.

He must have been taking a lot of money from the serfs.

“And some of the money he took was given to Lord John Wisdon.”

“Hmm.”

The name sounded vaguely familiar.

A relative of Tristan, who rules the Rihart region.

He’s also someone I need to deal with soon.

Ah, now that I think of it….

I decided to ask about something that had been bothering me.

“By the way, Helga.”

“Yes?”

“You managed not to kill him.”

The man had looked at Helga with sinister eyes.

If I hadn’t stepped in quickly, Helga might have killed him on the spot.

But instead of being angry, Helga calmly replied.

“Of course. That man is also your valuable asset, Count. I couldn’t let him die. Besides, he’ll be working hard in the mines from now on. Hehe….”

“Hmm.”

Helga, as usual, spoke chilling words without a care, but today something felt off.

“Um… Count.”

“What is it?”

“Thank you.”

“…What?”

I looked at Helga, puzzled.

But she bowed her head and spoke.

“Well, I… I was kind of happy, I guess….”

Helga shyly crossed her legs as she spoke.

“Honestly, I was furious at the time… But seeing you get so angry made me feel better. No, I was happy. That you did it for me….”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

“Huh?”

“Insulting you is the same as insulting me. That’s why I was angry at him.”

I spoke indifferently.

“There’s no other meaning to it.”

But.

“So, you’re saying it was for you, not for me?”

“Yes.”

“Hehehe… Really?”

It should have been a disappointing statement, but strangely, Helga seemed even happier.

No, at some point, she had moved from sitting across from me to sitting right next to me, giggling.

“Your joy is my joy, so what you do for yourself is also for me. So, in a way, you got angry for me, right? Hehe….”

I wanted to ask what kind of logic that was, but realizing it was pointless, I sighed and muttered.

“…Think whatever you want.”

“Yes. I’ll think whatever I want! And please think of me however you want, Count!”

“Before I decide to throw you out of the carriage, go back to your seat.”

“Aww….”

Helga, who had been subtly leaning her chest and legs toward me, quickly tucked her tail and returned to her seat.

As the school came into view, I noticed a knight in red armor standing at the gate.

 

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