Chapter 188

*First pov*

"Ugh!"

When I opened my eyes, I felt nauseated. I curled up and came to my senses to a stinging pain rising from my ankle.

Splints and bandages were carefully wrapped around the swollen ankle. And....

"Miss!"

I muttered to see Abigail hugging me.

"...Bibi?"

At the same time, another person jumped in was Linon. He burst into tears and hung on my leg.

"Ahhh, Grand Duchess!"

The surrounding area was buzzing in an instant along with Linon's scream.

"Stern has awakened!"

"Healing Priest!"

Warm water flowed into my frozen mouth. It was then that I felt real. My head, which had only been blurry as if it had been beaten, started to spin properly.

"What about Lesche?"

"Your husband is not a human, he's a monster."

"...huh???"

At that time, the appearance that caught my eyes was like an illusion. Silver hair that I once thought resembled a glacier. Red eyes were fixed on me.

The cold winter wind from the harsh cold of the north touched my cheeks. My heart jumped up to the tip of my neck, and then it went down very slowly. It felt like that.

It was Lesche.

He was alive and moving.

It was several times faster for Lesche to close the distance than for me to jump out of the patient's bed. I felt as if my body was being ripped apart. His arms hugged me tightly as he sat down.

His face was fine. There were no black stains anywhere. No skin was burnt in the constellation armor.

He was the same as before.

Really, everything was fine...

"Lesche..."

Tears welled up without thinking. Lesche's hand wiped my cheek. The corners of his eyes, who were smiling softly, were likewise distorted.

"Seria."

The voice pierced my heart and shook me. With both trembling hands, I carefully wrapped Lesche's face.

At that moment.

"Stern!

"Stern is awake! Stern...! Ha."

The two High Priests who rushed in, Joel and Henoch, were startled and averted their gaze.

A paladin rushed in behind the High Priests who coughed in embarrassment.

"Sir! This is urgent news that the temporary boundary will be extinguished in two hours!"

The High Priests' faces turned blue. After that, it was very urgent and noisy outside. Like an outpost that was still conducting an unprecedented subjugation of beasts.

"Demons..."

A wet voice came out, I cleared his throat and asked Lesche.

"Weren't the demons destroyed?"

"I couldn't advance beyond the border. Now the first team is back."

"...You have been cutting down the beasts so far. Aren't you tired?"

"So what."

It was then that I understood why Abigail called Lesche a monster.

At the same time, it was absurd.

While returning to this chaos, of course, I thought that Tuban would have taken care of the demons on his own.

I cursed at him for what all the divine powers meant, but I knew the truth. The fact that Tuban had poured all his strength into restoring Lesche's body, which was stained with Magi and burned in the constellation armor.

I reflexively groped my neck. Berg's circlet was still hanging well. As I was about to get up, Lesche frowned.

"You stay here, Seria."

"Lesche."

I shook my head.

"Let's go to the laurel manor. Will we be able to get there before the boundary collapses?"

"Why there?"

"...Let's go at once."

"Prepare the horses!"

Linon jumped up and ran outside. He was so quick even though he was covering his mouth and only shed his tears. Guess who's the chief aide...

Was it because Tuban's divine power exploded? The heavy snowfall that seemed to cover the world was quiet to some extent.

I couldn't ride a horse alone because my ankle was injured, so I was wrapped in a blanket and and rode on Lesche's horse. I felt a strange sense of dread.

"Your Highness? Grand Duchess...?"

"Oh my God, why are you so frozen...!"

Fortunately, I didn't faint in the middle this time. I told Susan and Joanna I was alright, but I was limping and was picked up by Lesche.

"I don't want you to use your legs at all. Where do you want to go?"

"That... the basement."

Berg's memorandum, which I saw in the lost time, was not torn. Contrary to reality, it was intact. So, I was able to learn some things that I didn't know about in reality.

Open the basement door covered with a large tapestry. I frowned. While I often visit the green manor, I never came down to this grotesque basement.

I pretended not to see the densely hung portrait as much as possible. The real purpose was further downstairs.

Ossuary of the previous Grand Dukes.

The skeletons embedded in each wall did not match the proportions of the human body at all. So, just like the demons who were swarming over the boundaries.

If there was a difference, was it that they were holding a sword in both hands?

If I had to come here alone without Lesche, I would have shed tears. I was terrified of horror movies, and this place was so scary. It was still the same today.

"Lesche. Drop me over there."

Where the constellations were piled up. Lesche dropped me down in front of it. I limped a little and bent over. The moment when I took the circlet I was wearing around my neck and strongly infused with divine power.

This time, tears really flowed.

It was because the skeletons that had been embedded in the wall raised their bodies. Dragging the swords, the skeletons crawled out of the door.

A family that has had the duty of a watchman for a very long time. Berg's memorandum had very important information torn out.

'Warrior. I don't know who came up with the name.'

I grabbed Lesche's shoulder and climbed up. With a thumping sound, the skeletal warriors were running towards the mountain range.

Lesche, who was staring at the scene, said.

"Go up. There are many knights waiting for Stern."

At the border of the Laurel Manor, the Knights of Berg were already waiting. They looked like they were going to faint when they saw the swarm of skeletons running away, but when there were no words from Lesche, they just stood in line and held out.

Lesche, who was holding me with one arm, checked his sword with the other hand as usual.

"See you later. Seria."

"You can't die."

Lesche smiled faintly.

"How hard did you save my life?"

"..."

"How am I going to die?"

He shook his head. Lesche with a soft smile kissed my forehead. And handed me over to Abigail, who had come close without any signs.

"Miss."

I was truly amazed.

"Bibi is really strong. Aren't I heavy?"

Abigail was not as big as Lesche, but she was bigger than me. Still, I didn't know how they could hold me so well.

"Not at all."

Abigail smiled darkly.

"I'm glad you're safe. If you were not, I'd prepare to throw Sir Alliot into the Beast Border."

"What?"

"Shall we go?"

Abigail started running with me on her horse. I held her tightly so I wouldn't fall. Then the horse stopped.

"Ha, Stern!"

Two High Priests recognized me and ran to me. Their complexions were also pale and tired.

"What is that? Those monstrous bones...!"

"High Priests."

With Abigail's help, I got off the horse and said with reverence.

"The guardian of Stern gave me a message."

"....?"

"Just before the world is destroyed, he will send powerful warriors with the power of the stars, so don't lose hope."

"....!"

Tuban never said anything like that, but I said it roughly.

The skeletal warriors didn't harm humans at all and only slaughtered the demons. So the priests would have no choice but to trust.

It's been a while since they were thrown into chaos, they weren't idiots to miss this opportunity.

"Build a new boundary line!"

"We will divide into 5 groups!"

"Skeletons don't harm people, so you can leave them alone!"

Aside from the fact that the Great Temple was friendly to Stern, if people found out that such warriors existed, they would immediately try to overthrow the Berg Mansion.

The moment this fact became known to the outside, there would be a real war over this circlet that could awaken the skeletal warriors.

Maybe that's why it was hiding in the Memorandum.

As the boundary line began to slowly recover, the fluttering snow gradually subsided. The battle to subdue the demons that had lasted for several days was almost coming to an end.

The news that Lina's body had been found was heard in top secret.

It was news that only reached me and a few high-ranking priests.

"...Stern?"

"High Priest."

High Priest Jubelud was silent and only tears were falling. I walked slowly, approaching Lina's corpse lying as if asleep.

My eyes widened a little.

I had heard a glimpse of Lina's last appearance from Lesche. According to him, Lina's skin was all black.

Now it was different.

Lina was completely human. Magi seemed to disappear from her body completely.

And a silver branch that pierced her chest was still there.

"Lunaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The divine power that bound Liegel's hand and held him back was definitely Lina's.

"Grand Duchess."

High Priest Jubelud said in a watery voice.

"...I intend to give up the seat of the high priest. I thought that ending the rest of my life by making atonement for this person was the last task God gave me..."

There was a handful of hair lying in front of Lina's body. It was the hair color of High Priest Jubelud.

I lifted the scissors without a word. A handful of my cut hair was placed in front of Lina.

High Priest Jubelud'a shoulders shook as he put a white cloth over Lina's face.

A quiet silence passed.

Then I walked out. I smiled at the familiar presence.

"Why are you here?"

Lesche, who had been waiting with his back against the wall, looked back at me. He walked up to me and picked me up right away. Embarrassed, I put my hands on Lesche's chest.

"Lesche?"

"Seria."

He raised one eyebrow.

"Do you really want to lose your legs?"

"The healing priest said it was okay to walk this far, right?"

"How many times are you walking around saying that?"

"But Stern can't just lie down. It's a demon subjugation battle."

"You can be carried by your knight. Or call me."

"... to call the front-line knights?"

I scratched my cheek with my finger.

If either one of them was missing, it was obvious that the battle to subdue the demons would be delayed more. I wanted to finish the subjugation battle as soon as possible and get out of here.

Lesche moved forward with a terrifying expression on his face.

The sun shining through the window was dazzling.

"By the way, Lesche. Why are you here already?"

The demon subjugation always ended just before the sun went down. Now, it was still so bright....

As if to answer, Lesche took me outside.

The bitter winter wind had been fading for a few days, and the unusual weather was slowly returning to the late summer temperature.

My eyes went wide.

In Stern's formal dress, Myote Stern was returning. She was out of the mountains and came back so early....

"Sir Abigail!"

In the distance, Linon saw Abigail and was walking fast. Berg's aide one after another moved toward that direction. Alliot and the Berg Knights were returning.

Countless knights and priests returning one after another.

Then I realized.

The cold from the north was no longer felt.

"The subjugation is over."

"Oh my gosh...."

My eyes once again opened wide. I asked Lesche in a whisper.

"What about the Skeletal warriors?"

"They disappeared when there weren't many demons left, and went back to the manor."

"Oh..."

If they were that smart, they would have returned without being noticed by others. I fidgeted with the circlet, thinking it was amazing. A Berg heirloom made of moon bones and imbued with the power of stars.

The hell-like battle to subdue the demons that seemed like it would never end, was over.

I exhaled slowly.

"Lesche."

I looked into Lesche's eyes right in front of me. Suddenly, I remembered what I had to say to him.

"I forgot, I have something to tell you."

"Huh?"

The words Seria couldn't say when Lesche died early in the first timeline.

"I like you."

"..."

Lesche frowned. Lesche squeezed me hard and asked.

"Why did you suddenly change your mind after saying 'I love you'?"

"No... I love you too, but I also like you."

At that moment, Lesche's expression softened a little.

"Then let me just tell you. Don't make people's hearts flutter."

"...what kind of words make your heart flutter?"

I asked in annoyance.

"You, haven't you already forgotten how I got it?"

"Can't forget it."

Lesche tucked my hair behind my ear. He had a faint smile.

"I will never forget. Seria."

My heart pounded aimlessly. I thought of Seria from the past who had lovesickness, and a little laugh came out.

I leaned over and gently kissed Lesche's lips. A smile spread slowly.

Meanwhile, the commotion was getting closer and closer from behind. It seemed that the Knights of Berg had completely returned and were approaching.

"Now go home. Lesche."

Lesche laughed.

"Let's go back, Seria."

When I got home, I thought that I just wanted to sleep for a few days. On the one hand, will this man leave me alone for a few days? That thought crossed my mind.

But I didn't bring it out of my mouth because I thought I'd be at a disadvantage no matter what I said.

The summer sun was dazzlingly pouring over the numerous knights wearing constellation armor that protects humans from demonic beasts. It reminded me of the brightly shining guardian. Tuban.

I looked up at the sky. It was such a hot sun.