The demon invasion struck before Elestia could even make her public debut.
It should have been a day of new beginnings—her first official appearance as Duke Ronin's long-lost bloodline—but instead, it became the event that defined her downfall.
Carmila was quick to seize the moment. By the time the dust settled, stories had already spread across the empire—how a "cursed child" brought ruin upon the Duchy, how the demons rose in response to her presence.
No one remembered the girl who built walls with her own hands.Only the misfortune that followed her name.
"This should hold the invasion long enough for evacuation," Elestia muttered, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Before her stood the fruits of her labor—a colossal double-layered wooden wall spanning the entire coast-facing town. Ten thousand trees formed the first layer, shaped like a giant "C" to guard the city's land borders. The second wall, built with another hundred thousand trees, stood several paces behind, creating a wide corridor between the two layers.
A breathing fortress. Strong, flexible, and alive.
"Sirene," Elestia called softly, and a tiny green glow appeared beside her.
"Let's go home," she said.
Sirene, a wind spirit with dryad blood, fluttered onto her shoulder, humming a light tune. Her kind could heal minor wounds and manipulate air currents, but what made her bond with Elestia extraordinary was its origin.
No mana stone. No ritual.
Sirene had simply appeared before her years ago, smiled, and said, "You look lonely. Can I stay?"
Perhaps it was fate—or perhaps it was because Elestia carried the divine spark of a saintess, one who didn't need to summon magic. Magic came to her.
That evening, as Elestia returned to her chambers, she sensed something was wrong.
Her maid, Mina, was standing awkwardly by the wardrobe, hands trembling.
"What are you doing?" Elestia asked quietly.
Mina froze. "N-nothing, my lady—"
A sudden memory flashed in Elestia's mind. This scene had happened before. The false accusation that destroyed her reputation in her past life began exactly like this.
Her gaze darkened.
Without a word, Elestia flicked her wrist. A gust of wind magic surged, dragging Mina out of the room as she cried in surprise.
When the door slammed shut, Elestia opened her closet and found it—a ruby necklace that wasn't hers.
"...Pathetic."
With a cold expression, she held the jewel in her palm, let her mana pulse through it—and the necklace shattered into glittering dust.
Moments later, the door burst open. Duchess Martha stormed in, her shrill voice echoing through the halls.
"You thief!"
The slap came before the accusation finished. Elestia's head turned slightly, her cheek stinging.
"What do you mean, thief?" she said, her tone sharp and steady. For the first time, there was annoyance—real, human annoyance—flickering in her eyes.
Martha recoiled slightly but lifted her chin. "Don't play dumb! My ruby heirloom was stolen, and you—"
"—should be punished without proof?" Elestia cut her off. "If there's evidence, show it. If not, be prepared to accept the consequences of false accusation."
Her calm defiance made even the servants pause.
"You may be the Duchess," Elestia continued, her voice firm, "but the Ronin family stands upon law, not tantrums."
Martha opened her mouth to retort—but faltered when she saw the Duke standing in the doorway.
"What's the meaning of this, Martha?" Duke Ronin's voice was low, tired, but edged with irritation.
"She—she stole my necklace! Check her room!"
The servants searched. The necklace, of course, was nowhere to be found.
Elestia crossed her arms. "Duchess Martha, you've wasted the Duke's time for a false accusation. Perhaps you've forgotten your duties. Or perhaps," her lips curved faintly, "the money you've been stealing from my monthly allowance wasn't enough?"
Gasps filled the room.
The Duke's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
Elestia gestured toward her nearly empty wardrobe. "Do you see any fine dresses, Father? She claims I spend too much, yet my clothes are plain, hand-sewn. I train in trousers, not ballgowns. So I ask again—where did the money go?"
Martha stammered, her face paling.
The Duke's patience snapped. "Enough! Duchess Martha, you've shamed the Ronin name. You are confined to your chambers for three months. No visitors."
"Wait! She's manipulating you!"
"Take her away."
As the guards escorted the Duchess out, Lucian entered the hall, his expression unreadable.
The Duke turned to him. "Find the maid involved."
Mina collapsed to her knees. "I—I was forced, my lady! The Duchess made me do it!"
Elestia looked down at her quietly. "Forced? You looked rather comfortable while spending the coins you earned from betraying me."
Mina wept harder.
"Enough," said the Duke. "Strip her of title and post. She will not serve any noble house again."
And just like that, the girl was dragged out of the mansion, her cries echoing down the marble corridor.
The next dawn, dark clouds gathered above the Ronin territory.
"The demons," Lucian said grimly. "They're here."
Elestia tightened her gloves. "Let's go."
The Duke had called it a "test of ability." But she knew better—it was Carmila's revenge, disguised as duty.
As the soldiers assembled, Elestia stood before them.
"Listen carefully," she said. "Sirene will sing to enhance your endurance, but don't get reckless. The hymn strengthens your body, not your mortality. If you burn your mana too fast, you die."
"Yes, my lady!" the knights replied, their voices strong.
When Sirene began her hymn, a gentle breeze swept through the battalion. Their armor glowed faintly, the sigil of wind flickering across their blades.
Then one of the younger soldiers pointed at the massive wooden ramparts."Whoa… Lady Elestia built this?"
The others murmured in awe. The new wall, with its broad walkways and defensive height, resembled stonework—a living fortress of nature and mana combined.
Elestia placed her hand on the ground. "Barrier."
A faint pulse spread through the earth, and a shimmering dome of light began to rise over the town. She had buried mana stones deep beneath the walls to amplify the spell—a strategy only a genius or a madwoman would attempt.
"Unbelievable…" Lucian whispered.
Elestia's expression didn't change. She climbed to the top of her own barrier, where the flow of mana was strongest. It was the perfect vantage point to maintain the spell—though it left her back completely exposed.
Sirene fluttered once, yawning. "Master, I'm… sleepy…"
"Rest," Elestia whispered. "You've done enough."
As the fairy dozed off, Elestia felt the weight of maintaining the barrier shift entirely onto her. Her mana began to hum dangerously.
A shout broke the wind."They're coming!"
Elestia opened her eyes. Across the horizon, a black tide surged forward—demons pouring through the forest like living shadows.
Her lips curved into a faint, tired smile.
"Then let's see how much I've changed this time."