Outside the castle's main doors, Arthur placed his hand on Ciel's shoulder, his eyes bright with admiration. "You were awesome! I didn't know you could do that!"
Ciel laughed softly, a sound that seemed almost foreign after the cold intensity she'd displayed moments before. "I often train with Maria."
"Maria? That muscle-brain?" Arthur asked, tilting his head in confusion.
Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed him from behind. "Who are you calling muscle-head, you punk?"
Arthur jolted in surprise, spinning around. "Ma... Maria?"
There stood Maria, the chief attendant, her imposing figure casting a shadow over both children. In fact, just two minutes earlier, she had been about to enter the throne room when she heard Ciel's voice from inside, delivering her chilling warning to the King. She had stopped in her tracks, listening to every word.
Maria released Arthur's head and turned her attention to Ciel, her expression serious but not disapproving. "So you just threatened the King of Liselotte?"
Ciel met her gaze steadily. "You told me to be bold."
Maria didn't dismiss that fact—in truth, she felt a surge of pride. The shy little princess she had been training had found her voice, and what a voice it was. She looked down at Arthur, her expression softening slightly.
"Do you know what you're going to do now?" she asked.
Arthur fell silent. He hadn't thought that far ahead, but Maria was right. They had just defied the King himself, and they were no longer royalty. The weight of their situation began to settle on his young shoulders.
"If you have nowhere to go," Maria said, her voice gentler now, "you can come with me to my village."
Ciel looked up at her with curiosity. "What about your duties in the castle?"
Maria's expression grew distant, tinged with old sadness. "I was Lady Seraphina's attendant and friend. Since she passed away, I have no real attachments here." She paused, then continued, "Actually, what I was about to tell the royal court when I overheard your warning to the King was my resignation."
Arthur's eyes widened. "Is that really okay?"
Maria reached down and lifted him by the torso, holding him at eye level with surprising gentleness for someone with her strength. "It's alright. It was a promise made long ago."
She set him down and brushed the dust from his clothes before continuing, "Let's go. Marie is waiting outside."
"Marie?" Arthur questioned, his brow furrowing with confusion.
Arthur's eyes widened in amazement. Marie was riding a real pegasus—its pristine white coat gleaming in the sunlight, powerful wings folded gracefully against its sides. Overwhelmed with joy, Arthur dashed toward the magnificent creature, but the pegasus swiftly sent him flying with a dismissive flick of its tail.
Arthur landed on his feet, stumbling slightly but managing to keep his balance. "He's quite strong," he said, brushing dirt from his clothes.
Marie nodded with a gentle smile. "Al has been my companion for ages. We've traveled countless leagues together."
"Can I have one too?" Arthur asked eagerly, his eyes still fixed on the majestic beast.
Maria cut him off with a shake of her head. "Pegasus only accept those they deem worthy."
Hearing those words, Arthur's face fell. he remembered the sins the Goddess of Love had listed. He wasn't worthy—not anymore. By possessing this body, Satoru had corrupted it with his sins from another life. Ciel approached the pegasus with quiet confidence. Unlike Arthur's enthusiastic rush, she moved with calm reverence. To everyone's surprise, Al lowered his magnificent head, allowing her to gently caress his muzzle. The creature's eyes closed peacefully under her touch, a soft rumble of contentment emanating from his chest.
Arthur stared in dumfounded silence for a moment, watching his sister's natural connection with the mythical beast. But he refused to give up. With renewed determination, he leaped toward the pegasus again, only to have Al gracefully sidestep him once more.
"Dammit," Arthur muttered, his face meeting the ground for the second time.
Maria's laughter rang out behind him, warm and not unkind. "It's no problem. Even I can't ride him," she said, gesturing toward a sturdy wooden carriage nearby.
The carriage was well-crafted but practical, built for long journeys rather than royal comfort. Its dark oak frame was reinforced with iron bands, and weathered canvas covered the top to protect passengers from the elements. Two sturdy brown horses stood patiently in their harnesses—a matched pair of draft horses with gentle eyes and powerful builds. Their coats were a rich chestnut brown, and their manes had been braided with simple leather cords. These weren't the pampered steeds of nobility, but reliable working animals that could travel great distances without complaint.
Arthur understood immediately that this humble carriage would be their transport.
Marie looked at Ciel, who was still gently stroking Al's neck. "Would you like to ride Al with me?"
Ciel didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned her head toward Arthur, her eyes seeking his approval. Arthur tried to play it cool, giving her a nonchalant nod, but his forced casualness was painfully obvious.
Maria laughed, clearly discerning his intention. Her amusement only served to infuriate Arthur further.
Several kilometers away from the castle of Liselotte, as the afternoon sun began its descent, Arthur finally asked the question that had been burning in his mind. "Maria, what kind of training did you give Ciel to make her so strong?"
Maria glanced down at him from her position beside the carriage. "What I taught Ciel was just the basics of [Body Strengthening] magic."
Arthur couldn't believe it. Body Strengthening was a simple skill that allowed you to amplify your physical capabilities . With that knowledge, he should have been able to lift the sword that damned knight had thrown at him. But due to its high mana consumption, he couldn't even take a step while maintaining the enhancement.
Maria, noticing the frustration burning in his eyes, asked him a question that seemed strange for a five-year-old child: "What is your purpose in life?"
Most would consider it odd to pose such a philosophical question to someone so young, but Maria didn't judge people by their age. From her point of view, Arthur had far more potential than he seemed to be showing.
Time passed, and night began to show its face across the horizon. Maria pulled the horses to a halt, announcing that they would rest for the night. Marie, who had the same idea, guided Al down to rejoin them on the ground.
"The way is still long ahead," Maria said, stretching her arms above her head.
All pumped up with energy despite the day's journey, Maria declared, "I'm going to hunt something to eat!" Without asking for permission, she grabbed Arthur by the arm and dragged him along with her into the nearby woods.
Marie smiled as she watched them disappear between the trees. "They're getting along pretty well," she observed.
Ciel, who had been quietly watching the exchange, turned to Marie with curiosity. "What's your relationship with Maria?"
Marie's response was simple and direct. "We're lovers."
"I see," Ciel said calmly.
Marie raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by the girl's composed reaction. "You're awfully calm. Aren't you surprised?"
Ciel shook her head. "Not at all. I've seen people like that before."
Marie walked around the nearby bushes, gathering dry wood for their campfire. Ciel watched her for a moment before asking, "Wouldn't it be faster to create wood through magic?"
Marie shook her head as she collected another branch. "Creating objects from nothing is advanced magic that even I can't perform—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Ciel casually waved her hand. A pink magical circle appeared in her palm, and without any incantation, pieces of dry wood began materializing in mid-air before falling to the ground in a neat pile.
Marie stared in amazement. Ciel was just a five-year-old girl, yet she could perform advanced-tier magic with such ease.
"Where did you learn that?" Marie asked, her voice filled with wonder.
"I often watched my mother doing it," Ciel replied simply.
Marie couldn't quite grasp what she meant. Queen Seraphina had died during the birth process, so how could Ciel have learned from her when she wasn't even born yet, let alone fully conscious?
"You're quite a genius," Marie said finally, lighting the fire with an [Ignite] spell.
Ciel didn't respond immediately. Then, quietly, she said, "Arthur is the one who's the genius."
Marie looked at her with one green eye, her pupil glinting in the firelight. "You may be right," she agreed. "Back in the castle, the reason his power didn't show up was because when he touched the Crystal of Revelation, he absorbed his ability in the process, leaving only remnants behind."
Ciel's eyes widened with curiosity. "How do you know about my brother's skill?"
Marie's expression grew distant. "My eyes can see the future. That's the curse my clan bestowed upon me."
"Which clan?" Ciel asked.
Marie lifted her long, flowing blue hair from the corner, revealing ears that were not just pointed, but extraordinarily long—far longer than any human's.
"Elf," Ciel said with recognition.
Marie nodded, letting her hair fall back into place. "My clan is the elf tribe of the west of Liselotte."
"Did you run away?" Ciel asked gently.
Marie's eyes locked onto the dancing flames, the firelight reflecting in her green pupils like trapped stars. "I was exiled."
She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "I was once part of the elf tribe—the daughter of the elf monarch who ruled the elven kingdom. Elves are creatures who worship the Earth Goddess. We don't acknowledge people from the outside world." Her voice grew softer. "When the Queen came from the west on her journey, I met her. Slowly, we came to understand each other."
Marie's smile held both joy and sorrow. "In the end, I decided to follow her. What I wanted to see was that woman's growth. What I wanted was to be by her side, even if it meant leaving my people behind."
Ciel looked up at the night sky, where the stars formed the constellation of Seraphina's Crown—seven stars arranged like a royal diadem, named after the legendary queen who first united the warring tribes of the continent.
"What was my mother like when she was young?" Ciel asked.
Marie smiled, wiping away a tear that had formed at the corner of her eye. "She was quite stubborn. When she had something in her mind, nothing could make her change it."
Ciel's gaze remained fixed on the stars. "I want to be like that too—someone who can gather people around and make them follow her."
Marie's smile grew warmer. "For that dream to come true, you'll have to become stronger. A lot stronger than the King."
Ciel turned to face her, her young eyes filled with determination that seemed far beyond her years. "Will you help me?"
Marie's response was filled with absolute sincerity. "With everything I have."..
Maria leaped from tree to tree at breakneck speed, her movements fluid and graceful. Arthur, who couldn't keep up, started yelling at her from below.
"You're going way too fast!"
Maria made fun of him, calling down through the branches, "You're not much of a man if you can't catch up to a running lady!"
Those words infuriated Arthur. Drawing upon his frustration, he activated [Body Strengthening], pushing his physical stats up to five times their normal level. With this enhancement, he began slowly catching up to Maria's aerial path.
"Well done, kid," she said, impressed by his determination. "Now let's start your real training."
Maria asked Arthur to maintain the skill for as long as possible, until he ran out of mana. Arthur's face paled at the suggestion.
"If my mana drops to zero, I'll lose consciousness," he protested.
Maria looked back at him, her expression serious. "[Body Strengthening] is a skill that can amplify your physical abilities by however many times the mana you possess allows. You were born from royalty—by feeding on the Queen's mana essence during your development, your reserves are incredibly high. But without confidence, you can't access it."
She paused in her leaping, landing on a thick branch to face him directly. "Mana is the essence of life itself. It dwells inside plants, stones, rivers, air, space, sky, and earth. For humans, mana becomes one with their soul, body, and spirit. All three must be successfully synchronized for someone to awaken their true potential."
Her eyes locked onto his with intensity. "Focus, Arthur. Do you want Ciel to leave you behind? If you're weak, you'll only be a burden to her."
Hearing those words, Satoru's memories stirred within Arthur, reminding him of the reason he had accepted reincarnation in the first place. He took a deep breath, focusing all his senses inward.
A dark light, invisible to normal eyes, began to surround him. Wind rushed toward him as if drawn by an unseen force. Maria felt a chill run down her spine—this wasn't the power of a mere Rank C adventurer.
Then, in an instant, Arthur flashed forward at light speed. Even Maria couldn't track his movement at first. Before she could fully grasp what had happened, Arthur was far ahead of her, standing on a distant branch with a triumphant grin.
Maria smiled before catching up to him with renewed effort. "My win," Arthur said proudly.
"You only caught me by surprise," Maria responded, though her tone held genuine admiration.
Arthur stared at his own hands in disbelief. He couldn't believe this was his own strength—he felt powerful, unstoppable. Until now, he had only used [Body Strengthening] to amplify himself up to ten times his normal capabilities. But just now, he had achieved ten times that enhancement, and yet he didn't feel drained at all.
Joy flooded through him like warm sunlight.
Maria smiled at his untamed potential, then whispered to herself, "This is the treasure you left behind, Sera. We will make them strong enough to claim the King's seat. It's our last promise to you."
With her honed instincts, Maria suddenly sensed something. She lifted her hand up, signaling for silence. "I've spotted our meal."
Arthur looked around him, but all he could see were bushes and trees with odd shapes distorted by the darkness of night.
"Several kilometers away," Maria said quietly, "a pack of Thornbacks."
Arthur frowned. "I don't sense anything."
"They're wise beasts that hide their presence with [Magic Concealment]," Maria explained. "In order to bypass their hiding skill, you must surpass your current perception." She fixed him with an intense stare. "Concentrate."
Arthur closed his eyes as instructed.
"Feel the world around you. Perceive the mana fluctuations," she continued. "Go beyond that layer. Perceive the very fabric of space itself. Concentrate."
Suddenly, Arthur gasped. He could detect them—five beasts, approximately two kilometers away. "I can sense them," he told Maria, amazement clear in his voice.
"Let's follow them," she said, increasing her speed beyond what she had shown earlier. Unlike Arthur, who was using [Body Strengthening] to keep up, Maria didn't seem to need any enhancement skills for herself.
In less than three seconds, they caught up to the Thornbacks, who reacted instantly to the threat. One of them used its magic to cast the binding spell [Paralyze], but the spell had no effect on Maria.
The beast looked surprised, but it was too late. Maria smashed the creature's head with her foot, utterly destroying its brain from the inside. The impact sounded like a detonation echoing through the forest.
Arthur watched in amazement as Maria killed the remaining beasts barehanded, one by one, with ruthless efficiency. She stopped at the last one, turning to Arthur with deadly seriousness.
"That one is for you to defeat."
Arthur stared at her in disbelief. "Are you joking?"
Maria gave him a glare of death, blood stains marking her face like war paint. Arthur felt a chill run down his spine before reluctantly walking toward the last remaining beast. Instead of running, the creature stayed in place, shaking with fear.
The Thornback was massive—nearly two meters tall with razor-sharp quills covering its back and powerful claws. "How could she ask a five-year-old kid to defeat such a monster?" Arthur thought desperately.
The beast looked at Arthur and let out a thunderous roar. Arthur felt the sound penetrate deep into his soul, and suddenly a notice appeared before his eyes:
< You have been targeted by Petrification Roar >
< Skill [Voracious] activated >
< You have gained the skill [Petrification Roar] >
Arthur smiled. Ever since his awakening, he had been able to see these system windows again. His confidence surged as he ran toward the beast, picking up a fallen branch along the way. He enhanced it with [Magic Enhancement], transforming the simple wood into something as rigid as steel.
Leaping into the air, Arthur dodged the beast's massive claw. With utter cruelty and wearing a questionably gleeful smile, he pierced the creature's left eye with his improvised weapon, then immediately struck the right eye.
With a graceful spin, he dodged the beast's tail swipe before driving the wooden spear deep into its neck. The Thornback collapsed to the ground, dead.
Maria, watching from behind, observed Arthur's prowess with keen interest. "He's a quick learner," she thought to herself. "As soon as he managed to unlock his mana source, he was able to manipulate it directly without incantations. He truly is a genius.".
"Did I really kill it?" Arthur said, surprised by his own accomplishment. He had indeed killed small beasts before, both in this life and his previous one, but this felt different. The excitement he felt was intoxicating. "I want to feel it again," he thought, when a loud thud interrupted his contemplation.
Maria had effortlessly carried four of those massive beasts on her shoulders like they weighed nothing. Arthur was speechless—such incredible strength! "Is she even human?" he wondered to himself.
Maria gestured toward the remaining carcass. "Carry that last one yourself."
Arthur looked at the beast. It was at least twice his size and probably ten times his weight. How was he supposed to manage that?
Meanwhile, on the other side of the woods, Ciel had started to worry about Arthur's prolonged absence. Marie, noticing her concern, tried to reassure her.
"You have nothing to worry about. Maria may seem like a muscle-brained woman, but when it comes to hunting, she's the most reliable person I know."
"I'm not worried about Maria," Ciel replied quietly. "I'm worried about Arthur."
Marie smiled at the obvious affection in her voice. "Why are you so fond of Arthur?"
Ciel took a moment to organize her thoughts before answering. "Arthur once tried to save me, risking his own life. Now it's my turn to put my life on the line to be with him. And later, when we grow up, I want to be his bride."
Marie coughed in surprise. "You mean... by his side, right?"
Ciel shook her head firmly. "What I want is to be by his side forever, bearing his children and raising them together."
Marie's expression became serious. "Ciel, Arthur is your brother. You can't have children with him."
"Why not?" Ciel asked innocently. "Where I come from, people did that often."
"That's not possible here," Marie explained gently. "People would judge you harshly, and you could even be sentenced to death."
Ciel's response was matter-of-fact. "I don't care what people think. If they try to separate us, I'll simply kill them."
"That's wrong, Ciel," Marie said, troubled by the girl's casual attitude toward violence.
Ciel tilted her head. "Don't you want to be Maria's wife?"
Marie froze for a moment, her cheeks flushing red. "That's... that's different. Maria and I aren't blood-related." She paused, then added quietly, "But to answer your question... I... I would really like to become Maria's wife."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Marie realized her mistake. Maria was standing right there, having returned with their dinner, and had heard everything.
"...Marie?" Maria said softly.
Marie, noticing Maria's presence, jolted in surprise and began trying to explain with incomprehensible words and frantic gestures.
With perfect timing and complete lack of tact, Ciel announced, "Marie wanted to become your wife."
Marie lunged to cover Ciel's mouth, but it was too late. Maria had heard everything. She gently set down the beast carcasses and walked over to Marie, placing a tender hand on her cheek.
"I would gladly become a couple with you, Marie."
Marie's eyes, which had been spinning with embarrassment, suddenly became emotional. She was genuinely surprised by Maria's straightforward response, and when she opened her mouth to say Maria's name, Maria leaned in and kissed her.
At that exact moment, Arthur came rustling through the bushes, having finally managed to drag his beast carcass back to camp. As soon as he emerged, Ciel immediately jumped up to embrace him.
Arthur looked around at the scene—Marie and Maria in their intimate moment, the scattered beast carcasses, and Ciel clinging to him with unusual intensity.
"What's going on here?" he asked, thoroughly confused..
"You're late," Maria said to Arthur as he emerged from the bushes.
Arthur groaned in frustration. "You didn't have to completely erase your presence before leaving. I had a hard time pinpointing your location."
"That was part of your training," Maria replied matter-of-factly.
Ciel, hearing the word "training," looked up at Arthur's face while still embracing him. "Training?" she asked curiously.
Arthur tossed the beast carcass aside with a grunt. "Maria helped me unlock my mana," he said, blushing slightly from embarrassment.
Ciel studied his face intently, then began checking his body with her hands. Arthur jolted in surprise. "Ciel, what are you doing?"
She didn't answer immediately, continuing her inspection. Finally, she said, "This part is still the same."
Arthur looked confused. "I'm still a kid. That part will grow up with me. Why are you asking anyway?"
But Ciel didn't answer. She released Arthur and looked down at the beast carcass on the ground. "Did you hunt this yourself?"
Arthur nodded proudly. "Though Maria hunted way more than me."
Ciel glanced over at Maria, where Marie was scolding her. "You hunted way too much!" Marie was saying.
Maria shrugged unapologetically. "It's been a while since I had the chance to hunt. I got carried away and killed the whole family so no one would be left behind to seek revenge."
Marie sighed in exasperation before calling Ciel over to help with preparing the meat.
"Want to spar with me?" Maria asked Arthur.
Arthur dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. "I'm all beat up. I'm going for a walk."
Maria began following him. Arthur turned around, annoyed. "Why are you following me?"
"I'm also going for a walk," Maria replied with a slight smile.
Her response infuriated Arthur, but he said nothing more as they walked away from the campfire together.
After a few minutes of silence, Arthur asked, "Is your village still far?"
"We'll be there tomorrow at dawn," Maria answered. "My village is located in the north of Liselotte, close to the border."
Arthur was curious. "Why did you join the castle in the first place?"
Maria looked up at the star-filled sky. "I joined to be with the woman I liked."
"Marie?" Arthur asked.
Maria didn't answer directly, but continued, "That was at least my purpose at first. But I started to grow fond of the Queen, and then I decided to stay at the castle as long as Marie and the Queen were there."
Arthur's expression softened. "What was the Queen like when she was young?"
Maria smiled at the memory. "She was stubborn and yet incredibly strong. I still don't understand why she married the King, who only used her to reinforce his bloodline."
Arthur's face darkened with anger. He turned toward Maria, the bright moon casting silver light across his determined features. "I'll become strong enough to take the King's place. Just watch me."
Maria smiled at his fierce declaration, then knelt down to meet him at eye level. The moonlight illuminated both their faces
as she spoke with complete sincerity.
"I hope for that future, my prince."