Shortly after, as if to respond, the thoroughly soaked ground began to dry up gradually.
The swamp, where Balenos’s sharp legs had sunk deeply into the mud, transformed back into a dry desert.
It was then that Balenos slowly raised its head, which it had been holding down.
For a very brief moment, its yellow eyes, the size of a human’s upper body, stared at Leticia.
[Destroy the walls of Heden and kill everyone there. That is the price for your freedom.]
These were the words of the person who had released Balenos a few days ago.
Although it could not see the face, a peculiar darkness wafted fuzzily.
It was a darkness too dense for ordinary demonic beasts to withstand.
Balenos, born from darkness, could recognize it.
It also knew that defying the orders of darkness would lead to terrible consequences.
Thus, it appeared in Heden.
“Hurry and retreat.”
No matter how dense, darkness is useless before light.
Whatever the command of darkness was, if it delayed any further, the envoy of the goddess would not leave Balenos alone.
“If you cross the border once more, I will not forgive you a second time.”
As if to prove those words, the ground Balenos stood on began to soak again.
It had only hesitated for a brief moment.
Even the hard shell on its legs flickered with white flames here and there.
It was the flame of purification that could instantly annihilate a demon of its caliber.
He could delay no longer.
Balenos quickly turned around.
And then, it hurriedly moved to a place where ‘he’ who had released it would not notice.
“Oh, god…”
Enoch murmured in a trembling voice as he watched Balenos’s receding back.
Despite seeing it with his own eyes, he could hardly believe what he had just witnessed.
“I will go and check the place where Balenos was, Your Majesty.”
Enoch rose abruptly from his seat and started to run wildly.
Soon, he checked the dry land and swallowed his breath.
“This can’t be.”
The ground, which had been thoroughly soaked just a moment ago, was now perfectly normal as if it had never happened.
The swampy area was the same.
“Wow, this is really crazy.”
Enoch rubbed his arms vigorously and raised his voice.
“This place is fine too! Everything has returned to its original state!”
At his highly excited voice, the other knights also hurried over.
“What in the world happened?”
“Am I dreaming right now?”
Of course, it was not a dream.
The places where Balenos had stood were deeply imprinted with footprints.
It was evidence that the ground had been wet and then suddenly dried.
“How could something like this happen?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Everyone was amazed by this incredible phenomenon, yet at the same time, they were happy.
They had repelled Balenos without any sacrifice.
Since the other demonic beasts frightened by Balenos disappeared as well, it was a perfect outcome.
Enoch’s eyes sparkled as he said.
“The power of the dragon protected us!”
“Dragon?”
“As soon as Balenos appeared, the desert got wet. When Balenos disappeared, it returned to its original state!”
Enoch said with conviction in his voice.
“If not the miracle of the dragon protecting the Principality, then what else could it be?”
With those words, Enoch, bubbling with excitement, waved his hands.
“Your Majesty! Your Highness! Come over here! See for yourselves!”
Leticia’s face also brightened with a radiant smile as she watched him.
‘I’ve done it again.’
When she had decided to go to Dietrian upon hearing the drum sounds, she hadn’t known the outcome would be this good.
‘Just as the goddess said, my power is becoming stronger.’
She had turned the vast desert into a swamp and back again, without any harm to herself.
It was simply effortless, unlike the time when she had removed the water from Rozantine.
‘And now I can even use the white flames.’
Leticia didn’t yet know the name of those flames.
But she knew their effect.
She had seen the white flames burning the corpse of a demon in front of the hospital.
She had wondered if it would work on higher demonic beasts, but the effect was perfect, beyond her worries.
‘If I can use the white flames well, it will surely be a great help in defending Heden.’
Like the power of water and wind, she felt that with a bit more practice, she could freely control those flames.
‘Then, there would be no more breaking of the borders because of demonic beasts.’
In the past, Josephina had used demonic beasts when she invaded the Principality.
It was the goddess’s power that commanded the higher demonic beasts to slaughter the people of the Principality.
‘But now, that won’t happen.’
The thought that the Principality had become safer filled her heart with excitement.
Leticia turned around with a buoyant face.
“Your Majesty, shall we go look as well… Your Majesty?”
Leticia blinked in surprise. Dietrian’s expression was frozen, unlike the others who she believed would naturally be happy.
“Your Majesty? What’s wrong?”
Seeing his icy gaze, the excitement swelling in her heart suddenly deflated.
“Your Majesty?”
“…Leticia.”
He whispered, looking at her as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Did you, by any chance, repel Balenos just now?”
Leticia flinched.
“Did you make the desert wet and threaten Balenos with your power?”
Suddenly hit where it hurt, Leticia didn’t know how to respond.
She had thought about explaining her power to him someday, but she hadn’t expected that day to come so soon.
“So, that’s…”
Leticia was flustered.
How should she begin to explain?
She had never thought it needed to be a secret.
But when she tried to speak, a surge of fear overwhelmed her.
His expression was so cold.
The Principality had long suffered because of the goddess’s power used by Josephina.
There was no good feeling towards the goddess’s power.
Perhaps, Dietrian’s displeasure was for that reason.
As her thoughts reached this point, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.
Yet, Dietrian’s gaze on her was too earnest.
“Leticia, please tell me the truth. Is it really your power? Not borrowed from a holy object, but your own power?”
He was so insistent that she couldn’t lie.
Eventually, Leticia opened her mouth with a trembling voice.
“I did it… Yes. I threatened Balenos. I made the land wet.”
“…….”
“With the power of the goddess…”
Dietrian clenched his eyes shut.
At that, Leticia felt her heart plummet.
A fear she thought she had long overcome, that he might hate her, was revived.
The frightened Leticia hunched her shoulders.
And at that very moment, contrary to her worries, he suddenly pulled her into an embrace.
He then urgently asked,
“Leticia, who else knows about the power you just used?”
“What?”
“Is there anyone else besides me? Was the attack on you today because of your power?”
Fear was evident in his voice as he asked.
Leticia blinked in confusion.
“Please, tell me the truth. Is there someone else who knows about your power?”
“Your Majesty.”
“Whoever it is, we must silence them. As soon as possible, by any means necessary. Your abilities must not become known to Josephina.”
When Dietrian realized that Leticia had repelled Balenos, only one thought came to his mind.
If Josephina were to find out, Leticia would surely die.
Josephina would stop at nothing to kill her.
The power of the Principality could never prevent it.
There was no guarantee that a miracle like the one before could happen again.
If Josephina decided to kill her, they must prevent it before anything happens.
Regardless of what happens next, Josephina must be eliminated. Even if it means riding to the empire immediately to see it through.
That was his only thought.
“Your Majesty.”
“Does Josephina have any clue that could lead her to suspect your power? Anything small will do. You must tell me anything that bothers you.”
“…”
“Please, tell me. If there is something, we must act immediately. Otherwise, you might…”
Dietrian’s body trembled.
Leticia was shocked.
Again, she remembered the image of him nearly dying.
She barely managed to open her mouth.
“My mother knows nothing.”
“Is that the truth?”
“Yes… She knows nothing, nothing at all. So, you don’t need to worry. If she had even the slightest suspicion, she wouldn’t have sent me to the Principality.”
Leticia embraced Dietrian in return.
She patted his back soothingly and whispered,
“There are people who know about my power. But they are all on my side.”
“Can you trust them completely?”
“Of course. They are all sincerely helping me.”
“But…”
“Your Majesty, you really don’t need to worry. I’m not saying it’s okay just to reassure you.”
“If you bleed again, as much as you did before, I…”
“That won’t happen again. I can promise you that. So, you can be at ease.”
Leticia repeated those words.
It’s all right, you don’t need to worry.
Josephina knows nothing.
After a long while, Dietrian finally spoke.
“Leticia.”
“I’m listening, Your Majesty.”
“Please, don’t get hurt again. Please.”
Leticia’s eyes widened at the moisture in his voice.
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