Chapter 1

“Forget about him. I’ll fill that empty space for you.”be60b390babfc3b6

True to his 192b635fa4 reputation as a 30096d5114 ruthless tyrant who f0364e1d90 always reigned from 5c95ac2e9f the heights, the 1beb41dee5 man revealed an 4e271dc104 intense and vicious 46d45e3499 presence. However, all d17177193f of that 1df49afd95 became useless 6a3d1c1467 in front c38b2e1fbc of Russelin. The bloodthirsty tyrant, Leonard a01269759a Estere, who had lowered a8d383d16d himself to one knee, f42124d03d looked up at Russelin 63cd9cee44 with eyes full of c31067d5c4 submission. Yet, she was not 7080dbf3d0 unaware of the powerful f97bc421af emotions hidden behind his 045a63e1cc calm gaze.7d8cfb7ffcca963b

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“I will bear everything that burdens you.”64d395abf613ed06

“…”9c76731a848d66a9

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“You only need to use me.”1fb4311a9fe287f3

That’s why Russelin 9f1bd3e9b4 couldn’t help but 089874264a wonder what exactly ff6b1f61f7 it was that 2192861659 had completely brought fb612f3897 this arrogant and 8cdb0afeef cruel tyrant to eb6f384ad8 his knees. When Russelin still couldn’t f5acfe686c muster the courage, Leonard bef6d77d73 urgently grasped her small 03dca5720f hand. Shocked, Russelin instinctively c3136b9acd tried to pull 5421876245 her hand away, 66798b0cd1 but Leonard tightened 0c43a6e026 his grip as 53a499c413 if he knew 3f6c3fb673 nothing.23d7eaa0af549b96

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“Forget about the idea of refusing.”70044b4b38295e61

“…!”9afa6c947e7bf710

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“From the moment you saved me, no, from the moment you summoned me.”5027c9de812fdfac

Leonard gazed down 4f50325ddb at the small d1d2981266 hand that had 4dec092476 dared to strike c17d12d58e him and gently 687dea82fb kissed it.487fcc0680273d0c

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“You were already on a dangerous journey with me.”a7e21150ffae201a

“….What does that mean?”d878669160cb9f98

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Before Russelin could fully question, Leonard’s heavy voice cut in.065be93f0ed2eed3

“…And so am I.”c20d1d09188b7da0

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* * *8adb0ee0bd46c372

The air was thick 8f36e4bbf2 with the stench of 5b505b16d0 blood. The overwhelming pain 6158ef5a14 and the blood 6c8ba6ae26 soaking her hands 37c16bb7e9 reminded Russelin that f5c9c62825 she was still 70249da463 alive. She feebly 9741690ed4 lifted her e144e22ec2 head, collapsed 20ec3f2703 and broken ff37048ee6 on the c22835cdaa ground. What in a1972d7d2c the world 560ba19884 had happened?39d65e60968ad5c3

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“Come to Helios Forest, Russelin. To the place where you first clung to me.”687db9db15baf81d

“Aydin, if you have something to say, say it here. That place is…”0fb5330dee961858

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“And why not? It’s the place that took in a half-baked priestess like you. Shouldn’t you be grateful?”7856188bdb9ed787

Russelin had e690bf7d2f just barely f681c1ded2 made it 7757e59a88 to Helios 5a414bc0bc Forest, summoned eb041a2209 cruelly by 4ab56f7400 her husband, 9930ee594c Aydin. She knew 90c52cb49d that whenever 2e30a1a415 he mentioned 01c567c7dc the half-baked b441d13213 priestess, it 2bc834d6e5 wasn’t a e59c933dc1 good sign. However, what awaited her 266824ee6f was not Aydin.7103a07f56eb89f7

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“Well, well. I thought you were just pretending to be naive, but it turns out you’re truly stupid. Why do you think I’d want to see that detestable face of yours here?”df980766dac5232a

Above Russelin, who was trapped in a pool of blood, a high-pitched, mocking voice echoed—Celia’s voice. When Russelin strained to frown in pain, Celia’s face brightened in contrast.3b6ad78223af9e07

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“…Celia.”48f1cc3c5507ad6a

Celia, none other than Aydin Bert’s mistress. Russelin couldn’t understand why Celia was standing in the spot where her husband had called her.7a9a507c5307faf1

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“I felt a little sorry for you, crawling around the mansion in fear, but look at you, dying beneath me even at the very end.”9647238d88834c72

The shameless voice 14db7a7c04 of the woman 769495e869 who seduced her cfffa2e98d husband taunted Russelin, d2c3615b67 filling her with 489cc42f65 disgust. The reason Russelin couldn’t 4e7cf2d650 slap this woman, even f519835d07 though she was standing 52bcdc7961 right in front of 7905c22ad2 her, was because… Celia 3139efbcbc was the true priestess fd41c92637 who could save her a1840f2b96 husband. Unlike Russelin, 7dad372266 who was 15da1b488c just a ecae2daf91 half-baked one. In front of Celia, 82d1835eae Russelin’s only weakness stood f4e289cc2c out all the more.b8d3af056fe399d3

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“How does it feel to die at the hands of your husband’s mistress?”8544da60489a4980

Celia knelt in front of Russelin, deliberately and with satisfaction, watching as her breath slowly faded. Russelin couldn’t even muster the strength to lift her head; all she could see was Celia’s white shoes in her narrowing vision. The sight of Celia, the so-called pure priestess, drenched in the red of blood seemed strangely fitting. The tender touch of Celia stroking Russelin’s head felt unbearably vile.8752fa0d74633568

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“How pitiful. You were too small a vessel to contain his ambitions.”c8b0594dccfd8c73

“Ugh… ugh…”586d345e2550f124

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“Now, I will fulfill his wishes. In return, he’ll give me what I desire.”ebf5b20bd876fc32

What did that mean? Hadn’t Celia loved Aydin? If that were true, then…558ca891f97bbd2b

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Her mind 115b2790e7 became cluttered c2a7515244 with confusion, e4388d825a but in 3f118062c8 her fading 643501b084 consciousness, she 1ca31045e5 couldn’t make b6ad0e175b sense of 1551047bdb it. Celia, letting out 67f7043f0a a cynical laugh, 979ae637aa rose from her 1973fc2e85 place without hesitation. With elegant hands, she c6855cefdf dusted off her dress 82c9642070 and turned her back 4f31d81dcb on Russelin with deliberate 0ee0f4f68b indifference.5a5021565c6bd04a

“I hope, in death, you get to bask in that cursed love of yours, Russelin Lavrenti.”b8373ac67bfdb76b

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With those final words, Celia’s voice disappeared completely.562283146a5533a4

“…Hik… Hic.”fa87e749dc9ff845

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Only after silence 36fdeb7ef0 descended did Russelin c1922e81e5 finally let out 22b4a42ca5 the sobs she 2699cbeca0 had been holding 5e3af6628b back.a75f1a3889e15787

‘…Am I really going to die like this? At the hands of the mistress my husband brought into our lives?’d04f94c0bfff075e

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I don’t 93841713cb want to 70e70b4efb die. Not like this.b6a0ecde71d5fc99

If I had 4f61c6e756 known it would 2ba52fa968 come to this, 3f79167a36 I would have bd846aaf0f confronted Aydin when 814ddf2102 he brought Celia ad38405ada into our home.86e1b0a12ffad826

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I should 34778cea9e have demanded afc9c8aa29 to know 6f99eb7c2c if his 7e0dcf2373 words of ddca50dca8 love were d03d4ee90f all lies.
And… I should have c38844b8f6 cursed the god who 04ccc7b83d turned me into a 03e284e4b8 priestess against my will, 7d1b8b2881 who ruined my life.2b18f022e0ba4606

All those 5fd1c4f31e years of 7286652fdf being mistreated abd85263bf as a 90718b429c half-baked priestess, f4cc5add61 bowing my b96b4e3a4b head and bb3379e65e enduring it d8ed0ba291 all… the f76225d815 injustice of f0a26c5eb2 it finally e7b94305ce overwhelmed me.3c8b8ae103f7a2f8

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‘Maybe Celia was right after all.’028a6a052a459b06

I was 99ca091c6c foolish and 4815362141 naive.
I knew c7ca822a35 everything but 56b2a81461 did nothing.
In the a5002d4bd8 end, the a0abad8577 one who 20346482d2 broke Russelin 34f1fee22b was herself.4b1efa557b228322

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“Sob… hic…”675d39516ebccba0

Tears she had held back for so long finally began to fall, but even those were consumed by the cruel red of the blood surrounding her. Russelin’s once warm eyes now burned with fierce determination. She wasn’t going to back down so easily. She would repay all the pain she had suffered.29bf36565edc97e3

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I will.5bef7b3f206f1c63

“…Crush them all.”cb24120a1b986448

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With the 7effa43214 last bit 3a90bcd4cc of strength b45ab1b8e0 she could 1a3666e2f7 muster, she 4f11a9b5dc forced those 51a051fa54 words out, 5cb1320298 and then 98ec682cd1 her body 9529151efd gave way. For a moment, b47b4c7ac3 her vision went 7e979af869 dark, only for 4625be820a a bright light 1926d8ed1c to bloom soon 6ba2b4587c after.ee6886e646e85e6c

“……”1e099a71737ccc38

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In her final moments, 29992cfec6 she thought she heard b5af6be93f a strange voice, but 675f90c4d0 Russelin ultimately fell into 2820080662 a sleep from which b2eb0d1ad9 she would never awaken.9c1bb889bdd4202d

* * *f231e8252635f8eb

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The Tristan Empire has long passed down the legend that it is blessed by Ragnar, the god of war. Among the people, those who receive the greatest amount of Ragnar’s magic are said to be the empire’s protectors. However, there is truth to the saying, “Too much is as bad as too little.” The power of a god is far too strong for mere humans to endure, and a misstep could lead to the rampaging of that power, resulting in death.8fa12c2eed727729

While magic overload is rare for ordinary wizards, the protectors who wield Ragnar’s immense power experience periodic instability. To control this overwhelming power, Ragnar granted the empire a priestess capable of subduing it. Only the priestess, blessed by the god, could stabilize their volatile magic.d584bedab2bbe2a3

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Currently, two individuals 83af11e4e5 in the Tristan d68d021bf1 Empire have been 33253b22ac recognized as protectors c5d8eaf1ef blessed by Ragnar, 56061841b4 and one of 2471c4e192 them is Duke a07a9ea3a6 Aydin Bert of 8c420b7ed7 the Tristan Empire. Aydin’s power grew de78a352a0 stronger day by c1718857b9 day after he e793768adf married Russelin Lavrenti, 5b3a888839 the priestess who 0e12a5dfec was to stabilize 4cacdc0bca his magic. Russelin seemed to be 0f3958d58d loved as both the 22c4bb7090 priestess who could quell a8a356759a his rampages and as 83eb2a9fb1 his only wife.b17391b2817ab338

* * *733157e0bb1f79ae

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‘Ha, if b94651557d you suffer 483bbfeaf2 this much f915d20c3b every time f3ab91b4a7 you receive 114a510666 my magic, 9285b710ef what am cceee2d7fd I supposed bf3e2dfd50 to do? Hmm, Russelin?’
‘I’m sorry. I don’t know why b0fa77db1d this is happening. It hurts 9a3a5beff3 so much a532ea6d86 every time 4cf7859708 I take 889abf50b8 in your 904679ae07 magic…’
‘At this point, 6e2ba8a7ce I’m starting to 32fad1cb8e wonder if you’re 4620dfd47f not receiving another dbbd1c8f57 man’s magic instead. Have you been sneaking c1f812ce9a off with someone else 351d15a503 behind my back?’b8fb7d9a04eb7f65

But every time Russelin 955c468909 received Aydin’s overwhelming magic, 85328d03f2 she suffered deeply. Eventually, she became unable 204e430cae to properly receive it, a93e0fcaad and Aydin endured the bececaa820 pain of suppressing his 0863c04068 immense power, always on 8f70711f21 the verge of an ef141d512e uncontrollable outburst. As Aydin’s magic grew 82270f6cdb more unstable, his neglect 7e66550ba8 of Russelin worsened.c9ac499e8ba06322

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Despite suffering e0b756bfb7 and dying 5a8c2aaf93 slowly by 354fce7079 his side, b274e71d9f Russelin found 19d64b7b6f comfort in 3d749eb637 the thought 38602660da that at 4db92240e4 least Aydin 35571475c6 had not b26b764859 abandoned her. That is, until 47db3a49d2 the day Celia, 0e4e36d446 the true priestess, f4c09d7cb9 appeared and purified b912fa210c Aydin’s magic right 41a6752f4d before her eyes.de0b41ac6415d01f

‘Why do 4d69b6dfce you look a2491a1575 like that, 1b77dd7a96 Russelin? Thanks to 8dbf3c8a09 Celia, the c35918ea26 husband you 8105c01dc0 love is dff21f1f83 alive and 4f2477bf85 well, isn’t c7f851a043 he?’3941a16fa3720cb8

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‘…Aydin, please.’08ee0efd4fb9277f

‘From now 113be18bf1 on, stay 36eb2c4d3c by my c062dd4ec1 side like 62640c3ef7 you’re dead. Even a 65b9900cb5 half-baked priestess dbaa154cb7 like you 920915772e is better 93a02bffe8 than letting a702478319 someone else 808f7da3fc have you.’2bae7d9d9e013b75

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If only she a72e5e077e had let go 121c8cf458 of him, maybe cb80aca6cc it wouldn’t have 3fc60c88ba been so painful. If only she e8e2bdb413 had known she 0386cc83cd could. Even in a161b017f5 Aydin’s twisted 1b9860eced obsession, Russelin 50791edf39 couldn’t bring 72e4dcb8ed herself to a899eae122 leave him. She had 55b46472a9 been alone 185da6c3d7 since her 2dc4d5ac3c childhood when afca2d4c72 she lost 2b2ca3677c her parents, 815bac68f6 and in a381cc676d her fragile 329f306b3a state, she 9fcb09c69f had no 28ea1fcb85 choice but 2f15cbd860 to rely dd963b3009 on the a178d8bbe1 power of 44dd6bcadd the priestess 17d3221a87 that had dda8d412b7 awakened within 2c8c4cdba9 her during 1aacb265d6 those dangerous 2ecd32c35d times.417c474321714f02

 bc05705233fa4b6e

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‘If you purify my dc146d1764 magic, I’ll keep you e0a7172713 by my side.’f08ac2c838adac3d

From then 87f4efcec7 on, Russelin d6e560c3cc lived trapped 5c635b396d in Aydin’s 96bebcf36d grasp, from 0748f69a93 the painful 346219cd75 and difficult 18455b6026 moments when 8d3324db3e he first d4ad427dac took hold f85798af94 of her 88925b1b4f life. Even though it fb3166c6ab caused her endless 157859a949 pain, Aydin was e79a11102f her world and e576e8bda9 everything she knew. She didn’t know how c9a19c6e07 to break free from e476829883 him, and so she 3f08a77ea6 accepted whatever he gave 1051c7afd0 her.2b54a152a76c2043

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‘Come to Helios ce6535db5e Forest, Russelin. To the place where db36d2a524 you first clung to fefcb6c5bb me.’cf3facc994e884c4

But when Russelin 81da04d237 finally realized that be64171bb6 what she thought 55fcefebee was love was 761b4cffee merely his cruel 91925f237f and horrible possessiveness, f57b748e24 her wretched life eb60d2bd12 had already come c26580afe0 to an end. Or so she thought.0c49b98782a21cd3

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* * *eb53308ae9a1e82c

“…What is this?”d796bf4767cc875e

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Russelin blinked in 37f637cb38 shock, slowly bringing 20ad1fbb6d her hand to 0fcd9332e4 her chest.03cca2a9a802d833

“This can’t be.”ef3c95717c1dcd49

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She was breathing. She could feel f8ac08102e the gentle rhythm f7a1a25350 of life in 37b5858775 her chest. The wound 288fad2f48 where a 4c693bf9fd sharp blade 3f6731a950 had pierced d42a6940df her heart 58e6dbd95c was gone.c0d638273c6acb21

‘Is this a dream?’e9821d635d420829

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She was 0a906aa543 certain she 58c3a640ed had been 57dbaa412e stabbed by 428351e386 Celia’s sword 4856788629 and died. The pain still 0437693155 lingered vividly in 37d9e504ae her mind when 3876f6c064 she closed her eb6ebbd094 eyes. She hadn’t yet 0440ce0eef calmed her racing 16837135c1 heart when she 1bfb75fa3b quickly surveyed her b8be77fc6a surroundings. She was indeed 7c4132a776 in Helios Forest, 86d2840eee where she had 9058983e93 met her death. But something was deae0ff849 different this time.f55f1cf80fb1d1ed

“…What’s going on?”2cce8cc750c32901

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Her field of bae6e21d53 vision was filled 147366faad with a red d2a229a8c9 glow. The tranquil silence of 9b464029df Helios Forest was consumed a4d255e66b by a dark, fiery 523f7f7e78 aura. Russelin quickly recognized that 035f753d0a it wasn’t ordinary flames d6b8060189 but magic—one she knew e73b5678d2 all too well from dcf401975c her memories.900878868d04b0e9

‘It’s the day 2e9f75ab18 Aydin first went 8b5f70f868 berserk.’89ad3bd9d976a023

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It was the day 43f2523075 Aydin first saved Russelin d643444669 from being consumed by 91441b0ce6 his own rampaging power. Aydin Bert 86021a6a24 had first a45870ee6b received Ragnar’s f7f14115dc power in 80f3eef72f Helios Forest, bc4cd8cc14 where it 26e468ccf2 was strongest. Unable to 8ffa0b05b0 control the cab569f074 immense magic 14e8dcf187 he had bf1b5779cd absorbed, he 557131aa1b went berserk, b884553e3f and Russelin bb6ccde6be had purified 63e2acb149 it for 244f652d52 the first 04ace11c85 time. It was also the 4b69ed9d72 day she first opened a0f534dd6b her heart to him, 47d7ebb716 believing their encounter to 3de93df24b be fate. But in truth, that 1f004051ef day marked the beginning 69686f04d6 of her exploitation by 7619f7480c Aydin.064159a4fe2abe47

“So, that means… Aydin will be here soon….”dccbdcc003e839fe

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The past, which had 137d74c653 been so painful, was 536d47204c returning to the present 406bfbb08f moment. Russelin recalled that Aydin f0c0764eec had been secretly involved e6f719db8d with Celia even before 231061aa85 they were married. Now, he would continue 5ef817a608 to hide Celia while fffadfef52 professing false love to 182d02570c Russelin and marrying her. All to monopolize the 59c997b0aa power of both priestesses.f0b479281c238c27

“…Do you think I’ll let that happen?”3953e6069535e3d7

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Whether this 87f04dd3d3 was a 957eb32188 dream or 16d6aefe32 she had a82a19df44 somehow truly a81a78ba59 returned to 9619cccb2e the past, d9c4777e0e Russelin didn’t 2973f6be18 know. But one thing e0d2cce08c was clear: this f69786a128 was her second 8152eb08e1 chance.3ebf7f5c442868ec

‘After the rampage 12e1efc061 in Helios Forest, e82d9a873a I accepted Aydin’s b639bc1931 proposal. So…’b57d79182abe05cd

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She hadn’t yet 7c6d05896e been fully ensnared 66631b87a9 by Aydin Bert’s c376630e58 lies. She couldn’t 852e5e35c7 be deceived cd16bec489 by his 1d78f71c1e false love 96726d028f again.87b5891643f0d9f0

“This time, I won’t fall so easily.”b95d5696aa3bdc99

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Determination burned in Russelin’s 07c4b643d8 clear eyes. She needed to escape 891ed057b8 from here immediately—from this b23bde87ca pit of magic that 4e175aeb5b threatened to swallow her ea57a49501 whole. And from eb90e16e0e Aydin Bert’s 95a0fcf9bc suffocating grip. Fixing her gaze 75431776eb on the direction ca869644b1 where the magical 65fdb65c10 presence felt weaker, e0135e2ba9 Russelin prepared to 4e68e08b1b run. But despite her 3df46792f3 firm resolve, she 422de62df7 stood frozen for 685feb3e05 a moment, unable 0cae16a69e to move.30530413d228d6f4

Red magic began to rise and spread throughout Helios Forest, and Russelin’s eyes landed on the man lying unconscious before her.27b4d94aa76c131b

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TL/N: “Half-baked” is an idiom that refers to something that is incomplete, poorly thought out, or not fully developed. It often suggests that an idea, plan, or effort is lacking in thoroughness or maturity, resulting in a subpar or insufficient outcome. Essentially, it implies that something hasn’t been properly prepared or executed.fed4a2e998575dc2

 e857b2531526daa2

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