The night sky above Rivera felt unbearably heavy.
The bandits moved in unison, closing in from every direction.
There were no more jeers.
No laughter.
Only the sound of running footsteps, clashing weapons, and undisguised killing intent.
They came in droves.
Straight toward Sho and Cassandra.
Now… there was no plan.
No miracle left.
Only death.
Cass stood in front of Sho's unconscious body. Her chest rose and fell rapidly—not from exhaustion, but from understanding.
This was the end.
The bandit boss hadn't lied.
They wouldn't kill her.
Only Sho.
And that was precisely why Cass couldn't allow herself to live.
Her legs trembled violently. Her knees felt weak, unable to support her any longer. Not because of physical injury—but because of the bitter realization crushing her chest.
Sho would be killed.
And afterward, she would be sold.
Turned into merchandise.
Turned into a slave.
Cass lowered her gaze.
Her hand reached for a small dagger—the one she had taken from a bandit who had died from Sho's arrow. The blade was still stained with blood, still warm.
She gripped it tightly.
"…I'm sorry," she whispered.
She didn't know who those words were meant for.
Sho?
The Noerant family?
Or herself?
Cass wasn't afraid of dying.
She was afraid of living after Sho died.
More precisely—she refused to live that way.
She slowly raised the dagger and pressed it toward her own chest.
If she had to die—
Then she would choose how.
But—
BOOOM—!!
A violent shockwave exploded from the center of the plaza.
The bandits who were about to reach the monument were blasted backward. Some slammed into the ground; others were thrown against the charred walls of buildings.
Cass staggered.
The dagger slipped from her hand.
Her eyes widened.
"Sho—?!" she gasped.
She turned quickly, staring at Sho's body.
But Sho didn't move.
There was no sign he had regained consciousness.
Cass froze.
Then her gaze shifted.
Behind Sho.
Toward the stone monument.
Toward the sword that had remained embedded there from the beginning.
Balmung.
The sword trembled.
Not because it was being touched—but because it was awakening.
The air around it pulsed faintly. Thin cracks spread across the surface of the monument, releasing a pressure that was invisible yet unmistakably real.
And then—
Cass heard it.
Not a clear voice.
Not words that could be spoken.
Yet somehow… she understood.
Not with her ears.
But with her heart.
"Pull me."
Cass stood still.
Her chest trembled.
Her shaking hand slowly clenched.
She looked at Sho—his face pale, his breathing weak, his body on the brink of death.
And for the first time in several seconds—
Cass smiled.
A small smile. Fragile.
But real.
"There's a reason…" she whispered.
"…to keep living."
Not for this world.
Not to become a hero.
But for one person.
The mental bar appeared in her vision, glowing brighter than before.
[Cassandra Miolovel]
Mental: 81% → 87%
Her motivation was simple.
Protect Sho.
Cass knelt down.
She gently kissed Sho's forehead—almost like a habit they had never consciously acknowledged.
"Don't die yet," she murmured. "I'm not done scolding you."
She stood up.
Even though her legs were weak.
Even though her body trembled.
She stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
Toward Balmung.
The shockwave had bought them time. Not much—but enough.
The bandits began to rise again. Some screamed in pain. Others cursed in rage.
Cass knew—
She wouldn't get a second chance.
Her hand reached for Balmung's hilt.
Cold.
And yet—
Hot.
Before she even pulled it free, power surged violently into her body. Unlike Vijaya's brutal, destructive force—this was different. Heavier. Older. More oppressive.
Her muscles tensed. Her bones felt as if they were being crushed. Her blood pulsed wildly through her veins.
Pain flooded her instantly.
Illogical.
As though her body was being forced to contain something no human was ever meant to possess.
Cass clenched her teeth.
Cold sweat streamed down her face.
"So this is…" she muttered, her breath trembling.
"…the price of power?"
Yet her mind remained clear.
One truth stood firm in her thoughts.
Sho must not die.
Not today.
Not now.
Not after all of this.
Cass tightened her grip on Balmung.
Her hands shook.
Her body screamed.
But she didn't let go.
Because whatever lay ahead—
Power.
Curse.
Or both—
She would accept it.
For one person.
For a promise she had never even spoken aloud.
And in the burning plaza of Rivera—
For the first time in many years—
Balmung answered someone's call.
Balmung was pulled free.
Not with an explosion of holy light as the legends described.
Not with the heavens roaring or gods singing.
But the moment the sword left the stone—
Something collapsed.
The air shuddered violently. The invisible pressure that had enveloped Rivera—the last remaining barrier—fractured completely.
And then—
It vanished.
The Barrier of Rivera was destroyed instantly.
The bandits froze.
Some felt their knees give out. Others swallowed hard, their faces drained of color. The sensation of "safety" that had kept them at bay was gone.
There was no protection anymore.
The monument crumbled slowly, cracks spreading across its surface as Cassandra stood amid the rubble—holding Balmung, now glowing faintly, as if absorbing the world itself.
But before the first bandit scream could escape—
Cass's mind was pulled away.
Not to Rivera.
Not to fire.
But to the past.
---
Rain had fallen softly that day.
Her middle school uniform still felt too large for her body. Cass sat in the living room of the Noerant household, her hands folded neatly in her lap, posture straight—too straight for a teenager.
Across from her, Vannesa Noerant poured tea.
"Sho came home with trouble again," Vannesa sighed softly, her voice calm but clearly tired. "This time, he got into a fight with a third-year."
Cass lowered her head slightly. "I'm sorry, Aunt Vannesa. I'll talk to him."
Vannesa smiled faintly. "It's not your fault. That child is simply… beyond reason."
Cass nodded. "Yes."
A brief silence followed.
Then Vannesa glanced at Cass over her teacup.
"Cassandra."
"Yes, Aunt?"
"May I ask you for something?"
Cass straightened instantly. "Of course."
"Please watch over Sho," Vannesa said softly. "Make sure he doesn't go too far. He's too arrogant and always believes he's immune to consequences."
Cass nodded without hesitation. "I will."
Vannesa smiled—then suddenly smirked.
"By the way," she said casually, "when are you two going to start dating?"
Cass jolted. "W—What?"
"You're a perfect match," Vannesa continued lightly. "Living in the same house, always arguing, always protecting each other. The neighbor even thought you were already my daughter-in-law."
Cass's face burned red.
"Aunt—t-that's not—"
Vannesa laughed softly.
But her laughter faded.
Her expression turned serious.
"Cassandra."
Cass looked at her.
"Stop being so formal and stiff," Vannesa said gently. "You've been part of this family for a long time."
She paused, then spoke quietly—
"I want you to call me Mother."
Cass's world stopped.
---
The memory faded.
Cassandra smiled bitterly amid the burning plaza of Rivera.
"I'm sorry, Mom…" she whispered.
"I failed to stop that idiot."
Her hands trembled around Balmung.
"I've even… started acting like him."
Then—
The pain fully arrived.
Cass's body felt as if it were burning from the inside and out. Every nerve felt peeled open, pulled tight, and forced to function again without mercy.
She stifled a scream.
Heat.
Agony.
Unbearable pressure.
Yet her body moved.
Not by her will.
But by Balmung's.
Cass advanced.
One slash.
Two.
Three.
Bandits were cut down like insects, crushed without meaning. There was no elegant technique. No fierce duel.
Only slaughter.
Blood sprayed into the air. Bodies fell before they could even scream.
Cass was conscious.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
And that was the most terrifying part.
[Cassandra Miolovel]
Mental: 87% → 85% → 80%
The more she killed—
The heavier her chest became.
Guilt gnawed at her mind even as her body continued to move without permission.
"Stop…" she whispered.
"Please… stop…"
But Balmung did not listen.
Until—
Only one remained.
The bandit boss collapsed onto the ground, his body shaking violently. His sword slipped from his grasp.
"P—Please…" his voice broke. "I—I beg you… don't kill me…"
Cass stood before him.
Her eyes empty.
Her hand lifted.
"No…" she whispered. "I… I don't want—"
Her body moved.
Balmung swung.
The bandit boss's head separated from his body.
Blood poured freely.
Silence.
The plaza of Rivera finally fell quiet.
Cass's body trembled violently.
The power began to fade—and with it, her consciousness.
Before she fell—
She turned.
Toward Sho.
She smiled.
"This time…" she whispered weakly.
"…I protected you."
Cassandra collapsed.
Balmung vanished from her hand—just like Vijaya.
That night—
Two hero artifacts disappeared once more.
And two teenagers—
Lay unconscious in a village nearly destroyed.
---
It took time before anyone dared to move.
Small fires still burned at the edges of the village, charred wood crackling softly. Smoke hung low, making the air thick and bitter in the lungs.
The plaza of Rivera was silent.
Too silent.
Then—
One door opened slowly.
Then another.
Soon, shadows emerged from ruins and narrow alleys. The villagers of Rivera appeared one by one—faces pale, bodies trembling, eyes unable to believe the screams had truly ended.
They saw it.
Bandit corpses scattered across the ground.
Blood pooling darkly.
And at the center of it all—
Two small bodies lying motionless.
"Cassandra!"
The village chief ran first.
His steps faltered; he nearly fell—but he didn't stop. He collapsed beside his daughter, his hands shaking as he cupped Cassandra's face.
"Cassandra… wake up… Father's here…"
No response.
But Cass was still breathing—weak, yet alive.
The village chief exhaled shakily, clutching her to his chest as if afraid she would disappear if he let go.
On the other side of the plaza—
"Sho is here!"
Irene ran toward the monument, her parents close behind.
Sho lay there.
Blood still flowed from his body, soaking the ground beneath him. His face was pale, his breathing barely perceptible.
"Sho—!" Irene's voice cracked. "No… no, no, no—"
She dropped to her knees beside him, her hands trembling, unsure where to touch without making it worse.
"Irene, step back a little," her father said, his voice shaking yet firm as he tried to stop the bleeding.
Irene's mother covered her mouth, tears falling silently.
Irene bit her lip until it bled.
Guilt crushed her.
She should have been there. She should have helped.
But she knew—
If she had gone—
She would have only been a burden.
The thought made her chest tighten until she could barely breathe.
Soon—
A trumpet sounded in the distance.
Heavy footsteps followed.
Reinforcements had arrived.
Knights from the Southern Capital entered Rivera in full formation, weapons raised, ready for further combat.
But the moment they reached the plaza—
The formation faltered.
The commander froze.
"The barrier…?" he murmured.
Something was terribly wrong.
There was no protective pressure.
No defensive layer.
The Barrier of Rivera was completely gone.
His gaze shifted to the monument.
Empty.
Balmung was gone.
Vijaya was gone.
Yet their aura—
Still lingered.
Faint, fragile… and coming from the two bodies lying on the ground.
"Medical team!" the commander shouted. "Now!"
Healers rushed forward immediately.
Cass was examined first.
"External injuries are minor," one healer said. "But her internal condition… devastated. Energy overload. If we'd been any later—"
He didn't finish.
Cass could still be saved.
Then they moved to Sho.
And the healers' expressions changed instantly.
"Severe bleeding."
"Extreme blood loss."
"Quick—prepare transfusion and stabilization!"
They worked relentlessly.
Time felt unbearably slow.
Some villagers closed their eyes. Some prayed. Some cried silently.
Finally—
"Stable."
That single word caused many to collapse in relief.
Sho was alive.
The knight commander approached the village chief, who still held his daughter.
He bowed deeply.
"We… arrived too late," he said softly, filled with remorse.
"If we had come sooner, those children wouldn't have had to go through… hell."
The village chief said nothing.
He only held Cass tighter.
That night—
Rivera survived.
But the price—
Was two children who should never have stood on the front line.
---
Several days passed.
Morning sunlight filtered through the thin fabric of a medical tent, falling gently across Cassandra's face.
Her eyelids fluttered.
Cass woke up.
For a moment, she remembered nothing—only the heaviness in her entire body. Then the pain came slowly, dull and spreading from her chest to her fingertips.
She took a deep breath.
Still alive.
Cass tried to sit up.
The moment she lifted herself, weakness crashed over her. Her legs trembled, barely able to support her weight. The world spun briefly, forcing her to grip the side of the makeshift bed to avoid collapsing.
"…Ugh."
But she forced herself to stand.
No matter how much it hurt.
She pulled open the tent curtain and stepped outside.
Rivera had changed.
Far from healed—but no longer dead. Villagers moved about carrying wood, stone, and simple tools. Some unfamiliar faces helped as well—knights, healers, volunteers from nearby villages.
There was no laughter.
But there was movement.
There was life.
Cass turned toward the plaza.
The monument—the place where Balmung and Vijaya once stood—had collapsed. Large stones lay scattered, leaving an empty pit at the center of the village.
No sword.
No bow.
Only emptiness.
For some reason, Cass felt a tightness in her chest.
She looked around.
Her father was nowhere to be seen.
Neither was Irene.
But Cass didn't search for them.
Not now.
There was only one person she needed to find.
"Healer," she called softly. "Where is Sho Noerant?"
One of the healers looked startled to see her awake, then gestured quickly.
"In the next tent. But he hasn't—"
Cass didn't wait.
She walked unsteadily in the indicated direction.
Her steps were slow. Too slow. But she didn't stop.
When the curtain of the second medical tent opened—
Cass froze.
Sho was still lying there.
His chest rose and fell softly, wrapped in bandages, his face pale—but alive.
His eyes were still closed.
He hadn't woken up yet.
Cass approached, each step heavier than the last. She sat beside the bed and grabbed Sho's hand.
Tightly.
As if letting go would make him disappear.
"…Idiot," she whispered. "You always… always go too far."
No response.
Only silence.
Moments later—
"Wait… Cassandra?"
Irene stood at the tent entrance, surprised.
"You're awake already?!" she said quickly. "You should still be resting! You haven't eaten for almost two days—"
She noticed Cass holding Sho's hand and let out a soft sigh.
"Cassandra," Irene said gently. "Come outside for a bit. The knights cooked a lot of food. You really need to eat."
Cass wanted to refuse.
But her stomach ached, and her head felt light.
Reluctantly, she nodded.
"Just for a moment," she said. "I'll come back."
They sat near a small campfire with several villagers and knights.
A bowl of warm food was placed in front of Cass.
As she ate, her mind wandered.
She remembered gripping Balmung.
The overwhelming power. The crushing pain.
Her body had been forced to accept something it was never meant to hold.
Power… or curse?
Balmung gave her the strength to kill.
But it nearly took everything in return.
"Cassandra."
She flinched.
Irene looked at her with a small smile. "You're spacing out again."
"Sorry," Cass muttered.
Irene stirred her soup slowly. "You know… I can tell."
"Tell what?" Cass asked reflexively.
Irene glanced at her. "That you really like Sho."
Cass choked.
"W—What?! No! That's not—!"
Her face instantly turned red, stark against her pale skin.
Irene laughed softly. "Relax. It's obvious from the way you look at him."
Cass opened her mouth, then closed it again.
"…It's not like that," she murmured weakly.
Irene smiled gently.
Deep down, she was grateful—at least she could ease the heavy burden in Cass's heart, even if only a little.
Not long after Cass finished eating—
A healer shouted.
"Patient Sho Noerant has regained consciousness!"
"Sho…" Cass breathed, smiling in relief. "He's awake."
Cass stood immediately.
Ignoring the weakness returning to her body.
She ran.
The moment the medical tent curtain opened—
She saw him.
Sho sat casually on the bed, leaning back lazily, as if he'd never been on the brink of death.
"Oh," he said lightly. "You're awake al—"
He didn't get to finish.
Cass lunged forward.
She hugged him tightly, burying her face against his chest. Her hands trembled violently.
"Don't die before me," she whispered, her voice breaking. "If you die first… I won't forgive you."
Sho froze for a moment.
Then he smiled.
His hand lifted slowly and returned the embrace.
"Heh…" he murmured. "Alright. I'll try."
Cass cried softly.
Not because she was weak.
But because—for the first time since arriving in this world—
She felt she wasn't alone.
They were alive.
And at the very least—
They still had each other.
[To be continued…]