'Well, she wouldn't have died because she was the saint.'
Then Carlin poured magic into the necklace.
Then the transparent jewel suddenly glowed dark red and trembled, then became transparent again like how it always was.
"But magical powers don't work."
"Then what do you think works?"
"I don't know. It could be divine power, it could be blood, it could be soul."
Carlin handed over the necklace again, presuming that it was divine power, as she had picked it up from a temple site.
Aria tried to infuse her own magical power, just in case.
The jewel was briefly dyed a dazzling purple color, then became transparent again.
'Is it not a magical power or a divine power?"
Aria thought she might not be able to reveal the identity of the necklace then for the rest of her life.
'I don't intend to be involved with the Holy Empire as much as possible in the future.'
She tucked the necklace in with an uneasy expression.
Anyway, that was the point from now on.
"Pierce my core."
"No can't do."
Then the sword-like sharp answer came back. Aria thought about it.
She must have been scammed.
"I told you to prove it, but you didn't say you did."
"Swindler."
"Who is the swindler!"
Carlin groaned, but he still averted his gaze as if he was the one being stabbed.
It was a mistake to give a chance to a ten-year-old kid, because he wondered what she would be able to do.
Anyway, Carlin didn't want to kill Aria.
'No, to be exact, he doesn't want to be brutally murdered by his employer, precisely for killing the Miss.'
He was an unparalleled great shaman, but nonetheless he still could not win against the devil.
"From my point of view, I think the Miss' talent will reach someday. No, with my help, it can be done within a year. But you'll risk your life because you can't stand that year."
"If I die, there is nothing I can do…"
"That attitude is the problem!"
Carlin had become frustrated.
Normal people leave their lives as a last resort, no matter what extreme goals they set. Because that's human nature.
But Aria didn't really care about her own life.
"I'm going to say this after joining in, but it was really crazy to go to the place alone."
It wasn't really what he meant.
"I know that the coordinates are set to the Papal palace, so of course there are things to do there…"
Carlin suddenly started nagging.
He sent her knowing that it was safe because the world knew about the security in the capital of the Holy Empire.
'Well. To me, the capital seems to be the most dangerous.'
The Holy Empire keeps the siren in check.
Because the recovery of the body was a unique realm of divine power.
Healing diseases and creating miracles could only be done by those with divine power.
It was no exaggeration to say that the existence of the siren itself was a challenge to God's authority.
'Right now, only a few know the existence of the Siren, so they won't come forward.'
When the siren's name begins to be widely known and praised, they will rush to find their weaknesses.
And they were going to use it as an excuse for war by finding out that Aria's song incites people's madness.
'Like it was in the previous life.'
Aria wondered if the reason the siren lived in hiding for generations might have been because of the oppression of the Holy Empire, which was not written down in the history books.
Then Carlin suddenly stopped what he was saying and asked with an annoyed look on his face.
"You're not listening to me right now and you're thinking of something else."
"Hmm."
"You're waiting for me to stop nagging and pierce your core."
"Hmm."
"Sometimes, it seems that you really wanted to die."
Didn't she say that she doesn't want to get involved, but she wants to change the future anyway?
To do that, she has to survive.
He jumped up from his seat, clicking his tongue at Aria's stubbornness.
"I'll get going then."
Carlin muttered something, drew a shamanic circle, and then vanished in the air.
'What kind of irresponsible….'
Aria sighed briefly, then patted Silver's back, who was lying next to her, she said.
"The next time you see the shaman, bite his butt."
"Ruff!"
Silver barked loudly.
***
After finishing her singing practice, Aria was still standing around the garden today.
Because today was the day Sabina sent a letter.
"….."
But in the end, the carrier pigeon did not even bring a flower.
'It's never like this before… .'
It's ominous.
Aria looked only into the air until the sun went down.
Dark clouds were floating in the sky as if it was going to rain soon.
"Ah-choo!"
It's cold.
Wearing her summer short sleeveless dress, she shrugged her shoulders and sneezed.
As if they had waited, raindrops began to fall, one or two drops at a time.
Aria furrowed her eyebrows and stretched her palms toward the sky above.
The rain soon became thicker.
Shaaa-
It was when she was defenseless against the sudden pouring rain.
Black darkness fell before her eyes.
Aria raised her head in wonder.
It was an umbrella.
"You're going to collapse again."
She tilted her head to the limit.
Lloyd looked down at her displeased as she squatted down.
"Do you think you can be a flower?"
Yes?
"It's not raining for you."
That's obvious.
Aria licked her lips.
– Showers usually fall suddenly.
"Ha, pretend to avoid the rain and say things like that."
There's nothing to say.
Aria, who was quietly in the rain because she was too lazy to move, averted her gaze and looked elsewhere.
Lloyd let out a sigh as she was fiddling with the flower in front of her.
"What do you do in the garden every day, idly standing? Aren't you tired of it?"
She's waiting for a letter.
Aria thought to herself.
But she didn't say anything because it was a secret that she and Sabina sent letters.
"Because you're standing here…"
Lloyd shook his head slightly and mumbled something softly.
She heard what he was saying, but had no idea what he meant.
It was when she tilted her head at her puzzledness.
"Grand Prince!"
The attendant who had been wandering around in search of Lloyd came running towards this side.
They were drenched from head to toe.
"I think you should come and see it now."
"What's going on?"
"The Madam suddenly had a seizure."
Up to this point, it's actually happened quite often.
But was it different this time?
The attendant's voice trembled uncontrollably as they conveyed their words.
"The doctor said it would be difficult to pass today…"
What?
Aria jumped up.
She can't believe the end is already here.
It was what she expected.
It was what she expected….
'I didn't know it would be this fast.'
Aria bit her lips tightly.
She hadn't even sung the first verse of the healing song.
'The only answer is to threaten the shaman to pierce her core.'
It was when she made up her mind and hurriedly took her steps.
Her wrists were held tightly.
Aria raised her head, with eyes wide open, and the blade-sharp gaze met hers.
"Your wrist is all better."
She was hit by a jaguar and sprained her wrist, but now it was fine.
Because she wasn't seriously hurt in the first place.
"I'll make a mansion for you to live in in the Grand Duchy. I don't have a hobby of pushing a child who said she would live again."
"….."
"If there's anything you want, just tell me. I'll get everything no matter how much it costs or how long it takes."
Now was not the time to be like this.
Aria, who was in a hurry, shook her hand several times to shake off the grip on her wrist.
– Let go.
But Lloyd held on tight and wouldn't let go.
He held the black umbrella over his hand to Aria's.
Contrary to the gentle consideration, his eyes were dyed blacker than the night sky, and it was cold.
"So get out of here."
This time it's real.
It's a real dismissal order.
His quiet sincerity was read even without the radical expression of telling her to get out.
Aria paused for a moment, holding an umbrella that was too big for her to lift.
"Call Dana."
Lloyd gave orders to the attendant and left without looking back.
Aria was silent for a moment, and she stood firm on the spot.
Until Dana comes and takes her to her room.
***
"Why is it raining like this?"
Dana looked at the pouring rain and muttered as if she was tired of the rain.
'It's really the last chance.'
Aria bit her lip thinking that it was finally time.
'I have to save her no matter what.'
Aria recalled that she had returned to the time after her mother, Sophia's, death.
It was similar to the despair she felt then.
Even though she has enough power to save her, she feels helpless to give up according to the laws that cannot be helped by human power.
Is this fate and is this rational?
'No way.'
Going back in time was a miracle out of fate and order.
If you get a miraculous opportunity, shouldn't you do a miracle?
***
At dawn, Aria opened her eyes.
Carefully, she got up and walked out of the room.
And she ran down the hallway.
She almost ran into the employees from time to time, but she managed to get through a few crises by hiding herself in a corner.
Aria called Silver and climbed on its back.
"To the East Tower."
A drizzle of rain hit her face violently.
Aria shook her wet body, but she didn't care and clenched her teeth regardless.
She went to the shaman and said,
"I'm going to cure the Grand Duke's wife."
"….."
"I'll ask you again. Pierce the core as promised before."
It was a bold declaration to change the future and to go against the rules.
Note:
Some name changes, Carl to Carlin; Diana to Dana And I added an illustration to Chapter 10 that the previous tler might have missed
Thank you for reading~