After that, much has happened.
The Empress, Matthias, and the priest Gabriel, who joined hands with them, even mobilized black magic that humans should never have touched in an attempt to destroy Asha.
Pervaz, helping such Asha, also suffered great damage.
This was because they were unable to properly defend against the sudden attack of the barbarians and demons due to the magic circle that Gabriel had secretly planted in the abandoned land and the city wall that was directly connected to it.
The emperor died suddenly, Asha retreated to Pervaz like a dog chasing a chicken, and Carlyle, who was seriously injured, was lying unconscious in Pervaz.
At that time, it seemed that everything was heading towards despair.
"But this day has finally come."
Asha, who declared war on the Empress and advanced from the North Gate of Zyro to the front of the Imperial Palace with the Knights of the nobles who supported her, looked at the entrance of the huge Imperial Palace with a face full of regret.
Of course, the Imperial Knights and even the Holy Knights were defending the castle.
"It's hard to even see my mother's face."
The second knight commander greeted Asha with a calm voice.
"The only bloodline of the Empress Dowager is His Majesty Emperor Matthias! How could a traitor like you insult the Empress Dowager!"
"It's nice to hear that. I always found her disgusting to call me my daughter, my daughter."
Carlyle approached Asha, who was smiling.
"Your Highness , he is not worth your time. Conserve your energy here."
"Ah, are you the male prostitute I've only heard of? You're always by her side, aren't you? If I had known that she was such a promiscuous princess, I would have abolished the title of Crown Princess a long time ago!"
Carlyle's eyes widened at the knight commander's sarcastic remarks.
"Are these guys so boring that they keep writing novels among themselves? Okay, let's see if you can die at the hands of that male prostitute!"
Without even giving Carlyle a chance to speak, he charged towards the knight commander. The knight commander, either overconfident in his own abilities or not having heard the story of Pervaz's reaper yet, confidently ran out to meet him.
"I, I...!"
"Leave him alone. I told you to let off some steam."
Asha didn't care and let him go, even though the knights were worried about Carlyle.
And not long after a few exchanges, the knight commander's sword flew through the air with a loud clang.
"Ugh, this, this can't be! How can this...!"
"Think about it slowly after you're done."
"Wait!"
The knight commander belatedly regretted and waved his hand, but Carlyle had no qualms about cutting him down, who didn't even use honorifics with Asha.
After Carlyle cut down the second knight commander, a brief melee ensued, but the morale of the knights, who had lost their leader, had already fallen to the ground.
The coalition knights, in a destructive force, stormed into the city with Asha and Carlyle at the lead.
* * *
Gabriel tried to use the same black magic trick he used on Ferbaz, but Asha and Carlyle didn't fall for the same attack twice.
"Don't let him get away… absolutely not!"
Especially Carlyle and the Pervaz warriors, who had lost many comrades to that technique, were filled with rage.
Moreover, unlike the battle they had fought in the city, this time they were outdoors, which gave them some freedom of movement.
The swords and axes of the Pervaz warriors mercilessly cut down the savages and demons, burning with revenge.
And Asha, who felt Carlyle's anger and sadness, clenched her teeth and shouted.
"Come out now, Gabriel!"
* * *
Gabriel had prepared the last trap. His target was Carlyle.
Carlyle, who had been chasing the illusion of the barbarians, was sucked into the magic circle drawn on the floor and belatedly realized that it was a trap.
"Ugh, what's wrong with this place… …"
As Carlyle groaned on the floor, Gabriel approached like a ghost in the dark and gloomy space.
"Those with only muscles tend to be less intelligent. Like you."
"Aha, you've finally shown yourself. Follower of evil."
"I am the servant of God. Black magic is just a tool."
"The very fact that you have touched black magic means that you have already abandoned God, you fool. Who are you calling unintelligent?"
Carlyle tried to stand up, but his body was not moving properly due to the shock of passing through the magic circle.
And Gabriel seemed to know that, and kicked Carlyle in the head.
Puck, with the sound, Carlyle's head turned and blood spattered.
"You insolent fool. You must be the one to get rid of Her Highness Asha and allow God to come to this country."
"What… are you talking about?"
"I will fill your body with black magic. With your beastly appearance, you will look like the incarnation of Karakash to others."
Gabriel's eyes twinkled strangely.
"You will be able to think of nothing but killing Her Highness Asha. You will probably be able to kill her easily. Her Highness Asha, unfortunately… seems to care for someone like you quite a bit."
"You crazy bastard…"
"And I will kill you myself as you rampage. That is the only way for a wretch like you to serve God."
Carlyle gritted his teeth.
Being corrupted by black magic and attacking Asha was something so terrible that he would rather die.
"God will never forgive you. I've never seen anyone who goes against God's word as much as you!"
As Carlyle felt his senses slowly returning, Gabriel's face filled with anger.
"If you keep talking, my ears will rot. Now, become a sacrifice for God."
The moment Gabriel's fingertips pointed at Carlyle.
Puck!
With a thud, Gabriel fell backwards.
"You little bastard! How dare you threaten my husband?"
It was Asha. And she was beating Gabriel with her bare hands, furious.
Gabriel, who barely managed to use magic to push Asha away, spat out the blood in his mouth and stepped back.
"How on earth did you know about this place?"
"God sent me."
"That's ridiculous."
"Well, it seems God doesn't think so."
Asha raised her sword and poured her divine power into it. Gabriel's eyes widened in surprise as he realized that she possessed divine power.
"No way… divine power…?"
"Do you understand now what I mean when I say I was sent by God?"
"Lies!"
Asha had everything Gabriel had ever wanted in his life. He had even developed feelings for her, but his jealousy and envy of Asha as the "only chosen human" got the better of him.
"Die!"
"Where!"
Asha and Gabriel's powers clashed, sparking sparks. As they fought back and forth, Carlyle, who had recovered somewhat, quickly sprinkled holy water on the black magic circle.
"You wretch, how dare you!"
Gabriel's anger was directed at Carlyle.
However, Gabriel's attack did not work properly, perhaps because of the black magic circle weakened by the holy water.
Asha lashed out at Gabriel. Almost out of her mind at the thought of losing Carlyle, she swung her fists wildly until Carlyle grabbed her wrist and brought her to her senses.
"It would be inconvenient if you killed him, Your Highness."
"Carlyle… Carlyle, are you okay?"
"The remnants of a spell cast by such a twig cannot kill the Lord of Pervaz."
Carlyle's face, covered in dried blood, was not very handsome, but Asha hugged him tightly and then wrapped her hands around his face and looked at him.
"Are you okay? Let me see."
"This is not important right now."
"It is important! It's important to me!"
At that cry, which seemed to be filled with tears, Carlyle could not help but smile and put his hand on top of Asha's.
"I don't know what to do with myself when the one who will be the empress is worried about me."
His bleeding lips pressed against Asha's palm, leaving a faint warmth.
"To be honest, I would like to keep doing this, but the magic circle is not completely gone yet."
Asha, feeling her ears turn red as she felt Carlyle's lips, noticed that the black magic circle on the altar that Carlyle was leaning against was still spinning.
Asha slowly stood up and placed her hand on the altar.
"It's ironic, isn't it? I used to be annoyed by the fact that I had divine power, but now I'm reciting the 'Magic Removal' spell and using it on you, and even practicing it in the field… In the end, is it all God's will?"
"Your Highness…? What are you trying to do?"
"If I collapse, kill Gabriel without mercy. There is no other way."
Leaving those vague and anxious words behind, Asha pressed her palm against the altar and slowly poured her divine power into it.
'Ashtart Hatara, Room Biona Sherba....'
She kept reciting the magic removal spell that she had been forced to memorize because of her great-grandfather's insistence.
And when the black magic circle, which had been gradually fading, finally disappeared in a wisp of smoke, she felt a satisfying sense of exhaustion and slid down to the floor.
"Your Highness!"
The same eyes full of worry that she had seen Carlyle looking at her were now looking at her.
"I'm really… lucky."
"Are you saying that in this situation?"
"Yeah. I really feel that way."
Asha's lips curved into a pleasant smile, and Carlyle finally smiled with relief.
"But… how did you find me? Even I don't know where this is."
At those words, Asha's expression hardened for a moment.
She stared into Carlyle's brilliant golden eyes for a long time before slowly raising her hand and gently touching the base of his collarbone.
"This necklace… You didn't throw it away."
"Ah…!"
Only then did Carlyle realize that he was wearing the tracking stone necklace that revealed his location.
"I regretted it. It was Sir Raphelt who brought it, but after all, I was the one who put it around your neck."
Asha could not refuse Giles' suggestion to put a location tracking stone on Carlyle in case he betrayed her.
In truth, she was afraid that he would one day leave her side. She was scared of that, so she put it on him.
"Thank you for keeping it."
At that, Carlyle smiled wryly.
"I should be the one thanking you, since it saved my life."
Asha pulled Carlyle into a hug and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"No, I'm the one who should be grateful. You'll never know how I feel."
In the middle of the gloomy black magic circle room, the love between the two deepened a little more.