The meeting came to an end.
The Empire was beginning to reorganize.
The Heralds were already devising new plans, cold and relentless.
And although no one had said it openly, the need was obvious.
They needed the Kingdom's troops.
They needed Princess Elizabeth.
But convincing her would be another battle.
Emily left the room before the others.
She did not want to talk.
She did not want to hear questions.
And, above all, she did not want to hear the word Hero again.
She walked through the corridors of the imperial palace with her head lowered, ignoring the soldiers and servants who stepped aside as she passed.
She only wanted to find somewhere no one expected anything from her.
Somewhere she could breathe.
Without miracles.
Without orders.
Without people begging her to save them.
She finally reached the private terrace assigned to the Kingdom's delegation.
The door was slightly ajar.
Lusian stood by the railing, his arms crossed as he gazed out over the capital.
The lights of mana floated between the streets like stars trapped beneath the snow.
He heard her approaching.
He turned his head.
The moment he saw her, his expression changed.
"Emily."
She tried to answer.
She couldn't.
She lowered her gaze.
"Lusian…"
He waited.
He did not ask what had happened.
He already knew.
Emily took a few steps toward him.
"We failed."
The words were barely audible.
"We couldn't kill it."
Her fingers began to tremble.
"And so many died."
Lusian remained silent.
Emily clenched her fists.
"I tried to save them."
Her voice broke.
"I really did."
She looked toward the city.
She no longer saw the lights.
She saw snow.
Blood.
Bodies.
People running behind them.
"The followers came with us because they believed we could protect them."
She swallowed.
"Some of them weren't even soldiers."
A pause.
"There were people from the temple. Wounded people. Refugees."
Her eyes began to glisten.
"I was healing one of them…"
Her breathing became uneven.
"And by the time I finished, three more had fallen behind me."
Lusian lowered his arms.
Emily continued before she lost her courage.
"I could hear them calling my name."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"They were asking me for help."
Another.
"They still believed I could save them."
Emily squeezed her eyes shut.
"And I couldn't."
Her voice became a whisper.
"I let them die."
Lusian did not try to argue.
He did not tell her she was a hero.
He did not tell her she had to be strong.
He simply stepped closer.
And embraced her.
Emily remained motionless for a second.
Then she clung to him.
She buried her face against his chest and finally released everything she had been holding back since the battle.
Lusian held her firmly.
One hand against her back.
The other resting on her head.
There was nothing heroic about that moment.
Just a young woman who had reached her limit.
"It's over now," he murmured.
Emily shook her head against his chest.
"No…"
"You're safe here."
"But they aren't…"
Her voice broke again.
Lusian closed his eyes for a moment.
"I know."
He did not try to erase what had happened.
He couldn't.
"And you don't have to pretend it doesn't hurt."
Emily gripped his shirt tighter.
"I'm a Hero…"
Lusian lowered his gaze toward her.
"Yes."
Emily looked up, surprised by his answer.
"And that's precisely why everyone expects you to save them."
His expression softened.
"But being a Hero doesn't mean you can save everyone."
Emily began to cry again.
"Then what is my power for?"
Lusian took several seconds to answer.
"To save those you can."
She looked at him.
"Even if it isn't everyone."
Emily closed her eyes.
The guilt did not disappear.
But it no longer felt like something she had to carry alone.
After a few seconds, she spoke quietly.
"Stay with me."
Lusian did not answer immediately.
Emily lowered her gaze.
"I don't want to be alone tonight."
He nodded.
"I'll stay."
He needed to say nothing more.
Lusian accompanied her to her room.
Emily entered first.
He closed the door gently behind them.
Outside, the palace remained busy.
The Heralds continued making plans.
The generals argued.
Elizabeth was probably preparing for another day of negotiations.
The Empire was beginning to move its pieces.
But inside that room, none of it mattered.
There were no strategies.
No politics.
No gods.
No monsters.
Only Emily, trying to catch her breath.
And Lusian, remaining by her side.
The meeting had dragged on for too long.
Above the tactical table, the map of the eastern region floated in the air. At its center, an enormous blot of reddish mana pulsed slowly.
The Frostblight was still alive.
And with every passing hour, the affected area spread a little farther.
Naira watched the map from her throne with a composed expression. Across from her, Elizabeth stood upright on the other side of the table.
The Heralds surrounded them.
None seemed willing to yield.
"Your Majesty," said the white-robed Herald, "we have already explained the situation."
"And I understand it perfectly," Elizabeth replied.
"Then you understand that the Empire needs reinforcements."
Elizabeth pointed toward the map.
"The Empire already has troops there."
"Troops that cannot defeat the Frostblight."
The Herald pointed toward the red zone.
"We need a force capable of confronting it directly."
Elizabeth held his gaze.
"And you expect that force to be my army."
"The Kingdom came to help," another Herald interjected.
He said it with an almost friendly smile.
Precisely what made it even more irritating.
Elizabeth remained composed.
"And my army is already helping. It is protecting supply routes and keeping several cities secure."
"While the Frostblight continues to advance," the Herald countered. "Every hour, the number of victims increases."
"I know."
"Then we must act."
Elizabeth fell silent.
The Herald extended a hand over the map.
"Five thousand soldiers. They could advance alongside the imperial forces and attack directly."
Elizabeth studied the marked region.
Then she asked:
"How many imperial soldiers have returned from that front?"
The Herald took a moment to answer.
"That is irrelevant."
"To you, perhaps."
Silence fell over the room.
Naira remained motionless, observing both sides.
Elizabeth spoke again.
"If five thousand soldiers go in there, how many do you expect to return?"
The Herald did not answer.
He didn't need to.
Elizabeth already had her answer.
Naira finally descended one step from her throne.
"We already know the outcome."
Everyone turned toward her.
"The Frostblight has destroyed positions defended by thousands of veterans."
Her eyes shifted toward the Heralds.
"I will not send more imperial soldiers directly against it."
A pause.
"And neither will I demand that the Kingdom do something so foolish."
Elizabeth slowly exhaled.
But the Heralds did not yield.
"Your Majesty," said the golden Herald, "if conventional troops are insufficient, then the Heroes must act."
Naira did not react.
"The Heroes have already been sent."
"And they failed."
The word hung in the air.
The Herald slowly turned toward Elizabeth.
"That is why we need a different force."
Elizabeth immediately understood where the conversation was heading.
"No."
The Herald raised an eyebrow.
"I haven't even said what I was proposing."
"You don't need to."
Elizabeth remained calm.
"My soldiers will not enter a front where even elite forces have failed."
"Then what do you propose?"
Elizabeth fell silent.
She was not hesitating.
She simply knew that any answer she gave would be used against her.
Then a deep voice broke the silence.
"I'll go."
Everyone turned.
Lusian stood behind Elizabeth, his arms crossed.
His expression was calm.
"You don't need to send the Kingdom's army," he continued. "The creature is the problem."
He pointed toward the map with his chin.
"I'll go kill it."
A smile appeared on the golden Herald's face.
Too quickly.
Far too eagerly.
Naira reacted immediately.
"No."
Lusian looked at her.
"Your Majesty…"
"I said no."
Naira's voice was not loud.
It didn't need to be.
Lusian frowned slightly.
"Then they'll keep pressuring the princess to hand over her men."
Naira studied him for several seconds.
She understood.
Lusian did not want glory.
He did not want recognition.
He simply wanted to take the pressure off Elizabeth.
"That does not change my answer," Naira said. "Duke Douglas is part of a foreign delegation. I will not allow him to be used to solve a problem that belongs to the Empire."
The golden Herald intervened.
"Your Majesty, the duke volunteered."
"I know."
"Then his wishes should be respected."
Naira narrowed her eyes.
"I will consider them."
A brief pause.
"And my answer remains no."
Elizabeth turned toward Lusian.
"And mine does too."
"Elizabeth…"
"No."
She shook her head.
"I will not allow you to go alone against a creature that defeated all six Heroes."
"I can do it."
"This isn't about whether you can."
Elizabeth's voice trembled slightly.
"It's about the fact that you don't have to."
Lusian remained silent.
Elizabeth took a step toward him.
"You are not going to become the substitute for an army they aren't willing to risk."
One of the Heralds let out a small laugh.
"What a touching display of loyalty."
Elizabeth did not even look at him.
"I don't need your approval."
"Of course."
The Herald's smile disappeared.
"But we should acknowledge Duke Douglas's courage. Few men would be willing to offer themselves against such a threat."
Another Herald nodded.
"A true spirit of sacrifice."
Lusian watched them in silence.
He did not believe them.
There was no admiration in their faces.
Only calculation.
They were already thinking about what they could gain if he died.
Or what they could gain if he won.
Elizabeth spoke before either could continue.
"Then the gods should learn to expect something else."
The room fell silent.
The Heralds stared at her coldly.
Naira gave them no time to respond.
"The matter is closed."
She raised a hand.
"The Kingdom's soldiers will not march against the Frostblight."
Her gaze shifted toward Lusian.
"And neither will Duke Douglas."
Then she looked at Elizabeth.
"You will maintain your current positions."
The golden Herald inclined his head.
"As you command, Your Majesty."
He appeared to accept the decision.
But the smile remained.
Naira saw it.
And understood why.
The Heralds had lost the argument over the Kingdom's army.
But they had discovered something far more useful.
A weakness.
Lusian could ignore the Empire.
He could ignore the gods.
He could even ignore his own safety.
But he could not ignore Elizabeth.
Naira slowly returned to her throne.
The meeting continued.
But something had changed.
The Heralds had just discovered where to apply pressure.
And Lusian had just shown them exactly what he was willing to protect.