Lieze suddenly woke up from her unconscious state, finding herself lying in front of Fyrel, who was busy sorting through documents spread across his desk.
The room was in complete disarray—bookshelves toppled, volumes scattered across the floor—as if a natural disaster had struck.
"Enjoy your nap?"
Her master forced a smile, though his clothes were torn to shreds, revealing much of his body beneath.
She knew she had done something wrong and immediately bowed to the floor.
"I'm sorry, Master!!!"
"It's fine. Go outside and change your clothes. I… need to be alone for a while."
She quickly got up from the floor and backed away, her own clothes nearly ripped apart, exposing her undergarments.
An hour earlier...
"Why the fuck won't she stop? And what the hell is up with her power?!"
From the sky, thousands of monstrous creatures emerged from the glowing circle—feathered, serpent-tailed terrors with wingspans like colossal Rocs.
The monsters gathered in the sky, swirling ominously in place as if waiting for something. Lightning crackled violently, striking the trees below. The storm grew fiercer, forcing people to cling to sturdy objects to avoid being swept away.
Fyrel stared out the window, watching the disaster unfold before him. Hwa, standing beside him, asked for permission to go help the villagers. He granted it.
Meanwhile, Lieze, still floating behind Fyrel with her staff, began emitting dangerous sparks of electricity around his office.
"Ahhh, more bullshit... Ryn, get out there now and clear those birds. Their screeching is annoying as hell."
A blinding flash streaked across the sky, moving at incredible speed—each strike precisely severing the necks of the monstrous Rocs. One by one, they plummeted to the ground as if lifeless.
"It shouldn't be a problem now... Besides, everything is going according to plan."
He turned back to Lieze, grabbed her leg, and yanked her down. Then, he placed his palm firmly on her head.
"You can stop now."
In an instant, the light in Lieze's eyes faded, and she collapsed into Fyrel's arms. The staff, the source of all this chaos, lost its power and clattered to the floor.
The enormous crescent moon in the sky vanished, the dark clouds and lightning dissipated into clear skies, and all the remaining monstrous birds were swiftly eliminated by Ryn.
Fyrel carried Lieze and gently laid her down on the sofa in front of him. He then sat on another sofa, exhausted, watching her unconscious form.
"I admire all the women in this village... They're strong. The harsh training they endure to reach this level..."
---
Present Time
After Lieze left the room, Fyrel busied himself with managing the village's economic troubles. The kingdom had threatened to cut off merchant routes to the village because of his defiance.
He calculated supply and demand costs, preparing for the inevitable war with the kingdom. Because soon, he would leave this place—starting his journey as a prophet, spreading the ideals of love and fighting against anything that stood in his way.
The wooden pencil in his hand stopped writing. His head drooped, and he laid it down on the desk with a weary sigh.
" But no matter what… I'm still afraid. If I could, I wouldn't do any of this. Is this really the responsibility I have to bear? Every minute, every second… my heart keeps screaming at me to run away.
Haaaaaa…
I have to leave behind this new family I've found in this world—people I've known for less than a week. My mind is still that of a 20-year-old. No matter what, I'm just a human who barely understands the world yet.
Is this how men mature? Crying and exhausted, alone… until those feelings fade on their own? I thought growing up would be easier… Whose hands do you all rely on in the end? Friends? A wife? Kids? Family?
I'm jealous of those who've already made it through…"
Without realizing it, he drifted into sleep.
"Fyrel... Fyrel..."
A woman's voice called out to him as he slept.
He opened his eyes to a warm, gentle breeze. In his blurred vision, he saw a woman with crystalline blue hair and flawless skin—reminiscent of his wife, Hwa, except her chest was slightly fuller.
He was lying on her lap, surrounded by the towering branches of an ancient elder tree, its leaves a soft pink. The grass swayed lazily in the wind, and the air was thick with tranquility.
"Am I... in heaven?" he murmured.
The woman chuckled, shaking her head.
"Then where am I?" he asked, still dazed.
She smiled softly.
"In our own little paradise."
He quickly sat up from her lap and took in the surroundings—they seemed to be on a floating island, with nothing but endless clouds and distant mountain peaks stretching into the horizon.
"Wow... this really is heaven."
He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the crisp air, then let himself fall back onto the grass.
"Ahhhhh... You're a goddess, aren't you?"
With her eyes closed, she nodded to him.
"You don't need to comfort me. No matter what happens, I'll keep moving forward. So don't worry... I'm stronger than you think."
She giggled softly, covering her mouth with her hand, but her laughter made Fyrel's heart flutter. Her beauty was indescribable—no words could do it justice. Unconsciously, he had been staring at the goddess for too long.
The goddess noticed, and even her voice was incredibly melodious when she spoke. She cupped her cheeks with both hands, hiding the blush on her face.
"I'm your mother-in-law."
Fyrel jolted in surprise when she said that.
"Haha, sorry... Don't tell Hwa when you meet her. She'll kill me if she finds out. Besides, you remind me so much of her..."
"Hmm, Mom... I really want to know—who was the man who made you fall in love and betray the gods? Was he more handsome than me?"
She played with her fingers, her body shaking with giggles at his question.
"Our time has ended... but since it's a question from my son-in-law, I'll answer."
"His face really looked like someone... someone I forced to take from another world. His face was exactly like—"
A strong wind suddenly blew past, making her words inaudible—
Fyrel's vision blurred and darkened before he realized it—and suddenly, he was back in bed.