Lucas's pupils dilated.
This time, it wasn't just to maintain appearances—he truly saw it.
Aislyra's imploring gaze, filled with guilt and sorrow, made it clear: these weren't just dutiful words.
They were her feelings.
"Artema?! Wasn't that the beast Alberia sealed in exchange for her soul? Are you telling me that—even though it was sealed by the power of a goddess—it could still return?!" Lucas asked, his voice rising in alarm.
Aislyra nodded gravely. "Yes. The Divine Chimera, Artema."
She briefly glanced at the massive tree before returning her focus to Lucas.
"This tree is part of the seal—that's why I brought you here."
Her gaze darkened.
"At first, no one suspected anything was wrong. We all believed this tree would stand eternal… but about a month after the seal was formed—"
She bent down and picked up a fallen leaf, holding it out for Lucas to see.
Unlike the rest of the lush green foliage, this one was a sickly, deathly white.
"One of these was found at the base of the tree."
Lucas stared at the pale leaf, a creeping sense of unease washing over him.
"A white leaf…?"
Aislyra nodded. "We immediately sent it to our magical research division for analysis. What they discovered was... unsettling. This tree is slowly dying—and with it, the seal will weaken. If nothing is done, in fifty years, the seal will break, and Artema will be free once more."
She let out a weary breath before adding, "My sister sought an audience with the Goddess Elfidora herself, hoping she could provide an answer. But even the goddess was surprised—and confirmed our worst fear. The time limit is real."
Lucas exhaled sharply.
Fifty years.
It wasn't immediate, at least. There was time to prepare.
Still, one thing bothered him.
"But… in fifty years, won't I be too old to fight?" he asked hesitantly.
Aislyra gave him a pointed look.
"Have you already forgotten whose body you're in? How old do you think my sister was?"
Lucas's stomach dropped.
Oh no.
Elves were notorious for their longevity in most fantasy stories.
"…Thirties?" he guessed, hoping for the best.
Aislyra crushed his optimism instantly.
"Two hundred and fifty-six."
Lucas internally screamed.
'Wait—does that mean I'm two hundred and fifty-six years old now?!'
He swallowed hard before hesitantly asking, "…I'm afraid to know, but… what's the average lifespan of an elf?"
Aislyra sighed. "Most elves don't reach their natural lifespan. They die in battle, or other causes. But if we exclude external causes… an elf can live beyond a thousand years."
Lucas froze.
Even living two hundred years already sounded like practical immortality. A thousand was unfathomable.
But there was no use dwelling on it now.
"I see… so you want me to help defeat this beast when it eventually breaks free." He took a steadying breath before continuing, "Of course, I'll help you. Though I won't lie—the idea terrifies me. But I already decided I would do everything I could to ensure Alberia's sacrifice wasn't in vain."
His hands clenched into fists. "She gave her life to save her people… and because of that, I was given a second chance. That's not a debt I can repay easily."
Aislyra's expression softened.
But Lucas hesitated.
"…That said, I have to be realistic. I don't know how much help I can actually be. If Alberia—who had centuries of experience—was forced to make a pact with a goddess just to seal Artema… how am I supposed to defeat it? Even in fifty years, I doubt I'll be able to use her body at the same level she could."
For the first time in days, Aislyra smiled.
A genuine smile.
Not one of politeness or duty, but one of true relief.
She had expected the worst—that the soul in her sister's body would refuse to help. After all, he had no obligation to their people.
And yet, he agreed to fight for a kingdom he didn't even know.
For a people he had never met.
There was a chance he was lying—but she immediately dismissed it.
His eyes were too sincere.
Too much like Alberia's.
Even so, a faint trace of guilt lingered in her expression. She had forced this onto him.
But now, she pushed that feeling aside.
Because this boy was the only one who could save them.
"No," she said firmly, "you're wrong."
Lucas blinked in confusion. "…Wrong?"
Aislyra nodded.
"You are probably the only person in this entire kingdom… no, in this entire continent… who might be able to end Artema's life once and for all."
Lucas stiffened.
"…Why?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"It's simple," Aislyra began. "When a soul enters a new body in this world, it doubles the amount of mana that body can use.
"I'm guessing my sister didn't mention this in the letter because she's always been overly modest, but she was one of the strongest mages on the entire continent, possessing the highest recorded mana reserves.
"Now that your soul has merged with her body, you undoubtedly have the potential to become the most powerful mage this world has ever seen.
"The only thing you lack is experience and knowledge of magic—but if you manage to acquire both, you'll easily surpass my sister's abilities."
Lucas's heart pounded.
"So if I spend the next fifty years mastering magic at Alberia's level… I should be able to destroy Artema once and for all," he said, a flicker of hope in his voice.
But Aislyra's expression remained tense.
"There's a problem," she said grimly. "Even if you mastered all the spells known in this kingdom— even if you could cast them at twice their original power—I don't think it would be enough to defeat that beast."
Lucas's hope wavered. "Then… what do we do?"
Aislyra straightened, her confidence returning.
"We have a plan."
Her voice was firm, unwavering.
"In two years' time—once you've had a chance to adjust to your role as queen, learn everything you need, and allow the kingdom to stabilize—we will embark on a journey across the continent.
"We'll seek out magic that you can learn and allies who can help us eliminate Artema for good.
"But before we do that, I must ask you again—
Are you willing to help us defeat Artema, even if there's no guarantee this plan will succeed?"
Silence fell.
Lucas took a deep breath.
It was a lot to take in. The weight of an entire kingdom's fate was being placed on his shoulders.
The pressure was immense.
But then—
'If I do nothing… Aislyra will die.'
That thought alone sealed his resolve.
Even if she wasn't truly his little sister, even if she was far older than him, she was still Alberia's little sister.
And there was no way he was going to let another little sister die in front of him.
With eyes full of determination, he met Aislyra's gaze.
"Yes, I will."
Aislyra's lips curled into a small smile.
But almost immediately, her expression hardened—her entire presence shifting into something solemn and unshakable.
Then, with a graceful kneel, she placed her fist over her heart.
"Well then.
"I, Aislyra Elenlora, sister of the former Queen Alberia Elenlora, acknowledge you, Lucas Verdi, as the new queen of the Kingdom of Yggdora.
"I vow to protect you with my life for as long as I live."
Lucas stiffened.
For a brief moment, he wanted to say something—something like "You don't need to risk your life for me."
After all, one of the main reasons he agreed to help in the first place was so that Aislyra would survive.
But he quickly stopped himself.
Saying something like that would only insult her pride.
So instead, he simply nodded, silently accepting her unyielding loyalty—brilliant and transparent, like crystalline ice.
A beat of silence passed.
Then—
"…But you still can't touch—"
Aislyra barely got the words out before Katerina swiftly clapped a hand over her mouth.
Lucas blinked.
Aislyra struggled free almost instantly, glaring.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, KATERINA?!!"
The maid remained calm as ever, her half-lidded eyes betraying no emotion.
"Apologies, Lady Aislyra, but the moment had such a wonderful atmosphere… and you were about to ruin it with an unnecessary comment. So I took the liberty of intervening."
Aislyra scowled. "But I was just warning Her Majesty that—"
"I know exactly what you were about to say," Katerina interjected smoothly, "which is precisely why I stopped you."
Then, without giving Aislyra a chance to argue further, Katerina said, "Since Mr. Lucas has agreed to aid us, I believe it's time we return to the palace. I imagine your mother is quite eager to meet the new queen."
Lucas, who had been listening to the exchange, couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.
Aislyra, meanwhile, looked utterly defeated.
With no further protests, the three of them stepped onto the magic teleportation circle, vanishing in a brilliant flash of light as they returned to the palace.
As they walked toward the former queen's chambers, Lucas took the opportunity to ask about something that had been weighing on his mind since the attack.
"Aislyra, who was that assassin? Does this kind of thing happen often?"
Aislyra's expression darkened. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but for now, all we know is that he's an extremely skilled assassin and possesses a rare type of magic—space magic. Beyond that, I have no further information."
She exhaled, crossing her arms.
"I left the severed hand with the rangers. Once their investigation is complete, we might be able to uncover something useful."
"And as for whether this happens often? No. Assassination attempts against the queen are extremely rare. Alberia was one of the most powerful mages on the continent, and she wasn't exactly an easy target—especially inside the palace, which is protected by a powerful magical barrier and a large contingent of guards.
"But… if someone orchestrated this attack, it means they must have known that this morning, you would only have Katerina and me near your chambers."
Her jaw tightened. "That level of insider knowledge is… troubling."
Lucas frowned, absorbing the information.
"Rangers?" he asked curiously.
"Ah, right." Aislyra nodded. "You'd probably recognize them as something similar to what most nations call the police. They serve as our kingdom's primary military investigative force, handling criminal investigations, capturing fugitives, and maintaining law and order."
Then, with a small smirk, she added, "Unlike most police forces, though, they also oversee the protection and preservation of our kingdom's forests and wildlife."
As they discussed this, the group finally arrived at their destination—the door to the former queen's chamber.
Lucas's stomach tightened.
He was about to meet the mother of the body he now inhabited.
Would she accept him? Or would she see him as an imposter?
His fear of being judged was greater than he had expected.
Katerina stepped forward and knocked gently on the door. "Lady Sequoria, we've arrived with the new queen."
A smooth, elegant voice responded from within.
"I've been waiting for you. Come in."
But just before Katerina could open the door, Aislyra quickly leaned toward Lucas and whispered—
"I'm really sorry."
Lucas barely had time to register her words before Katerina opened the door—
And something shot out of the room at superhuman speed.
Before he could react, a blur of blonde and white crashed into him, wrapping him in a tight embrace.
Lucas staggered as softness engulfed him on all sides—the unmistakable sensation of two enormous mounds pressing against his own enormus mounds.
His face turned bright red.
What—?!
The woman hugging him was strikingly similar to Alberia, though her face carried a more mature elegance, and her hair was a darker shade of blonde, tied back in a low bun.
With stars in her eyes, she gently cupped his face, rubbing her thumbs against his flushed cheeks.
"So you are my new baby? How adorable! Oh, it's been over a century since I last saw such an embarrassed expression on my daughter's face!"
Lucas's brain short-circuited.
"Y-Y-Yes," he managed weakly, struggling to breathe.
Sequoria giggled, stroking his cheeks lovingly.
Then, with sudden seriousness, she locked eyes with him.
"Boy or girl?"
Lucas's heart nearly stopped.
"B-Boy," he stammered.
The moment the word reached her ears, Sequoria's entire aura changed.
Her grip tightened as she pulled him even closer, her eyes shining with joy.
"Fantastic! I've always wanted a son too! Thank you, Goddess Elfidora!"
Lucas's vision blurred as air became a luxury.
'I can't breathe—!'
Just before he lost consciousness, Aislyra intervened.
With one swift motion, she grabbed the collar of her mother's long white dress and yanked her backward, successfully prying Lucas free.
"Mom, calm down! You were suffocating the new queen!"
Sequoria, now holding only air, blinked in confusion before laughing softly.
"Ah… I overreacted. My apologies."
Then, without missing a beat, she turned back to Lucas with a warm smile.
"Would you tell me your name, my new son?"
Lucas took a deep breath, finally regaining some composure.
"Lucas Verdi."
Sequoria's smile brightened.
"Lucas Verdi… what a lovely name.
"I am Sequoria Elenlora, former queen of Yggdora—your new mother. So feel free to call me 'Mom.'
"I can't wait to pamper you—
"I mean, train you into the perfect queen."