Night. The luxurious guest room of the inn.
After finishing breakfast, Shendu strolled outside the inn. She lifted her head, gazing at the stars scattered across the sky and the bright moon hanging above.
Now that she knew this was another world, she could not help but feel curious. Why wasn't there two moons or two suns? Why did it resemble the environment of Earth from her previous life so closely?
Could this world actually be Earth's distant future? The thought drifted through her mind, and the more she considered it, the stranger it felt.
However, as a transmigrator, she did not have the mental energy to dwell on such things. After pondering briefly, she dismissed the idea and instead turned toward Emilia's bedroom.
Come to think of it, she had never entered Emilia's room before. That stirred a trace of curiosity within her.
Carrying that curiosity with her, Shendu arrived at Emilia's door and raised her slender hand to knock.
Creaaak!
A response came almost immediately from inside. The handle turned, and the door opened.
"You're here, Sister Shendu."
Emilia, dressed in her nightgown, looked at Shendu with bright eyes and greeted her happily.
"Yes. Let's go inside and talk."
Shendu waved casually and walked straight in, closing the door behind her.
After entering the room, Emilia patted the pink bed and casually invited her over.
"Sister Shendu, come sit here and talk with me properly. With your help, my chances of becoming queen have increased... but I still can't help feeling uneasy."
As Emilia spoke, Shendu sat down beside her. The moment she did, Emilia looped her arm around one of Shendu's, as though seeking comfort.
Shendu did not refuse. The girl wanted to rely on her, and naturally she would not disappoint her.
Truthfully, Shendu's decision to help Emilia had not been entirely selfless at the beginning. At first, she was well aware of Emilia's identity and had only intended to use her to complete her mission.
Only later, through their interactions, did she discover the shining qualities within Emilia and decide to genuinely lend her support.
"What are you uneasy about? Do you lack confidence in becoming queen?"
Shendu teased lightly as she questioned the girl.
"Yes. All the other candidates have their own forces backing them. Even Felt has the support of Reinhard. As for the others, there's no need to mention them."
Emilia had once believed she was at a complete dead end. But Shendu had revived the entire situation.
In terms of influence, she now had the Divine Dragon Merchant Guild, comparable to Ana's Hoshin Company. In terms of strength, she had the Grand Mage Shendu standing beside her. On top of that, they had recruited both civil and military talents, expanding their faction considerably.
Everything Shendu had done deeply moved Emilia. Aside from Puck, Shendu was the person she most wished to rely on.
"Sister Shendu, everything I've achieved now is because of your help. You won't leave me... will you?"
Emilia was sensitive by nature. Knowing that Shendu was a traveler, she could not help but wonder whether one day she might leave her behind.
"I am a traveler."
After spending so much time together, Shendu naturally had feelings for Emilia. Yet when she thought about her mission, she knew she could not stay with this girl forever.
"So I was right... That's your answer."
A bitter smile appeared on Emilia's face, mixed with a trace of sadness.
Seeing the sorrow in her expression, Shendu wanted to step forward and comfort her.
But Emilia quickly adjusted her emotions. She suddenly embraced Shendu tightly, pressing close against her.
"Just this once... can you listen to my story?"
Holding Shendu, feeling an unprecedented warmth, Emilia lowered her voice as she spoke.
"Of course. Go ahead. I'm listening."
Shendu gently patted her back, her tone soft.
At such close distance, Shendu could smell a faint floral fragrance from Emilia. Every time she caught that scent, she felt her spirits lift slightly.
"I grew up in the Elior Forest. But for some reason, my homeland was turned into eternal ice.
"Roswaal told me that if I can become queen, there will be a way to thaw that frozen land and allow me to reunite with the people of my home."
Part of Emilia's memories had been taken by the Witch of Vainglory, leaving her recollection of the past fragmented. She could only remember scattered pieces.
She remembered her mother—or rather, her adoptive mother—Fortuna.
From childhood, she had treated her with endless gentleness. But after that, her memories simply cut off. No matter how hard she tried, she could not recall what happened next.
From what Emilia described, it aligned perfectly with what Shendu remembered from the Sanctuary arc. She still remembered those crucial plot points clearly.
"Even if I become queen, I'll face enemies on all sides. With my abilities, I won't be able to handle them alone. And I still have to save my homeland... It truly gives me a headache."
As a royal candidate, Emilia had a deep understanding of the hostile forces surrounding them.
To the north lay Gusteko. To the west, Kararagi. To the south, Vollachia. And Lugunica stood in the east.
These four were all major nations, surrounded by numerous smaller countries—much like the structure of medieval Europe.
Vollachia in the south shared a long-standing blood feud with Lugunica. Sooner or later, war between the two kingdoms was almost inevitable.
Emilia had every reason to feel troubled. If these matters were not handled properly, not only would her homeland remain frozen, but she would also fail to become a queen worthy of trust.
"You fool. I promise you—I will save your homeland. And I will push you onto the throne. Until those things are accomplished, I absolutely will not leave your side."
"As for those so-called troubles, I'll sweep them away for you."
Before her mission was completed, Shendu naturally intended to do what needed to be done.
She never made empty promises. As a visitor from another world—the demonic dragon who commanded the Shadowkhan and wielded formidable magic—Shendu would prove herself to this world.
Completing the mission was one reason. But on another level, she simply found Emilia adorable. Helping her along the way was hardly troublesome.
In this world, she intended to complete her mission while enjoying herself. With the silver-haired half-elf girl by her side, it felt rather pleasant.
"Then, Sister Shendu, this is a promise between the two of us."
Emilia looked at her seriously.
"Alright."
Shendu nodded, seeing no issue with agreeing.
"Then... Sister Shendu, stay and talk with me a little longer tonight. Rest here as well."
A faint blush colored the girl's face. Ever since being with Shendu, she felt safe at every moment.
Facing the girl's dependence, Shendu felt unexpectedly pleased. Spending the night chatting with a silver-haired half-elf did not seem like a bad idea at all.
"Mm. No problem."
Shendu accepted naturally, not thinking much of it.
Upon receiving her agreement, Emilia felt overjoyed. In her heart, she already regarded Shendu as both her closest confidante and the person she relied on most—no longer as an outsider at all.
...
The next morning, when Shendu woke up, she found Emilia hugging her. The girl's expression was utterly relaxed, the corners of her lips curved in a faint smile.
It seemed that having Shendu by her side had given Emilia a great sense of security.
After all, it was only natural to be moved when someone was willing to support her and help her unconditionally.
"What a foolish girl..."
Shendu reached out and gently stroked Emilia's cheek, murmuring to herself.
As if sensing the touch, Emilia slowly woke as well. She opened her moist violet eyes and looked at Shendu.
"Mm? Sister Shendu... why are you up so early? Why not sleep a little longer?"
After waking, Emilia grabbed one of Shendu's hands and asked curiously.
"How could I possibly sleep when I'm looking at such an adorable Emilia?"
Shendu smiled and patted her head, doting on the girl without restraint.
"Sister Shendu, you're saying strange things again so early in the morning..."
Emilia's face reddened slightly. Shendu's affection always made her feel warm.
"Alright, get up first. There's something else I want to talk to you about."
Shendu stretched lazily. In the sunlight, her figure was gently outlined, her features still delicate and charming—no different from before.
Hearing this, Emilia did not linger in bed. Back when she was studying for the Royal Selection, she had grown used to rising at dawn and had no habit of sleeping in.
After they both got up, Shendu looked at Emilia with unusual seriousness. The silver-haired girl felt an inexplicable tension, unsure why her Sister Shendu suddenly seemed so mysterious.
"What is it, Sister Shendu?"
Emilia grew curious. Something about this felt different from usual.
Normally, Shendu was not this solemn. Only when facing an important matter did she wear such an expression. It made Emilia feel as though she was deliberately keeping her in suspense.
"You once said that your memories of the Elior Forest disappeared, and you don't know what caused that land to become eternal ice. Is that correct?"
After a brief moment of thought, Shendu decided it would be better to advance the timeline slightly.
She had no intention of altering Emilia's eventual journey to the Sanctuary for the trials. That would come after dealing with the White Whale and Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti of the Witch Cult. But now, she wanted to give the girl some preparation—to help her understand that she must sever herself from an irreversible past and step toward a new future.
"Yes... I truly don't remember."
Emilia frowned in confusion, still unable to understand what had happened.
"I can help you recover your memories."
Shendu stepped closer and rested a hand on the girl's fragrant shoulder, speaking in a meaningful tone.
"Accepting the past means accepting responsibility. Are you willing to face it?"
The moment those words were spoken, Emilia felt a sudden pang in her heart—a mixture of attachment and pain. Yet she quickly steadied herself, her gaze gradually turning resolute.
No matter what, she had always wanted to regain her lost memories. She wanted to know why her homeland had been frozen.
Whether painful or joyful, she would shoulder it herself. She wanted to become a woman worthy of Shendu's trust—not someone who merely hid behind her back.
Shendu watched Emilia's expression change—from hesitation, to contemplation, to final determination. The more she observed, the more satisfied she felt.
"I'm willing to accept the past. Sister Shendu, please restore my memories."
After deep consideration, Emilia looked at her firmly, fully prepared.
"Very well. Let's begin."
Shendu nodded and placed a hand atop Emilia's head. The moment Emilia closed her eyes, Shendu organized the memories of her past and directly infused them into her mind.
Strictly speaking, Shendu was not restoring Emilia's memories. She was implanting them anew, allowing her to understand what had happened.
The authority of the Witch of Vainglory was indeed formidable. The ability to erase Emilia's memories alone proved how terrifying she was.
As the memories flooded in, Emilia felt herself transformed into a child once more. She saw her adoptive mother, Fortuna, and her older brother figure, Archi, living together with her in the elven settlement.
There was also a green-haired man named Geuse, who frequently visited their tribe, bringing clothing and necessary supplies.
Until one day, their peaceful life was shattered.
The Witch of Vainglory and the Archbishop of Greed—Regulus Corneas—arrived, bringing with them the Black Serpent, one of the Three Great Mabeasts, spreading plague and destruction everywhere.
Emilia found herself in a ghost-like state, witnessing everything.
She saw Archi preparing to fight, only to be entrusted by Fortuna with the task of protecting Emilia. The sight pierced her heart with pain.
While escorting young Emilia to safety, she remembered asking whether it was her fault that their happy life had been destroyed.
Archi had gently reassured her that it was not her fault. None of it was her fault.
Later, Archi was wounded in the leg by the Black Serpent. To prevent the plague from spreading, he severed his own leg.
Having lost it, he chose to stay behind as the rear guard, urging Emilia to run forward without looking back.
In the end, Archi fulfilled his duty and sacrificed himself, swallowed whole by the Black Serpent.
As for Geuse, his fate was even more tragic.
To protect Fortuna and Emilia, Geuse forcibly fused with the Sloth Witch Factor and attempted to battle Regulus Corneas, the Archbishop of Greed, and Pandora, the Witch of Vainglory.
Though Geuse wielded countless Invisible Hands and fought desperately, he could not harm Regulus in the slightest.
By then, his eyes were bleeding, his left arm severed. The battle was utterly brutal.
At last, he joined forces with the arriving Fortuna to confront Pandora. But the outcome had already been decided.
In her ghostly state, Emilia witnessed their final conversation.
Especially the words she heard from Geuse—words that moved her deeply:
"In a world without you, in a forest where you will never come again, what could I possibly wait for? In the long years without you, someone as weak as I cannot endure."
"I feel the same, Fortuna. In a world without you, nothing would hold meaning."
They had resolved to die together. But they could not defeat Pandora.
Under the Witch of Vainglory's deliberate manipulation, Geuse accidentally killed Fortuna with his own hands, shattering his mind completely.
He was then brainwashed by Pandora and transformed into the Archbishop of Sloth—one of the most dangerous figures in this world.
As for the frozen Elior Forest—it had been Emilia's doing.
In her loss of control, desperate to kill Pandora, she had unleashed the entirety of her magic.
The forest was sealed in eternal ice, becoming a land of perpetual frost.
When all the memories settled, Emilia opened her eyes once more. Tears pooled uncontrollably within them, yet she did not speak a single word. The pain in her heart was unbearable.
"Emilia, this is a process you must endure. If you cannot accept it and step forward, then you are unworthy of being the candidate I choose to support."
Shendu glanced at her once, watching the silver-haired half-elf tremble with silent sobs. Ignoring her choked cries, she turned, opened the door, and walked out.