"Sister... you haven't changed at all."

"What do you really want to remember...?"

"Magic knowledge? Or aristocratic etiquette?"

"Is that bouquet ceremony so important to you..."

"Your family is already powerful enough, and glorious enough."

"It's already impressive enough to have such a long reign, and during that time, there were also such successful political accomplishments. These are rare in history."

"With such dazzling achievements... can't you give our family even a little recognition?"

"My family has not been in charge for too long..."

"Because we lost the favor of the gods, it takes six months for the tobacco in our territory to mature."

"How are we supposed to support the increasing trade deficit of our family?"

"Can't you just stay, sister..."

"Stay in the mortal realm and spend time with me..."

Diana curled up and leaned against Merka's chest.

Her gentle and soft body was like a piece of white jade, not as stiff and firm as Turing, but more human, filled with human warmth.

In truth, I don't expect my sister to really let me win in the competition."

"At least, can you say a few words of encouragement to me before the competition?"

"I wish... I wish you could just look back at me..."

Unfortunately, the person leaning on Diana's shoulder is not the real Turing.

It's just Merka.

Although Merka pities Diana, she can't help at all.

"Descent of the Holy Son."

Merka softly chanted the spell, and white light emanated from her left hand.

Her strong white arm swiftly attacked Diana's head, not giving her a chance to even open her eyes, and knocked her unconscious in the blink of an eye.

Diana's golden hair was dyed red with blood, and the intense impact forced her to release the gun in her hand. Diana fell to the ground unconscious.

"Diana..."

"I will convey your feelings to Turing."

Merka condensed her magic to heal the wound on Diana's head, then she grabbed the hem of her clothes and dragged her to the edge of the pit where she had previously stumbled and fell, and threw her down.

"This way, even if she wakes up, she won't be able to catch up."

Turning around, Merka picked up the gun Diana had dropped and weighed it, only to find that it was as light as a plastic toy.

"Just in case, this gun that Diana secretly carried can also serve as evidence of the Galleher family's violation of the competition regulations."

Taking a long sigh, Merka turned and walked deeper into the forest. The warm sunlight warmed her cheeks, and a sense of relief, like the rising tide in early spring, flowed into Merka's heart.

The shining leaves soaked up the sunlight, emitting a captivating fragrance and the lush green color of the grass. Even though Merka, who couldn't see colors, felt a stir in her heart, she smiled lightly.

"Regardless."

"I won this competition."

"Go and meet Samael."

...Finally, it's over...

Right?

"Have you taken care of everything?"

A sudden figure appeared in Merka's magical field of vision, but just a second ago, he hadn't seen anyone in that position.

Merka widened his eyes, a sense of crisis descended upon his cerebral cortex along with his increasingly rapid breaths.

An ambiguous, deathly scent hung in the air, like a drooling beast, staring across the Styx River at Merka.

Who is he? When did he arrive?

Did he hear me and Diana's conversation?

How did he suddenly appear?

A pair of raised cat ears answered Merka's questions.

"Why are you here..."

"Wouldn't it be a better plan to go back and activate the machine?"

Mulan shook her head mockingly, and two nearly identical clones emerged from behind the large tree on her back.

"Don't be foolish."

"That dragon is your person, right?"

"In that case, it's already too late."

"My walkie-talkie was mysteriously broken too."

"You really are quite scheming."

Mulan sneered, flipping her lips, holding the magic book in her hand and the smoking pipe raised high, pointing it at Merka.

"But you overlooked one thing."

"And that is yourself!"

"Do you think you're the mastermind?"

"You are nothing more than a piece on the chessboard!"

"I'm going to expose the lies of the Altria family with you now."

"Announce to the world that Altria has always been a cheating family, winning through deceit!"

Mulan burst into laughter, but then her tone quickly calmed down, and her expression turned cold.

"If you don't want to die."

"You can ponder over the secrets within me."

"This is your last chance."

With a sudden surge in magic consumption from his dropback, Merka had no choice but to release the magic, revealing his true form.

Two rounds of blue flashes skimmed past Mulan's body, heading towards Merka. Two terrifying wheels of light, like deadly blades, were about to dismember Merka.