"Goodbye forever, Grandma Elisa." Kaelxi gazed calmly at Alisha, fighting to hold back her tears.

Ignoring Alisha’s cries, two squad members flanked Kaelxi—her hands bound—and marched her out of the cottage. Trained professionals, they kept their grip firm but never touched her improperly.

Jack was dragged away by another member. Kaelxi idly wondered if he’d be pleased with his current state once he woke up.

Marched onto the street, Kaelxi scanned the sea of Slave Catcher Squad members surrounding her and sighed inwardly.

*So many people. Actual soldiers. More than the city lord’s guards last time.*

*This time, it’s truly over.*

*I’ll probably be sent to some dreadful place as a slave criminal.*

*Born a slave, now guilty of crimes serious enough to warrant military arrest… My fate will be worse than miserable.*

*Grandma Elisa will return to her old life. But will she feel lonely without me?*

*Will the neighbors miss me? I lived with them for half a year… and I’m cute, after all…*

*Who’ll look after the beggars in West District now? Grandma might still bring bread… but what after she’s gone?*

Kaelxi’s thoughts spiraled. *This half-year since my transmigration has been a failure. I couldn’t even see Grandma Elisa through her final days.*

*I hope she finds the little wooden box hidden under my bed.*

The squad moved swiftly. They’d already reached the East Gate—the very spot where she usually practiced her "side hustle."

*Merchants and adventurers won’t fall for my scams anymore.*

*Shame. I rather enjoyed teaching those gullible souls vivid anti-scam lessons.*

*Speaking of scams… Witt’s money is still in my box. That fool rushed off this morning with only his two heirlooms. Didn’t even take his gold coins.*

*…Did he leave it for me on purpose?*

*How will he afford supplies now, penniless as he is?*

*He’d come asking me for money…*

*Then he’d tell Grandma about the box. She wouldn’t have to bake bread before dawn anymore.*

*But if he can’t find me… he’ll be heartbroken.*

*After all, I promised this morning to stay with him forever. Even if it was… partly a lie.*

*Witt really is a good man. Rich, kind, naive… and so foolish.*

*But that’s why I could scam him.*

*I left him battered. Stole his first kiss.*

*Now even my promise to stay together has turned to ash.*

*I hope he never meets another bad woman for the rest of his life…*

*Witt…*

*I don’t want you here now…*

*There are too many of them…*

*You can’t beat them all…*

Tears slowly traced paths down Kaelxi’s cheeks. She’d lost count of how many times she’d cried these past two days. But this time… it was for Witt.

Calmly, she turned to the squad member beside her. "Will I be executed?"

He stiffened, startled by the question. Shaking his head, he replied, "I don’t know. My orders are only to deliver these Elves to the King." He believed in the Divine King’s wisdom—whatever His purpose, it was just.

"I see…"

"Thank you."

The light in Kaelxi’s eyes dimmed. All desire for life faded.

A new sprout, withered before blooming.

Now, she only prayed for a quick death.

She couldn’t bear more suffering.

Beyond the city gate, passersby stared at the black-clad figures—faces hidden except for their eyes—and the Elf girl marching among them. Kaelxi moved like a ghost. *Are we walking all the way to Redriver City? I’ll collapse halfway.*

*Collapsing would be better than slavery.*

*But dying from exhaustion… that sounds painful too.*

Suddenly, the squad halted. Four robed figures stood ahead, etching a glowing rune circle into the earth while chanting arcane words. Kaelxi recalled from Cesecity’s library: high-tier magic required preparation. Only geniuses like Witt could cast modified low-tier spells instantly.

*Thank goodness Witt didn’t come. He couldn’t handle mages who use rune circles… right?*

The completed circle blazed—a perfect ring enclosing a massive hexagram and symbols Kaelxi couldn’t decipher. The lead mage addressed the squad captain: "Commander, the *Teleportation* circle is ready. Destination: the Royal Capital."

"The Royal Capital!?" Kaelxi gasped. "I thought it was Redriver City!"

Nearby squad members glanced at her but ignored the outburst.

"Prepare for transit!" the captain ordered. Soldiers formed ranks, escorting Kaelxi onto the circle. The four mages raised their staves. Azure threads of mana flowed from the tips, dissolving into the circle’s glow as its radiance intensified toward its peak—

Then, a sudden shift. The circle’s light dimmed.

No—it wasn’t dimming. Something *brighter* had appeared.

Every squad member looked up, jaws slack with shock.

The mages broke their chant, staring skyward in disbelief.

Three suns blazed in the heavens.

No—four! Five!

Twenty blazing orbs, each five meters wide, ripped through Cesecity’s storm clouds. Like falling stars, they plummeted toward the squad. Twenty infernos painted the sky blood-red—a divine judgment heralding the end of days.

Mages dropped their teleportation ritual, weaving shields instead. Soldiers snapped shields from their backs, forming walls to protect Kaelxi at the rear.

But Kaelxi saw none of it. Her eyes were locked on the figure soaring above the chaos—Witt, sword in hand, diving like a deity alongside the twenty *Sunblasts*.

"Witt…" *Fool. Did you really have to go this far?*

His eyes burned crimson with fury. He didn’t see the shield wall rushing up to meet him. His gaze held only the girl he loved, accelerating toward her in a deadly glide.

Perhaps he heard her whisper his name. His left arm shot out desperately toward her. His roar drowned out thunder, magic, and screams:

"KAELXI—!"