To Julius Schneider, this felt no different from a child’s refusal to listen.

It was unfortunate, truly.

The thought of having to cut down the daughter of someone he once called a friend was not something he could easily digest.

And yet, the situation had already gone beyond sentiment.

In truth, Julius had never intended to tell her who he was.

There had been no reason to. The child from that day had likely forgotten him, and for the most part, he had been right. Margaret had not recognized him, not until he chose to reveal it himself.

It was only natural. Too much time had passed, and far too much had happened since then. The girl back then, with tear-filled eyes, had lived through the harsh reality that would have far more impact than a passing encounter.

Back then, she had not even known he was an Admiral.

There was no reason for her to remember.

Julius exhaled a breath.

He had also chosen not to tell her something else.

After her father’s death, it had been Julius who ensured that her education did not come to an end. From behind the scenes, he had supported what little remained of her path forward.

He never made his involvement known.

It had not been done for recognition, nor had he ever intended for her to find out. There had been no desire for gratitude.

He had acted simply because he believed it was something that had to be done.

Because, in the end, it was his way of atoning.

An attempt to make up for his guilt of having failed Illenia.

———!

A blade shot into his field of vision.

Shadows rose at Julius’s command, forming a barrier just as the strike closed in. The impact met resistance, but the force behind it was astounding.

When he had sparred with Dante Illenia, the man had fought in much the same way.

There had been no elegance in the traditional sense that aligned with the knights of Aetherion or the Celestine Hegemony. It had lacked the polish expected of those raised within established orders.

And yet, that was precisely what made it distinct.

Dante’s style had been direct with the intent to end the fight. There was nothing excessive or any wasted motion, only a relentless push forward that forced the opponent to respond.

It reflected the nature of Illenia itself.

Though it called itself a kingdom, it stood apart from the established empires, maintaining neutrality and existing for less than a century.

In many ways, it resembled a large city or an expanded settlement rather than a nation with deep-rooted history. Its title of "kingdom" did not come with the same legacy.

Naturally, that difference extended to its knights.

They did not adhere to the same chivalric ideals. They did not fight with the grace or composure expected of their counterparts, but instead, they fought with the intent, as if every exchange could be their last.

That was how Julius assessed Illenia’s swordsmanship.

———!

But this girl was different.

Margaret had taken that foundation and pushed it to an extreme. What she wielded was not simply a style, nor was it something that could be categorized so easily. She had embodied the very essence of cutting itself in its purest form.

Julius understood it clearly.

Every swing of her blade could pass through anything as if there were no resistance at all. It was not because of overwhelming force, nor was it the result of brute strength, but the sword itself was an extension of her will.

She did not swing to overpower. She did not swing to impress. Every strike carried a singular purpose.

To remove.

To erase whatever stood in her way.

It was not difficult to see how she had reached this point.

A princess who had been forced to abandon everything she once knew.

A life uprooted and sent away into unfamiliar lands.

A foreign environment that did not welcome her, where she endured scrutiny, rejection, and harassment simply for who she was.

Margaret Illenia had faced obstacles at every step of her path.

And this was the result.

Crackle——!

The moment their attacks met, Julius felt it.

The blade he had believed he had blocked did not stop. It passed through his defenses, tearing through the very foundation of his magic as if it had never existed in the first place.

The impact came a second later.

His body was sent flying, hurled backward as the force of the strike carried him through the forest.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

He crashed through one tree, then another, scattering wood and debris with each impact before finally being forced to a halt.

A long, singular line stretched across his torso. It was not deep in a way that would immediately threaten his life, yet enough to spill blood from his mouth.

"Cough...!"

This girl had long surpassed her father, Julius knew that. It wouldn’t even be an exaggeration to say Margaret Illenia was by far the strongest Knight he had met in his long life.

If he knew it would end up like this, Julius would never have called her a knight that day.

Julius lifted his gaze as the fog from the impact slowly cleared. Margaret was no longer there.

"It seems she chose to spare you."

The voice came from his side.

Julius turned his head, recognizing the figure standing just inches close to him. The presence was not one he had expected.

"A... Astrea?"

That outcome contradicted everything he knew.

Vanitas Astrea had been presumed dead. The operation had been clear in its intent, and by all accounts, it should have been successful. He was supposed to have been eliminated in the middle of the ocean by Julius’ own forces.

That had been the plan, after all.

But the figure standing before him did not align with that conclusion.

Though when Julius scrutinized closely, his physical condition was abnormal.

Vanitas Astrea’s skin had lost all color, taking on a pale, lifeless tone. His features appeared gaunt, and the structure of his face was more pronounced than it should have been, giving him the appearance of a living corpse.

"...!"

Despite that, the mana surrounding him exceeded any standard Julius had encountered.

It did not align with previously observed limits, nor did it fit within the expected range of even the highest-ranking mages. The intensity alone forced Julius to remain still as he assessed it.

A comparison could be made to Archmage Soliette, but even that was insufficient.

The disparity was too large.

The pressure exerted by Vanitas Astrea surpassed that reference point to a degree that rendered the comparison ineffective. As if comparing him to the Archmage itself was an insult.

"Consider yourself fortunate, Admiral. I would have ended you myself, but that would be a disservice to my fiancée."

"...."

Julius’s throat tightened, and for a brief moment, he found himself unable to form the words.

Then Vanitas stepped forward.

The movement alone was enough to break whatever composure Julius had left. He dragged himself forward and reached out around the hem of Vanitas’ boot.

Vanitas frowned. "Let go."

"Astrea... please... let her go..."

Vanitas stopped.

Slowly, he lowered his gaze, looking down at the hand clinging to him.

"What right do you have to say that?" Vanitas asked.

Julius’ grip tightened.

"Are you asking me to disregard the choice she just made?" Vanitas continued. "To waste the mercy she granted you?"

"I am not asking for myself," Julius said. "I am asking for her."

Vanitas’s eyes narrowed.

"She is walking a path that will only destroy her," Julius went on. "You know that."

"And you believe you understand her better than she does?"

"That is not what I am saying."

"Then say it properly."

The pressure in the air grew heavier.

Julius swallowed.

"...She is not someone who belongs in this," he said. "Whatever you are building, whatever you are planning, she does not need to be dragged into it..."

Vanitas remained silent for a moment.

Then he spoke.

"She chose this."

"...."

"She knew what it meant, and she still chose to stand beside me. You think I haven’t pushed her away?"

Julius’s hand Shook.

"She does not need saving," Vanitas added. "Not from me."

"...."

"Or from you."

Then, slowly, Vanitas moved his foot, just enough to loosen Julius’ grip.

"Do not mistake restraint for weakness, Admiral," he said. "The next time we meet, I will not be bound by anyone’s decision but my own."

Julius did not move.

Vanitas stepped past him.

"Astrea... what are you planning for us?"

Julius forced the question out because he needed an answer.

At this point, he already understood enough. Just from the presence seeping out of him, from the sheer pressure of his mana alone, there was no one left who could stop this entity anymore.

If Vanitas Astrea wished for it, he could take control of all four nations without resistance. And even if the entire world rose against him, it would amount to nothing.

That was the reality Julius had come to accept. So the least he could do... was understand the future waiting for him.

No, for everyone.

Step——

But Vanitas did not answer.

He simply continued walking without even glancing back.

Julius remained where he was, watching as the distance between them grew wider, until the figure of Vanitas Astrea slowly disappeared from sight.

But as Julius turned, drawn by the commotion echoing from a distance, he saw it.

"...."

An army of Cthulhus moved toward him, yet none of them stopped as they reached his position, passing by as if he did not exist.

"What in the world is going on...?"

It seemed as if they intended to follow Vanitas Astrea.