?


    Renji: "…"


    The young man nced at the chains and shackles in the nun''s hands, his throat moved slightly, and he discreetly took a half step back.


    In his worst imagination, the worst-case scenario had indeed happened.


    "Thia, can we sit down and talk calmly? Can you please put those things away?" Renji tried to salvage the situation.


    Unfortunately, this time, Suthia did not obey hismand.


    Renji felt his vision blur for a moment, and the next instant, the nun was standing by his side.


    With a vast difference in strength, Renji had no room to resist. With a crisp "click," a strong feeling of restraint came from his right wrist.


    Renji immediately turned his head to look, and there, an extra set of shackles had appeared, one end connected to him, and the other end...


    "Hehehe... Now Lord Ashen is locked up, tightly bound to Thia ALONE!"


    The other end of the shackle was connected to the nun.


    Suthia lifted her hand, gazing at the bloody red handcuffs linking her to Renji as if admiring the world''s most beautiful piece of art, emitting a delirious, happyugh.


    "Don''t do this, Thia. Our rtionship doesn''t need these external things to maintain."


    "No My Lord, you don''t understand. It''s already toote. What you said is right, Thia is no longer the one you knew. Thia can''t go back."


    Suthia shook her head, her eyes shing with a tinge of reminiscence.


    After the disappearance of Emperor Ashen, the Dragoness "Nova" was the first to separate from the Empire.


    Suthia still vividly remembered Nova''s words at the time. If the Ashen Empire no longer had the Emperor, then there was no need for the existence of this Empire. She only pledged her loyalty to the Emperor alone. Nova believed that this was a test from their Emperor, to determine who was truly qualified to stay by his side.


    No matter how Suthia pleaded at the time, in the end, Nova left with her subordinates and created her own "Dragon Kingdom" to prove her capabilities.


    And this was like a domino effect, the beginning of Suthia''s nightmare.


    Following Nova''s influence, "Zero," as an intelligence entity, also agreed with Nova''s approach after analysis and calction. Zero left the empire, taking with her a multitude of technological wisdom, and established the "Mechanoid Alliance" to wait for her Emperor.


    Simrly, no matter how Suthia tried to persuade, it was futile.


    After Miyuki also left the Empire.


    During the entire process, Suthia couldn''t do anything. She could only watch as her formerrades left one by one, and the Ashen Empire, built with Her Lord''s blood and sweat, which she regarded as her "home," crumbled within a few short months.


    …


    A red light shed in Suthia''s eyes, and she would never forget the pain she felt back then.


    ''Pain''


    ''Too much pain''


    "It''s all because of my weakness, all because I couldn''t protect the Empire and our home for My Lord"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    These memories about the copse of the "Ashen Empire" five hundred years ago shed through Suthia''s mind and were also transmitted to Renji through the connecting handcuffs.


    Even if there were only a few images, Renji could deeply understand the nun''s despair and helplessness at that time.


    And after that, when all the other four agreed that this was their "test," it was clear that Suthia had no choice but to believe it as well.


    So, in order to pass the test, in order not to be abandoned by the others, Suthia led thest remnants of Ashen Empire. It was the part that had been rejected by the other four after a round of selection. They returned to the ce where they had first met and built her... Holy Kingdom.


    And so, five hundred years passed.


    Nova''s Dragon Kingdom became the most powerful force on this continent, with a mighty military force that could sweep everything. Zero''s Mechanoid Alliance became thergest weapons supplier, a hub for all wealth. Lena''s Magiopolis became the center of the world, with the most powerful intelligencework. While Miyuki''s Forest Alliance didn''t interfere in worldly affairs, it was coveted by everyone because it possessed magical power that rivaled "Miasma."


    And... what about her?


    "Thia''s Holy Kingdom has no powerful army, no endless wealth. Thia only wanted to create a purend where everyone could live happily. But... but now, even thisst thing that Thia could boast about in front of Lord Ashen... is... is gone!!"


    "Thia couldn''t pass your test. Thia knows that in your heart, Thia is not as good as them, but Thia loves Lord Ashen so much, so much that Thia can''t ept being abandoned by you. That''s why Thia had to cheat. Because only this way can Thia keep you, can Thia stop being afraid and terrified"


    More and more Tainted Miasma''s red mist filled the space between them, forming clouds that enveloped them.


    Renji tried to struggle, but the handcuffs firmly kept him attached to the nun, and as Suthia voluntarily fell down, his body followed the nun, copsing onto the soft red mist.


    "Lord Ashen will forgive Suthia''s cheating, right? He definitely... will, right?"


    Chains shot out from the surroundings, securing the young man''s remaining limbs in the Tainted Miasma, rendering Renjipletely immobilized.


    Suthia, having done all this, looked at the young man with greedy eyes.


    She used to be a littlemb eager to be eaten by a wolf, but now, Suthia found that being the one to devour the wolf seemed to excite her even more.


    Renji tried to persuade Suthia once more, after all, the she was still possessing Maria''s body. But the response was still a shake of the head.


    "No, it''s Maria''s honor. Any Light Bringer can be Suthia''s vessel if Lord Ashen wishes."


    Five hundred years of time had indeed burdened and carried too much on this small nun. Suthia needed an outlet, and perhaps after releasing all of this, the nun could regain her sanity, and they could restart effectivemunication.


    On the other hand, Renji did not deceive Suthia. His words earlier were all genuine emotions, without any ulterior motives. The nun was truly his first love, and what otaku hasn''t fantasized about being close to their favorite Waifu?


    But the problem was...


    Renji twisted his tightly bound body.


    "Thia, I understand your point, but I can''t move like this," he said helplessly.


    However, unexpectedly, the nun licked her lips.


    "It''s okay"


    "You don''t need to move My Lord. Let Thia... take care of everything for you."