The place was called the Centrant Hotel.

As the tallest building in Loberne, the hotel was considered to be one of the top five hotels within the kingdom. It offered excellent service, various supplementary facilities, and a high-quality buffet which was served daily.

Illuania always felt uneasy about staying in this place. She often wondered if a woman like herself, who had rolled her dirty body around the red-light district in the northern region, could ever find a place to belong.

She closed her eyes and gently stroked her swollen stomach, feeling her child inside as she entertained such thoughts.

This was a lifestyle she couldn't have imagined just a year ago.

Even now, Illuania thought that she was unworthy of such treatment, but with a parent's heart, she had decided to shamelessly provide for her child.

With a single-minded determination for her child, she cut down on drugs and only put good things into her mouth.

She only hoped that the rough treatment she had done to her body until now wouldn't affect her child greatly.

"He'll be fine, right?"

However, she couldnt help but worry about Deus Verdi, who had become her master.

This time, when he said he was going to the battlefield, Illuania hoped he'd return home in good condition as soon as possible.

Due to his prolonged absence from Norseweden back then, it was impossible for him to be the father of her child. However, Illuania hoped to stand by Deus' side if possible. She also wished for him to name the child.

Illuania smiled happily as she caressed her swollen belly.

For this child, she was prepared to do anything.

Knock. Knock.

A knock then came from outside the door.

"Room service."

Room service?

Since she hadn't ordered anything, wondering what could have arrived, Illuania headed towards the door.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, she felt sweltering heat surrounding the entire room. It didn't feel awkward or frightening because she knew who was beside her.

"Is there a problem?"

Illuania turned her gaze towards an empty space, where the faint figure of a woman with profound resentment gradually appeared.

[Its dangerous.]

Deus Verdi once told her that the deeper the grudge one held, the stronger the manifestation of evil spirits became.

At the time, she was unable to imagine the severity of the grudge of this woman with burns on her face, it was to the point that even an ordinary person like herself could see it.

Illuania tightly clutched her belly and nodded.

However, she now understood.

She, too, would fall into despair and anger if anything happened to her child.

Illuania was about to contact the front desk urgently.

Crush!

The doorknob was destroyed and the door quickly swung open, revealing a number of thugs entering the room.

She remembered hearing the hotel employee's words yesterday when the guests next door arrived, mentioning that they were switching rooms.

It was them.

Disguised as guests, the thugs attempted to attack her, pulling out hidden daggers while wearing smiles on their faces.

"Just come with us obediently."

"We don't want to harm a pregnant woman."

"But if we have to, we will."

Illuania was about to ask why they were doing this. However

**[Kyaaaaaaccccckk!]**

Illuania's guardian spirit, which had been appearing like a flickering image, let out a scream and had clearly revealed her appearance now.

Half of her body was completely burnt.

The fire alarm activated and mana-infused water poured from the ceiling to suppress the fire, flooding the floor.

Although it was a device designed to make it easier for water magic users to control their magic, the intense heat simply evaporated everything.

"Karrraaargh!"

"What the !"

"It's a monster! A monster!"

The fiery hatred from the guardian spirit began to burn the thugs' bodies.

The flames made of resentment were fueled by a determination and obsession to prevent any harm to the child.

Upon seeing the guardian spirit instantly engulf itself in response to this emergency, Illuania wondered if she was overreacting a bit. Yet, when she considered the danger her child was in, she believed it wasn't even enough.

Footsteps of the hotel staff echoed in the hallway. Despite the sudden crisis, Illuania attempted to remain as calm as possible to avoid burdening the child in her womb.

[...]

The guardian spirit didnt disappear, but instead clenched her fist as if preparing to go on a rampage.

Following that, there was a thud that resonated through the building.

Being on the top floor, Illuania realized something had landed on the rooftop.

"Are you okay?"

"W-what is this!"

"L-lets take care of your body first!"

Since she was a special guest directly instructed for by the Soul Whisperer, the hotel staff prioritized securing Illuania's safety above all else.

Crash!

The ceiling collapsed, crushing the employees beneath it as they screamed.

Illuanias guardian spirit tried to ignite flames again to eliminate the threat.

However, unfortunately, her flames were absorbed into the wings of the guardian deity and disappeared.

[Run!]

She tried to make Illuania flee by any means necessary. But instead...

Crush!

A spear thrust through the rising smoke, precisely piercing the woman.

It might have caused no harm if it were an ordinary spear. However, it was imbued with the power of the guardian deity Horua.

The guardian spirit, unable to speak properly, struggled to pull out the spear pierced through her chest before collapsing limply.

"No!"

Even though she knew the woman was already dead, Illuania didn't want to see her in agony.

Squeeze!

A thick, giant palm clasped around her throat. Beyond the smoke, the Great Warrior with copper skin and crimson wings stared at Illuania. He then spoke.

"The Soul Whisperer's reverse scale."

Ah.

With that one sentence, Illuania immediately understood.

It turns out I have become an obstacle to him.

I'm sorry.

***

The battle in Marias Great Forest was proceeding more smoothly than expected.

Fighting outside the kingdoms land posed challenges and adapting to the jungle was quite tricky.

However, after discovering that the Great Warrior had ventured outside late at night, Gloria decided not to reach for unattainable stars but rather sieged their home.

Gloria continued to employ a persistent strategy, having already contacted the Palace regarding the pursuit of the Great Warrior.

They had definitely put the Marias tribe in a predicament.

However, with the unexpected return of the Great Warrior, the Royal Army had no choice but to retreat for a moment.

Knight Commander Gloria was certain they could win if they simply regrouped and waited.

However, the Great Warrior suddenly brought a pregnant woman before the Royal Army and declared in front of them.

"The moment the Soul Whisperer appears on this battlefield, I will slit this woman's throat."

It was such a ridiculous and absurd declaration.

They wondered about the identity of the pregnant woman and questioned the rationale behind such a threat; attempting to use her life as a hostage amidst the hundreds already lost on the battlefield.

Certainly, the life of a pregnant woman was precious, but this was a battlefield where people by the hundreds were dying.

Therefore, the soldiers judged that the provocation demonstrated the desperation of the Marias tribe.

"That lunatic."

However, Findenai, who was familiar with the pregnant hostage, reacted differently.

She glared at the Great Warrior with fierce determination, ready to wield her axe at any moment.

Gloria and Saintess Lucia, who didn't know much about Illuania, received an explanation from Findenai.

In response, they looked dumbfounded.

"It seems like he finds the Soul Whisperer really terrifying, huh?"

"Sigh, oh God."

The situation itself was ambiguous.

If someone suggested to stop the war by using the life of a pregnant woman as a hostage, they would likely scoff and tell them to stop the nonsense, and to dismiss it.

However, he simply stipulated that the Soul Whisperer should not appear on the battlefield.

At that, they hesitated for a moment but quickly reached an answer.

"Anyway, the Soul Whisperer has no intention of joining the battlefield anymore."

Because he was still conducting the memorial rites for those who died in the war.

Occasionally, there were reports of the piano stopping its notes, but the memorial rites continued without interruption for days.

It had already been several days.

"We'll handle it ourselves."

Gloria declared this and the other adjutants had no major objections. After all, their enemies were simply cornered in a desperate situation.

Having won several victories in the Marias Great Forest, the upcoming battle was practically the final blow to secure their victory.

No matter how strong the Great Warrior was, there was no way he could do anything in this situation, right?

"...."

Findenai, who was preparing to enter the war, was sharpening her axe.

She was unusually calm and had lit a cigarette in her mouth. It was the luxury item given by Deus.

It was the first time she actually smoked it.

The scent of the cigarette was quite deep, something she liked. Saintess Lucia carefully approached Findenai as the latter was sharpening not only her usual folding axe, but also the thick axes she brought as spares.

Since Findenai's demeanor was so intimidating, Lucia was being cautious.

Nevertheless, there was something she had to tell her.

"Your name is Findenai... right? Do you happen to know about the spirit accompanying the Soul Whisperer?"

"Hmm?"

Of course, she knew about the spirit because although she hadn't directly seen her face, she had seen Deus muttering to himself several times.

"She has a message to pass on to you."

Upon reflection, Findenai realized that the Saintess also had the ability to see spirits. She exhaled a puff of smoke before nodding.

"What is it?"

"I don't know when the Soul Whisperer will be done with his ritual, but we have to end the war before that happens. Or at the very least, rescue the pregnant woman who has become a hostage."

"...."

"Otherwise, he might cross a line that shouldn't be crossed."

Findenai understood best how much Deus had favored and cared for Illuania, as she was the one who had experienced that discrimination firsthand.

If Deus were to find out that Illuania had fallen into the enemy's hands in such a bloody battlefield, and on top of that, at the most critical moment

"Huff."

Findenai flicked the cigarette butt onto the ground and extinguished it as she picked up her axes.

"Don't worry, Master Bastard will never know."

Then, gripping the axe with both hands, she marched forward without hesitation.