Chapter 20 : Viya’s Dilemma

“Lady Sophie…”

The fallen Holy Knight captain tried to rise as Sophie approached, but his wounds nearly toppled him again.

“Don’t move, Captain. Let me heal you.”

Sophie knelt, channeling her remaining holy power into sacred arts—easing his pain while mending.

The beast subjugation was over. Soldiers and knights cleared the field; priests tended the wounded.

Elite clerics formed a holy array, sealing the abyss aura leaking from the Ironblade Wolf’s corpse.

“Lady Sophie, this fight was brutal. Abyss-tainted beasts are leagues beyond normal—it nearly wiped us out. Victory’s thanks to you!”

The captain paused, voicing everyone’s burning question.

“I recall you’ve no sword training. How did you—in that peril—strike true, piercing its vitals?”

Others halted, eyes on Sophie.

The top concern.

Even seasoned warriors would freeze before a frenzied transcendent—let alone counter.

Yet Sophie did.

“I…”

She was baffled too.

Why reach for the sword?

“Your strike… resembled Lady Serena,” the captain whispered.

“…!”

Sophie shuddered—Serena rippled through her.

Silver Sword Princess Serena—sacrificed to fell Demon King Viel, ending the demon-human war, bringing peace. Humanity’s hero.

Sophie knew little—only the statue in the Holy Land’s Hall of Heroes.

“Perhaps an angel manifested,” the commander joined. “As Lady Sylvia’s heir, bearing extraordinary duty—angelic protection fits.”

Angels—god’s messengers, real, not myth.

Last descent: centuries ago, abyss-tainted beast hordes devoured nations.

Humanity near extinction—angels came, stemmed the fiercest tide, gave hope.

Post-crisis: vanished.

Said to return only at humanity’s doom—divine salvation.

“Lady Sophie—was it?” the captain asked curiously.

“My body moved on its own—like a mysterious force guided me. When I came to, the wolf was down.”

Sophie took the out—safe answer.

No guidance felt, but easier for them; less trouble.

“Truly an angel!” the captain gasped.

“But I’m unsure—the feeling was vague,” Sophie said. “Please don’t spread it. Angel matters stir controversy—best stay conservative till confirmed.”

“Understood.”

Captain and commander nodded.

Explanation soothed; mood lightened—some celebrated victory.

“Serena…”

Sophie bowed her head, murmuring the intriguing name.

She’d visit the Hall of Heroes later—see the fallen hero.

…

…

“Can’t… mana too low… body’s… drained…”

Via slumped sweat-drenched on the floor, gasping.

In her dorm—converting the empty room into a basic magic workshop.

Setup demanded steps:

Mana convergence nodes, anti-intrusion arrays, detection shields… all mana-heavy.

Via’s mana: pitiful. Drained fast—nowhere near completion.

“Work a bit, rest a bit—workshop done in monkey’s year?”

Pink-hair grumbled.

Outsourcing impossible—handing workshop keys to strangers?

Her Demon King secrets: lethal. Leak = Holy Land dungeon, no trial—gallows.

Second life—won’t end tragically again.

“Core issue: this body’s mana starvation.”

Via raised her hand, staring—eyes complex.

Mana capacity wasn’t fixed—postnatal training increased it.

But tied to talent: geniuses outpaced normals vastly.

Via’s issue: this life’s talent weak—innate mana low, far from past Viel. Training gains: limited.

Honest cultivation: too slow—distant water quenches no fire.

Assassin already struck—next crisis without strength?

“Normal means won’t solve this.”

Via sighed.

Others might quit.

But a Demon King had ways.

She rose slowly, surveying the mess, inhaling deep—eyes turning resolute.

“No choice—use that extreme method to flip the board.”