A dazzling white light suddenly burst forth, and the shockwave carried crushing pressure that broke through everything.
The surrounding space fell into a long distortion.
The scorching, shriveled air seemed to be folded and kneaded into a ball before being thrown in all directions.
The canyon shattered into chaotic floating rocks, and the drifting black clouds completely vanished.
The entire sky turned into a pure black expanse.
Huge blue clouds were scattered sparsely across the sky.
They tilted their thin bodies outward, like fallen leaves drifting away in a disorderly wind.
A dense sea of stars hung high in the night sky.
A bright white moon lay quietly in the darkness, calmly releasing its radiant glow.
Everything around became extremely quiet. Even the soft passing of the wind could be heard clearly.
That massive golden sacred angel had already disappeared, as if it had never existed.
Under that attack, which could be called a complete purification, not even a trace of sticky or foul smell remained in the air.
There was only a simple coolness and the scent of something burned.
Under that power that seemed to cleanse everything, this stretch of sky felt as if no danger had ever appeared.
Only the somewhat battered floating train still proved that what everyone had experienced earlier was far from ordinary.
The entire magical carriage looked like a meteor beneath the night sky, shining brightly.
The ministers were still inside the train floating in the air.
The knights slowly stood up, staring blankly at the sky.
Their eyes were wide open, as if the shocking scene from earlier was still lingering in front of them.
They no longer knew how to describe the shock in their hearts.
The white light had already faded for a long time, yet not a single person on the train spoke.
Although the entire carriage was silent, waves like towering tides surged in everyone's hearts, swallowing their original reason.
Almost everyone present had seen Viktor fight up close for the first time.
At this moment, they finally realized something.
Why Viktor, who was called the strongest mage of the empire, truly deserved that title.
They slowly raised their heads.
The body of the black Goddess of Justice was still suspended in the sky.
The darkness around her nearly blended with the night, and the enormous wings behind her gently moved, almost covering the entire sky.
That huge figure naturally radiated justice and majesty in all directions.
Those hidden eyes seemed as if they were judging everything.
And in front of that giant goddess, Gwen floated quietly.
She also flapped her pure white wings, forming a sharp contrast with the black angel behind her.
Until a gust of wind swept through the chaotic starry sky and passed through the gradually fading body of the Goddess of Justice.
The enormous figure began to disperse like ashes burning in black flames.
The black armor on her body shattered into pieces and scattered through the air like ash.
As the Goddess of Justice faded, it seemed as if all power disappeared along with her.
Gwen's body, high in the sky, began to wobble unsteadily.
The white wings behind her slowly folded together, turning into tiny yellow starlike sparks that gradually vanished as they were swallowed by the black ashes.
The golden crown above her head unraveled into strands of golden thread, losing its shape and turning into two streaks of golden silk drifting through the night sky.
All that remained was Gwen, her eyes tightly closed, her body tilting as she fell straight from the sky toward the ground.
Everyone watched Gwen, still burning with orange flames, turn into a falling meteor. Their hearts trembled.
If she fell from this height into the canyon, she would probably lose her life immediately.
But the next second, a figure swiftly pierced through the night sky.
With ripples spreading through the surrounding space, Viktor appeared directly beneath Gwen.
He simply stretched out his arms. One hand supported Gwen's legs, while the other held her back.
He caught her steadily in his arms.
Gwen had used too much power, and this was also her first time experiencing such a battle.
As a result, she could not help but fall unconscious.
However…
"You've already done very well."
Viktor held Gwen in his arms as he floated in the air, his eyes showing a hint of satisfaction and tenderness.
Everyone inside the carriage saw this scene clearly.
After a long silence, the carriage finally had movement again. But this time, what rose was a soft chorus of teasing whistles, as if they had just witnessed something delightful.
High in the sky, Viktor's windbreaker swayed slightly as he floated above the shattered canyon.
Only calmness and composure remained, like flowing water passing quietly through the world.
At some point, Aurelian looked out from the carriage, gazing at the countless stars turning in the sky.
The only thing reflected in her eyes was Viktor's familiar back... filled with longing.
———
[Three Days Later]
Red-tiled brick houses seemed to sit within a forest. The pedestrians coming and going were all leisurely, and sparse cries of vendors echoed from every direction.
The street lamps at night looked like scattered fireflies, giving off faint light and casting a cool glow on the passersby.
But in the Kingdom of Cant, whether men or women, beneath their elegant and luxurious clothing, a long sword was always worn at their waist.
Several nobles dressed in noble court attire gathered together on the platform of the magic train station.
Just like the pedestrians along the road, thin swords also hung at their waists.
They had gathered here as if waiting to welcome someone.
Some people had already begun to show signs of impatience. They frowned and every few minutes pulled back their sleeves to check the hands of the watch on their wrists.
Then they lifted their heads again and couldn't help looking toward the man standing in the center of the group.
He was a middle-aged man who appeared very composed, with a thin long mustache.
He carried no weapon, only leaning on an elegant cane that displayed his noble temperament.
Just a glance at him made it obvious to anyone that this man was no ordinary person.
A noble walked over and faced the man, his gaze passing over the three-star medal on his chest.
Then he respectfully bowed and asked, "Count Laurien."
The man called Count Laurien turned his head and looked at him, nodding slightly.
Only then did the noble straighten up and ask the question he wanted to ask.
"Will the Empire not be coming after all?"
"They said they would arrive in the morning, but now it's already close to evening. We've waited far too long…"
The man glanced at the noble calmly.
"What are you rushing for?"
"We are waiting for the princess of a nation, not some girl who comes to your house to throw a tantrum and demand money."
"As long as the Empire hasn't clearly said they aren't coming, we will keep waiting here... even if it's until tomorrow, or even next month."
The noble who came over immediately fell silent and stepped back awkwardly.
Count Laurien nodded with satisfaction and continued standing there with dignity.
His hands rested on the cane as he waited for the train to arrive.
After who knew how long, just when many people were starting to feel impatient again, suddenly, a magical railway gradually appeared in midair, spreading slowly toward the station.
When the nobles saw this scene, they finally felt a burst of excitement.
After waiting so long, the guests had finally arrived.
As the magical train tracks fully extended, even Count Laurien's gaze was drawn toward them.
Then they saw the train rushing in from the distant horizon.
At that moment, everyone present froze.
Could that still be called the magic train they knew?
The entire train was severely damaged. The carriages were uneven and dented, and the metal plating looked as if it was about to fall off the frame at any moment, appearing extremely dangerous.
The slowly rotating wheels were bent, wobbling slightly as they rolled across the rails.
Black smoke leaked from the bottom of the carriage, drifting upward into the sky.
It looked like a random carriage pulled straight out of a junkyard.
The train slowly came to a stop. At the moment the brakes were applied, the metal door shook a few times before falling off the carriage entirely.
It crashed onto the ground with a loud clang.
The nobles waiting on the platform all widened their eyes.
Even Count Laurien struggled to maintain his elegant expression, his eyebrows twitching slightly.
Finally, the train that looked like a discarded iron box slowly opened.
Like the jaws of a giant beast opening and closing, smoke and dust poured out all at once.
From the carriage stepped down a group of diplomatic ministers dressed in imperial attire.
The moment they landed, they couldn't help coughing together.
But when they saw the elegant middle-aged man, their spirits lifted immediately, and they exclaimed in surprise, "Mr. Laurien!"
Because these ministers often represented the Empire in visiting other nations to maintain friendly relations, they naturally knew many local nobles from different countries.
And the middle-aged man before them had quite the background.
Laurien Niss.
He was a subordinate of the mysterious Grand Duke of the Kingdom of Cant.
At the same time, he was a highly renowned three-star count.
In the Kingdom of Cant, the honor, status, and power of nobles were related to the "star level" they could obtain.
Nobles with three stars, like Laurien, were counts who possessed their own territory.
Following the same system, four-star marquises, five-star dukes.
Each star rank had strict divisions of strength and authority.
This strict star-ranking system also created the extremely unique noble structure of the Cant Kingdom.
If someone could earn even a single star in daily life, even an ordinary commoner could become a baron and bring honor to their family.
There were also many ways to obtain star ranks.
Improving one's strength, gaining honor, or earning military achievements.
Because of this, the Kingdom of Cant was a nation where everyone practiced martial skill.
Even the commoners by the roadside could be seen carrying long swords at their waists.
At this moment, Count Laurien slowly straightened his posture.
One hand rested on the top of his cane, while the other was placed over his chest.
Elegantly, he bowed toward the ministers.
"Welcome, diplomats from the Calenica Empire."
The ministers responded politely. First they returned the courtesy to the count, then continued speaking.
"Count Laurien, we sincerely apologize."
"We arrived far too late and have made you wait for a long time."
"Her Highness the Princess will soon step down from the train."
Hearing this, the nobles of the Kingdom of Cant once again looked toward the damaged train.
For a moment, their eyes were filled with both confusion and disbelief.
Count Laurien also couldn't hold back and asked, "This train… exactly what happened?"
They truly wanted to know what kind of event could turn such a sturdy magic train into its current ruined state.
However, the diplomatic ministers waved their hands and acted relaxed.
Facing the count's question, they spoke as if it were something completely unrelated to them.
"Oh, it's nothing."
"When we passed through the Nangaburna Canyon, our team just blew up about half the canyon."