Adriana possessed physical abilities far beyond those of ordinary people, which allowed her to reach the Bronze Gate Tower quickly.
However, the sun was slowly setting.
Daibun had said that she had to part ways with Loyar once night fell. Although the reason was unknown, it was certain that she had to meet Loyar before nightfall.
Before the Rotary Club's occupation, they had been living for a long time beneath the Bronze Gate Tower, one of the many large bridges in the Imperial Capital.
The Bronze Gate Tower, now devoid of the candy peddlers, had regained its original appearance as a pleasant walkway that people were beginning to avoid.
Adriana could see the long passage leading under the Bronze Gate Tower and beneath the bridge.
There was no sign forbidding entry, and during the Rotary Club's occupation, the area was always teeming with beggars, so people didn't bother entering.
Yet even with the beggars gone, the deep, dark sewer opening invoked an innate sense of fear in people.
No one would willingly enter such a place.
What was her sister doing in such a place? And did all members of the Rotary Club know about this?
Adriana chose a different path from the many strolling people, walking toward the sewer.
With the departure of the Rotary Club, the makeshift houses made of patched-up boards had all been demolished.
The sewer, where beggars used to huddle together and vomit from cheap alcohol, was now clean as if no such vermin had ever resided there.
The Rotary Club members had lived here for quite some time.
How did they endure the sweltering summers and freezing winters?
Even in this urgent situation, Adriana couldn't help but worry about them.
In the heat and cold, these people with nowhere else to turn huddled together and relied on each other to overcome the hardships.
It was Loyar whom they all trusted and depended on.
In the already sorrowful life of the beggars, when gangsters threatened and belittled them, Loyar always protected the club members.
Eventually, Loyar became so fearsome that no one dared to mess with the Rotary Club members.
Before she knew it, Adriana had ventured deep into the sewer, where not even a single lantern shone.
As the surroundings were pitch-black, Adriana summoned a sphere of light and slowly walked into the sewer.
The sewer was not a straight path. It was long and vast, but there were branching sections, and Adriana couldn't tell where Loyar might be.
She couldn't help but be astonished at the existence of such a massive underground waterway beneath the Imperial Capital.
There was no reason to imagine something she couldn't see.
In this lengthy and vast sewer, Loyar was somewhere.
What on earth was she doing here?
Fearing that she might lose her way, Adriana decided to move only forward, considering her return. That way, when it was time to go back, she would only have to go straight back.
The orb of light could not illuminate the entirety of the vast sewer system.
As time went on, Adriana could not help but grow increasingly anxious.
It had been close to sunset when they entered, so night would fall soon.
She had to find Loyar quickly. Judging by Daibun's expression, there was a clear connection between night and Loyar.
How long had she been walking?
"Adriana?"
A distant echo came from somewhere within the sewer.
Undoubtedly, it was Loyar's voice.
"Sister?"
Adriana's words were met with a distant stir.
"Adriana, why are you here..."
A figure approached, illuminated by the light orb Adriana held.
Now, thanks to Adriana's diligent grooming and care, a clean and well-maintained Loyar walked towards her.
"How did you know to come here?"
Loyar, who had come closer, couldn't hide her puzzled expression as she gently touched Adriana's face.
"There were lots of soldiers at the club. I don't know what's going on... but Daibun said I'd find you here."
"Daibun? How did that guy...? And what do you mean, soldiers?"
Loyar tilted her head, seemingly unable to understand what she was hearing.
"I don't know. Daibun said... not to go back to the club under any circumstances. That's what he said."
"Don't go back? And what about the soldiers?"
"I don't know. Ellen was with heavily armed soldiers, questioning the club members. So Daibun sent me through the secret passage in the club's basement, telling me to pass on the message..."
Although Adriana didn't know the whole story, it was Loyar who seemed even more unable to understand the situation.
"A secret passage? Why is there one in the headquarters?"
"...You didn't know?"
No, how could her sister not know!
Despite the urgency of the situation, Adriana wanted to scream.
"And... after I deliver the message, I should part ways with you quickly... before nightfall..."
At those words, Loyar's expression hardened.
As if now, everything that had been incomprehensible suddenly made sense.
"Ah... those bastards... they knew everything all along..."
Watching Loyar's expression, a mix of helplessness, loss, and a surge of overwhelming emotion, Adriana could feel some kind of passion, even though she didn't fully understand the situation.
Adriana wiped her face several times. She saw moisture shimmering at the corners of Loyar's eyes.
Just as Daibun had done, Loyar now gripped Adriana's shoulders.
"Yes, Adriana. I can't explain in detail, but I understood well enough what you're telling me. So, as Daibun said, leave here quickly. And don't go back to the club either."
"Sister, what's going on? What... what's happening?"
Adriana trembled with an indiscernible fear.
"Adriana, you should not know. It's better not to know about such things."
Loyar lowered her head in response to Adriana's question.
"Not knowing is better for you."
"Big sister... I'm scared. Are we... never going to see each other again?"
Unaware of the cause, she loses something.
Olivia was almost sacrificed in the nameless monastery for reasons unknown even to herself.
Now, Adriana began to sob, not knowing the reason, and fearing that she might not see the people she had just grown close to, and even Loyar, again.
Loyar's eyes were filled with determination.
As if trying to forcefully suppress and swallow some boiling emotion.
"Go! There's no time to take care of a child like you!"
"Bu-but, big sister..."
Seeing Loyar's anger for the first time, Adriana stepped back a few paces.
"Hurry... Hurry up and go... Night is coming... When night falls... I won't recognize you anymore..."
What was it about the night?
Adriana didn't understand what Loyar was saying.
Something terrifying was happening.
Now that the chain of events had begun, the only thing Adriana had to do was run away.
From all of this.
And from Loyar, who was about to face the night.
Soon, Adriana could see Loyar's expression contort in agony as she tried to send her away.
"Damn... Damn it."
As if sensing something.
From the darkness behind them, a soft voice echoed through the sewers.
“I found you here.”
Inside the white light Adriana had created, someone was walking towards them.
“Auntie.”
The cloak of the sun god.
Ellen Artorius, wielding the sword of the Moon God, was slowly approaching them.
Loyar stared at the approaching Ellen with wide eyes.
Adriana could see it too.
Ellen was surrounded by an aura like blue mist, and the divine sword of the Moon God, Lament, seemed to be burning with blue flames.
"Sword... Master?"
Adriana mumbled, her voice drained of energy.
"You... You monster... When did you get there...?"
Loyar was just as astonished.
"I have many questions. About things I haven't tried to find out until now, things I thought were strange but didn't ask... Now I'm going to ask."
Ellen quietly stared at Loyar, who had beaten her down countless times.
"So, you have to be honest with me."
As if prepared for a fight but not making the first move, Ellen spoke to Loyar while maintaining her Aura Sword and Aura Armor.
Loyar stared silently at Ellen.
She had thought that this monster's growth rate surpassed that of a criminal or even a genius.
But to have become a Sword Master already.
And from her gaze and demeanor, it seemed she was already certain of something.
The younger sister of the hero.
Ellen Artorius.
Could she escape?
No.
Loyar's intuition told her.
Escape was impossible. Not because of Ellen's skills.
Time was drawing near.
"Little black-haired girl."
Addressing someone who had already crossed the line into the realm of the inhuman, a precious person to her lord.
"Defeat me."
"…?"
"Defeat me, no matter what."
Ellen furrowed her brow at Loyar's strange words.
Still in a daze, Adriana's shoulder was grasped by Loyar.
And then—
-Whoosh!
"Ah, sister!"
"!"
Loyar threw Adriana towards Ellen, who hastily unsummoned Lament and caught her.
Loyar knew that the lord had gone far away for a dangerous task.
But Loyar couldn't go with him.
Born with a fate to fall into an unrecognizable madness every full moon night, she could not follow Valier.
Would her cursed fate become the lord's curse as well?
Ellen didn't understand what Loyar was saying.
But, holding the bewildered Adriana, she summoned Lament again.
"Sister… why? Ellen, why…?"
"Step back."
Ellen silently looked at Loyar.
The night of the full moon was approaching.
-Groooowl
"Grrr… grrrrr…"
Her snout elongated, and white fur began to sprout all over Loyar's body.
Adriana's face turned pale at the sight, and Ellen clenched her teeth.
"The White… Beast… Lycan… Sloth…"
The white beast that had appeared during the Demon King's assault.
Lycan Sloth.
There was no stronger evidence than this.
Taking the long and winding road.
Connecting the countless events of the past.
At last.
Ellen reached a clear conclusion.
"…"
A tear fell from Ellen's eye.
"Ah, sis… sister…?"
Adriana realized what she had heard as she watched Loyar transform into Lycan Sloth.
The reason Loyar had occasionally been absent for days.
Tonight was the night of the full moon.
The one she had given her heart and will to was not human.
-Growl
"Grrrrr…"
Seeing the transformed Loyar as the white beast, Ellen's tears continued to flow, her eyes full of determination.
"But, it can't… it can't be… why… why…"
Adriana too, began to cry in terror and horror, trembling in shock.
Defeat me.
Ellen understood what those words meant.
"Senior, step back."
It must have meant that she didn't want to hurt Adriana.
The person who had always beaten her and tried to kill her at first sight.
Ellen Artorius finally understood what her killing intent had been.
Then why.
Why indeed.
Some questions were answered, but the answers only led to more questions.
-Grrrrrr.
The low growling of the white beast echoed ominously throughout the sewer. Ellen took a deep breath, facing the white beast that had revealed its true form, a form it could no longer hide.
The white beast had lost its reason.
"Ma'am…"
Facing Lycan Sloth, who crouched and prepared to charge.
Irene's hunting dog.
No.
Great River Irene.
The white wolf of that place.
The white wolf of the Great River.
"Things will be different now."
Swordmaster Ellen Artorius raised her sword.
