Chapter 441: Turning Point (1)

— Frey Starlight’s Pov —

One day left.

Sitting atop one of the tallest buildings within the Shadow Sect, I gazed over the vast expanse with empty eyes and a face darkened by weariness.

The sect had grown massive .. larger now than Belgrade, the Imperial Capital itself.

High walls and towering defenses turned it into a fortress.

The Engineer had completed his work here, then vanished without a trace .. as if he had never been here in the first place.

His disappearance at this exact moment... I couldn’t help but suspect it was intentional.

He’d helped me easily over the past few days, asking for nothing in return. But looking back now...

Perhaps the entire thing had been a setup. A carefully laid trap leading me straight into a pit of despair far deeper than anything I had fallen into before.

Or maybe... I had already fallen into it.

My relationship with the Engineer was never equal. He could appear before me whenever he wished .. but no matter how much I searched, I would never find him unless he allowed it.

But I was certain of one thing.

He was still near. Watching me.

He had always been close, from the very beginning.

In the end, every move he made, every question he answered, every moment of guidance he offered...

All of it served a greater purpose—a goal he had likely written out long before I ever crossed his path.

And now, it felt like my current situation was just another step on the path he had prepared for me.

It was as if a bottomless abyss had opened within me, devouring me from the inside, swallowing me in a storm of tangled emotions.

It was suffocating.

But somehow, my face showed none of it. Not a trace of the feelings that tore through my heart with every passing second.

I couldn’t do anything except sit there quietly, powerless, unable to find a solution to this overwhelming dilemma.

But I couldn’t sit there forever.

There was only one day left.

Time...

"If only I had more time..."

The thought crossed my mind, but I dismissed it just as quickly.

"No. Even if I did, nothing would change."

Either way, I was the one responsible for what happened to Danzo...

And I would be the one responsible for whatever came next.

It was a heavy burden, one that crushed my shoulders without mercy.

But I had no choice but to keep moving forward.

Because no one else could do it but me.

And so, I rose quietly to my feet, casting one last glance at the sect...

Then in the next second, I was gone .. vanishing into thin air as I teleported back to the Empire.

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That night, I visited Uriel at the temple.

The church’s top Saint candidate, five full years older than me...

With her golden hair and noble aura, she shone as brilliantly as ever, drawing all eyes wherever she went.

"I’m sorry, Uriel. I keep coming to you for help, asking again and again without giving anything in return. And here I am, asking for your help once more... I truly am sorry."

I apologized sincerely, but she quickly waved her hands, cutting me off, concern written all over her face.

"There’s no need to apologize. I’ll help you anytime. So please... don’t wear that face."

That’s what she said.

What face was she talking about, I wondered? I had no idea. There was no mirror here to show me my own expression.

I thought I was keeping my emotions hidden... so I didn’t know what she meant.

Still, I nodded to her in gratitude.

Uriel hesitated for a moment but soon steeled herself to help me once again.

And so, I unsheathed the Dark Sister.

My black katana.

"It’s simple. I need you to infuse it with your holy power once more. That’s all."

I gave her a faint smile.

"We’ve done it once before .. it’ll be much easier this time and won’t take long."

I was certain of that. After I’d used her power to save Sansa in the past, the Dark Sister had grown accustomed to her holy aura. This time, it would accept her power far more quickly.

Uriel Platini knew this too, though hesitation still flickered across her face.

"Can I ask... what are you planning to do with this power?"

She wanted the truth. It was a bit intrusive of her.

But I didn’t mind. After all, she was the one helping me.

Last time, her power was used to save Sansa.

But this time...

It was for something very different.

"I’m going to kill a demon."

I answered simply, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

My answer was vague .. but it was the truth.

I didn’t want to give her any further details, and she didn’t try to press the matter.

Instead, she simply did what I asked of her.

This time, it took barely an hour.

And soon, the Dark Sister gleamed with pure white and emerald light, radiating with sacred energy.

The Dark Sister amplified aura.

And with it, Uriel’s holy power surged within the blade, multiplying in strength several times over .. just as I had intended.

"Thank you."

I thanked her sincerely before turning to leave.

But she stopped me, gripping my shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Let me come with you!" she said, her voice urgent. "You’ll need holy power, right? Wouldn’t it be better if I came in person instead of just lending you my power through the sword?"

Uriel sensed something was wrong. Her instincts told her as much.

Especially after I told her I was going to kill a demon.

I guess I shouldn’t have said that.

"You really are kind, Uriel. That’s why everyone loves you."

And that’s why I love you ...

Gently removing her hand from my shoulder, I took a few steps back.

"But I’m sorry... this is something only I can do."

It was my responsibility alone.

I couldn’t let her carry the burden of what I was about to face.

And so, I apologized. But she didn’t give up.

Which left me no choice but to disappear—using the teleportation ability I’d recently acquired.

An ability that only reminded me of my failures.

In that moment, I left Uriel alone in the temple.

She stood there, staring at the empty space where I’d been, whispering softly to herself.

"...Will you really be able to bear this?"

She didn’t know exactly what was happening, but what she saw in me was enough to tell her just how unbearable this weight was.

I was truly desperate.

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Outside the temple...

I wandered quietly, leaving its grounds behind and walking the streets of Belgrade.

"It’s snowing..."

A warm cloud of breath escaped my lips as I stopped in place, staring at the cold snowflakes brushing against my face.

It was the heart of winter, so the snowfall wasn’t surprising. It covered everything in white, blanketing the streets and rooftops.

This was the final night. Only a few hours remained, and night had already fallen.

But the air was peaceful. Calm.

No different from any other day.

The Empire was busy with countless matters: the looming war, the aftermath of recent events...

But I was unaware of any of it, having isolated myself from the world over the past month.

The only thing filling my mind...

Was my sick friend, who had only hours left.

Hours before the moment of truth.

Preparing for that moment, I met with my other friend, who was waiting for me.

In the empty, dark alleys where not even a breath could be heard...

I stood face-to-face with Ghost, who had come the moment I summoned him.

Ghost said nothing at first. He simply stood there, staring at my face, unable to find any words.

And that silence irritated me more than I thought it would.

"You’re all looking at me like that... Is there something on my face or what?"

I asked with a faint smile ... one that couldn’t hide the weakness behind it.

Ghost answered my question with one of his own.

"...What happened?"

Hearing that...

I couldn’t help but laugh weakly.

So it was that obvious?