# Chapter 104
Claudia stroked Levi’s back sympathetically.
“The reason your black hand takes life as nourishment regardless of your will is because of the fracture in your core. If we find the fragments that broke off and put them back, you’ll no longer need nourishment.”
A distant ancestor who, like her, had been called a Holy One, had recorded memoirs about the true abilities and curses of the power of life, as well as the existence of Levi who possessed the opposite power. It also contained information about the ash-gray dragon and the Great Sage who was its incarnation, which she had explained to Levi.
Claudia also knew why Levi consumed the death of life forms as nourishment.
The fracture in his core, the fragments that had broken off.
According to her ancestor’s memoirs, Levi’s core was currently missing two fragments. If only those could be recovered, Levi would no longer need to take life as nourishment, just as he wished.
Claudia separated Levi from her embrace and kissed his forehead.
“Wait a little longer. I’ll definitely get them back for you someday.”
Levi trusted Claudia’s caring promise and turned his attention back to the man in the coffin.
“Ugh…”
The man’s groans grew increasingly rough.
“Kill… me… please… Ugh… Holy… Maiden… Urgh…”
Through the bandages that nearly covered his eyes, the man’s wavering gaze could be seen. He trembled faintly with his immobile body, looking only at Claudia.
Claudia, with a pained expression, placed her hand on his forehead.
“Please endure a little longer. You’ll feel better soon.”
Claudia looked down with infinite sympathy at the man who would never be reborn if he died this way, in pain.
If only she hadn’t used her ability to heal him back then, he wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.
As if to ease Claudia’s heavy regret, this time it was Levi’s hand that reached toward the man.
Levi felt distinctly different from before when he had feared contact with humans.
At this moment, the word “murder” that he had so feared didn’t come to mind. Knowing this was for the man’s sake, he gave him peace as Claudia and the man wished, and filled himself with that “death” as nourishment.
The moment Levi’s black hand touched him, the man drew his last breath with a faint smile beneath his bandages.
Levi felt the man’s energy, which had seemed completely blocked, naturally flowing somewhere.
According to Claudia, she had used her power to heal the man who had suffered a severe injury in the past. As a result, the man continued his duties as a knight with a clean appearance, but as time passed and Claudia’s energy began to dissipate, he contracted this disease.
A strange disease where the skin dried up, split grotesquely, and the body became necrotic.
In public, it was known as “Numinel Disease,” a rare, contagious, and incurable illness, but in reality, it was the fate of those Claudia had healed in the past. The same phenomenon occurred in the corpses of those who died with the power of life not completely dispersed.
Although she had taken pride in helping and healing others and had done good deeds, Claudia couldn’t help but regret when faced with the terrible results created by her power. If left alone, they would soon close their eyes after suffering in physical pain, and also lose the opportunity for rebirth that should naturally progress in this world.
A flash of murderous intent briefly crossed Claudia’s face as she blamed herself.
She couldn’t forgive the current Emperor who had used her despite anticipating all these consequences.
The current Emperor, Claudia’s uncle, not only attached the title of “Holy Maiden” to her to capture public sentiment and use her politically but also used her to gain diplomatic initiative across the continent. The reason Claudia allowed herself to be manipulated by him was her good and pure heart that wanted to heal people who needed help.
However, after discovering all the secrets of the Great Sage, the ash-gray dragon, and the powers she and Levi possessed through a historical text found in a secret space deep within the imperial palace, Claudia no longer intended to play into the Emperor’s hands.
Afterwards, Claudia wandered around looking for those who had been touched by her ability, as if atoning. She told the Emperor she was traveling to manage public sentiment and spread his benevolence, but in reality, she was seeking those who were dying painfully because of her power, to give them peaceful rest and open the path to rebirth.
Finding those who had been touched by her ability wasn’t difficult.
Since Numinel Disease was known to terrify people, she could quickly locate those who had contracted it by asking around.
Levi, who moved with Claudia like her shadow, extended his black hand to those who were sick and groaning due to the curse bestowed by the “Hand of Life.” Those who wished to abandon their increasingly painful bodies and find peace through death closed their eyes with peaceful expressions.
Watching this beside him, Claudia repeatedly and painfully reminded herself of the consequences of her recklessly extending her hand to those who knew nothing.
Their circuit continued like this for a full four years.
Then one day.
Unlike usual, Claudia, wearing silver armor instead of a flowing dress, sought out Levi with a tense expression.
“We might not see each other for a while.”
Claudia’s expression was very serious and determined.
Continental Year 971.
The current Emperor of the Delos Empire, who had been coveting the territory of the Caron Empire, declared war.
At the forefront of the battlefield was placed Claudia Rutien Delos, the First Princess of the Delos Empire, backed by the title of Holy Maiden.
The Emperor wanted to break the enemy’s morale and minimize allied losses by placing Claudia, renowned as the Holy Maiden, at the vanguard.
Claudia inwardly cursed the Emperor who was thoroughly trying to use her, but on the other hand, it was what she had wanted, so she didn’t refuse.
“The black fragment is in the Caron Empire.”
She had known for some time that Levi’s core fragments were in the Caron Empire. After all, the locations of the two black fragments were clearly written in her ancestor’s memoirs.
Deep within the imperial city of the Caron Empire.
The black fragment was in a secret place where only the Emperor could enter.
According to the memoirs, Levi had died twice in the past when his core was destroyed.
While the circumstances of the first death were unknown, during the second death, the ancestor who wrote the memoirs took his core and placed it in the pond in the Black Forest. Thanks to this, Claudia, who had read the memoirs, was able to find and meet Levi.
But regrettably, the fragments that had broken off at the moment of death were in the hands of the Emperor of the Caron Empire, along with the fragment from the first death.
If those could be filled in, Levi could become complete. Without forcibly taking life.
“I’ll retrieve those fragments.”
Claudia, who was affectionately stroking Levi’s hair, looked at Marquis Eiden Wesslon.
“You know you have to join the expedition too, right? Because of the immortality contract, you can’t be separated for more than a day.”
“I am aware.”
“As for Levi, who will be alone in the mansion while we’re away…”
Seeing Claudia’s worried face, Eiden signaled to an attendant waiting in the distance.
“Bring him.”
The attendant, understanding the meaning behind the brief command, disappeared for a moment and then reappeared carrying a baby. The baby was a white-haired boy, just like Marquis Wesslon.
“He’s an adopted son I recently took in. Under the pretext of protecting my heir while I’m away on the expedition, I’ll place as many private soldiers as possible.”
“Reliable as always.”
On one hand, she felt sorry for this newborn baby who had been adopted to provide a reason for stationing numerous soldiers to protect Levi during the war.
Claudia waved to the clear-eyed newborn, then looked at Levi who had approached her and was tightly holding the edge of her waist armor.
“War is dangerous. You’ll get hurt.”
“It’s okay. Even if I get hurt, I heal instantly.”
Claudia smiled brightly, embraced Levi, and planted kisses all over his face and head.
“I’ll return safely, so wait just a little while. Understand?”
“…Yes.”
And so Levi remained in the vast mansion with a small newborn baby who had been given the name Hest.
❖ ❖ ❖
A year had already passed since Claudia and Eiden Wesslon went to war.
Amidst those seeking death due to Numinel Disease periodically visiting the mansion, news of Claudia and Eiden reached Levi in two forms.
One was the report from the advisor who was close to Marquis Wesslon and acted as his proxy, coming and going from the imperial palace.
As the two empires stood in a deadlock:
Princess Claudia was captured as a prisoner by an enemy general after healing him in the middle of the battlefield, and Marquis Eiden Wesslon, who tried to prevent this, was also taken to the Caron Empire.
As the Delos Empire was about to organize a rescue operation:
An army that they had clearly crushed in the previous battle emerged carrying the same flag. Leading them was none other than the enemy general whom Princess Claudia had completely healed on the battlefield.
Seeing this, the Delos Empire army was greatly shaken.
From confused soldiers to all the commanders on the battlefield, everyone turned pale, wondering if Princess Claudia had betrayed them. Not only had the Princess suddenly healed an enemy general on the battlefield, but above all, the fact that the enemy army they had crushed was charging at them perfectly alive left no room for doubt.
The mere fact that the Princess and Holy Maiden who had been boosting morale had sided with the enemy country caused such great confusion that the Delos Empire army ultimately suffered a massive defeat at a key stronghold.
Enraged by this, the Emperor stripped Claudia of her position as First Princess and ordered that instead of calling her Holy Maiden, she be called the Disgraced Princess.
This was the information that began to spread widely throughout the Delos Empire, but the note secretly delivered to Levi contained quite different content.
