EPILOGUE: THE DEATH OF CASSANDRA DAVID

***The Saint’s Tower, several ages ago…***

“Lady Cassandra, I’ve finished cleaning your room. You may now sleep inside.”

Alexa smiled at her servant and thanked her for the service she provided. As the maid was about to go, the hero called out to her, “Oh, and before you go, Abigail, take this gift from me,” she handed her a book.

“Lady Cassandra!” the demon servant nearly lost her breath, “But this is your old teacher’s book from your own world! I mean, I want this; but, why are you giving this to me?”

“For safekeeping,” she winked at her. “You know we humans don’t live for long, while you demons are gifted a life akin to the elves.”

“Milady…please don’t say such things! You’re still young, even in human terms!”

“Hm…I may be,” the hero shrugged. “Perhaps in my old world, I’d be around 20 years of age now. Even so, we don’t know our time. In one moment, we mortals are alive, and dead in the next. I’m just ensuring my memories…no, my existence, would be safe for generations.”

“Of course, we will remember you!” Abigail told her, “We demons will forever look at you as someone of our own, though you’re a human we hated before. And we will make sure our children, and our children’s children, will always be grateful to you.”

“Thank you for that, Abigail…” Alexa smiled once again, though her servant noticed that it was a smile filled with sadness. It’s as if she remembered something that was dear to her. “After all, I don’t want to disappear in this world without someone remembering that I existed. It is a fate even worse than death…”

“Milady…” was all that Abigail could say. Though she was the hero’s friend, she knew she couldn’t heal the old wounds in Alexa’s heart, a result of her summoning to this world.

“Hah!” Alexa suddenly perked up, gently slapped her cheeks, and chuckled. “Enough of that sad talk! I should get to sleep, or my skin would get pimples!”

“Ah, eh, erm…in-indeed, m-milady!” the demon servant let out an awkward laugh. “Shall I help you with your things?”

“It’s fine, Abigail, I want to be alone for now…” she winked at her. “Meanwhile, you should get some sleep, too! We have nothing to do once we wake up, but still…I don’t want you to get ugly just because of my selfish whims.”

“Ehh? I’m your servant! It’s fine!”

The human hero laughed, “I’m just joking; you can now retire to your room. See you tomorrow, then!”

“Yes, milady!” Abigail bowed as she retreated towards the door, “I’ll be glad to serve you again.”

“Thank you, Abigail Usarved…”

“Eh? Milady, I—” For some reason, the demon servant was reluctant to leave her mistress alone. She was about to ask another question and ask if she could stay by her side, but Alexa already disappeared to her bedroom.

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Alexa made sure that her bedroom was locked. Well, her servant could always open it anytime, but she would have to use a key, which would take a while to get in the pantry where it was being kept. Once she was confident that no one could enter the room easily, the hero chanted a magic spell that revealed the circles she drew on the gray floor.

“…” She took a deep breath, trying to steel her nerves, as she knew what she was about to do was something no one had ever tried before…not even the demons, proud of their curious mind.

Alexa may have failed her first experiment, but this one…it shows promise.

“What am I getting afraid for?” she laughed at herself. “I already did this once…I can’t chicken out here, can I?”

Well, if this would be a success, then she would buy more time for herself and perfect her first experiment. If she failed, then she dies…this time, permanently. The very thought of it made her stomach turn, for she never meant for herself to die—unlike when she was on Earth. However, Alexa already prepared for that possibility, having written her will in which she requested that her remains would be burned.

“Haa…if I don’t do this, I’ll die of loneliness,” she muttered, trying to force herself to believe in her own reasons. “Hmph! Like Sir Greg always says, it’s better that I take the 1% chance, than ensure my failure by not trying at all.”

Closing her eyes, Alexa moved her bed with magic, and stepped at the middle of the circles and lines that she drew.

“Sir, please give me strength…”

Slowly, the circles and lines began to emit a faint glow, which she made brighter by chanting magic spells. Soon enough, the entire bedroom was bathing in a blinding light, and Alexa was wrapped in magical runes.

“Sir Greg…I wanted to see you again!” A warm, pleasant feeling overtook her, and it seemed like her chest would explode in euphoria. However, Alexa steadied herself; the spell was not yet fully-charged.

Like a cinema film rolling, her entire life flashed before her eyes. Alexa was nearly brought to tears, as she watched the days when she was born, when she was abandoned, when she was adopted by her stepparents…up to the time when she met her favorite teacher.

The latter of which are her happy thoughts…

Then, not wasting another second, Alexa released the mana that accumulated inside her body, and into the magic circles and lines. The runes on her body scattered, and suddenly, everything disappeared.

“…”

At the end of everything, nothing. Alexa remained in the bedroom, still alone. She knew she had failed.

The mana that Alexa channeled to that magic circle completely sapped her strength, for it was the last of her reserves, after countless attempts to make her experiments succeed. She fell on the floor, too weak to call her servant for help. And the realization of her failure made her condition even worse…

“S-Sir…” was all that she could say before she closed her eyes forever.

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***The Heavenly Realms***

“Natasha Bellingsen.”

A voice awakened the Saint of Darkness from her sleep. When she rose from her bed, a winged creature—an angel—stood at the door of her room, and gave a bow.

“Milady, the High King of the Gods has ordered your release.”

“Oh…” it took a while before the angel’s words sunk in her mind. “Huh? Wait, my time here isn’t done yet!”

“His Heavenly Majesty won’t make a mistake,” the angel replied. “Though it may have been strange for both you and me, His words are absolute.”

“R-Right…”

“And the High King has also sent a message for you.”

“Please, speak.”

The angel then brought out a scroll, and read it before Natasha, “With every hour passing, evil grows in Chersea. Because of the former god Gaius’ schemes, the Seductress is stronger than she was before. I give you My blessing; return to your realm as soon as possible…or saving it will be too late.”

And with that, Natasha stood up, and thanked the angel. Once she was alone in the room, the Saint of Darkness brought out a sword—a rapier, a weapon used by the old hero Cassandra David—and unsheathed it. Then, with its sharp end, she drew a magic circle on the floor, channeled her mana, and charged it with magic…

“There will be no more second chances, Gaius…” she muttered, as runes slowly wrapped her body. “I will permanently end your madness this time.”