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Episode 1
Everything was over.
I collapsed onto the white marble floor of the temple.
I didn’t even have the strength to stand anymore.
My family’s territory, Ardent Luna, at the foot of the mountain, had already been completely conquered by the barbarians.
“Cassia, run to the temple! Hurry!”
If Mother hadn’t helped me escape, I would have been killed by them, too.
The cold floor, carrying the chill of the night air, crept into my body.
I painfully dragged my stiff hands and feet toward the statue deeper inside the temple.
“Go… Goddess…”
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could finally make out the giant statue.
Using every bit of strength left in my voice, I whispered,
“Goddess Vesta…”
The statue of Vesta, the Goddess of Fire and protector of my family, still stood proudly.
I gathered the last bit of magic I had left.
A faint warmth appeared, and a tiny flame flickered to life.
“I’m… sorry… I couldn’t protect you…”
The small flame, no bigger than a candle flame, weakly lit the area around me.
Its light revealed the huge relief carvings decorating the temple walls.
They showed my family’s glorious past.
The images of countless ancestors who had brought honor to our family surrounded Goddess Vesta as if they were protecting her.
They were powerful guardians of the sacred flame.
I have always admired them.
Ever since I learned I was a descendant of Ignitus, I wanted to become like them.
I wanted to shine as they did and protect the people and things precious to me.
But…
“Goddess… or anyone… please save my family.”
Muttering that shameless prayer, I lowered my head.
Time passed.
Then I heard footsteps approaching through the darkness.
“Lady Cassia. So this is where you were.”
It was Valonius, the vice commander of our family.
He was walking toward me with his sword still drawn.
“You came to save me…!”
For a moment, I felt relieved.
Then I noticed something strange.
Behind him were both our soldiers and the invaders.
Together.
As if they were on the same side.
Only one explanation came to mind.
The people of our territory had betrayed Father and joined the barbarians.
Thinking back, there had been many suspicious things.
The strong walls shouldn’t have fallen so easily.
The barbarian cavalry had reached the castle in the middle of the night without meeting any resistance.
“Y-you… opened the gates?”
I asked with a trembling voice.
The soldiers only looked down at me with amused smiles.
“Why?! How could you do this?!”
I shouted with my ruined voice.
“You promised we’d protect this land together. My father and I considered you family. How could you do this to us…?”
I wasn’t lying.
Protecting people was the most important value of the Ignitus family.
We would do anything for the people of our territory.
We fought on the front lines for them.
We spent our family fortune on them.
We did all that because we believed they were part of our family too.
“T-there has to be a reason, right? There must be some reason!”
Unable to accept reality, I begged for an explanation.
Valonius sneered.
“The reason? Even now, you’re looking for one? You really are fools. Serving stubborn people like you was exhausting!”
“Y-you planned this from the start…”
“Go complain in the afterlife to the ghosts who forced those pointless duties onto us. Tell them this happened because of the sacrifices they demanded.”
Then Valonius raised his sword high.
The blade flashed.
Everything happened in an instant.
Lying on the floor, I listened to his footsteps growing farther away.
As my life faded, the fire magic I had been maintaining slowly disappeared.
The statue of the goddess sank back into darkness.
…I’m sorry.
I couldn’t do anything.
“Miss! Miss!”
I woke up to someone urgently calling me.
“Miss, wake up! What happened to you?”
The floor felt warm.
I had fainted on the cold marble.
Marble shouldn’t feel this warm.
…Where am I?
“Miss!”
Someone slapped my cheeks lightly.
‘Mother? Father?’
I quickly opened my eyes.
A crowd of people was surrounding me.
“Miss is awake!”
Who were they?
And why were they calling me “Miss”?
Were they from my family?
I slowly sat up and looked around.
All of them were strangers.
And strangely enough, they were wearing clothes that looked centuries old.
While I was still confused, someone pushed through the crowd.
“What is all this noise?!”
At that stern voice, everyone immediately fell silent and stepped aside.
A man with curly hair walked forward.
“Huh?!”
I nearly fainted again.
Because I recognized that face.
It was the same face carved on the temple wall.
There was no way I could mistake him.
Tiberius Ignitus.
The 14th head of my family.
One of my ancestors from long ago.
‘Am I… Dead?’
According to the myths, when people died and entered the underworld, they met the spirits of the dead there.
I rubbed my eyes hard and looked again.
‘It’s really Lord Tiberius!’
There was no doubt.
I had died in the temple and come to the afterlife.
But where were Mother and Father?
Had I arrived first?
As I looked around, my eyes met Tiberius’s.
I immediately threw myself flat on the ground in respect.
Even though I was the pathetic descendant who witnessed the family’s end, he had come to see me personally.
With difficulty, I spoke.
“An- an- ancestor…”
But the words came out terribly.
Maybe I was too weak.
“What’s an ‘ancestor’?”
Tiberius asked, unable to understand my mangled speech.
I desperately tried again.
“An! Ces! Tor!”
No, somehow that sounded even worse!
Did I bite my tongue when I died?
Instead of responding, Tiberius turned to another person.
“What exactly is going on?”
“W-well, the young lady suddenly collapsed…”
“She doesn’t seem seriously injured. Can she attend the meeting?”
“Y-yes!”
I answered automatically.
A meeting?
Was this where my ancestors would judge me for failing to protect the family?
Still, I followed Tiberius.
As I walked behind him, countless thoughts filled my head.
What could I possibly say to my ancestors?
What had happened to the living world?
What about Mother, Father, and Ardent Luna?
My steps felt heavy.
After passing through a long hallway, we entered a large room with two grand chairs.
Then I saw a boy waiting there.
‘That person is…!’
“You’ve arrived, Uncle.”
He was the man closest to Goddess Vesta’s statue.
The greatest commander in Ignitus history.
The master of the Blue Flame.
Abelus Ignitus, the 15th family head who succeeded Tiberius.
But while Tiberius looked similar to the image on the wall, Abelus looked far younger.
Much younger.
He looked like a teenager.
‘All the family heads must have gathered together. They really are here to judge me…’
I quietly knelt and prepared myself for punishment.
Abelus’s reddish-purple eyes turned toward me.
Startled, I lowered my head even more.
Soon, the meeting room was filled with people.
Tiberius sat in the highest seat.
Abelus sat beside him.
“Now then, let’s begin the regular meeting. However…”
Tiberius suddenly paused.
Since I was staring at the floor, I didn’t know why.
“Is something bothering you, Calidora?”
Someone seemed uncomfortable.
Who was Calidora?
Who would dare act uncomfortable during Tiberius’s meeting?
“…Calidora!”
Abelus suddenly raised his voice.
Curious, I finally lifted my head a little.
Then I froze.
Among all the people in the room, I was the only one kneeling flat on the floor.
Everyone was staring directly at me.
