PITTER-PATTER—

A thick layer of clouds drifted across the chinchilla-gray sky, blocking what little light there was and casting a filter of decay and ruin over the world.

The drizzle was fine—so fine you could barely see the splashes without looking closely. But if you held out your hand, you could feel it slowly growing damp.

"It’s raining again..."

Mivana rubbed her fingertips together, a dazed look in her golden eyes.

She had spent so long inside the Barrier of the Circle of Clear Skies that she’d almost forgotten what a rainy day was like.

But home was still home. The moment she set foot on the soil of Dusk Lamp Territory and stood in the decadent, gloomy drizzle, her long-sealed memories were unlocked.

"Oh, right. It’s always raining here."

Mivana trod on the muddy ground, walking along a stone path through the woods. Because she had traveled straight through the Country of Yonglan, the silhouette of a town quickly came into view after she entered the Dusk Lamp Territory.

Scattered fields surrounded the wide city walls. Behind them were low-slung houses, painstakingly built from stone and wood. Even during the day, the lack of light meant that dim, yellow kerosene lamps hung from the posts in front of every home.

The people coming and going all had beast ears and tails—wolf or cat, deer antlers or fox tails. These Beastmen, considered rare and "crude and barbaric" by the outside world, appeared diligent and sincere here.

Farming, small handicrafts, and a few service businesses made up the town’s industry.

Compared to the stunning and magnificent metropolis of Ideal City, which had been rebuilt on a grand scale in the Qinghui Territory, the Dusk Lamp Territory was downright primitive.

But this was more or less the case for the entire Country of Yonglan; the style of each nation was drastically different.

If the Celestial Vault Kingdom was a futuristic society full of sci-fi flair and the Imperial was a nation caught between the modern and pre-modern eras, then the Country of Yonglan perfectly fit the stereotype of a "medieval world of sword and Magic."

The Wolf-eared Maiden was clearly not the type to look down on her rural home after seeing the big city. Instead, a soft, nostalgic expression appeared on her face as she looked at the simple, rustic buildings.

A group of Beastmen emerged from the city gate. They all held flowers, walking solemnly toward the outside of the city. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

’What’s this?’

Mivana froze. As if suddenly remembering something, she quickened her pace and pulled down her hood at the town gate.

The wolf-eared girl, dressed as a Knight, immediately drew attention.

A Wolf-eared Beastman who had just stepped outside froze in place, then his voice trembled with excitement as he spoke:

"Mivana... Is that Mivana?!"

His voice immediately sparked a fervent reaction from the other Beastmen.

Mivana smiled and nodded.

"Brothers and sisters, I’ve returned."

Upon seeing the maiden with purple-black wolf ears, the surroundings erupted in cheers. No matter what they were doing, the Beastmen swarmed over to her.

"It really is Mivana..."

"Mivana’s back!"

"Everyone! Mivana’s back!"

"Our Clan leader has returned!"

A cat-eared little girl ran so fast that she slipped and nearly fell, but Mivana swiftly caught her. A flower petal drifted into Mivana’s palm. The Wolf-eared Maiden gently squeezed the soft petal and asked:

"Are you all... on your way to pay tribute to Teacher?"

"Yes, it’s that time of year. We were just about to head to the lake."

Mivana said, "Perfect. Let’s go together... I haven’t been able to pay my respects for two years."

"Of course. You should have been the one to lead it."

The Lady Knight’s request was naturally not going to be refused. The Beastmen were overjoyed by Mivana’s return and crowded around her as they headed to the large lake outside of town.

Under the gloomy sky, which glowed with a faint, grayish-blue light, a sweet-smelling wind blew toward them.

A pale altar stood on the lakeshore. The Beastmen placed white flowers around it, then knelt on one knee before it, clasping their hands together.

Mivana went a step further, placing her Knight’s Silver Sword upon the altar before also kneeling on one knee in silence.

They were commemorating a fallen Hero.

Viona, the Star Lake Sword.

If not for this Grand Knight, who had subdued a rampaging Mivana and brought the Dusk Lamp Territory under her jurisdiction, not a single Beastman in the territory would have survived.

She had said that she did not believe anyone was born noble, nor born with original sin, and so she resolved to personally civilize the Beastmen.

She established a town, taught the children, and spread civilization. Before Viona arrived, the Dusk Lamp Territory was just a barren land occupied by a Barbarian Race that ate raw meat and drank blood. But after Viona passed away, it had become a civilized place.

She had said that even Beastmen, beings created through forbidden means, deserved the right to an education in Yonglan!

The Star Lake Sword succeeded. Under her tutelage, the Beastmen of the Dusk Lamp Territory developed characteristics almost completely different from their kin in the outside world: they were gentle, rational, and peaceful.

So much so that after Viona’s death, the Beastmen’s commemoration of her never ceased.

Mivana raised her head slightly, staring at the altar and the tombstone, her fists clenched.

After a long period of mourning, the crowd scattered the flowers into the lake. Then, they set up a camp by the shore and lit bonfires for light, even though it was not yet evening.

The people began to dance and sing an unfamiliar song, its somber melody beating against the flames. Some were crying, while others were silently murmuring. A pure and reverent light shone in the Beastmen’s eyes.

The Beastmen shared food by the bonfires. Mivana accepted a cup of rice wine brewed in her hometown, sipping it gently as she remarked with a sigh:

"It’s so lively..."

Just then, a pair of similar-looking Beastman siblings walked over. Their brown and black wolf ears made it clear they were from the same Clan as Mivana.

The two Wolf-eared Beastmen sat down beside Mivana and sighed.

"Mivana, you’re back so soon? We thought you might not be back for another year or so."

Mivana said softly,

"Pulanna, Miliburn. How could I rest easy after receiving your letter? Has the grand army of the Knightly Path’s expedition reached the Dusk Lamp Territory yet?"

"No, how could it be so fast?"

The tall Beastman named Miliburn shook his head and said,

"We only heard the news of the Knightly Path’s expedition. The Dusk Lamp Territory is definitely on their route, but it will take several months to muster the expeditionary force... By the way, is it true that the Divine Ancestor has really..."

"You know about it too?"

Mivana tilted her head. "It’s true. All the Celestial Gods have been cut off from the Mortal World, and the Yonglan Riding God is no exception... This is going to be a catastrophe."

Herein lay the difference between the Country of Yonglan and other nations. Faced with the disaster of the gods being cut off from mortals, their first move wasn’t to cover it up and hide the news, but to openly admit it.

And immediately after, they announced a massive expedition for the Knightly Path.

This was done both to rally the hearts of the nation and to prove their own martial valor to the Divine Ancestor.

However, the Knightly council had also discussed another objective, which Westheid was naturally aware of and had relayed to Mivana.

The methods the Realm of Order tried to get its own Divine Ancestor back were increasingly abstract, but the decision made by the Knights was even more heaven-defying.

They would prove their faith to the Divine Ancestor through a grand expedition to purify the Mortal World.