The candlelight flickered dimly, and her beautiful figure appeared lonely.

Holding a book in her hands, Queen Mary sat at a table in the back of the church, staring blankly at the clusters of sparks from the burning candles.

The Church of Musi, the town's oldest building, no longer sees the bustling crowds of worshippers it once did. On Mass days, this small church is no longer the residents' first choice; people are more likely to go to the open chapel at the Knights' headquarters, simply to get closer to the Holy Son.

So, apart from a few uncouth handmaids sent by Cumberland, only Queen Mary remained in the church.

Setting down the book she already knew by heart, Mary turned to look at the walls covered with sketches and drawings. Some were copies of famous paintings by artists, made using her "hypermeation" ability, while others were original designs for clothing or architecture.

The cold autumn wind seeped into the small space through the cracks in the room, making the candlelight flicker. Mary shivered and had to reach out to shield the flame.

Once the flames rose straight up again, she glanced at the red frostbite marks on her hands, then looked back at the furnishings in the room: a dilapidated wooden bed, a rickety wardrobe, and a bookshelf leaning precariously.

When Mary escaped from Silver Ring City, she had already pawned her jewelry. With the weekly "salary" paid by the Knights, she should have been financially secure, if not extremely wealthy. However, accustomed to court life, her demands far exceeded what most people could afford. For her, life felt more like a trial by fire.

A slow, steady knocking sound rang out.

A look of joy appeared on Mary's face; the long-awaited visitor had finally arrived.

"Your Majesty, I'm back!"

A crisp, melodious sound rang out first, followed by the hood being lifted from the gray cloak, revealing a skilled face to Mary.

Overjoyed at the long-awaited reunion, the Queen let down her guard and embraced the woman before her, whispering with choked sobs, "Cathy, being able to see you again is the greatest blessing God has given me!"

As Queen Mary's former personal maid, Cathy was somewhat flustered by this unprecedented contact: "Your Majesty..."

"Don't call me Your Majesty anymore. I have nothing to do with that kingdom anymore." Mary pulled Cathy to sit on the edge of the bed, looking at her hopefully and asking, "How's the thing I asked you to do in the letter going?"

Cathy took off her cloak, looked at Mary beside her, and leaned back a little: "As you said, there are quite a few people in Silver Ring who have expressed their willingness to join us."

Mary nodded slightly: "The situation in Silver Ring City... isn't good, is it?"

Cathy pursed her lips. "It's more than bad. To show 'friendliness' to our allies, the council agreed to let the barbarian army into the city. Those barbarians from the north do whatever they want in the city, and the residents are suffering terribly... By the way, would you like to know about His Majesty Guy's current situation..."

Upon hearing that familiar name, Mary froze for a long while before realizing that the man was her husband: "No... from the moment I left Silver Ring City, that man had left my world. For so many years, I placed all my emotions on him, using luxury and wealth to gain a laughable sense of security. In the end, when I had one foot on the guillotine, I discovered a sad truth: a woman without a self, without power, is nothing more than a plaything, something that can be used or discarded..."

“Your Majesty…” There was something in Mary’s eyes that Cathy couldn’t understand, and the latter shrank back again: “What do you intend to do?”

Mary's gaze fell on the mural on the wall, and she slowly said, "Cathy, you know what? I once heard someone say that after experiencing a near-death experience, a person will cherish their life more. Having died once, I long to break free from that muddled life and find a reason for my existence from now on."

Mary stretched out her right hand and gently stroked the sketch of "Twilight Cathedral" on the wall: "The era of the Silver Ring has ended, and the stage of Twilight is rising..."

————————————————

After reviewing the government files, Todd walked out of the kingdom's council hall and shivered in the biting cold wind. As he looked up at the sky, a snowflake landed on the tip of his nose.

Todd touched his nose, but only felt some water droplets.

Today is December 3, 1171 AD, and the arrival of winter signifies that the year is about to pass.

Todd looked at the tiny snowflakes in the air, his thoughts drifting back to the day he first arrived in this other world.

Two years ago, on that snowy night, in a cold, dark little house, there was the body of a boy, and in the cellar where copper pipes were stored, his remaining life was measured in hours.

A year ago, in a church on a snowy night, the Knights faced a life-or-death crisis. They had to choose between dying like heroes or breathing like cowards. In the end, they made a decision to fight to the death.

Now, Todd lowered his head, looking at the holy robe he wore, which had been painstakingly made by dozens of weavers working through the night, and felt an overwhelming sense of emotion. He had never dreamed he would become the monarch of a nation in this way.

"His Majesty!"

Harkins walked from the other end of the corridor, carrying the documents, and bowed to Todd.

Todd looked at the knight who had followed him since he first arrived in this other world, and, recalling the past, nodded.

“Your Majesty, the registration and screening of residents in the town has been basically completed. Here are the results after all the statistics were compiled.” Huggins handed a sheet of paper filled with writing to Todd, and then said, “There’s been a strange thing happening in Twilight City recently.”

Todd looked at the paper in his hand, then asked, "What's strange?"

Huggins scratched the back of his head: "Recently, there have been many more scholars on the streets of Muxi City. They come from various countries and work in different industries. I sent people to follow them. These people gathered here, but they didn't do anything drastic. They just looked around and occasionally held a gathering or two."

Todd looked up from the paper: "A scholar?"

“I compared the identities of these people and found a common point: they were all students of the Royal Academy of Tero.”

Hearing Huggins' words, Todd recalled the "special guest" that Tristan had sent months ago: "Do you suspect that these people are connected to Terrence?"

“There is no evidence.” Huggins spread his hands. “Besides, these people haven’t shown any unusual behavior. Your Majesty, should I send someone to warn them?”

Todd thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Don't alert them, keep a close eye on these people."