Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

"I was looking for children who caught my eye, looking for 'souls' that I could see, and then I found you, and saw your 'soul' that was as dazzling and beautiful as amethyst, both noble and beautiful."

The goddess's breasts floated on the water like white peaches, emphasizing their presence.

For men and women all over the world, a goddess has a fatal attraction from head to toe.

Although Ari had long since given up on living as a woman, she couldn't help but roll her eyes after witnessing the beautiful body she didn't have.

"Ari, with your beautiful 'soul,' perhaps you could become my partner (Odr)."

"I'm a woman just like you!"

"In the face of love, such trivial matters are insignificant."

"Seriously, stop talking nonsense..."

"Therefore, I want to eliminate the cause that has dimmed your brilliance."

"!"

"I hope you can overcome it and make your 'soul' shine even brighter."

The goddess floated on the water, gazing up at the desert night sky, and uttered these words. Ari's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this.

If you're willing to share, please do so.

I am very willing to listen and offer divine guidance.

The swaying water reflects the moonlight, and the goddess standing in the shimmering water seems to be trying to express this meaning.

Ari fell silent for a moment, then quietly opened her lips.

"...I have doubts about myself as a prince."

The girl spoke haltingly.

"Am I truly qualified to shoulder the future of this nation? Can I truly become a wise ruler...? Can I fulfill all my duties and successfully leave behind an heir?"

"This kind of worry is very common. Anyone who considers themselves royalty has thought about this problem."

"I know that, but these thoughts still come to mind. If I had been qualified to be king on the day the enemy (Varsha) invaded, perhaps the capital would not have fallen, and the innocent people would not be suffering now."

"..."

"The enemy nation (Varshah) is extremely powerful, and no matter how hard our army struggles, we cannot stop their invasion. I understand this, I can comprehend it, but even so..."

These are the heartfelt words of the young girl (Ari), not the opinion of the prince (Aram).

This was the worry she carried along the way, and the real reason for her anxiety.

Because her journey with Freya was completely free of danger and truly safe, she almost forgot that many innocent lives were being lost in her homeland.

Brave soldiers fought to the death, while the people were ravaged. Since her father's death, Ari has been unable to turn the tide of the war. She even comforted herself by thinking that she had deliberately become a slave to act as bait and cover the escape of her allies, but in the end, she was barely able to save herself.

"With the nation suffering immense loss of life and the war situation hanging by a thread... I feel even more helpless, like I'm just anxiously waiting for something to happen."

After revealing her inner turmoil, Ari slowly lowered her head.

She deeply felt that she was both weak and pathetic, and that's all she could say were discouraging things.

A silent oasis is mocking you.

The goddess's retinue must also despise themselves.

Ari couldn't help but have this hallucination.

In Ari's short life, admitting her incompetence like this is probably the most shameful moment of her life.

"I've often heard people say that kings are solitary and aloof beings."

At this time──

The goddess whispered.

"It is often said with sympathy that a monarch is a lonely being."

"...?"

"That's for sure. Because a so-called monarch is someone who doesn't delegate his responsibilities to others."

A monarch who shares his responsibilities and decisions with others will gradually degenerate.

The words seem to convey the above meaning.

Ari turned her gaze to Freya, who was floating on the water, and noticed that she was stretching one hand toward the sky.

Freya gently stroked the moon's outline as if she were deeply tender for the lonely moon shining in the night sky.

"So it's perfectly normal for you, the prince, to be troubled by these worries."

It is not surprising that they felt this way; it is a challenge that many monarchs face.

Freya, as if trying to comfort the self-loathing Ari, continued:

"I'll give you a very common piece of advice, Alyssa."

After speaking, Freya stood up from the water.

With her back to Ari, the water only reached her thighs, revealing her graceful figure.

At the same time, the magic stone lamp dimmed.

It's probably because the magic power has run out.

In the instant the seven colors faded, the oasis was enveloped in a dark, deep blue.

Only the moonlight remained, shining upon the goddess.

Looking at that figure from behind—Ari felt as if time had stopped.

"Just do what you think is right. Don't succumb to the opinions of others, and don't mistake the responsibilities you bear for weakness. Before you resent your own powerlessness, stand up and face the reality before you."

The goddess's beautiful voice intertwined with words.

The cold desert was silent.

The pale moonlight and the shimmering water.

Let the oasis transform into a misty, ethereal world.

Faced with this dreamlike scene, it seems to steal a person's gaze, consciousness, and even soul.

"You must stake yourself like a hero—live with pride."

The goddess turned to look at Ari.

Water droplets trickled down her skin, and her silver hair, hidden behind her, swayed gently with her movements.

Ari opened her eyes wide and met the goddess's gaze.

"Even if you ultimately fail, causing the destruction of the country and becoming the embodiment of the world's hatred... the gods (we) will still commend you, children."

When Aly came to her senses, she was already standing still.

As if drawn by that voice, those eyes, and that smile, she stood up from the ground.

"I would praise you, kings, who do not choose to run away from suffering that ordinary people cannot understand, but make decisive decisions."

The prince named Yalam Ras Shahrzad—

A girl named Ari--

She believed she would never forget this scene in her life.

Because under the moonlight, she received a divine message from the most beautiful goddess in the world.

"You followed your own will and successfully resisted my 'beauty.' I value the brilliance of your 'soul,' so you can be very proud of it."

"..."

"Because you may truly possess the qualities to be a 'king'."

Perhaps—

Freya had always wanted to use this journey to teach Ari this lesson. Even if she only intended to make Ari's "soul" shine brighter, she should still have wanted to guide Ari forward.

There were some incidents in between that revealed these clues.

Although she always teases Alyssa, every word she says has a hidden meaning.

She looked at Alyssa with eyes like a loving mother, as if she were watching her from a divine perspective.

The goddess, completely naked, uttered these most sincere words, causing Alyssa's heart to clench.

"Ari, let me hug you when you're even more radiant than you are now."

"...I am...a prince, unable to reciprocate your favor."

Aly responded briefly, almost like a groan.

"That's right, that's an excellent answer."

The goddess spoke in a very gentle tone, and her expression was equally gentle.

A gust of wind blew between the two of them.

It was a cold night wind carrying a bit of fine sand.

The desert wind was something Ari was used to, but it felt quite novel to Freya.

As if driven by a gust of wind that stirred up ripples, Ari raised her eyebrows.

Then he kicked off the ground.

"!"

Under Freya's astonished gaze, Ari jumped into the water fully clothed.

As if trying to wash away the shackles on their bodies, as if trying to shake off the distracting thoughts entrenched in their hearts, they swam forward in the water with all their might.

Aly removed her clothes one by one, including her shoes and top.

After a period of time──

Completely submerged in the water, she mustered all her strength to tread on the bottom, and in one breath, broke through the surface and stood up.

"Pfft!" Ari shook her head, facing the goddess who was now much closer to her.

"Um... I'm sorry!"

Ari lifted her hair, letting her wet underwear cling to her brown skin, and then shouted at Freya, who rarely showed such surprise.

"I actually threw a tantrum like a child! And just as your family said, I offended you with my words before!"

Because of various emotional disturbances, Ari is currently unable to frankly thank the goddess who helped her resolve her inner conflicts.

But you can still apologize to her.

So Aly honestly voiced the thoughts that had been troubling her.

"...Hehe, ahahahaha! What~? So you've been holding a grudge about this all along?"

"This...this is something I absolutely have to do to get to the bottom of!"

"You don't need to take it to heart. I've told you, I'm used to this kind of thing."

The goddess's laughter echoed from the center of the oasis.

Ari, who couldn't help but pout, unconsciously relaxed her expression.

"Your turbid 'soul' has become slightly cleaner; let it shine even brighter."

After Freya finished speaking in her own way, she turned and walked towards the shore.

Ari stared at the retreating figure, one hand on her chest.

Your murky "soul" has become a little cleaner—meaning that Ari's soul is still very dark.

Her "soul"... the melancholy in her heart has not been completely resolved.

I believe the suffering will continue. And I will certainly face countless situations in the future where I find it hard to forgive myself.

But as the goddess said today—one must bet oneself like a hero and live proudly.

Ari looked up at the lone crescent moon radiating light and made this vow in her heart.

*

"How's the manhunt for Prince Aram going!?"