One afternoon, the royal court had gathered to discuss the sheer insanity of the situation. Hana, deeply distressed, sat at the head of the grand chamber, rubbing her temples. “I am not divine.”

  An elderly noble cleared his throat. “Your Holiness, with all due respect—”

  “DO NOT CALL ME THAT.”

  The noble bowed. “Your Magnificence, I understand your reluctance, but—”

  “NOT THAT EITHER!”

  Hime, calm as ever, interjected, “There is no stopping this, Hana. The people have embraced your divinity.”

  Hana pointed at Haruka, who was grinning. “WHY DOESN’T SHE HAVE A RELIGION?!”

  Haruka shrugged. “I punch things. Not divine enough.”

  A younger noble stepped forward. “Princess Hana, there is an important matter to discuss.”

  Hana exhaled sharply. “What now?”

  The noble adjusted his robes. “The Kingdom of Eldoria has requested a personal audience with you. They wish to witness one of your miracles firsthand.”

  Hana froze.

  Haruka grinned. “Oh, you’re screwed.”

  Hana knew this was going to be a problem. She was sitting at the royal meeting table, staring at the formal invitation from Eldoria as if it were a death sentence. The parchment was embossed with golden lettering, the seal of Eldoria’s Grand High Council stamped at the bottom. Hime, as always, remained perfectly composed as she read the letter aloud:

  “To Her Eminence, The Divine Arbiter of Harmony, Supreme Guardian of Balance, and Saint of the Twin Divine Beasts—”

  Hana let out a slow, pained sigh.

  “—we humbly request your esteemed presence at the Grand Sanctum of Eldoria. We seek your divine wisdom and the blessings of your celestial guardians.”

  Haruka, leaning back in her chair, snorted. “Damn, they really went all out, huh?”

  Hana dropped her forehead onto the table. “I refuse.”

  Hime, calmly ignoring her, continued reading.

  “The Eldorian scholars have long studied the mysteries of divine balance, and it is our greatest honor to welcome you, the chosen one of fate, to witness the sanctity of our ancient relics—”

  Hana snapped up. “Hold on. Relics?”

  Haruka smirked. “So you’re interested now?”

  Hime gave her a pointed look. “The Eldorian Grand Sanctum is said to house some of the oldest magical artifacts in history. Given your connection to Uriel and Kurohazan, they likely believe you have the ability to awaken dormant relics.”

  Hana squinted. “That sounds suspicious.”

  Hime nodded. “It is.”

  Haruka grinned. “So when are we leaving?”

  —

  The Journey to Eldoria

  Despite her many protests, Hana found herself once again dragged into an unwanted pilgrimage. The journey to Eldoria took two weeks by royal carriage, traveling through vast mountain ranges and sprawling enchanted forests. Unlike the freezing tundras of Vintergard or the golden plains of Solmaria, Eldoria was a land of perpetual twilight, its skies always bathed in hues of deep purple and gold.

  Magic ran deep in the air, thick and humming with unseen forces. Hana immediately hated it.

  “This place feels weird.”

  Haruka, grinning, cracked her knuckles. “Feels powerful to me.”

  Hime, observing the surroundings, remained unreadable. “Stay alert. Eldoria’s magic is ancient. It does not welcome outsiders easily.”

  Hana groaned. “Great. So we’re walking into yet another disaster.”

  Haruka smirked. “Wouldn’t be a normal trip without one.”

  The Eldorian capital was a city carved into the mountains, its grand spires and domed sanctuaries glowing with faint blue sigils. The roads were lined with floating lanterns, and massive arcane circles were embedded into the walls—remnants of magic long forgotten.

  Awaiting them at the entrance to the Grand Sanctum was Eldoria’s Grand Scholar, Lord Veylan, an older man with silver-threaded robes and piercing violet eyes.

  He bowed deeply. “Divine One, we are honored by your presence.”

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  Hana forced a smile. “I—um—thank you?”

  Veylan straightened, his eyes flickering between her and the two creatures at her side. Kurohazan, curled lazily around her shoulders, flicked his tail with disinterest, while Uriel stood proudly beside her, his golden gaze unwavering.

  Veylan’s expression was full of reverence. “Your celestial guardians are truly magnificent.”

  Hana, dead inside, muttered, “Uh-huh.”

  Hime, ever diplomatic, spoke smoothly. “We understand you have requested a demonstration of my sister’s abilities.”

  Veylan nodded. “Indeed. But more importantly… we believe you are the key to unlocking an ancient seal buried deep within the Sanctum.”

  Hana froze. Haruka, perking up, grinned. “Ooooh. Now it’s getting interesting.”

  Hana turned to Hime. “Can we leave?”

  Hime, sipping her tea, responded calmly. “No.”

  —

  The Grand Sanctum - The Trial of the Divine Seal Begins

  Hana was led through the Grand Sanctum, down corridors lined with ancient books, enchanted artifacts, and floating orbs of light. At the very heart of the sanctum was a sealed chamber, its massive stone doors covered in golden inscriptions.

  “The Seal of Eternity,” Veylan announced. “It has remained undisturbed for thousands of years.”

  Hana stared at it. “And you want me to do what, exactly?”

  Veylan turned to her with a serious expression. “The seal is woven with magic that only one blessed by divine balance can unravel. If you truly are the Arbiter, the seal will respond to you.”

  Hana muttered, “Or explode. That’s also an option.”

  Haruka patted her shoulder. “Only one way to find out.”

  Hana sighed heavily. Then, grumbling about fate, she stepped forward and placed her hand on the ancient seal.

  For a moment, nothing happened.

  Then— The chamber rumbled.

  Magic flared to life, golden symbols spinning outward like a celestial clock. The ground shifted, the air hummed with power, and the inscriptions on the door began to rearrange themselves.

  Hana panicked. “I DIDN’T MEAN TO DO ANYTHING—”

  A burst of energy erupted, surrounding her in a pillar of light.

  Haruka shouted, “OH DAMN, SOMETHING’S HAPPENING.”

  Hime narrowed her eyes. “Stay back.”

  Then, before anyone could react, the doors of the chamber slowly creaked open.

  Beyond them… Was something glowing.

  Something powerful.

  And Hana, standing at the center of it all, knew she had just made things worse.

  The moment the ancient doors fully opened, Hana felt it—a pressure unlike anything before.

  The chamber beyond the seal was bathed in golden light, ancient energy swirling like a living entity. At the center of the room, resting on an elevated altar, was a golden artifact—intricately carved with celestial engravings, pulsing with a rhythm like a heartbeat.

  Haruka grinned. “That’s gotta be important.”

  Hime, ever cautious, narrowed her eyes. “No one has touched this relic in over a thousand years. Be careful.”

  Hana, already regretting everything, muttered, “Why do I always have to be the one to touch things?”

  Before she could take a step forward, a whispering voice filled the chamber.

  The Voice of the Ancient Trial

  "Bearer of Balance… Why have you come?"

  The air grew heavy, the walls hummed with ancient power. The ground beneath them shifted, like a slumbering beast had just stirred.

  Hana stiffened. “I’m gonna be honest, I have no idea.”

  The voice echoed, low and ancient.

  "The Balance wavers… The cycle continues… The Trial of Time draws near…"

  Hana blinked. “The… what?”

  The voice did not answer. Instead, the golden relic on the altar began to glow brighter. The pressure in the air intensified, and before she could second-guess herself, Hana stepped forward and placed her hands on the relic.

  A surge of golden energy erupted outward, blinding for a moment—then, a vision. The Omen of the Vanishing Moon

  She stood beneath an endless dark sky. No stars, no wind, only the cold, absolute stillness of nothing. She glanced upward—the moon was gone. Not obscured by clouds, not hidden by shadows—just gone. A low, distant whisper echoed around her:

  "It will return. And so shall the curse."

  Hana’s breath hitched. “No.”

  She tried to move, tried to run, but the darkness closed in, a shapeless, ancient force reaching toward her.

  Then—she woke up.

  —

  The Journey Home

  The instant Hana snapped back to reality, she stumbled back from the relic, pale and shaking. Haruka, seeing her face, rushed forward. “Hana? What happened?”

  Hime, sharp-eyed as always, immediately caught the change in her expression. “You saw something.”

  Hana, still catching her breath, ran a shaky hand through her hair. “…We need to go home.”

  There was no laughter. No sarcasm. No grumbling about nonsense.

  Haruka’s grin faded. “Hana?”

  Hana took a deep breath, looking at her sisters with rare fear in her eyes. “The curse.” Her voice was quiet but firm. “It’s not gone.”

  Hime’s expression remained stoic, but her grip on her sleeve tightened. “Explain.”

  Hana licked her lips. “When the moon disappears… The curse relapses.”

  Haruka, for once, was completely still. “…The lunar eclipse?”

  Hana nodded.

  The three sisters exchanged glances, the weight of unspoken dread settling between them. For the first time in a long while—they weren’t prepared.

  Despite the growing anxiety, Hana composed herself enough to face Eldoria’s leaders. With the divine seal opened and the relic stabilized, she formally announced the trial’s completion, ensuring that Eldoria’s scholars could now study the artifact freely without the interference of unstable magic.

  Lord Veylan and the Eldorian High Council bowed deeply, thanking her for what they considered a great act of divine will. Another title was likely waiting for her when she returned home, but for now, all Hana wanted was to leave.

  The journey back to Aikyo was quieter than usual, a heavy tension lingering in the air. For the first time, Hana wasn’t just running from divine worship—she was running from something far worse.

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