Two weeks after the war with the Kingdom of Nevalheim, Elliz stood on the balcony of her palace, looking at the ruins of the city that still bore the traces of battle. Below her, the people of Laynrad were busy restoring their lives.

Reports of Nevalheim Knight Raidan Thorne mysterious death in a prison cell had not been found, while the shadow of Lamy's death continued to keep Elliz in a morose state.

Prince Kaelan, her eldest brother and future successor to the throne, had just arrived at the palace. With gray hair that glistened in the sunlight and piercing amber eyes, he stepped up to Elliz with a warm smile.

"Elliz," he called softly, "I've heard a lot about you. Saint Elliz, bearer of hope for the Kingdom of Laynrad." he paused for a moment, gazing at the ruined city. "Forgive me for being late. I should have been here at that time."

Elliz rolled her eyes, her voice flat. "An apology will not bring back Lamy or this city, brother."

Kaelan sighed, then handed her a long, beautifully decorated box. "I know. But I wanted to show you something."

Elliz opened the box, finding a rapier with intricate carvings on the hilt. The silver glow of the blade reflected a mesmerizing beauty.

"This is yours now," Kaelan said. "I'd like to take you to practice, too. Maybe a sparring match would help take your mind off all this."

Elliz's eyes narrowed, looking at Kaelan suspiciously. After a few seconds, however, she nodded. "Alright. But don't expect me to hold back."

Training in the Palace Courtyard

In the backyard of the palace, Elliz and Kaelan stood facing each other. Kaelan smiled faintly, raising his sword in a relaxed style.

"Don't be overconfident just because you're older," Elliz taunted, gripping her rapier firmly.

They charged at each other, their movements quick and precise. Kaelan was clearly trained, but Elliz, despite being younger, showed incredible speed and intelligence. Each of Kaelan's attacks was countered with clever tactics, taking her by surprise.

"I understand now why you are nicknamed Saint," Kaelan said between duels. "You are not only intelligent, but also deadly."

Elliz smiled faintly, swinging her rapier with full force, almost hitting Kaelan. "You're only realizing it now?"

Kaelan laughed, finally lowering his weapon. "Alright, you win. But I won't give up so easily next time."

Elliz lowered her rapier, but the look in her eyes remained sharp. "This exercise isn't about winning or losing, Brother, I just want to make sure you won't make any more mistakes."

Kaelan looked at his brother with deep respect. "I won't. You have my word."

The training strengthened their relationship, though the loss and trauma of war still loomed large over Elliz. With Kaelan by her side, she began planning her next steps to strengthen the kingdom and ensure a tragedy like this did not happen again.

After the duel with Kaelan ended, Elliz was called to her father's office. In that room her father, mother, Sir Alex and Sir Goldon were already waiting. Elliz entered with steady steps, although in her heart she wondered what was going on.

King Alistair looked at his daughter with a proud smile. "Elliz, I have important news for you," he said. "Your inauguration as a Saint will be held in three days. The Holy Church has observed your combat during the war, and they are impressed with your abilities."

Elliz frowned, though she did not show excessive emotion. "Three more days, Father? That's quite sudden and too soon?," she commented, trying to understand the reason behind this decision.

Goldon, who was standing next to the king, nodded. "The church sees you as a miracle, Elliz. A child who was able to lead on the battlefield, defeat an enemy of Raidan's caliber, and still stand firm. They believe you are a divine gift."

Sir Alex added, "This inauguration is also a strategic move. With you as Saint, the influence of the kingdom of Laynrad will be even stronger in the eyes of the people and allies."

Elliz just gave a small nod, pretending to take the news in stride. However, in her heart, she knew this inauguration was not just about the title. It was a power play, and she had to play it wisely.

"Very well," she said finally. "I will prepare myself. However, if this is just for politics, I hope you know that I will not be anyone's puppet."

King Alistair smiled slightly, proud of his daughter's firmness. "We won't do that let alone doubt you, Elliz. The world will soon see that the kingdom of Laynrad has an outstanding successor."

After that, Elliz left the room with a lot to think about. The inauguration as a Saint would give her great influence, but it also brought new challenges. In her heart, she vowed to seize every opportunity to realize her ambitions.

Elliz's room, night

That night, in her room lit by the light of a small crystal, Elliz sat in her chair with the map of the Kingdom of Nevalheim spread out before her. Her crimson eyes burned with determination, scanning every detail of the enemy territory.

"Raidan is dead, and so is Cyveris," she murmured softly, her fingers tracing the border lines on the map. "Their forces have collapsed. But I need more information. What is left of them?."

Elliz's mind kept spinning. Although only 9 years old, she understood that wars were not only won with swords, but also with information. The victory against Nevalheim was a start, but her grudge was not yet satisfied. They had taken too much from her including Lamy, the person she trusted the most.

She stood up, walking to the large window in her room, looking up at the night sky. "I will avenge them many times over. No one will escape my revenge."

However, she knew her inauguration as Saint was only three days away. The title was not just an honor, it was a tool to strengthen her position, gain more support from the people and the church. But the title also meant more scrutiny. Her every move would be watched.

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Elliz closed her eyes, trying to plan her next move. If the kingdom still had hidden powers, she had to know before they rise again.

"If I can't move freely now, I'll take advantage of those who can," she thought. "Before they realize, I've already prepared their destruction."

Elliz returned to her desk, picked up a pencil, and began writing a plan. "This is just the beginning," she whispered, a cold smile gracing her face.

Elliz sat at her desk, gripping the pencil with a determined gaze. In her mind, an idea began to form. She thought about the previous battle, about how she had to continue relying on strategy and grueling physical strength. That was not enough. If she wanted to progress faster, she needed something that made her every step more efficient.

Elliz put pencil to paper and started writing: "Essence Devourer."

"This skill should work by absorbing the essence of the enemy," she muttered softly, her voice full of focus. "Every time I weaken or kill them, their power will become mine."

Elliz described the concept in detail how it worked: When an enemy was injured or weakened, some of their energy would be automatically absorbed. If the enemy is killed, the entire remaining essence will be transferred to its body. This absorbed essence will strengthen stamina, repair minor wounds, enhance physical and magical or even gain the same power as the absorbed enemy's essence.

However, there are limits and risks in that the stronger the enemy, the more energy can be absorbed, but if the enemy is too strong, there is a risk that her body will not be able to withstand the essence, causing side effects such as extreme fatigue or internal damage.

"This skill is not just a tool," Elliz thought. "It's a weapon that will make every fight an advantage."

She gave a small grin, imagining how effective Essence devourer would be in battle. With this, every enemy she faced would not only be defeated, but also strengthen her to fight the next one.

Elliz stood up, staring out of her bedroom window towards the horizon. "Now, I just need to master it. And after that, nothing can stop me."

Elliz sat back in her chair, staring at the paper full of Essence devourer concepts. However, her mind was troubled. The skill was great, but the limitations and risks were too great to ignore. She knew the human body, especially her own 9 year old body, was not strong enough to withstand the explosion of essence from the strongest enemy.

"Humans are limited," Elliz muttered, her tone cynical. "But I won't let that limitation stop me."

She thought of how she had previously managed to raise her mana to the 4-star level. The process involved magical disciplines and theories, repeated reinforcement, and near-perfect energy control that nearly left her dead. The solution to this problem, then, was similar body reinforcement through magic and gradual physical adaptation.

Body Reinforcement Magic, although Elliz could use it with expert understanding of the human body, was still lacking. Elliz decided to master this branch of magic more deeply. With this magic, she can strengthen her body's muscle tissues, bones, and organs, making them more resistant to the pressure of absorbed energy. This strengthening also allows her body to recover faster when combined with the Calestial regrowth skill.

She realized that the human body needed time to adapt. Therefore, Elliz designed a training method that involved gradually absorbing small amounts of essence. This was similar to the way her body adapted when increasing her mana to 4 stars, only this time the focus was on the physique.

Elliz came up with the idea of creating an additional concept to incorporate into the Essence devourer, namely the Essence Neutralizer, this concept would work by channeling excess energy into the air or ground before it overwhelmed her body. This would give her time to adjust to the new power without risking fatal damage.

Elliz took neat notes on the plan, her eyes shining with ambition. "This body may be human," she whispered, "but I will make it more than that."

She stood up, looking up at the sky of her room. Elliz knew that she still had a long way to go, but with her combination of magic, strategy, and intelligence, she was confident that nothing was impossible.

"Nevalheim," she murmured with a faint smile. "Be prepared. I will show you what revenge means."

Inauguration Day

Saint's inauguration day arrived. The sky was clear, and church bells echoed throughout the capital. The people gathered in the square, watching Elliz ascend the grand stage decorated with white and gold silk cloth. Her steps were steady, even though she was only nine years old. Her eyes were sharp, full of conviction.

The high priest stood before her, holding a small crown that symbolized the title of Saint. "Today, we recognize the wisdom, courage, and strength of a child beyond her years," his voice echoed. "Ellizabeth Laynrad, Saint Prodigy."

Cheers filled the air as the crown was placed on Elliz's head. She bowed slightly, accepting the honor gracefully. But in her heart, she knew this was only a small step towards her ambition.

After the ceremony, Elliz was invited into the grand church. She stood in front of a huge statue of the Goddess of Reincarnation, towering high with a sacred aura. The Goddess Amalthea, the Goddess of Reincarnation or the Goddess of life, is said to be a protective and nurturing figure. Elliz closed her eyes, her hands folded in prayer.

Suddenly, however, the world around her changed. The air grew cold, and she found herself standing in an unfamiliar realm, where the Goddess Amalthea stood with a tangible form. A soft glow enveloped her figure, but the goddess' gaze was full of firmness.

"Ellizabeth Laynrad," the goddess' voice sounded soft yet firm. "You have proven yourself to be a talented Saint. But there is a limit to everything. What you did to Raidan Thorne... that was against my will."

Elliz opened her eyes, looking at the goddess coldly. "He was an enemy, I only did what was necessary."

The goddess smiled faintly, but there was tension behind it. "I appreciate your courage, but I caution you. Don't let brutality rule you. I want heroism from you, not destruction."

Elliz did not reply, just stared at the goddess emotionlessly. In her heart, she regarded this warning as irrelevant. However, before she could turn away, Goddess Amalthea added, "If you cross the line again, Ellizabeth, then you will not only defy your enemy. You will be defying me."

Those words made Elliz pause for a moment. But she showed no fear. "I will remember that," she replied coldly, before the world around her returned to the church.

She opened her eyes, staring at the goddess statue once more. "Heroism, huh?" she muttered softly, coldly, "We'll see."

On the way back to the room, Elliz continued to put on a cheerful face to hide her emotions until she reached the room, Elliz stood in front of the mirror and her expression turned full of anger. As her mind filled with insults from Goddess Amalthea, she slammed the mirror with her fist until the cracks spread like a spider web. Pieces of glass fell to the floor, reflecting her cold and determined face.

"Goddess bastard...heroic my ass," she muttered sarcastically. To her, the Goddess's words were just an obstacle. "She wants a heroic tale? There is no place for weakness in my ambitions."

Elliz knew the Goddess did not want her to be strong for any other purpose, but rather a figure who followed the narrative of the "perfect hero." But for Elliz, that concept was nothing more than a chain that restrained her. She let out a long breath, trying to calm herself down. "I'm still weak... calm down... I can be more than this," she thought. With her extraordinary abilities and sharp brain, she believed she only needed to develop faster to surpass her limits.

When a maid entered with a panicked face after hearing the sound of breaking glass, "Oh my, Princess Elliz! Are you alright?!", Elliz immediately controlled her emotions. She put on a cheerful smile, hiding the anger that was still boiling inside her. "No need to worry," she said in a calm tone. "I'm just experimenting again, as usual."

The maid nodded, "All right...If you say so", though still looking doubtful, before going out to get the cleaning tools. After the door closed, Elliz looked back at the shattered glass on the floor, seeing her own fragmented reflection.

"Goddess or not," she muttered under her breath, "nothing can stop my ambition." which means that one day I will have to betray that church.

With growing determination, Elliz planned her next move. She would play by the rules of this world... for a while.

To be continued...