And some time later.
When she raised her head again, a large full moon that had been hidden behind clouds was shining through the gap in the window.
The light was so beautiful that Lerial narrowed her eyes.
That was the moment.
'...What is that?'
Something caught Lerial's eye as she crouched on the floor.
Something was faintly glowing beneath the decorative cabinet across from the bed.
'Don't tell me...'
Lerial slowly stood up and approached that spot.
Then she crouched down again to check.
It was positioned so that it couldn't be seen at all when standing, but was clearly visible when a child sat on the floor.
Moreover, though it was normally invisible, it emitted a peculiar light when illuminated by moonlight.
If Lerial's guess was correct...
'It's a moonlight stone.'
It was said that moonlight stones possessed a strange power that was neither divine power nor magical power. That was why some mages used that power when hiding treasures.
Lerial reached her hand through the narrow gap where the light flowed.
And the moment she pressed something with a click.
Surprisingly, the ordinary wall cracked open and a small door appeared. It was a tiny storage space just large enough to store items.
"......"
Lerial slowly brought her trembling hand to the handle.
She opened the door, imagining all sorts of gold and silver treasures might appear.
"......!"
However, what emerged from the small space was unexpected.
'What is this?'
Only a single round pocket watch sat alone in the small secret storage.
The pocket watch, bearing the distinctive color of aged metal, looked very old.
Lerial paused for a moment and tried to recall memories of the original work.
'...Could this be it? Did it look like this?'
One thing came to mind. Half of the sacred relic that Yuriana would obtain in the original story.
Where she obtained it wasn't specifically mentioned.
But considering that Yuriana later boasted to the Perseus Emperor that she had obtained a treasure from a cabin...
'Did she find it here?'
It was a sacred relic of the Temple, no less.
Though only half, it was known to possess mysterious power.
In this world, the Temple's 'Divine Relics' were said to grant any wish.
Not all sacred relics possessed such power, but the one Yuriana would obtain did have that power to some extent.
'It was said that if you turn the watch's second hand under moonlight, the sacred relic grants your wish at that moment.'
In the original work, Yuriana didn't know that fact, so she unknowingly had her unconscious wish granted, and that was 'a harmonious family.'
Living harmoniously with family was the deep desire seated in Yuriana's unconscious.
The half-sacred relic granted that wish for Yuriana.
"......"
Lerial approached closely and observed without touching the pocket watch.
Unlike ordinary clocks, it had only one hand. That was because this sacred relic was only half complete.
'The other half was the sacred relic that the male protagonist would obtain.'
Similarly, the male lead would also fulfill his wish through the same method.
'The male lead's wish was to become stronger.'
The male lead, who had always been weak, would join the Wild Dragon subjugation unit with the power he obtained that way.
Lerial narrowed her eyes.
Before she knew it, the sadness that had consumed her had vanished, and her heart began to pound.
It felt like she had become a criminal committing theft.
'But...'
Since the original female lead and male lead's paths were smooth and successful, they didn't particularly need this sacred relic.
'In the original work too, the two eventually donated the completed sacred relic to the Temple.'
When the two pocket watches possessed by the male and female leads combined into one, their power grew even stronger.
They could achieve something greater than what could be accomplished with just half.
However, limitations existed. As a sacred relic born from the Kreuz doctrine, it couldn't resurrect the dead. Also, it was said that only one wish could be granted, and a price had to be paid. There seemed to be other secrets as well, but they weren't detailed in the original work.
'Still, if I complete the sacred relic, breaking the Golden Word magic should be easily possible.'
Honestly, it felt wasteful to return it to the Temple...
Hope began to spring up in Lerial's eyes.
'If I recover this watch and the other half...'
She could break the curse that would constrict her for life.
The Golden Word magic that Raidios had cast on her to keep the secret.
If the Golden Word magic could be broken... she could find her friends and confess the truth directly, and ask for forgiveness for the sin of deceiving them.
In truth, the guilt of deceiving her friends had been washing over her from time to time since the Temple, and since returning to the Imperial Castle, tormenting her.
She often made excuses to herself that it was unavoidable, but that didn't make all the guilt disappear.
Since the most precious thing remaining to Lerial was her memories with her friends, she wanted to set things right somehow.
'No, I might not even need to find the other half. This alone might grant my wish.'
Lerial looked at the moonlight outside the window with a tense face.
'An unconscious wish...'
After hesitating for a moment, Lerial seemed to resolve something and slowly reached out her hand.
'I'm sorry, Yuriana.'
No, actually, she didn't need to feel sorry. Yuriana's wish would be granted anyway.
Spending her whole life being loved in a harmonious family and enjoying happiness was her destiny.
Lerial ignored the creeping guilt and picked up the half pocket watch.
She approached the window where moonlight poured down, lifted the watch on her palm, closed her eyes, and murmured.
'Please let the Golden Word magic be broken. Please...!'
Lerial made her wish earnestly and turned the watch's second hand. That was when it happened.
"Ah...!"
Brilliant light fiercely struck down into the pocket watch. Lerial reflexively opened her eyes wide.
Unbearable light poured into both her eyes. Flustered by the light, Lerial dropped the watch.
Even stronger light gushed from the watch that fell to the floor. Lerial covered her eyes with her arm and turned her head.
And just like that, her vision gradually blurred.