Chapter 112 ~ Taking the Crown

“You’ve been running away this whole time, turning your back before even seeing what lies ahead.” Teresa gazed steadily at Astrid.

“...Courage, is it?” After a long silence, Astrid’s pointed ears twitched, and she lifted her violet, moon-like eyes.

In the next moment, the earth quaked and mountains trembled.

Lunar Silverstone burst from the ground, rising in a swirl around Astrid, forming the foundation of a grand temple.

Teresa calmly watched. If she remembered correctly, Astrid had said she possessed two Divine Authorities. So, in this seemingly desperate moment, having one last card up her sleeve wasn’t a surprise.

With her eyes half-closed and lips gently parting, Astrid began chanting in the unique cadence of the Moon Elves. The sky above dimmed under a hazy veil of moonlight.

Where once there had been a sunset of lingering crimson clouds, the world now turned to endless night the moment the temple took shape.

Stars hung high in the heavens, casting cold and faint starlight over the desolate mountain range, draping the landscape in a silvery veil.

There was no moon behind the black curtain of sky. Seated upon a throne of silverstone, the Elf girl herself became the brightest light of the long night—she was the moon.

The spires of the temple rose like blades, and from the massive clocktower hung an ornate moon-shaped ornament. Though cloaked in darkness, the walls of the fortress shimmered with faint moonlight, enough for one to see the seams between bricks.

In this moment, her Domain had transformed: the short skirt had become a long gown of white gauze, the open-toe boots changed to crystal heels like those worn at a ball. Her black-stockinged legs and silver hair formed a striking contrast with the white gown—like black jade inlaid with silver moonstones, beautiful and irresistibly seductive.

Astrid sat on her throne like a princess adored by all, the most exquisite gem of the Elf Forest. Above the moonless sky, atop the temple of silverstone, she stretched her art-like, flawless form with regal elegance.

Her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall as she sat upon a throne carved from silverstone and inlaid with gem-like jade, her presence like that of a queen gazing down upon all.

Before this fortress forged from White Moonstone and adorned with jewel-carved decorations, Teresa seemed as insignificant as a speck of dust.

This was Astrid’s second Divine Authority: 【Moonlight Crown】. It could only be activated when the star count for 【Exalted Maiden of the Full Moon】 hit zero, altering heaven and earth to erect a city of moonlight—a fortress impossible to breach, within which she was wholly protected.

Until the Moonlight Fortress fell, Astrid could not be targeted or harmed.

In front of the projection, the silver-haired Elf boy rubbed his aching temples. Even after spending entire days buried in books for [Avid Reader], he’d never felt this mentally exhausted.

Now that both sides were spent and had used all their trump cards, this towering Moonlight Fortress appeared grand and utterly hopeless.

An impenetrable barrier—it sealed away any chance Teresa had of victory.

Astrid had truly given this match her all.

And yet, despite it all, the silver-haired youth couldn’t take his eyes off Teresa. He knew it was unlikely, but still—he couldn’t help but believe that the golden-haired Elf girl wouldn’t lose here.

“Lady Teresa, if you truly meant what you said earlier, why not try?” From atop her throne, Astrid’s voice carried the commanding tone of a ruler—perhaps a side effect of activating 【Moonlight Crown】.

“Try crossing this fortress, invulnerable and unreachable.” From the citadel, Astrid fixed her gaze on Teresa, searching for even a hint of retreat or hesitation.

But what caught her off guard was Teresa’s calm, unwavering eyes meeting hers. Not brimming with emotion, but full of innate confidence—like the voice that followed.

“Why not?”

What…?

Astrid’s pupils flickered in surprise. She couldn’t tell whether Teresa had a foolproof plan—or was bluffing.

“Lady Astrid, that second Divine Authority… that’s your final trump card, isn’t it?”

“Unfortunately for you, I saved a trump card too—in case you used yours first.” Teresa’s lips curled into a refined smile. She raised an empty hand toward the sky, and from every direction, a cataclysmic power surged into her palm.

“What is that…?” The Elf boy’s eyes widened at the projection.

Deep black matter and pure white energy—symbols of destruction and creation—converged in Teresa’s hands.

A black lightning bolt split the air. Several peals of thunder flashed, forming a long shaft in her hand. Black lightning and white sparks converged at each end, forming a halberd blade wreathed in dark flame and a spiked butt burning with silver fire.

First Divine Authority: [Blade of Destruction and Creation: Sacred Oblivion]

Divine Authority Subskill: [Blade of Destruction and Creation: Mimicry]

This was the trump card Teresa had saved—her first Divine Authority's true use. She could mimic the legendary relic [Sacred Oblivion]—one of the Five Legendary Relics—for one minute.

Mimicking [Sacred Oblivion] required no Divine Power, so it could be activated anytime. But after use, it entered a five-day cooldown, during which Teresa could no longer forge blades using her First Divine Authority, massively reducing her strength.

The drawback was severe—it would cripple her performance in any follow-up fights. That was why she had hesitated to use it. But now, at the very end, for one final strike, it didn’t matter.

After summoning the mimicked [Sacred Oblivion], Teresa’s appearance subtly changed. The golden butterfly hairpin on her head turned to a black-and-white contrast, and two wing-shaped ornaments—one of black flame, one of white fire—appeared at the sides of her hair. Flames flickered along her legs.

Wasn’t her Divine Power supposed to be spent?

Even with this last-ditch ability, she shouldn’t be able to breach the fortress...

“Lady Astrid, have you ever thought that this second Divine Authority of yours exists because of your personality?” Teresa twirled the flaming halberd in her hand.

“Faced with choices you can’t reconcile, you always run away. This fortress suits you—it gives you one more chance to escape.”

“Hiding in this invincible fortress, locking your heart away in a cluttered chest, pretending not to feel anything, afraid of every decision—retreating again and again.”

“But can you really keep running forever?” With each step, Teresa’s burning boots scorched brighter, and the halberd left behind a trail of devastation.

The ground surged beneath her feet like waves as she charged the fortress.

“There will always be a moment when...” Teresa lunged forward, halberd raised high.

Astrid clenched her fists.

“...you must choose!”

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!! The halberd crashed down. The split gate collapsed, consumed by black flame.

“How…?” Astrid stood up, dazed. “How can a blade break a gate formed by the Moonlight Authority…?”

“This isn’t a blade.” Teresa rested the halberd across her back, stepping forward. “This is destruction in the shape of a blade.”

BOOM—BOOM! The halberd cleaved the inner gate as well.

“Still hiding in your fortress, Lady Astrid? You’ve nowhere left to run.” Teresa tilted her head with a gentle smile, despite wielding a terrifying weapon.

After breaching the inner gate, Teresa leapt onto the wall, heading straight for the throne.

Astrid stared at her.

Her offense was overwhelming—but she was still physically fragile.

As long as she could land a hit...

This fortress wasn’t only for defense.

Astrid subtly adjusted the wall-mounted ballistas, turning them inward—aiming at Teresa.

BOOM—BOOM! The bolts struck Teresa from behind.

Caught off guard and without any protection, Teresa plummeted. Her vision blurred, and her grip on the halberd began to loosen.

She couldn’t hold on—her sight dimmed. Was this the end?

No. No! How could she lose? Why would she lose—especially to a Moon Elf…?

Impossible. She couldn’t allow herself to lose!

Not to someone so unsure, so lost, who only knew how to run away.

She bit her tongue, the pain shocking her back to lucidity.

She gripped the halberd tightly once more.

The token at her waist was battered and cracked—just like she was.

Then, the golden emblem of the sun and harp on the back of her hand flared brightly.

***

On a land bathed in sunlight, in the Goldenwood Temple nestled high among towering trees—

Inside the dim sanctuary, a stunning golden-haired girl wearing the Elf Crown opened her olive-green eyes, her still expression rippling faintly.

“…Teresa?”

***

CRACK! Teresa’s feet slammed into the castle wall. The force and weight left jagged cracks beneath her.

Her stamina was spent. Her energy was drained. Her vision was darkening.

But she hadn’t lost. She couldn’t lose.

With her halberd burning bright, Teresa climbed the fortress wall.

Astrid, thinking it was all over, had just begun to exhale—when she sensed something wrong.

Why hadn’t the announcer declared the match over?

A second later, she had her answer.

Teresa, hit by the Moonlight ballista with no protection, had climbed the fortress wall.

Astrid looked up—and saw that radiant golden silhouette dancing in the night sky. Her jaw dropped.

She hastily ordered another volley—but due to the angle, the ballistas couldn’t target the throne.

And Teresa was already on the platform.

How? Her Domain had shattered! How could she endure so many attacks and still stand?!

Could it be... a hidden Domain effect?

It wasn’t until Teresa knocked the crescent blade from Astrid’s hand and stood right in front of her—exhausted, trembling, but utterly unyielding—that Astrid understood.

There was no Domain.

Teresa had endured all of it without one.

Only now did Astrid realize what she’d overlooked—something beyond stats:

Willpower.

The desire to win.

An unwavering resolve to triumph.

Looking at the Elf girl before her—battered but unbowed—Astrid felt a strange sense of clarity.

The way they had approached this match was completely different.

She’d assumed she would win. So she hadn’t tried as hard.

But Teresa… Teresa had decided she would win. She had to win. So she had fought for it with everything she had.

And she succeeded.

Just like she had said earlier—when asked if she would defy her clan, abandon tradition, and pursue love despite being cast out—“I would!”

That answer, and this moment, were exactly the same. Teresa truly forged ahead without regret.

“I’ve lost. The victory is yours.” Astrid gave a graceful bow. As she said it, she felt strangely relieved. “Thank you, Lady Teresa—for your lesson.”

Astrid handed over her token. She knew Teresa could have struck her—but didn’t. Probably because...

She could feel the aura of destruction emanating from the halberd. If she had been hit—her token might not have survived.

The token shattered. The silver city collapsed.

Watching this unfold, Lit felt an indescribable emotion.

With Teresa’s Divine Authority exhausted, the chains binding her had broken.

Witnessing her invincible idol Astrid be defeated, Lit felt something strange in her heart.

Seeing the golden Elf collapsed among the ruins, wrapped in black flame, unconscious—

Lit raised her sword, stepped forward…

But for some reason, she couldn’t lift it.

It wasn’t just that she didn’t want to take advantage—it was a deep, instinctive unwillingness.

“…Fine. Since Her Highness said so…” she muttered, poking her own token with the blade.

‘Team 45 eliminated.’

‘Secret Realm detects one team remaining. Freshman Crown Tournament champion decided—Victory goes to Team 30!’

‘Team Leader: Dylin. Team Member: Ranger-Class Divine Princess Teresa.’

‘Thank you all for witnessing the birth of this year’s Coleman Champion—let us congratulate this trailblazing team who has taken the crown!’

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