At this moment, there was no longer any trace of former grandeur within the royal palace of the kingdom.

All the ministers, all the guards, even all the mages, lay sprawled chaotically across the ground, each with flushed faces, endlessly moaning, drowning in the agony of illness.

And visibly, growing ever weaker.

Some of the more elderly had even begun to show signs of respiratory distress.

Among them was the old King.

This man, still clad in his royal robes, had fully lost all the poise of a monarch; lying on the ground, an expression twisted in pain, he was now but an old man tormented by disease.

Only Aivlette still sat upon the throne, struggling to maintain an unfamiliar Mirror Image Magic with her own Magic Power, broadcasting to all citizens beyond the grand hall that she still stood with them.

Aivlette had never imagined that one day, under such circumstances, she would ascend the throne.

The gods' abrupt proclamation and actions had utterly destroyed everything she once possessed.

Her life, her kingdom, her ideals.

Now, all that remained was Ao Yu.

"Cough, cough!" The King suddenly erupted in a fit of violent coughing, gasping constantly with his mouth open, yet unable to draw in a single breath—his face flushed deep purple, the stark mark of oxygen deprivation.

Yet Aivlette could not even turn to look at him.

Even knowing that her royal father could endure no longer, at this moment, she had to sit here, sit before the people—for this was the only thing she, as Queen, could do in such times.

"If I truly lose everything," Aivlette gripped the sword in her hand tightly, "then vengeance will be all that remains of my existence."

Ao Yu had always taught her, no matter when, no matter what, never to yield to weakness.

So too had she been taught by noble upbringing.

Therefore, even as the dread and sorrow within her reached their peak, Aivlette still fought to preserve her steadfastness.

Until—a voice she longed for with all her soul suddenly sounded behind her.

"Thank goodness, there's still time."

"—!"

Aivlette, always maintaining her regal composure, whipped around abruptly.

And then she saw Wizard Shen Yu standing behind her.

He had returned!

"Were you addressing the people?" Wizard Shen Yu also noticed the Magic Mirror before her. After a moment's hesitation, he stepped forward. "Your Majesty, the potion to overcome Divine Punishment has already been produced in large quantities—it can now be used to save the entire nation."

"Good!" For the first time, Aivlette's voice trembled faintly. She looked at the Wizard Shen Yu before her, suddenly seized by a desperate urge to throw herself into his arms.

But she managed to hold back.

"All of Violet will remember your great deeds, the legend of vanquishing Divine Punishment!"

"It is my honor, Your Majesty." Wizard Shen Yu smiled.

Yet his hands never ceased their movements; he had already begun spraying the potion, dispersing it across the entire city from the skies above.

The first to recover, of course, were the mighty mages and demon warriors.

Once the potion began to take effect and the pathogens were swiftly eradicated, every guard in torment felt strength surging back into their bodies.

They sat up from the ground, gazing in disbelief at their own hands.

Divine Punishment had truly been defeated!

Only those who had tasted the extremes of agony and despair brought by Divine Punishment could truly fathom the preciousness of this moment!

It was as if someone had pulled them from the brink of drowning—now they breathed the fresh air in great, uninhibited gulps.

The way these people looked at their Queen, and especially at Ao Yu, had utterly transformed!

The Queen had been right: Divine Punishment was not invincible. Here, before them, stood the legend who had wrought a miracle and overcome Divine Punishment!

"This potion spreads rapidly within the city, but in the towns and villages, it will have to be administered directly to the people," Wizard Shen Yu explained to Aivlette at that moment.

Aivlette responded immediately.

This was no time to breathe a sigh of relief—they must get the potion out as swiftly as possible.

And Divine Punishment had not struck only the Violet Kingdom; other plague-ravaged realms had to be aided with all possible speed as well.

"Imperial Guard!" she called aloud.

"At your command!" Every Imperial Guard responded in unison, quickly dropping to one knee before their Queen.

It was as if they had never, not long ago, raised their swords against Aivlette.

But truly, if anyone could save the entire kingdom, no matter who it might be, that person deserved to be the most sacred monarch of all!

Let alone that Aivlette was legitimate by birth.

"All Imperial Guards will set out at once! Bear the potion, and rush to every city, every village within the Violet Kingdom!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The knights of the Imperial Guard, having learned how to administer the potion, departed at once.

Aside from the places where the plague first broke out—where there may already be a considerable death toll—elsewhere, time was still on their side.

"Dean Mage," Aivlette turned once more to Dean Mage, "join with the Royal Mage Corps, use Teleportation Magic to send the potion swiftly to the neighboring nations likewise suffering from Divine Punishment. And quickly contact the Magic Empire—ask them to dispatch mages to assist in transporting the potion."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Dean Mage bowed deeply to Aivlette.

Before leaving, he could not help but gaze at Wizard Shen Yu with admiration and awe.

Perhaps those demon warriors did not understand—but as a mage, how could he not?

Divine Punishment contained such powerful Magic Power—even if the entire might of the Magic Empire were mustered, it would still be nigh impossible to produce a potion in so short a span.

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