835th year.

10 years before the destruction of Shinganshina.

Sweat was streaming down on the woman's temple and the sound of her breathing was short of breath.

Her legs widened on the bed, her green eyes wandering wildly staring at anyone who could stop this pain. There was no light there, her forehead furrowed, and she was eager to pull the doctor's black hair in front of her.

To reduce the pain, a cloth stuck in her mouth prevented her from biting her tongue. It had never occurred to her in her brain that giving birth to a human would be as painful and difficult as this.

'Uri...' her mind drove suddenly, letting her head wander while the doctors were still taking care of everything she didn't know.

"Where's Uri?" she thought again.

She must see that man, she must see his face, that man must be near her.

Her mother's dark red hair was visible at the corner of her eyes. That woman's face was very worried, faint wrinkles visible above her temples and under her eyes.

"My Dear, you will be fine. Your father has brought two experienced doctors." Her forehead was kissed affectionately, "You will be fine."

She wanted to make a voice, ask where Uri was, or where was the man when his wife was dying?

She really wants.

But the wave of pain came again, made her like stabbed by thousands of knives.

'It's coming out...' she thought. 'The baby will come out...'

Coinciding with the wave of pain, one of the middle-aged doctors in front of her gently bended her legs, leading her to inhale then exhale. While the other one is busy doing whatever she doesn't know. She was too focused on the sudden surge of pain.

She could not interpret what this pain was like. Too difficult.

The first wave, she bit down hard on the cloth. Let her screams muffled in the room.

She could still hear the faint encouraging voice of the doctor below and the soft voice of her mother beside her bed. The sweep of the hand felt soft on her scalp, her mother had just sat closer and held one hand.

The second wave, she closed her eyes when a scream escaped her mouth, she no longer cared if it sounded noisy. The pain is more important than the comfort of the people around.

She can also feel something moving out of her genitals, something she knows she is fighting for, something very petite trying to get a new life in this small world.

"It's halfway... prepare a soft cloth..." The voice was faint, but she could still hear it.

Her eyes were heavy, sweat left her temples which now rested on her neck. She was like being under a splash of waterfall. She wants to fall asleep, she wants to end this and rest, she wants to do that.

But…

There are little creatures who still want this mortal life.

Her baby, Uri's baby, heir to the kingdom, king or future queen of a small kingdom.

She can't give up.

Third wave, her eyes open slowly and then widen completely. She had removed the cloth from her pale lips, she shouted again and again until she felt she could no longer make a sound and her throat was dry.

Something moved longer this time. Although invisible from her perspective, she could feel the blood seeping out.

'Quite a lot…' she thought weakly.

Not feeling tears welling up at the tip of her green eyes, she sobbed as the sound of a baby crying loudly filled the air. She still felt the blood flowing so she didn't know how much, she didn't care anymore.

"... Ahh, girl. She is so beautiful ..." said the first doctor, letting her mind wander unconsciously to the child in her arms, she did not know that they were distracting her brain from heavy bleeding.

She does not know.

The doctor carried the baby wrapped in a soft white cloth in her hand. With enthusiasm, her mother took over and put the little creature in her own arms, smiling happily.

"Look at her, Merle. How similar she is to her father, oh look at her eyes!" Merle looked at the baby with a wistful look, happily soaring in her chest. Proud of having given birth to a beautiful and healthy daughter.

But sadness spreads again. Her mind just floated where Uri went. Even when she had given birth to their child, Uri did not reveal her nose.

'You don't know who I am?' The voice of someone she knew very well rang in her head suddenly, the question was sudden and plain.

'Should I know someone I've never seen before?' She replied with wide eyes, 'I'm not a fortune teller.'

The man snorted happily, 'That's good.'

'Why should I know you? Are you an important person?' she asked, really innocent and did not know anything at that time.

The wind brushed her red hair, flew some to the east, the sunset to the west of Wall Sina, until the red flare spread across the sky.

'No...' He said slowly and softly, she could still feel the warmth behind his gaze. 'I'm happy.'

Merle never once looked her gaze in the other direction. She looked at the long face of the man beside her, strange waves creeping like butterflies in her stomach. How peaceful it was, feeling the sunset on the lake with a gentle breeze. The swan mother is even still there with her children.

'Eh?' She looked at the lake at the moment, but Merle was sure he was still listening to her. 'You're a strange man.'

'I often come here in the late afternoon, do you too?' He asked.

Merle shook her head, no. 'I only come occasionally when something is bothering me.' Her breathing is heavy, 'By the way, I'm Merle Beichler.'

'Uri.'

'Only Uri?' He nodded and smiled softly, 'Alright...'

Merle's mind returned.

Why did she have to remember that strange meeting now?

She has no idea. The baby next to her flailed her face with tiny reddish fingers.

For a moment, she felt alone with her baby. No matter what chaos is going on out there, no matter where Uri is now. She just wants to be with her baby, take care of her until she is old and dead, she wants to carry her every night and put her to sleep on her lap.

Something that she always wanted when it was time for her to be a mother.

Her reverie broke when the sound of the door was forced open.

Her eyes were immediately fixed on the man in the white shirt with grayish black hair. Uri is coming. He came soaked with sweat.

Her eyes widened.

Obviously Uri was hiding from people to come to her parents' residence. Her father was behind her husband, also in a state of wheezing, it seems like he was chasing Uri.

The man's steps were fast and long, his facial expression could not be read.

Only one hug, Merle's body was already in the gentle embrace of the man in front of her, she was still having difficulty sitting. While the doctors are still busy cleaning something down there.

"Uri..."

Not long after that, his hug slipped, causing that man to kiss her forehead and lips repeatedly. Countless of them. She actually didn't have the chance to count them because she was still in shock from Uri's sudden arrival.

"I'm sorry... I'm really sorry, my dear. I was preoccupied with parliamentary requests and Stationary Troops. I'm sorry." Uri's breath was panting, sweat running down that man's temple. She was drawn again to the reality when two pairs of hands grabbed her. "I know you will not forgive me."

Her eyes widened, cupped her husband's cheek, looked down to stop the cry. She could not. The cry broke. She did not know what to say, on the one hand she was still angry at Uri but on the other hand she was happy seeing her husband's face again. Like her thirst is gone.

Her memory returned to the time when Uri stood to the left of the Pastor and waited. Her green eyes seemed grayish exposed to the sparkle of light. It was daytime, she was wearing a dress that matched the color with Uri's shirt. There was her father beside her, holding her hand to take her to the destination. Then there was her mother, and three close cousins. Their eyes looked stunned when the simple white dress dragged gracefully.

The procession of reading the sacred promise of marriage, exchanging rings crossed her mind. A happy smile was displayed on the lips of every guest, not many that they invited in this marriage. Or indeed Uri who did not want a big wedding in the palace.

Merle was principled maybe her husband did not like the crowd, as evidenced when they went on a date several times. Uri will choose to take a walk along the lake or into the forest and look for beautiful and unique flowers. Uri also never sent her a letter, in one week they met only four times.

When Merle found out that Uri was the successor to the previous king, she knelt at the man for the first time. Uri must have looked at her strangely, however Uri was the next king.

Uri Reiss.

'Don't kneel. I have not become king.' He said at that time.

At that moment, she remembered again that indeed Uri could not announce that he had married a girl from Wall Sina. Wonder what is on Uri's mind, she tried not to find out.

There was no representative from the Reiss family when their marriage arrived. Even Uri's eldest brother, Rod, did not show his nose.

Is it possible that only Uri knew that they were getting married? What is the reason for all that?

Almost one year she lived in a house the hill is close to the intermediary Wall Sina and the Wall Rose area. Hidden from spies, assassins and other evil titles who try to find out the weakness of King Uri. At that time, five months after they were married, Uri was appointed king. About four months into her pregnancy, she returns to her parents' home at night.

Is she the Queen now?

She chuckled at her own thoughts.

There is no Queen living in the interior of Wall Sina, no one.

The wave of pain reappeared, this time more severe until it interrupted her reverie.

Panic sounds could be heard from below, making her look up a little and staring at the bloody cloth in the hands of the doctors who insisted on arguing over something.

She hasn't had the time to name her baby, she should have done it before. What is a good name for her daughter?

"Katharina..." she murmured in a hoarse and deep voice. Uri's eyes stared at her wide, and a weak smile crossed her own lips.

"... Please give her the name Katharina ..." she continued struggling. She did not know why her chest felt heavy and her breath was short of breath. She felt her whole body rather cold and began to creep up from her feet.

"Don't beg, whatever you say I will do." Her husband's voice faintly said. Sounding very melodious in her own ears, she smiled happily for it.

She could see her mother's pale face approaching, her father who was behind her mother looked much older than usual. Her breath pull was rusty.

"Hey ... look at me, Merle." Her eyes glazed and tried to force the will of that voice. "We will treat her together. You will be a good mother," Is that a sob?

Her eyes grew heavier, even the light as bright as the sun could not make her stop this drowsiness. "Is that so?" She muttered no more.

It feels strange.

Her eyes closed slowly after that, making her dazed in the dark.

Then, a ray of light dazzled her eyelids, she flew in a bright, all-white place. There was no one there but herself and someone who reached out to guide her to the light.

'Where's Uri?' Her voice echoed.

'Where is Katharina?' That person just paused and still held out his/her hand as if to welcome her and told her to follow the shadow.

Everything felt strange to her, she needed Uri and Katharina beside her. 'Have you seen them? I ... I have to go back ...'

'Do you know how to get out of this place?' This time the person nodded.

That person's voice echoes beautifully like the songs and praises she often approaches when she approaches the church, even more sweet than that.

'Follow me, Merle Beichler. Our aim will be far more beautiful.' The voice was lilting.

Merle looked around, hesitant but kept going. She did not know what was driving her to keep going, step again and again so that her hands could come in contact with picking people in front of the light.

A strange thing happened when her hand touched the hand, a glimpse of all her activities with her family, Uri and Katharina crossed each side of the place. She did not know what magic this was.

Uri hugged her thin body, and reached for the baby in his arms, kissed her many times. Wait…

Is that her body?

So is she dead? Is that true?

Her mother cried with a blushing face, even her father who was known to be hard-tempered seemed devastated by their current situation.

'You give life to a newborn human.' The voice echoed again.

'She's my daughter ...' she answered calmly now. For some reason she felt calm when she saw the face of Katharina who was peacefully asleep in her father's arms.

'Do you regret it?'

She did not turn around, still staring at her grieving little family who would lose her. She did not breathe, either because it was not her duty to do that in another world. She no longer needs breath, heartbeat and blood flow. 'Absolutely not.'

Her mother's face was visible on her face, why does that woman look younger here?

Does her father look more resolute here even though his shoulders are bent?

Uri's stoic face, kissing her lips repeatedly, fixed her red manus that fell unconsciously on each side. Even she can still feel the softness of her husband's lips from up here.

She smiled happily.

How peaceful it is now.

'Will the place be even more beautiful?' She asked unconsciously.

'Very beautiful.'

Her eyes widened curiously. 'No Titan?'

'There is no Titan. The others are waiting for you.' It's said softly, reminding her of Uri's voice while at the lake.

Her steps were now more steady than before, walking closer to the direction of the light. She melted into the light, making her body swallowed by the dazzling white light. until the light covered her face and her visibility, the faintest thing she saw was Katharina's peaceful face and a small smile on her lips.

It feels peaceful.

Peaceful.