"Gasp... Haa..."
Margarita, her appearance in shambles, breathed heavily like a fish out of water. Even though she was out of the ground, her difficulty in breathing showed that the shock of being buried alive had taken quite a toll on her.
I waited for a while, giving her so ti to calm down. I could feel her gaze on , but I decided not to focus on it for now.
"...I have sothing to ask you."
"..."
"I'll spare your life. But tell what you know about Orbis's whereabouts."
"...Ha."
Margarita finally let out a sigh that sounded like a derisive chuckle.
"Are you saving just to ask about my mother?"
"Ah, just speak plainly. You survived the landslide on your own. I didn't save you."
I had indeed triggered the collapse of the cliff, but I never expected her to die from it. Great mages don’t easily die, after all. Their innate mana unconsciously protects critical parts of their bodies like the head or chest from fatal harm.
Of course, they don’t die, but that doesn’t guarantee the quality of their life.
In fact, Margarita’s legs were completely shattered, making it almost impossible for her to stand.
‘Since the dungeon is cleared... she probably can’t use magic anymore.’
It wasn’t widely known, but incantation magic was fraught with risks.
Using incantation magic ant staking the mage’s very soul to rewrite the laws of the world. And if they failed, the backlash was severe.
Additionally, to quickly restore her domain, Margarita had manifested the core of her soul in the physical world.
And I had completely shattered it.
‘Soul damage is difficult to repair.’
For a mage, that was the most fatal kind of injury. A high-level magic user like a mannequin would be out of the question, and even the most basic 1st-circle magic might be beyond her.
That’s why the system recognized the dungeon as cleared.
"You probably don’t want to die now that you’ve survived."
"...I already told you. I don’t know anything about my mother’s whereabouts."
Margarita glared at , her tone resigned, as though she had finally realized that she had no power left.
"What I know is that they’ve been drawing mana from another world. How could I know about another world?"
Her words sounded truthful, at least.
"I’m not lying. Look at . What would I gain by lying now? Especially in front of a knight holding a sword?"
As she said that, Margarita glanced at the sword Yoo Han-ul held.
Did she feel so pity for herself? Yoo Han-ul flinched slightly.
"I think continuing to threaten her is..."
"No, she’s definitely holding back so information."
I cut off Yoo Han-ul’s words.
If I didn’t know anything about Orbis, I might have fallen for Margarita’s words. But I was certain that Margarita, being the sole heir, would have passed so information about Orbis to .
In case she failed, Orbis would want her to continue his will.
It wasn’t out of affection for the heir... but because Orbis would never allow his will to be thwarted.
Not even death would be an obstacle.
"Ha."
Margarita twisted her lips in bitterness. Her betrayal was evident in her expression.
"If you’re not going to believe anything I say, just kill !"
"...Margarita, if you think I can’t torture you, you’re mistaken."
At my words, both Margarita and Yoo Han-ul gasped.
I didn’t understand why.
Weren’t you both the enemies in this world, not ?
"Even if you can’t use magic, if you’re tortured, your life will beco even harder. Spill the truth."
I spoke gently.
It wasn’t an empty threat.
She was already aware of the mana swirling behind and the deadly aura it carried.
"If you get tortured here... there are plenty of people in this place who want to kill you. It will be harder to survive."
Margarita had been extrely harsh with her own subjects. No matter how powerful a mage was, it wasn’t normal to dominate the minds of ordinary people.
She had treated them like livestock rather than humans.
It wouldn’t have been surprising if she were stoned to death.
Margarita let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha... don’t make laugh. Even though I’ve lost, so what...!"
"Don’t underestimate . The child you tried to swallow could beco a mage greater than you."
Margarita’s eyes widened in disbelief.
She probably never expected to say such a thing.
"Greater than ? Are you seriously saying that?"
"Of course."
...Well, honestly, that wasn’t entirely true.
Unfortunately, humans aren’t born equal.
Not everyone is born with the sa talent... and even if soone has talent, without the right environnt, most people never blossom.
The child nad Mari certainly had great potential.
But in this world, with no proper ntors and the academic knowledge lost, the chance of her blossoming was slim.
However, truthfully, how Mari would grow wasn’t my concern.
Right now, my goal was to provoke Margarita and extract information.
I sent the final blow toward the remaining resilient Margarita.
"...What do you think will happen if Orbis returns and sees you like this?"
"..."
"Will he save you? Heal your wounds? No."
There was no way my bloodline in my past life would have such hope for .
"You know Orbis. It’s not because you’re his daughter, his heir, that he loves you. He loves your power, and your loyalty to him that will never betray him."
I knew that point well.
Since birth, I had been the recipient of his affection, and losing it was once more terrifying than death.
No, that woman was my world.
"But now you’ve lost all your powers... and if soone else with talent arises in this world?"
Before I was betrayed.
"I can already see what choice Orbis will make."
Orbis would choose Mari.
What if Margarita opposed that decision?
If Margarita resisted, Orbis would have no hesitation in killing her.
What mattered to Orbis was the greater good.
Individual lives, bonds, and love weren’t important.
"...That’s only natural. My mother is doing what’s best for this world."
Margarita said that like a final cry of defiance.
"My mother is doing her best as the last emperor, the final bastion of this world. If she chooses that, it’s the right thing!"
"Yes, for this world, that might be considered righteous."
I replied neutrally.
Orbis’s belief and purpose weren’t for himself.
He was doing his duty, doing his best to protect the world.
It could be considered righteous for this world, perhaps.
No, at one point, it certainly was.
"But you’re going to die."
Margarita’s eyes trembled slightly.
Even so, I still... if soone had to die to protect the world, I wonder if I could say that the killing was justified.
Especially if the one who dies is the person in question.
"Trust . It would be easier to survive and plan for the future than to die by Orbis’s hand."
I could say this because I was once a part of it.
Margarita trembled and asked with a quivering lip.
"What will happen if I tell you?"
"I’ll kill Orbis."
With Orbis, there was no room for negotiation. There was no compromise.
"If I succeed, at least you’ll have removed the most powerful enemy."
"And if Lucy fails?"
"Then at least one hateful enemy will be gone."
For Margarita, it was a deal with no loss.
A long silence followed.
"...I know one thing."
Finally, Margarita spoke.
I knew this would happen.
Perhaps because she had faced assassination threats from a young age, Margarita’s obsession with life was almost pathological.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
"If my mother fails... she told to cross into another world and find soone. That person would inherit my mother’s foundation, and I should take over the work she was doing."
"Na?"
"Theodora Yobanovich."
It was, of course, an unfamiliar na.
She didn’t seem to be Korean... was that prejudice?
I glanced at Yoo Han-ul, who had been quiet, and he shook his head as if he didn’t recognize the na.
"I don’t know the na... but it sounds like a European na."
What a useless guy.
"Just the na isn’t enough. That world is much larger than ours. Did she just tell you a na?"
"That’s all I know. She said Theodora would co find ."
"Hmm."
...This was sowhat understandable.
Orbis must have acted very secretively...
Even when giving Margarita information, he must have doubted whether it would leak to soone else.
Indeed, information had leaked.
‘Leila Lopez and Jas Chen need to be involved.’
With just the na, I didn’t need to look further.
Even though Earth’s population was vast, anyone close enough to be Orbis’s successor would certainly be in a high position.
Leila and Jas had long been part of the International Hunter Association, so they might have heard this na.
Even if they hadn’t, I could have them find the information.
"One more question. How did you plan to get to Earth?"
"...My mother said that if I tore through the dinsional rift and created a passage, my soul would naturally be guided in the right direction. I think she ant using the soul’s magnetic pull."
Just as I thought.
This wasn’t so much out of curiosity but more to confirm my suspicions.
As I had guessed, Orbis had likely already reincarnated or... was using Yoo Han-ul.
Or soone from my past life might have reincarnated on Earth too.
Even if they were reincarnated, the connections with others their soul rembers would certainly draw them in.
But whether Orbis discovered or Yoo Han-ul by coincidence or had been involved from the start was still a mystery.
"...Alright, I’ll ask Orbis about the rest."
What I could get from Margarita was probably about it.
‘Still, it’s not without results.’
It looks like I’ll be able to return with a refreshing feeling after a ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) long ti.
Of course, there’s still the huge issue of Yoo Han-ul, who has regained his mory, but...
"King!"
Just then, Robo, who had gone to help the villagers, returned.
I had told him to only help with the dangerous parts of the descent and return quickly.
Though the villagers were still descending, Robo ca back earlier than expected, just as instructed.
I patted Robo and looked down at Margarita.
"As promised... I won’t kill you."
In fact, I doubted her death would be my responsibility.
From a distance, I could hear the lively voices of the people descending from the peak.
They would soon realize that the owner of this domain had changed.
How they would react when they see Margarita in such a weakened state... that I couldn’t know.
"Try to survive in a place full of people who bla you."
"...How could I survive? I can barely move my legs."
Margarita muttered with a pale face.
I replied coldly.
"That’s your burden to carry."
"Lucy..."
"You’re responsible for what you’ve done, Margarita."
A noble pearl can’t remain noble once it leaves the oyster.
"And surprisingly, even if you can’t use magic, you might still survive... though that’s just my thought."
I glanced at Yoo Han-ul.
"Do you think otherwise?"
Of course, whether or not Margarita should be left alive was my decision.
I didn’t know what Yoo Han-ul thought.
If Yoo Han-ul decides to kill Margarita here, I can’t stop him.
After all, I had spent months planning to confront Margarita.
Margarita’s face grew pale.
"You... you’re lying..."
"It’s not a lie. I’m not going to kill you. But I can’t speak for him."
"That’s deception!"
"...I agree."
But for so reason, Yoo Han-ul didn’t add anything further.
Instead, he sheathed the sword he had been holding.
"I don’t think this decision is mine."
I really have no idea what this guy is thinking.
The system urges user, ‘Jeong Da-on,’ to return.
"Well, let’s return then."
And when the system’s return prompt beca unavoidable, I had no choice but to accept it.
A bright light enveloped again.
Margarita asked in a dazed voice.
"...Are you really leaving like this?"
"Yes."
The ti to leave the dungeon had taken longer than I expected.
"Lucy!"
Then, suddenly, Margarita shouted my old na.
"Aren’t you sorry for ? Are you going to abandon again?"
Her shout carried a kind of desperation and resentnt, like a child clinging to an adult.
Was she hoping I would feel guilty seeing her miserable state?
But if that’s the case, she’s asking the wrong person.
I looked down at the broken Margarita.
"Yeah... once, I thought it was my fault for not properly teaching you."
"..."
"But how many years ago was that, Mari? Ten years? A hundred? No, several hundred?"
But so much ti had passed.
"Grow up, Margarita. It’s ti for you to take responsibility for your own life."
I knew Margarita’s growth wasn’t easy. A better environnt could have been made for her.
But the past was unchangeable, and Margarita had beco an adult.
"If you want to bla , go ahead."
In the end, humans can only heal their own wounds.
"No matter how much you bla others, it won’t improve your life."
I, too, once blad others, beca angry, and felt lonely because no one understood .
But even that beca tireso.
Self-pity is of no help.
Ti doesn’t wait, and the more you dwell on the past,
the more you fall behind.
"Only you can save your life."
That was probably the last piece of advice I could give to Margarita.
"...Lucy, I really hate you."
Margarita’s words, as if she were crying or laughing, were the last I heard from her.
I sighed and closed my eyes.
"It’s not that na anymore."
I didn’t expect my words to reach her ears anyway.
Exiting the dungeon.
But, maybe... if this event caused Margarita to change even a little...
If we et again, perhaps our relationship will be different.
The system deems the outco of the transaction with user ‘Jeong Da-on’ as successful.
The system rewards user ‘Jeong Da-on.’ Please check your status window.
At any rate, it was ti to receive the sweet rewards.
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