The Author's POV

"Akhhh!"

Feeling something stab her in the abdominal area, Angelica let out a sharp wail. The pain was unbearable, and when she looked up, she was met with two mercilessly cold eyes that seemed to disregard her completely.

Such gaze…

They weren't something she was unfamiliar with. This was how she had been looked at throughout her entire life.

'Yes… This is how it should be.'

It was only now that she felt comfortable looking back at her mother.

What she was seeing was the mother she grew up seeing.

"You've finally shown your real self."

"Still talking?"

"Akgh."

Feeling something pull at her hair, Angelica felt her body rise from the spot, and her expression distorted out of pain. Still, she tried her best to keep her gaze locked on her mother.

"The… kh… only reason you even bothered 'caring' about me is because everyone else died, right?"

In reality, Angelica wasn't the only one that her mother had given birth to. She used to have seven other siblings, all of whom were more talented than her.

The key word was 'used to'.

They were no longer here.

"The only reason… you even cared about me in the first place is because I'm the only one left, right?"

Her word seemed to have struck a chord with her mother, as Angelica suddenly found herself smacked against one of the pillars once again.

Bang—!

She felt the wind get knocked out of her, and an intense pain radiated to her chest. Even so, she didn't let it show on her face as she continued.

"You're desperate… You're clearly aware that the other elders are trying to covet your position, and without a succ—"

Bang—!

She was once again smacked against the pillar. This time, with more force, the pillar crumbled down.

Rumble—!

Dust rose within the sturdy halls, and Angelica finally felt her mother let go of her. When everything settled, Angelica struggled to raise her head, but when she did, she was met with two eyes that seemed to disregard her completely, and an open palm slowly reached out for her.

"Since you don't wish to keep your life, then I don't see why there's a need for you to keep it."

Something dreadful suddenly manifested on the palm and was directed right at Angelica. In that short instant, Angelica understood that her life was coming to an end, and she closed her eyes.

Instead of feeling sad, she felt rather liberated.

She had finally managed to say what she wanted to say to her. Although she wouldn't get to live much longer, she knew that 'he' would settle everything for her soon.

The energy approached her and slowly crept into her body. Angelica slowly felt her existence crumble apart, but just as she was about to lose consciousness, she managed to hear a couple of faint words from the distance.

"Stop."

It was a voice she was familiar with, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Smallsnake staring at them with an expressionless look.

stark contrast to how he usually was, and it

like a completely

"Strategist?"

was seeping into her body stopped at his voice, and her mother turned

you meddling in my matters? You should know that even if His Majesty treasures you…

"That's not it."

his head, confusing everyone

hand away from Angelica and looked at him with a serious

Then what is

you to kill her, but the

He looked at Angelica.

were to die at this moment. Can you really keep all of the elders from revolting against you after her death? Can you really stop them from coveting

deepened, and while there was no power in it, his words felt very commanding. Almost as

the same as seeding chaos within the Clan of Lust, and I can't be having that

eyes suddenly squinted, and

think will happen when his Majesty comes to learn of

"Is that a threat?"

at his words. The room started to tremble as power seeped out of her body and

under such pressure, he didn't waver in the slightest and stared at

and everyone else's

"It is a threat."

hair fell

that

"Ha…"

that the Princess was beyond furious at the moment. Her expressions kept changing, and the power that

managed to calm herself down and nod

"Very well."

that was radiating from

strategist has spoken, I'll do as

her 'but' and everyone held their breath. Turning her head, Princess Lillith, looked

live, but on the condition that her core gets

turned to look

fair,

"That…"

mouth, Smallsnake seemed unsure of how to respond. Angelica's expression

be crippled

option. Either she dies, or I cripple her and have

that there was no more compromising. Neither option was good, and

"Don—"

as the room trembled and everyone

Cr… Crack!

a

Tap.

of its foot echoed within the hall, and almost everyone within the hall turned to look in

entire room

"..."

of a few people lit up the moment the figure came in, and a dreadful aura suddenly enveloped every

was so overbearing that it even

'Ren…'

different than he usually did, Angelica recognized

here, maybe… maybe

***

part of me hurt, and I could feel my body barely hanging in there. Despite that, I transported

situation to occur, and thus, even if it broke

but on the condition that her core gets crippled

into the room, I

sounds fair, doesn't