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.

was a stark contrast to how he usually was, and it reminded Angelica of

a

"Strategist?"

her body stopped

matters? You should know that even if His Majesty

"That's not it."

confusing everyone that was

moved her hand away from Angelica and

what is

you to kill her, but the moment that you kill her, the Lust

He looked at Angelica.

perfectly what will happen if she 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 your seat of honor? I'm not speaking to you as her acquaintance; I'm speaking to you as the

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

can't be having that at this very moment. Not when his Majesty is

eyes suddenly squinted, and his voice

you think will happen when his Majesty comes to learn of your actions

"Is that a threat?"

to tremble as power seeped

the slightest and stared at her

Angelica's and everyone else's eyes, he looked

"It is a threat."

his hair fell on top of

that

"Ha…"

beyond furious at the moment. Her expressions kept changing, and the power that radiated out of her body undulated with

calm herself

"Very well."

a deep breath, all of the power that was radiating from her body calmed down,

spoken, I'll do as they've asked,

at her 'but' and everyone held their breath. Turning

gets crippled

look at

fair, doesn't

"That…"

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

crippled and give birth to a

which option. Either she dies, or I cripple her

there was no

"Don—"

as the room trembled and everyone felt

Cr… Crack!

a hazy black figure walked out

Tap.

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

room

"..."

eyes of a few people lit up the moment the figure came in, and

was so overbearing that it even

'Ren…'

he usually did,

maybe

***

hanging in there. Despite that, I

situation to occur, and thus, even if it broke

let her live, but on the condition that her core gets crippled and she births at least one successor for

the room,

sounds fair,