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.

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

like a completely

"Strategist?"

was seeping into her body stopped at his voice, and

meddling in my matters? You should know that even if His

"That's not it."

shook his head, confusing everyone that was

hand away from Angelica

what is

not that I don't want you to kill her, but the moment that you kill her, the Lust clan will

He looked at Angelica.

you really keep all of the elders from revolting against you after her death? Can

power in it, his words felt very commanding.

of Lust, and I can't be having that at this very moment. Not

squinted, and his voice

you think will happen when his Majesty comes to

"Is that a threat?"

to tremble

didn't waver in the slightest

Angelica's and everyone else's eyes, he

"It is a threat."

hair fell on top of his

thought that was

"Ha…"

expressions kept changing, and the power that radiated out of her body undulated with a certain ferocity that made it difficult for those

herself down and

"Very well."

all of the power that was radiating from her body calmed down, and the entire hall

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

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

her core gets crippled and she births at least

look

fair, doesn't

"That…"

how to

crippled

compromise any further. You choose which option. Either she dies, or I cripple her

was no more

"Don—"

halfway as the room trembled and everyone felt something akin to

Cr… Crack!

a crack suddenly appeared, and a hazy black figure walked out of

Tap.

the hall, and almost everyone within the hall turned to look in the direction of where the figure

room fell

"..."

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

overbearing that it even made Princess

'Ren…'

looked different than he usually did, Angelica

him here, maybe… maybe

***

of me hurt, and I could feel my body barely hanging in there.

situation to occur, and thus, even if it broke

core gets crippled and she births at least one

into the room,

fair,