Volume 8, Chapter 61 – A Regretful Heart

Chasing out through the large hole smashed by the black armor, Fia arrived above the lake of death. Even with the explosion that resonated throughout the kingdom of the dead, the undead around the lakeshore remained completely unresponsive. They stood rigidly in place, letting thick chunks of lake water roll down upon them.

The world was silent.

Fia stared intently at the lake surface, quietly waiting for the black armor to lose patience and burst forth from the water. She wasn’t Lucitine. If not for the fact that using [Wind of Exploration] normally would obstruct her vision, she could keep it active constantly without any problem. She could clearly glimpse, at the bottom of the green-tinged lake water, a humanoid object glowing crimson red was slowly moving, clearly waiting for an opportunity to ambush her.

Fia remained unmoved, her mind working.

The moment her fist pierced through the armor, she hadn’t felt the sensation of striking flesh. It seemed that inside the armor was neither a living person nor an undead like a skeleton or corpse, but rather a pure energy entity like a ghost. However, it was common knowledge that ghosts couldn’t wear armor. Unless there was some unknown method at play, perhaps this being was naturally born as living armor—it wasn’t strange for objects to gain consciousness; if left in a place rich with earthly magical energy, even an abandoned shoe could develop self-awareness.

But a living armor possessing Ninth-Tier strength, capable of injuring the experienced Lucitine, was far too powerful. Moreover, its magical power was identical to Lucitine’s. No, on second thought, it wasn’t just identical to Lucitine’s; it was also exactly the same as the pure white fairy she had encountered. These three could have been stamped from the same mold.

Could it be that pure white fairy?

The color fed back by [Wind of Exploration] represented the quantity of magical power. Even with newly born twins, the amount and distribution of magical power within their bodies couldn’t be completely identical; there would always be subtle differences, such as more magic condensed in the heart than in the brain. Therefore, no two people in the world possessed completely identical magical power and distribution.

This was getting stranger and stranger.

She’d subdue it first anyway.

Leaving the living armor lurking at the lake bottom wasn’t ideal either. Unstable black cracks condensed at Fia’s fingertip, and she then slashed them straight down towards the lake floor. [Spatial Rift] grew as it caught the wind, quickly transforming into a black hole that sucked in lake water and even street stones. Numerous black whirlwinds, like water spouts, instantly turned the kingdom of the dead into an apocalyptic scene. The howling wind was chilling.

Then.

A sense of heart palpitations from [Danger Perception] transmitted to Fia’s brain.

Behind her.

Turning at the critical moment, Fia’s field of vision revealed a rapidly enlarging, hideous dragon’s head. This wasn’t a real dragon, but rather the effect of magic attached on that hideous black lance, making it appear as one.

Just as Fia had been waiting for the living armor to expose an opening, the living armor had also been waiting for Fia to lose patience and attack. Rich combat experience told it that even the most powerful magic caster, after using a spell of power infinitely close to a forbidden spell like the one just now, would inevitably enter a temporary state of exhaustion. This was the perfect moment to strike.

Unfortunately, its opponent was Fia.

Fia simply reached out with her left hand. Her palm, unenhanced by any magic, easily caught the black lance. The sudden halt of its rapid momentum caused the surrounding air to boom. However, Fia, with massive wings spread behind her, remained completely motionless.

It was like a deflating balloon.

“Too slow.”

Under Fia’s mockery, the pupils hidden behind the black armor suddenly widened. That strike just now had used all of its strength. Even if it hadn’t had time to attach large-scale magic enhancements due to the haste, it was certainly not an attack that Fia could easily catch with one hand.

Damn it, of all times to appear now.

The black armor cursed inwardly. Such an attack, if aimed at Lucitine, would have already crippled most of her body.

Rеαd оո ΚаtRеаdіngCαfe

It tried to withdraw the black lance and reset its stance, but the force with which Fia gripped the lance’s tip was like a mountain. No matter how it struggled, the lance wouldn’t budge an inch. Seeing it couldn’t win a contest of strength, its chest erupted with a series of cracking sounds as ice clusters explosively grew, using [Frost Star] to force Fia away. However, a dense series of hexagonal barriers instantly blocked the [Frost Star]. Even the ice shards and white mist scattered from the shattered ice clusters were isolated by [Bee Shield Forcefield], confined only to the side where the black armor was shrouded in mist.

This woman was simply not of the World Tree Continent’s caliber!

Retreat first!

After just two exchanges, the black armor already realized it was no match for Fia. This was an existence outside all standard scales. It simply abandoned trying to retrieve the black lance and fled straight in the opposite direction of Fia. Its speed was so fast that it turned into a black dot in Fia’s field of vision in an instant. The sudden acceleration forming a gale caused the now-calmer lake of death below to ripple once more.

Fia naturally wouldn’t let it escape. She hefted the discarded black lance, then raised it above her shoulder in a throwing posture. It was worth mentioning that she didn’t aim in the direction the black armor was fleeing. Instead, she twisted her body and aimed at the empty space behind her.

Three layers of [Strength Boost] didn’t seem enough.

Then…

[Strength Boost IV]

An even more intense golden flash, bright enough to illuminate most of the kingdom of the dead like the sun, lit up.

Concentrating all her strength in her right arm, Fia felt as if her arm had transformed into an indestructible blade. The explosive power made her feel that even if she threw a pebble, it would turn into a blazing meteor. In fact, just by lightly gripping the black lance, her five small and delicate fingerprints were already embedded into its handle.

Without hesitation, she hurled it with all her might.

CRACK!

First came the sound of the lance, unable to withstand such force, snapping in two. Then came a series of white sonic booms. If someone had been standing behind Fia, they would have seen that at that instant, a wave-like white vapor barrier had erupted around her, the massive roar enough to deafen a person.

Even though only the lance head remained, its speed was still faster than the black armor’s flight. It even left a long, brilliant orange-red trail in the air. At the same time, a pitch-black shadow materialized in the previously empty night sky. This was the living armor’s true form—it had tried to deceive Fia with a grandiose illusion, but illusion magic was useless against [See Through].

Seeing the black lance speeding towards it with enough force to pierce it through, the black armor snorted coldly. Its body suddenly vanished from Fia’s field of vision. Fia was momentarily startled. This time, the black armor hadn’t used illusion magic. Fortunately, the disappearance lasted less than half a second. When the black armor reappeared, it had already left the lance’s trajectory and was above it, continuing to flee quickly.

Spatial leap?

Even for her, achieving self-teleportation came at a massive cost—magic consumption comparable to orbital bombardment. This was either a natural talent magic of the living armor, or it possessed some special magic that she didn’t.

In the past, she would undoubtedly have been helpless and could only chase after it herself. But now, she was no longer the Dofilia with an insufficient variety of magics.

Setting the coordinates in her mind, Fia lightly snapped her fingers.

[Spatial Leap · Major]

Her [Blink] was essentially [Spatial Leap], and [Spatial Leap] was originally a magic used to teleport objects. Changing the trajectory of the arrow while preserving its kinetic energy could achieve a surprise attack effect.

This was just the right occasion.

The black lance, which should have passed beneath the black armor, suddenly disappeared. Sensing the oppressive presence behind her suddenly decrease, the black armor hurriedly turned its head in relief. Then, just like when Lucitine had completed [Exchange of the Dead], its field of vision also revealed a brilliant lance wrapped in the chill of death.

Rеαⅾ оո КаtReαԁіngCαfе

Fia had used [Spatial Leap] to directly teleport the black lance behind the black armor.

Too late to dodge!

The fear of death flashed through its mind the instant the lance pierced its chest in a flash.

BOOM!!!

A brilliant flash, like a supernova explosion, turned the kingdom of the dead into daylight. The black armor instantly shattered into pieces too small to find, vanishing into nothingness in a flash of light.

◇

When Fia returned to the gray hall, carrying the nearly transparent pure white fairy—this was the true form of the black armor—the deathly still kingdom of the dead had already returned to normal. However, due to that explosion just now, half of the houses and roads in the kingdom of the dead had collapsed or been damaged. If not for the fact that the undead didn’t need sleep and building houses was purely a hobby, Fia would have worried if she had done something bad.

Holding the pure white fairy by the scruff of her neck like a kitten, Fia slowly descended and looked at Lucitine standing on the ground. The latter now stood with both hands clasped tightly before her. Although her pink hair and that high-slit black dress were covered in dirt and dark bloodstains, she hadn’t chosen to recuperate. Instead, she stood there awkwardly, looking like she wanted to approach but didn’t dare. The words “wanting to speak but holding back” were written all over her face.

So… what attitude should I take towards Lucitine?

While being careful not to let the armor, whose true form was the pure white fairy, escape, Fia thought it over, deliberately not looking at Lucitine’s face.

To say she held no resentment towards Lucitine at all would be an absolute lie. She was also human, not an absolutely rational machine. She had clearly done this for Lucitine’s own good. If Milan had been serious, the undead would have been no match. A truce was a choice beneficial to all three parties. Moreover, the effort she had put into this matter, while perhaps not massive, could certainly be described as painstaking. Yet Lucitine had treated her with such a harsh attitude. It was frustrating.

Admittedly, Fia knew this was the enemy’s scheme to sow discord. She could also understand Lucitine’s hatred for Chaos. She even felt guilty for deceiving Lucitine. But even so, at this moment, she didn’t want to deliberately cater to Lucitine as before. Now that she had saved her life, it could be considered repaying the debt for deceiving her. From now on, communicating as cooperative partners would be the best choice.

She hoped Lucitine wouldn’t say something like, “Is this also part of your plan to win my favor?” Otherwise, she truly wouldn’t want to come to the kingdom of the dead anymore. Tolerance had its limits.

Fia sighed inwardly, then threw the pure white fairy in her hand onto the ground.

“I’ve caught this person for you. How you deal with her is your business. I hope you won’t say things like ‘this is also my scheme.’ I only came here to investigate the mastermind behind the scenes.”

“You…”

Lucitine opened her mouth. There were many things she wanted to say to Fia. She wanted to say she regretted it, regretted driving Fia away with such a decisive tone. That was her being swayed by emotions at the time, clouded by anger. Actually, she didn’t blame Fia that much. As long as Fia was willing to no longer collude with those Chaos, no, as long as Fia was willing to promise not to deceive her anymore, the kingdom of the dead would always welcome Fia.

If Fia hadn’t proactively mentioned the possibility of “this is also my scheme,” she wouldn’t even have thought of it—the fact was, after seeing the pure white fairy Fia was carrying, that possibility also completely vanished. Sacrificing a Ninth-Tier powerhouse stronger than herself, it simply wasn’t worth it.

The pain in her shoulder dissipated like smoke. Lucitine’s heart was filled with both joy and fear. Her hands opened and closed, closed and opened, until she made up her mind and clutched her dress. She stepped forward, and the countless imaginations in her mind finally condensed into one sentence, spoken exceptionally timidly.

“Th… thank you…”

Although Lucitine’s head was bowed, due to their height difference, Fia could still glimpse her embarrassed face.

Rеaԁ οո ΚatRеαԁіngСαfe

She breathed a sigh of relief.

The outcome wasn’t bad, all things considered.

At least Lucitine hadn’t hysterically driven her away again.

Fia looked around at the silent surroundings. On the uneven sandy shore, only Lucitine stood alone. There was no sign of the Thirteen Attendants or Ruth.

“Where are the Thirteen Attendants?”

“They were damaged in the battle just now and haven’t recovered yet.”

“I see.”

The conversation lapsed into silence.

In truth, Fia hadn’t figured out what attitude she should take towards Lucitine now. The latter’s decisive words from yesterday still lingered in her ears. And the fact that she had deceived Lucitine was also true. This feeling of being inherently at a disadvantage made her lack confidence, making it hard to optimistically direct Lucitine to do this and that as before. She always felt Lucitine would retort with, “What right do you have to order me around?” She was both afraid of being misunderstood by Lucitine and unwilling to proactively engage anymore.

An invisible wall stood between her and Lucitine, to the point where even Lucitine’s image in her eyes seemed blurred.

The deathly silence left her unsure what to do. She could only steel herself and leave a final sentence.

“I’ve already told the Chaos below to move elsewhere. They won’t bother you anymore. Also, the recording crystal you saw was most likely the work of some enemy from beneath the abyss, trying to divide and conquer us. However, I respect your wishes. Cooperation requires mutual trust and understanding to be effective. My alliance with the Chaos under my control is a done deal. I cannot abandon them. If you still want to cooperate, come find me in Blossom later.”

As soon as she said this, Fia felt a twinge of regret. She clearly knew that Lucitine’s poor relationship with her stemmed from Milan and his group. Even if she couldn’t possibly abandon the Antler Chaos of the Eye tribe, she should have waited until she found the root cause of Lucitine’s hatred for Chaos before explaining. Now, she was effectively pushing Lucitine further away.

Unexpectedly, Lucitine didn’t accuse her. She just softly acknowledged.

“Mm.”

Was this good or bad…?

Fia sighed inwardly. She looked at Lucitine’s shoulder, where the blood had dried. Although Lucitine, as the Queen of Death, wouldn’t be eroded by death energy, leaving the wound unattended would eventually lead to excessive blood loss. This was the kingdom of the dead; besides herself, no one could use healing magic.

She took a high-grade healing magic potion from her storage magic and handed it to Lucitine.

“Take this. It can heal your injury. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be going now.”

“Ugh.”

Just as Fia was about to leave, the pure white fairy, whom Fia had thrown on the ground, finally regained consciousness. She struggled slightly and got up from the ground. Ordinary physical attacks couldn’t harm her, but Fia’s strike just now had exceeded her limit of exemption. Now, her body was nearly transparent, as if she might disappear at any moment.

She glared viciously at Lucitine, her gritted-teeth expression as if she wanted to tear Lucitine limb from limb.

“Bitch! I won’t let this rest!”

Rеaԁ οո ΚαtRеаⅾіnɡСαfe

“It’s about time you explained who you are, isn’t it? First, you tried to instigate me. When that failed, you took matters into your own hands. What benefit would killing her bring you?”

Fia frowned.

The pure white fairy immediately turned her gaze to Fia. Her face, completely identical to Lucitine’s, was incredibly hideous, filled with anger and incomprehension.

“She drove you out of the kingdom of the dead! Why are you still helping her? I was clearly the better choice! I would obey your every command! If you wished, the entire kingdom of the dead would be your servants! Am I not a hundred, a thousand times better than this fake? I can give you everything!”

“Because you’re a mad dog that bites indiscriminately, and Venex is not.”

The “Venex” here, of course, referred to Lucitine. Fia hadn’t forgotten Lucitine’s words from yesterday. Using the nickname “Lucitine” here might provoke Lucitine’s rage. Remember, yesterday Lucitine had said those heartless words: “From now on, I am Venex, the Queen of Death. You go back to your Silvar and continue being the elf princess.” She had even abandoned the name “Lucitine” that Fia had given her, stopping just short of destroying her living body to make her stance clear.

And rather subtly, Fia’s own mood wasn’t so great either. Naturally, the name “Venex” slipped out.

“Tch! I’ll convince you one day!”

The pure white fairy clicked her tongue viciously. Lucitine, on the other hand, had a completely different reaction. She suddenly lifted her head.

“Venex…”

Murmuring this name, Lucitine’s heart trembled. At that moment, all the joy drained from her heart. It was as if she had lost all strength. Her face, already pale from blood loss, became even more deathly white. Her steps even faltered.

She had finally tasted the bitter fruit she herself had sown. She had been too decisive with her words back then, to the point where Fia was now drawing a line between them. The name “Lucitine” no longer belonged to her. Now, she was as ordinary as all the other Venexes.

Intense bitterness and the taste of blood spread in her throat.

No… this was her choice. Fia’s meddling with Chaos was an undeniable fact. I could not forgive someone who colluded with Chaos…

She repeated in her mind the reasoning that had worked flawlessly until just moments ago. But no matter how she tried to comfort herself now, this reasoning could no longer harden her heart. She felt as if she had lost something important, as if a large piece of her heart had been forcibly gouged out. She was so distraught, the world seemed to spin madly around her. Her ears rang. She couldn’t even hear clearly what Fia said before leaving.

When Lucitine opened her eyes again, the scene before her was different. This wasn’t the familiar gray hall, but some private bedroom. Besides Ruth and Afla, who were keeping vigil by the bedside, there was no one else.

Was this a room in the Twilight Palace?

Lucitine’s face lit up with joy as she abruptly sat up. However, the death energy drifting into her nose told her a cruel reality. She was still in the kingdom of the dead. And the fact that Afla and Ruth were here meant she had already exposed the secret that she was a living person.

The undead didn’t bleed, let alone faint from blood loss. Afla and Ruth being able to move her to a bed certainly meant they had discovered this.

…What an utterly terrible situation.

Bitterness filled Lucitine’s throat. It felt like a boulder was pressing on her chest, an intense suffocation making her heart feel stifled. As if someone had removed her bones, her body rapidly softened, and she slumped back heavily against the headboard with a thud.