Chapter 115: It Wasn’t Anger
ZFTMThe battle began.nfhQoPz
l50NkpPerda drew a magic circle on his hand.3afol0
ltvIThree magic circles appeared suspended in the air at regular intervals.nv0yNb
ZsqWamz“Lightning Bolt.”I9IU6N
2piCLcWhat he fired was a lightning bullet.OiA
0PYFOThe element that boasted overwhelming speed shot forward following the movement of Perda’s hand and headed straight toward Lucy.yYAfohG
Tdj3rb“What a superficial trick.”wCX
ZDjnrLucy was a veteran witch.59WPE
8sl578She had fought countless battles.eoZu
3IbCGShe predicted that Perda would use Lightning Bolt and blocked its path with a tangled mass of vines.xzSC
lg0Bang!IOlsOWm
Hd9PAn arrow struck directly along the spell’s trajectory.5OH
SmhlfRnBut that was not the end.nWFQsjO
5sLuEQ“Oh?”ap8Md9
HPsShe had blocked the Lightning Bolt.m68mF
gcmkYRHowever, what emerged from inside it were mana spheres with physical mass.ye6o
xDHf0kBThey scattered and surrounded Lucy.8yB
VFtld“What an interesting trick.”g1VGCj
mSJsnLucy did not even attempt to dodge them.7g99H
BqRIVHYThe spheres slammed violently into her body, yet she did not even blink.yl0
AZH5phQ“To be able to draw three spells without support and apply them in this way as well.”U9gy
TngQ0The technique Perda had just displayed was enough to surprise her.kl59em
p8NpVjNA Blue Circle user would normally have already reached the 5th Circle by the time they mastered such a level of control.sSTj
Mown“You only used the speed attribute necessary for Lightning Bolt. You hid small spheres inside a larger sphere. I know there must be a magic circle for doing that, but…”xDBeVQu
WowShe snapped her fingers as though she had reached a conclusion.oIG1J
sp7lvaz“Don’t tell me you did it manually?”GUcR
N2zD“You talk too much, Lady of the Pavilion.”ZKAg
t6Vc6b“Doesn’t that mean I have plenty of time to spare?”6viIfvz
l3CAO“I suppose it does.”q5fZ8Ps
Yf2DmAn accurate statement.O368tD9
g9XBeneath Lucy, a black explosion erupted and distorted space itself.s6Ur2
jTsBDarkness.4o99dOv
gqGpThe most destructive element in existence.Z2Zd
cRqY1Dark Bolt had manifested directly beneath her.bwCfwQu
it2SThe head that had been pierced was completely destroyed by the impact.rWK
Y8FP4ZThe Lucy Philiaz visible to the naked eye died instantly.EpMbL
qOJo3F— Hehe. Impressive.Jluv5
cGNejNHowever, Lucy’s voice echoed throughout the garden.8ZQn8SX
6ouThe body, which should have lost all vitality, began moving like a broken puppet and took a step forward.X7KgOgY
U9tXThen, as though nothing had happened, the destroyed body returned to normal.Ix9
qSG“You used Barbatos’s Shadow Hand to attack a blind spot. It’s a good strategy, but it lacks depth, little one.”h3KAp
rX2gCIk“And you’re the one talking about depth?”jOZY3
gjICy0KIt was a ridiculous observation coming from someone who had forced a mere 4-Circle mage into combat.btlp
8qNbuyJLucy simply smiled, clearly amused.4j9ys
99vV6“Very well. Keep fighting and try to defeat me.”vzqalhy
YlcBLucy attacked by launching thorny tendrils.BjvK6s
Qo3vPerda responded using every spell and resource at his disposal.3I9v
LfbioHe already knew the truth.m6IA1
QjYIt was impossible to defeat Lucy.F0gXtk3
IFlEven the feeling that they were evenly matched was an illusion.ieo881
06FEhShe was deliberately adjusting the power gap to appear only slightly stronger than him.38K
prGUbG“At this rate, this will never end.”cGr9J6
DxGLucy yawned exaggeratedly.ZmH49
noAv“It seems you still haven’t understood the seriousness of my words, so I’ll repeat them once more.”U4qiH
DwLiJNCAn immense pressure emerged from her.AwFv
SNB“If you lose here, I will take your fiancée.”2up
JI3HT0“You crazy bitch…”SrGMTyT
809PmhThe curse escaped Perda’s lips.3o32o3d
V3WQMKLLucy smiled in satisfaction as she saw him lose his composure.I3XjXe
b64C“Little one, do you know what it means for a woman to take another woman? It’s completely different from what men do. She becomes a slave to pleasure in an instant. Doesn’t it sound interesting to do that to a dragoness?”TCNC
BN992eWhether it was true or a lie, Perda did not care.SC1Knl
6mLFUcGHe simply could not tolerate those words.WESHq
VUmSlZEHe made a decision.RkGw
Z7H64He would fight even if he exhausted every last drop of mana.oZV19mj
VmY9But even then, he would not be able to defeat her.0V3fCc
nhwdKEven though he had killed Lucy once in another life, now it was like striking a mountain with an egg.LsKaz7h
ICZzPerda already knew her objective.ZUTMT
t6be‘She wants to force me to reveal my cards.’d0K
tr5Every mage possesses a final trump card.bzY
h8PG9ySomething to escape.rHq
CUddtFTo deliver a decisive blow.qRx2h4
IDeZOr even to drag an enemy down into death alongside them.s96OK
SHQSecrets so important that they were worth more than life itself.GhtCQ
s9ZOThat was exactly what Lucy was trying to bring into the open.z1kMif
vMLArShe wanted to destroy his convictions and his reason so that he would reveal everything.JsV
ZpKG4cAnd Perda had to endure it even while knowing exactly what was happening.l71EZ9m
nRuOoFnHe could not take her threats lightly.zRy
Kqh5Even if it was all a joke.sdEL
horIf he did not show his sincerity, that joke would eventually become reality.4eO3DV
vNW8rThat was how witches were.BVuA
BDCHe bet everything.7ZB3uJO
38ptAnd even so, he ended up on the verge of completely exhausting his mana.tky57
wtkxpup“Is that all?”3UHCfHt
Gy2iPWHLucy’s veil was torn and she had lost an eye.RiAVn
Bh3QKpHer appearance was a mess.mxbNxg5
dJvBVFBut every time she took a step, she restored herself completely.BIDP8
R7OEPCVPerda breathed heavily.mVt
t5P4q“Are you satisfied?”LXj2P
cNvnNU“Satisfied? Do you think I caused all of this to satisfy myself?”d3kC
yJfOiLucy let out a mocking laugh.Kub
AWJD“I spoke to you with such dedication, and yet you still failed to understand my true intention. What a shame. It seems Valdrova is destined for a miserable life.”wJb
on5YvDon’t say my fiancée’s name.6kJ
8Wahe5He wanted to say it.9kiTID
IiWBut he couldn’t.ccmzaDq
gHjTekLHe had fought so hard, and all he felt was helplessness.RxDACg
H3u8If someone could manipulate her so easily, how could he protect her?ps8ueS6
FM6SohYou can’t save anyone.IxoLGA
V86s9So show her who you really are.GOkIw9w
D9JcjrsThe circuit inside Perda’s chest began to spin.tk8gy
V7QiZThe sweet voice whispered once again.9bmI9wd
G2LJ2Show her your true self.DwOGjo
d3ZGx“Shut up.”PBqZjH
5ecZKqzPerda resisted.wR2SC
d6ABut the voice took advantage of the crack created by his helplessness and slipped into his heart.oQrHJ1t
NvPxQxThe intoxication of the anger that had once consumed him tried to seize him again.PYoMX1
yteThis time, he chose faster than ever before.kUz
2Yy‘Rather than give up…’1mP62n
4ZkinLUPerda unfolded a magic circle.uzAFd
Ov7vb‘I would rather die.’mqs07yx
iApSfThe target was his own chest.CxQJb61
gQ2cdA“Dark Bolt.”Vi3A
EWVXiThe black sphere shot toward his heart.9UO2g
bsrWPSHWhoosh!Y7yZMTy
nYxBut the only thing that could be heard was the sound of the projectile cutting through the air.laRE
TbQPerda’s hand was pointing toward the sky.cUo
gN60fAnd a small hand was firmly gripping his wrist.Fov2YHc
78l“…You really do things I cannot understand.”N7l
EbUDQXThe girl with black hair and red eyes looked at him with a bewildered expression.FFsVfo
BXItvA faint scent of lilacs emanated from her ruby-colored eyes and from her.7LTJ
yJRXMnIt was the face of the Lady of the Pavilion.Pp7DsRq
S2TA face that an ordinary man would never be able to behold even once in his lifetime.nchGnj
87kvPerda wondered why he was able to see it.zU8H7wr
r47IQThe black veil fluttered behind her.Dzt5r
awti8TDark Bolt had grazed her head as it passed.qGRRLfQ
AFZPerda looked into her eyes and asked.3PAGcAF
qzlB0n“Are you satisfied now, Lady of the Pavilion?”XJQp
apVj5He glared at her fiercely.VoZR9
d1haKubHis control over his expressions had vanished due to mana exhaustion and the strain caused by resisting mentally.GKDvIF
EIUS“Now that expression is truly satisfying.”sJqm
56l73pBWith a youthful face, Lucy smiled like an adult.XB1v
2qkZ9IThen she placed her right hand on Perda’s chest.FJY
OsrnY6JSomething flowed through his heart.QG5HGdY
CYBgThe sensation of exhaustion that had been causing him migraines began to disappear.ygdJmG7
v2KndShe was returning enough mana for him to regain his composure.jlyr
EhXvRG“Forgive me for forcing you into a battle you didn’t want. But I had to test you, little one.”e5ECbFX
52bvMdT“Test me in what way?”8Er
CY6kgET“What you have inside here.”mbl1
a003sShe pointed at Perda’s heart.G6N
RqIh“Didn’t I tell you these eyes see many things?”8we
pYpFTl“Yes.”HvQM9
0WTJig“By chance, they can also see what composes your mana. Normally, I don’t pay attention because it’s usually something insignificant. But you broke that rule.”BDyQFJ1
PsmtY9“What is inside my heart?”KydX
rUmgeT“Something foreign.”7k6zDcu
x2L“Something foreign?”hrqm
9ng0w“Something that doesn’t fit with who you are now.”XvUE
XhWHer tone became serious.XIhqnQf
jgy“But it is undoubtedly something you created yourself. Something that could never coexist within people like us, possessors of a Red Circle.”Esh
mgj0f“Is that why you provoked me?”OB8asa
ETEk9cv“Yes. I needed to push you to your limit before you discovered the reason yourself.”zsNbbT
MlIHer gesture made it clear that she had no other intention.unxV
fyv9YUAnd in truth, what could she possibly want from him?nkkT
l0E3lLucy Philiaz.4cpiY
FD8LThe owner of the Pavilion of Roses.WHuvcPi
jQQqayNThe Big Sister of all witches.dcSu8el
HaEThe most powerful mage of all.BNgYXvt
yTeNKVeAnd, on top of that, an absolute authority among Red Circle possessors.Mls
0Wn27a3That alone was enough to justify it.SXG
Arr“So tell me, little one. Can you tell me what it is?”U1nFX
6NpPerda found it difficult to open his mouth.GSwZYB
UJHHe knew there was no point in hiding it anymore after falling into her scheme.fwK
dDXRX00Because it was one of his greatest shames.Vmz
UyyTaB“Don’t be afraid and speak. After all, we’re practically husband and wife, aren’t we?”8cbI
nUkuu“…What?”dLV3
dtuYPerda looked at her in complete disbelief.poamR
A35Lucy smiled sideways.34BhAw6
5nWEPs“Ha! You’ve lifted my veil. Doesn’t that mean the groom has seen the bride’s face?”k4lYhF
uFxPsva“Don’t talk nonsense.”xRc
2Blk“You’re really fun to tease. You have an adorable side.”jnI
sEO5EShe covered her mouth with one hand as she laughed.E2S
VmfgHer crescent-moon-shaped eyes sparkled mischievously.Qt97l
pkb5nAY“We’ve lightened the mood with a joke. Now answer me.”TyS
afQ6exeHe still felt uncomfortable, but the pressure from before had disappeared.fGeCGM
5IQJust as she had said, the atmosphere had softened.iVC
pLAeZ8“This is…”ZCAy
ePaThe thing that had killed his enemies.KifHD
g11vZThe thing that had killed his family.Flqtn
pgzCThe thing that had killed his fiancée.3SL5M87
bm3azi“My anger.”yuGFS
jjWymHFHe felt like a sinner confessing his sins.Dih
u2DLucy watched him silently.9ym
NKWcqo“Think again.”hOGs
WNoBut that answer was very far from what Perda had expected.iem
Xlo8“Why?”SaYx5W8
YMdbh“Why do you think? Because that isn’t anger.”2mLfnC9
KnvEjNo.XdhMtWV
dGQ9It was anger.oJWH
CPP1At least, that was what he believed.yEJiEUS
JQWEOWhen he heard that voice.4Yb9I
VzQdWhen Ruri was threatened and he was forced to yield.lq50Nx
BvmtgEkAnd when he nearly killed his father, Eremvalt Rosnova, with his own hands.35NqQ
O2SNo4If that wasn’t anger, then what was it?ZMFVbK
hpW4E1a“Think again. There must be something that made you mistake it for something else.”bHQI
DEVflPerda followed her advice.rHJIa
35yqlOwHe abandoned the answer he had accepted as truth and searched for another.mt4el
gGPx3He returned to that dream in which he was trying to kill Valdrova.wm5JqKT
ocJJAAnd he asked himself.T2OS
2Bh0uYR‘Was that really anger?’8TX
cBRNo.O1VOgVI
lJfDF11It wasn’t.xVg1kw
iuGThe only thing he felt after killing her was emptiness.F63
5wzmThe same emotion that had sent him back to the past.vykB9H
0MixGSThen he thought that perhaps it was emptiness.KKoLkDA
XZfu3XeBut that wasn’t the correct answer either.GoUI2BA
2kswLWFollowing that thread, he moved forward step by step.1DO9W
4SSAnd something surprising happened.Vz9qeC
jHj6NqEThat which he had never been able to perceive began to take shape.TuP1
bAOYb1That feeling had existed even before his romantic feelings for her were born.Kn2TO
maQVeThe thing that silently asserted its existence with every beat of his heart.lbrHyrC
BnzGp8zAt last, he found its true name.3mXE0
ADRA8“Regret.”jfPMm
z0YhYes.BJuYGp
eABJ8It was regret.3KCYQ
eIaThat voice born from anxiety was the regret dwelling within him.EWb5WDm
pEOThe ashes left behind after everything upon the earth had been burned away.bAcWJy
OIh1Those ashes still rested in a corner of his heart.W3Fke1j
VWj“So that was it.”6Ich
wewSKPerda did not even have time to ask.rTfJm
FahLucy spoke first.9IhUlKl
FFOBxOJ“Then was that love also born from regret?”DEJV4O
rN0Perda nodded.Nyi
u7WclU4“I know. It’s something disgusting.”o37F08q
dX0Qbl“Hmm?”tBy
GBle3jLucy raised an eyebrow as she stared at him.Ghmj5j
xdloIWO“I don’t know what misunderstanding you’re carrying around, but I don’t consider it disgusting, little one.”Te6gc
9RN“That wasn’t how it sounded when you were talking.”UGJgz
UScob“That’s your imagination. Why would I consider it disgusting? If you hadn’t had those feelings, do you think you would ever have truly come to know Valdrova?”0ldCP81
hHYPerda could answer immediately.CnjSGRC
X1INever.DhJ
BkpU4XHe only truly came to understand Valdrova after killing her.IJd
l2ezVBefore that, he had called her an evil dragon.EE3
aWpHe said she deserved to die.lzGFKu
KB99gqWhen he went off to war, he celebrated that the age of dragons would end and give way to the age of humans.4FqQ
lKBHe never listened to her voice.Jy6Fqnf
biLqmBut now those memories echoed with cruel clarity.YsZe7vD
RlnW“Valdrova is a truly unfortunate woman.”Gf61
ELBtPbQ“…”9mxvN
ubxtfB3“Good people never approached her. She was always surrounded by people who only wanted to take advantage of her. She never had any luck with people.”LRmu
mAufA“…”IidPvCX
kqxIKn“And on top of that, she was absurdly shy. Even though she possessed power capable of tearing apart every monster that invaded the Far East, she never asserted her authority. She brought many of her misfortunes upon herself.”jQYG
rgeValdrova never ruled over others.GFTY
ily2The nobility knew she protected the Far East because of the guilt she carried in her heart and took advantage of it.wrMpv
oCsPRefusing to impose authority.0WxJ
yqXOg1Refusing to claim what belonged to her.K1BdSB9
r0lThat was seen as the behavior of a coward terrified of the consequences.RgUtR
RD24h1n“She isn’t shy.”wpb
8G3XPerda contradicted her almost instantly.hGlPb
sqL7p0U“Oh, she isn’t?”VEjg5V1
HTRH“She acts that way precisely because she is stronger than anyone else.”vFp9l
9fOCTo Perda, it had nothing to do with cowardice.ZVyJnB
4RGuBHe himself had been the worst mage on the continent.B45jIzm
mz8yAnd it wasn’t only because of his desire for revenge.nDv7
SQ1Every time he prepared a new act of retaliation, he lived expecting a surprise attack.NX3VYQB
SrMfHe slept little.YOqZ4
36wE1He constantly maintained barriers.Ztf3xhV
GSp9zntHe lived trapped in paranoia.maLO69r
RfjdHe was an avenger.IZqjK
4RVysCKBut he was also a coward.GHIZD
O8J22He always needed a guarantee of victory.gHf7O
ZloAnd when he didn’t have one, he had no problem resorting to despicable methods.GmTlDz
sbsSeNBThat was why he knew.Qb4zq
j5m8If Valdrova had truly been a coward, she would have dominated everyone.l2ORH
QA1XFOWShe would have crushed even the heavens above her head to guarantee her own safety.rUK
qKbF0UHLucy watched him silently before speaking.b9JiX
0eR“Your head.”3s2S
dwkay4“Hm?”IPu9r
Rg6og“Bring your head closer.”kmRBa
uQJgvPerda hesitated for a moment, but obeyed.MXIsk
CmKy0Lucy stood on her tiptoes and tried to place a hand on his head.hIw
bZx“Hm. Even so, I can’t reach.”9OwW4J
re45ivShe sighed.Xw5KjN5
IOnh3“I suppose it can’t be helped.”suQ
M8yThen she pulled him downward and wrapped her arms around his head.ud6GTq
NfPvmtoShe began stroking him as though comforting a child.Fm8dYD0
DK6up“There, there.”8FKOn0
47rhdPu“What exactly are you doing…?”8kIY
2TatfT“Shh. Be quiet. It’s not good to ruin a pleasant moment.”vtZeC8
ZJXAPerda did not even have a chance to ask.0C0
68jof42“Little one, you amuse me. It’s been a very long time since I felt this kind of youthful freshness while talking to a man.”Bjs
IB5KpsqShe enjoyed it for about five minutes.V3ZIwWl
CPnXnOnly then did she let him go.k1aYZX
ZpGx5N“Shouldn’t a good child be rewarded?”fFw
sGVHxaWhen Perda looked at her, he saw that her face was filled with satisfaction.cWGw6
FHsxLkQ“Those two emotions you carry within you will eventually become a blessing.”tL4RJu
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Fernando
Qi RefinementLucy mama? I think Perda got a sugar mommy lol
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationFor real 🤣
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationOhh turns out to be good character. I take my words back from previous chapter.