Girl, Do You Desire Power? (5.5K) (Continued)

"Yes, because we had people tracking her from the beginning and we've always kept track of her location."

"Is that so? As expected of you, Zeta."

They are reliable enough to get things done.

"My lord, you flatter me. Compared to you, I have only done a very insignificant thing, and there is something else I need to report to you."

"Explain."

"Yes, not long ago a large number of unidentified people infiltrated the capital."

"Suddenly?"

"Yes, Lord Alpha suspects that they are members of the cult, so he wanted to ask what you would do."

"Let me think about it..."

Mahiro appeared to be deep in thought.

But actually, I'm a little confused.

He couldn't understand why the cult had suddenly sent such a large number of people to infiltrate the capital; it wasn't mentioned in the original work either.

Are they planning to take action against the Midgar Kingdom?

Or are they planning to wipe them all out in one fell swoop?

If that's the case...

"Hold your positions for now and see what they're up to, but make sure your men are ready for battle at any time."

"Understood, my lord. I will convey this to Lord Alpha immediately."

After saying that, Zeta's figure disappeared instantly.

He was left alone, sitting quietly on the edge, sighing:

"There's an inexplicable feeling that a storm is brewing..."

Before I knew it, the once cloudless sky was now covered with dark clouds, as if a torrential downpour was about to fall at any moment.

Tick-tock, tick-tock--

Cold water droplets dripped silently from the ceiling, shattering on the floor.

Rose gasped for breath, staggering along the dark sewer while leaning against the wall.

Clothes torn.

A gruesome scar was visible on his smooth back; it didn't look deep, but it wasn't shallow either.

At the very least, the wound could no longer be stopped by its own healing power, and warm blood continued to seep out.

While it would be best to treat the wound as soon as possible, she didn't have time for that as she was busy shaking off her pursuers.

They simply concentrated magic on the wound, providing the most basic emergency treatment.

However, as time went by, the increasing pain from the wound gradually eroded her strength.

Her breathing was rapid.

But even more painful than this was her inner torment.

Why...

Why would the Queen Mother get involved with Duke Doem and do such a despicable thing?

Why would the Queen Mother help Duke Doem poison the King?

Why did such a happy and harmonious family fall apart so quickly...?

Countless "whys" lingered in her mind, like nails driven into her heart, causing her pain even now.

Even now, she still can't believe her eyes.

Feeling that something was amiss, Rose sneaked into the mansion to gather information.

I want to see what Duke Doem is up to.

As a result, he accidentally stumbled upon Duke Doem and her mother, Queen Reina of the Oriana Kingdom, having a secret rendezvous.

They uttered nauseatingly sweet words while engaging in despicable acts that would disgust even the gods and spirits.

In the dimly lit bedroom, illuminated by the warm firelight, Duke Doem and Reina were embracing each other tightly.

Rose was completely stunned.

Because of her mother, Queen Reina didn't seem reluctant at all; on the contrary, she seemed to be happily accepting Duke Doem's embrace.

I wanted to rush in and confront her, asking why my mother would do such a thing with Duke Doem!

But before she could even go inside, she overheard their secret plot.

For a long time, they poisoned their father's food, causing him to become a puppet controlled by others.

Not only that, Duke Doem also conspired with his mother Reina, to kill him!

Upon hearing this, Rose trembled uncontrollably.

As if the whole world had turned upside down, her vision began to distort.

But she still couldn't believe it, and refused to believe her eyes.

So he secretly went to his father's room.

They found that the king sat listlessly in a chair facing the fireplace, the firelight illuminating his haggard, lifeless, and aged face.

Although her father wasn't particularly old, he looked like an elderly man in his eighties.

Even the hair at his temples had turned gray.

Rose could no longer hold back her tears and buried her face in her father's lap, sobbing.

But no matter how much she cried and pleaded, even though her tears had soaked her father's trousers.

Her father was no longer able to utter a single word in response.

He sat there blankly, like a living dead.

Completely losing themselves, they became puppets manipulated by Duke Doem and the Cult.

Rose could no longer contain her anger, so she grabbed her sword and prepared to confront Duke Doem.

Unexpectedly, her assassination attempt failed.

She fell into Duke Doem's trap, failing to kill him and instead becoming a criminal accused of assassinating the king.

He fought his way out of the encirclement and escaped using his honed swordsmanship.

It also caused her considerable injury.

However, no matter how physical pain one experiences, it cannot compare to the despair of a broken heart.

Feeling the numbness and coldness spreading through her body, Rose could no longer resist her exhaustion and leaned against the wall, slowly slumping down to rest for a moment.

Did I act impulsively?

Rose doesn't think so, but frankly, her method isn't the best either.

She had this delusion that everything would be resolved once she killed Duke Doem.

But in reality, Duke Doem is just a pawn on the surface, the kind that can be discarded at any time.

The cult's evil influence may have already reached deep into the kingdom of Oriana and taken root there.

Therefore, even eliminating Duke Doem alone would not solve any problems.

Ultimately, I was blinded by anger.

And she didn't know what to do next either.

Rose was trying to think things through calmly.

But the image of Yotsuba Mahiro kept flashing through his mind.

"Teacher Yotsuba Clan... No, no, we absolutely can't involve Teacher Yotsuba Clan."

Rose shook her head, dismissing the thought that had popped into her head.

Yotsuba Clan- sensei is indeed very powerful, and she is one of a kind in the world. She can even destroy holy lands and Sanctuary, and she has never been defeated even when facing the legendary Calamity Witch.

However, if teachers are involved, the situation will become even more serious.

After all, we're dealing with an entire nation...

They might end up joining forces with the Midgar Kingdom to hunt down the teacher, gradually expanding the search to other kingdoms, until the teacher has nowhere to go.

Ultimately, she met a fate similar to that of a calamity witch, and was defeated and hunted down...

Rather than dragging the teacher down with her, it's better for her to bear this sin alone.

However, she still couldn't stop herself from crying.

"Teacher... Rose misses you so much..."

"If you miss me, why don't you come find me? Why do you have to take it upon yourself to do these things?"

"?"

Rose's spirits suddenly jolted, and she immediately gave a wry smile.

"Am I already that badly injured that I would hallucinate my teacher's voice at a time like this..."

"It's not a hallucination."

The voice came from above, Rose instinctively looked up.

Then he saw that familiar figure sitting on the railing of the second floor of the sewer, looking down at him.

"Teacher... is it really you?"

"Heave-ho~"

Mahiro jumped down from the railing and landed right in front of Rose.

Seeing the girl in such a miserable state, Mahiro couldn't help but shake his head and click his tongue, saying:

"Tsk tsk tsk, look at yourself, what have you gotten yourself into?"

Clothes were tattered.

He was covered in blood.

Where was even a trace of the princess's pride and elegance? Instead, she resembled a refugee.

"Teacher... what are you doing here...?"

Looking at the man who appeared there, crouched down, and gave her a familiar smile, Rose's expression was very complicated.

There was surprise, joy, and sadness.

"Of course I'll find you using my methods. Don't forget, I have a whole bunch of people under my command."

Of course Rose knew.

Mahiro was referring to that mysterious Shadow Garden, where everyone possesses strength that rivals their own.

"But to be honest, finding you was really quite a hassle."

Mahiro complained as if pouring out his grievances.

The capital's sewer system was so extensive that it took him a long time to find Rose's trail, and he eventually followed her here.

"Teacher, it hurts so much!"

Just as Rose was about to say something, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her chest.

A patch of dark spots had already grown where she had unbuttoned her shirt.

These are symptoms of Demonic Possession's illness.

"How long has it been?"

Mahiro gently placed his hand on it, feeling the gradually rampant magic beneath the delicate skin.

Hmm, it's quite soft.