Living As the Villainess Queen

Alber paused, closing her eyes to delve into her thoughts. The information transmitted through the Ars family by Rahan was riddled with gaps. Despite Rahan’s insistence that he had witnessed the spell’s activation firsthand, his lack of magical understanding hindered his ability to convey the details accurately. It was similar to describing a camel based solely on touch, without ever having laid eyes on the creature.

Meanwhile, Rahan, disguised as a boy, observed Alber in silent contemplation. In Alber’s own dreams, she, too, took on the form of a young woman, mirroring his appearance as a boy. A pang of discomfort pricked at Rahan as he superimposed the image of the elderly woman he had encountered decades ago onto his thoughts. She must have once experienced vibrant, beautiful moments before being ensnared in that dark prison.

Opening his eyes, Alber’s gaze gleamed with determination. “I understand,” she declared.

Rahan’s smile brightened. “Do you know what type of magic it is?”

“Yes,” Alber affirmed. “It’s one of the ancient sealed magics. It’s astonishing that I remained oblivious until he stole and activated it. I was truly clueless.”

“Can’t we thwart the spell by destroying the magic?” Rahan proposed.

“As you know, successful spells possess inherent defensive mechanisms. Undoing them requires an understanding of the magic itself. You may only grasp its intricacies through firsthand experience… and he wouldn’t recklessly manage the magic,” Alber explained.

There are two methods to destroy the magic: untying the knot or cutting it. Untying the knot necessitates comprehension of the magic, and it’s time-consuming. Cutting it, on the other hand, doesn’t require magical knowledge but is more challenging.

Advanced magic wields formidable power once unleashed, requiring an external force of greater strength to counteract it. This condition practically renders it impossible for a human to achieve such a feat.

However, breaking the magic within the confines of the Holy City necessitated entry, rendering the current option of destroying the magic to nullify it unfeasible.

“I’ll find a solution, no matter the obstacles. Begin investigating the whereabouts of the magic’s source. They must be guarding it meticulously,” Alber commanded.

“Yes, Elder,” Rahan responded promptly. Alber cast a brief glance at him before gently taking the boy’s hand.

“Rahan, because of me, you all have suffered under the tyranny of the monster’s surveillance, losing your freedom. I am truly sorry,” Alber expressed with remorse.

“Elder, please do not blame yourself. Muen has flourished under your guidance,” Rahan reassured, bowing respectfully before Alber.

“It is an honor to be in the presence of Muen’s ancestral Elder. I have longed to meet you. Thank you for everything. None of us harbor any resentment towards you, Elder,” Rahan declared sincerely, his words bringing tears to Alber’s eyes as she looked down at the devoted young man.

***

These days, Eugene found herself carrying two volumes of spell notes wherever she went. It all began when she first learned about the invisible wall encircling the Holy City from Kasser. Immediately, she bombarded Aldrit with questions about the nature of this magic, eagerly awaiting his responses. Whenever she found a spare moment, she poured over the contents of the two volumes, hoping to glean some insight.

Despite Kasser’s regular inquiries about Eugene’s well-being in the morning and evening, he refrained from providing any additional updates about the state of the Holy City. Sequestered from the city’s affairs, he must have been awaiting crucial information that could potentially alter the situation.

Eugene couldn’t shake off the image of kings helplessly glaring at the impenetrable barrier of the Holy City, seething with frustration. As days passed without any new information in Aldrit’s notes, her anxiety intensified.

[Your Highness.]

Startled, Eugene snapped out of her reverie, her gaze fixed on the blank page of the note before her. Before she could even lift her pen, the next sentence appeared as if by magic.

[I apologize. The elders have no knowledge of such magic.]

“Oh, what am I to do?” Eugene lamented, her voice tinged with despair. It felt as though all her energy was draining away, leaving her utterly depleted.

Her hand trembled as she penned down the troubling sentence in the note.

[What did the elders of the tribe say?] 

[At first, they appeared perplexed by my question. They mentioned the possibility of knowing but forgetting, attempting to recall. However, upon my return after a few days, they admitted their ignorance. All their knowledge of magic stems from the ancient texts brought by Mara. Even if the magic isn’t explicitly detailed in those texts, they could speculate by adapting them. Yet, Your Majesty, the magic you mentioned was entirely foreign to them. I regret that I couldn’t be of more assistance.]

[You’ve done everything in your power. It’s not your fault it didn’t yield results. I appreciate your efforts.] Eugene replied, offering words of encouragement. She closed the notebook with a heavy sigh, her heart burdened with disappointment. The pen hovered over another spell note, her mind blank with indecision.

[Kasser, I couldn’t obtain any information about the defensive wall magic. The wanderers claim it’s an unfamiliar form of magic.] 

Soon after, Eugene noticed Kasser’s response appearing below her own words.

[I understand. We’ll need to devise a solution from our end. Try not to dwell on it too heavily.]

His reassuring words conveyed a sense of calm, but Eugene couldn’t shake off the feeling of pessimism. Could there truly be a way to breach the invisible barrier surrounding the Holy City? Magic, in this era, was a forgotten art, requiring extensive time and effort to comprehend and master.

“It’s baffling that no one can penetrate the magic,” Eugene muttered to herself, her thoughts racing. “At present, neither Flora nor I are within the Holy City.”

Though she couldn’t discern the monster’s ultimate intentions, it was evident that achieving Sang-je’s goals hinged upon the presence of both herself and Flora. It was said to be the first time in ages that two Anikas were born simultaneously, both blessed with dreams extending beyond visions of just a lake.