Chapter 198: A forcible end to the stalemate
Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Jack_of_Editing_Trades”
Lilia collapsed to the ground.
No one was able to say even a word upon witnessing that scene.
I already saw that amethyst-colored crystal that she now held in her blood-smeared hand, though the color was different.
「AHAHAHAHA!! All this time! I endured for this moment! Pretending to love and respect you like in the old days, pretending to not know anything, to gain your trust! All this time, I waited for this moment!」
A magic core, usually, a person would have only one.
Only imminent death would be awaiting a demon upon losing it, but for some reason, Lilia wasn’t dead. But since it was an organ responsible for mana manipulation, she couldn’t control her magic power anymore, causing her monster body parts to manifest. Probably something of succubus origin, black wings, and a tail.
(The core of her brother, so it’s the one that belonged to the a.s.sa.s.sinated previous demon lord…? )
「Why…」
Ignoring Lilia’s question, Leticia continued to talk with a smile.
「I knew about this all along. Since this second circle began and I inherited the memory of the first circle with Glen’s a.s.sistance! Since that moment I kept observing you my dear sister, no, you lowly pest, without missing even one moment. Oh, you truly managed to intercorporate it well, but upon inspecting you with a doubtful eye, I immediately was able to tell that you held Dear Brother’s magic core.」
Leticia circled around Lilia before casting another healing spell on her when she stood in front of her.
「At first, I also was confused. But there was nothing that could erase my hatred for Leon, you, and everyone else that destroyed Kaito’s and my happiness. Surely, I wasn’t under some strange spell, and what is more important, my senses, my soul, all were screaming that this hatred belongs to me!」
Wrath, wrath, wrath!
The voice that just keeps desperately screaming inside.
「That’s why I was waiting for my chance! Gaining your trust, making you believe me, until the day I can stab you in the back and kill you in front of your beloved Leon!」
「GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!」
Spears of ice created by Leticia nailed Lilia to the ground.
「Does it hurt? Well, it probably does, you don’t have Dear Brother’s magic core after all. Every nerve in your body became more sensitive as it is now trying to adapt to the changes in the mana flowing through it. Here, how does it feel?」
「Aaaagagaah, GIGIIGII!!!」
An agonized scream comes from Lilia as Leticia grinds a heel on her wings.
「Ahahahaha! What an ugly scream! Come on, how about 『Kya』? Try to sound more lady-like! Come on, come on!!」
Leticia laughed in delight, looking at Lilia as she squirmed in pain.
Meanwhile, we simply looked at that scene, with our heads blank from confusion.
「Hey, hey Leticia-chaan? Kai-chan and company are totally lost, is that fine?」
With those words, Nonorik appeared beside Leticia, who was completely engrossed with Lilia’s screams.
Contrary to his formal military-like outfit, Nonorik’s tone was as light and upbeat as always.
「Hm? Oh, you are right. For starters, I guess we ought to tell them of the current state of affairs.」
「UGII!!!」
Leticia stomped on Lilia’s wings once again, rubbing them on the ground, then moved her foot away and turned to me.
「Nevertheless… Pupupu! If only you could see the stupid look on your face. You fool.」
She laughed, changing her visage from an avenger to a girl who likes pranks in a mere second.
「Y-you, Leticia, no way, your memory…」
「What is no way here? Can’t you tell from the conversation until now? Or do I have to bring up a few secrets that the two of us share?」
「…Haha, hahaha, is this for real…」
My thinking, that came to a complete halt due to the shock, finally resumed again, and the reality of the situation has finally dawned on me.
「Well, time to explain the trick I guess. During the first circle, you kept running around with my core all the time, right? Actually, Although I did not think that it would actually succeed, I was able to transfer my soul into it on the brink of my death. I am a super genius after all!.」
「Your core… As I remember, it was destroyed by Alesia? 」
I recall the bitter memory of the day when queen Alesia’s betrayal was revealed to me.
「By that time, most of my soul had already transferred inside you. I thought I should at least see you inside your dreams since it looked like you were about to die without achieving your goal even though I gifted you a shot at it.」
When she said that, I recalled how strangely often I would dream of Leticia during the first circle.
「While I was sticking in your body as the soul only, I still retained my consciousness. So I also saw you getting tricked by that vixen like an idiot, and allowing my magic core to be destroyed.」
「Uguuh.」
I couldn’t find the words to refute Leticia as she gave me a look of disapproval.
「Moreover, immediately after the time was rewinded, I told you to come to my side, yet how much time do you think has pa.s.sed since then? All this time I was so eagerly waiting for it. And you finally showed up only by the time I thought about starting on my revenge.」
「But, I had my own circ.u.mstances… Wait, come to think of it, when we b.u.mped into you in the forest, could it be that you did that on purpose…」
「Hey there! That’s unfair! Don’t flirt in front of me!」
Nonorik interjected when the conversation began going into a completely unrelated direction.
「We finally had a real lovers reunion, and you had to ruin it like this.」
Leticia pouted, puffing her cheeks, as Nonorik barked like an annoying little dog.
「Well, but you are right, reminiscing can wait. Right now, we have other things to do… Right?」