.
.
In the aftermath of the attack on the field trip.
The Academy had declared a two-week break to allow the students time to recover.
During that short period, some students sought solace from the trauma, while others focused on their studies, but Margaret…
Margaret left the Academy and returned to the Phyler Dukedom.
She had someone she needed to see.
During the field trip, she had been confronted with an unsettling truth.
And she was determined to find answers.
She sought out a connection from her past.
And that connection was…
“It’s been a while, Amelia.”
“…My lady.”
Her former personal maid.
And the woman who had betrayed her in the worst way possible.
Amelia had been caught having an affair with Margaret’s fiancé.
After her betrayal came to light, she resigned from her position and moved to the remote outskirts of the Phyler Dukedom.
Amelia was visibly surprised by Margaret’s sudden appearance.
Then, a strange, unreadable expression crossed her face, and she bowed her head.
“What brings the esteemed daughter of House Phyler… to such a humble abode?”
“I have questions.”
“Please, come inside.”
Amelia’s response was curt and mechanical.
Her cold tone sent a pang of pain through Margaret’s heart.
But she pushed it aside.
She had to stay focused on her purpose.
“So, what is it that you wish to ask?”
Margaret had seen it with her own eyes.
The unicorn nuzzling affectionately against Raiden.
She had made discreet inquiries and discovered that such friendly behavior from a unicorn could only mean one thing.
The person in question was… pure.
Margaret couldn’t understand.
She had heard it with her own ears, the sounds of Raiden and Amelia’s intimacy.
The memory of their moans haunted her every night, turning her dreams into nightmares.
How could he possibly be pure?
Margaret pressed her hand against her throbbing forehead and spoke.
“Tell me… What happened… between the two of you?”
“…...”
Silence descended upon the room.
Margaret waited for a response, her body tense with anticipation.
Amelia studied her with a complicated gaze, then let out a laugh.
A laugh filled with mockery and derision.
“Pfft…”
“…What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, Lady Margaret. I’m simply amused by your naiveté.”
A cruel smile spread across Amelia’s lips.
She tapped her lips with her finger as if taunting her.
“Would you like me to spell it out for you?”
“Amelia.”
“I enjoyed the pleasure Young Master Lishite bestowed upon me, while you, my lady, were none the wiser.”
“What…!”
“What kind of answer were you expecting when you came here?”
Margaret’s anger flared, but Amelia’s words stopped her short.
What answer was I expecting?
She had come here seeking the truth, to understand what had transpired between them.
“Were you hoping to hear that it was all a misunderstanding?”
“No, I just…!”
“You haven’t changed a bit, have you?”
“What are you talking about…?”
“It seems you still harbor feelings for Young Master Lishite.”
Amelia’s words pierced Margaret’s heart like a dagger.
Anger and sadness welled up inside her, threatening to choke her.
Amelia pressed her advantage, delivering the final blow.
“You’re so foolishly kind, my lady.”
“…...”
“Even after I caused you to break off your engagement with the man you loved, you didn’t punish me in the slightest.”
“…...”
“In fact, you’ve been sending me money for living expenses ever since I left the manor.”
Margaret’s hand trembled.
She had specifically instructed the head butler to send the money discreetly.
How did Amelia know it was from her?
Amelia leaned in close, a smug smile on her face.
“You can’t let go of your affections easily, can you? That’s why you always end up getting hurt.”
“…...”
“Wake up, my lady.”
With a bitter laugh, Amelia turned away.
Margaret was too stunned to speak.
She sat there for a moment, then rose unsteadily to her feet.
Sadness, anger, disgust, betrayal, exhaustion…
A maelstrom of emotions raged within her.
She left the house, her mind reeling.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to notice…
“…I’m sorry, my lady.”
…Amelia standing by the window, tears streaming down her face as she watched Margaret’s retreating figure.
And so, the misunderstanding only deepened.
.
.
.
《It seems we have a clear winner!》
《Lady Phyler appears to have exhausted her mana! She can barely stand!》
The announcer’s voice cut through Margaret’s daze.
His irritatingly smug tone made her grit her teeth.
As she struggled to gather her remaining mana, she heard Raiden’s voice.
“Do you intend to continue?”
His words snapped her back to reality.
She saw a flicker of her own pain reflected in his eyes.
“Perhaps you should concede…”
—You can’t let go of your affections easily. That’s why you always end up getting hurt.
Her heart pounded in her chest.
Margaret glared at him, her crimson eyes blazing with defiance.
“I… will not… lose… to you…!”
It was a venomous declaration.
A desperate cry fueled by past resentment and present longing.
She poured all her remaining mana into a final, desperate attack.
“Wrath of the heavens, heed my call!”
—Margaret-Style Wind Magic: Sixth Verse, Extreme Limit—
Eye of the Typhoon
She unleashed the most powerful spell at her disposal.
The air crackled and swirled as her mana surged outwards, forming a vortex of emerald blades that enveloped the entire arena.
《And there it is! Lady Phyler unleashes her ultimate technique!》
《Backed into a corner, she’s resorting to her signature magic!》
As far as Margaret knew, Raiden had a maximum of ten Blinks.
He had used it sporadically throughout the match, so he should be out by now.
There was no way he could dodge this.
Her calculations were flawless.
Except for one thing…
《Wait… something’s not right!》
《The mana… It’s unstable! It’s going to explode!》
She had overestimated her own strength.
Margaret was exhausted.
Her stamina was depleted, her mana reserves nearly dry.
It was no surprise that her attempt to force out her ultimate spell had backfired.
Mana shortage and mental fatigue.
A recipe for disaster.
Her spell was spiraling out of control.
A mana explosion.
—Rumble…!!
The incomplete spell pulsed erratically, flashes of emerald light illuminating the arena.
A massive ball of unstable mana hovered before her, on the verge of detonation.
《W-wait! It’s too dangerous…!!》
The announcer’s panicked voice reached her ears.
A dazed murmur escaped her lips.
“Ah…”
She had made a mistake.
—BOOOOOM!!!!
A deafening explosion ripped through the arena.
Margaret squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact.
“…...”
But… nothing happened.
The roaring flames and searing heat never came.
“Uh…?”
She cautiously opened her eyes…
“Are you alright?”
…and found herself staring into a pair of concerned black eyes.
Raiden held her close, his body shielding her from the remnants of the explosion.
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What reason could the maid possibly have to do this lol.
ReplyDeleteBeing threatened by either mc or demon maybe?
DeleteTo help Margaret break up with her fiance who is now a worthless piece of trash (in her opinion), she didn't like seeing Margaret wasting her time trying to keep supporting him. At least that's my guess, it's a stupid reason but I can't think of anything else.
DeleteBro .this girl is so annoying and bratty ...i mean she's spoiling such a nice mood and flow that story has been building...
ReplyDelete