Chapter 178
“Indeed, as I thought.”
The Empress merely smiled, not at all surprised.
Alice continued, feigning a solemn expression.
“Yes. The Chief Deity commanded me. To find the source of the evil forces disrupting this world, which is hidden in the imperial palace.”
“…”
“And I finally discovered where that evil thing is hiding. So I reported to the great Lord Helios.”
Alice added in a whisper to the Empress, whose lips were slowly turning downward.
That something filthy was hidden beneath the Empress’s Palace.
For the first time, Lariella’s gaze wavered.
Alice watched this with satisfaction and drove in the final nail.
“So it would be better for you to behave and not attempt any futile tricks. No matter what you do now, you cannot escape divine judgment.”
Words tantamount to a death sentence.
‘Is it just a matter of waiting for nightfall now?’
Just as she thought it was over, suddenly the Empress spoke in a trembling voice.
“Divine judgment? Please don’t say such frightening things, Duchess. I had no idea such an evil thing was hidden beneath the Empress’s Palace.”
‘What is she trying to do now?’
As Alice narrowed her brow at the Empress’s strange reaction, the Empress shuddered dramatically and continued.
“Still, it’s truly fortunate that our hero has found where the evil thing is hiding. Now that its location has been discovered, the Chief Deity will soon eliminate it, won’t he? Then peace will return to this land.”
“…”
“That’s truly reassuring. So let’s stop this frightening talk and have some tea together, Duchess.”
Tea…?
Alice looked down at the teacup filled with black tea.
Then the Empress said.
“Surely you won’t be too nervous to take even a sip of tea today?”
A question that seemed to provoke her.
‘Surely not.’
Alice slowly picked up the teacup.
And the moment she smelled the tea’s aroma, she knew her suspicion of “surely not” was correct.
An unpleasant energy faintly perceptible beneath the sweet black tea.
Indeed, the Empress had tampered with the tea.
To capture her.
‘So that’s why she pretended as if she knew nothing.’
‘I thought she would kidnap me at night at the earliest.’
‘To think she would try to capture me in broad daylight, at an official invitation.’
‘As expected of a legendary lunatic.’
Alice was incredulous, but not flustered.
She had been waiting for the Empress’s trap.
Therefore,
“Of course not. Much has changed since then.”
Pretending to fall for the Empress’s provocation, Alice drank the tea.
As she set down the teacup, Alice smiled.
“The aroma is quite lovely.”
“Is it? I’m relieved. I was worried you might notice.”
“…Pardon?”
When Alice feigned confusion, the corners of the Empress’s mouth deepened into a smile.
“I put a drug in it.”
“What…!”
As Alice opened her eyes wide, pretending to be surprised, the Empress’s expression completely changed.
A face as cold as frost.
The Empress had completely shed her disgusting mask.
Not hiding her hostility, she said.
“Actually, I’ve been regretting that day tremendously.”
“…Regret?”
“Yes. If only I hadn’t sent you back then and just killed you on the spot. If only I had torn your corpse to pieces and spread them as fertilizer in this garden.”
The Empress clenched her hands on the table as she continued.
“Then I wouldn’t have suffered humiliation from the likes of you, nor would my path have been blocked.”
The Empress was looking at her with eyes filled with bitter regret.
Alice was stunned by her sincerity, but found it difficult to curse at her.
Because immediately after the Empress finished speaking.
Piiiiiiiii—
A ringing sound began to echo in her ears.
The drug had begun to take effect.
As Alice staggered from dizziness, the Empress’s voice, full of mockery, echoed.
“My, you seem quite dizzy.”
Alice also felt a bit of regret.
A small regret—that she should have hit that crazy woman once before the drug took effect.
But her vision was already blurring.
The Empress watched Alice beginning to tilt sideways and spoke softly.
“Still, don’t worry too much. I didn’t put poison in it. After a short sleep, you’ll wake up at your final destination, so have sweet dreams.”
‘Since it will be the last dream of your life.’
With the Empress’s softly added words, Alice collapsed onto the floor with a thud.
‘My final destination, my ass. That place will be your grave.’
In her fading consciousness, Alice used her last strength to still get in one final word.
“You… crazy… lunatic…”
Damp smell and cold chill.
Alice frowned at the unpleasant odor and the coldness penetrating her skin as she slowly opened her eyes.
But her focus wouldn’t settle, and her mind still felt foggy, as if she hadn’t fully awakened.
Just then, she heard footsteps approaching her.
Click, click—
The sound reverberating on the hard ground finally stopped in front of Alice.
As her vision gradually cleared and she saw golden hair like threads of gold, a hand without a single callus grabbed her by the hair.
“Urgh…”
The pain, as if her neck would break, snapped her to full consciousness, and she heard a familiar voice.
“You woke up quickly. Is it because a body with strong holy power detoxifies faster?”
And at that moment, Alice’s vision became clear.
Alice spat out the curse she hadn’t finished earlier at Lariella, who was holding her hair and looking down at her like a strange animal.
“Crazy bitch.”
As if it was the first time hearing such vulgar language, the Empress momentarily froze.
But soon she burst into laughter, as if delighted.
“Yes, yes. You’re right. I am crazy. That’s why I could drag the Duchess, the most influential figure in the Empire, down here in broad daylight.”
The Empress increased the pressure on her hand gripping Alice’s hair as she continued.
“But, it was you who drove me to this madness.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you were crazy from the beginning. And you have no emotions, like a puppet.”
Alice retorted, her eyes flashing wide.
“What?”
“You even framed your own biological son for crimes you committed without any hesitation.”
‘Poor Axion. That bastard probably went mad because of you.’
As Alice added in a low voice, the Empress’s previously composed violet eyes flashed.
“You must be dying to die.”
“No? You must be dying to kill me. Oh, but… can you kill me as you please? You’re just a puppet who can’t do anything without your filthy master’s permission.”
As if Alice had struck a nerve, the smile disappeared from the Empress’s face.
She released Alice’s hair as if throwing it away.
Thud—
With that, Alice, whose limbs were tied, hit the floor hard.
Although her shoulder, which had directly hit the hard underground floor, hurt quite a bit, Alice didn’t stop her mockery toward the Empress.
“You must have thought everyone was in the palm of your hand. Not even seeing the puppet strings attached to your own body. You’re just the specter’s plaything, nothing more, nothing less.”
“Shut up!”
The Empress shouted, her eyes flashing with murderous intent.
Alice held back a sneer, looking at her with contempt.
And all the words and sneers Alice was now expressing weren’t an act.
Though she had added more intense emotion to her genuine feelings, the show to shake the Empress had ended at the teatime earlier.
She had fallen into the Empress’s trap as intended.
So now there was no need—no, she should not hold back.
That way, the Empress would bring her to the ancient magic circle a little faster.
Alice turned her head toward the ancient magic circle not far away.
‘If only my blood spills there, then everything will truly be over.’
And her provocation seemed to be working quite well, as the Empress’s breathing became rough.
She was huffing as if unable to contain her anger.
Just as Alice was about to open her mouth to drive the Empress’s anger to its peak, a voice that seemed to be soothing the Empress echoed through the underground chamber, a step ahead of her.
“Lady Lariella. There’s no need to be angered by such drivel. She’ll be dead and gone soon anyway.”
A man’s deep voice.
Alice knew who he was without even having to look up.
The owner of that chilling voice could only be Hasis Winston.
“And you should start soon. It’s been over two hours, so by now, they would have noticed something strange at the Dearrut Duchy.”
Alice quietly closed her lips.
Since Hasis had urged the Empress on her behalf.
The Empress exhaled a long “Whew,” as if controlling her anger, and answered.
“Yes, there’s no need to be angry at the words of a woman who will soon die. Let’s begin, Hasis.”
At this, Alice swallowed dryly, tense, unlike a moment ago.
Because the moment of breaking the magic circle’s seal was finally approaching.
The key to breaking the magic circle’s seal was her blood.
Which meant the moment had arrived for Alice to be cut by them.
So she couldn’t help but be tense.
Even though she was prepared, the fear of being cut was unavoidable!
Alice bit her lip and composed herself.
‘No matter where I’m cut, the Chief Deity said he would come down and heal me right away.’
‘So, everything will be fine…’
But at that moment, Hasis’s words shattered her composure.
“Then I will behead this woman.”
‘Cut where?!’
Alice widened her eyes.
‘Behead me? That’s not the part I was thinking of.’
She had considered the possibility of losing limbs, but only parts below the neck.
An arm or a leg, or maybe a hand… Anyway, definitely not the neck!
Alice let out a silent scream, but Hasis had already begun to draw his sword.
Shing—
As the chilling sound echoed, Alice’s heart pounded.
‘Neck… can one survive having their neck cut?’
‘Because he’s a deity… he can save me even if my neck is cut, right…?’
‘Yes, I’ll be able to live… even if my neck is cut… as long as it’s not completely severed, he can reattach it…’
Though the mere thought made her sick, Alice tried to suppress her anxiety.
Soon, Hasis began to raise his hand holding the sword.
Just as she tightly closed her eyes, the Empress said.
“Give me the sword. I will do it myself.”
