Thud
The magical tool in my hand fell to the floor.
Thud
– Thoroughly destroy it. So that she has no choice but to rely on me.
– Break her mind to the point she can’t even believe in herself.
“Oh… Ah…?”
Like my brain was fried from an incomprehensible situation, only gibberish tumbled from my mouth.
– She might live forever with her wings broken.
– Great. She won’t be able to leave my side for life.
“..A…Athena…?”
With the shaking of my eyes like an earthquake, my hands, feet, and breath all began to tremble violently.
The magical tool seemed to say it wouldn’t wait for me. It continued to play the next dialogue.
– …She will be deeply hurt.
– That’s something I need to heal.
– Do you want her to break?
– Rozalin.
– …I’m sorry.
“A… No…”
That’s a lie.
There’s no way Athena would say such a thing.
I covered my ears tightly.
I felt like I couldn’t hear any more.
But cruelly, the magical tool continued to spill her voice.
The voice of the one I loved so dearly pierced my ears sharply, like bullets aiming for my heart.
– Tell everyone to isolate Hera thoroughly. Anyone who reveals it will have their neck chopped off.
Thud
– I dislike you getting close to my slave. Order that maid to properly injure Hera.
Thud
– Was it Dylan? Make sure to give a generous severance. Thanks to that, I can now brand Hera.
Thud
I don’t want to hear it.
I don’t want to listen.
“AAAHHH!!!”
I pulled at my ears as if I was going to tear them off.
Then a sharp pain shot through me, and blood began to flow from my ears.
It hurt, but even so, I couldn’t stop.
What I heard from the magical tool hurt far worse than flesh being torn.
“Miss!!!”
Alina rushed over, snatched my bleeding hands, and smashed the magical tool, rendering it silent.
I ran to Alina, trembling, and spoke to her desperately.
“Alina… no, right…? There’s no way Athena could say such things…?”
“…..”
“Bordin must have used magic to manipulate her… right? Yes… it must be like that…”
“Miss.”
“Tell me, Alina…!! It’s… a lie, right…?”
Alina, who had been looking at me with a confused expression, squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before pulling me into her arms.
My face buried in her shoulder, blocking everything from sight.
“….It’s all true, Miss.”
“…….Uh…?”
“The words from the magical tool were all commands from Lady Athena.”
“……N-no…”
“Miss. It’s not too late.”
When I didn’t respond, Alina continued.
“Run away. I’ll buy you some time, no matter what.”
“……”
“With the royal seal, we can surely get help from the Great Sage. If it’s him, then surely—”
Noticing that her shoulder was getting wet, Alina pulled me away from her embrace.
“Miss…?”
I couldn’t find Alina’s face.
My vision blurred with pouring tears, rendering me unable to see anything.
“Uh…? Haha… it’s strange… why… are my eyes…”
“Miss?!”
“I can’t… see…”
“–!!”
Alina started screaming at me, but I couldn’t hear her properly.
The shock of an unbearable truth made my brain feel like it was disconnecting.
Before I knew it, I had lost consciousness.
‘Ah…’
I want to die.
*
“Why does Athena like me?”
“Um. Because you’re pretty?”
“….”
Without hesitation, Athena answered right away.
It must have been a compliment, but I didn’t feel that good about it.
‘If she likes me for being pretty, doesn’t that mean I have no other charm at all…?’
Noticing my slightly sulky mood, Athena chuckled and planted a kiss on my forehead.
“Hehe… of course, I was joking. Did that upset you?”
“….Not really.”
I did feel a bit hurt, but for some reason, I refused to admit it.
“I love you.”
“Uh…?”
Surprised by the sudden confession, I shifted my gaze to Athena, and she was looking at me with a fiery gaze.
“It’s not just your looks. Your pure personality, your little habits, everything about you is so lovable.”
She climbed on top of me, leaning in towards my lips.
“Athena…”
“I love you, Hera.”
I wrapped my hands around her neck, gently closed my eyes, and smiled.
“I love you too.”
.
.
.
“Mom!! No…!! Please don’t!!”
“Miss..! Calm down…!”
“We promised… you said you wouldn’t leave…!”
“I can’t do that. I have to put you to sleep first…-”
…..
Crack
Amid the fleeting dreams, I seemed to hear Mari’s voice.
“…..Ugh…”
With great effort, I forced my heavy eyelids open, looking at my body lying on the bed.
When I lifted my head, a warm, damp towel fell from my hair.
Clearly, someone had taken care of me.
“……”
Though my eyes were open, my mind still seemed to be asleep; it felt hazy.
It was as if I was walking on air.
This tingling and mystical feeling wasn’t too unpleasant.
Putting that odd feeling aside, I attempted to get up from the bed, focusing my slightly dizzy vision.
Clank
“….?”
My arms wouldn’t budge.
Looking down, I saw my arms bound with soft fabric cuffs.
As I struggled to grasp the chaotic situation, a voice came from the door.
“Mom…?”
Holding a towel, Mari looked at me with trembling eyes.
Without hesitation, she rushed over and hugged me tightly.
“Ma…ri…”
She held on to me so tightly it hurt, as if pledging never to let go.
I wanted to stroke her head, but my tightly bound arms wouldn’t allow it.
After a long moment of stillness, something warm and damp began to feel heavy in my chest.
“Cough… Mari… are you crying…?”
As I tried to speak, a burning sensation surged through my throat, forcing a cough.
“Ugh… Mom… is it okay now…?”
As Mari shouted, vivid memories started to flicker, clouded by a thick blue fog in my head.
“What happened…?”
Hearing my cracking voice, Mari rushed off somewhere, quickly returning with water for me.
Drinking it cooled my parched throat a little, bringing some relief.
“Mom… don’t go… please don’t leave Mari behind…”
Her desperately pleading voice slowly peeled away the fog, and memories began to surface.
Bang bang
Sounds echoing.
Alina gripping my wildly flailing arms.
Mari clinging to my legs.
And finally,
My own self, tearing at my flesh to end my life.
“Ugh…! Haah…!!”
As memories flooded back, my breath quickened, and tears began streaming down my face again.
“Mom..! No…!!”
Seeing my state, Mari quickly pulled something out of her pocket and shoved it into my mouth.
A slightly sticky liquid slid down my throat.
Upon swallowing the mysterious substance, the hazy feeling wrapped around me once more.
“Hah… Hah… Hah…”
As my racing heart began to settle, my breathing gradually returned to normal.
Sinking into the sensation, I leaned back on the bed, and Mari placed the towel on my forehead.
“Ugh… Mom…”
Watching Mari sob as she cared for me filled me with an indescribable guilt.
‘What have I done…?’
Although my memories were hazy, it was clear.
I had tried to take my own life in front of Mari.
….. How could I do that?
How could a mother commit such a cruel act?
I had said I would take responsibility until the end, yet I tried to turn away from her and the pain that tormented me.
A terrible sense of self-loathing consumed my heart.
I felt as if I were no different than the parents who abandoned me.
“Ma…ri… can you come to me…?”
When I called out her name, she rushed into my embrace with wide, teary eyes.
Although I couldn’t hold her because of my bound hands, I did my best to move my body to embrace her.
“I’m sorry, Mari… Ugh… I’m so sorry…”
“Uh… Mom?!”
Mari looked startled as I cried out an apology.
I had committed an unforgivable sin against her.
How deeply must my selfish actions have scarred her?
“I’m sorry… Mom just… was too overwhelmed and made a mistake…”
“….”
“It won’t happen again… Just once… will you forgive me…?”
Looking at me with stormy, fluctuating eyes, Mari eventually shed tears of relief, rubbing her head against me as she cried.
“….Mom is bad…”
“I’m sorry, Mari…”
“You promised… that you would always be by my side… Ugh…”
“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry…”
Waaah…
As Mari poured her emotions into my embrace,
it was only after a long while that she finally fell asleep in my arms, her expression peaceful.
“Miss… are you okay now…?”
I gazed at Mari, who was quietly sleeping beside me.
“Alina…”
She looked at me, her face full of worry.
Had she cleaned up? Her maid’s outfit, soaked in Bordin’s blood, had changed to a fresh one.
As I tried to rise, Alina rushed over and laid me back down on the bed.
“You need to calm down, Miss…”
“….. Alina.”
“Yes…?”
She looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“Were all those things you said to me ordered by Athena…?”
“Ah…”
I didn’t need to hear her answer; her intent was clear.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t know that, and I hurt you…”
“No, Miss.”
Alina cut me off.
When I turned my head, she was looking at me with a resolute expression.
“Even though I acted on orders, it is still myself who caused you pain.”
“…..”
“So please don’t forgive me. It was my fault, Miss.”
“Alina…”
A complex mix of emotions passed between us.
After contemplating for a while,
“…Alina…”
Determined again in my heart, I tried to speak, but
BAM!
A loud crash interrupted me.
“Hera!!!”
A.
Upon hearing her voice, my heart began to race again.
The very voice that had tormented me just moments ago.
I turned my shaking head to look at her.
“Hugh… Hah…”
Seeing her familiar sun-like colors, my breath caught, and my body began to tremble.
As I slowly raised my gaze to meet her eyes, tears began to stream down my face once more.
She was the one I most wanted to avoid now.
But paradoxically, she was also the one I wanted to see the most.
My everything that I loved,
and the one I hated to the point of death.
Athena was looking at me with ragged breath and a desperate expression.
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