Chapter 45 : What’s the difference between you and me?

While everyone else was finishing their explorations and returning, Ershi did not come back. 

This fact greatly pleased Rosiria, but she hid her smile with a fan, as there were eyes watching her.

“Finally, she’s dead. That woman who was so unbearably annoying.”

Those with incomplete talents despise those with innate abilities. 

Not everyone thinks that way, but for her, who had always been despised due to Ershi’s fame, this saying rang true.

“Why is it that everything you do turns out so mediocre? How pathetic.”

“You must have heard the rumors about Count Christian from Rezel. Though you’re of similar age, how is it that there’s such a gap between you two?”

“I won’t tell you to become like her, but at least try to be half of what she is.”

Rosiria, who had mediocre talents, was nothing more than an ordinary person. 

Her skills weren’t insignificant, but they were not remarkable enough to be praised.

In contrast, Ershi’s fame as a magician was spreading across the neighboring kingdom of Rezel. 

The King of Levath Kingdom often compared his daughter to her because of how much Rosiria failed to meet expectations, despite being royal.

“Every time I think of the humiliation caused by Christian…”

It wasn’t just the King who looked down on Rosiria. 

Her siblings also constantly belittled her, comparing her to Ershi and triggering her frustrations.

Despite never having seen Ershi herself, Rosiria naturally developed feelings of jealousy and resentment toward her. 

It didn’t matter if the fault lay with Ershi or not. 

As long as Ershi was alive, Rosiria knew she would forever live in her shadow, ridiculed and ignored.

“I’m glad I took matters into my own hands back then. It gave me the chance to kill that woman.”

Then, one day, the opportunity to repay her humiliation finally came. 

It was a deep and quiet hour with the moon high in the sky.

At the King’s summons, Rosiria and her siblings gathered and went to the royal audience hall. 

Everyone was curious as to why they had been called at such a late hour, but what they saw was beyond belief.

“Are these your children?”

“Y-Yes, they are.”

The King, the ruler of the nation, was kneeling before a woman whose identity was unknown. 

Although her face was hidden by a mask, her slender figure and long silver hair proved she was a woman.

“They all look like their father. How disgusting.”

“S-Sorry…”

A King, who should stand above everyone, was bowing his head to a woman who appeared to be decades younger than him. 

Even Rosiria, like her siblings, couldn’t comprehend what was happening. 

Yet, at the same time, her blood boiled with excitement, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her face.

“Whoever she is, what is the meaning of this? How dare she…!”

At that moment, the second prince snapped out of his shock and stepped forward. 

Known for his aggressive and reckless personality, he boldly confronted the woman, who had made the King kneel.

“How insolent.”

However, as soon as the woman snapped her fingers, the second prince’s head exploded. 

It happened so suddenly that no one could speak before his decapitated body collapsed, spurting blood on the floor.

No, fearing that her head could be the next one to fly off, she couldn’t even scream. 

What kind of magic was used at that moment? 

Even now, she still couldn’t figure it out. 

However, when one of her siblings, who had always mocked and looked down on her, died, she still felt a thrill inside, despite the fear.

‘It’s okay if one of them is gone, right?’

‘Yes, yes! My child is worthless, so there’s no need for you to worry—!’

‘I never worried, so shut up. You’re spitting everywhere.’

Even though her own child had died, the king still bowed his head to her. 

His hand, which touched the floor, trembled with either anger or humiliation. 

Now that she thought about it, there was a rumor she’d heard once. 

It was said that her father, who had been born the youngest son of the previous king, had been able to become king by having someone secretly help him remove his brothers.

She hadn’t paid much attention to it when she’d heard it in passing, but seeing the scene before her now, she realized it was true. 

And recalling that those who spoke of it had mysteriously disappeared the next day, she became certain of it.

‘What are you doing? Aren’t you going to kneel?’

The woman spoke, or rather, ordered, to Rosiria and her siblings, who were still standing in shock.

Only then did they snap out of it and, like the king, kneeled and lowered their heads.

It was a position they had never been in before, but strangely, it didn’t feel humiliating at all.

She was a woman who could make even a king bow down. 

If she opposed her, she’d end up like the second prince.

‘That person… she’s my idol…!’

Unlike her siblings, who felt ashamed, Rosiria felt a sense of exhilaration.

The arrogance that was unattainable, combined with a strength that matched it.

In that moment, she was so captivated by the woman, whose name and face she didn’t even know, that she forgot all about Ershi, the one who had always tormented her.

‘I have two things for you to do. Don’t expect much.’

A little later, the woman, who had been sitting in a chair with her legs crossed, stood up.

What would she order them to do? 

No matter what it was, if she would even acknowledge them once, Rosiria was determined to carry it out. 

She thought this before hearing the woman’s words.

‘You know the Kingdom of Rezel, right? Try to bring it down.’

‘Wh-what?’

Everyone present, including the king, seemed to have been struck in the head. 

It was an absurd statement, as if she had casually told them to knock down a sandcastle, but the woman continued.

‘Also, prepare something called Endrago. It’s not really needed, but I have an experiment I want to do. I don’t think you’ll get it quickly, so I’ll give you plenty of time.’

‘W-wait! That’s too reckless a request…!’

‘Do you want to end up like your son? Who do you think helped you get to that position? You’ll have to pay the price. Tsk.’

Each demand she made was almost impossible.

However, at the woman’s irritated words, the king tried to refute but had to close his mouth.

She said what she needed to, and then calmly disappeared into the darkness. 

Once she left, the king clenched his fist and ground his teeth.

Though he had done nothing before, now he was trying to act angry.

Rosiria secretly thought her father’s behavior was pathetic, but she had no time to mock him.

When the woman had asked them to destroy the Kingdom of Rezel, it clearly wasn’t just a random request.

Though she had said she wasn’t expecting much, it couldn’t be dismissed.

But rather than planning for something uncertain, the problem was how to get Endrago.

Even if they poured their country’s military power into it, it was clear there would be many casualties, so they had to find a way to minimize the damage.

‘Let’s ask the Kingdom of Rezel for help.’

While everyone was brainstorming, Rosiria suggested this.

If they had to save their own soldiers, it would be better to receive support from another country’s military.

Besides, if an outstanding person came to help, they could eliminate him in Snowite and weaken their forces.

Honestly, even Rosiria thought it was a far-fetched suggestion.

However, whether they had no other choice or whether they wanted to make her responsible for the idea, they decided to go along with it.

She knew the chances of success were slim.

But if it succeeded even by a small chance, she would get all the credit, and perhaps her idol would praise her for her efforts.

“However, I never expected that woman to come to help. Heh heh.”

But, what’s this?

Just as things were going according to plan, it turns out that Ershi, whom she had hated so much, came to gather the Endrago.

So, Rosiria changed her primary goal from getting the Endrago to killing her instead.

If it was going to be difficult to acquire it anyway, she might as well get rid of her enemy, someone she’d have to carry as a grudge for life.

Of course, she knew that with a ragtag group, there was no chance of winning, so she brought a special force with her.

There was a person who had previously been given to her by her idol, someone who had been wrapped in bandages from head to toe. 

Rosiria didn’t know what kind of person they were, but after seeing how they had slaughtered ten death row prisoners in an experiment, it was clear that their abilities were exceptional.

Moreover, they didn’t feel pain, and they didn’t disobey orders, so even if they broke down, she wouldn’t feel sorry for them.

By now, Ershi would have probably died fighting that person and wouldn’t be coming back.

“Heh heh, heh heh heh!”

Just thinking about it made her so happy she couldn’t hold back her laughter, even if people around her were looking at her strangely.

However, as her laughter filled the tent.

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit late, aren’t I?”

Ershi, whom Rosiria had expected to be dead, returned without a scratch.

Rosiria’s laughter immediately stopped, and her face stiffened in disbelief.

Moreover.

“On my way here, I accidentally found this. This is the Endrago we were looking for, right?”

As Ershi pulled the Endrago from a spatial hole and placed it on the desk, everyone screamed in shock.

How did this happen?

Rosiria was just as shocked, but more than that, her long-forgotten feelings of inferiority flared up once again.

‘What makes her different from me that she can do this so easily?’

Her hands, tightly clutching the fan, trembled, and her eyes reddened with frustration.

However, Ershi didn’t care about that. 

She approached Rosiria, giving her a relaxed smile, and said,”Now that the goal is accomplished, how about we withdraw?”