episode_0261

I’m not very smart.

This is something I realized before I was possessed by the character Hera.

Although I had some talent for physical work, I was really not suited for things that required using my brain.

I had no talent for studying, much less for memorizing or creating anything.

Perhaps the novel I’ve memorized the most in my life is The Indomitable Warrior.

I read it so passionately that I could read it straight through. I think that’s what stayed in my head the most.

If I were smart.

Maybe the happy ending could have been a little more clever.

A perfect ending where no one gets hurt and no one is unhappy.

I think I could have developed the story smoothly like Dr. Chuck Chuck, just like other Munchkin fans do.

But for me, who couldn’t even see what was happening an inch ahead… it was almost impossible.

Yeah, I’m not smart.

So my plans always ended up a mess.

That’s probably why.

The reason why the situation has become like this now is.

This must all be because I was overconfident in my stupid head.

A woman of sunlight standing calmly before my eyes.

She was looking down at me with eyes that showed no emotion at all.

“…..Hera. Your opinion doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Ah..Athena…”

“I realized this time. You can just leave me at any time. I am nothing to you.”

“That’s…not really…!”

As Athena snapped her hand, a golden mana streamer covered my mouth.

“Ugh…! Ugh..!”

“Yes.”

With eyes that were empty yet blazing at the same time.

Athena looked at me… and smiled like one of those dark smiles she used to make.

“It’s time to get punished, Hera.”

*

After eating the delightful breakfast prepared by Sister Dania, I spent the same peaceful day as yesterday, and now the dark night has covered the mansion.

As I cautiously opened the door, a familiar maid with short brown hair bowed to me.

“Hello Alina.”

“…Hello, Miss.”

The maid who was once my only friend in this mansion, is still on guard duty today.

After sending Alina into the room and looking around, he carefully closed the door again.

I turned my gaze to Alina, who had a complicated expression on her face, and spoke to her.

“Have you prepared what I mentioned before?”

“…Yes. I made a space to hide the horse behind the mansion. ”

“Yeah. Thank you.”

I spoke to her with a faint smile, but Alina’s expression showed no sign of brightening.

After mumbling for a while, she looked up at me cautiously and spoke.

“Miss. I don’t know.”

“Huh? What?”

“These are the people I found when I was on another continent. If I get caught this time, how on earth are you going to deal with the aftermath?”

Alina’s words are so accurate that they could almost be considered true.

..Well, if you leave like this, Athena will be really angry.

As a situation that already had precedent, this was perhaps no different from betraying her.

“But this time it’ll be different.”

“Huh?”

When Alina opened her eyes in wonder, I took out the two letters that I had hidden in my bosom and showed them to her.

“Unlike last time, this time I will leave everything behind. The reason why I am leaving. The reason why I have no choice. Then, Athena will probably understand my feelings.”

“Are you planning to leave a letter?”

“Yeah. I have some Alina stuff too.. I’ll give it to you later.”

Alina looked at me with a complicated expression, then nodded with a short sigh.

I forced a smile as I watched her holding back what she wanted to say.

“..I’m having so much fun right now. But I need to give up my selfish desires now.”

I approached Alina, held her hand tightly, and asked her a favor.

“One week. I’ll tell you exactly one week later.”

“…I will do that.”

A week.

In a week this false happiness will end.

But his conscience would not allow him to enjoy this happiness any longer.

You must not forget.

That he was a sinner who had taken over a girl’s body and was living her life as he pleased.

“Okay..I’ll take care of it. I guess I should go to sleep now.”

“Good night, Miss.”

Alina nodded politely and disappeared.

I lay down on the bed, clutching my aching chest.

I closed my eyes, keeping today’s memories in a corner of my heart, and sleep began to slowly take over my mind.

To greet them with a smiling face tomorrow too, I.

I slowly closed my eyes and fell asleep.

*

Various magic towers located throughout the continent.

But the most famous of them all was the Black Tower, newly established by the Archmage of the Warrior Party who returned a few years ago.

A wizard who has reached a new level by defeating the Great Sage.

Having reached the 9th circle of magic at a young age, she was praised by all the magicians on the continent.

But there’s one thing those wizards don’t know…

This person who casts magic that overwhelms everyone.

That he was a black magician who was banned in the empire.

“Ahhh…..”

Ariel, now known as the youngest great sage, knelt down on the floor and stared blankly at the crystal ball.

If you look closely at this crystal ball, which looks like just a glass marble, you can see that there is a face inside it.

It was Athena, who was called the hero of this empire, with eyes as blazing as the sun.

“How long can you prepare?”

Athena’s voice flowed through the crystal orb.

“One month. One month is enough.”

Athena nodded in satisfaction after hearing Ariel’s answer, said a short word, and ended the communication.

“Then I’ll ask you. If you succeed, you can punish Hera too.”

“…..”

Bam-

A quiet silence fell when communication was cut off.

However, unlike the cold atmosphere, Ariel’s eyes, darkened by black magic, began to slowly become enveloped in light.

He hurriedly opened the drawer at the bottom of his desk.

All there are are papers covered in dust.

It was a trace of research that had begun secretly since meeting Sarah… no. Hera.

“…you can do it.”

This magic was performed with only Hera in mind.

Ariel vowed that she would somehow achieve it within a month.

.

.

.

Athena pushing the crystal ball into the corner.

Dania looked at her with an uncomfortable expression.

“No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t seem right. How can you call that a punishment?”

“If you don’t think, you’re out.”

Dania’s body trembled at Athena’s unwavering voice.

Dania, who had been looking into Athena’s eyes for a long time, finally let out a short sigh and took a step back.

It was still something that was hard to accept, but I had absolutely no confidence in convincing those eyes that had lost their sense of reason.

Dania hesitated for a while, then finally closed her eyes tightly and answered Athena.

“I’ll join too.”

Athena looked at him quietly and nodded as if she understood.

I feel sorry for Hera, but… I felt like I had to bother her at least once.

No matter how much I swore to myself that I would live for her, it’s not that I didn’t have any desire for her.

It was absolutely unacceptable for her to have to watch other women ‘punish’ Hera with such a mindset.

‘…I’ll be as kind as I can. I’m sorry, Hera.’

I don’t know how things came to this, but I know what Athena is thinking.

I heard the story twice.

Hera had reportedly left her twice before.

But even in this situation…

Athena must be in a state of shock right now.

‘…You’re at fault too, Hera.’

The mistake of making people only look at themselves and then cruelly abandoning them.

Of course, that wasn’t Hera’s intention at all…but that doesn’t change the facts.

Dania looked at Athena with determined eyes.

“Will other people call it too?”

“Yeah.”

Athena nodded seriously.

“I’d like to be the first to strike, but if I do, a fight will break out where someone will die.”

Dania nodded at her words.

All the women who are captivated by Hera are said to be unusual beings… so if we’re not careful, a bloody war could break out.

As Athena said, there will be no trouble if you get along with everyone without an inch of complaint.

But there’s one thing that’s bothering me…

“…What will Lily do?”

His own younger brother.

She has long since lost her sense of reason and has become a madwoman.

I don’t know about other women, but I couldn’t imagine how I would talk to Lily.

“..I have something in mind.”

Athena’s voice was quite subdued.

Maybe she’s not sure about Lily either.

Athena pondered something for a while, then got up and began wrapping her golden cloak around herself.

“Where are you going?”

“Go see your little brother.”

Dania’s eyes trembled.

But that was only for a moment, as Dania looked at Athena with serious eyes.

“….Please.”

“Keep a close eye on Hera.”

Athena said a few words to Dania and then left the room.

Then he checked his physical condition so that he could go into battle at any time.

Athena clenched her fists, recalling the purple eyes stained with madness.

‘Perhaps it could be more dangerous now than when we were dealing with the Demon King.’