“Let her come along, too.”
Lucia’s voice was not heavy.
Lilith’s body froze, and her expressionless face shifted.
She turned around, forgetting her etiquette.
“Your Majesty, you mean — “
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
Lucia’s tone was flat, but Lilith immediately bowed her head even lower.
“By your command, Your Majesty.”
With that, she walked to the bedside.
Facing Lilia, who was dazed on the bed, she bowed slightly.
“Miss, please change your clothes.”
Lilia looked at the expressionless Lilith.
Then she looked at Lucia, who acted as if this were only natural, and her heart skipped a beat.
‘A private meditation room… just from the name alone, I can tell it’s not a good place!’
“I — I’m sleepy! I want to go to sleep! Meow!”
Lilia’s brain stalled, and she grabbed the silk quilt, wrapping herself from head to toe like a roll.
Her voice came out muffled from inside the blanket.
“Very well,” Lucia actually nodded.
Lilia’s heart had just begun to relax.
“Lilith, move the bed there as well.”
“…”
Lilia, inside the quilt, went silent.
Slowly, she poked a furry head out of the blanket, staring straight at Lucia.
‘Move the bed there?’
‘Is she serious?’
Seeing that Lucia did not look like she was joking, Lilia resigned herself to her fate.
If she continued to be stubborn, this pervert really would have people carry her and the bed over.
She crawled out of the quilt.
With Lilith’s “help,” she changed into a set of casual clothes.
The very top of the Evernight Palace was a domain Lilia had never visited.
The further up they went, the heavier the Magic Power in the air became.
It pressed down on her until her skin felt numb, and even breathing became difficult.
At the end of the hallway was a door made of flowing starlight.
That door itself was a manifestation of the Laws.
Just standing there made Lilia’s legs go soft.
Lucia, however, casually pressed her hand against the door.
The door of starlight silently dissolved inward.
Behind the door was not a room, but a universe.
Beneath their feet was a black stone floor that reflected their shadows.
Above and all around them were flowing stars.
Lilia took only one breath before she almost fell to her knees.
Pure Magic Power crudely poured into her body, causing her Magic Power Circuits to swell until they were bloated, making her feel waves of nausea.
“This is…”
She was so startled by the sight before her and the abnormality of her body that she was speechless.
“The reflection of the World’s Core.”
Lucia walked toward the center of the starry sky, where a massive Light Sphere floated.
“It is also the source of Magic Power for the entire Empire of Erya.”
She paused. “I usually ‘sleep’ here.”
Lilia swallowed hard.
‘Sleeping next to the World’s Core?’
‘This pervert… just what kind of monster is she?’
“Haven’t you always felt that your strength wasn’t enough and that your progress was too slow?”
Lucia turned around, her back to that massive Light Sphere.
Her red pupils glowed frighteningly under the starlight.
“Today, I will give you an opportunity.”
She raised her hand and pointed toward the Light Sphere.
“Go there and sit down. Then, absorb as much of its power as you possibly can.”
Lilia’s heart skipped a beat before it began to throb wildly.
‘Absorb… the power of the World’s Core?’
Did she hear that right?
This was an opportunity that all mages wouldn’t even dare to dream of!
If she could meditate here for just one hour, her strength would skyrocket!
Reaching Rank 4 wouldn’t be impossible!
Ecstasy clouded her mind, and her breathing quickened.
However, this impulse lasted for less than one second before she forcibly suppressed it.
‘No. When has this pervert ever been so kind?’
All of her “rewards” contained “punishments” that made her wish she were dead.
‘This is absolutely a trap!’
“What? You don’t dare?”
The corner of Lucia’s mouth quirked up.
“Or rather, do you think I would use this method to harm you?”
Lilia didn’t say a word, but the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
“My little pet, have you mistaken something?”
Lucia’s voice had no temperature.
“If I wanted you dead, I would only need a single thought. There is no need for such trouble.”
Those words made Lilia snap back to her senses instantly.
It was true.
With this woman’s strength, killing her would be easy.
There was indeed no need for such a grand display.
‘Could it be… she really wants to help me increase my strength?’
‘Why? To feed her pet until it’s stronger so it’s more fun to play with? Or… to let me become stronger so I can achieve that goal of “counter-pushing” her?’
The moment that thought surfaced, Lilia’s cheeks flushed uncontrollably.
“Stop wasting time and go over there,” Lucia urged her impatiently.
Lilia bit her lip hard, the taste of blood spreading in her mouth.
‘I’ll bet on it! Wealth is found amidst danger!’
Even if it was a trap, she would accept it! Being able to die next to the World’s Core was a mage’s honor!
She took a deep breath of the Magic Power that was nearly bursting her apart and began to walk.
Step by step, she approached that massive white Light Sphere.
The closer she got, the heavier the Magic Power pressure became.
Her bones were creaking.
With every step she took, a ripple of Magic Power spread across the black stone floor.
By the time she reached the bottom of the Light Sphere, her clothes were soaked with sweat, and her legs were shaking uncontrollably.
Using the last of her strength, she sat cross-legged directly beneath the Light Sphere.
Then, she closed her eyes and tremblingly extended her Spirit Force toward the sphere.
*Hum — !*
The moment her Spirit Force touched the Light Sphere, a vast amount of Magic Power rushed into her body with tyrannical force, giving her no time to react!
“Ugh — !”
Lilia let out a *Screaming Sound* that was choked in her throat.
It wasn’t a feeling of comfort.
It was tearing! Bursting! Crushing!
Her Magic Power Circuits were instantly overwhelmed, torn apart, and then forcibly expanded by even more Magic Power! Intense pain radiated from every corner of her body.
The veins beneath her skin throbbed.
She could even hear the agonizing *creak* of her bones and meridians being overburdened from within!
Her consciousness began to blur amidst the boundless pain.
Using the last shred of her strength, she struggled to lift her head.
Through a vision blurred by tears and sweat, she looked at the figure standing leisurely not far away.
Lucia simply stood there quietly, watching Lilia twitching and struggling in pain, her face showing neither joy nor anger.
Further away in the shadows, Lilith stood stiffly.
Her hands, encased in White Gloves, were clenched tightly in front of her, motionless.
Lilia finally understood.
This was indeed a “reward.”
A “godsend opportunity” that could allow her strength to soar.
But the prerequisite was… that she had to survive this energy storm that was powerful enough to melt and burst even steel.