Final lap.
Lilia’s head was buzzing.
Her temples throbbed.
Under the guidance of her Spirit Force, that wisp of deep blue light traced the final distance along the wall of the room.
Three days.
Three full days and nights.
She had been locked in this pitch-black metal room, without sleep or rest.
At first, she couldn’t concentrate at all.
The light darted around wildly, several times grazing the tip of her nose and scaring her into a cold sweat.
Later, she discovered that as long as her Spirit Force was focused enough, she could control it at will.
Later still… she had gotten so bored she started using this wisp of light to draw little stick figures in the air.
Draw one Lucia, then draw one of herself.
Then she’d control the figure representing herself to pin the figure representing Lucia to the ground and give it a good rubbing.
The only thing that kept her going through all this was a single thought.
The specially made dried fish, baked by Sister Lilith herself.
The kind with deep-sea fish oil added.
Golden, crispy, one bite and your mouth would be filled with the aroma of oil…
‘Slurp.’
Lilia couldn’t help but swallow her saliva.
It was this thought.
That made her push through, again and again, when her Spirit Force was nearly exhausted.
‘Turn!’
She commanded silently in her heart.
The deep blue wisp of light made a sharp right-angle turn.
Skimming past the corner of the wall.
‘Retract!’
The light traced the final segment of distance.
It flew back to the center of the room and vanished into the deep blue Light Sphere without a sound.
Done!
Lilia went limp all over, her whole body flopping down with a ‘thud’.
She sprawled out in a starfish shape on the cold metal floor.
Her bones felt like they’d fallen apart, and she didn’t want to move a single finger.
She lifted her weak hand and swiped it through the air in front of her.
‘Swish.’
An extremely fine black crack appeared.
It healed immediately, leaving no trace.
Her current understanding of space wasn’t just about bending spoons anymore, but about being able to tear the spoon apart directly.
“I… I want ten plates! No! Twenty plates! Meow!”
Lilia shouted with the last of her strength, lying face-down on the floor.
A cool, clear voice sounded above her head.
“Special training is over.”
Lilia was startled, struggling to twist her head to look up.
Lucia was standing in front of her, having appeared at some unknown time.
The hem of her black Imperial Robe brushed the floor as she looked down at her.
“There’s a new mission.”
Lilia’s brain stalled for half a second.
A new… mission?
A surge of anger, suppressed for three whole days.
‘Whoosh!’ It flared up instantly, overwhelming all her fatigue.
“Mission? What mission? I’m not going! Meow!”
She scrambled up from the floor, not even caring about her sore bottom.
Hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out, thoroughly bristling.
“I need to rest! I need a vacation! I need to sleep!”
“I warn you, I’ve bled for you! I’ve fought for you!”
“This is abuse of a post-battle casualty, you can’t exploit your Pet like this!”
“Where’s the Pet Protection Act? Meow!”
She thrust out her flat little chest, righteous and indignant.
Lucia completely ignored her protests, paying them no mind.
“Magic City Yasra has encountered a minor issue.”
“I’m not listening, I’m not listening, turtle chanting sutras! Meow!”
Lilia exaggeratedly covered her ears, shaking her head wildly.
Lucia continued on her own, her voice devoid of any fluctuation.
“‘Heart of Titan,’ remember it?”
“The magic plant garden it transformed has been yielding quite good profits recently.”
Lilia’s head-shaking slowed by half a beat.
Money?
Money earned by that thing she fought tooth and nail to get back?
Lucia took in her small reaction and continued:
“Some nobles and merchant guilds entrenched in the Magic City feel they should also get a share of those profits.”
Her tone didn’t change at all, but Lilia inexplicably felt a chill run down her back.
“They want to take money out of our pockets.”
Our pockets?
Lilia slowly lowered her hands from her ears.
She savored those words, and her annoyance immediately shifted targets.
Nobles?
Merchant guilds?
Those fat-bellied, blood-sucking parasites again!
That’s money this kitty earned with her life!
Lucia finally looked at Lilia, as if appraising a tool.
“Therefore, I want you to go to the Magic City.”
“Collect what is ours, every last bit of it.”
She paused, then added.
“While you’re at it, teach those who have grown tired of living just who the master there is.”
Lilia’s expression changed, inch by inch.
Go to the Magic City… collect money…
And get to teach those greedy nobles a lesson while she’s at it…
This… this isn’t a mission?!
This is a business trip on the company dime, plus legal revenge!
She could even go shopping!
“Really? Meow?”
Lilia’s voice instantly shot up an octave.
All the fatigue and anger from moments ago vanished.
Her two Cat Ears were trembling with excitement.
“I can teach them a lesson however I want? Who pays for anything I break? Meow?”
Lucia lifted her chin slightly.
“As long as you don’t demolish the city.”
“Everything else is up to you.”
Lilia’s mind buzzed, her whole body surging with excitement.
Up to her?!
She could do whatever she wanted to those high-ranking Demon Race nobles?!
“I’ll go! I’ll go, I’ll go! I’ll go right now! Meow!”
She immediately jumped up, rushing right up to Lucia.
Tilting her little face up, incredibly agitated.
Lucia looked at her, expressionless.
She took something from within her robes and held it out to her.
It was a token, entirely pitch-black, cold to the touch.
One side was engraved with the spiral Badge of the Evernight Palace.
The other side bore a complex, ancient demonic script—
Lucia’s true name.
“This is?”
Lilia took it, curiously turning it over and over.
“Within the borders of the Demon King Empire, it represents me.”
Lilia’s hand clenched tightly around the token.
She looked down at the token in her hand.
Then looked up at Lucia.
This thing… isn’t this the legendary… Imperial Sword?!
Pardon token?!
Super VIP black card?!
With this, forget just collecting debts.
Even if she walked sideways down the central avenue of Magic City Yasra.
No one would dare stop her!
Countless images instantly flashed through her mind:
Barging into the most luxurious restaurant, ordering every starred dish on the menu.
Then slapping the token down on the table.
“Put it on Her Majesty’s tab!”
See a noble she doesn’t like? Make him kneel and polish her shoes on the spot.
If he refuses, have the city guard confiscate his entire estate!
She was completely exhilarated.
The exhaustion from three days and nights without sleep was completely washed away.
She solemnly held the token with both hands, giving Lucia a firm, forceful nod.
Her little face was taut, trying her best to look like a reliable minister.
“I guarantee I’ll complete the mission! Meow!”
She tried to mimic the imperial guards, attempting a cool salute.
But her limbs were uncoordinated, her left foot tripped over her right, and she nearly face-planted on flat ground.
Finally steadying herself, she didn’t even care about the embarrassment.
She stuffed the precious token into the deepest pocket of her clothes.
Turned and ran out, already starting to issue threats as she ran.
“Tell those bastards in the Magic City to wash their necks clean… no, wash their wallets clean and wait for me! This kitty is coming to collect the rent! Meow!”
She ran too fast, didn’t even see the door clearly.
‘Thud!’
She smacked head-first into the metal wall.
“Ouch!”
Lilia held her forehead, tears almost springing to her eyes.
But she just rubbed it, immediately found the correct door.
And rushed out without looking back, her figure disappearing down the corridor.
The room fell back into darkness and silence.
Lucia stood in place, quietly listening to the fading footsteps.
She raised her hand, and in her palm, a three-dimensional image of the entire Magic City Yasra unfolded.
Within the city, countless Light Points representing the forces of the powerful and noble flickered, intertwined with each other.
One extremely unstable, chaotic Light Point representing Lilia.
Was charging headlong from the location of the Evernight Palace straight towards that web of light.
Lucia watched the impending collision and murmured.
“Go on, my Little Wild Cat.”
“Let me see what kind of chaos you can stir up in my world.”