Little Tyrant Doesn't Want to Meet with a Bad End

After leaving Lilian’s room, Roel walked down the passageway and worriedly thought about his plans in recent days.

The upcoming battle would determine the fate of humankind, making it even more important than their showdown with the deviants. To maximize their chances of victory, the united army’s headquarters had embarked on the same plan as before.

Nurturing the younger generation into Race Sovereigns to balance out the odds with the deviants was one of the plans the united army had previously come up with. The plan remained active even after the death of Deviant Sovereign Banjol, and they were finally reaping rewards.

Nora and Charlotte were two of the priorities in the plan. With the doomsday prophecy right around the corner, it was time for the two of them to push for a breakthrough to Origin Level 1.

Roel agreed with this course of action, as making a breakthrough would greatly enhance their fighting prowess while putting them in a better position to protect themselves. However, he was still worried, as his own breakthrough hadn’t been easy.

That being said, each Origin Level 1 transcendent had their own conditions for a breakthrough.

Alicia had relied on the Mother Goddess’ power. Wilhelmina relied on her armor and conquering her inner demons. Lilian was highly talented and could have made a breakthrough long ago, but she held herself back due to her child.

Nora and Charlotte had the church and the Sorofyas respectively backing them—and those were two of the largest organizations in the Sia Continent—so it was safe to say they had ample material support. However, their emotional support was a different matter.

Roel noticed that Nora and Charlotte looked nervous when he met them earlier on, and that stoked his concern. He figured that he should look for them to listen to their worries, but Nora came knocking before he could act on it.

“I’ve finally found you.”

“Nora?”

“Come here. I need to talk to you.”

Nora raised her hand and invoked the mana chain between them. This alarmed Roel, and he quickly scanned their surroundings.

“Wait a moment; we’re outside…”

“Don’t worry; there’s no one around,” Nora replied with a smirk as she dragged Roel into a nearby room.

Roel thought that he was going to be dominated once more, but to his surprise, Nora suddenly fell silent. That filled his mind with question marks.

Hm? What’s going on?

Nora spent some time assessing Roel from head to toe before heaving a sigh of relief. “I heard you were injured, but it looks like you’re fine now.”

“Yes, I have fully recovered. You may put your mind at ease, Your Highness. Did you drag me here for this?”

“That’s not all. Actually, I’m feeling a little nervous.”

“…Is it because you’re about to make a breakthrough to Origin Level 1?”

Nora nodded in response to Roel’s question. She heaved a sigh before continuing on, “I didn’t think a day would come where I’d lag behind you in terms of Origin Level.”

“That can’t be helped. You are carrying many things on your shoulders.”

“I have been busy recently, but… these are the days worth cherishing the most.” Nora looked at the setting sun outside with contemplative eyes.

“…” Roel quietly listened to her.

As the Saint Mesit Theocracy’s princess, the next Holy Eminence, Nora always had her hands full with work, but now that the decisive battle was right around the corner, those mundane days somehow felt unforgettable instead.

Roel felt the same.

He struggled to get over Nora’s sadistic inclinations, but she was impeccable in every other way. She was brave, compassionate, and loving. She devoted herself to protecting and supporting him back when he was still weak. He would never forget the days he had spent with her.

Thinking about the past filled him with many emotions.

Nora turned against the setting sun and looked at him. “Roel, I’d like to ask a question.”

“What is it?”

“If there had been no war or mountains of responsibilities, would you have been willing to elope with me, like Victoria and Sir Ponte did?”

“…”

Roel was startled by that question, but he soon shook his head.

That answer had Nora lowering her head in disappointment. She put on a strained smile as she replied, “I see… I understand. Your circumstances are unlike Ponte’s. The current Ascart House can’t do without you.”

“No, that’s not the reason.”

“Then…”

“I don’t want my liege to bury her name.”

“Hm?” Nora hadn’t expected such an answer.

Roel looked straight into Nora’s eyes as he explained, “Her Majesty Victoria might have left us, but she accomplished her mission and left her mark on history. Nora, you haven’t accomplished what you wanted to do yet, right? I don’t want to let a great queen be buried in history over my own selfish desires. That’d make me a true sinner.”

“You don’t know whether I’d be a great queen. I might turn out to be a tyrant.”

“A tyrant? That’s fine with me too. Isn’t that the reason I’m with you?” Roel replied with a smile. He grabbed the chain binding the two of them and said, “You said it. I’m a traitorous subject. It’s my responsibility to oppose your tyranny.”

“Heh, I see. I’ll look forward to it, then.”

“I suppose you won’t be tyrannical just for the sake of it, right?”

“Of course,” Nora replied with a nod. A smile reappeared on her face, as she said, “As much as I’m fond of putting you in predicaments, I don’t want the Theocracy to bear the consequences of my inclinations. I don’t plan on soiling both our names too.”

“That’s good to hear. Do you feel more relaxed now?”

“I do.” Nora nodded.

She felt like the stress that had accumulated in her over a long period of time had finally been released. The chain Roel held began glowing from his side, and the light slowly flowed in Nora’s direction.

“This is…”

“Have you forgotten? We’re connected. I’m at Origin Level 1 now. I might not be able to directly help you, but the least I can do is to let you adapt to it.”

“I see. So this is how Origin Level 1 feels…” Nora remarked, but much to Roel’s surprise, she didn’t fully accept his mana. “It’s good for me to adapt beforehand, but it might limit me too. Don’t worry; I won’t let history repeat itself.”

“…All right.” Roel recalled the events that had transpired the last time Nora awakened to her Gold-tier Bloodline, and it filled him with nostalgia.

Before he could say anything, Nora suddenly pushed him again and said, “Besides, it’s a waste of time to be doing that now.”

“Waste of time? Wait, Nora…”

“Hush.”

Roel didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence, as Nora lurched forward to take his lips. After an intense clash, their silhouettes finally overlapped.