Living As the Villainess Queen

Despite being revered as special beings, Anikas fostered a culture of self-reliance from a young age. Here, age didn’t dictate hierarchy; they treated each other as equals. Childishness held no place – maturity was a necessity. So, Heather was particularly touched by this unexpected act of kindness from an older Anika.

Katie, along with two others, accompanied the priest to the prayer room. Soon after, he returned with news for Heather. “Anika Katie requested you be allowed to go out today. A knight will arrive shortly to escort you. Please get ready.”

Heather’s face split into a wide grin. “Alright, thank you!” she chirped before turning to Anika Anne. “Do you know Anika Katie’s home address? I’d like to let her family know she’s safe.” It was the least she could do, Heather thought, to repay this unexpected act of generosity.

***

A prickle of unease snaked down Sang-je’s spine. He narrowed his crimson eyes, contemplating the disquieting sensation. Have I been here too long, absorbing human anxieties?This gnawing feeling… it bodes ill. He scoffed, then fell silent, the humor failing to reach his eyes.

Ten days prior, he’d dispatched a knight under a flag of truce, hoping to sway the Fire King. The Fourth King was already deemed a lost cause. The Fire King, however, with his simple mind and unmarried status, seemed a more promising target. Sang-je envisioned the allure of an Anika queen proving too tempting to resist.

But something had gone terribly wrong. The knight, though not deceased, returned a broken vessel, radiating remnants of excruciating pain – the kind that brushed against the precipice of death itself. The scouts stationed on the perimeter confirmed their suspicions: the pre-arranged signal from the envoy remained absent. The negotiation had undoubtedly fallen through.

This marked the turning point. Sang-je, with steely determination, began formulating a new strategy. Abandoning the Holy City.

Yes, he thought, a flicker of resolve hardening his features. There’s no point in clinging to this place. The tide has turned against me, and staying here will only hasten my demise.

The unsettling premonition that had plagued him ever since Alber’s prophecy about the ancient tree finally lifted with this decision. It was a bitter pill to swallow, giving up Jin and Flora. Yet, a desperate grasp for everything often resulted in losing it all.

Alber, that infuriating seer, still rankled him. Once the spell waned, her demise was inevitable. A corpse found within the confines of the subterranean prison, or a skeletal reminder decaying in the shadows – either fate awaited her.

Sang-je formulated a new, ruthless plan: siphon the life force from every Anika within the Holy City to replenish his own dwindling reserves. Empowered, he would confront Mara directly.

‘He must be consumed,’ Sang-je thought, a glint of manic determination in his crimson eyes, ‘before he surpasses me.’

The creature, by now, would be considerably stronger. Devouring it would be a significant boost to his own power. Ideally, he could breach the barrier and access the original world, but even if that remained out of reach, the life force surge would allow him to start anew.

‘Finding another Alber and rebuilding might be tedious, but at least I have the experience,’ he mused, a hint of grim satisfaction flickering across his face.

Resolution solidified, Sang-je knew swift action was paramount. He would make his escape from the Holy City on the very day the active period began.

‘The ensuing chaos from collapsing the Holy Palace will provide the perfect cover for my departure.’

The barrier spell’s longevity remained a question mark. While a longer duration was preferable, its imminent collapse wasn’t a dealbreaker. Once breached, the city would no longer be under the protection of the divine beasts, leaving it vulnerable to a lark invasion.

The concentrated human population within the Holy City would be a beacon to the larks, effectively diverting the Kings’ attention from any other threats.

Hm? Sang-je closed his eyes, a fleeting smile crossing his lips as he savored the sweet flow of energy – the Anikas’ prayers fueling him. However, a flicker of dissatisfaction marred his pleasure. Despite the participation of three Anikas, the energy influx paled in comparison to that of a single, thoroughly brainwashed Anika priest. 

Wrinkling his brow, Sang-je contemplated increasing the quota to five starting the next day. The amount is significantly lower today. Did only two participate? He barked a command, summoning a priest.

***

Pides tracked the time by the gradual lengthening of his own shadow. “Almost noon,” he muttered with a sigh. Guarding the strange pattern etched on the floor was about as exciting as watching paint dry. Sang-je’s instructions were simple: stand watch, report any changes.

At first, Pides suspected the intricate design held immense significance. Though smaller than the Holy City’s barrier spell pattern, it shared a similar aesthetic. Its secluded location and the number of priests guarding it alongside him screamed importance. He’d initially strained to memorize every detail, every nuance.

But a month had bled by, the pattern undisturbed, the barred area eerily silent. Boredom gnawed at him, but a deeper worry festered. Was Sang-je keeping him at arm’s length, out of the loop? Was this pattern a mere decoy, a ploy to appear critical? The gnawing uncertainty gnawed at him.

Should he leave? He glanced around. Priests stood at intervals around the intricate pattern on the floor, with soldiers forming an even wider perimeter.

This wasn’t a decoy. The security was far too tight. Additionally, the priests took turns departing every few hours, likely reporting back to the Holy Palace.

What was this for? Thankfully, unlike the city’s protective spell, this one didn’t involve death. He couldn’t bear to witness such horrors again.

Pides, lost in studying the pattern, jumped as it flickered with a faint light. Glancing up, he saw the priests scrambling, alerted by the change.

He gripped his sword, eyes glued to the pattern. The light intensified, becoming painful to look at directly. Then, a blinding beam erupted. He squeezed his eyes shut instinctively, then opened them to find a hooded figure standing at the pattern’s center. ř

“Who are you?” His initial vigilance faltered as recognition dawned. “Anika Flora…?” he muttered, disbelief coloring his voice.

Flora frowned at him. Before she could question his presence, the priests swarmed her.

“Anika Flora!” they exclaimed. “You’ve returned!”

***

The warrior escorting Flora to the hotel room watched her vanish through the shimmering portal. He wasted no time, sprinting to the rooftop and launching a signal flare.

A burst of blue light erupted in the sky. Passersby glanced up in murmured surprise – flares were an uncommon sight during the dry season. However, the calming blue, signifying success, didn’t spark much alarm.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

At the royal palace, a messenger who witnessed the signal hurried to report to Eugene. The blue flare, he relayed, confirmed Flora’s teleportation spell had been a success.

Eugene wasted no time scribbling in her spell notebook: 

[Flora has gone to the Holy City.]