Chapter 224: Girl, Do You Crave Power?
"Oh? You say Beatrix wants to join Shadow Garden?"
"Mhm."
"That's somewhat unexpected."
He was quite surprised when he heard this from Alpha.
He originally thought this ditzy War Goddess would try to forcibly take Alpha away by force, only to get thoroughly beaten up by Alpha.
Then he would step in to mediate, figuring out a way to trick Beatrix into joining.
Never expected all those steps would be skipped, going straight to the final stage.
And she's asking to join voluntarily.
It seems Alpha holds a very important position in Beatrix's heart...
"What should we do?"
Alpha was waiting for his response.
The others were also watching him with quiet intensity.
The elves were quite expectant—after all, she's the War Goddess—but Yukime wasn't so willing, as she felt a strong sense of crisis.
"Since she wants to join, let her join."
Mahiro said indifferently.
"Then what should we do? Have her start as a numbered member?"
"That's unnecessary. Beatrix has excellent talent, she can skip training without issue. Giving her the same position as you all wouldn't be inappropriate either. What do you think about giving her the Omega position?"
Starting with his niece Alpha as the strongest restraining force leading Shadow Garden, and ending with his blood-related aunt Omega (Beatrix)—isn't that perfect?
Since he spoke, naturally no one had objections, nor would anyone refute anything.
Moreover, they quite agreed with the approach.
Although Beatrix is only the surface world's publicly recognized strongest, her actual strength is no less than any numbered member.
"Oh right, besides that, there's the matter of Omega's... training. I'll leave that to you, Alpha. After the Bushin Festival concludes, Alpha, you'll be responsible for teaching Omega how to use slime."
"Understood, I understand."
The slime combat attire is Shadow Garden's signature. Learning to use slime counts as officially joining Shadow Garden.
This good news was naturally relayed by Alpha.
Beatrix also agreed without the slightest hesitation.
After all, she had no other family left, only this one niece. For this niece's sake, Beatrix was willing to do anything.
Meanwhile.
Mahiro was currently sitting on the dome of the spectator stands on one side of the arena, watching the matches below while quietly listening to Zeta's report.
"My lord, we've found Princess Rose."
"So quickly?"
"Mhm, because we arranged personnel to maintain surveillance early on, we've always known her location."
"Is that so? As expected of you, Zeta."
Her work was always reliable enough to put people at ease.
"My lord, you flatter me. Compared to you, I've only done some trivial little things. And there's one more thing I need to report to you."
"Speak."
"Mhm, it's that not long ago, a large number of unidentified individuals infiltrated the royal capital."
"Suddenly?"
"Yes. Lady Alpha suspects they're likely from the cult, so she wanted to ask what you think we should do."
"Let me think..."
Mahiro appeared to fall into deep thought.
But in reality, he was somewhat perplexed.
He couldn't understand why the cult had suddenly sent such a large number of people to infiltrate the royal capital—something not mentioned in the original work.
Could they be planning to move against the Kingdom of Midgar?
Or were they preparing to wipe everyone out in one fell swoop?
If that were the case...
"Remain on standby for now and observe their intentions. However, notify our subordinates to be prepared for combat at any moment."
"Understood, my lord. I shall convey this to Lady Alpha immediately."
With that, Zeta's figure vanished without a trace.
Left alone, he sat quietly at the edge, sighing softly.
"Somehow, it feels like a storm is brewing..."
At some point, the clear, cloudless sky had become overcast with dark clouds, as if a downpour could begin at any moment.
...
Defeat.
Drip, drip—
Cold droplets of water trickled silently from the ceiling, shattering as they hit the ground.
Rose staggered through the dimly lit sewer, leaning against the wall as she gasped in pain.
Her clothes were torn.
A vicious wound marred her smooth back—neither too deep nor too shallow, but severe enough that her natural healing could no longer stop the bleeding. Warm blood continued to seep from the injury.
Although treating the wound promptly would have been wise, she was too busy evading her pursuers to spare the time.
She could only channel her magical energy to the wound, performing the most basic emergency treatment.
Yet, as time passed, the increasing pain from the injury steadily drained her strength.
Her breathing was ragged.
But even more agonizing was the turmoil in her heart.
Why...
Why would her mother, the queen, get involved with Duke Asshat and engage in such disgraceful acts?
Why would her mother help Duke Asshat poison her father?
Why, when their family had been so happy and harmonious, had everything shattered in the blink of an eye?
Countless "whys" swirled in her mind like nails being driven into her heart, the pain throbbing relentlessly even now.
To this day, she couldn't believe her eyes.
Suspicious that something was amiss, Rose had infiltrated the mansion to gather information.
She wanted to uncover what schemes that man, Perv, was plotting.
But instead, she accidentally stumbled upon Perv and her mother, Queen Reina of the Oriana Kingdom, secretly meeting.
Whispering nauseating sweet nothings and engaging in acts so vile they would disgust even gods and demons—
In the dimly lit bedroom, illuminated by the fireplace, Duke Asshat and Queen Reina were locked in a tight embrace.
Rose froze completely on the spot.
Her mother, Queen Reina, showed no reluctance whatsoever; instead, she seemed to welcome Duke Asshat's embrace with delight.
At that moment, Rose wanted to rush in and demand why her mother would do such a thing with Perv!
But before she could enter, she overheard their conspiracy.
For a long time, they had been poisoning her father's food, turning him into a manipulated puppet.
Not only that, but Perv and her mother, Reina, were also plotting to kill her!
Hearing this, Rose couldn't stop trembling.
As if the entire world had turned upside down, her vision began to distort.
But she still couldn't believe it, refusing to trust her own eyes.
So she secretly made her way to her father's room.
There, she found her father sitting in a chair facing the fireplace, his gaze vacant. The flickering flames illuminated his haggard, aged face, devoid of any vitality.
Though her father was not particularly old, he now looked like a man in his twilight years.
Even the hair at his temples had turned gray.
Rose could no longer hold back her tears. She threw herself onto her father's lap and wept.
But no matter how she cried, how she called out to him, even as her tears soaked his trousers, her father could not utter a single word in response.
He remained seated there, expressionless, like a living corpse.
He had completely lost himself, reduced to a puppet manipulated by Perv and the cult.
Unable to contain her rage any longer, Rose grabbed her sword and prepared to confront Duke Asshat.
But to her dismay, her assassination attempt failed.
She had fallen into Perv's trap. Not only did she fail to kill him, but she was also framed as a criminal who attempted to assassinate the king.
Relying on her honed swordsmanship, she fought her way out of the encirclement and escaped, though not without sustaining serious injuries.
Yet, the physical pain was nothing compared to the despair in her heart.
Feeling the numbness and chill spreading through her body, Rose could no longer resist her exhaustion. She leaned against a wall and slowly slumped down to rest for a moment.
Had she been too impulsive?
Rose didn't think so, but she had to admit her approach was far from the best.
She had mistakenly believed that killing Perv would solve everything.
In reality, however, Perv was merely a pawn on the surface—one that could be discarded at any moment.
The cult's sinister influence had likely already penetrated deep into the Oriana Kingdom, taking root.
So, even if she eliminated Perv alone, it would solve nothing.
In the end, she had let her anger cloud her judgment.
And now, she had no idea what to do next.
Rose tried to calm herself and think rationally.
But the image of Mahiro kept flashing through her mind.
"Yotsuba-sensei… No, I can't. I must not drag Yotsuba-sensei into this."
Rose shook her head, dismissing the thought that had surfaced.
It was true that Yotsuba-sensei was incredibly powerful—unmatched in the world, capable of destroying even the Holy Land and the Sanctuary, and unfazed even by the legendary Witch of Calamity.
But involving him would only escalate the situation further.
After all, what they were facing was an entire kingdom.
Worst-case scenario, the Midgar Kingdom might join forces to issue a warrant for his arrest, eventually spreading to other kingdoms and leaving him with no place to call home.
In the end, he might meet the same fate as the Witch of Calamity—hunted down and slain.
Rather than dragging him into this, she would bear the burden of this sin alone.
Yet, she couldn't hold back her tears.
"Sensei… Rose misses you so much…"
"If you missed me, why didn't you come find me instead of taking matters into your own hands like this?"
"?"
Rose's spirit suddenly jolted, then she revealed a bitter smile.
"I'm already this severely injured? To actually hallucinate Sensei's voice at a time like this..."
"It's not a hallucination."
The voice came from above. Rose instinctively looked up.
There she saw the familiar figure sitting on the second-level railing of the sewer, looking down at her.
"Sensei... is it really you?"
"Hop~"
Mahiro jumped down from the railing, landing right in front of Rose.
Looking at the pitiful state the young girl before him had been reduced to, Mahiro couldn't help but shake his head and click his tongue.
"Tsk tsk tsk, look at you, see what you've done to yourself."
Her clothes were torn and tattered.
Covered in blood from head to toe.
There wasn't a trace of the princess's pride and elegance left—she looked more like a refugee.
"Sensei, why are you here..."
Looking at the man who had appeared here, crouched down, and was showing her that familiar smile, Rose's expression was extremely complex.
There was shock, pleasant surprise, and also sorrow.
"Of course I found you using my methods. Don't forget, I have a whole group of people under me."
Rose certainly knew.
Mahiro was referring to that mysterious Shadow Garden, where every member possessed strength no less than her own.
"But honestly, finding you was quite difficult."
Mahiro complained as if venting his frustrations.
The capital's sewer system was extensive and complex, making him search for a long time before he finally discovered Rose's trail and followed it here.
"Sensei, I... it hurts!"
Just as Rose was about to speak, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her chest.
Right where she had unbuttoned her clothes, a patch of black spots had already appeared.
This was the onset symptom of a Demon Possessor.
"How long has it been?"
Mahiro gently placed his hand on it, feeling the gradually raging magical power beneath the delicate skin.
Hmm, quite soft.
"It... just happened today."
Rose blushed, slightly averting her gaze, but she didn't refuse Mahiro's actions. Instead, she advised:
"Sensei, please stop worrying about me. Please forget about Rose, leave me here, let me live or die on my own..."
Rose's voice trembled as she spoke.
And a faint smile slowly formed on her face, looking almost as if she were crying, so utterly desolate.
"Why?"
Mahiro asked, puzzled.
"..."
Because there's simply no cure for the onset of Demon Possession...
Rose knew this very well.
After parting at the holy land, she had consulted numerous historical texts that recorded the symptoms of Demon Possession.
First, black spots appear, then gradually spread, beginning to rot.
Eventually, one would die painfully from the decay, or turn into a writhing mass of rotten flesh under the spreading black spots.
Was she afraid of death?
Naturally, she was. No one isn't afraid of death, especially when it's imminent.
But more than her own death, she was more afraid of being seen by her sensei in such an ugly state.
At the very least, if she had to die, it should be at her most beautiful moment...
"It can be cured."
"Ah... Sensei, what are you saying?"
"I'm saying that Demon Possession can be cured."
Mahiro saw right through Rose's heart and spoke with certainty.
But Rose didn't believe it at all.
"Sensei, you don't need to comfort me. I know very well that there's no way to cure a Demon Possessor when the symptoms manifest..."
"You read that in a book, didn't you?"
Mahiro suddenly interrupted, "Then let me teach you another lesson today—not everything written in books is necessarily true.
But before that, I want to ask you one thing—
Young lady, do you desire power?"
"...?"
"That's right, do you desire power? The power to change the current situation, the power strong enough to wield the blade of revenge against Duke Asshat and even the religious order behind him. But the price is that you will lose everything, including your name.
Or do you wish to let everything end like this, allowing it to continue developing?"
"..."
Rose was initially hesitant, but when she heard she could take revenge on Perv, she clenched her fists tightly.
Suppressing the pain in her body, her gaze became resolute.
"Sensei, if you can grant me power, I can accept any price, as long as it can change everything!"
No matter what, she wanted to do something.
Even now, she still thought this way.
She absolutely wouldn't stand by and watch that scumbag Perv and the religious order continue to act recklessly!
Whether for her father's sake or for the Kingdom of Oriana!
"Good answer. Then accept everything that follows."
As he spoke, Mahiro gathered pure white magical power in his palm and slowly channeled it into Rose's body.
"So warm..."
Feeling that warm energy flowing through her body was like soaking in warm water, as if being held and cared for in an embrace.
The previously chaotic magical power gradually calmed and converged.
The magical energy that had felt somewhat heavy and difficult to control now moved lightly and freely, gradually filling her up.
This made Rose unable to hold back a soft moan.
Moreover, the emitted pure white magical light continued to intensify, dispelling the darkness of the sewer and illuminating everything around as if it were daytime.
The high concentration of magical power shook the surrounding air.
The wound on her back also began to slowly heal under the influence of the magical power.
"Sensei, with that power, can I change the future...?"
"Of course, everything will be as you wish, but it depends on how you use it yourself."
"I understand. Thank you, Sensei."
Rose had completely become intoxicated with the pure white magical power before her.
If she could become as strong as Yotsuba-sensei—
Surely everything would become different.
If she possessed power... she could do what she needed to do, what she ought to do as the princess of the Kingdom of Oriana.
Anger and intense fighting spirit once again surfaced in Rose's eyes.
"I never thought I'd end up accepting your help after all, Sensei..."
"What are you saying? You're my most beloved student. Isn't it natural for a sensei to help their student? Moreover, I told you from the beginning—come find me anytime, and I'll help you."
Yes...
Everything was because of my own stubbornness.
Perhaps... losing myself in the sensei's power wouldn't be such a bad choice.
This thought inexplicably emerged in her mind.
Though fleeting, her consciousness clearly captured it.
However, the warm sensation came and went quickly. Before she knew it, Mahiro had already withdrawn his palm and dispersed his magical power.
Yet Rose's body still retained that warm sensation, and her cheeks were tinged with an unexplained blush.
Even her clothes had somehow been restored to their original state.
"Alright, try out your new power now."
Mahiro said this.
Immediately after, chaotic footsteps could be heard coming from the other end of the sewer.
The cult's pursuers!
The sound of pursuing footsteps approached. One could feel the surrounding air vibrating along with them.
"Sensei, I absolutely won't let you down."
The resurrected Rose slowly stood up and drew the thin sword from her waist. She clearly felt an unprecedented powerful magical energy coursing through her body.
With this power...
"I absolutely won't lose!!"
Whoosh—
A flash of sword light passed by, swift as lightning.
The pursuers had barely shown themselves when they were all cut down before they could even react, leaving behind a scene of blood splattering everywhere.
They didn't even have time to perceive Rose's swinging thin sword before being cleanly dispatched.
In the flowing sewer water, dismembered limbs and the terrified expressions frozen on the pursuers' faces slowly floated.
Rose closed her eyes to clear her mind, shook the blood off her thin sword, and slowly sheathed it.
Then she turned around with a bright, radiant smile.
"Thank you, Sensei. I definitely won't betray your expectations. But please wait until Rose completes what she needs to do, then I'll return to pay the price for obtaining this power."
Mahiro also smiled and waved his hand.
"Go. If you can successfully get your revenge, that will be the best repayment for me."
Who wouldn't want to watch an extraordinary revenge feast?
And it just so happens we can root out those scum from the cult along the way!