Chapter 499: Put yourself in your place… when a Queen speaks.

The air in the ravine was still thick with the smell of destruction. Ash and sparks floated like dead stars around, but to Roxanne, none of that mattered.

She walked with her arm around Vergil like a newlywed, her long golden hair dancing in the breeze, her red eyes glowing like embers. Her smile was radiant, almost childlike, and contrasted with the wild aura still emanating from her body.

“Husband… I love you so much…” she hummed, rubbing herself against him as if trying to make up for every lost second. “I’ve waited so long for this moment… so much… you can’t imagine how much I’ve missed my husband!”

Vergil sighed, trying to maintain a neutral stance. He didn’t push her away, didn’t restrain her—after all, it was rare to see Roxanne so lighthearted, so given over to anything other than destruction.

“You never change…” he murmured, but there was a half-smile on his lips.

Roxanne laughed, clutching his arm even tighter against her chest, her voluptuous breasts crushing shamelessly.

And that… was killing Rize and Vanny inside.

The two had descended with Zuri and Titania to the bottom of the ravine, only to witness the nightmare-like scene.

Rize, the woman with the always cold gaze and controlled expression, trembled slightly. Her claws nearly cut her palms, she clenched her fists so tightly. Her golden eyes burned with silent fury.

Vany, on the other hand, was more transparent. Her face was flushed, her lips bitten until they bled, and her gaze couldn’t tear itself away from Roxanne’s voluptuous form.

“She… she’s rubbing herself against him like a cheap whore…” Vanny growled softly, almost spitting the words. “What a pathetic scene…”

“Pathetic is you staring like an abandoned puppy.” Rize snapped coldly, her voice trembling with irritation. “Admit it. You’re just as consumed with jealousy as I am.”

Vany turned immediately, eyes flashing. “And you’re not?! Look at her!”

They both stared at Roxanne at the same time.

The blonde laughed, her golden hair swirling, as she said,

“Hubby, promise me you’ll never leave me alone again! I can’t stand being away from you!”

And, as if that weren’t enough, she pulled Vergil’s arm closer, so that her cleavage was practically brushing against his shoulder.

Vergil, of course, remained serious, but did nothing to push her away.

Rize and Vanny nearly exploded.

“I’m going to kill her,” Rize whispered, her eyes narrowing.

“I’ll kill her first,” Vanny retorted, her fangs emerging, sharp as razors. “I’m going to rip every golden hair out of that fake head of hers.”

Zuri, who lay on the ground in her colossal serpent form, yawned loudly. The sound echoed through the abyss like thunder.

“If I were you, I’d stay very still,” she said, her forked tongue lashing the air. “He doesn’t tolerate threats to his wives, so be careful. You’re worthless compared to them. He’d kill you with one blow.”

Titania, sitting casually on the serpent’s head, rested her chin on her hands, her tiny wings beating slowly.

“Hmph.” She grimaced. “I agree. He’d kill you easily if he were paying attention.”

“Shut up, you annoying fairy,” Vanny snapped, but Titania just rolled her eyes.

Meanwhile, Roxanne seemed determined to completely ignore anyone else’s presence besides Vergil.

She talked nonstop, laughing, calling him “husband” every few sentences, as if afraid the word would cease to exist if it wasn’t repeated constantly.

“Husband, you saved me again…” she said, snuggling even closer to him. “Husband, you can’t imagine how much I suffered trapped here…” and then, with the same dreamy tone, “Husband, you have to make it up to me…”

Vergil glanced at her sideways, arching an eyebrow. “Make it up?”

“Of course!” She opened her arms theatrically. “You have to give me all your attention, all your time… and all your kisses. Nothing less.”

Vergil took a deep breath, running a hand over his face. “I just freed you from a thousand-year-old prison. Isn’t that enough compensation?”

“No!” Roxanne responded immediately, stamping her foot like a spoiled child. “I want more!”

From the bottom of the ravine, a crack echoed. Not from the surroundings—but from something breaking inside Rize.

She took a step forward, her golden eyes gleaming murderously.

“Vergil,” she called, her voice icy, hard. “How long are you going to let… this… continue?”

Vergil looked up, Roxanne still clinging to his arm. “This?”

“This nonsense,” Rize spat, her teeth clenched. “This woman rubbing herself against you like she’s the only one who matters…”

Vergil looked at Roxanne and sighed, “Sweetie, come back to normal.” He spoke.

Roxanne stopped, then turned to Rize. “Who is this bitch?” she questioned.

Rize stopped in her tracks. Roxanne’s words echoed like a slap straight to her soul.

“Bitch?” she repeated, her voice cracking for the first time in centuries. Her previously controlled expression twisted into a mix of rage and humiliation.

The air around her grew heavy. The ground creaked under the weight of her surging power, and her claws emerged, ready to slit the throat of the golden woman who had dared to spit such an insult.

“I’m going to…” she began, but didn’t finish.

Before she could even finish the sentence, a horrific crack echoed.

CRACK!

Rize didn’t understand what had happened until she felt the cold ground beneath her skin.

She looked down—and there was nothing there. Her legs were gone, severed so cleanly and instantly that her brain took a moment to register the pain. Blood gushed out like rivers, staining the black stones of the ravine.

“What…?” her voice faltered.

And then came the second wave.

SNAP!

Her arms were ripped off instantly, shattered like dry twigs. Blood sprayed, splattering her own face.

Rize fell to her knees, then facedown, unable to support herself, her body mutilated.

The silence that followed was more brutal than the cracks.

Vany’s eyes widened, swallowing hard. Her breathing became ragged, her lips parted soundlessly.

Titania clasped her hand to her mouth in genuine surprise—even she, accustomed to cruelty, was shocked by the speed and coldness of the act.

Zuri merely watched, her forked tongue slithering slowly through the air. But even her serpentine eyes narrowed with something approaching discomfort.

Roxanne, for her part, didn’t seem shaken. She remained clinging to Vergil’s arm, as if nothing had happened. She merely lifted her chin, her red eyes sparkling with majesty and cruelty.

She walked slowly toward Rize, the heels of her boots echoing against the blood-soaked stones. She crouched before her, tugging her chin with ironic gentleness.

“How pathetic…” she whispered, her voice as sweet as poisoned honey. “Did you think you could raise your voice to me?”

Rize tried to speak, but only a gurgling sound escaped her throat.

Roxanne smiled, bringing her lips to her ear.

“Put yourself in your place… when a Queen speaks.”