223. The Flower That Couldn’t Bloom [3]

    ‘What is this?’

    Bewilderment.

    When she first lost consciousness and was abandoned here.

    The only emotion Cell felt was that single question.

    The identity of this place and the one who had sent her here were already clear.

    Belial.

    The vile demon had finally swallowed her completely.

    Only now did she understand.

    ‘This is a world created by my imagination. Demons trap humans in places like this, making it impossible for them to regain their sense of self...’

    It was one of the methods demons used when seizing a body.

    Demons, by nature, delighted in watching humans break down in what could be called the Avici Hell (??????????)

    “Haa..”

    She let out a sigh, but nothing would change.

    All she could do was hope someone would kill her and free her from this hellish place.

    ‘The devilization has progressed to the end. I can no longer interfere with my body.’

    That thought had crossed her mind about ten minutes ago.

    What followed was the scene before her now.

    In the pitch-black darkness, a single streak of light lingered before revealing none other than the training grounds of the Stiliner family, one of the horrific places that forced Cell to reflect on her mistakes and the point where her relationship with Thalia began to unravel.

    ‘If I had rejected his power, would I have become a slightly better person?’

    It was around the time she had just gained the power of Grand Duke Belial and began losing control.

    In the Stiliner family, a ceremony was underway to select the next head of the family, the one who would succeed Robert.

    Though both Thalia and Cell were young, Robert was losing his authority as a duke, and to persuade the vassals, a prodigious talent needed to emerge.

    Robert never forced the burden onto her, but Cell could tell he was troubled.

    She knew many called her dull, but in truth, that wasn’t the case. She was simply the type to observe her surroundings and pick up on cues without showing it.

    At times like this, she envied her younger sister, who was loved by everyone.

    Thalia von Stiliner.

    Her only sister and now her rival for the position of the Stiliner family head.

    But.

    “Sister! You have to stay strong!”

    The pure-hearted innocence of young Thalia even left her opponent, Cell, flustered.

    And so, Cell responded coldly.

    “Thalia. You know we have to fight, right? And the one who wins will become the head of the Stiliner family... This will be an important battle for you too. Take care of yourself before worrying about me.”

    “But I like you, Sister... And I don’t even know if I really want to be the family head. If it’s you, I think I’d be happy to congratulate you...”

    Her younger sister was naively kind.

    Was that why?

    Cell thought she wasn’t suited to survive in this harsh world.

    And so, she prepared with the determination to win.

    Because she believed Thalia would struggle to make the difficult decisions required to navigate this brutal continent.

    To her, Thalia still had an immature, almost careless side.

    Though she was indeed young, it was more than that.

    It felt as though no matter how much she grew, she’d never become sharp.

    And so, Cell resolved to achieve an overwhelming victory in their duel. It had to be so decisive that the vassals would never again question who should lead.

    Who should be the family head.

    Only then would this issue and whether the Stiliner family could be restored, cease to arise. Only then would Thalia and Robert find peace. The one would be the sacrifice for that was herself, but she wouldn’t show it. That was just the kind of person Cell had always been.

    However, achieving such a victory came with constraints.

    The biggest problem among them was this.

    Cell herself had to be overwhelmingly stronger than Thalia.

    But for some reason, Thalia was born with a blessed talent.

    Though she might seem weak compared to a ‘genius’, the ability of a ''prodigy’ was more than enough to leave a mark on the continent’s epics. Meanwhile, Cell now realized her own talent was lacking.

    Even if she had the same ''prodigy’ talent, she would have struggled, but she had no talent at all.

    She was merely average, and no matter how hard she worked, her limits were painfully clear.

    This wasn’t a wall she could overcome with a few years of effort.

    That was the difference between a prodigy and ordinary talent.

    And so, before her duel with Thalia, Cell, sitting on a bench in despair, heard it.

    [I will give you the power you desire.]

    Demon’s whisper

    In the end, she succumbed to it. Though she told herself it was for Thalia and Robert...

    ‘Now, I don’t know. Maybe I just didn’t believe I could become a better person on my own.’

    “Begin the duel!”

    When the presiding voice rang out, Cell, forgetting for a moment that this was all an illusion, found herself watching the battle between herself and her sister. She couldn’t tear her eyes away.

    Chaeng!

    A duel with real swords.

    With the vassals watching, Cell and Thalia gave it their all.

    Their blades clashed again and again, retreating and advancing, swinging and striking.

    Her sister’s stance, her swordsmanship, everything mirrored Cell’s own. But the way Thalia learned at an absurdly rapid pace only made Cell feel more impatient.

    ‘If I don’t end this faster, more decisively, Father and Thalia will suffer.’

    And so, she made her choice.

    Even if it meant she would be the one to break, she believed it was for the best.

    At least in that moment.

    ‘Give me power.’

    To me.

    Not to anyone else, to me.

    In response to Cell’s resolve, the demon spoke.

    [Good. I shall grant you power. My first servant... I bestow upon you my sword.]

    [The sword’s name is Envy. It shall always reside within you and answer your call.]

    [However, you must also answer mine. That is the condition of our contract.]

    The atmosphere of the duel shifted from that moment.

    Cell began to overwhelm Thalia, enough to make it look like she was holding back at the beginning. A faint black aura, imperceptible unless one was from a dark family. No one noticed the dark element.

    In the end, Cell emerged victorious. When Thalia approached to congratulate her, Cell smacked her hand away and said.

    “How can you smile so carelessly after losing to me? That’s all you amount to.”

    Of course, it was Belial’s whisper that had stolen control of her body.

    But no one could have known that.

    From then on, Thalia, who had always been the first to reach her, stopped visiting Cell’s room.

    And so, the two sisters grew apart, while Robert remained clueless as time passed.

    What set things in motion again was Nox von Reinhaver, Thalia’s fiance?.

    *********

    ‘As expected, fighting a demon with only the initial three forms is difficult. And this is a Grand Duke...’

    I know that all too well.

    Isn’t what I’ve learned recently the black sword, after all?

    But I can’t use it.

    Because the opponent, Belial, while completely weak to White Flame, has the shocking advantage of absorbing dark element.

    The more I use the Black Sword, the more I’ll be the one ensnared.

    That’s why I can’t easily draw the black sword.

    [All bark and no bite, huh?]

    The Grand Duke laughed as he drew a single crimson sword from within Cell’s body, Envy.

    It would be more accurate to say he vomited it out.

    That sword was Envy, one of the seven swords Belial had bestowed upon Cell.

    To say I didn’t know of it would be a lie.

    ‘In the game, not all seven swords ever appeared, but each one was shockingly powerful. This is bad, he’s regaining his strength faster than I thought.’

    Cell had already grown considerably stronger before being fully possessed by Belial.

    Therefore, this was possible

    Belial whispered.

    [You’ll regret this. If only you leave this bitch killed herself back then, you would have lived.]

    “Regret? Why should I?”

    [The trait ''Prodigy of Acting’ is strongly activating.]

    But I simply grinned after I said that.

    ‘Haah. Now I might actually survive.’

    Because the reinforcements I had been waiting for had finally arrived.

    And, this was the first step in the plan to save Cell.

    “...You. You’ve suffered enough until now. From here on out, together with me.”

    [The head of the White Flame?... Pathetic. You’re far weaker than the one who faced me in the past.]

    “Strength is something you measure in battle!”

    Robert von Stiliner.

    One of the only wielders of the White Flame capable of killing Belial, and the head of a prestigious swordsmanship family, had arrived.

    [But do you really think adding one more weakling will change anything?]

    “Deceitful demon, Belial....! Get out of my daughter’s body at once!”

    Robert drew his White Flame and swung. Flames erupted from the blade, engulfing the surroundings.

    Chaeng——!

    Robert charged toward the crimson sword radiating sinister energy, swinging with a battle cry.

    The clashing blades erupted in a deafening explosion, filling the area with dust and shockwaves.

    ‘Damn it.’

    But in that moment, I felt a pang of despair.

    Because I knew Robert’s sword hadn’t reached his eldest daughter.

    The Grand Duke laughed, as if amused.

    [Holding back against me... one of Hell’s rulers? Hah! How laughable, Head of the White Flame!]

    He couldn’t bring himself to strike his own daughter with full force.

    For Robert, it was the natural choice.

    But internally, I couldn’t help but rage.

    “What are you doing? Fight with everything you have!”

    It seemed Robert himself only now realized he had unconsciously held back at the last moment.

    The faint trembling of his hand was proof.

    “...This, I didn’t mean to..”

    Robert steadied his trembling hand and looked at his transformed daughter.

    In that instant, Cell, or rather, Belial possessing her, leaped forward, aiming straight for Robert’s heart in the blink of an eye.

    It was a sword strike laced with pure killing intent.

    Enough to send a chill even through Robert.

    “Guh...!”

    Robert staggered back with a groan.

    He was already wounded at the waist, blood dripping as he looked at me.

    His intent was clear.

    No matter what, I could only wield the weak sword just like before.

    “...I’m sorry.”

    Those words spilled from Robert’s lips at that very moment.

    Still bleeding, Robert continued.

    “...I can’t bring myself to cut down my own daughter. I don’t know what to do...”

    “Does Cell look like your daughter to you right now? No one else can do this! Even going all out, you might die!”

    I shouted.

    But Robert would make the selfish choice.

    Even if it meant endangering everyone here for the sake of remaining a good father in his own eyes, he wouldn’t bend.

    — Do you resent me?

    For a moment, I wondered. Is this what a father is?

    Theo’s voice surfaced in my mind.

    Is a father someone who becomes infinitely weak for the sake of his family?

    Then why did Theo have no choice but to act that way toward Nox?

    I don’t know, and I don’t want to. Now, we must move to the second plan.

    Fortunately, he is already moving.

    A shadow looms behind the unconscious Thalia.

    I shout quickly.

    “Do it now!”

    “I’m only trusting you this once.”

    There, a single boy is reciting a prayer for Thalia.

    None other than Pell. From this moment on, he will propel Thalia forward once more.

    The only one who can invoke the Law of the Inner Lunatic, Thalia.

    ‘Now is the time for you to rise.’

    There is always the right time for a flower to bloom.

    If it can bloom, it must be now.

    From this moment on, Thalia must become not a prodigy, but a genius.

    Even if the method is forced.