Living As the Villainess Queen

After Adrit conveyed Eugene’s proposal, Mara dismissed him with a pensive remark, his gaze sweeping over the elderly figures scattered throughout the dim cavern. Some were seated, others reclined, and a few lounged comfortably. Though he heard Adrit’s words, the pretense of ignorance and muttered complaints from some grated on Mara’s nerves.

“Hey,” Mara called out, prompting a response after a brief pause.

“If I were to break my seal, would it shatter the magic that binds this place?” Mara queried, cutting to the heart of the matter.

“Without a doubt,” affirmed the elder.

“Humans can ascend to the pinnacle of knowledge and technology within a mere fraction of your lifespan. What significance does a century hold for beings like you? If you’ve safeguarded magic for so long, shouldn’t mastery be within your grasp by now?” Mara pressed, his tone edged with frustration.

An elderly figure, previously reclined, now sat up indignantly. “Are you implying that we are foolish?”

“That’s not what I meant. Just listen to me until the end! If you treat young people with that attitude, they’ll turn away and curse you.”

With a grunt of displeasure, the old man fell silent, unwilling to be diminished by his descendants’ rebuke.

“If the seal is broken, would the magic die?” Mara continued, his tone probing.

“Perhaps it could endure for at least a day.” 

“Just one day?” scoffed Mara, casting a critical glance at the grumbling elders, as though regarding characters in a distant tale. “Is there no method known to maintain the magic in my brief absence?”

“Why do you require such assurance?” the elders countered. “We are unaware of any such means, and even if we were, it would contravene our initial agreement.”

“Hmm,” Mara murmured, bemused by the humans’ peculiarities. “Outsiders will go to great lengths for even a fleeting extension of life. Offer them eternal existence, and they would barter not only their souls but those of their kin as well.”

A hitherto silent elderly woman erupted into laughter, her mirth echoing through the underground chamber. As the eldest among them, she found the notion of bickering over age disparities rather meaningless. In the crucible of their subterranean existence, she had emerged as the de facto leader, pragmatically guiding the group through myriad trials and tribulations.

“Boy, you have yet to grasp true maturity,” she addressed Mara, her tone tinged with a blend of wisdom and admonishment. “In this world, every meeting heralds a parting, and every beginning inevitably leads to an end. Such is the immutable nature of existence.”

Mara, momentarily silent, retorted sharply, “The nature of this world has nothing to do with me. I have no connection to this world.”

In the blink of an eye, Mara’s figure seemed to dissolve into the shadows, his presence fleeting as a rushing stream.

“That impudent child,” someone muttered, though the remark carried more amusement than ire. Another voice chimed in, offering a perspective: “It’s called tough love.”

A stillness settled over the once bustling cave, the weight of silence stretching into the depths of darkness.

Meanwhile, Mara, taking the form of a mouse, ventured towards Aldrit’s dwelling. Finding Aldrit in the midst of his evening meal, the mouse scurried onto the table, prompting a furrowed brow from Aldrit as he poised a spoonful of soup near his lips.

“Don’t go.”

Aldrit swiftly set aside his meal, his expression grave.

“It’s too dangerous. Can you truly place your trust in the king? Who’s to say he won’t betray you?”

“The queen vouched for me,” Aldrit countered.

“I can’t believe it. And didn’t the king say he would handle capturing that thing himself? Now he comes and tells me what to do. I’m not going because it’s dangerous, so I’ll help with something else.”

“Elsewhere?” Aldrit queried.

“How should I know? If Anika requires assistance from the kingdom, she’ll inform us. Regardless, I won’t be participating.”

With a flicker, the red energy in the mouse’s eyes faded. Aldrit cast a frustrated glance at the creature, swatting it away with the back of his hand. The mouse, recoiling on the floor, appeared momentarily bewildered before scurrying off into the shadows.

“What capricious behavior. Acting as though eradicating the monster in the Holy City isn’t a lifelong ambition,” Aldrit muttered, perplexed by Mara’s unexpected stance. He had anticipated Mara’s cooperation, fearing instead unreasonable demands being levied upon the queen.

***

As the sun dipped below the horizon, signaling the appointed hour, the kings assembled one by one at the tent before the castle gate. Their mission: to capture larks, an endeavor that had met failure the previous day. With the Dark King’s arrival, completing the gathering of all six kings, Riner, brimming with anticipation, eagerly urged their departure.

“We’re all present, let’s proceed with haste,” Riner exclaimed, his excitement like that of a child.

Kasser regarded Riner’s enthusiasm with a disapproving glance, then turned to the gathered kings, seeking consensus.

“Today, the Fire King will remain here, while Myung King joins our venture,” Kasser decreed.

Riner, taken aback, voiced his protest vehemently.

“Why must I stay behind?” he demanded.

Kasser’s brow furrowed. “Who do you think was responsible for yesterday’s failure?”