Chapter 25: A Girl Cornered

In the middle of the night, the imperial palace was brightly lit.

In this world where magic and swordsmanship reigned supreme, low-tier magic was ordinary but universally applicable.

Compared to those high-tier spells that were treasured like jewels by every person or faction who obtained them, the countless low-tier spells were the true foundation of this world.

Like salt, they were unremarkable in daily life, but once absent, they became a matter of life and death.

And within the imperial palace, a simple application of Illumination magic had already reached its peak.

Inside and outside the grand hall where Emperor Lubas handled state affairs, light shone day and night, as bright as the stars and the moon in the sky.

These countless Illumination arrays together painted a beautiful scene on this night.

But Lubas Egbert had no leisure to appreciate the view. Not long ago, a piece of intelligence had been placed on his desk.

“Inquisitor Rodmenlin visited the Empire’s Second Princess under the pretext of a case inquiry?”

Lubas leaned back in his chair, slightly fatigued.

“Interesting.”

====

By the time Ophelia returned to the Lyons Family’s commercial outpost in the capital, Monseer, it was already midnight.

She had left Velis’s private chamber in the afternoon, and walking back to the Lyons Family’s location wouldn’t have taken long.

However, Ophelia wandered aimlessly through the streets like a ghost for a long time before arriving.

The Lyons Family’s main house and territory were not within the capital of Monseer. Though there were some family-managed shops here, none were of any real standing.

From the spices the family traded to the processed crafts, the profits in recent years were enviable by ordinary household standards, but once divided among every member of the family, they became thin.

At this hour of night, there was no one in the spice shop, a clear sign of its desolation.

And that desolation spread through some invisible channel, extending to the entire Lyons Family.

But at this moment, she had no energy to notice her surroundings. One image kept echoing in Ophelia’s mind—Velis!

Her wicked smile, her gleeful smile, her sadistic smile, her satisfied smile…

A smile from on high…

Her entire being had already been filled by Velis.

For a long time, the exhaustion in her body prevented her from summoning any intense hatred.

Only upon returning to the shop did the bone-deep hatred finally erupt from within.

Velis Egbert!

I won’t let you get away with this!

I swear!

But sometimes, the more pressing problems of reality surge harder than hatred.

Passing through the front shop and heading toward the inner rooms, Ophelia’s footsteps were so light that the people in the rear courtyard didn’t notice her.

Her mother’s voice drifted through the corridor on the second floor.

Borrowing the light of the Illumination array that was only a quarter active, Ophelia raised her head slightly and saw her mother speaking with someone.

“Ma’am, this is a letter sent from the family this afternoon.”

Ophelia recognized the voice clearly—it was the family member who ran this spice shop, the shopkeeper, the boss.

At first, this person had been very warm toward her and her mother’s arrival, but then had turned cold for a while.

Later, after hearing that the family planned to marry her off, the person had started sucking up again these past few days.

Ophelia disliked it greatly.

The Lyons Family Matriarch quickly scanned the contents of the envelope, her face twisting from sorrow into a grim sigh.

“Ma’am, what’s wrong?” the spice shop owner asked with a furrowed brow.

Though she knew it was bad news, she couldn’t help but ask.

“Sigh, someone came to collect debts again this morning… The family has decided to let some people go and sell off some valuables and family assets to pay off the debts…”

The woman gripped the envelope tightly, her tone full of helplessness. As she shook her head, her gaze happened to catch sight of Ophelia standing at the courtyard entrance.

“You little tramp, where have you been? Coming home only now!?”

In that instant, she seemed to have finally found an outlet for her anger.

Rathar Lyons, the Lyons Family Matriarch.

She had married into the Lyons Family decades ago and had long since forgotten her original surname.

She was said to have once been nothing but a lowly commoner’s daughter, and now decades of seasons had passed since her time as a noble lady began.

Her long, thin face bore wrinkles from fawning smiles before the powerful, and from haughty commands directed at those beneath her.

Even after decades as a noble wife, she still wasn’t a true noble.

Ophelia had no mood to answer her. She went straight to her room on the first floor and slammed the door shut with a bang.

Outside the door, only the furious shouting remained.

After a while, the door was opened from the outside. Rathar Lyons tossed the keys onto the table with a displeased expression, the clattering sound making the girl’s heart tremble.

Looking at Ophelia lying on the bed like a corpse, she let out a cold snort.

“What, out gallivanting all day and you don’t want to tell me where you went?”

She waited a few seconds—let alone a reply, Ophelia didn’t even move an eyelid.

A surge of anger rose from her gut and shot straight to her head.

Rathar Lyons walked to Ophelia’s bedside and slapped her hard on her exposed arm.

Slap!

But Ophelia only gave her a faint glance, not even a cry of pain.

Seeing this scene—like talking to a wooden dummy—Rathar Lyons’s anger flared even more.

She grabbed Ophelia by the hair and yanked her up from the bed.

“Tell me, did you go out whoring around with some man? You never went to the Third Princess at all!”

“I actually believed your lies and went there like a fool to look for you!”

“If word gets out that you spent the night in someone else’s home, how will you ever marry? Tell me! Where did you go last night?”

Seeing that Ophelia still wasn’t reacting, Rathar Lyons moved to tear off her clothes.

“Talk or not? Are you talking or not? I refuse to believe I can’t handle you. Ophelia, I’m telling you, everything you were born with belongs to the family!”

“Your talent, your aptitude, the magic you learned, and even this body of yours—all of it belongs to the family! I won’t allow a single scratch on it before I marry you off to the Grand General!”

Seeing the woman growing more brazen by the moment, Ophelia erupted with Wind Magic, blasting Rathar Lyons away.

Thud!

Rathar Lyons hit the floor hard, hissing in pain through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with disbelief.

“Get out! Get out of here!” Ophelia finally shouted. “Leave me alone.”

Hurt by the humiliation from her enemy, then subjected to this treatment at home, Ophelia could no longer hold it in. She hugged her knees and wept quietly.

But clearly, her mother wasn’t about to let her off easily. Tonight, she was determined to extract the truth.

“You worthless bitch, how dare you lay a hand on me? Have you forgotten who raised you, who gave you your life?”

In her fury, she cursed even herself, but she no longer cared.

Rathar Lyons stomped over angrily, grabbed Ophelia by the hair, and yanked her to the ground.

“Ma’am, what’s going on?” From outside the door, a family member came to check on the noise but was immediately shooed away by Rathar Lyons.

She turned to look at Ophelia, whose clothes were in disarray, weeping alone, and her rage skyrocketed.

“Cry, that’s all you know how to do—cry! Tell me quickly, did you go out whoring with some man? If your virginity is gone, I’ll beat you to death right here today!”

With that, Rathar Lyons reached for Ophelia’s clothes again, determined to see for herself.

Ophelia kicked her away, snot and tears streaming down her face. “Get away! Don’t touch me!”

“Fine then, you’ve rebelled, you’ve rebelled! See if I don’t teach you a lesson today!”

In an instant, the two were tangled in a brawl inside the room.

Ophelia, who had always been submissive, following the family’s arrangements, had entered the Royal Academy with her own aptitude and hard work, earning herself the title of Genius Mage.

This not only brought honor to the family but also increased the Matriarch’s leverage to use her as a tool of profit.

Since childhood, she had obeyed every order. Even this time, when the family was about to sell her off as a concubine to a powerful old general of the Empire, she had endured it.

But that endurance had its limits. Velis had drained it dry, and her own mother was now rubbing salt into her wounds.

And seeing this obedient punching bag dare to resist—and possibly even having lost her virtue—Rathar Lyons’s face twisted in fury, and her strikes grew harsher.

But Ophelia, mid-fight, lowered her hands and let Rathar Lyons beat and kick her as she pleased.

After a while, the woman tired herself out, and Ophelia felt pain all over her body.

But the worst pain was in her chest.

In this world…

There was no longer a place for her.

The hatred toward Velis, the expectations for her family and kin, the dissatisfaction or submission—all of it now turned into self-mockery and pity.

Already…

It didn’t matter anymore.

“You…” Rathar Lyons panted heavily, still not giving up on checking the integrity of this tool.

But Ophelia slapped away her outstretched hand and stared at her with ice-cold eyes.

They froze like that for a long moment, then Rathar Lyons suddenly let out a sigh, her expression softening.

“My daughter, it’s not that I’m trying to hurt you, but right now… Sigh.”

Sigh, and then another sigh.

The sighs carried helplessness and self-blame, along with deep powerlessness.

If it weren’t for the act, Ophelia might have been moved by her words, but the girl had had enough.

“Our Lyons Family is still a noble house, still a great clan within our territory, but you know…”

Before her, Ophelia kept her head lowered, sitting on the ground, neither answering nor resisting.

And Rathar Lyons continued…

“In recent years, our family’s business has gradually declined. The profits barely cover our expenses…”

“You’ve seen it too. Your father used to enjoy traveling the mountains and rivers, collecting crafts, but now? His hair has turned white over family matters, and he spends most of his time rushing about…”

Rathar Lyons looked at Ophelia with heartfelt sincerity, then reached out and took her soft, tender hand, gently stroking it.

Like comfort, but even more like persuasion.

“The family has spent far too many resources to raise you. To fulfill your wish of studying at the Royal Academy, we spared no expense.”

“Ophelia, the family has done so much for you. Now your kin, your clan, all of them live in debt, eating one meal without knowing where the next comes from… Can you bear that, Ophelia?”

The golden-haired girl being questioned clenched her fists slightly, then helplessly let them fall. Still, she said nothing.

When it came down to it, the family was willing to raise her so lavishly—to put it crudely—only to sell her for a good price.

Ophelia’s heart felt desolate, with a trace of cold laughter.

Your carefully laid plans have probably already been ruined by that Imperial Princess!

Of course, if someone was willing to accept her, already soiled as she was, Ophelia wouldn’t mind.

“You’re sixteen now, a grown girl. It’s time you contributed to the family and shared its burdens…”

At this, Ophelia suddenly spoke up, cutting her off.

“I have the best magical talent. I work hard day and night. As long as I can reach Great Mage, or even Archmage, I can bring the family unparalleled glory and countless wealth!”

The girl looked up at her mother, her eyes filled with pleading.

“Relying on others is never as good as relying on yourself, isn’t that right?”

“I can definitely lead the family to prosperity. Even if times are hard now, in the future, the name of the Lyons Family will surely echo across the entire continent…”

Slap!

A single blow shattered her dream.

The mother before her almost shrieked hysterically.

“The future? How long is the future? Archmage? Even with your exceptional talent, how many years will it take—five, ten?”

Rathar Lyons stood up excitedly, glaring viciously at her daughter.

“Never mind five years—three! One year, just one more year, and the Lyons Family will collapse under overwhelming debt. This name will cease to exist in the world!”

“For you!”

Rathar Lyons grabbed the girl by the collar, her eyes blazing with fury.

“The family has spent what little resources remained, and here you are talking to me about the future?”

“Go ask those clan members who long for you to marry into the imperial court—do they agree?”

“People leave the family every day. Servants are dismissed every day. Over the years, the Lyons Family may not have made countless enemies, but there are still those who harbor grudges!”

“Once the family is gone, when you and I lose our protection, those wolves will pounce on us like shadows, tearing flesh from our bodies! Until nothing but white bones remain!”

Rathar Lyons slapped her daughter twice more, leaving red marks on her delicate cheeks.

“Wake up, you fool. You don’t have five years, you don’t have ten. The family doesn’t have the time or resources to let you become a Great Mage, let alone an Archmage! Stop dreaming!”

“All you have is the value you can show for the family right now!”

Rathar Lyons’s tone shifted, low and brimming with surging waves.

“I’ve already arranged it with Grand General Taber. Tomorrow, I’m taking you to see him. Whether you agree or not, this marriage is happening!”

Rathar Lyons’s chest heaved violently. At this moment, she was like a wild beast, having lost all reason.

And with those slaps, the girl who had held a sliver of hope felt her heart gradually turn cold.

Yes, she had come to the imperial capital, gone to the Royal Academy—all to increase her mother’s bargaining power to marry her off.

How laughable. That day, she had faced Velis with confidence. Even though she lost miserably in the end, deep down, Ophelia still yearned for such a duel.

But now, she had to face the cruel reality she couldn’t avoid.

“That’s how it is. Don’t think about running away…”

Rathar Lyons stood up, preparing to leave.

“As for your body’s condition—at least until your wedding day, you can’t let anyone else know, including the family members.”

She no longer intended to check. Ophelia’s extreme reaction was telling enough.

“When we send you in, that old man will probably keep quiet to save face.”

Rathar Lyons snorted coldly. “Besides, for an old geezer like him to marry a daughter as beautiful as jade as mine—he’s gaining far more than a little.”

“So that’s it. Clean yourself up properly. Don’t let anyone notice anything tomorrow.”

With that, she turned and headed for the door.

Suddenly, Ophelia reached out and grabbed her.

“What are you—?”

Rathar Lyons turned back and saw an expression on her daughter’s face that words couldn’t describe.

Like a wounded beast, or a drowning person clutching at the last straw.

“You all just want to secure the mining rights to General Taber’s several mines and use the ore and processed goods to rebuild the family, don’t you?”

Ophelia looked at her mother indifferently, as if she weren’t talking about herself at all.

“The Second Princess Velis Egbert’s Ushi City holds a quarter of the Empire’s proven mineral resources. Getting her to give you a vein would be far more than those few small mines, wouldn’t it!?”

Of course, this was the price of selling herself.

Hearing this, Rathar Lyons froze, then asked cautiously, “A vein? Why would the Second Princess ever give us one?”

“Heh… Mother must have heard the rumors that the Princess prefers women, right?”

Ophelia smiled coldly.

“I’ll go beg her. She’ll give it to you.”

Once a person has a worse option, the second-worst option doesn’t seem so unacceptable.

Especially when it was Velis, who already had a connection with her.

And what Velis said back then probably wasn’t just to scare her.

If Ophelia truly dared to marry someone else, that madwoman would surely retaliate against the Lyons Family and everyone involved.

Of course, even saying this, Ophelia had no guarantee Velis would agree.

She was even prepared to be rejected and humiliated.

But right now, she just wanted to leave this place. Even going to her enemy Velis was better than marrying that old general, and far better than staying in this family that offered her no belonging.

More than anything, the reason she had come to this was the pressure from her family and her mother at this very moment.

And even if Velis refused her conditions, Ophelia had already made up her mind—

To disappear from this world forever.

Completely.