Living As the Villainess Queen

“What if Mara releases her?” Eugene questioned.

“Mara doesn’t have the ability to do that,” Aldrit asserted.

Eugene cast a questioning gaze at Kasser, silently asking, ‘What should we do?’ After a brief contemplation, Kasser spoke.

“Leave it as it is for now.”

“Is that okay?” Eugene asked, hesitating.

“To retrieve Anika without causing harm, we would need the manpower and resources to send warriors across the desert. Moreover, bringing her back and addressing the situation would be troublesome. No matter her alleged crimes, we can’t mete out punishment in the kingdom. Depending on the circumstances, we might even have to send her back to the sanctuary. Aldrit, you and your people, keep a close watch.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We will diligently prevent any contact with Mara.”

From Aldrit’s standpoint, it made more sense to keep Anika under surveillance than to set her free. Having witnessed the tribe’s hideout, releasing her could inevitably lead to her divulging crucial information to Sang-je.

“But I’m uncertain if we can prevent Anika from reaching out to Mara. Who knows when and how a small creature might sneak in? What if Flora succumbs to Mara’s manipulations?” Eugene asked.

“Anika Flora has been indoctrinated by Sang-je. That’s likely why she took this course of action. Convictions like hers don’t change easily,” Kasser affirmed.

It was a somewhat optimistic assertion, but Eugene sighed and acknowledged it. The prospect of Flora aligning with Mara and turning hostile to Sang-je wasn’t entirely unfavorable. However, it also carried the risk of Mara becoming a troublesome figure comparable to Sang-je. Yet, fretting over uncertain future events at this moment seemed futile.

Flora’s life in the hideout village will be quite tough for a while.

How challenging must life be in the fugitives’ hideout village? Flora, accustomed to a comfortable life, would undoubtedly face difficulties. If captured by the kingdom, she would have received treatment beyond mere freedom.

Eugene cast a sidelong glance at Kasser, but his expression remained inscrutable.

“Aldrit, considering your current condition, it might be better for you to return to the hideout using the magic of that warehouse. But can you activate the magic now? I heard Rodrigo is not in good shape.”

Aldrit nodded and explained, “I came to report and seek permission from both of you. I only brought Mara along while I was at it.”

Aldrit shared that he had presented the ancient potion Eugene gave him to the tribe’s elders, leading to a significant tribal meeting at their request. The consensus was to try shaping the tribe’s new future by having everyone learn magic. Aldrit expressed the tribe’s intention to start learning magic with Eugene’s permission.

“Permission from me? Why do I have to grant permission…”

Aldrit clasped his hands and bowed deeply toward Eugene. Uncertain about what to do, she looked at Kasser for guidance. He simply nodded proudly, indicating that it was a matter for her to decide. She shot him a look, finding no assistance there.

Eugene took a deep breath, pondering whether she held the right to determine the fate of an entire tribe.

“Aldrit.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Magic can be a powerful tool to protect you and your tribe. However, ensure that you wield this power only for self-defense and never to harm others. Can you promise me that?”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“May glory fill the future of your tribe.”

“Thank you. We won’t forget the grace bestowed upon us by Your Highness.” Aldrit’s response carried a subdued tone. “I can activate the magic of the warehouse. I’ve figured out the method. So, with your permission, I’d like to use that magic to return in the future.”

“That’s something His Majesty should approve.” Eugene deferred the decision to Kasser, and Kasser nodded, “It’s allowed. However, anyone other than you must seek permission before using it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Kasser admired Aldrit’s consideration, noting that he did not request additional magic for travel between the sanctuary and the kingdom. Currently, the magic facilitated movement only to the hideout, necessitating Aldrit to cross the desert every time he wished to return to the kingdom.

Naturally, the installation of magic allowing entry was out of the question. If Aldrit had requested that, it would have been problematic.

“Aldrit, did you learn something about magic then?” Eugene inquired.

“I’ve learned the basics, though I’m not proficient,” replied Aldrit.

“Then I have a question. Could you possibly know why I wasn’t affected by Flora’s mesmerism?”

Eugene inquired why she wasn’t affected by Flora’s hypnotic spell. After contemplating for a while, Aldrit, with a suddenly enlightened expression, said, “There is a principle in magic that the lower cannot intrude upon the higher. It applies when the types of magic are similar. For example, if one person receives a spell from two enchanters to convey a message, and the proficiency levels of those two enchanters are different, only the spell of the higher-level enchanter will take effect.”

“So?” Eugene probed.

“You, Your Highness, have experienced being under a high-level mesmerism and managed to break free.”

“Me?”

Eugene sighed, recalling the illusion she had seen in the dim warehouse. “Oh, right.”

Was it because of Mara’s actions back then that I ultimately didn’t get entangled in Flora’s spell?

Eugene let out a bitter laugh. The most apt description for her feelings towards Mara was ‘annoying.’ Despite enduring numerous absurd incidents, she harbored no resentment toward Mara. It was more of a sentiment like, ‘Did he pull that off again?’

Kasser, having the privilege to enter the capital, provided Aldrit with a pass. When presented to the royal gatekeeper, it would grant him direct access to the king for reporting. Late that night, following Aldrit’s return through the moving magic of the warehouse, Sven reappeared.