Chapter 115: Ch-116: Queen Maker (16)
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Due to the magic spell [Clairvoyance], the scene of Lorraine and Cloud kissing was imprinted into Eri's mind.
"What..?"
Eri's pupils trembled at the unexpected and shocking sight. Just when Lorraine and Cloud, who had been fiercely kissing, suddenly snapped their heads toward her.
Surprised, she hurriedly erased the magic spell.
She cradled her thudding chest.
'Did… did they notice?'
Clairvoyance, and at such a great distance?
No, it can't be.
There was no way the clairvoyant's form could be seen with the naked eye at such distance, and so if they had noticed, it must have been the flow of mana which again was impossible unless they were wizards like she was.
Not to mention, since they were kissing and so engrossed in it, their attention must…
'…'
Surprised by the unexpected situation, she suddenly recollected what she seemed to be forgetting.
Kiss.
The act of kissing—an expression of love between lovers.
Lorraine and Cloud were doing it.
'What the hell is this situation!'
Eri's thoughts made her head teeter. She stumbled into the inn and sat down on a chair provided on the first floor. She brushed her bangs, organizing her thoughts.
'I headed to Cloud's room to meet him.'
He was not in the room and so she used clairvoyance to find him. The place he was at was the gymnasium near the collapsed royal palace premises. There he was kissing Lorraine.
Throb-!
Her heart ached, but Eri didn't stop mulling.
'Why were they kissing?'
Cloud's lover was Katarina.
It must be true because he said it himself.
But why was he kissing Lorraine and not his lover Katarina?
Was he having an affair?
'No, no. It doesn't matter if it's a bloody affair or not. The reason he kissed Lorraine is important.'
What on earth happened that led to him and Lorraine kissing each other?
She reasoned hard, pulling at her hair with a vexed expression.
Soon she recalled Katarina's complaint.
– Yes, he isn't. Do you need him? For he only comes late at night. Even if I ask, he just skims over.
Comes late at night.
It meant that their relationship was not made up of just one or two encounters.
She recounted Cloud's personality, which had changed from before… conspicuously.
He didn't pay attention to things that didn't interest him.
In other words, the fact that they had met several times meant that Lorraine had something to interest him…
"
"
'…gymnasium.'
The two were at the gymnasium.
Lightly armed.
What could this mean?
Nothing came to mind except combat.
'Agh…'
Only then did all the puzzle pieces clicked together.
For some reason, Lorraine challenged Cloud to a fight.
Cloud accepted.
The simple spar begets another.
And the sparring, which she didn't know when started, continued until now, and the two's eyes met and the current relationship…
Eri, who finished grasping the situation, bit her lip.
Her rising anger and sense of betrayal dyed her reason black. She wanted to run to Cloud and ask about it right away.
Why was he kissing that b!tch?
Didn't he have a lover named Katarina?
Why that witch, then?
Didn't he know what that b!tch had done to her?
She really would have done so if she had let her temper simmer just a little longer. She would have rushed to the gymnasium and shouted aloud, setting aglow the jewel on her staff.
But she had a handful of reason left.
'With qualifications would I…?'
If it was Katarina who saw that scene, as a lover, she deserved to scold them for infidelity.
If it had been Neria, as a childhood friend, she would have been able to stem her friend from going the wrong way.
As a priestess, Ophelia could have rebuked him for falling into wrong, vile desires.
Then Eri, who was she?
Did she deserve?
What was she to Cloud in the first place?
'Colleague.'
Who left when they were facing a hard time.
And came back when things rendered into the right path. '…that's the end? No. There has to be more to this.'
Something…
Anything…
Her fingers gnarled into locks of hair. A few strands that could not withstand the grip fell out, but it was out of Eri's interest.
She shook her head, hoping that she meant a little to Cloud.
However, nothing else came to her mind other than the 'colleague' she had just thought of.
'Is this really all? Is that all I can do?'
No.
It can't be.
She had been called a genius since she was little.
She had never been hesitant to try.
So there must be something more.
There had to be.
Otherwise…
'Lorraine… I would become meaningless compared to that woman…'
'Lorraine… I would become meaningless compared to that woman…'
And that was not right.
She didn't hate many, but she did Lorraine; she couldn't lose to that woman.
No… actually she did hate many a lot.
Eri's face twisted ugly. Drops of tears dripped from the corners of her wrinkled eyes and landed on the table.
What…
What.
Didn't she just want to be acknowledged?
A bit of respect and a morsel of praise was all she had ever asked.
Why was this happening to her?
Why was she so lost? So lonely?
When did she become so picky?
"
"
'…I don't know.'
Her hair was messy and her eyes hot.
Her chest throbbed, and she couldn't stop crying, exuding stifled whimpers.
Ah…
What had become of her.
* * *
Ophelia, as always, was going to go to Eri's room. Until she heard whines from the first floor. She didn't know who was crying and why, but that didn't stop her. It must be someone she knew.
Only Cloud's Party was staying at this inn.
She cautiously descended to the first floor.
And she was taken aback by the unexpected sight.
"Eri?"
There she saw Eri who rarely left her room except during meal times. Why was she crying at a table on the first floor, and not in her room, at a time like this?
While Ophelia was puzzled, Eri, hearing her voice, propped up her head.
"Ophelia? Why are you… Oh, right. The spell, I have to cast the spell."
Eri wiped away her tears and snot with the sleeve of her dress.
After cleaning up the messed-up face to some extent, she stood up and trudged toward the stairs.
"Let's go. I will cast the spell for you."
"Eri, are you okay?"
"Huh, I'm alright."
After answering noncommittally, Eri went into Ophelia's room and enchanted with her soundproofing magic.
Now the noise made in this room would not spread out of the bounds of the room.
She ducked out of the door right after casting the spell.
"Eri..!"
Ophelia called after her.
"If you have any difficulties, you can tell me."
In a very sweet voice.
At that, Eri slowly turned her head.
"I'm alright."
She replied with a forced smile that didn't quite reach her reddened eyes.
"…all right. If you still feel like confiding in me, come visit me anytime."
"Yeah."
Creak!
Eri closed the door.
At the same time, Ophelia's beautiful emerald eyes softened.
"…If it wasn't me, but the Hero, Eri would have confessed."
She was not expressing sadness.
She could only blame her own inadequacies for not wringing trust from her companion.
Ophelia locked the door and pulled out a thorn-studded whip from her drawer.
She knelt and untied the laces of her nun's robe.
The nun's robe, which barely covered her large breasts, collapsed, revealing her white bare skin and underwear.
She even took off her underwear.
She knelt down and raised the whip, heaving her large breasts and smooth back.
"Holy, holy, noble being. O Almighty One who bestows blessings and glory on heaven and earth. There is a sheep here. There is a sheep fattened like a pig, fattened with lust."
Ophelia swung her wrist.
Slap!
The whip cut through the air and lashed her back. Her flogged flesh swelled red.
"There is a foolish lamb who has thrown her body away for fleeting pleasure."
Slap!
"There is a foolish sheep who mistook a pail for water and threw her body into the river."
Slap!
"The foolish sheep dares ask forgive, I beg you."
Slap!
"I hope you don't pity me."
Slap!
"Let me be put to the test, I beseech. Test and trial this foolish sheep your way. Please bestow your spectacular and noble miracle, bestow grace."
Slap!
"Finally, I earnestly pray, please allow me to witness that brilliant miracle from your side or even from afar."
Slap!
When she finished reciting her prayers, her back was a mess of torn wounds and dripping blood.
Although the pain was considerable, she did not let out even the slightest moan.
Rather, she continued whipping while reciting prayers. The torn wounds widened further and the blood-soaked her back completely. Ophelia did not stop despite the growing wounds and pain.
Her dirty body.
The disgusting flesh tainted with desire.
She can't stand next to Him with a body like this. She shouldn't be allowed in his vicinity, let alone his side.
Therefore, she must be purified.
Ophelia tightened the whip in her hand.
Slap!
Intense pain accompanied by the sound of flesh tearing.
Every time she felt it, a little bit of vile was relieved from her body, which was a lump of filth.
She would only allow herself to go to bed after she had been cleansed and purified and felt completely clean.
That way she could see him again the next day.
When she was around Him, when she witnessed His divinity, she would become frustrated realizing her own body was still dirty, but that was okay.
Because you can wash dirty things.
Slap!
If you keep washing it, one day you would be able to get it clean again.
So she had to diligently wipe out the filth for that one day.
Slap!
New scars were added to the scarred back.
Not even a ray of light remained in her eyes as she recited prayers.
You can read fully translated chapters, including the last chapter, for $20.
p(a)treon.com/Daoist02
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