Warning: There are bits of disturbing details in this chapter. If you just want to know what happens then read the chapter summary below and then continue to the final chapter. Oops, wait for it a bit. I'm still picking the part of Arc 2 for sneak-peek. ^^
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[Host Ai, do you wanna buy for parchment and pen from the market?]
"No need," from out of nowhere Ye Ai produced a parchment and pen.
[Eh, where did you get those?]
"I can do magic."
[I'm asking seriously ah.]
"I always have these as an errand girl."
[Oh, that's good then. We don't need to buy them from the system market anymore.]
Originally, the System Market may only be accessible after the first world task was completed. The first task world should only be like a practice or a training world so essentially, any additional help especially from the items in the market wasn't needed. But instead, Ye Ai found herself in a high leveled world the moment she returned as a host. If she was a new host it was basically bullying. Her system thought that way, though, so it was so angry with the administrators and the network. But all was good since this world was the best she could hope for her current needs. Although her system wasn't that much help for now, she didn't blame Xiaoyi. Aside from it didn't know about her restrictions like being always queued under higher level worlds, it's also yet to fully grasp it's every capability.
Anyway, the moment they leveled up to Apprentice level, the system market opened for them instantly. Xiaoyi celebrated that their luck was now coming in full display. And since they're awarded with a hundred contribution points, they may now buy a few small things around.
"Why would I buy something boring from the market?"
[It's not as if we have so many contribution points eh.]
"You're correct, Xiaoyi. That's why we should not waste them."
[It's only a point for each ah.]
"How much are the basic skills?"
[Eh? Wait...]
[System Market opened!]
[Choose category... Searching for Skills...]
[List of available skills for your level: Cooking-Basic 100 CP, Programming-Basic 100 CP, Martial Arts-Basic 100 CP, Singing-Basic 100 CP, Dancing-Basic 100 CP, Acting-Basic 100 CP, Painting-Basic 100 CP... etc.]
"See?" she retorted as she kept writing.
[Eh, so do you want to buy any skills?]
"Those are all tras—let's save the points for now. Anyway, where's Little Bai?" after writing a bit more on the parchment, Ye Ai looked for that plump thing.
[Huh? Why? You need it for something?]
"Yes."
[What? I'm here ah!]
"Can you send this to the Royal Family?"
[...No.]
[Searching: Little Bai... it's eating outside.]
"Then we'll wait," and she sat in a more comfortable position. "You can't call it, right?"
[I can't communicate to natives of this world ah.]
"You said it's abnormal."
[Yes, it's abnormal.]
"Then why can't you talk to it?"
[I am not abnormal ah!]
"Aren't you above normal? In short ab-normal?"
[Host Ai, are you doping me?]
"Oh, you're now copying my style eh?"
[You're my host ah, this is part of my learning.]
"Of course, learn well my Xiaoyi," she smiled indulgently.
[Ehehe... I will, Host Ai.]
All the news about the outside world was reported by Xiaoyi. Ye Ai calmly listened to her system's live commentary while she's secretly observing, feeling the world law. That thing has now merged with the new protagonist, the transmigrated Althea.
Previously, she felt the imbalance between the two and realized that it was all because Althea has been rejecting the world law, unconsciously or not, she's quite sure it's the former. Although, the world has stabilized as soon as the new soul settled in the new body it didn't mean that there wouldn't be any rejection and this came from the new soul who's still hoping to go back to her own world. But the moment Althea embraced her situation, the world law swirling around her finally was able to control her fate and thus give her the energy to provide the protagonist halo. With this, Ye Ai won't be able to touch the protagonist without revealing herself to the world law. But in return, Ye Ai may now move around in the world with much leeway than before since most of the divine law has now focused with the protagonist. It has always been like this in every world, the protagonists always had more than half of the world law with them thus they're almost indestructible. Just thinking of their plot armors and fortuitous luck, it wasn't that surprising.
And so, it came, the climax of her task.
Receiving no response from the Royal Family after a long wait, Grand Duke Vaine has started a revolt against the Crown. Together with his cohorts, they tried to seize the capital. Actually it was a good plan since they had the upper hand; they have more soldiers and allied officials, and even more public sympathizers. The problem was the Royal Family decided a total clean up. The day the mass of rebels marched towards the castle, they were trapped and received a bloody counterattack from the rear and from the sides. It was a kind of pincer attack but with guerilla tactics that prioritized weakening the enemy before staging the final act. The masthead group of the Grand Duke, blinded by the arriving success as he watched the castle shrank in terror against their momentum, never realized the happenings behind him.
Of course, the tactics used by the Royal Family came from Ye Ai since the kingdom has no experience against war and the principal officials had already disembarked the wagon of the Feudal Government. The Royal Family was left only with their most trusted allies, the Imperial Guards and other helpers. No one was ready for this attack from the Grand Duke but with the help of the same anonymous informant, they were able fight back. The bloody battle ended by the following day and the capital was bathed in crimson with the air of staled metal everywhere. Many of the rebels made it out of the encirclement but the head, the Grand Duke, and most of the instigators were killed in the battle.
It was a celebration for the Royal Family but mourning for the rebels especially the Grand Duke's only daughter. She never met her mother in this world and even if he's alone, her father raised her full of love and support. She might not recognize the man as her real father, she still recognized the good feelings the man gave her with all his might.
"Get up!"
A shrill voice woke Ye Ai from her dazed state. She has been wearing off the world law for a couple of days now and she's yet to triumph over it. She had the feeling that she should push more to get the better of her plans. But then suddenly, the transmigrated bug, the new protagonist of the world, actually decided to drop a visit to her. Was she seducing Ye Ai of killing her?
Of course, she could do so. But it will be a total violation of her Covenant with the administrators—no more destruction of any world. Doing this will send her soul to scatter and never to reincarnate or whatsoever. She shivered in contempt. Those maggots really played dirty.
Anyway, everything's running into devastation now and the world law never understood why everything has turned this way. If only it didn't focus with the protagonist it might be able to save its world from this disaster. If only it's a sentient energy instead of being an originally programmed energy then it would definitely do that. Well, this was better for Ye Ai since it gave her more ways to destroy them without actually terminating them and violating her covenant.
"Yes?" she asked in raised brow.
"You! How dare you! I'm still your owner!" Althea screamed at her insolence. She's been too used with her pathetic personality that seeing her different now gave her the shivers and the feeling as if she was played around. She now looked more haggard than when she first entered.
"I do remember that I was employed not slaved. Isn't that what your ideal world was about? Fairness and equality?"
"Shut up! You understand nothing!"
"Don't I? And you do?" Ye Ai asked in sarcasm.
"Of course I came from—it doesn't matter—" Althea stuttered.
"From the future?" she finished for her.
"H-how...?" suddenly she deflated like a paper lantern that lost it heat source.
"Where else can you get those things?"
"You know nothing!"
"Oh, I'd say I quite knew far more than you, Althea Thomas."
"No! How did you know that?! How?!!" her eyes reddened in anger and shocked and she seemed a bit crazier, well, than usual.
"Don't you think everything that happened here was entirely fault?"
"No...!"
"If you didn't do all that, would everything fell to ruins like this?"
"I-I... stop..."
"Of course, you actually killed your father here. You sent him to his death. Very unfilial."
"Shut up! Shut up, you demon! It was you! It was all your fault! You...if you just died then everything should have been perfect!" Althea crazily pointed at Aileen while shouting her every word. "You destroyed everything!"
"How intuitive," she chuckled as she watched the woman in front of her. Even if the girl didn't really understand what's happening, the world and in turn the protagonist had the minute intuition that something or someone was interfering with everything. It was fortunate that the world law wasn't a sentient energy or else she won't be able to talk to this girl like this. The problem was it's a bit difficult to hide this from her own system, Xiaoyi, and it wouldn't be good if this woman kept yelling about all these at the moment. She still needed time converting her system so this better stop now.
"I will kill you, chop you to bites and then send you up to your male lead..." started Althea as she walked closer to her.
"Sleep," murmured Ye Ai.
On the other side, Crown Prince Rhomeo was hot in his rears as the discussion of seizing the Grand Duke's mansion was on-going. He was so anxious to get Aileen out from that madhouse. They talked about many strategies and their possible outcomes but they've yet to decide for the final plan.
The Grand Duke's mansion was one of the oldest residences in the capital and most of the old buildings like this housed various traps and defense contraptions. In addition, the household has built various inventions lately and many of those were definitely lethal, especially the one called gun powder that their anonymous informant gave them. It was said to have volatility and can work as mass weapon!
Suddenly, Rhomeo received a message that Lady Vaine has sent him a gift. Everyone was so wary and cautiously attended the small box sent to the Crown Prince. They had one servant open it away from the Prince and the officials to avoid accidents. But nothing happened and when they looked at the content, what they saw gave them chilling tremors. It was a bloody hand—a pale, slender hand with a small birth mark between the index and middle finger's knuckles.
"Ai... Ai—"
Everyone saw the changes with the Prince. He went so pale and sickly as if he's to vomit anytime with his insides. Allan, finally realized who his prince was calling out for immediately supported the Crown Prince.
"It couldn't be Ms. Aileen's, Prince Rhomeo. Lady Vaine would never do this...how could she even think of doing this? It's too barbaric!" he comforted him. Although, halfway through his statement he began thinking the worst. But he still can't believe that such a noble lady would be this cruel and inhuman. Looking at that severed hand, it was as if it lost its blood from the jagged and unskilled way it was hacked off.
"Urgh!" Someone finally lost his stomach and vomited which soon followed by others.
"To me!" suddenly Prince Rhomeo shouted as he ran towards his horse. He leapt and quickly rode it out of the castle.
"Follow the Prince, quick! Urgh!"
Inside the mansion of the Grand Duke, Althea sat dazedly by the entrance hall. She suddenly became alert when she couldn't remember how she made it there when she was earlier in the dungeon with Aileen but more so when she noticed her bloodied clothes and hands while she held a crude cleaver. It looked nauseous.
"Anyone!" she called. But after a long time no one came. She repeated and repeated but no one answered.
"Matron Rone! Horam! Where is everybody!" she strode forward but she's yet to walk out the perimeters when the door was kicked open very viciously.
"Althea Vaine! Where is Aileen! Where is Aileen?!!"
She shook at the very crazed image of the usually gentle man in front of her. He looked savage and was ready to pounce at her to tear her, kill her.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she tried to answer without her voice quaking. In all honesty, she didn't know. She was just talking to her then she woke up here. Ah! That woman was a demon, the people here should know, she thought. But before she could speak further the Crown Prince neared her in three large strides and raised his sword to her neck.
"Believe me, I will kill you if you don't tell me where Aileen is," he told her dangerously without taking note that Allan has also arrived with the other soldiers.
"That woman is a demon, she did all this! She... she..."
*Slap!*
"Shut up and tell where she is!"
Totally scared after that strong slap, a single word escaped from her bloodied mouth. "Dungeons."
Prince Rhomeo ran towards the dungeons, Althea in tow, and kicked the door down. However, the scene he found himself was the greatest nightmare in his life. A lone incomplete corpse of someone wearing a maid's dress laid inside the biggest jail, eaten and unrecognized. Two white tigers prowling around while licking some of the blood and meats by the stone floor.
"Aileen!" he was to run inside when Allan caught him.
"Prince, she's no longer there," he held him tight especially when the tigers started growling at them.
"No... no..." Prince Rhomeo broke down. His eyes never leaving that corpse in the furthest and largest jail room.
"I didn't..." started Althea who was so scared that she could actually do this. She came from the future and she never thought of doing such barbarous acts!
'It was her! It was all her ploy! I knew she was evil!'
While screaming murder in her mind, Althea was suddenly tossed forward. She was shocked when she came face to face with her two very familiar tigers. She felt its warm and stinking breathes and can't help the twisting of her stomach.
"You should feel what you made her feel," the voice behind her dangerously announced.
"No... no... it wasn't me, she did all this!" she screamed which drove the tigers mad. She ran to the door which set off these wild beasts and started at her.
"No! help me! HE—LP!!! —elp..." but the rest of her words were drowned when the door was closed.
Prince Rhomeo walked out from the dungeons with pale complexion and gone expression. He clenched his fists as he resolutely commanded his people. "Destroy this place!"
The Grand Duke's majestic mansion was immediately set on fire but halfway there was an explosion and soon after another came and another and another! There was chaos and the Prince was only able to save half his life. He was saved but was left crippled.
After this hideous incident, the Royal Family decided to be much fiercer against all signs of rebellion. All through their reign, there has been too much blood bath. And so, the promise of bright future seemed too bleak for Alcada Kingdom.
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Summary:
After her level up, Ye Ai can finally access the System Market where the contribution points can be used. For now, she has limited contribution points so she didn't buy anything. She sent the Royal Family a missive explaining the plans of the Grand Duke and plotting appropriate counterattack.
The Grand Duke and his cohorts finally revolted openly, bringing with him the border army he received as remuneration for the cancellation of his daughter's engagement with the Crown Prince. In the end though, he was killed in the battle together with most of his followers.
Althea Vaine, losing everything and in the brink of death – capital punishment, due to treason decided to use her final card, Aileen, the Crown Prince's lover. Ye Ai who's residing in Aileen's body openly confronted the protagonist since the world law was already crumbling. To complete her plan, she sent the Crown Prince towards the Grand Duke's mansion under the pretense that Aileen was hurt. When he arrived though, all he found was an incomplete corpse. In grief, he sent Althea into similar death of his beloved—being eaten by her pet white tigers.
Everything should have ended but unknown to everyone, the whole mansion was a landmine. When Prince Rhomeo ordered to raze down the mansion, many explosions set off almost killing them. The Crown Prince was saved only to be a lifetime cripple.