Chapter 101: Chapter 101

SAMALAH:

‘Now, what shall I do with you? Which option would be beneficial,’ I asked myself internally.

I looked at the unconscious she-wolf on the barren floor, and I controlled my urge to laugh. It was rather funny to think that a few hours ago, she was inseparable with my Tristan, but now she’s here battling life and death.

“I guess the gods really do favor me after all,” I muttered.

Throughout the night, I watched as Dahlia and Tristan flirt heavily at the auction hall. They played the part of a perfectly loving couple, but I knew the truth. It was after all my idea.

Shortly after setting me free, Count Milford had adopted me as his niece and Tristan and I became inseparable. I was the first person who learned the story of his past aside from uncle, and he was the first person whom I shared my mother and father’s predicament with.

We were both wounded children, and we lost the chance to live with our loving families because of one common enemy – the high and mighty kingdom of Talandor.

Uncle Milford was a Talandor commoner, but he chose to leave the kingdom and become a wandering merchant because he did not approve of the slavery system and the discrimination between classes and clans. He chose to live in the quiet outskirt of Linderon, in a small farm full of former slaves whom he helped gave a fresh start by buying their freedom.

If there was one thing that Uncle Milford hated the most aside from slavery, it was the idea of revenge.

Perhaps he already knew it by then… Maybe it was the reason why he had chosen to adopt me and Tristan amongst all the children he had helped in the first place.

He knew that the original desires in Tristan’s and my own heart were to kill and make all those sinners pay…

And so for as long as uncle was alive, Tristan and I buried that desire away.

We distracted ourselves with study. We perfected our own magic. I learned making potions extensively and channeling the water spirit while Tristan submerged himself in the study of the Shadow Rune spells and enchantments.

Despite the long wait, we knew the day will come when we shall be able to execute our secret plan. We knew that Talandor would crumble in our very hands soon…

When uncle passed away, we seized the opportunity. It was I who spoke of it first.

“Tristan, it’s time… If we could insert ourselves in the midst of Talandor’s high society, we can start our war!”

I had the perfect target in mind – Lady Dahlia Hurst, the queen-candidate, and the perfect bait to entrap her was Tristan.

When we were younger, Tristan had often told me his dream was to live in the outskirts of a small village with a family of his own.

“Samalah, do you want to live with me then?”

“In a small village, like this house that uncle lives in?”

“Yes… A small house like this, just you and I. Would you hate it?”

Tristan was really an angel. Even though he thirsts for revenge so fiercely, he had such simple and delicate dreams.

“Hmm… Ask me again when we get our revenge. Maybe I’ll change my mind by then,” I confidently told him.

At that time, Tristan was so smitten by me, he’d follow my every whim, including the whim of my body and the occasional want for physical intimacy.

Of course, the first few times we did it, it meant nothing for me. I had been abused beyond repair. I could no longer feel any sort of attachment whenever we sleep together. It was just an occasional need that had to be satisfied.

It was different for Tristan, of course. I was his first in everything. All that he had ever known about the language of love and seduction, he had learned from me…

If I had known he will eventually outgrow that feeling for me, I would have said yes and ran away with him to a villa in a small village…

Perhaps it was not yet too late… I could still change his mind and heart, right?

I looked at the she-wolf beneath me. When I saw her escape from the auction hall, I turned myself into an invisible puff of air and followed her. I went with her as far as the exit, and before she could find the aid she needed, I made my attack.

Once the protection magic of her amethyst necklace was broken, it was easy enough for me to bind her in a spell and carry her away with my magic.

Now, I debated in my head how I can best dispose of this woman who spirited my Tristan away from me.

I am looking at it with my own eyes – the red spirit stone engraved in her wolf’s head. She had probably taken the auctioned stone away when she disappeared arm in arm with Livia’s lover earlier.

I know of many creatures who would kill just to have this stone, and certainly, Tristan would have kissed my feet just to have her mother’s final remembrance as a Shadow Rune wolf.

However, since Tristan had seen it on Dahlia’s head, I couldn’t give it back to him. It’ll be much better to sell it to the highest payer…

So that’s it. I just have to kill her and extract the stone on her head, and everything would be solved! Tristan would come back to my arms once more…

I raised the dagger in my hands and aimed it as the head of the sleeping wolf that was Dahlia. I could have used magic to end her life, but where’s the fun in that?

I wanted to avenge my poor mother and father who died a violent death because of these blasted royalties. Carving her head away with knife was actually more subtle compared to the hardships I had to face after being sold.

‘Then again, what if I just sell her alive? Her face must be worth at least three chests of gold coins. If I sell her to a ruthless master, I’m sure she’ll finally be able to understand the sufferings I had to endure when royalties like her destroyed the lives of people just because they were different from them…’

I toyed with the dagger in my hand, thinking of the best way to exploit Dahlia Hurst. Finally, I thought of a good solution to my dilemma.

I’d carve out the stone from her wolf’s head and sell her as a slave in the black market too. I’m sure that the stone would sell well, and with Dahlia’s face and body, even a small defect won’t lower her prize that much.

Perfect! Now, for the execution…

I kneeled against her sleeping wolf’s body and cupped her head towards me. I raised the knife in my hand, ready to crack her skin open.

Before I could plunge the dagger against the spirit stone, however, a bright red light shone from the stone and an intense heat came from it.

Blast it! Did the stupid stone just burn my eyes? I threw the dagger on the floor and immediately used my powers to spray water on my face and eyes for some time before I regained my momentum and went back on the task.

When I opened my eyes, the dagger I had let go earlier was not there.

I lifted my head and looked at Dahlia’s naked human form. She was aiming the blade towards my neck.

“Answer me… Who are you?... A-And who am I?... What the hell am I doing here?”

I smiled to myself despite the situation I was in. Just now, a brand new idea dawned in my head.