novelraw Chapter 209: The Final Judgment
Chapter 209: The Final Judgment
"Lost?"
[From life detection, yes, lost.]
The Prince took a deep breath.
From just now onward, the unique mana signature of Ailin, a Full Bloom Magical Girl, could no longer be detected.
After the final, massive eruption that nearly caused the entire world to shrink and collapse...
The power of that strike even destroyed all the Mirror Kingdom's surveillance in the surrounding area.
"The power of that strike... even the current Alice can hardly simulate it, can she?"
[High EQ answer: It requires a certain period of progress. Low EQ answer: Yes, the Mirror Kingdom's technology has been thoroughly stomped on and spat upon by two bumpkins casually fusing Dream Cores with Personal Reality using crude methods.]
Having little interest in the system's attempt at humor, the Prince just stared at the terrifying destructive power in silence for a while.
This strike had shrunk the polluted old world by almost one-third.Even a crude Full Bloom could forcibly conscript the world's power.
She finally understood why the new world would take away the power of Full Bloom Magical Girls.
If left unrestricted, the casual battles of Full Bloom Magical Girls could destroy the entire world.
Even the vast new world couldn't withstand such extravagance.
Yet, even so, they still lost.
"I did not observe Shion's mana fluctuations."
[Answer: Regrettably, yes. Throughout this entire battle, Magical Girl Shion did not take action. The one who fought was another Magical Girl from the Azure Cloud Sect, the chief of the seven true-transmissions, Magical Girl Bai Mei.]
This name left a deep impression on the Prince.
She was quite famous even within the Witch Association.
Back when the Witch Association held its live-streamed bounty event, she had already slaughtered so many Witch Association members in Jiangming City that they dared not approach.
Later, at the Heart Image Remnant, she had performed admirably again.
Though at the time, she was with Magical Girl Winter, and many were captivated by the celestial phenomena Winter manifested, so few paid attention to Bai Mei's actual strength.
Now, in that old world, there were only Bai Mei, Ailin, Shion, and the Golden Calamity Dragon King.
Since neither Shion nor the Golden Calamity Dragon had moved, the one who killed Ailin could only be Bai Mei.
Thinking of this, the Prince fell silent once more, the confidence and arrogance on her face vanishing without a trace.
When there was only Shion, a Magical Girl with Full Bloom combat strength, they could still think of ways to cope.
But the Azure Cloud Sect had a second one.
And a third might even appear.
It's not even the new world's New Year yet, and Full Bloom combatants are starting to drop like dumplings?
If that's the case, who could still stop the Azure Cloud Sect?
No wonder the Disaster Control Bureau was willing to lower its head and cooperate with the Azure Cloud Sect.
With such strength, they couldn't be underestimated no matter where they were...
"Can an Alice specialized for Bai Mei be made?"
After all her thoughts, the Prince only asked this one question.
[Answer: Regrettably, Miss Bai Mei's data is not comprehensive. From beginning to end, the abilities she has displayed are only speed and sharpness. Beyond that, there are no specific points to target.]
"Then just make it so Alice can't be cut, right?"
[Answer: In terms of a Magical Girl's Personal Reality, as long as her Personal Reality is sufficiently powerful, there is no material she cannot cut, dear Prince-sama.]
"Don't you think the Mirror Kingdom's technology is trash?"
[With mortal bodies matching miracles, that is the origin of technology, dear Prince-sama. This cannot be summarized as 'trash.' Technology is constantly developing. Miracles possess instability. Those who rely on miracles will one day die when the miracle does not respond. But technology never fails.]
"You only know how to spout such useless things."
After an unknown length of time, the image finally began to restore.
The Mirror Kingdom's surveillance system was ultimately reliable. Deploying surveillance from other areas, the Prince could finally see what was happening over there.
The Golden Calamity Dragon King was being stepped on the head by Shion, trying hard to burrow into the shrunken world.
It even began to shrink its entire dragon body slightly to fit into the world.
The Prince watched, almost biting her lips raw.
That position should only be for her to sit on!
Back when Simo Tu saved her and let her sit on the Golden Calamity Dragon King's head, she witnessed its immense power and how it defeated Jialan.
Now she could only watch as the Golden Calamity Dragon King became Shion's mount!
Who knows what kind of humiliation Simo Tu is enduring!
[Warning: It is highly possible that Simo Tu is connected to the Azure Cloud Sect. From being able to escape from Beihai initially and maintain the Witch Association's development, to later appearing in Beihai again and maneuvering around the Azure Cloud Sect... Judging by strength, the Golden Calamity Dragon King does not possess such confidence. Its strength might not even guarantee victory against Magical Girl Bai Mei...]
The Prince suddenly turned her head, glaring at the chattering system. "What are you trying to say? That my fiancé, the Prince of the Mirror Kingdom, is colluding with the Azure Cloud Sect?!"
[Not exactly. This is merely a well-intentioned reminder. We must consider the possibility of Simo Tu cooperating with the Azure Cloud Sect. He is currently not in a hostile state with Shion. He is docilely carrying Shion, clearly voluntarily...]
"Shut up!"
The Prince snapped softly, then sat back down.
She poured some champagne from the side and took a drink.
She originally didn't like champagne. Last time at the Heart Image Remnant, after the Twins drank a whole bunch, she became curious.
Bought some champagne to try.
She heard champagne was for celebrating victory. This time, she planned to observe the pseudo-Full Bloom strength of the old world to verify the feasibility of the Mirror Kingdom's future Full Bloom plan.
She was originally planning to open champagne.
She didn't expect the Golden Calamity Dragon King to suddenly barge in, nor did she expect the Azure Cloud Sect to arrive so quickly.
What she expected even less...
The current situation made it impossible for her to deny.
Her Simo Tu might truly be involved with the Azure Cloud Sect.
The mere thought of this filled her with bitterness and unease.
Because, if Simo Tu was involved with the Azure Cloud Sect, then his promise of marriage to her, his choice to help and trust her despite Jialan's obstruction...
Could it all have just been to gain her trust?
Could it all have just been an act?
The thought that all the kindness and affection Simo Tu showed her could possibly be a false performance...
It made her heart feel as if being sliced by knives.
Especially now, seeing the usually so proud Simo Tu obediently serving as Shion's mount without the slightest intention to resist, further convinced the Prince of this.
"Later, I will ask Simo Tu to clarify."
[Warning: It might provoke the Azure Cloud Sect...]
"Then let them come!"
The Prince's voice gradually lowered, and she took another gulp.
This champagne... it's so bitter.
Bitterer than the Mirror Queen's collapse...
"Then let them come! Let's see which side Simo Tu truly stands on!"
In the old world, within the abyss.
Ailin struggled to open her eyes.
"Sister."
Blurrily, she saw her sister limping over.
"Leia..."
Her younger sister collapsed into her arms, crying.
Two Disaster Beasts huddled together for warmth.
Ailin and Leia had been hopelessly cursed children from the very beginning.
Their parents gave birth to them only to bear the curse, more curses, countless curses.
Ailin forgot when she killed their parents.
But for her sister's sake, she felt no regret, no inner conflict.
When she killed her parents, she only felt regret.
Regret that she acted too slowly. If she had been faster, perhaps her sister wouldn't have had to endure so much pain.
The Curse Realm was a place without hope. No matter how one struggled, only death awaited in the end.
The Emperor pardoned her crime and let her join the expeditionary force.
To venture beyond the old world, seeking a way out for the Curse Realm.
But in the end, the Emperor gave up, wanting them all to return and seal off the Curse Realm.
So, Ailin acted again.
This time, it wasn't so peaceful.
Because her comrades weren't like her parents; they treated her well. Ailin didn't hate them.
In fact, she liked those comrades very much.
But they were the Emperor's most loyal subordinates, absolutely executing the Emperor's commands.
They wouldn't listen to her pleas or persuasion at all.
So, for her sister, she still acted.
That entire expeditionary force died by her hand. She took her sister and fled far away, seeking a new world, a new life.
The third time...
Was in the old world where she fell.
The old world that accepted them, understanding their difficulties, sought solutions for them.
In the end, the people of this old world crafted new bodies for her and her sister.
The new bodies bore no curse and could even transform into Magical Girls by borrowing the power of the Dregs.
Possessing their own Personal Reality.
This was something they absolutely could not do in the Curse Realm.
At that time, Ailin truly thought she and her sister were saved, that they could live here as ordinary people.
Until one day she woke up, and the curse suddenly devoured the entire old world.
The Magical Girls of the Dregs had short lifespans, no miracles, no future.
But the curse didn't even grant them a 'present.'
The old worlds, whose essence was [Dregs], had no power to resist the sweeping curse.
Every single person from the old world who accepted and helped them died in the most miserable way.
In unbearable agony.
The world, and the people of this world, cursed the two sisters, trapping them here forever.
Ailin wanted to take her sister to see the new world.
She wanted her sister to bask in the sunlight, to accompany her sister to see the night sky, the full array of stars and the moon.
Ailin used the new body the old world people made for her to constantly search for hope outside, until she met Jade Fox. She forged an identity, concealed her origins from the Curse Realm, wanting to obtain from Jade Fox a method to free her sister from the curse.
Unfortunately, Jade Fox was an old fox and saw through her in the end.
But Jade Fox didn't despise them. Instead, she invited them to participate in the Black Mountain Realm's Full Bloom plan.
Thinking back now, Jade Fox probably thought her forged Personal Reality would be easier to devour compared to other Magical Girls.
Or perhaps, she still possessed the conscience of a Magical Girl, not wanting to possess other Magical Girls, so she chose this Disaster Beast full of sin.
Regardless of the reason, Jade Fox still failed.
Although, she failed too.
The Magical Girl shell was shattered, revealing her body that had completely transformed into a Disaster Beast.
Carrying the curse, escaping anywhere was useless.
In the end, they returned to the curse, cursed by the world, cursed by family, cursed by friends, cursed by enemies.
They were born as children of the curse, destined to be the lingering ghosts of the Curse Realm, constantly spreading the curse.
"Enough, sister..."
Holding her sister, she felt a slight regret.
But she didn't want to apologize.
In front of her sister, Ailin didn't want to lower her head or show her weakness.
So, she said:
"Actually, the stars outside aren't that beautiful either, Leia."
"Mhm, I know. So, we won't go out, sister. We won't go anywhere anymore..."
That day, her sister nestled beside her, looking up at the pitch-black sky, curiously asked: Sister, what do you think the stars outside look like?
As an older sister, she should always take her sister out to see.
But Leia couldn't go out because her curse was more severe. Once she went out, she might never wake up again.
Even using the old world's technology to make a panda doll, in reality, Leia couldn't see anything.
For her, everywhere was a world of darkness.
Holding her sister tightly, she looked up and saw the Golden Calamity Dragon King lowering its head.
The Golden Calamity Dragon King looking down at them slowly, as if, transformed into a person.
Wearing a crown, dressed in magnificent golden attire.
Different from all of them, a girl who would never be tainted by the curse, the Emperor who supported the Curse Realm.
Stood before them.
Her heterochromatic gold and red eyes examined the two of them, then let out a long sigh.
"Ailin."
Calming her somewhat uneasy sister, Ailin also looked up at this former Emperor.
Back then, they were merely lowly subordinates, without even the chance to see Her Majesty.
Now, even though the Curse Realm was destroyed, and there were no other survivors left in the Curse Realm.
She still instinctively maintained respect, slightly lowering her head. "I am here, Your Majesty."
"Killing parents."
"Killing comrades."
"Betraying the Curse Realm."
The Emperor listed her crimes one by one. "Do you admit your guilt?"
No reply. In this hell-like underground, magma churned beside them.
Ailin looked up at the sky.
The lofty purple deity no longer spared them a glance.
The Emperor beneath the deity executed judgment for the deity.
Thinking of this, she suddenly laughed.
Even the esteemed Emperor, in the end, had to lower her head before that person.
Magical Girl Shion, the Azure Cloud Sect...
If... if we were born in the new world, if we could also seek refuge with them...
Could we have avoided so much suffering?
"Polluting the old world, causing the deaths of countless innocent people from the old world."
The Emperor continued listing her crimes. "And even intending to use Full Bloom power to pollute the new world, killing even more people. Ailin, do you admit your guilt?"
"Your Majesty."
Ailin prostrated herself. Even as a Disaster Beast, she could still speak human words, even maintaining her tone. "Why waste time like this? Just kill us. Your deity must think the same, right?"
"She doesn't care."
The Emperor told her this. "But I care. You are all my people. Your faults are the faults of the Curse Realm, and they are my faults."
"You are still the same."
Ailin said from the bottom of her heart. "Forever the Emperor of the Curse Realm."
"So, Ailin!" The Emperor's tone turned severe. "Do you admit your guilt?!"
Accompanying this rebuke, it was as if they had arrived in that magnificent palace.
The Emperor sitting on the Throne questioned her like this.
Her sister beside her trembled, almost unable to speak.
But Ailin just held her sister, comforting the frightened girl, and said softly:
"What are you saying, Your Majesty? I merely eliminated some obstacles."
I know my sin.
"Though occasionally, I do recall their faces, their curses before death, those miserable appearances. Occasionally, I do feel a slight pity for them."
My sin is always in my heart.
"But, Your Majesty, no matter the outcome, no matter how many times I start over, my choice... will never change."
Therefore, I...
"Because, Leia... she is right here by my side."
I absolutely do not repent.
The Emperor looked at the sisters nestled together, at Ailin's happy, content smile.
She nodded slightly and pronounced the judgment.
"Death penalty."