“Flora, tell me what you want. What do you plan to do with those larks standing behind you?” Eugene asked, her voice steady.
“I…” Flora began, but her words trailed off, annoyed by Jin’s calm expression. The Jin she knew was usually venomous, spitting scornful words. Flora had observed her closely from a young age, and she knew that “malicious” was an understatement. Jin was like a cornered snake, always ready to strike with venomous intent.
Flora could never understand why someone who had everything would behave in such a way. In her mind, Jin acted this way because she had never truly experienced desperation. Flora often imagined a scenario where Jin, driven to the brink, would collapse in misery, groveling in defeat.
After her marriage, Jin seemed to live a more contented life than she had in the Holy City. While Flora didn’t know the full details, it was clear that Jin had found something fulfilling, allowing her to appear more relaxed, almost transformed. Now, faced with the risk of losing everything, without the Fourth King to protect her, wouldn’t it be natural for her to show fear and vulnerability? Yet, Jin remained unfazed.
Was it because of them? Flora’s gaze shifted to the people behind Jin, their expressions a mix of unease and hostility. These were people who resented Flora yet seemed genuinely concerned for Jin.
“I am the queen, Flora,” Jin had said a moment earlier, a statement that now drew a smirk from Flora.
Do they know your true nature and still stand by you? Flora wondered.
“What I want is restitution,” Flora finally said.
“Restitution?” Eugene echoed, disbelief coloring her tone.
“I want you to honestly confess all the wrongs you’ve done to me and beg for my forgiveness,” Flora demanded.
Eugene felt a wave of disbelief. All this for that?
“How exactly?” Eugene asked, her voice steady.
“At the very least, kneel and show a proper apology, don’t you think?” Flora replied, her smile turning darker.
Eugene frowned, recognizing Flora’s true intent. She wants to humiliate me, she thought, finding the demand childish.
If kneeling was all it took, Eugene wouldn’t hesitate. Even confessing her past wrongs wouldn’t mean much, as people would likely assume she was being coerced. Was that truly all Flora desired?
Eugene knew she couldn’t trust Flora. People often sought more once they obtained one thing.
“If I do as you say, will you withdraw with your larks?” Eugene asked.
“That depends on how genuine you are,” Flora replied, her gaze simmering with a desire to utterly break the woman before her. She envisioned destroying Jin’s pride and then razing the kingdom with her larks. Would she finally witness the shattered remains of Jin’s dignity?
Eugene looked at Flora calmly. “I can’t do that,” she said.
Flora’s expression twisted in frustration. “I have many reasons, but the biggest one is that I’ve done nothing to apologize to you for,” Jin explained.
Flora glared at Jin, then broke into a bitter laugh. “Of course. That’s just like you. You’ll regret this, Jin,” she vowed.
Flora felt a surge of anger towards Jin. Despite being the one at fault, Jin acted as though Flora were the villain. Jin hadn’t changed; she had only grown more cunning. Flora felt tainted, as if she were the one in the wrong.
“I’ll give you one last chance,” Flora said, shifting her gaze. She pointed to the large, cat-like lark behind her. “If you call out to me and kneel before I mount that creature again, I’ll accept your apology.”
Flora turned sharply and began walking towards her larks. Jin watched her retreating figure with a calm gaze. If I can’t break the spell, I’ll have to eliminate those larks.
As Jin left the palace, she pondered a solution. No matter what Flora wanted, Jin hadn’t anticipated smooth negotiations. Fighting and winning was the only way forward.
But even with Kasser’s aid, the battle would be arduous. Killing Flora to break the spell wouldn’t automatically dispel the remaining larks.
The sheer number of larks was the most daunting challenge. Even if Jin tried turning them into trees one by one, it would be an endless task. She would have preferred facing a single, formidable Lark instead.
When she had stepped out of the carriage earlier and glimpsed the dark swarm of larks in the distance, a thought had crossed her mind. If only they were like tiny ants, I could just pour water over them and wash them away. At that moment, a memory of her lucid dreams resurfaced.
Kasser had once mentioned that during her lucid dreams, he had witnessed her bedroom filling with water several times. Since fully gaining awareness, such visions had ceased, yet now she felt as though she could manifest Ramita’s power in the form of water.
I am the sea. The sea is endless water, never drying even when it covers the whole world. The water seeping into the earth becomes groundwater, flowing back to the sea in an unending cycle.
“Let’s give it a try,” Jin murmured, placing a hand over her belly. Do you think Mom can do it?
The child, quiet all day, gave a gentle kick from within. Jin smiled and closed her eyes, focusing on the endless horizon of her lucid dreams.
No annihilation. The immense destructive power required to transform all those larks into trees could also affect the spirits in her army. She couldn’t predict the extent of the sea she was about to unleash.
No vitality. Strengthening those larks with her power would be disastrous.
Return to seeds. Return to your original form.
From where Jin stood, an enormous wave surged outward like a flood, the sea of Ramita beginning to submerge the world.
