Chapter 151

On the third morning, three carriages finally departed from the Sigmilus estate. Though the departure was slightly delayed, the procession was well-prepared. As they headed toward the trap set by her sibling, Claire closed her eyes and reminisced about the past.

There was a time when she was expected to become a high-ranking magician, carrying the hopes of her family on her shoulders. Even she had believed it without a doubt, a hopeful time when everything in the world seemed filled with bright light.

“And then… Ophelia was born.”

A cute little sister who looked just like her. Sadly, their mother, who had been frail, passed away two years after giving birth to Ophelia, leaving Claire to take care of her. Back then, there were no issues between the sisters. Claire even found Ophelia’s clingy, “Big sister, big sister!” calls endearing.

The problem arose when Ophelia turned five.

“Big sister! Big sister! Look at this, it’s so sparkly!”

“Yeah, it’s pretty, Ophelia. You’re amazing.”

That day, Ophelia, who had never received any formal magical education, displayed magic she had picked up by watching over Claire’s shoulder. Claire forced a smile as she watched her little sister show off her beginner-level light magic.

Outwardly, she praised her sister, but inside, she was shaken to the core. At her age, Claire understood exactly what Ophelia’s casual display of magic meant.

That day, Claire learned the feeling of jealousy for the first time.

—

“Ugh… Huh…”

A strained, muffled groan echoed inside the carriage, as if someone was struggling to breathe.

‘Ah, I must have tensed up without realizing it.’

Claire’s consciousness returned to the present as she snapped out of her reminiscence.

The unnaturally swollen hem of her skirt twitched slightly. When she spread her legs a bit, the suffocating movements subsided. Soon, a wet, slurping sound, like a cat lapping up milk, seeped faintly through the damp fabric.

“Ha… Good, keep going…!”

Claire let out a heated sigh, her gaze drifting downward toward her skirt.

‘I really made the right choice bringing her along…’

Leaning back on the sofa, she closed her eyes and surrendered to the tingling pleasure, drifting back into memories of the past.

—

The day her younger sister, Ophelia, revealed her genius.

All the family’s expectations shifted to Ophelia. It became common to hear that she was an incomparable genius, far beyond her older sister. In an instant, Claire was cast aside.

The elders, the retainers, even her father—all discarded their expectations and attention for Claire like old rags. To make matters worse, Claire’s own talents had hit a wall, leaving her stagnant.

The only person who might have supported her, her mother, had long since passed away.

The titles that once adorned her—heir to the Sigmilus family, future high-ranking magician, young prodigy—were all stripped away. And it was her little sister, the one she had cared for, who took them.

Now, no one paid attention to Claire. Except for her detestable younger sister, who smiled nonchalantly after taking everything from her.

Jealousy turned to anger, and soon, anger turned to hatred.

The final spark came when she overheard a discussion in her father’s study.

They planned to pass the heirship to Ophelia and marry Claire off to a powerful noble to avoid conflict. The men discussed were all middle-aged, at least twenty years her senior. Her own father and uncles were no better.

That day, Claire made a decision.

She would kill them all someday.

Her sister, her father, all the old men of the family.

It was a childish hatred, but at the time, Claire was barely thirteen.

However, her status as a count’s daughter and her magical abilities turned her childish malice into a real threat.

For years, she tried to kill Ophelia, but failed. Her sister’s cursed genius allowed her to overcome every plot Claire devised.

Perhaps sensing her older sister’s murderous intent, Ophelia eventually backed down and submitted, but by then, Claire had already grown into a woman.

To avoid being sold off in a political marriage, Claire built connections everywhere. She needed backing stronger than the head of the Sigmilus family to defy her father.

When Empress Isabella reached out to her, it was either a stroke of luck or a curse.

To win the Empress’s favor, Claire had to degrade herself, catering to her disgusting tastes. But in the end, she gained everything she wanted—power, authority, and status.

And when Ophelia hid her genius, the family’s attention returned to Claire. Without a second thought, they abandoned the twelve-year-old girl they had once ignored, never reflecting on their actions.

It was truly revolting.

Without hesitation, Claire offered them as sacrifices to Isabella.

The family head and elders all became her puppets, their brains destroyed by the drugs the Empress provided.

If you cracked open their skulls, you’d likely find giant worms instead of brains—creatures that had eaten their brains and taken their place.

It was shocking that the Empress could control such monsters, but Claire didn’t care. In fact, it was a good thing.

Thanks to the knowledge the Empress shared, Claire’s own magic had grown exponentially. She was now just a step away from becoming a high-ranking magician.

—

‘Once I capture Ophelia this time… I’ll hand her over to the Empress.’

Watching her sister, who had ruined her life, suffer the same fate would be quite satisfying.

She didn’t plan to kill her. Just strip her of her claws and fangs so she could never rise again.

Breaking her spirit and putting her on a leash, treating her like a dog, might be fun. Though she had no intention of embracing her sister, who looked just like her, watching her reduced to livestock would be entertaining.

Claire never dreamed she could lose.

The cards she held weren’t just a few spies.

I glanced at the carriage next to me.

Three carriages had all come to a stop for dinner.

Lunch was skipped, but since a battle was about to break out, it was better to have dinner now.

Jayden, who was driving the carriage, suggested it, and Claire agreed.

Even for a magician, it’s hard to concentrate on an empty stomach, so it was better to fill up a bit now.

Though it was just a light meal, not enough to make one overly full.

During the meal, Claire enjoyed soft bread dipped in venison stew, but her eyes never left the carriage next to her.

After a short dinner, they continued for another four hours.

Late at night, past midnight, a crescent moon hung in the sky.

As Claire stepped out of the carriage, an old—or rather, seemingly old—ruin loomed before her.

Claire lined up her subordinates behind her and amplified her voice with magic.

“Ophelia? I know you’re there. Come out. Your sister has come all this way, aren’t you going to greet her?”

She had no intention of entering the fake dungeon.

Since the last report, some time had passed, and who knows what traps might have been set inside.

If Ophelia didn’t come out, Claire was ready to bring the whole building down.

“You came even though you knew? Still as foolish as ever, sister.”

With a voice even more irritatingly similar to Claire’s, Ophelia emerged from the ruins.

Behind her, a line of knights and magicians followed.

Dressed similarly, with almost identical appearances, and their subordinates lined up behind them.

It was like looking in a mirror.

Except for the slight differences in hairstyle and height.

“Well… who’s the foolish one here? You think you can fight me with just that many?”

Claire slowly began to gather her magic.

The flow of her magic alone uprooted the reeds around her, sending them swirling.

Her dress fluttered, and her tied-up hair trembled violently.

A massive surge of energy rose.

Though she lacked talent compared to Ophelia, Claire was once considered a promising candidate for a high-ranking magician.

She had been frustrated by her sister’s genius, but thanks to Empress Isabella, she had overcome that wall.

Watching Claire flaunt her power, Ophelia simply laughed mockingly.

“That magic you worked so hard for must taste sweet to you, sister? To be so proud of it. How pitiful…”

Mocking her sister, Ophelia unleashed all the magic she had been holding back.

The reeds in the field burst apart as if crushed.

Her long, voluminous red hair flared up like flames, and an overwhelming amount of magic rippled through the air, revealing its form.

Her eyes glowed with a rainbow hue.

Ophelia van Sigmilus.

A genius predicted to become a grand magician since childhood.

Though she hadn’t yet overcome her psychological barriers to become a high-ranking magician, her magical power far exceeded the average of high-ranking magicians.

“…You’ve become quite the talker, Ophelia.”

Claire’s brow twitched slightly at the taunt, which brought back disgusting and vile memories.

It was like the disgust she felt when a cat she had been petting suddenly bit her hand.

She had broken all four of its legs and fed it to the hunting dogs.

“Well, you might be right. It is… sweet magic. Don’t worry, I’ll let you experience it soon.”

Claire stretched out her arm.

Sparks flew in the air as the gathered magic turned into black lightning.

Her subordinates drew their weapons and prepared their magic.

“Once you’ve had thirty husbands, maybe you’ll learn some manners.”

“Seeing how you are, sister, I doubt that will ever happen.”

Ophelia flicked her fingers.

A storm of magic gathered, and twenty spears appeared in the air.

Whirring with a sharp sound, the wind spears, wrapped in air blades, spun sharply, each one looking as if it could pierce through steel.

Ophelia’s magic didn’t end there.

As she raised her other arm, magic coiled around it, manifesting a new spell.

– Crackle!

Blue-white lightning coiled around her arm like a snake.

Mocking Claire, the number of lightning bolts matched the black lightning Claire had created.

Their power seemed equally matched.

Ophelia’s subordinates also drew their weapons, ready for battle.

To anyone watching, Ophelia had the upper hand.

While their subordinates were evenly matched, Ophelia’s own magical power was twice that of Claire’s.

“Well, you won’t know until you experience it.”

Claire laughed.

Her smile was the signal.

The black lightning Claire shot clashed with the blue lightning Ophelia threw, exploding into pieces.

With a sound like shattering glass, the canceled magic scattered across the ground, setting the reed field ablaze.

As Claire began casting a new spell, her subordinates unleashed a barrage of attacks toward Ophelia.

Dozens of magic spells filled the air, and arrows and javelins were fiercely launched.

Several knights drew their swords and charged at Ophelia.

“You’ll know once you experience it, sister!”

Ophelia shot back, directing the wind spears toward Claire’s subordinates.

As if preparing another spell, she gathered her magic once more.

Ophelia’s subordinates, not to be outdone, charged forward with equal fervor.

Not toward the enemies,

but toward the enemy.

A multitude of spells were unleashed simultaneously.

Aiming at Ophelia’s back, who was defenseless as she gathered her magic.

A shower of blood soaked the reed field.