“Give it back to me. I believe I understand the issue now.”
“…”
With the negotiation concluding after merely a few words, Elena smiled, parting her lips once more.
Lunara gently patted Seril’s stiff shoulder.
This gesture was not only a silent plea to endure together but also a reminder to prioritize the greater good over any desire for vengeance against Elena.
“Hmm.”
Ultimately, without a single word, Seril tilted the vial into Elena’s waiting mouth, allowing the second dose of Lumensid to trickle in.
Having consumed it, Elena consciously controlled her magical energy, letting the Lumensid that coursed through her body remain unmanaged.
“Mana reaction confirmed.”
Only then, witnessing the Lumensid finally begin to show a reaction, did Seril let out a small gasp.
True to theory, the Lumensid began its work, surging and spreading throughout Elena’s entire body along her mana meridians the moment it was absorbed, starting a rampant escalation.
As Elena’s mana meridians were of a far higher caliber than those of an ordinary person, no damage or entanglement occurred. Seril, utilizing a detector to measure the intensity and velocity of the surge, swiftly gathered the crucial data needed to fine-tune the Lumensid’s concentration.
“She’s not even batting an eye?”
Yet, the most astonishing aspect was Elena’s ability to remain utterly still, her expression tranquil, even as she endured a pain that felt akin to a knife scraping against her veins.
“It’s not as if it doesn’t bother me.”
Elena let out a small chuckle at Seril’s reaction, whose face had paled as if utterly repulsed.
The sensation was akin to having her mana extracted by Bargon’s specialized mana extractor.
While it certainly wasn’t painless, for Elena, such a degree of suffering was nothing more than a minor stimulation.
If she truly set her mind to it, she could even perceive it as a pleasant massage. Indeed, the only evidence of her discomfort was a faint sheen of cold sweat.
“To have even mildly irritated Your Great Majesty, what a profound honor.”
Seril found herself utterly unable to offer a pleasant response to Elena’s words.
This was the first Lumensid experiment.
It was clear that as she adapted to the concentration adjustments, the pain Elena experienced would undoubtedly diminish.
Given her current reaction, it was obvious that after merely a few repetitions, she would likely cease to feel any sensation whatsoever.
“Krasen, that slick bastard, you killed him in a single blow just for touching your body, so why do you endure something like this?”
After gathering all the necessary data, Seril confirmed the drug’s effects were gradually subsiding. She then sighed, preparing to conclude the experiment.
As she did so, she casually tossed out a remark, her tone suggesting genuine bewilderment.
In truth, Seril wasn’t so much expecting a proper answer; her words were more akin to a soliloquy, an involuntary outburst prompted by the sheer absurdity of the situation.
“Because I’m sorry?”
Yet, the instant Elena, a subtle curve playing on her lips, spoke those words—
Seril froze, utterly stunned.
****
“I was merely speaking the truth.”
Seril, already mentally fragile, finally snapped in that last moment.
So furious was Seril that she lunged at Elena, prompting Lunara and every member of the administration staff to rush in, forcibly dragging her away and isolating her.
“You…”
Her clothes disheveled and hair tousled, Lunara returned, panting heavily, and glared at Elena, who was muttering with a feigned air of regret.
“Why, exactly, are you doing this? To me, to Seril—are the wounds and suffering we’ve endured over the years nothing more than fleeting amusement and a source of mockery for you?”
As they were alone at that moment, Lunara unleashed her cold fury upon Elena, who remained bound to her chair.
Even if Elena was offering an apology, claiming remorse, her demeanor was the true issue.
To any observer, her words completely lacked sincerity.
An apology and expression of regret devoid of genuine feeling would, as Lunara herself stated, ultimately register as nothing more than mockery.
“I’ve never spoken a lie.”
At that, Elena’s smile vanished, and she quietly looked up at Lunara, speaking.
“There’s no longer any need for masks, no need for painstaking schemes or constant vigilance. So why would I bother? Think carefully: who is truly unable to see things as they are, still clinging to the past?”
Elena made no effort to conceal her true feelings from the startled Lunara.
In truth, Elena was currently imbued with genuine sincerity in every word and deed.
Was she feeling a human sense of regret for the actions she had committed before her transmigration, and for those she had undertaken in the past, deeming them necessary for her future plans? Yes, that was indeed true.
However, it was equally clear that she had no intention of engaging in deep remorse and genuine self-reproach for those transgressions, nor would she offer the ‘eternal atonement with true sincerity’ that the revolutionary army so often spoke of.
As for the sins committed before her transmigration, there was nothing to say.
Her conviction also remained unshaken that the countless actions she took after transmigrating—to become a diligent final boss who would foster the protagonist’s party—and the various events that transpired along the way, were the absolute best she could do, given her sudden transmigration.
‘How convenient. A life lived without a care.’
Such an attitude, one that would leave others like Lunara utterly dumbfounded and speechless, was purely a result of Elena having now entered ‘enjoyment mode,’ having shed all her burdens.
Furthermore, Elena didn’t perceive this as inherently wrong.
After all, she had come to realize just how comfortable and enjoyable it was to live as a troublemaker (TL Note: A Korean slang term, ‘buntangchung,’ referring to someone who stirs up trouble or causes chaos for their own amusement or benefit).
“Even for a single moment, I was wrong to believe you might repent and change.”
Her voice trembling, Lunara simply walked out of the laboratory.
With that, Elena’s second day of labor and her daily routine concluded.
“Director, even still, this is…”
“There’s no choice. The labor must continue, and daily performance reports are mandatory.”
Yet, regardless of Lunara’s fury over Elena’s attitude, the undeniable truth remained: Elena held firm control over the initiative within Tartara.
Just as Elena had stated, Lunara, caught in the middle, was bound to report to and be overseen by the Republican Government’s upper echelons regarding Tartara’s operation and management. To achieve this, negotiations with Elena were an unavoidable necessity.
The same held true now.
Near the central altar on the 100th floor, where Elena remained sealed in an unmoving posture, staff members, acting on Lunara’s instructions, began to bring in and set up tables and chairs.
This was no ordinary table; it was a piece of high-quality furniture, crafted from premium hardwoods, designed by a renowned artisan, and completed with elegant embellishments and a meticulous finish.
This was Lunara’s deliberate decision, stemming from her intent to execute what had already been determined flawlessly, leaving no possible room for fault.
“Perfect.”
Released from her seal and having shed her mask, Elena gazed at the table and chairs, a contented smile gracing her lips.
And so, as expected, Elena now sat comfortably in the chair, partaking in a lavish feast, personally fed to her by Lunara.
In this situation, aside from the gloomy and somber magical energy pervading the lowest level of the labyrinth, and the fact that she was tightly bound by restraints and a straitjacket, it was hardly different from dining in the Imperial Palace.
“You seem more capable than I thought. No matter how necessary this was, I wouldn’t have expected the Republican Government’s upper echelons to permit something like this so easily and quickly. Especially Kyle, that old fossil.”
“…Everyone is simply enduring for the greater good.”
Lunara, who had fed Elena sliced vegetables dipped in sauce, did not offer a lengthy reply to Elena’s words, accompanied by a teasing smile.
She had no intention of being manipulated by that wicked tongue any longer.
‘The higher-ups seem more fixated on the results of the labor than on the prisoner’s punishment and repentance.’
However, there was a truth she couldn’t bring herself to voice.
She had reported that cooperation with the prisoner, Elena, was necessary for smooth labor, and had worried that if the situation escalated, she might even face a hearing. Yet, upon receiving reports on the extracted mana and new drug experiments, the higher-ups were exceedingly pleased.
Furthermore, they merely offered encouragement to continue managing Tartara and Elena to ensure the project proceeded without a hitch.
In reality, few truly cared how much Elena regretted her actions or how deeply she repented.
‘She doesn’t seem to be good at managing her expressions.’
Elena glanced at Lunara’s face, which had darkened unconsciously, then chuckled, savoring the food in her mouth.
From Elena’s perspective, Lunara was quite an interesting person.
Someone harboring internal conflict, who would react predictably with a simple prod.
“What’s this?”
“These are additional restraints for you.”
Thus, Elena tended to view Lunara’s actions with amusement and fondness.
She simply smiled as Lunara fastened choker-like leather belts, intricately enchanted on the inner lining just like her straitjacket, around both of Elena’s thighs.
“So, what’s on the schedule today?”
“Mana extraction.”
After muzzling Elena, fitting her with a mask, and locking it, Lunara watched as staff members arrived to escort her.
Another ordinary day in Tartara had begun.
“What?”
“It’s true. Demonic mana has leaked, and chaos has erupted!”
However, that morning, as Lunara watched Elena quietly perform her mana extraction labor, her eyes widened upon hearing a report from outside.
‘A foolish mistake. But then again, they probably don’t even know what it is, so it’s only natural, I suppose?’
Elena, who had shifted into her spiritual form and escaped from her body undergoing mana extraction, overheard everything from beside the serious-faced administration executives.
The cause of the incident was the mana extracted from Elena and transported to the research lab.
Her mana, imbued with demonic power, was insufficient with mere refinement and purification.
Consequently, it was a power that had to be handled with extreme caution and meticulous care.
If mishandled and exposed, those poisoned by the demonic energy would instantly transform into corrupted demons.
“The entire Third Mana Application Research Institute in the Nerusis region has been sealed by automatic security magic, and 71 individuals, including researchers, guards, and staff, were killed just before fully demonizing. However, three are still reported missing.”
“It’s over. They’ve likely already fully demonized and are going through the adaptation period, then.”
Elena scoffed at the excited staff member’s words.
Of course, no one reacted to her words, as she was a spiritual entity.
“How is the Republican Government responding?”
“From what I hear, they’re trying to control information to prevent chaos and somehow resolve the situation.”
“They’re trying to hide the fact that three mana-corrupted demons have vanished? That’s absurd. Nerusis is a huge city with hundreds of thousands of residents!”
Lunara was horrified by the answer.
A demon completely consumed by demonic energy was a ticking time bomb.
They would become monsters craving human blood and siphoning mana, capable of slaughtering countless individuals in a short span.
But Lunara was merely the director of the Tartara administration office.
There was nothing she could do.
“That won’t be all, though.”
Upon hearing that, Elena let out a faint chuckle.
The biggest problem with demons wasn’t just that they were rampaging monsters.
They could autonomously emit demonic energy, polluting the air and soil, and continuously create second and third generations of demons.
Purifying such corruption required incredibly strong divine power.
The problem was that in the current era, with the dwindling number of priests, securing such immense divine power was exceedingly difficult.
“What a mess.”
Elena, scoffing at the Republican Government’s predicament, returned to her body and indulged in a full-body massage.
She relished the thought of others struggling and losing their hair, while she comfortably enjoyed this healing.
