“Ah ha ha ha ha ha!”
A giant green lizard-like creature clutched me in its massive forelegs as it raced across the sea. The squishy feeling was disgusting, but I was so exhilarated I didn’t care—I was laughing hysterically. I even found the sea breeze on my cheeks refreshing.
“I’ve finally regained my strength!”
I’ve finally gained a new body!
As I shouted whatever my heart desired, someone behind me shouted too.
When I’d faced my traitorous son, I’d summoned the beasts as if driven by instinct. Whether it was me, or the power of the pitch-black figure clinging to my neck from behind, I couldn’t tell.
After the giant lizard had grabbed me, it’d charged down a steep slope and suddenly headed for the sea. I’d been shocked when it plunged from the sandy shore into the ocean—I’d never imagined it could run on water. Thanks to that, we escaped.
“I feel like I could do anything now!”
That voice, echoing as if inside my head—was it my own emotion, or someone else’s thought?
“I’ll kill you!” Yet what I heard was my own clear voice, along with something like a distorted echo under it. “My aunt was the root of all this!”
My grandfather, who never acknowledged me!
So, the shadow behind me was targeting my father-in-law. I murmured this to myself, but my voice didn’t echo.
I could feel that the figure was drenched in hatred and murderous intent. Yet I felt no fear, nor any desire to tear it away. Because I didn’t hate it. Actually, I found it rather pleasant.
It must have been because my heart had been stained with hatred by betrayal after betrayal from my children. Even now, my hatred grew—for the children who’d betrayed me after I bore them in pain, for my legal husband, for my aunt.
Still, was it just my imagination that the more I hated them, the greater the power the ring supplied became?
As I gazed dreamily at the familiar peach-brown ring, the surge of emotion welled up again. Could this be a farewell gift from that girl, Sienna? Her hair had been the color of this ring...
I touched the black arm at my neck, and the shadow’s grip loosened. Glancing behind me, I saw the silhouette was indeed Sienna’s.
“Hey, Sienna?”
“Yes, mother?”
“Ah, it really is you, Sienna!”
“Yes. Hey, mother. Can I kill my foster sister later too?”
That was the same tone she’d always used when begging insistently for something—it had used to annoy me sometimes. How strange that now I found it endearing.
“Of course!” I told her. “That worthless girl deserves to die!”
“I’m so happy! You love me, don’t you, mother?”
“Of course! You’re my only daughter, Sienna!”
“Hee hee hee, I’m glad. You’re happy I’m here beside you, aren’t you? Mother, will you stay with me forever?”
“Of course I’m happy! We’ll always be together!”
Her black lips curled into a twisted grin.
It’s a promise.
Those words seemed to echo loudly in my head. Then Sienna’s outline faded, and she slipped into the ring with a soft whoosh.
“Ouch!” At that moment the ring seemed to tighten, and the sharp sting made me cry out involuntarily.
Half unconsciously, I touched my left middle finger and the ring. I tried twisting it around, but nothing changed. For a second, I considered taking it off, but then I remembered I was in the giant lizard’s grasp.
If I removed it, the magic might break and I could be attacked. I might even sink into the sea.
“I’m sure the land beyond this sea is the domain where auntie and uncle reside,” I murmured. “First, I’ll let this beast attack them... Ah, I’ll set other beasts upon them too.” Imagining auntie’s distorted face, twisted with terror, made my mood soar higher and higher.
If only I could use teleportation—but bringing a beast along would have been simply impossible. While it was wonderful that I could use magic now, the fact that my magic was so weak was a problem.
“That’s right! Hate more and more!”
Every time I felt hatred, the power flowing from the ring into my body increased. The power circulating through my body stirred up my loathing, urging me to hate even more. What was this power, similar to magic yet somehow different?
No, it didn’t matter. Now, I might even be able to use magic beyond the basic level. There was still time before I reached my destination.
Until then, the ring grew hotter and hotter, as if Sienna was cheering me on.