Chapter 23

Navia tried to turn her head, but Wood’s order was faster.

“Hit her.”

(T/N: Wood here doesn’t actually say ‘her’ here but for English grammar purposes I added that here. I thought that mentioning this shows how Wood doesn’t see Navia as a human. BTW, Wood has never called Navia by her name. He always called her ‘low-life.’)

Pak!

Just like that, she lost consciousness.

Navia walked slowly to her room with the hairpin in her hand.

It felt like sharp thorn vines were spreading on the floor through her thin slippers.

No, it was like walking barefoot on a sheet of ice.

Vivian’s room and Navia’s room were opposite of the central staircase, so there was a considerable distance. The distance felt longer and more boring as she walked slowly with her short legs. But she couldn’t put enough energy into her steps.

She was tired. Only

“Yes, good girl.”

Nikan patted her head as if he was relieved and spoke to the servants again.

“Your salaries will be cut for three months.”

That was a moderate punishment.

“Thank you.”

Nikan left the bedroom, clicking his tongue.

He told Lyndon while heading to his bedroom instead of his office.

“We’re going to the Imperial Palace right away, get the clothes ready.”

“Yes, Master.”

Nikan planned to have a face-to-face meeting before the engagement on the day the Empress invited him. Nikan drew a satisfied smile.

“We can reduce the cost of lobbying for the Empress.”

Mana was not unique.

In the Lucia family, even if the quality was poor, it was good enough to use.

However, Nikan wanted the position that only one could have, the Prince’s fiancée.

The Empress took full advantage of that and pressed Nikan, citing other misgivings. Nikan was furious, but he had to postpone the face-to-face meeting until Navia was ready to be sent outside.

Is this how a knight feels walking back to camp after fighting a never-ending war?

‘Let’s hang in there a little longer.’

Navia paused and rubbed her tired eyes.

Her head was pounding and her body was sluggish. Then, she could see the crescent moon on her wrist. The symbol of the power to steal other people’s magic also proved it’s the 9th regression. Only .

The ninth life.

Yes, this is the last life.

‘Is this really living?’

“…uk!”

She suddenly felt nauseous.

Navia closed her mouth quickly and ran to her room. Then, she lost her balance and fell on the floor.

She closed her eyes tightly and blocked her face with her arms.

Thud!

Nikan, who was staring at Philippa and Maki lying on the floor, responded immediately to his daughter’s voice.

“Vivian! Are you okay?”

Vivian looked around her bedroom blankly. Her crying maids, nanny, Philippa, and the calm Navia were all looking at her.

‘Why is Sister here…?’

Her head was blank.

Vivian was unaware of the situation, but the moment Doctor Hans examined her, she realized that the situation was very strange.

“Why is everyone like that?”

Her eyes soon reached the sword in Nikan’s hand.

Looking at it, isn’t Daddy trying to kill Maki?

At that moment, she was convinced that the reason her father was trying to kill Maki was because of Navia.

She had been living the same life nine times already, so maybe something was broken?

But she couldn’t quit here.

‘Quitting is death.’

Navia slowly rose from the floor.

She then put the pin in her hair with a smooth motion like flowing water.  Her hands were neatly lowered and her head raised. She took a deep breath.

The air that entered her lungs woke her back to reality.

‘I don’t have time to be emotional.’

Navia pulled the corners of her mouth up. Even without forcing it, a smooth smile was drawn.

Yeah, it’s okay. I’m still fine.

I’m not broken.

Navia stood in front of her room and pulled the door.

Click.

“Where did you crawl out from?”

A voice was heard from right next to her.

“!”

‘That will end today, Empress Diana.’

He thought he would need more time, but the level of etiquette that Navia showed today exceeded Nikan’s expectations.

“Master, the carriage is waiting outside.”

Before Nikan left the mansion, he looked around the quiet hallway once. Vivian was soothed and Wood was dead silent as if yesterday’s warning worked. But you never know.

“Have a knight keep an eye on Wood so he doesn’t make another mess.”

“Yes, Master.”

Everything was going as planned.

Navia ignored the looks of resentment directed at her and left the bedroom.

When the door closed, Nikan let go of Vivian and told Philippa and the maids.

“Vivian saved your lives.”

Philippa and the maids bowed their heads.

“…thank you for your mercy.”

Nikan clicked his tongue looking at the pathetic things and turned back to Vivian.

“Vivi, it’s not like an Agnes to be jealous of Navia just because she received a gift.”

“But…”

“Of course your father will buy you a lot of better and prettier things, so how could you do that?”

Vivian wasn’t completely satisfied, but she was relieved to hear that he would buy her prettier and better things than Navia’s.

“Okay. Vivi won’t cry anymore.”

She always watched his ecstatic affection, like the brilliant sunshine and the scent of flowers of the center of the world, from afar. The brighter the brilliant family seats for them were, the darker the shade where Navia sat was.

She was the darkness here. That was the fate of stand-in.

Navia’s eyes were on Philippa and Maki.

They were relieved and had smiled on their faces.

Their loyalty to Vivian deepened, not to mention that their hatred for Navia also deepened.

“Navia.”

Nikan spoke to Navia while holding Vivian.

“The gifts I gave you are all yours. So you don’t have to return them.”

Vivian flinched for a moment but didn’t react any further. Because she felt instinctively that it was better to stop there.

Navia took a step back and greeted him with flawless and graceful movements.

“Thank you, Father.”

Nikan sodded satisfied.

“Yes, go back now.”

“Yes.”

The strong shock hit her arms and her whole body, but Navia didn’t scream.

She just squinted and got up slowly.

“……”

Right in front of her was the hairpin. The hairpin that she chose to trick everyone. Navia looked at the hairpin blankly and reached out to grab it. She could feel the smooth and firm texture of the hairpin with her fingers. This was Navia’s humble and insignificant spoil.

It was the result of fighting alone with a spear and shield between those who pointed their swords at her.

There were still days left to fight.

So she had to come to her senses. She had to stop thinking weakly. She had to be more evil and spiteful than those who tried to trample on her.

But her heart was worn out. Her feelings and her mental stability were running low.

The thorns made for survival dug into her flesh and blood seemed to be flowing out.

‘Will I be alright like this?’

Vivian began to shed sad tears again.

“Don’t kill Maki and Nanny! Uang!”

Nikan took a deep breath.

“…ha.”

It was a sigh to replace the curse that almost came out. No matter how young his daughter was… it’s unacceptable to defend a deceptive maid. However, he could not ignore his daughter’s words.

If he ignored his out of breath crying daughter, he felt like she would really go out of her mind if he disposed of them.

“Okay. Okay, so stop crying, Vivi. You’re going to faint again.”

Nikan, who held the crying Vivian, patted her on the back.

Whether that looked like a caring father…

Navia looked at the situation quietly as if she had already been forgotten.

She was used to this.