The Empress's Mettle

*What is this?* Verutan could scarcely believe it. The very first lesson Lilithia had ever taught her was this:

*"Whenever you make a decision, you must understand the weight of a life."*

Yet now, she was being ordered to kill a girl she’d never met—a stranger of unknown origin.

*Was she a hardened criminal? A condemned prisoner? Or perhaps… Demonfolk?* Verutan’s mind raced, grasping for possibilities.

The sword forged from blood lay in her hand. Light as mist compared to a true blade, yet she knew its power—it had once grazed her throat, leaving her life dangling by a thread.

Her heart hammered. She knew she should stay calm, but couldn’t. Her hand trembled around the crimson blade.

*"Can you make such a choice, Verutan? An Empress must kill often."* Lilithia’s voice was ice. *"A ruler may be kind, merciful, generous—but never truly kind."*

Verutan couldn’t fathom her contradictory words. She didn’t know what had happened to Lilithia—but she knew what she had to do now.

She swung the blood-forged sword.

Blood bloomed.

Splattering the floor.

*"Daring to raise your sword against me, Verutan? Do you think you’re strong enough to defy me?"*

Verutan had struck—not at the stranger, but at Lilithia. The sword, born of Lilithia’s own blood, dissolved into ordinary droplets on the stone.

Verutan seized the moment to put distance between them.

*"Who cares about you, damn woman! I’ll be Empress someday! No one controls my will! I kill only when* I *choose to!"*

She was willful.

Blood levitated in the air, coalescing into dozens of crimson blades. They all plunged toward Verutan.

***"FIREBALL!!!!"***

***BOOM!***

An explosion ripped through the chamber.

When others rushed in, Lilithia cradled the singed Verutan, explaining smoothly: *"Apologies. My forge malfunctioned."*

Only after promising reparations did she smooth over the incident.

Verutan awoke to find Lilithia seated by her bedside.

*"Why did you do that?"*

Her body ached with burns—a clear sign she’d harmed herself with the Fireball. Lilithia hadn’t touched her.

Lilithia’s crimson eyes held emotions Verutan couldn’t decipher. *"I wanted you to remember how you felt just now."*

*"What feeling?"*

*"The fury. The disgust. When you realized you’d have to kill an innocent. Remember your own kindness."*

Verutan frowned. *"What are you saying?"*

*"I mean—"* Lilithia’s hand tangled in Verutan’s hair. She struggled for words. Verutan waited, watching silently.

*"I mean… I’m not always right, Verutan."*

Verutan scoffed. *"Obviously. You might think you’re impressive, but I don’t agree with a single thought in that head of yours."*

*Still such a brat.*

*"Stay in bed if you know what’s good for you. Or I’ll ‘heal’ you with some… stimulating ointments."*

*"Don’t you know Life Magic?"*

*"Not for you."*

Silence thickened the air. Lilithia lifted a wand from Verutan’s pillow.

*"Here. The wand I promised. It’ll serve you until you become an Archmage. My first piece at this level—don’t tell anyone I made it. Military contracts limit my output."*

Verutan had never received a gift from Lilithia before.

The woman was notoriously stingy—even when spending lavishly, she haggled over every coin. Getting anything from her was rare.

The wand’s tip held a golden crown-shaped gem. Its shaft, woven from a rare magical plant’s branch into an elegant spiral, hid its Magic Array within. Only flowing, aesthetic carvings adorned its surface.

*Beautiful.*

Verutan fell in love instantly.

*"Try a small spell."*

*"Fireball."*

As the spell ignited, a tulip bloomed beside the flames.

*"My signature touch. Every spell blooms with a tulip—shaped just so. See? Your name’s carved deep inside the petals. Alter it, and the whole wand shatters."*

*She gets it.*

As a transmigrator, Verutan knew exactly how to make premium gear feel priceless: exclusive effects, personalized ownership. No one could ever claim this wand but her.

She hesitated. *"What’s your angle?"*

Lilithia reached to take it back. *"Don’t want it? I’ll salvage the materials. Could gift it—or sell it."*

*"No! Gifts aren’t taken back!"*

Lilithia ruffled Verutan’s hair. *"Consider it a reward… though I’m not sure it’s the right one. I wanted you to feel life’s weight."*

Her expression turned grave. *"Truth is, we’ve never seen real battle. My fault too. But survival comes first…"*

Classic Lilithia. *"...So I had to make you feel what it’s like to take a life. That girl? A Blood Magic puppet. I use her as a decoy. You think I’d let you kill me?"*

Verutan exhaled. *This* was the Lilithia she knew. The earlier version had been terrifying.

*"I don’t know how to raise an Empress. Maybe Fiore was wrong to entrust you to me. I was never meant to be royalty. Staying with me might make you weak. But… Fiore is a Sword Saint because he earned that strength. His choice to protect this nation? That’s his kindness—not an obligation."*

*"But if I become Empress… it won’t be by my own strength, will it?"*

*"Exactly. So you owe this nation a debt. I’m trying to make you a worthy Empress. To teach you what I think you must know."*

Verutan yanked the wand under her blanket, guarding it fiercely. *"Mind your own business, Lilithia. What kind of Empress I become is my choice. I’ll decide whether to accept your opinions. As your future sovereign, I’ll… consider your counsel as a common subject."*

*"That tsundere act of yours’ll be rotated out of the meta in two patches. Better fix it."*

*"What nonsense is that? I don’t understand."*

*"Be more honest."*

*"Impossible with a woman like you."*

*"…"*

The girls burst into laughter, eyes locked.

*"One more wish,"* Lilithia said softly. *"Consider it payment for the wand."*

Verutan’s face fell. *"So nothing’s ever free with you."*

*"Everything has a price. ‘Free’ things cost the most."*

*"What’s your wish?"*

*"If one day I force you to make that choice again… will you raise your sword against me? Prove your will. Tell me I’m wrong. Will you?"*

*"Don’t you have your Sun for that?"*

*"!"*

Lilithia’s eyes widened. Her face flushed crimson. *"H-how did you—?!"*

*"You talk in your sleep when you’re exhausted."*

Finally, Lilithia reacted like an ordinary girl—hands flying to cover her burning face, utterly adorable in her shame.

Peeking through her fingers, she whispered: *"Promise you’ll never tell. When I’m with him… I just want to make him smile. Seeing him feels like… sunlight banishing shadows. But when the sun sets…"* Her voice wavered. *"Can you cut the shadows for me in the dark?"*

Verutan understood the unspoken plea.

*"Then swear loyalty to me when that day comes, Lilithia."*

*"That’s extortion!"*

*"‘Everything has a price,’ you said. One wand can’t match the Sun’s radiance."*

Lilithia stood, shooting Verutan a glare. *"Fine. Then my special roast meat and bone broth tonight is mine alone."*

*"No! I agree! Save me some!"*