146.

“Time keeps repeating through magic.”

And during those repetitive cycles, Elze continuously interacted with Dante, Lucian, and Benedict, the key figures of the regression spell.

If, over the countless iterations, Elze also began to absorb magic as a result?

Theoretically, it was an incredibly rare possibility.

But still…

‘Could that really happen?!’

To Marguerite, Elze had always been nothing more than an insect clinging to Dante.

A mere plaything, occasionally breaking the monotony of her endlessly repetitive days.

But now.

That ‘plaything’ was pointing a gun at her.

…It was a thoroughly disgusting feeling.

Marguerite clenched her teeth tightly.

Regardless, Elze’s unwavering gaze remained fixed solely on Dante.

“Listen, enough with the nonsense already.”

Gone was her usual flowery smile.

Elze, her face full of unrestrained fury, shot back at Dante once more.

“Taking the easy way out by dying? That’s too selfish.”

“…That’s—”

“Of course, I have no intention of forgiving you right now. But still.”

Elze paused, then asked sharply.

“Isn’t dying to conveniently atone and escape guilt far too selfish?”

“…”

Dante bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

At the same time, Elze turned her gaze to Benedict and Lucian.

“And the two of you. How much longer will you let Marguerite manipulate you?”

“…My lady,” Lucian called her, his voice trembling.

Elze coldly drew a line.

“I doubt I’ll ever forgive you in my lifetime. But.”

At the same time, her amber eyes gleamed with a sharp edge.

“Watching you lose to Marguerite like this… is something I detest even more.”

Lucian and Benedict.

Their gazes wavered violently, like a storm-tossed sea.

Faced with their turmoil, Marguerite’s face twisted with indignation.

‘Ha, to think I’d be pushed to this by that insect.’

Marguerite, glaring daggers at Elze, hurriedly summoned her magic.

Now was the perfect opportunity, with the three men still connected to the magic circle.

Though Lucian had declared he would no longer supply magic, Marguerite had witnessed countless rebellions by Dante during the hundreds of regressions.

She had always anticipated the possibility of the three turning against her.

‘It’s fine. I can still activate the spell now.’

Although it would take a toll on her body, Marguerite decided it was better to rewind time immediately.

She began interfering with the magic circle.

The circle greedily absorbed her magic.

Her power drained, her entire body throbbed with a sharp pain.

But then.

‘…?’

Nothing happened.

The surroundings remained eerily silent.

Marguerite stared at the magic circle in disbelief.

For the first time, the magic that had always obeyed her will refused to respond.

‘What is this?’

At that moment.

The magic began to violently surge back.

“Ugh!”

The massive power Marguerite had siphoned from Lucian, Dante, and Benedict amplified within the circle, forming a colossal wave.

That wave crashed over Marguerite in an instant.

‘What… is this?!’

Marguerite tried desperately to control the magic.

But instead of heeding her, the magic began to devour her.

It ran wild, like an unbridled horse, and for the first time, Marguerite’s ever-composed emerald eyes filled with terror.

Along with that, the surging magic wreaked havoc within her body.

“Cough!”

She doubled over, a violent cough racking her frame.

Reflexively covering her mouth, she slowly pulled her hand away.

Her pale palm was stained with bright red blood.

“…”

Her trembling green eyes darted around the magic circle.

And there, standing on the circle with her practical, flat shoes, was Elze.

Marguerite slowly lifted her gaze.

Their eyes met.

Elze smiled.

“I’ve always been curious.”

Woom—

Simultaneously, the magic circle began to rumble loudly.

A new presence with magical power.

Elze was connecting to the magic circle.

“This magic circle always seemed to operate solely based on the four of you.”

“No… this can’t…”

Marguerite murmured, her face stricken with shock.

Elze’s smile deepened.

“What happens if a third party with magic power intervenes… I wonder?”

Starting from where Elze stood, a brilliant white light began to emanate from the circle.

The dazzling light enveloped their vision.

And then.

Clang!

The world shook violently.

Though time was supposed to have been stopped, leaving no room for movement.

And yet…

Despite the expectation that someone might immediately lash out to stop Elze, the room was strangely silent.

“Marguerite?”

Lucian looked at Marguerite with suspicion.

She stood frozen in place.

She didn’t even seem to register Lucian’s voice.

Her dazed emerald eyes wandered aimlessly through the void.

‘Ah.’

What Marguerite was seeing now was not the fake world she had been forcibly tied to.

Far away, the sunny landscape of Sevrang stretched before her.

The real world.

The place where Marguerite’s true happiness resided.

‘Marguerite.’

Her parents, whom she had left behind in Sevrang, opened their arms wide, welcoming their only daughter.

‘You’ve been through so much, haven’t you?’

‘…’

Marguerite stared at the vision with an indescribable mix of emotions.

‘Mother, Father.’

Her bloodied lips moved faintly.

At the same time, a concerned voice rang out.

‘Hey, why do you look so foolish?’

Her older brother, the sole heir to Sevrang’s throne, who had chosen his people in his final moments.

Her mischievous yet kind older brother, looked at her with worry in his eyes.

‘Brother.’

A smile slowly spread across Marguerite’s face, which had been steeped in despair.

A bright, flawless smile.

“…At last.”

Marguerite murmured, her voice filled with rapture.

“At last, I can go back…”

For so long, she had wandered through an unfamiliar maze with no landmarks.

She had been so tired, so weary, that she had often thought of giving up entirely.

But look.

At this moment, the people she missed were standing right before her eyes.

Thud.

Marguerite collapsed to the floor as if her strength had finally given out.

Elze’s interference in the magic circle had disrupted the already unstable regression spell.

The backlash struck directly at the core of the circle: Marguerite herself.

Yet there was no trace of pain on Marguerite’s face.

Instead, the sensation flooding her body was…

A fierce liberation, the feeling of finally being freed from this fake world.

“Truly, truly…”

Her emerald eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

“I missed you so much.”

With those final words.

Marguerite gently closed her eyes.

It was an unremarkably quiet death for the brilliant archmage who had rewound time dozens, even hundreds of times.

However, the slumbering Marguerite seemed to have shed all her past torment and sorrow.

Her expression was nothing but serene.

“…”

“…”

Benedict and Lucian stared at Marguerite with emotions they couldn’t quite articulate.

The woman who had gripped their leashes their entire lives, controlling them as she pleased.

…There would be no more meetings with her.

And yet.

Clang!

The sharp sound of metal hitting stone rang out.

Elze had thrown the magic gun she had been holding onto the ground.

The rough sound snapped Benedict and Lucian out of their thoughts.

“L-Lady.”

“We…”

The two men, about to say something, fell silent of their own accord.

Elze had marched straight up to Dante, grabbed him by the collar, and yanked him toward her.

“What is this mess?”