I was confident that would finally make her expression crack. Even just a little. But it didn't. It felt like I knew nothing about this Hera at all. She looked at me coldly, so cold that it felt as if the world itself had frozen the moment she chose to stand there. The forest seemed to hold its breath with her. Her lips moved slowly, deliberately, as if she were choosing each word with care.

"You're right," she said. "I do need you for this. But not to shield the curse. And not to steal the glory of killing them."

She drew in a deep breath, then let it out in a measured exhale. That single motion made my nerves tighten, a quiet warning ringing in my chest before I even understood why.

"I want you to kill me," she continued calmly. "The moment they all fall."

For a heartbeat, my body forgot how to function. Even my knees almost gave out beneath me as her words sank in. It felt like the ground had shifted without warning, like reality itself had slipped one step out of place.

It was a bombshell, one I never could have imagined coming from her mouth. What game is she playing?

"I thought you came here with a request," I said, my voice sharpening despite my effort to keep it steady. "But you're mocking me openly now? Do you really think I'm stupid enough to believe that?" A dry laugh almost escaped me, caught somewhere between disbelief and irritation. "Kill you? Why in the world would you ever allow me to do that?"

The question hung between us, heavy and unresolved, but my thoughts were already racing far ahead of my words. If I did kill her, what would actually happen? Would the world simply erase me in return?

Would I die with her… or would I replace her as a new main character?

That possibility sent a quiet chill through me.

By now, I was certain of one thing. This was not the Hera from the original novel. Not the one written to burn through demons without hesitation and stand unchallenged at the center of the story. No, this Hera was different.

And the more she spoke, the clearer it became that she had likely reached the same conclusion about me.

We are the same...

Her hands lowered slowly until they hung at her sides, fingers brushing against the air as if she were letting go of something heavy. Her gaze softened, not into kindness, but into something far more unsettling.

"Doesn't that tempt you?" she asked quietly.

She took a single step forward.

My muscles tensed at once, instincts snapping tight. My fingers shifted, ready to strike the moment she crossed an invisible line. I did not retreat, but every part of me prepared for violence.

"No matter how it sounds," she continued evenly, "I have a goal. And killing me is not what you think it is." Her eyes never left mine. "All I ask is this. Once I absorb all the holy curses, you put my blade through my chest. That's all."

The words settled slowly, sinking in one by one.

"It's a win-win situation," she added, almost gently. "For both of us."

My chest tightened.

"And besides," she went on, her voice lowering just a fraction, "it's not as if you have much of a choice." Her gaze shifted past me, landing on Elira's still form without hesitation. "Are you sure you can protect her?"

The question was not loud. It did not need to be.

Beelzebub reacted instantly, baring his fangs with a low snarl, body positioned squarely between Hera and Elira. His intent was clear. He would tear her apart if she took even one more step.

Hera did not flinch. She smirked.

She could kill Elira if she wanted to. Right now... I felt it with a clarity that made my stomach twist. Even if I struck first, even if I poured everything I had into stopping her, there was no guarantee I could end this without another fight erupting right here.

And if that happened…

Beelzebub would be the only one left to protect her.

If he had to fight, truly fight, then there would be no one watching Elira. No one guarding her body. No one to intervene if something went wrong.

And if she did not wake up in time…

I shut the thought down before it could finish forming.

The forest felt tighter suddenly, the darkness pressing in as if it were listening, waiting to see which path I would choose. Hera stood there calmly, patience etched into her posture, fully aware that she had placed me exactly where she wanted me.

Between temptation and duty.

Between power and protection.

Between killing her… and losing everything that mattered to me.

"Fine. Let's say I agree," I said at last, the words leaving my mouth with clear reluctance. "How do you plan on gathering all of them in one place in the middle of this madness?"

I gestured slightly toward the forest behind her without taking my eyes off her face. "Everything back there is chaos. Every single person is hunting someone else. No one is thinking straight. Why would they suddenly drop everything and come fight us together?"

Her hand slipped beneath her robes, slow and deliberate, and she pulled out something small.

A statue?

At first glance it looked insignificant, miniature in size, worn by time. But the moment my eyes settled on it, I felt a subtle pressure crawl along my spine. It was carved from pale stone, its surface smoothed by age, shaped into the form of a lion. Ancient. Old enough that the air around it felt heavier, as if it remembered things the forest had long forgotten.

"Follow me," she said calmly. "Your hamster can protect her."

She bent down, picked up her sword from where it rested against the roots, and turned without waiting for my answer. Her figure slipped back toward the darkness between the trees, unhurried, confident.

"It's your choice," she added over her shoulder. "After I activate this, everyone will gather in my direction. Trust me." Her tone did not ask for belief, it assumed it. "So what will you do then?"

She took another step forward, the lion statue hidden once more in her palm.

"Follow me, Beatrice. You have no other choice but to dance to my flute." She glanced back just enough for me to see the edge of her expression. "And don't give me that look. I don't care whether you're reluctant or not."

I ground my teeth, heat flaring in my chest as I stepped forward despite myself.

"Protect her," I said firmly, not looking away from Hera as I spoke.

Beelzebub's answer was immediate. He planted himself even closer to Elira, wings slightly spread, body tense and alert. He would not move from her side.

Then I turned and followed Hera into the forest, my steps quick, controlled, rage simmering just beneath the surface. Hatred burned hot in my veins, sharp and focused. I did not care anymore whether she was the real Hera or some twisted version of her. I did not care what game she was playing or what truth hid behind her eyes.

If sinking a blade into her chest was the price of keeping Elira safe, I would pay it without hesitation.

She had crossed the line.

Threaten me all you want. Play with fate. Twist the world until it breaks. But if you ever lay a finger on her, if you so much as touch a single hair on her head, I will make sure you do not die quietly.

I will break you piece by piece until you beg me to end it. And only then will I decide whether you deserve that mercy.

Suddenly, the forest ahead ignited in golden brilliance.

A thunderous roar tore through the trees from the direction Hera had vanished into, so powerful it made the ground shudder beneath my feet. The trunks trembled, branches snapping and bowing as if kneeling before something far greater than themselves.

A violent gust followed, wind sharp enough to cut into my face like blades. I felt skin split, felt blood well, and then felt it vanish just as quickly, flesh knitting itself back together as if the wounds had never existed at all.

The wind died. Silence followed, heavy and absolute. Then the sky itself seemed to bend.

High above the forest, golden spectral energy gathered, swirling and condensing until it took shape. A massive lion emerged from the light, its form colossal and radiant, every line of its body carved from divine brilliance. Its eyes burned like twin suns, and its presence alone pressed against my chest, forcing breath from my lungs.

And in that moment, understanding hit me.

That item...

My gaze sharpened as memory surged forward. I had seen this before, in the book. In the Emperor's hands. The most coveted relic in the entire Holy Lands. The symbol of absolute authority. The key to power itself.

The one who wielded it was not merely strong. They were sovereign. Ruler of all. My heart sank. How in the world did she have it?

She couldn't have stolen it. Right?

"What the hell, Hera?!"

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