Chapter 26

The vortex at the center of the world is separated from the other regions of the continent by a place called the “Abyss.”

The terrifying creatures resembling giant black goats, shrouded in black mist, originally came from the center of the world, known as the “Ancient Creatures.” After emerging victorious in the power struggles among the authorities, the center of the world selected a new deity—a proud ruler. This deity exiled some of the Ancient Creatures to the Abyss.

The leader of the Abyss, the Lord of the Abyss, is the king who governs this Abyss region. After receiving the arrogant order, the Lord drove the Ancient Creatures to the darkest and most barren edge of the Abyss to perish on their own. This edge region was sealed off by magical barriers created by human mages.

The incident this time occurred when Theresa, by chance, opened a one-way gate leading to the Abyss. Mustafa, who had been imprisoned outside the illusion, sensed that his master was being threatened by the Abyss and, disregarding everything, broke free from his cage and tore through the barrier to enter.

As a result, the crack in the barrier that he tore open happened to connect to the Abyss. The hungry and savage Ancient Creatures rushed through the crack, slaughtering and devouring the students training in the illusion, like locusts ravaging the land, creating a horrific scene.

“For the Ancient Creatures, humans are more delicious and more attractive than magic beasts,” Deritz said. “That’s why they slaughtered your fellow humans so mercilessly, yet didn’t attack the heavily injured Mustafa at the time.”

Talli fell silent.

So far, everything that Dusk had said lined up with what she had read in the novel.

In the novel, Theresa had indeed accidentally opened a gate leading to the Abyss within the illusion. However, that gate could only be entered, not exited. At the time, Mustafa was also in the illusion. Theresa, by chance, became separated and entered the Abyss alone. Mustafa, of course, didn’t tear the barrier apart and release the Ancient Creatures to wreak havoc on the human world as he had done now.

…From this perspective, it seems the plot of the novel has indeed been altered.

This time, not only did humanity suffer heavy casualties, but Theresa also lost the opportunity to meet the last male lead—the Lord of the Abyss—because the Ancient Creatures didn’t manage to enter the Abyss.

However, a deviation from the plot doesn’t necessarily mean the ending will be distorted. Just like how Mustafa was eventually given to Theresa as a gift, the story’s direction would still lead to one final conclusion.

“And what about you?”

Talli asked, turning her face to look at Deritz. “Didn’t you say you also come from the Abyss?”

“Yes.”

Deritz paused for a moment.

“In the Abyss, I was one of the twelve magic beasts under the Lord of the Abyss.”

The Lord of the Abyss is an amorphous entity born from the most concentrated and corrupted malice in the Abyss. It took thousands of years to absorb the continuous flow of magical power from the world’s vortex, slowly taking on a human form, and began to rule over the Abyss region.

In the novel, when Theresa first entered the Abyss, she encountered danger and was saved by the Lord of the Abyss, who controlled magic beasts and descended from the sky.

The Lord of the Abyss had never seen humans before and became curious about Theresa, bringing her back to his palace, observing and caring for her as if she were his pet.

During this process, Theresa gradually healed the tormented and gloomy Lord of the Abyss with her care and love, winning his affection.

“So, are you going back to the Abyss now?”

Talli asked.

“Yes.”

“…”

Talli turned her face back, gave a small hum, and said,

“Alright then. Go back to your true master.”

She’s not sure how much of what He said was true, and how much was false. From what Talli knows of the storyline, there doesn’t seem to be any obvious flaws.

For now, she’ll trust Him, but her guard can’t be fully lowered.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you feel a bit reluctant to part with Dusk?”

The young man suddenly turned his face toward her, his eyes narrowed with a mischievous smile, drawing out the last syllable.

“He never considered me his master, so what right do I have to feel reluctant about him?”

Talli didn’t look at Him, her eyelashes lowered as her gaze fixed on the crackling firewood pile, the sparks flickering with light. Her emotions were hard to read.

“Anyway, Theresa opened the one-way gate leading to the Abyss and didn’t manage to close it. You stay here to find the gate and return to the Abyss, back to your master, while I leave this illusion and go back to my life.”

To continue facing the terrifying humans who devour others whole, more dreadful than the Ancient Creatures.

“That’s a good idea.”

Deritz praised.

“But you’re probably going to be disappointed.”

“…What?”

“I said, can’t you tell?”

Deritz leaned his body slightly toward her, tilting his head as he spoke slowly. “There’s not a single person here. Not a soul has come to look for you all day. Not even your surviving classmates. You haven’t seen a shadow of anyone.”

Talli froze.

“You’ve realized it, haven’t you? They’ve all been taken away by the academy and their families. After such a big incident, it’s impossible to wait until the deadline to seal off the illusion’s exit.”

“So—”

Talli lifted her head.

“So,”

Deritz’ smile was faint, almost as if it were floating on the corner of his lips,

“For the safety of the outside world, and for the sake of the Saint’s reputation, Talli, you’ve been abandoned here.”

“You’ve been left alone in this vast, unfinished illusion.”

He saw the girl’s deep purple eyes tremble, blink, and for a brief moment, a flicker of surprise and mild unease appeared in her gaze. However, it was so quick that it almost felt like his illusion, and soon, the emotions in her eyes shifted into calm understanding.

She hugged her knees, lowering her eyelashes.

In the firelight, her eyelashes seemed like butterflies that paused on her eyes for a brief moment, lightly fluttering their wings, making it feel as though with a blink, the butterfly would take flight.

“It’s only natural. There’s nothing surprising about it.”

Talli’s voice was low and muffled, as if speaking to Him, but also as if speaking to herself. “In their hearts, I’ve always been a sacrifice, an expendable replacement. Compared to Theresa’s reputation, my life is insignificant. However, even a sacrifice is not always in demand.”

She paused for a moment before continuing, “They probably just haven’t found me yet, so they left me here for now. Maybe once they repair the rift that Mustafa tore open, they’ll come to take me out.”

After all, for the Fred family, she still held some value they could use.

The young man hesitated slightly, pressing his lips together.

“Then aren’t you angry? Theresa. You saved her, and yet you’ve been abandoned by the family, left in this illusion.”

“She doesn’t have much say in her witch family either,” Talli replied. “I saw it a long time ago. Theresa was pampered by her family and chosen as the Saintess, but it wasn’t because she was Theresa.”

“—It was only because she had inherited magic from the Fred family.”

“My magic is in me, and I’m the one being pampered. Now, she’s the one who’s fallen to this fate,” Talli shook her head. “Besides, even if I had left her to die, I wouldn’t have escaped the fate of being sacrificed.”

And besides, Theresa is the main character, and the main character in such situations is always bound to survive.

“Have you thought it through? How you’ll survive in this strange place until they fix the rift and come to take you back—if that’s the case.”

Deritz asked her again.

Talli hesitated for a moment, then her gaze quickly became firm, reflecting the burning flames.

“Mm,” she said. “I’m mentally prepared.”

Since she had to stay here anyway, she might as well continue with her original plan, search for the remaining temples, and gather more information about the Arrogant Monarch and the World Vortex.

“Well then, Talli,”

The young man leaned closer to her, his voice teasing, drifting coolly into her ear in the night wind.

“Since you have to stay here, why not continue together? Take me back to the Abyss, as a way to repay me for saving you so many times. What do you say?”

A look of surprise appeared on the girl’s face for half a second.

She looked up at the young man’s face.

Deritz gazed at her, smiling faintly, his cheek resting on his palm. He extended his hand toward her, his palm resting quietly in the firelight, as though waiting for her to approach.

“…”

Talli lowered her eyes, looking at his open palm. Her knuckles were clearly defined, long and fair, beautifully slender, and in the night’s glow, they were tinted with a warm hue from the campfire, as though assuring her with their presence.

“What’s wrong? Still don’t trust me?”

Deritz showed a hint of regret, “What a shame—”

Before he could finish his sentence, the girl gently placed her right hand on his palm.

The warm light bathed the back of her scabbed hand.

“It’s only temporary anyway.”

Talli spoke immediately.

Deritz paused for a moment, then smiled and returned the grip on her hand.

He lowered his gaze to look at the girl’s hand. Her hand was very small, like the front paw of a small animal, occupying barely half of his palm. The joints of her fingers were thin, and white bandages were wrapped around her wrist and up her arm. It looked fragile, yet strangely resilient.

Such a hand, like her own person, gives the illusion of being easily broken, but in reality, it hides sharp claws with hidden blades. If you dared to underestimate her, you would certainly be struck in the heart by an arrow concealed in her sleeve, with a fatal blow.

“We were like this the first time we met,” Talli suddenly said.

At the beast market, she had placed her hand on the front paw of the little fox that, despite being exhausted, still tried to get up, wanting to follow her home. It had been just as cold.

“Mm.”

Deritz murmured.

The first time they met, when he held her hand, it had been just as small and frail. She had trembled all over, yet she had broken free from his brainwashing and had not been tempted by his magic to commit murder. Just as resilient.

He lowered his head, looking at the three shallow pink scabs on the back of her hand.

“The scars… they’re almost healed.”