Chapter 193 --193
She could become the Fourth Princess who lost control and killed herself—and anyone standing too close—through sheer magical incompetence.
Cullens leaned forward, his expression pained. "Your Highness, please. You must consider what I suggested before. It’s the only reliable way to discharge that much excess magic safely."
Elara’s clouded mind struggled to remember. What had he suggested? Something about—
Oh.
*Oh.*
Her eyes focused on him more sharply. "You mean..."
"Yes, Your Highness." Cullens’ face was carefully neutral, professional, but she could see the discomfort beneath. "The poison was designed to cause uncontrolled arousal specifically *because* that kind of... physical release... naturally discharges large amounts of magic. It’s the body’s emergency valve. For mages with normal control, it’s simply uncomfortable. But for someone with Your Highness’s power levels, poisoned and destabilized..." He paused. "It’s not just about the lust, Your Highness. It’s about survival. If you complete the cycle the poison is trying to force—if you allow the physical release it’s designed to trigger—your magic will discharge naturally. Safely. Without destroying everything around you."
The System mouse made a strangled sound. "He’s saying you need to have sex or you’ll literally explode."
"I gathered that," Elara thought back acidly.
Cullens continued, voice low. "I understand this is... deeply inappropriate. Invasive. Not something Your Highness should ever be forced to consider. But the alternative is death, Your Highness. Sudden, violent death. And possibly taking others with you when your magic detonates." He met her eyes. "The beast knights can ground your overflow temporarily, as they did today. But that’s not a solution—that’s life support. It drains them dangerously, and it doesn’t address the root cause. The poison needs to complete its cycle. If you fight it, if you try to suppress it, the pressure just builds until something catastrophic happens."
Silence filled the destroyed office.
Elara stared at the cracked ceiling, at the shattered windows, at the evidence of what her uncontrolled magic had done. Ken and the others had barely stopped her from killing herself. Next time, they might not be fast enough.