Chapter 194 --194
"I’m not asking you to get emotional. I’m asking you to acknowledge that this is *terrible* and you’re allowed to—" The mouse stopped itself. "Right. You don’t feel things that way. I keep forgetting."
"Most people do."
They were quiet for a moment. Dust motes drifted through the shattered windows. Outside, Elara could hear the distant sounds of servants cleaning up the debris her magic had blown into the corridor.
"The goddess," Elara said slowly. "When I was in the white void. She showed me hell. Told me every action has consequences. Every harm caused must be balanced."
"Yes?"
"This poison was deliberately crafted. Specifically designed to target someone like me—high magical capacity, inexperienced with physical intimacy, politically vulnerable." Elara’s voice stayed flat but her eyes were cold. "Someone researched my weaknesses. Commissioned this weapon. Deployed it with precision."
"Probably," the System agreed.
"Then whoever created this poison belongs in that hell she showed me." Elara’s fingers curled slightly against the floor. "They designed a weapon that forces its victim to choose between death and violation. That’s not just murder—it’s torture with a timer attached."
The mouse was quiet for a beat. "You’re not wrong."
"When this is over—when I’ve survived and dealt with the immediate crisis—I’m finding whoever made this poison." Her tone was absolutely neutral. Completely emotionless. Which somehow made it more frightening. "And I’m ensuring they face appropriate consequences."
"Host... revenge isn’t going to—"
"Not revenge. Justice. There’s a difference." Elara finally sat up, movements slow and careful. Her body protested every shift. "Revenge is emotional. Reactive. Justice is systematic. Proportional. I don’t feel anger at whoever did this. But I recognize that allowing them to continue existing without consequences creates operational vulnerabilities. They’ll do this again. To someone else. Possibly someone without access to beast knights who can stabilize magical overflow."