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chapter 53
—Screech!
The Abyssal Magician was forcibly ejected from the darkness, sent flying helplessly through the air.
Ting! Spin—
From the impact, his crown flew off, spinning several times before landing neatly on Lirian’s parasol.
Lirian wiped imaginary sweat from her brow.
“Heh. Aura fail.”
Of course, without properly drawing upon a swordmaster’s power, she couldn’t use aura techniques.
The Abyssal Magician, completely fooled by her act, trembled with humiliation.
He sprawled on the pile of gold and jewels, shaking as he snatched up his spellbook and roared furiously.
Clatter!
A furious shout echoed out.
The mountains of treasure suddenly melted away like black sludge.
Rumble! Crash!
The liquefied gold and jewels rained down upon the greedy onlookers.
“Ghhrrk…”
“It’s… all… mine…”
Then, the people cloaked in darkness began to transform into abyssal wraiths.
Their red eyes gleamed as they charged toward her.
Meanwhile, the Abyssal Magician, having twisted them into monsters, opened a spatial rift to flee on his own.
Lirian’s eyes flashed.
“…You! I’ll never forgive you.”
Though most of those at the auction were criminals, there were innocent people too — like the children she had rescued earlier.
And that alone was reason enough for her to draw her sword.
After all, the Moonlight Witch, Rose, was always the kind of “villain” who stood on the side of the weak.
When Lirian gripped her parasol tightly, a faintly shimmering, massive hand appeared over hers.
—So, you’re calling your big sis out again, huh.
The sword spirit spoke.
—You won’t regret it?
Without hesitation, Lirian answered,
“Of course not!”
Her answer had always been the same — ever since she realized she had returned to the past.
Or perhaps, ever since she lost her family before that.
To wield a sword was to accept killing as one’s burden.
No matter what fancy words like “chivalry” or “honor” tried to cover it up, the premise remained the same.
To her enemies, Lirian was the cruelest of villains —
A reaper who came to take their lives.
She would rather become a villain who could protect her loved ones…
Than a saint who lost them all.
If I were in my adult body, I could end this easily. But now… I’ll have to make do.
The sword spirit shared the thought.
Since her small body limited her movement, there was only one way to compensate:
Overwhelming force.
“So please, grown-up me,” Lirian whispered, raising her parasol toward the escaping mage.
“Help me protect everyone.”
—Kriiik?
The Abyssal Magician, about to step through his portal, froze as an immense power suddenly surged behind him.
Whoooosh—!
A raging gale exploded around Lirian.
Within it, a faint star-like light began to shimmer.
“…Hmph. Really now.”
Seeing her aim her parasol again, the mage scoffed, thinking it was another bluff.
“You never learn, do you?”
But in that instant — a brilliant violet aura ignited over the parasol.
“Let’s finish this quickly, little me.”
With a calm yet fierce smile, she unleashed a crescent-shaped sword slash.
BOOOOM!!
The entire stage shook violently.
Where the slash passed, violet crystals bloomed like flowers.
The Abyssal Magician barely escaped through his portal — and sighed in relief.
But then—
“How dare you… relax in front of me?”
A chilling voice whispered behind him.
He turned, horrified, and saw the sword spirit gripping his head.
“You really haven’t been beaten enough yet.”
And then— she slammed him into the wall.
Thud! Crack!
The wall fractured, and his body disintegrated into black smoke.
Shhhhhh—
Gold coins and jewels rained down where he vanished.
To an ordinary person, the sight would’ve blinded them with greed.
But Lirian, anticipating it, immediately struck at the spot where the demonic energy rippled.
KIEEEEK!
The Abyssal Magician, struck head-on, shrieked horribly as he hit the ground.
The abyssal wraiths swarmed toward their dying master.
“Pathetic little pest.”
Lirian casually flicked her parasol, as if she’d merely swatted a fly.
But then she frowned.
The monsters didn’t disappear.
Why isn’t the rift closing?
The Abyssal Magician was definitely dead.
When a rift’s master dies, the corruption should fade, and the victims should return to normal —
That was common knowledge in the future.
“Don’t tell me…”
“Lirian!”
Before she could check the body, her small frame was suddenly lifted into the air.
Huh? Lifted?
“My dear, are you alright?”
Her calm eyes widened in shock — staring into the faces of her parents from twenty years ago.
“Father? Mother…?”
Unlike five-year-old Lirian, the sword spirit within her carried the full memories of her 25-year-old self, so formal words slipped out naturally.
“Fa—Father… Mother?”
A stunned silence followed.
Caesar blinked dumbly and murmured,
“Our little Liri just called me ‘Father’…? I wanted to hear her say ‘Daddy’ for another 1,426,127 years at least…”
“And since your brothers are already so grown up, I hoped our youngest would stay clingy a bit longer… Ahh, my babies are growing too fast!”
Lirian rolled her eyes, embarrassed by her overly emotional parents.
Just then, she locked eyes with Elay, who had arrived late.
“Baby benefactor,” he asked nervously, “why are your parents acting like that?”
“Baby… benefactor? Wait, you’re the sword spirit?”
“Yup.”
“I think it’s because you used formal speech.”
“Formal speech?”
Lirian tilted her head, then went, “Ah, right.”
She patted Caesar’s shoulder.
“Dad, put me down.”
“My little girl used formal speech…!”
But Caesar was too shocked to respond.
“…Honestly, such a handful,” Lirian sighed. “Put me down already! That thing’s about to transform!”
Finally, she wriggled free and jumped from his hands.
Meanwhile, the remains of the Abyssal Magician were almost done absorbing the darkness from the wraiths.
Around it, a huge black dome had formed — like a grave mound or a cocoon ready to hatch.
“No transforming allowed!”
Lirian immediately fired a sword slash to stop it.
The intangible power of aura — sword energy — was a privilege of true masters.
Crack!
The dome split apart, revealing a massive skull.
“I knew it,” Lirian nodded. “He wasn’t using normal dark magic — a necromancer type.”
“…Lirian?”
“Ha! Nailed it. I really am a genius.”
“Uh… he’s getting up, though,” Elay said nervously.
Ruuuumble—
The entire auction hall shook.
From the black grave, a colossal skeleton slowly rose, towering over the stage.
It was so huge it dwarfed the entire room — though perhaps because the summoning was interrupted, it had no lower body.
From where its eyes should have been, crimson light flared.
—How dare you covet what belongs to me.
Its enormous skeletal hand stretched outward, casting a massive shadow over the crowd.
Lirian blinked.
“…Okay, that’s a bit much.”
—Atone for your sin… with death!
BOOOOM.
The bony hand slammed down where their group had stood.
Lirian looked back — and found herself dangling in someone’s arms again.
“Mom!”
A red glow surrounded Lesa, her mother.
The light came from her fairy companion — a spirit.
Lesa examined her daughter.
“Liria, are you hurt?”
“No!”
Beside them, Caesar landed gracefully, using a light wind spell.
“This side’s fine too.”
He was holding his hat and cane in one hand, and Elay in the other.
Setting Elay down beside Lirian, he quickly cast a protective barrier around them both — a faint, translucent dome.
“You two stay here. I’ll go take care of that skeleton’s funeral, alright?”
“Yes, sir.”
Elay bowed his head, frustrated.
He knew he wasn’t much help like this.
He muttered under his breath,
“I really need to train once we’re back…”
Returning to childhood had its perks, but also major drawbacks —
Like having to rely on others.
For someone as fiercely independent as him, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
Lirian patted his shoulder.
“It’s okay, baby benefactor. Kids are supposed to get help, you know?”
“You saying that doesn’t make it any better.”
“Well, that’s because I’m super strong.”
“…Haah.”
Elay sighed, half embarrassed, half resigned.
Lirian extended a hand toward him.
“Don’t worry. I’ll always protect my benefactor.”
