Chapter 279: Trails of Light…..



A great dream often comes bitter after the waking of reality.

Experiencing the perfect reality, only to find out that none of it was real-nothing but a cruel mirage dissolving into the harsh light of truth.

A pen clattered onto the polished marble floor, slipping from the fingers of the white-haired girl.

Her once radiant hair, a pristine silver that shimmered with life, had dulled to an almost ashen hue.

Beneath it, tendrils of shadows writhed and coiled, dancing ominously as though alive, feeding on the darkness that emanated from her.

Her beautiful crimson eyes, once like polished rubies brimming with light, had transformed into something distinctly inhuman.

Vertical slits cut through her pupils, predatory and cold, as they gazed out the grand window of her room, piercing through the heart of the city below and far beyond.

The view outside was idyllic.

The sprawling main city of Hamel, nestled within the Heaven’s Duchy, stretched beneath her in serene perfection.

The golden glow of the morning sun bathed the streets, reflecting off the pristine architecture, as though the entire city had been kissed by divinity itself.

Yet her eyes-her cursed, Draconic eyes-saw far beyond the idyllic landscape, reaching toward something unseen by mortal eyes.

“Hehe – Mama, look!”

“Liyana…”

Faint echoes of the past whispered through her mind, fragmented memories clawing their way to the surface.

A cruel mockery of warmth and love, images of another life resurfaced, triggering an overwhelming surge of power within her.

The golden light in the distance, a divine barrier encasing the empire’s sacred center, pulsed faintly.

Her mana twisted violently, pushing against the barrier as if trying to break through.

Her expression remained eerily calm, her pale face betraying no joy or sorrow.

Yet her body trembled, not from fear, but from the strain of her overwhelming power.

The golden light intensified, reacting to her defiance, growing brighter and more oppressive with every second.

Until it happened.

A shadowy black burst erupted from her eyes, a searing explosion of dark energy clashing violently against the divine barrier.

A sizzling pain coursed through her skull as the burst of light seared her vision, forcing her to recoil.

Black blood streamed from her eye sockets, thick and viscous, dripping onto the floor like molten tar.

But it didn’t last long.

The shadows pulsed again, and her eyes regenerated within seconds, their eerie glow returning as though nothing had happened.

She blinked once, adjusting to the brief sting of divinity that still lingered in her senses.

Her lips curled into a twisted smile-not of joy, but of pure irritation, laced with a seething, chaotic annoyance.

A low, guttural chuckle escaped her lips as her form began to warp.

Her pale, delicate frame contorted grotesquely, dissolving into an abyss of writhing, gaping mouths—an endless array of fanged maws opening and closing in chaotic dissonance.

“I’m sure directly interfering with our affairs was strictly prohibited… EREBIL.”

Liyana’s voice reverberated, distorted and vast, as though it came from the very fabric of the world itself—a primal entity speaking through the void.

It wasn’t just sound; her words carried a weight that crushed everything in their wake, bending reality around her.

The space she glared at began to shift.

A small dot formed, pulsating like an irregular heartbeat.

The air around it twisted unnaturally, as though rejecting the presence of the anomaly.

The black spot expanded and contracted, a jagged distortion that defied existence, an omen of

something forbidden.

Then came the voice.

[**…You will die…**]

A voice without form or origin, deep and suffocating, slithered through the room like a tangible force.

It wasn’t a threat-it was a declaration, delivered with the inevitability of fate itself. “Fufu~ You think that bitch can take me on?”

Liyana’s lips curled into a mocking grin, her crimson eyes burning with both amusement and defiance.

Her tone was light, yet laced with an undercurrent of venom and unyielding confidence.

[**He will die **]

Liyana’s grin faltered for just a moment, her pupils narrowing into predatory slits.

Then, like a dam breaking, her emotions surged forward, spilling out in a chaotic burst of

possessive rage.

“… He won’t,” she hissed, her voice trembling with raw intensity.

Her body quivered as the shadows around her began to ripple like a stormy sea.

“With me around… darling won’t get hurt… darling won’t get harmed… DARLING WON’T

GET STOLEN!!”

The sheer force of her declaration warped the space further, the oppressive energy emanating

from her

[**…. Chaos Dragon…Know…your…. Limits…. **]

The black distortion pulsed once, an unspoken warning vibrating through the air, before

abruptly vanishing.

The anomaly disappeared as though it had never existed, taking the tension that had suffused

the room with it.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Liyana exhaled sharply, her monstrous form shrinking back into her original body.

Her shoulders rose and fell as she struggled to regain composure, but the fiery anger still simmered beneath her calm exterior.

Her claws flexed, scratching deep gouges into the floor as she clenched her fists.

“Darling…” she murmured under her breath, her voice trembling as a strange, foreign sensation settled within her chest. It wasn’t just rage or possessiveness-it was something

else.

Something unfamiliar.

Her crimson eyes softened, clouded by confusion as fragmented memories of the dream she’d clung to resurfaced once more.

They played vividly in her mind, tempting her with their bittersweet perfection.

The emotions they stirred were overwhelming.

“Darling is mine…” she whispered, her voice resolute but tinged with vulnerability.

She pressed a hand to her chest as if trying to still the unfamiliar ache that blossomed there.

“Nothing will change that.”

But even as she spoke the words, the lingering doubt in her un-beating heart whispered

otherwise.

…..

[The Trails of Light]

The Trails of Light, a sacred path created by the Goddess of Light herself, was said to grant

the deepest desires of those who reached its end.

But such a grand reward came with a heavy cost.

Those who failed to complete the journey faced curses far worse than death-punishments

that left their mark forever.

Beneath the Imperial Palace lay the entrance to this fabled road.

A spiral staircase twisted deep into the earth, each step leading farther into silence and

isolation.

The air grew colder, the walls tighter, but what waited below was not darkness as one would

expect.

Instead, there was light.

“So, this is the trail…”

The words felt small in comparison to the sight before me.

The cavern stretched wide and far, its size impossible to believe for something hidden

beneath the palace.

Beams of golden light streamed through cracks in the rocky ceiling, illuminating everything

with a soft, warm glow.

The trail itself was a long road that seemed to float amidst golden fields of grass.

The grass shouldn’t have been able to grow here, so deep underground, but it thrived,

glowing faintly as if touched by magic.

It was breathtaking.

The road ahead looked like it could lead straight to the heavens, a path meant for something

greater than mortal feet.

But even with all its beauty, the space felt wrong.

The wide cavern, with its light and openness, reminded me of an arena-like it was waiting

for something to happen.

“Yes.”

The emperor’s voice carried a weight of resignation, his ever-knowing gaze fixed on the

glowing path before us.

It was as though the sight itself dragged him into memories he’d rather forget.

Given his circumstances, it was no surprise.

The curse eating away at his life force was a constant reminder of his failure in the trial.

A curse that sapped not only his strength but also his time.

Even the duke, who hadn’t reached the trial’s end like the emperor, couldn’t hide his unease.

Though, knowing him, it wasn’t just the trail that had him worried-Liyana must have given

him an earful.

Or worse, threatened him outright.

Yesterday, I was genuinely concerned that Liyana might show up here and end us all in one

swift move. But…

[Don’t worry… She has no power here.]

The reassurance from the other me echoed in my mind, steady and unwavering.

Was it because this place housed the last relic of the Goddess?

Or perhaps it was like the Holy See, where the Goddess’s influence was abundant and

absolute?

Both were plausible, and for now, it was a relief.

But that didn’t change the truth.

Liyana knew.

Her awareness alone was enough to keep me on edge.

For someone like her, knowing was often just the first step to action.

Even if she couldn’t directly interfere here, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t find another way.

Things were moving too fast for me to keep up.

If Liyana decided to act purely out of whim or spite, there was nothing-no one-who could

stop her.

Not even the duke, as much as his presence might reassure others.

Against Liyana, even he would likely fall short, especially considering how much he loves her.

As for me? My specs were embarrassingly low.

Even if I leveled up to my max potential right now and got stronger, at the end of the day, I

was still Riley Hell, the disposable side character.

The one fated to die by Liyana’s hands.

No matter how hard I tried, there was no way I could reach the strength of the main

protagonist in this world.

A quick glance at my stats compared to the others was all the proof I needed.

Lucas, was improving fast but was nowhere near his strongest version yet.

And the heroines?

They still lacked the power and specs to counter someone like Liyana.

The gap between us and her wasn’t just wide-it was insurmountable.

‘Hey… I can trust you, right?’

[You’ve been stuck in this tutorial for far too long. Just proceed. Finish the trial. You’ll understand the rest.]

A sigh escaped me, but only internally.

This other Riley, the one who had been communicating with me since yesterday, seemed to

know more than he was letting on.

But despite his apparent knowledge, he rarely gave me clear answers.

‘I’d appreciate it if you just straight up told me what’s going on instead of all these riddles,’

Like always, there was no immediate response.

I had no choice but to trust him for now.

No matter how cryptic he was, and it was clear he wants to help me as well… all of his actions

so far was already proof of that…

-SIIISHHH!!

Suddenly, the air shimmered, and the golden light ahead on the trail began to sparkle.

Thin strands of light, like flowing streams of wind, traced through the path and surged

forward, connecting directly to my heart.

“It seems the goddess is granting you permission to take on the road,” the Emperor observed,

his calm but knowing tone cutting through the moment.

I nodded at his words.

This scene was just like in the game-a faint trace of light linking the chosen to the trial.

But something about this felt… off.

The light connecting to me was brighter, more intense than anything I’d seen in the game.

Even Lucas, the main protagonist, didn’t have a light this vibrant.

“Son…”

The Duke’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to face him, and the worry etched into

his face spoke volumes.

It wasn’t just concern for the trial ahead-it was layered with unspoken fears.

Slowly, he reached out, placing a firm hand on my shoulder.

“Heed the Emperor’s advice… and please return safely. We have much to discuss.”

“Yes, Father,” I replied.

Of course, I knew exactly what he wanted to talk about: my relationship with Snow… and

Liyana.

That conversation wasn’t something I was looking forward to.

The weight of it lingered in the back of my mind even now.

The Duke’s hand lingered for a moment before he gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder and

stepped back.

The golden light around me intensified, growing brighter with every passing second.

It was time.

No more delays.

No more second thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and stepped forward into the trail.

Though I appreciated the worried expressions of the Duke and the Emperor, I couldn’t help

but feel a sense of detachment.

After all, as someone who had cleared this trial nearly a thousand times in the game, this wasn’t something I considered a true challenge.

The roads might seem random to an outsider, but they were anything but. Each path was meticulously designed to guide you toward a specific outcome-a trail of choice, if you understood the underlying patterns.

Considering the stakes, both the price and the reward, it was obvious which path I needed to

take.

The Tempest Sword….

A certain weapon that could enhance my capabilities regardless of stat requirements.

Its existence was one of the game’s most broken elements, and I’d made it a point to

prioritize it every single time. Since the other Riley was adamant that I should finish the trial however I saw fit, choosing the

sword wasn’t a wrong decision. Right?

With that goal in mind, I ignored the faint golden light that connected to my heart-a guide

meant to steer me toward the default path.

Instead, I deliberately stepped toward one of the interconnected roads branching off to my

right.

But the moment my foot touched that path, everything shifted.

-SIIISHHH!

A blinding burst of light consumed my vision, leaving me disoriented.

[Forget everything you’ve learned in the game.] The other Riley’s voice echoed in my mind, clear and commanding.

It was the last thing I heard before the world around me dissolved, leaving me enveloped in a

cascade of radiant energy.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep