Text Game: It All Began when a Cat-eared Girl Took Me In-Chapter 980 - 481: Despairing Ressia, Star Bell: Trash Fish, Come and Take a Beating! (4k)
Tirsiu Calendar, 3123, April.
Another warm spring had arrived.
Pink petals, as always this season, drifted everywhere throughout Praying City.
However, time had changed everything.
The girl who once held the highest honors in this city could no longer freely enjoy the warm spring scenery.
At the center of the Duke Moro’s mansion was a tower meant for prisoners.
On the top floor, a red-haired girl sat at a desk, reading a book by the dim light of a lamp.
Red scales, dense and numerous, were visible on her arms and neck.
"Ah..."
Florecia put down the book, stretched lazily to relieve her sore body, and her delicate face crinkled slightly from the pain.
The active blood of a Lord-level Origin Beast had directly invaded her body, causing immense damage; she constantly felt as if she were burning in fire.
The Dragon Species’ Mutant Factor was indeed the most unstable and corrosive of them all. No wonder the Variants living in the enclaves didn’t think highly of those afflicted by Mutation Syndrome.
There was no relief in sight, or else Mutation wouldn’t be one of the toughest problems facing the world today. Aside from people like herself who had chosen to be infected, there were many nobles’ offspring who had accidentally become Mutant Patients. For them, the chance of reverting back to normal was virtually non-existent.
"If only it didn’t hurt so much," Florecia sighed softly.
She harbored no regrets or disappointments about her choice, just discomfort from the pain.
If given another chance, she would make the same decision, even knowing that death loomed in the near future.
Speaking of which, how long had it been since that engagement day, which almost seemed like a joke?
About a year, right?
Florecia glanced around her current room.
The room was large, indeed, but too empty and poorly lit. Apart from reading, she had no way to entertain herself.
To this day, she remained like a bird in a cage.
Even though she had lost all her value, her grandfather and brother still refused to let her go.
But it probably wouldn’t be too long now, right?
This year should bring the election for the new Lord of the Golden Kingdom. The current Lord would immediately resign, leaving the candidates free to compete, with the Eternal World Tree—Gold—ultimately choosing one to succeed the throne.
While it was termed a selection, it ultimately depended on the candidates themselves. Whoever could eliminate enough contenders would stand a greater chance, wouldn’t they?
This was why the top nobility of the Golden Kingdom shuffled their ranks with every Lordly transition.
The winner takes all, and those who served the dragon well would rise to become the new elite nobility.
The Moro Family was the successful house of the last era.
And this time, a candidate from their family had emerged, so the old Duke Moro was doing everything he could to help Reyceria reach the throne and elevate the family to unparalleled heights.
Of course, the consequence of failure was merely to serve. To prevent family extermination, the elite nobility had an agreement: anything was fair game during the competition for Lord, but once a new Lord ascended, no excessive actions could be taken against the remaining competitors’ families.
At the very least, family extinction was not allowed.
Florecia just needed to quietly wait for the outcome here.
In any case, now that she was a Mutant Patient, her grandfather and brother surely wouldn’t still use her as a bargaining chip, would they?
Squeak—
The heavily locked door was pushed open.
The aroma of food wafted in.
"Miss, your lunch is ready."
Two maids came in with a basket of food.
"Put it on the floor," said Florecia without turning around, "I’ll eat later."
"Very well, Miss. Enjoy your meal."
One maid left immediately while the other nodded but didn’t depart; instead, she approached.
"What’s the matter?"
Florecia looked up in surprise at the approaching maid.
She was familiar with this particular maid, who was responsible for delivering her daily meals for the past year.
For some reason, she sensed something different about the maid’s demeanor...
The maid’s sweet voice suddenly turned husky, "Miss, do you regret your choice?"
Florecia’s expression changed instantly.
That voice belonged to the old maid who had provided her with the Mutant blood last year.
How had she managed to get in again?
Now that the alliance between Silver City and Praying City had fallen through, she should be satisfied. Florecia had lost all her value; why would she come to see her?
Even if she were killed now, it wouldn’t serve any purpose.
"Xiao Huan, what are you doing? Come out quickly, or the head maid will punish us in another two minutes," called the other maid from outside.
Ever since last year’s spying incident where Florecia was cruelly infected with the Mutant Factor, the mansion’s control over their maids had tightened.
"Alright, I’m coming!" exclaimed the maid, then pulled an item from her bosom and placed it beside the food basket on the floor.
