Rubia (4)
Rubia (4)
My eyes opened.
The pale, sleeping face of Rubyia came into view.
God does not answer prayers.
Once again, I was thrown back into cruel reality.
"...Ugh."
My muscles screamed. Every joint in my body felt shattered.
My burned skin oozed pus.
By all rights, I should be dead.
Focusing my mind, I checked the Seven Deadly Sins Equivalent Exchange.
The points had visibly decreased since I last saw them.
Was it mere survival instinct? Or demonic intervention?
It seemed my body had automatically healed while unconscious.
Just enough to not die—weak but persistent.
I willfully activated my Recovery ability again.
Bones realigned and vitality surged through my body.
My near-crippled form returned to normal in an instant.
Bracing my upper body, I slowly rose.
Carefully pushing aside the debris pinning me down to avoid scattering fragments onto Rubyia.
Only then could I properly stand and survey my surroundings.
Dawn's dim light.
The collapsed building still smoldered with embers.
Silence. Not even insect sounds.
The soldiers seemed long gone.
Moving through the wreckage, I reached the corner room Rubyia and I shared.
Kneeling there, I dug into the earth with my fingers.
Dry soil cracked my nails, drawing blood.
I didn't care.
For a long time, I kept digging.
The blood-and-tear soaked ground eventually became a deep pit.
Brushing dirt from my hands, I returned to Rubyia.
Gently, I lifted her into my arms.
So light. Yet my legs refused to move.
Forcing my limbs, I placed her in the pit.
No shroud or coffin. Just earth covering her bare form.
I couldn't look away as she disappeared beneath the soil.
Finally, the pit was filled.
I kept piling dirt, packing it firm with my hands.
...This is the end. True farewell.
I collapsed before her grave.
"Rubyia. I promise."
I will repay your death.
Return their pain, screams, terror and despair tenfold.
Rend their flesh and carve curses into their very souls.
I shall walk this path of penance.
May you find happiness in paradise.
Rising, I turned my back on the grave.
Summoning the demonic power granted to me.
[ Seven Deadly Sins Equivalent Exchange ]
- Lust (7,225pt)
- Agony (5,076pt)
My Agony Points had skyrocketed from around 60 to 5000.
An absurd number.
All the points I'd accumulated my entire life hadn't even reached 200.
Presumably from the pain of losing Rubyia.
This demonic power arbitrarily quantified my emotions without explanation.
But I decided not to dwell on it.
This was her legacy—the foundation of my vengeance.
Even if it meant embracing demons, I'd grow stronger at any cost.
- Equivalent Exchange: Agony
- Convert 5,000 Agony Points to physical stats
My flesh convulsed beneath the skin.
Bones shattered. Muscles tore.
Only to reform repeatedly.
It felt refreshing rather than painful.
Is this what they call rebirth?
*Stats
Strength 25 Stamina 10 Speed 26
Senses 12 Intelligence 13 Magic 0
*Abilities
Lilith's Scent (Lv.1)
My Strength rose from 7 to 25, Speed from 6 to 26.
Numerically, my physical abilities had tripled or quadrupled.
Examining myself revealed no visible changes.
Just slightly more defined lean muscles and faint abdominal lines.
My skin still felt soft to touch.
But internally, everything had transformed.
Pulsing muscles.
Uncontrollable power flooded my entire being.
With this physique, I could overpower 2-3 average men.
But satisfaction was impossible.
The soldiers who attacked us—their Sergeant.
And beyond them, the true enemy—the Young Lord.
They deserved fates worse than death.
For that, my current strength remained pitifully inadequate.
- Agony(76pt)
Stats below 20 cost 100 points each to raise, 200 points beyond that.
At least my Recovery ability substitutes for Stamina.
But boosting Strength and Speed further would require ridiculous point totals.
Ultimately, I needed more Agony Points—meaning sadism.
Self-harm barely worked, so I'd need other victims—human or monster.
I'd consider that later.
No longer a fragile woman's body.
Now that I possessed violence as a tool, there was no rush.
Dawn approached. Time to move.
Staying in this territory was dangerous.
If those soldiers spotted me, capture was certain.
Then vengeance would become impossible.
First, escape and grow stronger.
Enough overwhelming power to slaughter regular soldiers and high nobility.
Until then, I'd never return to this city.
Before leaving, I grabbed a heavy coin purse.
Money painstakingly saved to pay Rubyia's debts.
The outer leather was slightly charred, but contents intact.
The soldiers had looted everything else from the brothel.
Only this remained, buried underground—my sole fortune.
Stepping through the ruins, I reached the streets.
The carnage unfolded before me.
Burnt shanties and countless corpses.
I recalled the Sergeant's words.
'Cleaning up'—what part of this resembled cleaning?
Acrid smoke and blood stung my nostrils.
No survivors in sight.
Scanning the area, I spotted a relatively intact corpse—a man with a cross-shaped forehead scar.
A familiar face who'd often boasted about the sword at his waist.
He'd bought my body at the brothel several times.
My gaze shifted.
A curved shortsword lay nearby.
A Pulsion, if I recalled.
Some mocked it as cheap scrap, but in slums, it counted as proper weaponry.
Looking back at the man—his caved-in skull suggested instant death from a blunt weapon.
Reaching out, I closed his eyes and bowed slightly.
"Forgive me."
I couldn't wander naked.
Stripped him of his dark robe, coarse tunic, black cotton pants, belt with scabbard, and passably-sized boots.
Guilt surfaced, but necessity prevailed.
The living must survive.
His smaller frame made the clothes loose but wearable.
Lastly, I sheathed the Pulsion—apparently too cheap for the soldiers to loot.
But I needed it desperately.
A blade's presence changes everything.
"May Mother Earth and Father God watch over you."
I traced the holy symbol learned from Rubyia, praying for his rest.
Though faithless myself, the dead deserve gods.
This was my best offering.
Moving on, the slaughter continued endlessly.
Men, women, children—all indiscriminately killed.
Even if paupers, they were fellow territory residents. Such merciless purging defied reason.
My limited worldview crumbled further.
Eventually, I reached the slums' edge.
Hand on sword, muscles taut—yet no guards appeared.
Had they truly finished their 'cleaning'?
Pulling up the hood, I crossed the boundary into alleyways.
Successfully escaping the slums unnoticed.
After several turns, I reached an open road.
Few people wandered at this early hour—mostly tired-faced laborers.
Their mundane routines felt surreal.
An absurd peace.
While some lost everything overnight.
I shook my head.
Compartmentalizing turbulent emotions.
Self-pity wouldn't aid my journey.
Nor would other feelings.
Swallowing rage and sorrow, I buried them deep.
Someday, I'd unleash everything.
Until then—suppress vengeance, cultivate strength.
I crossed the road and navigated winding alleys with ease.
The city's layout was familiar.
Having stolen through every district before coming of age.
Reaching the southern gate took no time.
Merchant carts lined up as workers busily loaded goods.
After observing, I approached one.
"How far are you going?"
I asked the elderly man leaning against a carriage.
His eyes scanned my half-hidden face, ample chest, waist sword, then met my gaze.
"Grundt. 20 Grange."
"Where's that?"
"Foothills south. Arrive before sunset."
The southern mountains suited my needs.
I handed him several coins.
"I'll ride."
"Good. Had one spot left."
He jerked his chin toward the carriage.
Inside sat a bearded middle-aged man who noticed my entrance.
"Well met."
"...Likewise."
My curt reply.
Men's stares were routine—now just annoying.
No need for engagement.
Soon we departed.
At the gate, I pulled my hood low.
Being recognized by soldiers would ruin everything.
"Clear! Next cart!"
We passed inspection smoothly.
Then—my first glimpse of the world beyond city walls.
Verdant forests and birdsong.
Though marked by civilization, nature's essence remained.
I stared transfixed at the unfamiliar scenery.
Turning back, the distant walls had already shrunk.
Soon the city vanished beyond the horizon.
The land of love and hate where I met and lost Rubyia.
My lifelong hometown, Chevika—now left behind.