At first, Violanda had never intended to have children with Eirik. Their physical interactions had been rare. But now that they were married, taking the next step no longer seemed like such a big deal.

As she scrolled through the world channel, Violanda couldn’t help but notice how the officials in the simulation relentlessly mocked the bishop. The insults were cruel and unrelenting. Even for someone as broad-minded as Violanda, the constant negativity was hard to bear.

Determined to strengthen her bond with Eirik, she decided she would indulge in their passion like never before.

It wasn’t long before she found herself pregnant. Normally, those with high magical abilities had low fertility rates, but with her dedication—and a bit of luck—it happened quickly. Soon, they had a daughter.

“Hehe, she’s so adorable…”

Violanda couldn’t stop admiring the pictures of her baby girl, falling deeper in love with her every time. How could such a tiny, precious creature exist? And she was a part of Violanda herself… truly magical! A fierce rush of maternal instinct surged within her. If her marriage to Eirik had started as a way to learn magic, her feelings for her daughter were pure, unadulterated love.

When Eirik returned from his break, he found Violanda showering their daughter with all sorts of rare and expensive resources—things she wouldn’t even eat herself.

“…What are you doing? Don’t treat our daughter like some potion storage!”

As a strict father, Eirik was troubled. In this simulation, no matter how powerful their daughter became, the system wouldn’t reward him for it. Couldn’t she just use those resources herself?

It was heartbreaking. He could barely breathe. Wasting potions—no, he had to put a stop to this unchecked pampering.

“Pampering a child is like slowly poisoning them! Haven’t you heard that, dear?”

For the first time, Eirik scolded Violanda.

“Humph! How bold of you to lecture your master, apprentice…”

Violanda huffed, but deep down, she began to realize there was some truth to his words. She didn’t want to spoil their daughter.

“So, what do you suggest we do, husband?” she asked, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Her daughter was so adorable that she couldn’t help but spoil her.

“Don’t worry, leave the upbringing plan to me,” Eirik replied calmly.

“Alright then…”

Violanda’s cheeks flushed slightly. For the first time, she realized how dependable Eirik could be, giving her a sense of reassurance.

Eirik sighed in relief as she agreed to let him handle their daughter’s upbringing. He couldn’t let her spoil the child beyond reason.

“Raise the child with discipline, pamper the mother—she must not suffer!” he muttered, sticking to his plan as he redrafted the nurturing schedule.

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“Here he goes again! Why’s he always so stingy with his own kid?”

“Just let someone else raise her; she’d be better off away from Eirik!”

“But you know, the kids from past lives have all reached Archmage status, so his methods must work.”

The world channel buzzed with comments.

Violanda felt a pang of guilt as she watched her daughter struggle, but as a new mother, she was confused and uncertain. In the end, she decided to entrust her daughter’s upbringing to Eirik. She needed to focus on her magical studies!

Days turned into months. Time flew by, and Violanda secluded herself for another three hundred years.

Step by step, her power grew. She reached Grandmaster Lv3.

Her bond with Eirik deepened, boosting her Elemental Absorption talent to +25.

Grandmaster Lv3!

Violanda’s heart soared. She’d finally reached Grandmaster Lv3!

It was time to deal with the royal threats! Given the elemental power levels in the Dawnstar Dynasty, breaking through to Grandmaster Lv3 had seemed impossible. That’s why Elvynna and Eirik had once chosen to traverse the Sea of Rebirth.

But Violanda was different this time. With Eirik’s faith fueling her, she managed to break through in this elemental-deficient land.

But then, Violanda felt something was off. Despite reaching Grandmaster Lv3, her status panel was worse than when she was at Grandmaster Lv2?!

“What’s going on?! Is my Grandmaster Lv3 fake?!”

She stared at the panel in shock, noticing an eye-catching negative entry:

[Cursed by Grievance: The suffering of the populace weighs heavily upon you, draining your strength and rendering you unable to fight or level up!]

Cursed by grievance? The suffering of the people?

Violanda paused, a realization dawning on her. This was the dark side of faith. She had absorbed the faith of many followers to ascend, but it came with a price—the interference of their suffering. If the people on the continent were in despair, or if her enemies slaughtered innocents, it would weaken her powers.

Though she had reached Grandmaster Lv3, her strength was probably still lower than Grandmaster Lv1. Luckily, the royal family of the Dawnstar Dynasty was unaware of her condition; if they knew, it would spell trouble for her.

And it wasn’t just her—Eirik was also burdened by this curse. Together, they were effectively powerless. If Emperor Raedric came for them with his golden corpse, their game would be over.

“What has Pixie done to the Dawnstar Dynasty all these years?”

Violanda felt a wave of frustration. What kind of chaos had unfolded to put them in such a predicament?

She quickly opened the map of the Dawnstar Dynasty. The nation was on the brink of collapse. Land consolidation was rampant, dukes were warring, and it felt as though dozens of smaller nations were fighting each other. Even nearby countries were repeatedly invading.

In these chaotic times, human life was as cheap as dirt.

Of course, near Elaresar, peace reigned—no one dared cause trouble there. The royal family’s golden corpse was far too intimidating. And Pixie, the de facto queen, had mastered the Forgotten Grimoire, becoming nearly as powerful as a Grandmaster herself. If she weren’t so detached from the world, the Dawnstar Dynasty wouldn’t be in such disarray.

“Pixie, what the hell are you doing? Stop focusing solely on your magic and take a look at the people!”

Violanda couldn’t help but ask Pip in the world channel.

“Huh? What’s wrong? I just logged off—what happened?!”

Pip, who had just met with Eirik after seeing her father, was taken aback by Violanda’s sudden question.

“…”

Violanda sighed. She had no one to blame but herself for being so careless. Why had she entrusted the role of emperor to someone as unreliable as Pixie?

Pixie… the one learning the Forgotten Grimoire… What did the lives of ordinary people even mean to her?

It wasn’t surprising that the Dawnstar Dynasty was in such chaos.

To restore order, Violanda needed to confront the dukes. But Emperor Raedric was no ordinary foe. If she revealed her weakened state, it wouldn’t be long before he found out.

This was a critical moment. What should she do? Should she ask Pixie for help—this rival of hers?

When had Violanda sunk so low as to seek help from her love rival?

Her face hardened with discomfort. Everything had been going smoothly until one misstep led her to this dead end.

If she were to perish now, it would be such a waste. Yet, the thought of begging Pixie for help was just as unbearable…

Of course, Elvynna had reached Grandmaster status as well, but relying on her was no better than asking that little bitch Pip.

Despair engulfed her.