Hearing my words, she threw a punch that sent me sprawling onto the table, knocking dishes to the floor. I had to admit—her right hook was solid. Everything became much clearer when that punch connected with my chin. Would she have forgiven me if I’d apologized? Though, I knew it was too late for that. Now, all I could do was try to survive. This world had finally made me snap—and I snapped at the last person I ever should’ve snapped at. A damned Queen.

As I lay on the table, dazed, memories of my mother came back to me. I remembered her face when she accidentally shot me—it was filled with devastation. Like she hadn’t meant it… I mean, I hope she didn’t mean it. Our relationship had always been strained. At night, I’d wake at every small noise, fearing she’d come to beat me again or force more pills down my throat. Worse, I feared she’d listen to the whispers in her head and convince herself I was something else—a doppelganger, maybe—and decide to get rid of me. She was… complicated, a hard woman to understand.

The guards stepped forward, swords drawn, their blades aimed squarely at me. I rolled off the table, landing on my feet, my expression still as dull as ever.

========================

|Currently known skills: 3

========================

×Fireball(?)

×Void portal(?)

×Ice barrier(?)

========================

“Void Portal…” I muttered under my breath. “Guess it’s your time.”

“Kill him!” the Queen shrieked, pointing her finger at me. “Bring me his damned head!”

I tapped the question mark beside Void Portal, and a new screen appeared, displaying the spell's mana cost and other stats. Before I could read more, an ice shard shot toward my throat.

I ducked just in time and sprinted toward the window. On the way, the blonde girl stepped into my path, her hands glowing with purple energy. Like firing a gun, she sent bolts of sparkling purple light my way.

I conjured an Ice Barrier, easily deflecting her attack, then pushed her aside and kept running. Behind me, the guards gave chase, swords gleaming.

“Shit…”

Reaching the window, I pulled the curtain aside only to see iron bars outside. Escape was impossible. Even if I broke through, I’d plummet to my death from this height. I had no choice—Void Portal was my only option.

It felt strange, yet natural, as if I had cast the spell countless times. I turned to face my attackers and focused on a specific spot in the room. A thin, dark line appeared in the air, catching everyone’s attention. The guards froze, their eyes widening in horror.

A tendril slithered through the line, followed by another. They gripped the edges of the line, trying to pull it open like a door. That felt… familiar.

“Gods above,” one guard whispered. “Void magic…”

“No, no, no,” another muttered, stepping back.

The small line burst open, revealing a swirling, otherworldly dimension. It was dark and purple, with glowing stars scattered in the distance. Again---this felt… strangely familiar for some reason.

Suddenly, a massive eye appeared within the portal—the same eye that had brought me to this world. The solution to all of my problems.

Tendrils, wet and veiny, slid into the room, twitching grotesquely. Some had small, blinking eyes embedded in their flesh. The sight was pure nightmare fuel.

“Apologize,” I said, my voice cold and steady.

One of the tendrils wrapped around the Queen, pinning her arms and legs. Another forced her mouth open.

“No!” she screamed, her voice muffled as a tendril slid into her mouth.

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I didn’t see what the tendril was doing, but I somehow knew. I could feel it like an extension of my body, slithering deeper until it gently touched her beating heart.

Grabbing her by the hair, I pulled her face toward mine. “Apologize.”

“Axel!” Nora shouted, her voice trembling. “Stop! You’re… this isn’t a toy!”

“Apologize.”

Another line opened in the room, and more tendrils poured through. Then another, then another, two more---the room was filled with those weird lines and tendrils that came within. All the guards could do was watch as the lines opened, not even trying to save the queen

“Gods, Mirelda!” Nora yelled. “Just apologize!”

The tendril withdrew from the Queen’s mouth, retreating back into the portal. The Queen gasped for air, tears streaming down her face.

“Say it,” I said, my grip on her hair unwavering.

“Damn your mother and you, you cunt,” she choked, trembling. “Bite me.”

For the longest time in my life… I smiled genuinely. “Oh, I will.”

The tendril whipped toward the Queen, landing with a sickening impact. She stood motionless for a moment before her body split cleanly in two and collapsed to the ground. The guards, frozen in shock, dropped to their knees, muttering desperate prayers.

My eyes widened in horror. I hadn’t meant to kill her. I only wanted to hurt her, make her regret what she’d done. This wasn’t me. No way. I couldn’t have done that. I took a few steps back, my stomach churning, fighting the urge to vomit as I stared at her lifeless body.

“Shit,” Nora muttered, her voice strained. “This is your fault, Axel. You owe me a star for this.”

Before I could respond, she pulled a small ruby from her pocket. Without hesitation, she threw it to the floor and crushed it beneath her heel. As the gem shattered, everything around me dissolved into darkness. It was peaceful, an eternal rest with no burdens, no thoughts—just the comforting embrace of nothingness.

But then, I opened my eyes.

I found myself back in my chair, a grape in hand, poised to toss it into my mouth. Across from me, the blonde girl dropped her spoon, clutching her head with a grimace. Behind her, Nora and Mirelda exchanged concerned glances, sensing that something was wrong.

“Wait… wait,” Nora muttered, her voice shaky. “I just used the Time Star. But why? What happened?”

“Time Star?” the blonde girl asked, her brows furrowed.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind artifact,” Nora explained, her tone laced with tension. “Breaking it rewinds time a few minutes for everyone. There’s no second copy of it in existence.”

“Were we attacked?” the Queen asked, her eyes narrowing.

“Maybe,” Nora said cautiously. “The artifact erases memories of events from before the reset, so no one remembers what happened after it’s used.”

“Guards!” the Queen barked, her commanding voice echoing through the chamber. “Double the security immediately. We might be under attack by elves!”

“Right away, ma’am!” one of the guards responded, rushing out of the room.

“I feel…” Nora closed her eyes, concentrating. “A void presence in this room. A faint one. Did a void creature attack us?”

“Who even knows void magic?” the blonde girl asked, her voice skeptical. “No one can cast it.”

========================

|Currently known skills: 3

========================

×Fireball(?)

×Void portal(?)

×Ice barrier(?)

========================

“Void Portal…” I whispered, staring at the translucent skill box floating in the corner of my vision. “Did I… use that?”

The door slammed open, and the general rushed in, sword drawn, his face flushed from running. He quickly scanned the room, his keen eyes assessing the situation before moving toward with heavy steps.

“Are we under attack, Your Majesty?” he asked, his voice steady but laced with urgency. “You called for heightened security?”

“Nora used the Time Star,” the Queen explained, her voice measured but firm.

“What’s that?” he asked, clearly unfamiliar.

“An artifact that rewinds time a few minutes when shattered,” the Queen said. “It’s only used in dire emergencies. I trust her judgment. She thinks a void monster might be here.”

“My men report to me every ten minutes,” he replied. “Everything is under control—no intruders, no elves, no void monsters. The area is secure. But I’ll double check just in case. Queen Nora, may I borrow some of your men as well?”

“Of course. Do as you will.”

“Thank you, Queen.”

“So… why did I use the Time Star?” Nora muttered to herself, frustration seeping into her voice. “Mm…”

“Calm down,” the Queen said, her voice commanding. “We’ll wait it out and stay vigilant. Thum,” she addressed the general, “when you’re done, go to the dungeons and confirm the prisoners are accounted for. Have the guards report every single suspicious detail they notice. I don’t care if it’s a bird flying out of place—I want to know.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the general said with a bow. “I’ll see to it at once.”

With that, the general turned and left, leaving the tension in the room to thicken.