Chapter 22: The Crimson Empress
Noah appeared once again before the knights of his family. Their expressions twisted in nervousness and anxiety.
They hadn't dared to follow him inside after he ordered them to stay behind, but that didn't mean they were at ease. Oh no, these past few hours had been the most stressful, dreadful moments of their lives. If anything had happened to Noah, they knew exactly how the Duchess would deal with them.
Some had already begun listing the ways they might die. Others had taken out parchment and started writing their wills.
They had been agonizing over his safety.
So when the portal finally swirled open, and Noah stepped out unscathed, looking completely fine—
They collapsed.
Not out of physical exhaustion, but pure, mental relief.
Noah blinked, confused.
'Master, you don't understand,' Ester's voice echoed in his mind, her tone laced with amusement. His shadow shifted unnaturally beneath him. 'To everyone else, the Duchess is that terrifying.'
Noah chuckled softly.
'What a dreadful mother I have.'
"I'm here. Let's set off."
"YES, YOUNG MASTER!" the knights shouted in unison, some even hugging each other in sheer joy.
Noah simply shook his head and entered the carriage.
Honestly, he kind of missed his yandere mother.
⸻
The Royal Capital – Inside the Royal Palace
Sophie sat in her private training ground, legs crossed in a lotus position, blue lightning crackling around her body.
Her eyes remained shut, her focus absolute.
Since their return, things had changed.
The Emperor had been furious. But after hearing the carefully crafted excuses they had prepared, he had no choice but to swallow his rage and wait for Apex Academy to begin.
Meanwhile, Sophie and her mother had grown closer. The incident with the Weaverheart family had forged something between them—something unspoken, yet deeply understood. It was as if they shared a secret only they knew, binding them tighter than ever before.
Emily had started training Sophie regularly. It was her excuse to avoid spending time with the Emperor, but more than that, she now had a clear purpose. Ever since her conversation with Noah, ever since she decided on revenge, she had felt an unshakable sense of peace.
Now, she just had to prepare for the day when she could finally claim justice.
That was why she continued to play the game of politics perfectly—while sharpening her strength in the background.
She needed to break into SS-rank.
But it was brutally difficult.
And for Sophie?
Since returning, Sophie had done nothing but train. She only left the training hall to eat and sleep.
Her determination was evident.
She believed in Noah. She knew he would help her. But Sophie Castria was not the kind of woman who would allow herself to be carried.
She was not a woman whose only worth lay in standing beside a man, warming his bed at night.
No.
She was Sophie Castria. An SS-rank talent holder. The future Empress of the Human Domain.
She would prove her worth.
And indeed—she did.
After days of relentless meditation, lightning manipulation, and with her talent arcane synthesis, Sophie created something new.
A skill that had never existed before.
A skill that defined her ambition—
To never be overshadowed.
To claim her empire.
To stand on her own.
A skill that could evolve infinitely alongside her.
Crimson Thunder of the Empress.
Instantly, the crackling blue lightning around her changed.
The deep electric glow burned into something red. Crimson.
Like blood. Like red fire. Like the very power of an Empress.
Emily watched from a distance, arms crossed, lips curling into a smirk.
Since their return, her daughter had trained relentlessly. Now, as she watched the results unfold before her, she couldn't help but feel proud.
"Look at what you've created, little devil…" she murmured, amused. "You've pushed this arrogant woman to evolve."
She chuckled to herself.
She couldn't wait to see Noah's reaction when he saw her daughter's transformation.
Meanwhile, Sophie's evolution wasn't finished yet.
Because what she had just accomplished was worthy.
{Ding! Ding! Ding!}
{MAGNIFICENT!}
{You have created a unique skill tied to your very being.}
{You are on the path to forging your own physique.}
{You are worthy.}
{Congratulations, Sophie Castria.}
{Title Obtained: The Crimson Empress.}
{Your existence has been greatly strengthened.}
{Live up to this new title or it will be revoked. }
Sophie opened her eyes.
Crackle.
Crimson lightning flickered within them—a living storm trapped in her irises.
Her entire being radiated pressure. A special pressure. The pressure of a ruler.
The pressure of an Empress.
Or rather—
A soon-to-be Empress.
The crimson lightning curled around her skin before being absorbed into her mana core. Her mana reacted, shifting, adapting, evolving.
At that moment—
Sophie ascended to D-rank.
She exhaled slowly. Then, with a small smile, she clenched her fist.
Her gaze lifted—fixed in a single direction.
The Weaverheart Family's territory.
Her lips curled.
"…My dear husband, I can't wait to see you again."
"This time, I'm sure you'll be surprised."
And he would be.
Because in the fifty chapters Noah had read, Sophie was never supposed to awaken this power.
Noah had already changed the story—far more than he realized.
Because one of the female leads had just transcended into something entirely new.
And it was all thanks to him.
⸻
Selene's Office
Noah stood frozen in place, back damp with cold sweat.
Across from him, Selene sat at her desk, her expression relaxed—smiling.
But that smile could freeze the world itself.
"So, my baby…" she said softly.
"Why did you enter the dungeon without the knights?"
Noah cursed internally.
Who the hell snitched on me?
Selene tilted her head, as if reading his thoughts.
"Did you really think I'd let you go with only the knights?" she asked, tone amused. "Noah, my love… you wound me."
Selene? The Yandere Duchess?
As if she'd ever let him go unsupervised.
"I sent the mother of your own shadow to monitor you," she continued casually. "She couldn't enter due to her rank, and I told her only to watch."
Her silver eyes darkened.
"But can you imagine… if something had happened to you inside that dungeon?"
Noah sighed in resignation.
'Damn it… I have no choice now.'
Lowering his head, he activated his trump card.
His silver eyes shimmered, his lips trembled slightly, and his shoulders shook—just enough to make him look fragile.
The ultimate puppy-eyed guilt trip.
Selene's heart shattered instantly.
Before he could say anything, she appeared in front of him and pulled him into a suffocating hug.
"My baby, don't be like this!" she pleaded. "I was just worried! I only wanted you to understand the danger!"
In the shadows, Ester chuckled.
'Master, you are devious.'
Noah sighed.
'Ester, have you never heard the phrase, all is fair in love and war?'
'No, Master.'
'Then forget it, you illiterate.'
Ester scoffed.
Noah just smirked.
—End of Chapter 22—