Jared didn’t reply.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t, from all the kicks he’d taken.
If he spoke, the desire to save the Progenitor would well up, so he deliberately kept his mouth shut.
“Answer me, Jared! Even now, you intend to save me!”
She kicked away the boy’s hand gripping her ankle with disgust, and then kicked him one more time.
Rolling on the ground, Jared looked up at the sky that was far too bright, lying on his back.
— To be honest, he sympathized with Progenitor Yuna Miharasaki.
Cast into a world he didn’t know, forced to fight during her lifetime.
Even after death, she had to live for her descendants and people, and was desired to be revived.
Some of her descendants wished for a peaceful death, but that was a selfish way of thinking.
He couldn’t forgive her for taking Olivier’s body.
However, that was the work of Cassandra Hagedorff, and the Progenitor hadn’t named Olivier specifically.
Jared, consumed by anger after losing the one he loved, understood that much.
Even so, he decided to fight the Progenitor — to get his fiancée back, and because she told him to defeat the Progenitor.
However, the means to retrieve Olivier from the Progenitor were not clear.
Therefore, he had chosen the option to defeat her.
If he lost Olivier as a result, he was even prepared to follow her in death.
The Progenitor said Olivier was still alive.
That became a glimmer of hope.
However, he despaired upon hearing that eventually they would merge, becoming someone new, neither Olivier nor the Progenitor.
There were no remaining options.
In that case, he had to defeat the Progenitor along with Olivier, as originally planned.
As long as the Progenitor’s objectives and actions in this era were unclear, he, as a human living in the modern age, had to fight.
Even if he lost Olivier, he still had important people in this world.
His beloved’s family, Jared’s own family, comrades, and friends.
However, deep down, Jared was conflicted.
He wondered if it was okay to kill the Progenitor, who had been tossed around by a cruel fate.
Sweet.
Sickeningly sweet.
It was because of that sweetness that Jared lay pathetically on the ground.
— He could have used more power, but he couldn’t unleash it.
The power he had obtained by discarding his previous magic had been in vain.
“…Fine, yes, it’s fine. If that’s how you’re going to act, then I have my own plans.”
The Progenitor placed her foot on Jared’s chest as he lay bloody and on his back.
“I have no expectations of you anymore.”
— With a grunt, strength was applied, and the sound of his ribs creaking was heard.
“I, you see, respected Olivier Alway, who became a sacrifice. That’s why I treated you, who aren’t harming this country, with consideration. But, it’s no longer the case.”
Her strength increased further, and his breathing faltered.
He grabbed her leg, but it didn’t budge.
Jared realized his Body Enhancement Magic had run out, but it was too late.
“It’s deeply regrettable that it has come to this end, but you have brought it upon yourself.”
His bones creaked and groaned.
Pressure and pain assaulted him, preventing him from concentrating on his physical enhancement.
Realizing this was bad, the boy felt even more strength applied to him.
“From now on, I will do as I please. However, you don’t need to know about it.”
Lifting her foot from his chest, the Progenitor declared.
“Farewell, Jared Murphy.”
And then, without mercy, she brought down her enhanced foot.
