Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 172: Return

[Empress Sephrina’s Room]

Sephrina sighed as she took off her black coat that draped over her body.

It was one of the few things in the world that could hold back her curse.

She also took off her mask that covered her face.

Her molten golden hair cascaded down her back and touched her knees.

Sephrina blinked her golden eyes innocently as she looked down at her body.

’That boy...’

Despite him trying not to make it obvious, she couldn’t help but notice his gaze all over her body.

’Was he checking me out?’

She wondered, frowning to herself.

’But there is nothing to see....’

She touched her own chest that was flat with only a little fat.

Despite how much she tried, her body always remained like this.

Unless she fell in love with someone, her body would always remain genderless.

Sephrina turned away with a quiet sigh, letting her coat drop onto the nearby chair.

The dim glow of the room’s enchanted lanterns cast a soft light across the marble floor.

She walked toward the table, her bare feet silent on the cold surface.

She poured herself a glass of water, her fingers brushing over the rim absentmindedly.

’It doesn’t matter...’ she thought.

Even if someone found her attractive, it didn’t change anything.

Her curse wasn’t just skin-deep—it ran through her blood, her bones, her soul.

Love was a distant dream.

A condition she wasn’t even sure she could feel anymore.

She set the glass down and leaned against the table, her fingers gripping the edge.

There was a long silence as she quietly looked at the floor.

"Still... It was good to have someone I can talk with."

But her expression immediately turned cold as she remembered his words.

"Seraph."

Her gaze turned towards the door as she heard the fairy’s voice.

"Is he gone now?" she asked, looking at Lili.

"Yeah," Lili replied, nodding her head. "Though he asked to meet you tomorrow."

Sephrina blinked innocently before her brows knitted together. "Why?"

Lili didn’t say anything for a while as she kept on looking at her.

"I sensed spirit energy from him," she replied quietly. "I don’t know how to feel about it but... he might be related to the fairies."

Sephrina’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Spirit energy?" she asked, her tone calm but sharp.

Lili hovered a little lower, her tiny wings fluttering nervously. "Not strong... but it’s there."

"Why would a human child have something only fairies have?" Sephrina couldn’t help but ask.

The people who could actually harness spirit energy were quite common back in the days.

Sephrina had heard about them from the elf seer.

But...

Six hundred years ago when the group of students were summoned, something happened to the spirit world....

It was corrupted and turned into a wasteland.

With no spirit world, there was no way for anyone to form a contract with them.

Because of this, even Sephrina couldn’t form a contract because Lili only had enough to keep herself alive.

"I don’t know much, but I think that boy is trustworthy," Lili said, as Sephrina began to move. "...I will go see him tomorrow."

"...I see."

She mumbled before she lay on the bed, her body sinking within the mattress.

Sephrina stared at the ceiling for a while, her golden eyes absent.

Her thoughts drifted again to Akamir.

She closed her eyes, letting out a slow breath.

’Trustworthy, huh...?’

Lili floated closer to her before lying on the bed. "What are you thinking?"

"....About what that boy said," Sephrina replied, her voice soft. "Why would Sir Lewin do such a thing?"

"..."

Lili kept her silence as she stared at the empress.

"He was there when my father wasn’t present," she continued when Lili didn’t reply. "Since I remember, Sir Lewin has always taken care of me."

Lili settled beside her, the flutter of her wings finally still.

"Maybe... there’s more to it than we know," Lili said quietly. "People change. Or maybe they were always like that, and we just never noticed."

Sephrina’s jaw tightened slightly. "That doesn’t make it any easier to accept."

"I know," Lili whispered. "But you can’t let the past keep cutting you open."

Sephrina didn’t reply. Her golden eyes stared up at the ceiling.

Then she spoke again, her voice quieter now.

"It’s either blind trust in Sir Lewin or risking the elven race."

Sephrina blinked as she let out a sigh. "I think we need to look into his matters."

Lili smiled brightly. "You can count on me!"

Sephrina smiled back at her but.... a thought dawned upon her.

’Is Lili the only one I could ever trust?’

---

[The next morning.]

Knock! Knock!

Akamir blinked away his tiredness as he sat back up.

It was already past eight when he woke up.

Knock! Knock!

’Urgh, what a pain.’

Akamir grumpily thought as he stood up and walked towards the door.

Luca, Viros and Reagan stood outside of his room.

Akamir frowned before he let them inside. "What happened?"

"We should be asking that," Reagan replied, walking in. "You didn’t tell us how things went with the empress last night."

"Uh, yeah..."

Akamir was too tired to talk with them last night as he slept as soon as he returned.

He wasn’t keen on telling them the things that happened.

"So..." Luca began. "How did it go?"

"She refused to believe Lewin would do such things," Akamir replied, sitting on his bed. "She also threatened to kill me if I pursue this matter."

Viros let out a long whistle as he leaned against the wall. "She really said that, huh?"

Akamir nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. Well... I did something that pissed her off beforehand."

"What did you do?" Luca asked, raising his brow. "Don’t tell me you peeked when she was bathing."

"...."

Akamir opened his mouth to reply before he closed it once again.

"What are you going to do now?" Reagan asked before they could comment further. "It doesn’t seem she would help."

"What is there for me to do now?" Akamir replied, looking at him. "I did what I could, I am done with it now."

"What?" Reagan frowned, clearly not taking his words well. "Are you saying you would let all those elves die?"

"I don’t think you are seeing the real problem here," Viros said, his voice serious. "What if the curse got to humans as well?"

"It won’t happen," Akamir replied, shaking his head. "The curse only affects elves and no one else."

Akamir had already asked about it beforehand with Nayomi.

It was clear that the elves were the only ones who bear the curse.

’After all, it was their race who experimented with its body.’

With a tired sigh, Akamir stretched his body.

"Anyway," he looked at Reagan’s doll body. "It’s not like I won’t come back here."

Reagan narrowed his eyes. "Are you telling the truth?"

"I’ll come back," Akamir said with a small shrug. "Just not for this mess."

Luca leaned back against the desk, arms folded. "And what should we do now?"

"Pack your things," Akamir said, looking at him. "We are going back home."

Viros and Luca looked at each other before nodding.

"Sure," Viros said, turning around. "We will be ready in a while."

Akamir nodded at him, then looked at Reagan. "What about you?"

Reagan just looked at him with his button-like eyes before letting out a sigh.

Without a word, he walked out of the room and closed the door.

Akamir, now alone in his room, rubbed his eyes to alleviate his sleepiness.

"How long have you been there?" Akamir asked, as he looked to his side.

There, a fairy sat close to the window, hands folded under her chest.

"Where is the queen?" Lili asked, her voice eager and filled with curiosity.

"Did you tell her about Sephrina?" Akamir asked, looking at her.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I just told her I would meet you."

Akamir looked at her for a second before he waved his hand. "Come out, Saia."

At his words, the air around him moved like a stone thrown in a still lake.

Through the ripple, a small fairy appeared in the world.

Saia blinked innocently before she smiled shyly.

But...

The same couldn’t be said for Lili.

"W-what?" she stammered, looking at her. "A-a fairy?"

’Is it her first time seeing one?’

Akamir wondered, rubbing his chin as the fairy moved closer.

Lili stared at Saia as if she were seeing a ghost.

"No way..." she whispered, flying up a little to get a closer look. "You... you’re a real fairy."

Saia nodded slowly, her wings fluttering softly behind her. "Yes... I am."

"But how?!" Lili turned to Akamir, her expression a mix of confusion and excitement. "The spirit world is gone! All the fairies disappeared centuries ago! Even I barely survived!"

"I just am," Saia mumbled, feeling awkward.

Lili hovered in silence, processing everything.

Then she suddenly zipped around Saia, inspecting her like a curious bee.

"Your wings are so clear... your spirit energy is pure... You’re whole. Not drained like me..." she mumbled.

Saia blinked, her voice soft. "You’re not alone, Lili."

Those simple words made Lili freeze mid-air.

She quietly looked at the fairy queen without any words.

"Hey, Lili," Akamir said, looking at the fairy.

"Y-yeah?" she replied, still in shock.

Akamir smiled. "Saia would like to be your friend."

Saia nodded as she was thinking the same.

"Uh, yeah..."

Lili softly replied, unable to speak.

"So, as a friend," Akamir said, smiling. "You will help us, right?"

For a while, Lili looked at her without any words.