I Know the Secret to Surpass Level 100

Francoise, Midnight, and Sun finally defeated Malice's clone. It was a mere copy of the Black Queen but it packed a powerful punch, one that made the three have a hard time taking.

"Where is Elena?" Francoise asked. "She has to be somewhere safe. Did she go somewhere safe?"

"Yes," Midnight replied. "I could sense her aura leaving the castle ground and into..."

He paused, eyes widened. "There's something there in front of her."

The trio immediately ran towards the direction where Elena was. Just as Midnight said, there was an ominous presence hiding under the fields at the front of the castle walls. It was dark and twisted, like one of the demons.

Meanwhile, Elena was running for her life. Her legs were already sore and her body could barely keep up, but she insisted on getting somewhere safe. After all, the future was in her hands.

"A mere nanny should not suffer these tribulations," Elena said to herself. When she got past the castle gates, she paused to contemplate her direction. It would be best for her to hide in the city where she could easily blend in, but the forest was tempting.

"I cannot allow myself to be cornered," Elena said and immediately sprinted to the city. Little did she know, the road she was taking was already charmed with a powerful enchantment.

As she ran, she noticed how little progress she made. It was as if her feet were stuck in the ground because no matter how much she ran, she barely went past a meter away from the gate.

Panicked, the woman ran to the forest. There, her pace was back to normal. She felt relieved, but now afraid. If she ventures deeper, she might get lost or get eaten alive by beasts.

The woman paused from her tracks, now trying to decide where to go. When she tried to go back to the road, the paths have changed. Elena was lost inside the forest and she had no way out.

"Melissa should be kept inside that portrait."

Elena turned around, seeing a familiar face in front of her. "Lady Rebecca?"

"She's going to be the host of Malice. We can't let that happen," Rebecca said.

"But if we hide the princess, the queen wouldn't be able to find her and use her as a new host," Elena tried to reason. "Please, Lady Rebecca, help me escape. The princess should be somewhere safe. She already suffered enough."

"Elena, we cannot let our hearts get the best of us," Rebecca argued. "If you know anything about Malice, which I assumed you do because you've been working for her for the past half a century, you know that she will find ways to get what she wants. And finding the princess is nothing but a walk in the park for her."

"But if there are many of us, then we can defend her," Elena said. "Please, my Lady, we can't let the princess suffer. We should protect her and love her, show her what it feels like to be normal."

"That's out of the question, Elena," Rebecca sighed. "That portrait... should be destroyed. If we kill the princess, then Malice wouldn't have any other choice but to die. Her body would collapse and soon, it'll all be over."

Elena hugged the portrait tight. She glared at Rebecca while shaking her head, "No, my lady. I will defend the princess with all my life!"

"Pity."

A tap on the shoulder sent Elena to a deep sleep. Before her body could fall on the ground, Trick's arms appeared and caught her. "I wouldn't be able to live like myself if I kill you after what you've been through."

"Trick, get that portrait and destroy it," Rebecca ordered. "This is our only chance to defeat Malice once and for all. We can't let this slip."

"But we can defeat her without killing the princess," Trick said. "Rebecca, I know you have bitter memories against the royal family, but you shouldn't allow your feelings to cross your goals too."

The words sent anger through Rebecca's spine. She growled, coating her body with a thick layer of killing intent. "You know what they did to me and you know what happened. If we can stop Malice by sacrificing her current daughter, then we'll do it. I'll hit two birds with one stone."

"You only say that because you had your feelings hurt," Trick said. "We should not cross these things, Rebecca, you know that."

"What are you trying to say?" Rebecca growled. "That I'm easily influenced by emotions?!"

"Tell me the real reason why you took the risk of turning into a woman through a painful curse?!" Trick growled. "You were like a brother to me, yet you had your eyes for her and when she declined your offer to leave, you got angry."

"I never wanted anything to happen to me," Rebecca looked down and sighed.

"I cannot accept artificially changing yourself because of your own selfish goals. If that's what you really are, the it would've been fine, but you used a reason to change," Trick growled. "You were heartbroken, and then you changed your body just so you'd get closer."

"You think I'd risk losing half of my powers after being cursed just because I'm heartbroken?! I accepted my fate and the prophecies told me that I am me. This is what I am, so you just have to accept me!" Rebecca yelled. "I've always wanted this body, okay? Fine, there, I said it."

"W-What..." Trick muttered. "Always?"

"I was never comfortable in my own skin and all that, but whatever," Rebecca rolled her eyes. "This topic is irrelevant. What I want now has nothing to do with what I need, and I need that portrait destroyed."

"No," Trick snapped his fingers. He disappeared along with Elena. "No matter how much you try, you'll never take the princess away. Not before, not now."

Rebecca exuded a powerful energy that shook the forest floor. Her body lit up with a blinding golden light, making her presence known to the realm.

"You're lucky I chose this new body," Rebecca smirked. "Because if not, I would've killed you with my aura alone."

The woman slammed her feet on the ground and launched herself to the air. She spread a powerful mist of aura that allowed her to sense everything inside the forest.

"People named you Trick because you were filled with those," Rebecca chuckled. "Even now, you distracted me by questioning my body as you cast your skill. But you underestimate me, Trick. I know everything about you."

When she found the man, Rebecca raised both of her hands, conjuring a powerful beam of energy on her palms. "I'll destroy both you and that portrait!"

The woman did not break any sweat as she fired her attack. It was a large spinning ball of energy that was flying towards Trick.

"I used up all my magic to hide, but she saw me immediately?!" Trick groaned. "Eff this!"

Trick was about to conjure a shield when a pair of pitch black wings opened in front of him. A loud screech echoed the forest as the ball of energy dissipated after making contact with the black beast.

"Two powerful demons fighting," Midnight chuckled. "Not that I don't want to see that, but it seems like you have something that we should own."