If the Hourglass of Mercy could truly rewind time, Avira’s own abilities would have long since become something like a bug in the world.
Adhering to the principle of never gambling on luck with any matter, Avira believed that she had once been revived by the Hourglass of Mercy and had spent some time with the Demon King.
But she had completely forgotten that period of time, with no related memories at all.
Then,
Ophitia had rewound back and found Avira first thing.
She discovered that Avira had lost those memories and burst into tears.
What kind of memories had they been?
“What happened back then?”
“She didn’t tell me. Perhaps you can get it out of her.”
“You’re so sly. Are both you sisters this bad?”
“You’re too kind. The 【Hourglass of Mercy】 does have its limits, and the current you isn’t the most complete version of yourself. Ophitia loves you very much, and she’s quite pitiful too. She held on alone for a very long time. Avira, I hope you can love her a little more.”
“…”
“Can’t do it? That’s why I dislike you.” Oleniya shook her head. “If you don’t like her, then why get close to her?”
Avira lowered her head.
She didn’t say a word.
She followed Oleniya back to the Royal Palace, her mind elsewhere the whole time.
She cooked with Oleniya, and at that moment, she noticed that Oleniya acted as if nothing had happened at all.
This woman was a real pro at acting.
At the dinner table, Oleniya and Ophitia chatted happily, mostly about past family matters and future dreams. Lace nodded along beside them; the three shared plenty of common ground. In the afternoon, Ophitia went off with her sister to handle wedding preparations, leaving Avira alone.
She tried on the dress she was supposed to wear for the wedding, then took it off, staring into the mirror. She realized the bow on her head and the black skirt didn’t quite match—such a tiny flaw was enough to displease her.
Later, Avira realized she was just idling away.
Night came quickly. This time, Oleniya cooked. At the dinner table, she and her sister still had plenty of shared topics. Avira kept observing the Demon King’s expression. She seemed satisfied; with her sister there, her smiles came more often.
Before the time rewind, the Demon King had always eaten alone, with only Avira serving her. Of course, every dish on that table was something the Demon King loved, so the process had even been enjoyable. Avira recalled the way the Demon King chewed slowly, stubbornly insisting that Avira’s maid work could be better, and her mood grew even more complicated.
The Demon King…
Wasn’t she supposed to be mine?
“You’re so sly.”
Avira grumbled inwardly. She clearly didn’t need me anymore.
That evening, Avira still said nothing. By rights, she should fulfill a wife’s duties: warming the bed, preparing fresh clothes for Ophitia, organizing her shoes and towels, and getting ready to bathe her.
But she just couldn’t muster the motivation.
Then, the door opened.
“I’m back. The garlic stir-fried pork today was delicious too. It must be something Avira taught my sister, right?”
“…Mm.”
“Hehe, I knew she wouldn’t. My tastes have changed anyway—only Avira knows them.”
“…”
“Is something bothering Avira? This is the first time I’ve seen you like this. What’s wrong?”
Ophitia sat beside Avira. Hot orange juice sat before them—something Avira had prepared specially for her.
“It’s nothing.”
“Avira, just tell me. Pretend I’m a dummy~” Ophitia took her hand, her face full of longing. Words Avira had meant to hold back suddenly wanted to spill out, but her rationality stopped her.
Ophitia touched her chin.
“Did my sister say something to you?”
“…It’s nothing, just some unimportant stuff.”
“…”
Ophitia’s expression changed; she was clearly holding back her emotions. The next second, her crimson eyes began to glow. At the same time, the Moon Marks on Avira’s chest and lower abdomen flickered.
A force began to dominate her body from the inside out. When Avira tried to resist, her consciousness submitted anyway. Even the thought of being controlled by the Demon King vanished like smoke. Her eyes widened as she leaned against the Demon King.
“Master.”
“Little Avira, tell me—what did Oleniya say to you? What did she do to you?”
“She bullied me.” Avira said it without hiding anything; the very idea of concealment didn’t exist. Her controlled mind echoed with one relentless command: Obey the Demon King.
【Domination】
Even if not a full familiar, she would still be dominated by her master. This was the first time Ophitia had used this power after the rewind.
“She hates me. She wants me to leave you.”
“Yeah, so that’s how it is. I told her not to bother you, but she just wouldn’t listen.”
With that, Ophitia released the domination, freeing Avira’s mind once more.
Her eyes were terrifying. The last time Avira had seen the Demon King like this was when she glared at her enemy, the Great Sage Molly.
Avira slumped onto the sofa. She had wanted to glare fiercely at Ophitia, but seeing that look in her eyes, she gradually backed down.
“Ha… ah…”
“I told her the truth because I trust her, not so she could use it however she wanted. I’ll punish her tomorrow.”
Avira nodded, but she was still distracted that day. After sipping some juice, she obediently went to warm the bed. Her instincts told her the soft Demon King would forget all about it by tomorrow—and how could she possibly punish her favorite sister, anyway?
Avira felt herself drifting off to sleep quickly, since Ophitia didn’t do anything to her that night.
The next day.
Demon King Ophitia summoned all the Moon Heaven Kings, including Lace and Molly, as well as Oleniya.
Virtually every important member of the Demon Race was present—even members of the former Hero Squad.
Since Avira had confirmed her relationship with the Demon King, her authority was now second only to the Demon King’s.
She didn’t even need to kneel before the throne.
Ophitia’s expression was grim.
After addressing the important matters, Ophitia turned to the “former Crystal Dragon King,” who knelt on one knee.
“Oleniya, do you know your crime?” Her voice was cold, as if she had become a different person even facing her own sister.
“…Yes.” Oleniya was clearly surprised.
“I order you confined for three days. During this time, you may not step out of your room by even half a pace. All your official positions are revoked. From now on, you are forbidden from showing Avira the slightest disrespect.”
