Villain Hiring: Help! Author Wants Me Dead-Chapter 72 - 2 choices

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The flames consumed my figure.

Heat wrapped around my body, warm and crackling and then, nothing.

I stumbled forward, but there was no ground beneath my feet.

Just an endless void stretching into eternity. The air seemed thick, heavy, as though I had stepped into a world that had long since burned away.

My breath came in short intervals as I tried to steady myself.

Then, a sharp ding rang in my ears.

A glowing, blue screen appeared in front of me, lighting up the previously dark surroundings.

[System Quest]

Suryi’s Trial

Objective: ???

Reward: ???

I froze.

What… was this?

A system? That was impossible.

Only madmen and scholars had whispered about such things, calling them the will of the gods.

But here it was—floating in front of me, real and undeniable.

My fingers twitched as I hesitated to reach out.

Another chime sounded.

[Status]

Name: Sylvie D. Romero

Race: Human

Title: The Witch of Flames

Strength: 73

Agility: 68

Mana: 176

Charm: 5

Skills: ???

I sucked in a sharp breath.

The Witch of Flames.

How long had it been since anyone called me that?

My title once held weight, spoken with reverence, fear and admiration.

I had stood at the peak, a woman whose name made even kings falter. But that woman had been stripped of her power, caged… forced into silence.

I clenched my hands hard.

It should have meant something. It should have reminded me of my strength.

But all it did was remind me of what I had lost.

Then I saw it—the reflection of myself in the cracked ground beneath me.

I barely recognized the woman staring at me back.

The pink strands of my hair, once vibrant and full of life, had faded over the years.

My black eyes, once burning with fire, looked almost dead.

My skin had once been pale, but now it only bore the weight of time, of suffering, of a thousand nights spent with no purpose.

Noah and Venus weren’t here.

For the first time in years, I was alone.

And without them watching—without anyone watching me—I let the bridge holding my emotions together… collapse.

A chuckled sob slipped past my lips before I could stop it.

My knees hit the ground as I fell beneath the weight I had carried for far so long.

I had been strong for Noah.

For the people who needed me.

I had smiled, laughed, told stories of a world beyond suffering—pretended that none of it had broken me.

But I was broken.

I had been shattered the day they stripped me from Venus’ side.

The day they forced my husband to seal my mana core, turning me powerless.

That was when I realized a sour truth, the fact that I was useless.

How many nights had I wanted it all to end? How many times had I thought about closing my eyes and never waking up again?

I gritted my teeth, holding the fabric of my gown tight.

"I was supposed to be free a long time ago…" I whispered roughly.

But I had lived.

For Noah.

For the boy who looked at me like I was the only thing holding him together.

And now—

I blinked.

Something was different.

My body no longer felt weak, drained by the years of suppression. My hands no longer trembled with age.

I slowly raised my palm, staring at the smoothness of my skin.

The fine lines that had begun to mark my face were fading, my body became lighter, stronger.

Mana surged through me—powerful, unrestrained. It pulsed beneath my skin, a familiar presence I had long since been denied.

My heart pounded as realization struck.

I wasn’t aging anymore.

No.

I was returning to my prime.

The prime of The Witch of Flames.

The void around me trembled. The cracked ground beneath my feet split apart, and before I could react, the world shattered into flames.

Heat wrapped around me like a living thing, burning away my ability to see everything.

Then I blinked—

And everything was different.

***

I stood in a barren wasteland. The sky stretched above me, painted in deep red and gold, as if frozen in an endless sunset.

The air was thick and heavy, carrying the sharp scent of ash and something metallic—blood.

A thin layer of soot covered the cracked ground, and in the distance, jagged rocks rose like broken bones.

There was no sun.

No moon.

No stars.

Only twilight.

I exhaled slowly, calming myself.

This… this was not Venus’ palace.

I looked down at my hands. They felt real. Solid. I was still myself. But the world around me—it was something else entirely. A dream? An illusion?

Or was this reality?

I took a cautious step forward, my boots crunching against the soot-covered ground. My heart beat in my chest, each beat reminding me that I was still alive. Still here.

Then I heard it.

A child’s cry.

The sound was faint, carried by the cold wind.

What was it?

A plea for help?!

A voice trembled with fear.

I turned sharply, searching for the source.

There—against a blackened tree. A small figure huddled in the dirt, her thin arms wrapped around her knees.

The girl’s robes were tattered, their face streaked with snot.

But it was their eyes that struck me most. Wide.

Terrified.

Shackles bound the girl’s wrists and ankles, thick chains sinking deep into the scorched earth.

The metal shined unnaturally, etched with glowing symbols—magic.

I stepped closer. "Who are you?"

The child flinched.

"I… I don’t know."

A lie. Or maybe the truth.

I knelt beside her, studying the chains. The carvings were unfamiliar and ancient. Whoever placed them here did not want this child to escape.

"Who did this to you?" I asked.

The child hesitated. The girls fingers trembled as she clutched her torn robes. Then, in a whisper, she answered—

"The goddess."

A cold shiver ran through me.

Suryi.

The one who had set this trial.

My throat tightened.

Suryi had been here before.

She had seen this same child.

Faced this same choice.

I reached out, brushing my fingers over the metal shackles. The magic buzzed against my skin, resisting me.

The child looked up, desperation shining in her tear-filled eyes. "Please… help me."

I hesitated.

Something felt wrong.

The air around us was too still. Too silent.

Then—

A voice echoed behind me. Deep. Commanding.

"Do not free that child."

I jumped to my feet, looking around.

A tall figure stood a few feet away, cloaked in flowing gold and crimson robes.

It’s face was hidden behind a smooth, expressionless mask, and in its right hand, the figure held a curved blade.

The weapon shone under the eerie twilight.

A presence unlike any I had felt before radiated from it’s figure.

Heavy. Powerful. Unshakable.

"You do not know what you are dealing with," the masked figure continued. It’s voice was steady, unwavering.

"That child is bound for a reason. If you break those chains, you will doom an entire world."

I stiffened. "Who are you?"

The being ignored my question.

Instead, they took a slow step forward. "Suryi once stood where you stand now. She faced this same choice. Do you know what she did?"

I swallowed hard.

I didn’t.

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The trial had thrown me into a past I did not fully understand. But one thing was clear—

This was a test.

My test.

I looked at the child again. Her small frame shook, as she looked at me with tear stained eyes.

Her voice trembled as she spoke.

"Please… I don’t want to die."

The masked figure’s grip on it’s sword tightened. "If you free the girl, you will regret it."

The words sent a chill through me.

This was it.

My choice.

Leave the child behind.

Accept Suryi’s judgment.

But if I walk away.

I’ll be defying the trial.

Neither choice felt right.

Neither choice felt wrong.

I clenched my fists.

Suryi had once made this decision.

And now—

So would I.

***