Perfect Avatar
Chapter 210: Envy

Chapter 210: Envy

The hand gradually became clearer, as if emerging from a fog. Hope blinked rapidly before gasping in disbelief. The people surrounding him exchanged concerned glances, prompting the boy to comprehend the impact of his words.

"URGH!!" he shouted, putting his hands in front of his face.

With a graceful movement, the Queen pulled back her hand and closed her eyes.

"I see... it’s a lot of envy... the boy you were looking for was better than you... you envied everything about him, everyone around him... to the point of refusing to live your own life. "

"Wait! Stop! That’s not true!"

"But the truth is that you wanted to be him so much... that you ended up hating yourself. You wish to be him, to be surrounded by his girlfriends, to be the one... Oh... your friend is another avatar? And then it’s even worse... you never had a chance..."

"Stop! STOP THIS!!!" As he advanced, he suddenly felt immobilized once more. Cleopatra’s eyes fluttered open, now a vibrant shade of green.

"And in the end... your stubbornness caused your sister’s death. They say the boy killed her, but you know deep down that she is no longer because of you. You killed Elizabeth."

"STOOOOOOP!!!!!"

The piercing shriek reverberated across the room. As he blinked open his eyes, tears cascaded down his cheeks and pooled at the corners of his mouth. A hushed silence enveloped the group, their eyes filled with apprehension.

No words were necessary to convey the sheer magnitude of the situation; the unspoken message hung heavy in the air: don’t anger her! With a trembling motion, he gradually lowered his arms, succumbing to uncontrollable sobs.

- This was never your stage.

He jerked back slightly and lifted his head, locking eyes with the queen. Her expression was either friendly or taunting, her features masking her true emotions.

"Beautiful, it’s rare to meet someone with such jealousy. Hope Balder, you’ve gained my interest."

The young boy gazed downward, his expression filled with deception. He took a deep breath and shifted his gaze to the side.

"However...I guess you need some time alone."

He turned to her, tears streaming down his face.

- You only exist because he’s not there.

He touched his forehead and gave a nod before exiting the room with measured strides. Cleopatra joyfully clapped her hands, a never-ending smile gracing her lips.

"Isn’t that just delicious? The thrill of jealousy... the drive to get what someone else has instead of working for yourself... I never get tired of it."

The girls shifted their attention towards her. Eryl’s gaze brimming with contempt.

"How about we stop playing nice and start being real, Envy?"

Freya glanced at the maid with a hint of nervousness, but once Cleopatra’s eyes met hers, she instantly grasped the situation. Cleopatra playfully smirked and raised her eyebrows as she gently rubbed her cheek.

"Oh? But this was getting fun, I still haven’t checked your mind, daughter from another world. But I guess you’re right... So, you people with Avatar souls, let’s talk about the reason you are here, the door in the sky, the Twilight of the Gods."

Liliana took a deep breath before moving ahead.

"You... You know about the Twilight of the Gods? You know that we are here to ask for your help?"

The Queen shifted her attention to Liliana, studying the azure hue of her eyes before her own widened in surprise.

"...You...um...unexpected. Yes, I already know, I also know that you all know three other people like me. But what is really surprising is that you all carry within you a different sin."

They gazed into each other’s eyes, captivated by the intriguing description that had just been shared. Mary’s mind wandered back to the Sin’s last speech, and she couldn’t help but ask.

"Is it possible... the pseudo-avatar transformation? Our friend told us something similar but we still have no idea."

"A friend, huh? Interesting how he taught you that word but not what it means. Let’s do this, you can ask me anything and I’ll give you a favorable answer but you have to choose between two things: my help with the Twilight of the Gods, or the Pseudo-Avatar transformation."

*****

Outside, Hope strolled along the path, his hands tucked snugly into his pockets. Lost in his thoughts, he kept his gaze fixed on the ground beneath his feet. Oblivious to his surroundings, he failed to notice the mysterious figure trailing closely behind him, matching his every step. Suddenly, without warning, a sharp dagger pierced through the air and stopped before touching his throat.

"Second, this is the second time I could have killed you, are you the weak link in your team?"

Hope glanced over his shoulder and locked eyes with Nefertari, flashing him her customary taunting grin.

"Oh, it’s you..."

They strolled for a while until they stumbled upon Cid standing beside a vast open field. The trio settled down, taking a seat together, and observed the elves as they assembled. Hope, hunched over with his head buried between his knees, had just concluded recounting the details of his encounter with Cleopatra.

Cid rolled his eyes and drummed his fingers on the stone seats, while Nefertari gazed up at the sky.

"Well...I don’t know what can be done for you at this point. You could have just stayed there, why are you always overreacting..."

Cid’s sentence was left unfinished as his gaze landed on Hope. Understanding his friend’s quick temper, he decided to simply ignore the words and instead gave him a reassuring pat on the back.

"Well, at least the view here is beautiful. These women are gorgeous! Too bad they’re probably a couple now...I mean, what man would leave such beauties alone?"

Hope forced a smile and looked up, watching the elves line up in front of a wall statue depicting a giant raising his hand to the sky.

"There is no man in our kingdom." Nefertari’s voice broke their little joy as she said, her gaze fixated on the vast expanse of the sky above.

The two boys turned their attention towards her, their brows furrowing in utter bewilderment. Without a word, Nefertari slowly tilted her head downwards, locking her intense gaze with Hope’s eyes.

"They all died long ago."