I'm Sorry, Lilith~!

"Aurora! Grab your tits together and move! We won't win while trying to babysit you!" Rusweld roared, his determination letting him go past his fear.

Lilith's grip on my hand tightened, her eyes trembled, yet she smiled gently. "I hate him, but he's right, Aurora-sama... Please... Use the courage you had back on the first floor!"

"Courage...?" I muttered, nails digging into my lips. "Determination...?" I raised my hand over my mouth.

I laughed. It was low at first. Then louder. More sinister.

"I've tried to replace them with cruelty because it felt easy..." My voice trembled, but quickly sharpened like a knife. "I like cruelty. I love it. But I can't be cruel without any determination... It feels fake... Like a cosplay..."

My lustful gaze burned into Lilith's beautiful eyes. "I want... I want sex..."

Lilith nodded, and her smile remained on her face. My smile split wide, teeth bared like a hyena. "I CORRUPTED HER! MADE HER TO MY IMAGE— AND I WILL FUCK HER! I WANT TO! SHE'S MY DOLL! SHE LOVES IT! SHE WANTS IT!"

The air warped into miasma as I laughed. My dark mana mixed with Corruption surged around us, and the ground shattered.

"WORLD DOMINATION?! BECOMING A GODDESS?! AVENGING MY PAST SELF?! LIES! LIES! LIES!"

Rusweld looked at us in confusion, fearing that the elemental would attack... But it didn't— In fact, it hasn't even flinched, almost as if it was waiting to see something.

I flung my arm wide, a storm of shadows blowing mine and Lilith's hair as my cruel smile froze into something way more monstrous and honest than ever before.

"You're right, Airi," I whispered to myself. "I am lying to myself— No, I was lying to myself up to that moment."

"Was I ever sad for them bullying me?" "No! I wasn't, I just wanted to cum."

"Have I ever felt like an outsider?" "NO! I just wanted to cum!"

My voice itself cracked the ground like an apocalypse.

"This is my story. No fucking template will hold me back."

I spread my arms, high on madness like never before, my true nature finally taking full control.

"I will be whoever I want to be, and I want to be the Corrupting Witch I am, not some damn Goddess!"

Lilith's smile faded away, but with happiness rather than hopelessness. She released my hand and took a battle stance, ready to face the Ice Elemental.

Rusweld stepped to the side, giving me a clear view of the Ice Elemental. Its eyes remained locked onto mine.

I didn't falter. My fear was gone. It was just a small moment of confusion, rather than real fear.

"Ara ara~ You poor soulless soul!"

I pointed the Corrupted Staff at the monster, a wild violet light of madness shooting from my eyes.

"You can just kill yourself, or become my slave at this point~!"

Lilith nodded in agreement.

"You have no chance against my Mistress, me—"

She looked at Rusweld with disgust.

"Or even that idiot over there! We are far better than you~"

Rusweld rolled his eyes and let out a deep sigh, relieved that I returned to my senses, not giving a shit if I was literally unpredictable now.

"That's right, dipshit~! We will slice your angular head off before you have the chance to—"

Lilith and I both looked at him with confusion, curious to hear what he was gonna say as he was obviously trying to seem like a big shot.

"Uhh..."

"Yeah, never mind! Let's just kill that fraud~!"

The Ice Celestial glowed faintly and then floated up in the air, bending it to its will as it turned into ice.

"You two! Behind me in an instant!"

I yelled firmly, tapping the ground with my staff calmly.

Suddenly, countless ice spikes formed all around the Ice Elemental. The spikes were sharp. I had no doubt that getting hit by even one would end up in a bad injury.

Rusweld and Lilith both nodded and hid behind my back. A huge, massive, corrupted earth spike rose from the ground, walling us from the ice spikes.

I clicked my tongue and scowled, kicking the wall.

"Tch...!"

Rusweld looked at me in confusion, curious about why I was so furious all of a sudden.

"Aurora—?"

"It's a fucking bullet hell!"

I yelled, looking back at them. My whip flicked in the air, anticipating a confrontation.

"'Bullet hell'?" Lilith raised a brow, lowering her Khopesh.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head in defeat.

"Fuck... I forgot that they live in a separated world without electricity..." I thought to myself and spun the staff around in my hand.

"Rusweld?" I looked at him with nothing but seriousness in my sharp eyes.

"Yeah? Just don't tell me that you're gonna ask a question before answering mine!" He let out a loud groan, looking at the ice spikes flying past the safe zone.

"No jokes anymore, Rusweld! Are you faster than Lilith?!" I took a big step towards him and grabbed him by the throat. "Answer honestly!"

He looked at Lilith, then back at me, his eyes falling to the ground. "Oh, course I'm not! She's faster than me every day in the week—"

"Good~"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, releasing Rusweld's throat. A wide, cruel grin spread across my face.

Lilith's eyes narrowed in fear. She pointed at the wall, which started cracking, about to shatter.

"Aurora-sama! The wall will fall in a moment! Keep it up, please!"

I looked at Lilith. Seeing that fear in her usually lustful eyes, my smile slowly grew wider and wider.

"Ah, is that so, darling~? Oh my~ Feeling a bit too weak for us, aren't you~?"

I glanced at the ice elemental still floating in the air. I bit my lip, imagining how good it must feel for those who win.

The miasma swirling around me thickened, and my whip tensed as if it was about to snap and shred everything in its path.

Rusweld tightened his grip on the handles of his blades and raised one of them up, pointing at all the icy spikes flying over our heads.

"Have you completely lost your mind, Aurora?!" he shouted at me, so angry that a vein popped out on his forehead.

"Oh my~?" I gasped sarcastically, mocking his sudden change of tone.

"I thought you were scared of me, Rusweld-kun—" I licked my lips seductively, making Rusweld blush slightly.

"And now suddenly you're acting like something possessed you~"

"Goddammit, Aurora!" Rusweld yelled again, even angrier than before, seeing how carelessly I behaved in such a moment.

"You're the one who said we shouldn't joke around, idiot! What, do you have some kind of bipolar disorder or what?!"

"Trash!" Lilith shouted, deflecting one of the icicles flying towards me, but there was no fear in her eyes anymore because she believed in me like no one else.

"My lady is just toying with you! I'm sure she has some kind of plan, because she's the best and the smartest! Why the hell would she get us into even more shit if she herself was in danger, huh?!"

"Alright, alright~ Calm down, kiddos, now someone with some guts will tell you what to do, okay~?" I giggled under my breath, delighted by how much Lilith despised Rusweld, while Rusweld, on the other hand, couldn't talk back to her because he knew she might do something to him.

They both turned their eyes toward me. Lilith smiled slightly, though her smile looked more like excitement and invitation than encouragement, while Rusweld grimaced, unable to believe my attitude in such a moment.

"Aurora… We're both older than you…" Rusweld sighed, but still wanted to hear this plan that Lilith was so excited about.

"Alright… Come closer~" I whispered, smiling venomously like a viper.

After hearing my words, both of them stepped closer, straining their ears not to miss a single detail.

"If you want to survive bullet hell, you just have to…"

"Dodge~!"

The wall I had summoned was completely pierced by the spikes and finally shattered, forcing the three of us to scatter across the room while dodging countless icicles flying toward us.

The ice elemental was still in the air, not moving an inch. It just stared at us. I knew something was wrong.

I raised my staff and pointed it at the elemental with a deadly gleam in my eyes.

"Shit! How the hell am I supposed to dodge this?!" Rusweld screamed, barely avoiding and deflecting all the icy projectiles flying his way.

On the other hand, Lilith wasn't having as much trouble dodging. Of course, she was slower than I, but still very fast, far faster than she should have been on the second floor.

"Ah~ My sweet Lilith~!" I looked at her while dodging the icicles like a professional dancer.

I moved with grace, elegance, and fluidity, and my speed and precision went beyond my own imagination.

"Ara ara~" I slammed my staff into the ground and spun around it as if I were a pole dancer, but not a single icicle could touch me—Not even my clothes.

Rusweld looked in my direction, clenching his fists in disbelief at what he was seeing.

"AURORA!? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! MAYBE YOU COULD HELP US?!" he shouted, even more furious than before.

"Don't insult my lady, scum," Lilith said in a cold, low voice filled with hatred and quiet aggression.

"As you can see from me and Aurora-sama, you're the only one here having any trouble. So instead of whining for help like some dumb pussy, maybe you should grow some balls and make yourself faster."

I raised my staff high, summoning a semi-transparent corrupted fireball around me, melting every icy spike like ice cream on a hot summer day.

I closed my eyes as my staff slowly began to charge up with the dark, corrupted energy swirling around me.

My miasma, though being drawn into the staff, grew even denser and heavier, wrapping around me like a living shadow as I began to hum softly under my breath.

"Once, I craved only a single desire,

To live in eternal pleasure and fire.

From life, I asked nothing but the flame of

The immortal passion I gave without any shame~

I was weak, forsaken, untamed,

But through the ashes, my soul was reclaimed~

Now I reign supreme in this cursed domain, and Velvet shadows are whispering my name~

I'll drown you in darkness, in pleasure, in pain— For I am the Eternal Corrupting Witch with no real shame~"

Lilith looked at me and listened to my alluring voice in disbelief and amazement. "Aurora-sama...?" "...You're..."

"Come close, let me taste your fear,

The sweeter it drips, the more I draw near~

Your heart, my fire, my sweetest sin,

I'll drag you under—deep, deep within~

Once I was broken, weak, and pitiful, but now I'm divine~

I'm a serpent of lust in a slow poison line~

Now I rose supreme in this cursed domain, with all those velvet shadows whispering my name~

I'll drown you in darkness, in pleasure, in pain— For I am the Eternal Corrupting Witch with no real shame~"

"And you, darling~," I opened my beautiful eyes, staring straight at the elemental with a sinister glint. "You're about to fall~"

"By the hands of Aurora, the witch of my own song~" I let out a soft, teasing giggle, licking my lips in a slow, deliberate way.

Lilith immediately understood what was about to happen and lunged at Rusweld, dragging him toward the tunnel we had come from.

"What the hell are you doing, Lilith?!" Rusweld snarled, thrown off balance and frustrated by the fact that Lilith was carrying him on her shoulder.

"Shut up." Lilith's voice was cold—almost threatening—and it sent a chill down his bones.

"My lady is about to unleash something you would rather not experience…" Despite her icy tone, tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto the back of Rusweld's neck.

Rusweld tilted his head to look at Lilith's face, and what he saw shook the very foundation of how he viewed her.

"You…?"

"Are you… crying?" he asked softly, not wanting to add more tension than there already was.

Lilith dashed into the tunnel and sat against the wall, her back pressed to the cold stone. Her fingers fidgeted with her cloak as tears poured freely down her cheeks.

"Lilith—" Rusweld reached a hand toward her, trying to comfort her, but…

Lilith wiped her tears away and looked at me, her eyes shining faintly with relief and joy.

"Aurora-sama… You've finally returned, my beloved~"

I closed my eyes again, memories from the first floor flickering behind them. Seeing Lilith's happy face, I couldn't help but smile.

"Yes~" I nodded softly. "Lilith is my servant…"

"I know I'm evil. You won't find a girl more corrupted than me."

"I'll keep climbing, corrupting other girls… but Lilith doesn't deserve the treatment she's had to endure lately."

"I love fucking her, yes."

"But more than that… I love…"

"Lilith~"

"And she didn't deserve what I was like to her~"

My miasma surged so violently it nearly blew my hat off, but I didn't care.

"I'll summon something the system doesn't allow me to use."

"But I'll do it. I'll shatter the limits…"

"AND I'LL DESTROY YOU IN ONE SHOT!"

My miasma swirled higher, funneling obediently into my staff like a child running home when called by its mother.

The corrupted fireball had long since vanished, but the icy spikes shattered midair from the sheer intensity of my corruption, unable to reach me.

And then… silence.

"The Destructive Corruption—"

"—Airi~!"

I snapped my fingers, and my staff instantly erupted with a devastating mixture of mana and corruption, completely disintegrating the elemental from existence.

My staff vanished, and I took a deep breath.

"Ara ara~ I was better, wasn't I, darling~?"

Lilith stumbled on her feet and ran out of the tunnel, with a lot more speed than when she was dodging the ice spikes.

"Aurora-sama!" Lilith cried out, throwing herself into my arms, tears streaming down her face. They weren't tears of victory—but of relief, of joy. The true Aurora had returned.

Her sudden embrace knocked me off my feet, and I fell to the ground with her clinging tightly to me. Yet, seeing her radiant, tearful smile, I could only reach up and gently stroke her hair.

"I'm sorry, Lilith~" I pressed a kiss to her forehead, tenderly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, my voice melting into something soft, almost romantic.

"I treated you like a weapon… like a fuckdoll I could use whenever I wanted, without even your consent. But now… that changes, Lilith~"

"Aurora-sama~! I'm so happy you came back to me! I missed you so much! I love you more than anything~!" Her voice trembled, a beautiful mix of pain and bliss, her words spilling out like she had been holding them in forever.

"Ara ara~" I pushed her face between my breasts, cradling her head gently as my fingers combed through her hair. "Yes, I know… I've been very, very cruel to you lately~"

"We can be cruel to the world… but not to each other. Do you know why, Lilith~?"

My tone was sweet, intimate, almost whispering, yet it still carried my signature sultry edge.

"Why…?"

Lilith slowly lifted her face from my chest, her pale cheeks still stained with tears, her empty yet love-filled eyes locked onto mine.

"Why, Aurora-sama…?"

"Because I love you, Lilith. And this time… I mean it." I pulled her in and kissed her deeply, pouring every ounce of passion and warmth I had into that moment.

"From now on, you're not some disposable pawn, Lilith—"

"You're my equal. Just as it should have been from the start, my beloved~"

Lilith didn't respond with words. Instead, she melted into me, returning my kiss with even greater passion, holding me tighter than she ever had before.

In the corner of my vision, Rusweld leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, watching us with a conflicted expression—anger, relief, and something like happiness all warring on his face.

"As much as I'd love to yell at you right now, Aurora…" His lips twisted into a half-smile, and he let out a resigned sigh.

"I can't exactly interrupt a heartwarming moment between two cold-hearted women like you, can I~?" He chuckled softly.