Chapter 0: Prologue

The sun shone brightly after the rain stopped, making me frown.

Though, to be precise, the rain hadn’t completely ceased.

Around me, the drizzle continued, yet only above my throne did sunlight pierce through.

A hole had been carved into the raincloud-filled sky, the result of an immense magical force.

This was not the scenery I had wished for.

For someone like me, who cast magic using water as a source, the warm rays of the sun—capable of evaporating moisture—were neither fitting nor desirable.

As proof, my once damp eyes, moistened by the rain, had begun to dry under the intense light.

The loss of moisture brought a stinging pain, making me furrow my brows.

I wanted to rise from my throne immediately and flee to a place untouched by sunlight.

But I didn’t.

I knew all too well what was about to unfold. There was no point in resisting.

Bound to a fate that spun like a never-ending wheel, I let out a deep sigh.

“How many times has it been now?”

No answer came.

There was no one around to listen, and it wasn’t as if I expected a response.

The answer already existed in my mind.

Every time, the ending was the same, so I never bothered counting.

But this was already the 131st time I faced death.

A bitter chuckle escaped my lips at the absurdity of the number.

“In other words… you’ve defeated me 130 times, and now you’ll win your 131st victory.”

You’re impressive for having triumphed over me every single time.

And yet, I must say, it’s quite remarkable that I’ve lasted this long.

With that thought, I braced myself for the inevitable impact.

Three seconds.

Two seconds.

One.

Death claimed me for the 131st time.

Thud.

“…Kugh!”

A brilliant beam of light shot toward me in a straight line, piercing through my chest.

I had seen it coming.

I had been struck by the same attack countless times before.

But knowing didn’t make the pain any easier to endure.

A groan of agony escaped me as blood dripped from my lips.

“There you are—Yeres, Queen of the Darkmoon Organization.”

From a distance, a magical girl stepped toward me, her boots splashing through the water-soaked ground.

The staff she held gleamed with the same color as the light that had just pierced through my body.

Her eyes, locked onto mine, were brimming with disdain.

That expression of hers…

It made my skin crawl every single time.

Memories of my past lives flickered through my mind like a rushing montage.

The first time I faced this moment, I fought back desperately—resisting until every last drop of water in this space had dried up.

By the tenth time, I had hidden away a subordinate with a natural talent for assassination.

By the hundredth, I had preemptively cast numerous spells to weaken her powers.

But none of it had ever been enough.

That magical girl crushed every single plan, shattered every strategy, and mercilessly trampled over me, only to deliver the same final words each time.

“For love and peace, I will defeat you.”

This time was no different.

The only thing that had changed in this place…

Was me.

“…I see.”

In the past, I would use whatever little water remained to heal my wounds and struggle to the bitter end.

Now, I couldn’t even be bothered.

I was tired of it all.

The magical girl flicked her staff, shaking off the water droplets before casting another spell.

The sunlight overhead blazed even brighter, and my body dried up faster than before.

Yet, I didn’t resist.

I watched, indifferent, as my skin cracked apart from the loss of moisture.

Even as the blood rising in my throat made breathing difficult, I remained still.

This time, I would accept death without a fight.

If there was a 132nd life waiting for me…

I swore I wouldn’t live it the same way.

And so, I closed my eyes.