B-rank Dungeon, Lava-lake.

Waterfall area.

"Tsk, it seems she has gone unconscious, it's no fun if she remains unconscious like this... Hmm, there seems to be another human over there... Let's save this golden hair woman for later, how about I torture that weak woman first.. kehkehekeh.." (Telmuk)

Telmuk walked towards the woman stuck under the rubble, she was half-conscious. He easily picked up the rubble and tossed it aside.

"Kehkehkeh.. this one seems to have a very high concentration of mana in her, she would make for a good food actually, how about I eat her after I end playing with her, kehkehkeh.." (Telmuk)

Telmuk stretched his hand to hold Riya's head:

"Here I go-" (Telmuk)

Just as he was about to get his hands on Riya, he felt a huge amount of mana concentrating behind him. Telmuk turned back and looked at Lia with an expression of surprise on his face..

.

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Lia's Pov: Some forgotten memories.

Silver Mansion, Bedroom.

"Mother, are you feeling pain anywhere? Should I call the healers?..." (Lia, Loli version)

While looking at the woman resting on the bed, Lia asked with concern in her tone.

The woman lying on the bed looked as if she was suffering from some kind of severe illness. The woman's body looked extremely frail and weak, now there's only traces of the past beautiful face are left.

"No, I don't actually think there's enough time left for me, Lia..." (Alice)

In reply to Lia, Alice said in a sad yet determined tone..

"D-don't say that mother... The healer said that mother will get well eventually!..." (Lia)

Looking at her young daughter, who is still ignorant about the ways of this world, Alice felt sadness in her heart, but there was nothing they can do about this.

'If only I was not affected by this curse, I would have lived to see my daughter live a happy life, alas.' (Alice)

"There's no need to worry, Lia. Even if I am not with you I will always look support you from wherever I will be." (Alice)

Alice raised her frail hand and put it on Lia's small head.

"Always remember this, my daughter. There always comes a time in your life where you have to use every ounce of your will to move forward in life. Even if it is difficult to forget or move on." (Alice)

"I hope you will live a happy and great life, I will always give my blessings to you, after all, you are my one and only precious child." (Alice)

A beautiful smile appeared on Alice's face and her hand slowly lost its strength falling down from Lia's head, the once beautiful eyes are now slowly closed while the relaxed smile appeared on Alice's face.

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The Next Day

Alice's Funeral

"Young lady, your father is not coming to the funeral, he is busy with work, an S-rank gate has suddenly appeared, so you should stop waiting for him." (Butler)

Lia took one last look at the entrance and then left, the previous immature and ignorant young girl in her has already matured to become determined and strong. Her eyes could be seen filled with determination.

'I must become strong enough to destroy any curse so that I never lose anyone close to me.' (Lia)

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After a Year

Lia's private training room.

"Why! Why! Why can't I just become strong! What's wrong with me!" (Lia)

Frustration and anger could be seen on Lia's face, she was screaming while slashing her sword at the practice golems. Despite her saying that she was not strong, she was already far stronger than her peers of the same age.

Her swordsmanship has improved tremendously, you could say she has much more talent in swordsmanship than her father once had. She is indeed destined to become an extremely strong person in the future but..

"Milady, as if said, becoming strong is a slow and steady process, no one becomes strong overnight, you should calm down.." (Mel) (Lia's personal maid)

"Actually, Milady, you are already improving at a very terrifyingly fast rate, but you are putting too much pressure on your body, if this goes on you might get hurt, please stop milady" (Mel)

As the maid said in concern for Lia, Lia became even more irritated after hearing this:

"The pace I am improving is too slow, if I don't become strong faster, I won't be able to protect anyone, and someone close to me might get hurt once again! I must become strong faster!" (Lia)

After saying that, Lia started to destroy more golems and practice her swordsmanship even more.

She often even skipped meals to practice her sword arts, not only this improved her mastery of the sword but it also increased her understanding of the silver sword arts.

Eventually, Lia created the type of swordsmanship that suited her the best while using the silver sword arts as the base form, she created unique methods of stabbing and thrusting. Every time she stabbed her sword, the aura covering her sword spread in the golem's body creating an explosion and destroying the golem from the inside out.

Lia's hard work gave rise to this amazing modification in the silver sword arts. But in the process Lia got herself injured many times, and she got caught in explosions created by her own mana various times.

With each passing day, her training madness increased and her insanity for strength deepened. She eventually forgot her original motive of protecting others, now the only thing that she could think about is to become strong, and that's all she had in her mind.

The cycle of training and getting hurt just continued on and on for several years to come. Until one day Lia once again remembered her original purpose, the purpose to protect her close ones, the real need for her strength.

She finally remembered it all now.

.

Unknown Place.

Lia slowly opened her eyes and found herself standing in an empty void. This place looks totally empty and dark. There's absolutely nothingness everywhere around her. Lia looked at her hands and touched her face, she had a surprised expression on her face.

"Where am I? I should have been fighting that demon? How did I get here?" (Lia)

"This is the subconscious realm inside your mind. You fainted during the fight and your subconscious mind has become active after you lost all of your mana and fainted in the fight." (???)

"What!? Who are you? And how are you inside my subconscious mind?" (Lia)

"Hmm, Me? I am 'the divine Lion spirit Kawaki'. You can call me 'Kai'." (Kai)

As the mysterious voice said that, a huge silver-colored Lion appeared in Lia's vision. The lion looked extremely majestic and strong. Its mane was waving proudly. Its eyes looked domineering and terrifying.

Kai's voice is firm, strong, and domineering. He looked like a natural-born king, meant to rule all the lower beings. His domineering gaze made him look cold and strong.

"I have been inside your subconscious mind ever since you were born, it's just you never really were able to awaken me, today is the day I was able to awaken when you faced a great danger." (Kai)

"Well, the saying 'high-risk high reward' is sometimes true in some cases. If not for this situation you might actually have taken a very long time to wake me on your own." (Kai)

"A-are you perhaps the same divine spirit that once was awakened by the founder of the Silver family, Tomar the silver dawn" (Lia)historical

"HAH! Silver dawn my as*! That guy Tomar was a shi*ty brat! When he was young he always used to cry like a piece of sh*t! When he died, he forcefully bound me with the silver bloodline! So that his descendants can gain my protection, I swear if I ever met him in the afterlife, I will force him to eat sh*t!" (Kai)

Looking at the majestic Lion spitting out curses one after the other, Lia was very surprised, she was wondering if this guy really is a divine spirit or not. If not for the fact that his wings and fur are silver and have no taint of demonic aura. Lia might have thought that this guy is secretly a demon spirit like Telmuk.

After a while Kai realized that Lia was listening to his curses, he stopped his roasting session..

"Cough! Cough! Forget it, let's leave these things aside for now. We have a more pressing matter in hand right now." (Kai)

Kai raised his huge paw and gently placed it on Lia's head, his divine mana slowly started to flow toward Lia.

"It's time to wake up, we should deal with that oversized bat flapping around outside first. We can talk later in peace." (Kai)

"B-but-.." (Lia)

Lia wanted to ask more questions, but Kai silenced her saying:

"Don't worry, I will answer all your questions later, let's kick that oversized bat's as* first!" (Kai)

.

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Author's Note:

Many of the readers were asking if Lia is a vase heroine with no strength. Don't worry she is not there for show, she has the protection of a greater Divine spirit.

Question of the Day

What do you think, was Tomar really a brat?

1. Perhaps or perhaps not. (Who knows, I don't have interest in a person who is already six feet under the ground.)

2. I don't know. (I am busy stroking, Kai's soft and smooth furry stomach, don't disturb me.)

By the way, don't forget to use those power stones and also leave a review if you like the story. Comment your opinion about the chapter. Your support is my motivation.