The second female lead Dual Cultivates

"Look, we'll go over some ground rules before you enter the room. You do not get to look at her majesty. No matter what happens, you need to keep your eyes lowered to the floor or you'll die" her naked guard explained as she led Maria further.

Maria could feel the start of a probing feeling inside her chest. The magic was checking her out to see if she was a threat or not. It was similar to how she felt with the little girl but a little more static in nature. It was also stronger and likely denser as well.

The 'palace' their queen had was a small clearing with magical wards just strong enough to be noticed by Maria. Even a weak stroke of magic would have blown them away.

But in this magic-limited world, even this small development was something else. Maria was sure none of the warriors around her had ever managed to penetrate the magic shield. The more she studies it, the more incredible it seemed to be able to create something this delicate.

Whosoever had made this shield must have incredible magical control over themselves.

"Are you listening? It's for your own safety that you do. Do not set your gaze upon our queen" the guard warned before she placed a hand on the magic shield.

Maria watched as the shield lowered just enough for one person to pass through and she waited for the next instructions. She did not want to commit any faux pause in this place by overstepping her boundaries.

But all she got was a 'go-ahead' node and Maria finally entered the place. She felt the shield fall behind her and cut her off from the outside world. Now she no longer had any control over her actions or over the actions of those around her.

"Welcome outlander. Step ahead so that we can see you better" the voice was an echo without any distinctive feature to distinguish it from the others around her.

Maria gulped as the voice echoed inside her mind. She knew it was all thanks to magic but she still felt intimidated to see this display of power with such limited resources.

"Excuse me. I didn't mean to offend" Maria apologized, feeling her manners kick in. It had been a long time for her but she had not forgotten her lessons in manners. She took a small step ahead and straightened herself.

'System, are you there?' Maria asked, not really feeling optimistic. The magical field around her was weird and did not provide her with any magic.

[The user is assured of the system's presence]

But it seemed as if there was no need for her to worry about such things. The system was there to remind her that it had not gone anywhere.

"An outlander and an overlooker. My, it has been eons since I last saw such a scene. Tell those fools that I am not going to play their game. Jamaica already gave away its node" the voice echoed.

Somehow, Maria got the feeling that the queen was angry. Even if the voice was almost mechanical in nature, it still held a pulse of anger in it. Maria could see the magic around her echo that pulse and resonate with her own.

"My apologies. I'll put my system away if it bothers you" Maria replied back, ignoring her system's warning and shutting it off for now.

As much as her system helped her, she did not want it to become the reason to get killed by the Queen.

"The overlookers have caused a lot of problems for us but my sisters forgave them. I shall not follow the same path. But I'll also not hold a grudge against you for seeking their help" the voice boomed and Maria had a feeling she was getting closer to the source.

She had no idea why she felt like this, but the energy she had been feeling was really close. It did not feel like a mortal, but closer to Lady Karin's and Lady Elma's.

And it also gave her an idea of what she would be dealing with in the near future. She stepped out slowly into the clearing, keeping her eyes low. Not because she wanted to, but because magic was making her do it. It made sense now, the warning she had gotten.

Every time she tried to pick her head up, the magic seemed to be forcing her back down. It seemed as if it did not want her to set her gaze upon the figure of the queen.

"You can lift your gaze. Since you're not from this world, the curse would not work on you. The magic will not hold you back as well" the Queen's voice finally seemed as if it was not echoing. Maria could hear it coming from right in front of herself.

Maria tried to lift her head up, still feeling the resistance but it was not so prominent this time. It made it easier for Maria to lift her head and gaze at the naked body in front of her.

The body was entangled with veins and held against the gigantic tree right in the middle of the forest. Thorns protruded out of the probe form, making it seem as if it would start bleeding any second now.

But the most surprising of it all was the face that stared back at her. Maria was sure she had seen that face before but much younger than the adult form in front of her.

"Yura?" Maria muttered as she stared up at the demoness. The demoness had pearly white skin and everything was on display. But Maria found herself unable to loom away from the face in front of her.

"So you saw her, the mirage of the forest and you managed to get away as well. You are either really foolish or really lucky" Yura's adult face spoke back to Maria from her position.

Maria had thousands of questions she wanted to be answered. She wanted to ask the female why she was here like this, how to move on to the next world, and even some more questions about what the real nature of the system was.

But her words got stuck in her throat at the sorry look being aimed in her way. It made her think that she might have missed something crucial when she had checked herself.

Hesitantly, Maria opened her mouth to ask the other to elaborate but there was no need to.

"The curse being put on you is shining bright. Be careful or it might engulf you whole" the body warned and Maria felt the magic echo those words inside her head.