[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist":3,"chapter-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-1290":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1533101,1991,"Chapter 1290: Divine Game: Graveyard of Bones 12","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-1290",1290,"\u003Cp>\"You think the final piece is with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" Rita let out a quiet breath. \"And I also think... you’ve been waiting for someone like me to expose all of this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byme’s memories were clearly flawed. Full of contradictions. Full of gaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been searching for answers. That much was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But searching for answers and truly wanting to find them were not the same thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more than that...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe she already knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe she had been standing at the door this whole time, afraid to push it open, yet hoping someone else would do it for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go on,\" Byme said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She flicked her fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield vanished. The Divine Instruction arena collapsed into nothing, and they returned to the castle study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sat behind the desk again, composed, almost calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No matter what you say, whether it’s complete or correct... when the time comes, I’ll let you leave.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, then added quietly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Consider it a courtesy. For the sake of the Vineborne now being in BS.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she had been gathering information. Watching. Listening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just from the name BSCicada, she had already pieced together the current state of the Vineborne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita leaned against the window frame, half sitting, looking outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she glanced at Nivalis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Detective Nivalis can interrupt anytime. Spotting contradictions helps.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nivalis raised a wing to her head and gave a sharp little salute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita couldn’t help but smile faintly before turning back to Byme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First, I don’t think Deceitful Bloom would give that order.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Which one?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No matter what world, no invasion unless she’s present. No final descent without her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byme’s gaze sharpened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That doesn’t sound like her to you? You said it yourself. She likes control.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Control doesn’t mean doing everything personally,\" Rita replied. \"I hate losing control of BS too. That doesn’t mean I need to be present for every single decision.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She continued without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your ability is more than enough. In Divine Instruction, under those rules, you fought Tingo Howl to a draw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If Midsummer had invaded Tingo while Howl was tied up in the game, the chance of failure would’ve been extremely low.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She met Byme’s eyes directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know how long you knew her. But if you were co-leaders of Midsummer, then for someone like her, you were not someone she couldn’t trust.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Capability wasn’t the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trust wasn’t the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So if invading Tingo was necessary...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why would she stop it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byme closed her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black quicksand around her stirred, restless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t get it,\" Nivalis said, frowning. \"From the way you’re talking, invading Tingo sounds extremely important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But even if she didn’t trust Byme completely, they could’ve invaded a weaker world first, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The game lasted thirty days. There was time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They didn’t have time,\" Rita said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They were in a hurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A hurry so urgent they couldn’t afford to pick targets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A hurry so desperate they needed everything in a single war.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why?\" Nivalis asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They didn’t know the bell would come that fast after Graveyard of Bones. That’s something we figured out...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice trailed off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita looked at Byme and spoke slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unless they did know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s why you chose Tingo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t look away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I considered whether one of you had some kind of foresight ability. But if that were all it was, you wouldn’t have hesitated. You would’ve executed the invasion perfectly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice lowered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So why didn’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byme’s elbow rested on the arm of the chair. Her hand covered her forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That was necessary...\" she murmured. \"It had to be done...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Until I realized something I had overlooked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A problem that existed for everyone at that time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One we solved too easily... so easily I didn’t even think about it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\" Nivalis leaned forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Timelines.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the word left her mouth, the black quicksand around Byme surged violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That reaction erased Rita’s last trace of doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You saw other timelines,\" she said. \"You saw what happened after Graveyard of Bones. You saw how fast the bell came.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s why you rushed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice sharpened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And because of that... you saw something worse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped forward slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The timeline you were in... wasn’t brilliant enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byme’s breathing grew uneven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita did not stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Deceitful Bloom’s timeline would be pruned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Like trimming excess vines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She would be discarded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reduced to nothing more than a disposable version. A dream of another self.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze locked onto Byme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you couldn’t accept that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence pressed in from all sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That,\" Rita said quietly, \"is the only explanation I can think of.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The only one that explains why you can’t face the truth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And why she refuses to see you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byme’s voice was low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nivalis immediately asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did she do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Rita didn’t let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If timelines are stories, then Starsea prunes the dull ones.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She kept walking forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After every bell, excess timelines are cut away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The faster the bell comes, the sooner that pruning happens.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone hardened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At that time, her timeline was weaker than another one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just like now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My timeline is the most brilliant one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Progress isn’t the only factor, but it matters the most.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stopped in front of Byme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Deceitful Bloom knew this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But maybe she didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Or maybe she believed she could still catch up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You didn’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You refused to gamble.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words came faster now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you make a story shine?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you make Starsea unable to ignore it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you make a version of her that cannot be replaced?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I said that’s enough!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byme’s voice cracked like a blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black quicksand surged forward, roaring toward Rita.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden lightning rose instantly, forming a barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact shattered into sparks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita stepped forward anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One step at a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You invaded Tingo,\" she said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She entrusted Midsummer and the Vineborne to you. She trusted you completely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes were cold now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you betrayed her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byme didn’t move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Song of Avian Cause,\" Rita continued. \"A bird that sacrifices everything for its ideal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice turned sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you chose your ideal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You let Midsummer fall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You let the Vineborne be destroyed by the bell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You knew Starsea wasn’t rigid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You knew it would preserve the strongest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her final words cut clean and precise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You made her brilliant through suffering.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1073,"2026-06-06T06:15:32.213Z",1,"novelbin.me","68dd9c9cae73329fb8fcf931241cc9f8dfc83772bd10b3f5ba3670aae5e5b26d","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-1291","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-1289",1404,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-cover.jpg"]