“You should have thought about how to create it first. You should have done that if you wanted to stop me.”
✦ ✦ ✦
The smell of blood filled the air.
✦ ✦ ✦
It was faintly mixed with the scent of grass.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Aru gave you the hint.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Her eyelids slowly closed.
✦ ✦ ✦
“The Eternal Sacrifice. He even gave you such an obvious answer.”
✦ ✦ ✦
The eyes of those present began to tremble.
✦ ✦ ✦
They started to struggle desperately to break free from their restraints.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Aru is the sacrifice. A sacrifice that can never disappear until this world ends.”
✦ ✦ ✦
However, it was a futile effort.
✦ ✦ ✦
As if this inexplicable bind had no intention of letting them go, it tightened even more as they resisted.
✦ ✦ ✦
“In other words...”
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia’s arm reached out towards Vera with a greedy look.
✦ ✦ ✦
“...The day the sacrifice fulfills its purpose is the day Aru no longer lives eternally, and it’s the day all life ends on this land.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia’s hand touched Vera’s spine.
✦ ✦ ✦
A restless breath escaped her lips.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Aru is the Tenth.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Finally, the words sprang from Alaysia’s mouth.
✦ ✦ ✦
“The first and the last, the beginning and the end. Aru was made that way from the start.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia rose from her throne.
✦ ✦ ✦
She was holding Vera.
✦ ✦ ✦
“You fools always said Aru was dead.” That doesn’t even make sense. How could Aru die?”
✦ ✦ ✦
She began to walk, her feet barefoot.
✦ ✦ ✦
She was heading in Renee’s direction.
✦ ✦ ✦
“If Aru had died, this world would have ended. You all would have disappeared first.”
✦ ✦ ✦
She passed by Vargo, Albrecht, Hegrion, the twins, and Aisha.
✦ ✦ ✦
“His soul is torn? That’s not a problem. Aru is still Aru, after all.”
✦ ✦ ✦
She passed by Jenny, Miller, Theresa, Friede, and Marie.
✦ ✦ ✦
“It was never a problem from the start.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Finally, tension filled Renee’s neck as Alaysia approached her.
✦ ✦ ✦
“The soul may be torn, but the flesh remains one. As long as the world exists, Aru’s body will continue to be reborn. Even if it’s empty inside, it can still serve as a vessel.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Get away...”
✦ ✦ ✦
“You can talk? Hmm, you are our Parent’s daughter, after all.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia continued to chuckle.
✦ ✦ ✦
Her words were full of mockery.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Fool. You were so close, and yet you didn’t realize this was Aru? I felt it even before we met.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Renee opened her mouth again.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Get away from him...!”
✦ ✦ ✦
Along with the disgusting stench, what Renee felt was Vera’s scent.
✦ ✦ ✦
What Alaysia was holding now was Vera.
✦ ✦ ✦
Renee felt as if her blood was boiling.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Give him back...!”
✦ ✦ ✦
Sizzle—
✦ ✦ ✦
A white current began to flow from Renee’s body.
✦ ✦ ✦
It was sparking and crackling menacingly in the air.
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia chuckled, fueling Renee’s anger further.
✦ ✦ ✦
“I’ll take the legacy.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Her hand that had been carrying Vera reached out and snatched the necklace around Renee’s neck.
✦ ✦ ✦
Sparks flew, but Alaysia was unfazed.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Hmm...”
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia turned her head to look around.
✦ ✦ ✦
Ardain’s plan.
✦ ✦ ✦
The blade intended to stop her.
✦ ✦ ✦
They were all trembling like pebbles.
✦ ✦ ✦
“This can’t be the end.”
✦ ✦ ✦
There had to be more.
✦ ✦ ✦
Aru knew everything and was the closest being to omniscient, so he must have prepared more.
✦ ✦ ✦
“What could it be?”
✦ ✦ ✦
Sparks flew and a small fire ignited.
✦ ✦ ✦
Renee began to gather more strength while barely listening to Alaysia.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Get away...!”
✦ ✦ ✦
An excruciating pain pressed down on her entire body.
✦ ✦ ✦
In that state, Renee unleashed her power.
✦ ✦ ✦
And she finally managed a small movement.
✦ ✦ ✦
Thud—!
✦ ✦ ✦
Her cane touched the ground.
✦ ✦ ✦
The wave didn’t extend far and came back the moment it located Alaysia.
✦ ✦ ✦
What followed was her aiming and shooting.
✦ ✦ ✦
Renee unleashed a bolt of lightning.
✦ ✦ ✦
Rumble—!
✦ ✦ ✦
The lightning precisely penetrated Alaysia’s head, and her head dropped as she fell to the ground.
✦ ✦ ✦
Right after Vera’s body fell on top of Alaysia’s, a regenerated Alaysia spoke.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Ouch.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia lifted her head, and in her eyes was a trembling Renee who had started to move again.
✦ ✦ ✦
Thud.
✦ ✦ ✦
Her cane touched the ground once more.
✦ ✦ ✦
Realizing that Alaysia was giggling beneath Vera’s body, Renee spat out a curse.
✦ ✦ ✦
“You fucking bitch...!”
✦ ✦ ✦
It was a situation where she had to use her power even for the slightest movement.
✦ ✦ ✦
This was the deepest part of the castle, and no one could help her.
✦ ✦ ✦
She had to save Vera, and yet she also had to tear apart that fucking whore.
✦ ✦ ✦
Renee gritted her teeth.
✦ ✦ ✦
“What now?”
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia smiled.
✦ ✦ ✦
For a moment, a thought flashed through Renee’s head.
✦ ✦ ✦
Ignoring her mocking laughter, Renee finally let go of the tension in her body that had been built up all this time.
✦ ✦ ✦
“...Go die.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Are you giving up?”
✦ ✦ ✦
A sarcastic smile appeared on Renee’s face.
✦ ✦ ✦
“I said, go die.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Whooosh—!
✦ ✦ ✦
A pure white divinity burst forth from Renee’s body.
✦ ✦ ✦
Miracles began to unfold as her authority was layered on top of it.
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia looked at it with a bored expression.
✦ ✦ ✦
“That won’t work in here.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“It will work outside.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Outside.
✦ ✦ ✦
There were those outside.
✦ ✦ ✦
Those who hated Alaysia more than anyone else undoubtedly existed beyond these walls.
✦ ✦ ✦
Rumble—!
✦ ✦ ✦
The castle began to shake.
✦ ✦ ✦
Then, a sound like an explosion started to resonate.
✦ ✦ ✦
Booom—!
✦ ✦ ✦
The vibrations and noise grew closer and more intense.
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia realized what Renee had done.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Ah, right.”
✦ ✦ ✦
They were out there, too.
✦ ✦ ✦
The moment that thought crossed her mind, the ceiling of the throne room was torn open, revealing the dark sky.
✦ ✦ ✦
[...Found you.]
✦ ✦ ✦
A giant looked down at the palace, the sky behind his back.