In an instant—or perhaps less—the pressure in the room reached a suffocating level.
Ryuk noticed as every glass surface began to crack, starting from the lamp, whose head shattered into pieces under the weight of the invisible aura.
Morgaine's golden eyes shimred with overlapping golden pentagonal runes, intensifying the suffocating aura.
But before any more damage could occur, Ryuk's hand reached out to her, pulling her closer in a gentle but firm gesture before whispering:
"I would never say a word to dean you, Morgaine. I swear it on my life."
"…And I'm sure you know that too." He ended as silence enveloped them in an embrace that only deepened—until eventually, the pressure faded away completely.
"Okay, dickhead. You've been forgiven," Morgaine said with a giggle, as Ryuk finally released her, exhaling in relief.
"Tsk, so scary…" he muttered under his breath, prompting a devious grin from her.
He never understood why.
Even the auras of those at the Apocrypha stage couldn't shake his heart.
But the mont Morgaine displayed intense emotions—whether it was anger like now or the sadness from before—his heart lurched with a mixture of fear and panic that he didn't even understand, talkless of being able to explain.
"You said I've deviated from that brutish Morgaine, right?" she asked.
Ryuk looked into her intently, trying to sense whether she was still angry or annoyed, but when he felt nothing, he gently nodded.
"Yes."
"I've noticed you're no longer inclined to those things."
"It used to be so clear in your eyes in the past, like you were searching for soone or sothing to beat up. But now… It's so calm in there," he whispered, as Morgaine's eyes glead with a remniscient light before she replied.
"You're right, Ryuk."
"The you saw in the Fallen Genius Arisen is no more."
"That was , trying to fill the shoes of my mother—trying to be better than her, stronger than her, to gain the respect the Elders and everyone gave her."
"And if there was one guaranteed way to do that, it was to beco stronger than her."
"Our relationship was competitive, not familial at all," she said, smiling helplessly.
"Well, until your dickhead ca in," she added, and Ryuk eyebrows knitted in confusion.
"?" he asked.
"Yes, you."
"You made the feeling of competition I had with my mother fade with that sweet tongue of yours."
"And when that fla, the one pushing to prove I was better, died down, I lost a piece of that fighting drive."
"I just wanted to understand you—the new dickhead who, out of all the n in the world, had the presence I found myself drawn to."
"You could say I just wanted to stay close, matching your strength."
"But you 'died,' and once again I entered that battle mode for two years. I fought endlessly to rid myself of the guilt and pain your absence caused," she said, her eyes turning glassy.
But a finger gently wiped the tears before they could stain her cheeks.
She raised her head, grabbed his hands, and held them tight, like a cold body seeking warmth.
"And when you ca back from your 'death,' I lost that fla all over again."
"I had already been fighting for two years, and maybe I was just exhausted."
"Then I had to beco the Queen, which involves its fair share of training—if not worse than everything I've ever done in the past."
"And now that you've gotten rid of the Knulls, and everyone is returning to Ammamora, I don't have to fight anymore."
"I don't have to keep training, in thoughts that one day, sothing bad will happen to my people and I would be the last line of defense like my mother once was."
"I don't need to fight...once more."
"And I'm tired of that life, Ryuk."
"And I'm tired of that life, Ryuk. A Life where I had to make the decision to fight today, and then sothing happens, and a new decision, and then tomorrow, to fight, and next tomorrow, not to fight."
"Sothing always happens that forces a new decision—and then another, and another."
"I feel like this life of endless fighting is... empty," she said, noticing Ryuk's expression darken.
"Empty? You think fighting is empty?" he whispered, and she remained firm.
"I do."
"And I don't want it anymore. I want peace. I want a ho—a life of aning. And I want it with you," she said, reaching for him again.
But this ti, he grabbed her hand first, closed his eyes, and let silence stretch between them before opening them again.
"Morgaine, I understand what you're saying."
"You've fought wars within your mind, shouldered the responsibility of rising to beco the new Queen of the Fallens, and endured the sacrifices that ca with it."
"Now that it seems over, wanting a simple life filled with love and family is a true path toward giving your life aning."
"And I'm more than grateful that out of the countless choices in the world, you chose for it," he said as she leaned closer, only for his hand to gently stop her by resting on her shoulder.
Their eyes locked—re inches apart.
"But this world isn't built for peace, Morgaine," he said, and her expression crumbled.
"What… what do you an?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Look at Endearth, Morgaine."
"Even with the Knulls posing a massive threat, the Ten Families still fought each other for supremacy."
"Each one wanted their race to be declared the strongest—to gain more power, more respect, and more fear from the lower races."
"And even the Titans, despite being acknowledged as the strongest, kept fighting desperately to maintain their position."
"Now, the Knulls are gone, and we're all returning to Ammamora."
"But if what I've heard is true… Ammamora is no different from Endearth."
"It may be worse."
"You know what? I take that back. It's not maybe. It is Worse." Ryuk said, as Morgaine's eyes displayed a conflicted expression before she forced out.
"What makes you think that?"
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