Angel Schiller and Sofia watched everything before them.
They saw with their own eyes how Baird, with the sword in his hand, pierced Slaier’s body and nailed the god of lies and deceit to the wall.
That scene was bloody and cruel, making the Fairy Queen feel nauseated.
The cruelty was not only visible to the naked eye but also spiritually profound.
On the earth below, Divines were worshipped and adored by mortals; people knelt beneath Divine Statues, praying incessantly, placing themselves in the most humble positions.
It was a form of spiritual submission.
Yet, in a fit of rage, Baird shredded that spirit through the sword in his hand, tearing it utterly and completely.
Unlike the nauseated Fairy Queen, Angel Schiller thoroughly enjoyed the scene before him.
"So it is... so it is...
Killing a god...
This is indeed the true Taboo."
Sofia turned her head, incredulously looking at Schiller.
The Great Angel slowly straightened his body and murmured to himself:
"I have... touched the mysteries deep within the soul.
In Baird,
I have fully comprehended ’Taboo.’"
Sofia involuntarily felt goosebumps rise.
After a mont, she asked,
"Was all this... all this your plan?
Baird opened his eyes and broke the Taboo, in anger committing deicide, breaking the deep-seated Taboo within the soul."
At that mont, Schiller turned back, smiling at Sofia,
"No, not at all.
I didn’t plan much; I rely watched the story unfold.
Why the story happened this way, I understand, but I can’t tell you because it’s ineffable; one must realize it oneself."
Schiller’s words discouraged Sofia from asking further. She watched Baird dragging Slaier’s body, step by step returning to the Netherworld, feeling a shudder in her heart.
Then, she suddenly rembered sothing.
"That gamble...
Your bet with the Judges—that Baird would commit a grave sin..."
At that mont, Sofia finally understood,
Killing a god,
was the so-called unforgivable grave sin...
"Yes, now...
I have won the bet."
Schiller said with a clear smile.
Sofia, however, was sowhat bewildered.
Baird breached the "Taboo of not opening one’s eyes," eventually rendering him unable to return to the Mortal World, but after that, he violated the "Taboo of killing a god" and was paradoxically able to be exiled from the Netherworld as he desired.
Generally speaking, violating a Taboo has only two outcos.
One is to face retribution for violating the Taboo, and the other is to reap good outcos by violating it...
And these two completely opposite outcos occurred simultaneously in one person.
Why is it like this...
What does Taboo truly an?
Schiller watched the bewildered Sofia.
It seed the Fairy Queen had not grasped the aning of the Taboo.
...............
Baird, covered in blood, dragged Slaier’s body back to the Netherworld and entered the Palace.
The Death God Nakbet, Queen Esroa of the Netherworld, and the remaining eight Judges could hardly believe what they were seeing.
This re mortal had actually slain a Divine!
It was a taboo that no one had ever breached!
A cri unforgivable, deserving of the severest of punishnts!
Even the Judges of the Netherworld, who had sentenced countless souls, were unable to determine his punishnt.
Because no one had ever witnessed such a cri before.
Just then...
A burst of radiance appeared, and the Great Angel Schiller arrived inside the palace of the Netherworld.
With just a wave of his hand, he took Slaier’s body from Baird’s grasp as if it was conjured from thin air.
Then, the Great Angel turned to the eight Judges and declared his victory to them.
Since the Netherworld had no suitable punishnt under the terms of the wager, the greatly sinful Baird would be exiled from the Netherworld.
Upon seeing the Great Angel’s arrival and hearing the discourse between the parties, Baird finally realized that the so-called Nine Trials were nothing but a bet between the Great Angel and the Judges of the Netherworld.
A wave of indescribable sorrow surged within the heart of the hero.
In light of such a significant event, the eight Judges disregarded their bet and insisted on keeping Baird to face his punishnt.
However, at that mont, the Death God Nakbet intervened. The King of the Netherworld first reprimanded the Judges for their lack of integrity, and when they were left speechless, he decisively exiled Baird.
The hero of heroes was, at last, granted his wish to leave the Netherworld.
............
Baird returned to the border between the Netherworld and the Mortal World.
His physical body had been taken back while the Great Angel led his soul out of the Netherworld’s land.
Bathing once more in sunlight, still in his soulful state, Baird was startled to find the sun unbearably hot, seemingly roasting his soul.
Schiller turned to face the hero.
"You... are the Great Angel I saw in my dreams..."
Baird said.
Even in the presence of a Great Angel, the greatly sinful Baird felt no reverence at this mont.
Yet the appearance of the Great Angel from the True Religion reminded Baird of a long-lost friend.
He wondered if Noen had really achieved what he desired.
Baird fell into a bout of nostalgic reflection, and at that mont, the Great Angel Schiller slowly spoke:
"I was the one who awakened you."
It was as he thought.
Baird snapped back to reality, looking around and letting out a relieved sigh, banished from the Netherworld, now a lonely ghost, he felt a wave of genuine confusion.
After a while, he asked:
"Where is she then?"
As these words echoed, the Great Angel unfolded his Six Wings, their feathers emitting a holy and warm radiance. Under Baird’s astonished gaze, a beautiful woman erged from the dazzling light.
Baird would never forget her, nor could he ever forget her.
"Baird! Baird!"
Familiar calls rang in his ears, and Baird sohow found himself suddenly embracing his lover.
All Baird knew was that he had finally obtained what he wanted.
He could finally embrace his lover.
Golden autumn leaves surrounded them, deep autumn brought a chill everywhere, Baird’s tears stread down his face as he continuously murmured his lover’s na, the sunlight no longer felt scorching but enveloped him in bliss.
Thousands of years had passed, kingdoms rose, kingdoms fell, all swept away by the relentless wind, scattered leaves fluttered across the sky, hard to imagine a mortal who had once reveled in the glory of life and lanted the brutality of death, having endured the tribulations of life and death, had finally achieved his original happiness.
Under the watchful eyes of the Great Angel,
two souls embraced each other and drifted away with the autumn wind.
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