Tears rolled down her cheeks, gathering on blades of grass like dewdrops before sliding off.
"Hic... hic..."
With a thud, Ibria collapsed weakly, as if exhausted. Not a single wound remained on her body. If one were to point out a deep gash, it would be the void pierced through a corner of her heart.
"I couldn't stop him..."
Harte had been sincere. With the sole desire to rescue Elphisia, he'd cast aside his hesitation and drawn his sword. From that mont, Ibria's will to fight had been completely broken.
Because he wouldn't stop.
Even if so trendous power suddenly arose and subdued him, his heart would steadfastly aim for only one person.
The lesson of surrender ca quickly.
As Harte closed the distance, the divine power Ibria had blossod withered away in an instant.
That was all.
Harte left the Imperial Palace without looking back.
Like a moth flying into a fla.
Despite knowing the fate that awaited him.
He advanced, silently burning away his life.
"I hate you..."
Her mournful voice conveyed deep resentnt.
From the unrecorded side of history, Ibria returned to the temple alone.
She didn't want to face the disappointing and treacherous outside world for even a mont longer.
She would live comfortably for the rest of her life.
Unlike Harte.
Unlike the villainess he loved.
Silently, and steadfastly.
Burying the pain of betrayal in mories, she would consciously turn a blind eye.
Because the life given to her, unlike theirs, was unbearably long.
She would live in submission to fate.
---
---
"Haa..."
Blood seeped from his eyes and mouth. Though he'd only wielded a couple of miracles, the sensation of his baptismal na burning was vivid.
The line that the bearer of a baptismal na must not cross. The motivation to observe it wasn't the temple's sanctions.
'Sohow, I have to... hold out until dawn.'
The vanguard of God who breaks taboos has their baptismal na incinerated. And if one who has their baptismal na incinerated wields miracles, the price is paid with their remaining lifespan.
This was why he'd said his future had closed.
If Harte abandoned Elphisia, the vow of his baptismal na would kill him. Even if he rescued her, the price for abusing divine power was still his own life.
Fate had led him to a dead end.
That's why Harte, whose future had vanished, had no way back.
"You've always been like this."
Harte walked straight towards the towering fortress. He strode fearlessly across the wasteland where even natural objects were hard to find.
The place where he stood was the border of the demon realm.
Soon, it would beco the historical site where the world's balance crumbles.
"Baskhill, and now too... you never respect each other's domains. You could just turn your backs and live, but you can't even do that, you impure lot..."
One by one, demons on the fortress walls warily eyed Harte. However, they hadn't taken threatening actions yet. This was because most of the demons were humanoid races like vampires, and only a single person was approaching the fortress.
"If lives must be sacrificed... I'll balance the scales."
The reason demons underestimate human realm invasions is simple and clear.
Most demons are superior and humans are inferior. The power humans gain only after repeated training, demons often possess innately.
Harte made his decision.
He would balance humans and demons.
"Fire was not given to encourage corruption and debauchery."
Suddenly, light descended. In a landscape that seed to have turned into a golden field, Harte recited sacred words.
"Your distorted cities, God shall rule with thunder and brimstone."
The mont he closed his lips.
An inconceivable disaster befell the demon realm shrouded in deep night.
Dozens of lightning bolts struck down from the clear sky, and unquenchable sulfurous flas spread far and wide.
The sturdy fortress crumbled like toy blocks. It looked just like a sandcastle swept away by waves. The border, scorched in an instant, would be impossible to restore for the next decade.
"I'm coming... Elphisia."
Harte's true nature, unknown even to Elphisia, was running rampant.
Harte, who always went around smiling as if innocent and foolish. Elphisia could never imagine this side of his youth.
The Harte who felt not a shred of guilt even after annihilating countless demons in Baskhill.
"Cough!"
Harte coughed up blood. A pungent iron taste took over his mouth. He furrowed his brow as he witnessed the continuing lightning strikes and sulfurous flas.
'If only my baptismal na hadn't been sealed... Just a little more...'
After the holy war in the Baskhill Kingdom, the Pope had sealed Harte's baptismal na.
He'd long since forcibly forgotten the reason for the sealing. There was no point in being conscious of it.
Therefore, Harte didn't know. That the sealing of his baptismal na was a restraint to restore his humanity.
By distancing himself from God's na and drawing closer to his human na, Harte had regained his humanity.
... At least, until he unconsciously called upon God's na once again.
"Please wait... Elphisia."
Harte tore away space.
The territory of other demons ca into view from the other side.
The ti had co to sweep them away, one by one, as if cleaning.
A walking disaster was burning his life away fiercely.
---
---
The center of the demon realm - the Demon King's dwelling.
The Demon King, receiving a report in the dungeon where Elphisia was imprisoned, was shocked.
"What... what are you saying...?"
"This is not a taphor. Really... All the territories forming a straight line between the border and the capital have been... completely... incinerated."
"Impossible! Who in the world could do such a thing...!!!"
"Your Majesty. I apologize, but... we witnessed soone capable of this in Baskhill about 20 years ago."
The Demon King instinctively recalled the incident from that ti. Yes, it was when he'd accepted Letitia's request and dispatched elite troops to Baskhill.
The pain of hundreds of elites, carefully selected, being annihilated along with the Holy Maiden still stung. Thanks to that blunder, Letitia's position had narrowed, causing her to fall ill.
If only he had sohow recovered Glen, his anger might have subsided, but he'd missed the last chance by a hair's breadth.
Just as falling from a high place hurts, falling from hope to despair is the sa.
Finally, the Demon King issued an order.
"After quartering her, make sure to keep her alive. I must hear her screams as she enters the cauldron without limbs."
"Yes, understood, Your Majesty!"
What about divine power?
What about being a holy knight?
The demon realm must already bear a massive scar. Countless lives had been extinguished, and cities had collapsed. Then, as retribution, it should be fine to give the pain of losing a lover.
'I'll protect the capital at least.'
This was the area where the Demon King was stationed. Even among demons, most of who are long-lived, the Demon King's power stood out. He was an absolute powerhouse with strength unprecedented in the long history of demons.
Clang!
The barred door confining Elphisia opened. She was roughly handled and dragged to the torture chamber. Her bare feet scraped harshly against the cold, rough floor.
It was when she finally let go of her lingering attachnts.
Boom!
A strong vibration struck the dungeon. Boom! Boom!
The entire space shook as if hit by a natural disaster, and dust and brick fragnts trickled down.
The anomaly occurred imdiately after.
Crash!
The ceiling ca crashing down. Thick dust obscured vision and restricted movent.
The wind blew.
Like fog, the hazy dust scattered into the sky, returning transparency to the world.
"... Ah."
Elphisia groaned.
At this point, it wasn't even funny anymore. If her hands were free, she would have rubbed her eyes several tis. She would have constantly doubted whether the dust in her eyes was showing her an illusion.
But when a warm voice resonated in her ears, Elphisia gave up denying reality any further.
"Elphisia."
"..."
"I'm here. To keep my promise."
"..."
"I'm sorry my appearance is a bit unsightly."
He was clearly different from the usual Harte.
His pure white uniform was dyed red, and his violet eyes had clearly lost their luster.
And that wasn't all.
The real-ti bleeding from his eyes reminiscent of bloody tears, and wounds that appeared and widened severely without him receiving any attacks.
"I'll protect you no matter what, Elphisia."
He smiled.
As if his faded humanity had sprouted anew.
"... Harte."
She called his na.
With an ugly face, as if about to burst into tears.
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