Episode 166
“I wish you’d become my daughter’s godmother.”
“It’s shameless of me, but please take care of her, Sarah.”
Sarah sat curled up in a corner of her bed, replaying Philemon’s last words in her mind.
Sixteen years had passed since Philemon’s death.
Only after her death had Sarah been able to acknowledge her as a friend. But now, resentment began to fester.
She buried her forehead in her knees.
‘At first, I thought King Felix had lost his mind.’
She had expected Elonia to silence him immediately after being compared to the War Demon. But Elonia had accepted it, almost matter-of-factly.
‘…You should have denied it.’
If she had, Sarah would have believed her. Because she was Her Highness’s Sarah.
‘…If I tell anyone, they’ll just think I’m crazy.’
She might be Elonia’s godmother now, but her past reputation wasn’t exactly stellar.
They would think she was trying to undermine the princess out of jealousy, now that she was a Marquis.
‘And I don’t have the courage to tell anyone anyway.’
Perhaps it was better for her to leave the Imperial Palace.
No, even if she left, the Fortrun estate was still part of Ravanta. Elonia’s presence would follow her everywhere. Sarah chuckled dryly.
‘Like mother, like daughter.’
They both had a way of holding onto her future, refusing to let go.
Her smile faded. It wasn’t funny.
Just then,
“Lady Sardia! Lady Sarah!”
It was Vivian’s voice.
Sarah, pulled back to reality by the frantic calls, reluctantly got out of bed.
She had called in sick today. But Vivian wouldn’t disturb her unless it was important. Sarah opened the door.
“What is it?”
“It’s an emergency, Lady Sarah! Her Highness is in danger!”
“Her Highness went to the annex! To meet King Felix!”
Canaria and Cecilia were with Vivian. Sarah suppressed a sigh.
“…She was fine before. It’s probably nothing serious.”
Just as she was about to close the door,
“Ugh!”
“…Vivian?”
Vivian had wedged her foot in the doorway, stopping Sarah. Had Vivian ever acted so forcefully?
Sarah, stunned, asked,
“What are you doing, Vivian? Are you okay?”
“No, this time it’s really serious!”
“That’s right! She left armed!”
“She looked like she was going to kill someone!”
Wasn’t that normal? Elonia had summoned Felix with the intention of killing him.
Sarah shook her head dismissively.
They were all being overprotective because Elonia was carrying such a heavy burden at a young age.
‘…Well, I used to think that way too.’
But not anymore, not after knowing Elonia’s true identity.
It seemed like shock therapy was necessary. It wasn’t the right time, but it had to be said eventually.
“Actually, I have something to tell you. I’m planning to resign from my position as a lady-in-waiting…”
Just then,
BOOM!
A loud explosion echoed from the direction of the annex.
Before the explosion,
“Felix.”
Elonia entered Felix’s room. Felix, closing the book he had been pretending to read, smirked.
“Chelon, made up your mind?”
“Yes.”
Elonia’s eyes were lifeless. Felix, seeing her despair, burst into laughter.
“Good. That’s more like the War Demon Heilan boasts of.”
He gestured towards the seat in front of him.
“Come, now that you’ve returned to Heilan, let’s discuss our future plans.”
But Elonia didn’t sit down. She scanned the room. Felix was alone. She looked at him, her eyes narrowed.
“…Where is he?”
“Tristan? He’s my lover, show some respect.”
“…”
“Tsk. Tristan is surveying the palace. Deciding where to build his temple.”
“…”
Elonia stared at Felix silently. Felix, growing impatient, urged her,
“Chelon, are you listening?”
Elonia lowered her head and started chuckling softly.
Had she finally snapped? Felix flinched, startled. She hadn’t broken down even in Heilan. Had he pushed her too far?
He couldn’t afford for her to lose her mind now. He asked nervously,
“Why are you laughing?”
Elonia stopped laughing abruptly and slowly lifted her head, glaring up at him.
“I’m glad Tristan isn’t here to protect you.”
“…!”
A spark ignited in Elonia’s eyes.
They weren’t lifeless anymore. But they weren’t her usual clear, bright eyes either.
A murderous aura emanated from her, and Felix felt a cold sweat trickle down his back.
“Chelon, don’t tell me—”
“…you.”
“…What?”
“I’m going to kill you right here!”
“…!”
A rapier materialized in Elonia’s hand, and she lunged at Felix.
Stab! The blade pierced through his chest.
“Cough…!”
The tip of the sword emerged from his back. Felix coughed up blood, splattering it onto Elonia’s head.
“Ch-Chelon… what is this…?”
Elonia looked up at him, her eyes wide, a chilling smile spreading across her face.
“Why? I killed Dolce with my own hands. Did you think I couldn’t kill you?”
“…!”
For the first time, Felix felt genuine fear towards Elonia.
He had only felt such fear once before.
When he was dragged before Artius. Only then.
He had never been afraid of Elonia, of Chelon.
But the War Demon standing before him was no longer Heilan’s slave. Nor did she seem like Ravanta’s princess.
She was simply human, pushed to the brink, with nothing left to lose.
“D-damn it…!”
Felix struggled to break free, but he was no match for the War Demon.
He spat blood and roared,
“How dare you, you lowly creature! You were always like this, always foolish! I offered you an easy life, and yet you defy me!”
“Shut up! I’d rather die than submit to the likes of you!”
“…!”
“If you die, Tristan loses his reason to become a god in this land, right? Yes, all I had to do was kill you.”
Elonia drew Alexia’s dagger from her leg. Felix, impaled on her rapier, could only watch in terror as the small, sharp blade glinted menacingly.
He tried to reason with her, appealing to his survival instincts.
“Chelon, think again. You want to remain the princess of Ravanta, don’t you? If you kill me, Tristan will…!”
“His power comes from your faith, doesn’t it? If you die, he’s finished.”
“Ch-Chelon, please reconsider. I’m your brother! Did I ever torment you like Dolce did?!”
“You can plead your case in hell.”
“…!”
So die.
Elonia plunged the dagger towards Felix’s heart.
Stab!
The sound of flesh tearing echoed again.
“Cough…”
Just as Felix’s vision blurred, his consciousness fading,
“Your Majesty!”
“…!”
Elonia quickly turned around, but it was too late.
“Ugh…!”
An invisible force slammed her against the wall. Felix, meanwhile, was supported by someone, his ragged breathing continuing.
Tristan, his expression unusually agitated, began healing Felix.
“Your Majesty, it’s alright now. Tristan is here.”
“Ugh, Tristan…”
Felix recovered instantly, but then fainted from blood loss.
Tristan’s eyes snapped towards Elonia.
He gently laid Felix on the floor, then glared at Elonia, who was still stunned, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
“…Chelon Heilan.”
‘Damn it.’
Elonia cursed inwardly.
She should have finished him off faster, shouldn’t have fallen for his pathetic attempts to stall.
‘No, it’s fine. Tristan can’t fight.’
Apostles, unlike Elonia, couldn’t fight. But her attacks wouldn’t work on him either.
She just had to be careful of his Holy Power.
‘Stay calm. I have to end this today.’
Just as she reached for her sword,
Bam!
A blast of dark energy slammed her against the wall again.
“Gasp…!”
The impact knocked the wind out of her. She slumped against the wall, groaning in pain.
Tristan strode towards her and grabbed her throat, his pale hand tightening, threatening to crush her windpipe.
Elonia clawed at his hand, struggling to break free, but it was useless.
“Ugh…”
Her vision started to blur, her limbs growing heavy. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, he threw her onto the floor.
“Cough, cough!”
She gasped for air, her throat raw and burning.
Tristan knelt beside her, grabbed her hair, and forced her head up, his eyes filled with a chilling emptiness.
“How dare you stab His Majesty… I remember our conversation being quite civil, Chelon Heilan.”
“Ha…! Only beasts would find conversation with your kind civil.”
“Still defiant. Just like Alex.”
Tristan’s pale lips curled into a sneer.
“Alex also defied me and paid the price. I treated her gently, needing her as a pawn to bloody my hands in place of His Majesty, but she dared…”
“Spit.”
Thwack. Tristan stopped mid-sentence.
Bloody saliva dripped down his cheek. Elonia, her lips stained with blood, smirked defiantly.
“F*** off.”
“…”
Tristan’s anger flared. But Elonia didn’t regret it. She welcomed it.
The more agitated he became, the narrower his focus would be. She could use that opening to finish off Felix with magic.
A sharp pain shot through her scalp.
“Aaaah!”
“It seems words are not enough.”
Tristan dragged her towards the window by her hair. They were getting closer to Felix.
Despite her disadvantage, Elonia grinned.
‘Good…!’
Just a little closer…! When she was close enough that Tristan couldn’t interfere, she would decapitate Felix.
Five steps.
Three, two, one.
‘Now!’
Just as she gathered her mana to form a blade,
“…Huh?”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t be prepared?”
Tristan turned his head, smirking down at her. Elonia’s body froze.
“N-no way. How, my magic…”
“You shouldn’t underestimate someone close to godhood.”
Tristan smiled sweetly.
Elonia despaired.
Impossible. Suppressing magic with Holy Power? She had never heard of such a thing.
Tristan, ignoring her shock, prepared to throw her out the window.
“A brief nap as a corpse should suffice. There’s a risk of losing the soul, but the power will remain in the body.”
Death loomed over her. Elonia felt a surge of fear.
‘N-no…’
She wasn’t afraid of death itself.
But she hadn’t accomplished anything yet.
Dying like this would be meaningless. Her upper body was already dangling outside the window.
Tristan looked down at her terrified face and smiled.
“Well then, let’s meet again after I become a god…”
Stab! The sound of flesh being pierced echoed through the room. Elonia thought she had been stabbed, but that wasn’t it.
Tristan’s eyes widened in shock as he turned around.
Crash!
Someone tackled Tristan, sending him sprawling across the floor. Elonia, freed from his grasp, fell onto the floor inside the room.
“Ugh…”
Elonia, her head ringing, looked up at her savior. She recognized the voice, but she couldn’t believe it.
“Sa…rah…?”
Brown hair.
Her godmother’s familiar, yet unfamiliar, back.
“What do you think you’re doing?! Get away from my daughter!”
It was Sarah.