50: The Judgment of the Gods

“Letia!”

Aella’s voice echoed loudly through the surroundings. Letia, who had been laughing like a madwoman, locked eyes with the woman looking up at her.

“You… managed to survive. I hear your husband brought you back from the brink. What a tear-jerking love story.”

Letia sneered, her lips curling mockingly. Aella placed a hand over her chest and continued speaking.

“Do you not remember me?”

“Hm?”

“I remember you. Back when you were the saint of this empire. I met you once at the temple.”

“…”

“You looked into my eyes and said that my soul was pure and untainted.”

“…”

“When you heard my name, you told me that when I grew up, I would be able to use my powers to heal the sick and the suffering!”

Seeing the faint twitch of Letia’s eyebrows, Aella added another remark.

“Letia, you wished for the gods’ blessings to always be with me. And I, in turn, wished for your happiness. You thanked me and left.”

“…”

“Since that day, I developed healing magic and became the only healer in this empire. Thanks to you… I’ve been able to save others just as you did. Letia, please… please stop this.”

Letia stared blankly at the woman in front of her, who was pleading earnestly with her hands clasped tightly together.

“…Haha… Hahaha.”

“Letia…”

“What do you know about me to spout such nonsense?”

“I! I devoted my childhood to this empire! I gave my entire life to it! And what did this empire do to me? They scorned and persecuted me for the sole reason that I touched forbidden magic. And now they want to kill me. All I did was make these ungrateful humans feel a fraction of the pain I’ve endured.”

“Letia… please…”

“Shut up!”

“Aella!”

As lightning struck toward Aella, Kael stepped in front of her and deflected it with his cursed sword.

“Kael!”

“Ugh! I’m fine. Aella, take Her Highness and retreat to a safe place. The imperial knights will be here soon.”

“Kael…”

“Don’t worry about me. Aella, this will be over quickly.”

“Haha… Hahaha! You’re amusing. None of you will leave this place alive!”

With a flick of Letia’s hand, the grassy field around them caught fire.

“D*mn it! That wretched woman!”

Kael glared at the laughing Letia.

“I have no choice… This will drain a lot of my magic, but… in this situation, I have to summon it.”

“Kael? Don’t tell me…”

“Aella, step back for a moment.”

As Aella retreated, Kael summoned the Water Dragon, which he hadn’t called upon in a long time.

Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and a massive dragon covered in shimmering blue scales emerged from within them.

“Oh, that’s right. I heard you’re not only a master of the cursed sword but also the empire’s only summoner. Truly impressive abilities.”

Ignoring Letia’s taunts, Kael ordered the Water Dragon to extinguish the flames.

Water gushed out of the dragon’s open mouth like a waterfall, instantly quelling the roaring fire.

Sssssshhh!

“Good work. You may return to your place.”

The dragon growled softly before disappearing into the sky, and the previously clouded heavens cleared as though nothing had happened.

“I’ve seen your little tricks. Quite impressive. I suppose I should reward you for providing me with such an entertaining spectacle.”

“Crown Prince!”

“Julius!”

At Letia’s snap of her fingers, a massive water bubble appeared, trapping Julius inside. He struggled desperately to escape.

“He’ll die soon. Suffocating to death is quite an agonizing way to go, don’t you think?”

“Stop it! Please stop! Letia!”

“Shut up. I’d appreciate it if you stopped calling my name so familiarly. It’s disgusting.”

“Letia… no, Lady Letia. Please… no more… don’t commit any more sins. I beg you…”

“Sins, you say…? Haha, I’ve already become a sinner. What more do I have to fear? As it stands, I’ll go down in the history of Albazar—or rather, this entire continent—as the most infamous villainess ever! Ahaha!”

“Julius!”

Elena screamed in despair as she watched Julius writhe in pain, clutching his throat.

“Please! Let Julius go. I beg you. Lady Letia.”

“Your Highness…”

Elena knelt on the ground, bowing her head deeply.

“Please… let Julius go. Spare him.”

“Then, will you die in his place?”

“?!”

“Yes, I will. So please, spare Julius.”

“Crown Princess!”

“Elena! What are you saying?!”

Elena smiled faintly at Aella, who was scolding her.

“Aella, just as you didn’t hesitate to risk your life to save the Duke… I feel the same. If it means saving Julius… I’m willing to do anything. Besides, even if I live on…”

“Don’t say such foolish things! You have me! And Their Majesties! And the twin princes and princess!”

“I’m truly grateful to them. And to you, of course. But… Aella, I must be a weak person. The thought of living my entire life looking at the cold back of the man I love is too painful and unbearable. So, if it’s for Julius…”

“Stop saying such nonsense!”

Everyone’s attention turned to the Crown Prince, who was still trapped, as he shouted.

“Julius…”

“Elena.”

“!”

“Elena Albazar… Ugh!”

“Ah, Julius!”

“Your Highness! You mustn’t go near him!”

“Let me go, Aella! If I leave him like that, Julius will…”

Kael drew his cursed sword and prepared to strike the massive water bubble when—

“Stop.”

“!”

A solemn voice echoed through the air, and a powerful beam of light descended from the sky. Emerging from the light was the celestial god.

“The Celestial God…”

“That’s…”

Seeing the celestial god for the first time, Aella and Elena gazed in awe at the radiant figure descending from the heavens.

“If you strike with that sword, the Crown Prince’s body will also be split in two.”

“!”

Kael reluctantly lowered his sword.

“You must stop now. Your body can no longer endure this.”

“Hah! How laughable! Why are you interfering now, of all times?”

“Tsk tsk, you foolish creature. Stop tormenting yourself. I pity you, so I will grant you one final mercy. Release the Crown Prince.”

“Not a chance! I’ll take him with me to the afterlife! Only then will the emperor understand my pain!”

“Ugh…”

“Julius!”

As Julius writhed in agony, seemingly on the brink of death, Elena cried out his name desperately. Aella stood before Letia.

“Lady Letia! What good will come of this? Surely, deep down, you don’t want this either!”

“…”

“I understand your pain. I know you’re suffering more than anyone else right now. But please, don’t let the pain and sorrow of the past destroy you. Please… You were my idol! You inspired me to heal the sick and the suffering without expecting anything in return! Please… don’t destroy yourself any further, Lady Letia.”

Letia, her eyes meeting Aella’s tear-filled gaze, descended slowly to the ground.

With a snap of her fingers, the water bubble burst, and Julius fell to the ground. Kael rushed to catch him just in time.

“Are you all right, Your Highness?”

“Ugh! Cough, cough!”

“Julius! Ah, Julius! Sob… Sob…”

As Elena sat beside him, trembling and crying, she grasped his hands. Julius, supported by Kael, motioned for him to let go and managed to stand. Facing Elena, he spoke.

“Elena… or rather, Crown Princess…”

“You may call me by my name, Elena.”

“…”

Julius kissed the back of her hand and looked into her eyes.

“I hurt you countless times because I was consumed by my first love… No, Elena, I hurt you because I was blinded by my obsession.”

“…”

“I was mad back then. Even though I knew I couldn’t have her, no matter how much I loved her… I wanted to make her mine. But she was willing to sacrifice her life for the man she loved. I realized too late that I could never win against someone like that. I’ve been such a fool.”

Julius let out a hollow laugh before turning to Kael.

“Duke… I apologize for showing you such a disgraceful side of me.”

“No need, Your Highness.”

Julius patted Kael on the shoulder and turned back to Elena, meeting her gaze.

“Elena, I want to accept your feelings… slowly.”

“Ah…”

As Elena covered her mouth with her hands, Julius gently embraced her trembling arms and smiled awkwardly.

“I wanted to sincerely apologize to you. I’m truly sorry, Elena.”

“Julius…”

Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Julius continued.

“When my mother told me about holding you in my arms while I wept, I knew that woman would target me. So I stayed as far away from you as possible, even if it meant dying alone…”

“Why?! Sob! If you died, how was I supposed to live?! How could you be so selfish?!”

As Elena pounded her fists against his chest, Julius held her tightly, soothing her with soft words.

“Elena, I’m so sorry. I really am…”

“Sob… Julius… Sob…”

“And thank you. Thank you for loving someone as wretched as me. Now, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Julius…”

Kneeling before her, Julius kissed the ring on her finger and looked up into her tear-filled eyes.

“I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Please stay by my side.”

“Sob… Julius… Of course!”

As Julius embraced Elena and comforted her, Kael watched with a soft smile. But the moment was interrupted.

“Will you stop already?!”

“!”

A deafening roar shook the ground, and Kael turned to see Letia holding Aella by the neck, lifting her into the air.

“Aella!!!”

Aella waved her hand at Kael, signaling him to stop.

“Ugh… Lady Letia…”

“What do you know to dare speak so boldly to me? If you want to die so badly, I’ll grant your wish!”

“You wretched creature! Do you not hear me?!”

“Silence! Just because you’re a god doesn’t mean you can control everything! If forbidden magic hadn’t existed in the first place, I wouldn’t have ended up like this…!”

Lightning struck Letia’s head, and she collapsed weakly to the ground.

“I have given you my final mercy. Now, it is time for your sins to be judged.”

“Haha… Haha… Fine… End it already. I can’t bring myself to do it anyway.”

As Letia lay sprawled on the ground, closing her eyes, the celestial god prepared to strike her with lightning once more. But Aella threw herself over Letia’s body, crying out for him to stop.

“Aella!”

“Ella!!!”

As the lightning struck with a deafening crash, Kael fell to his knees.