51: The Blessing of the Celestial God

“Ella!!!”

Kael’s anguished cry shook the surroundings. He sprang to his feet and dashed toward the area where dust was swirling.

Crackle. Crackle.

“Ella…”

Aella’s limp body, holding Letia in her arms, was surrounded by an invisible barrier, and currents of electricity flowed through it.

“What… what is this?”

“I created the barrier. She’s too kind…”

The celestial god clicked his tongue as Kael repeatedly called out Aella’s name.

“Ugh… Kael? Ah! Lady Letia! Please, come to your senses!”

“I am in my senses!”

“Ka… Kael…”

Facing Kael, who was gripping her shoulders roughly and shaking her fiercely, Aella lowered her head apologetically.

“Sigh… No, I’m sorry… Ella. I’m sorry for yelling…”

“It’s okay, Kael. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

As Aella comforted Kael and patted his back, she turned to Letia, who had risen to her feet.

“Lady Letia, I hope you find salvation.”

“…”

“You’re regretting this, aren’t you? How things turned out.”

“…You speak as if you can see into my heart.”

Letia let out a faint laugh as Aella sat before her and took her hands.

“I respected you. At one time, I felt heartbroken for your circumstances and wished you well wherever you were. And now, I hope you’ll pay for your sins and be reborn, living the life you’ve always wanted. When you’re reborn, I hope you’ll live not as a revered saint but as someone true to yourself. Isn’t that the life you’ve always wanted?”

“Haha… Hahaha… Hahaha! You’re truly fascinating. Really… impossible to hate.”

Even as she laughed, tears streamed down Letia’s face. Aella gently wiped them away and embraced her tightly, patting her back.

“You’ve been through so much. I’ve always wanted to tell you this.”

“…D*mn it… D*mn it! Ugh… Ugh! Cough! Cough!”

“Lady Letia!”

“Ha, it’s noisy. My life was already nearing its end anyway. Before it ended… I planned to exact my final revenge, but you and that celestial god ruined everything. D*mn it.”

“Lady Letia…”

Letia gazed at Aella, who looked at her with pity, before letting out a soft laugh and asking,

“Don’t you hate me? I caused your grandfather’s death, tried to kill your husband, and then tried to kill you.”

“…That was because Count Bluanz ordered you to.”

“Well, well. You’re truly impossible to deal with.”

“Of course, it’s not that I don’t resent you. But… I believe you can change. No, you can. You’re not inherently evil, just like the man who was once my father. When I first met you, you were the warmest and most beautiful goddess-like figure in the world.”

Letia couldn’t help but laugh at the sincerity in Aella’s expression and tone, which made it clear her words weren’t mere flattery.

“I’ve lost, completely lost. You’re truly impossible to deal with. Still… meeting you again might have been my final stroke of luck.”

“Lady Letia…”

“Just call me Letia. Being addressed formally makes me feel old.”

“Ah!”

“If I had met you sooner, I wouldn’t have… Ah, forget it. I don’t want to get any more pathetic.”

Letia stood and faced the celestial god.

“Throw me into the fires of hell, make me crawl through thorny paths, wherever it may be, I’ll follow. But I have one request.”

“You’re audacious for a sinner.”

“Haha, being audacious to the end isn’t necessarily a bad thing, is it?”

“Tsk.”

“Please grant the celestial god’s blessing to the woman who stopped my rampage.”

“…”

“She couldn’t have children because of me, after all.”

“!”

Letia glanced at Aella, who called her name in a trembling voice, and smiled faintly.

“I should at least lessen one sin before I leave. Don’t misunderstand; I’m not doing this for you.”

“Letia…”

As Aella stared at Letia, the celestial god approached her.

“Close your eyes for a moment.”

Aella closed her eyes and felt a hand placed on her lower abdomen. At the same time, a warm energy spread from her abdomen throughout her body, making her shiver slightly.

“It is done.”

“Pardon? What is done?”

“You heard earlier, didn’t you? I granted the audacious sinner’s final wish.”

“Then… does that mean…”

The celestial god nodded and turned to Letia.

“Pay for your sins in the human realm. Afterward, I will send a guide to lead you to the afterlife. Follow them.”

“I’ll do so.”

When the celestial god disappeared, Letia stood before Aella, looking into her eyes.

“I still have some divine power left. I will bestow it upon you.”

“Pardon?!”

“If my divine power mixes with your healing magic, I wonder what kind of power will be created. It’s a pity I won’t be able to see it.”

“Letia…”

“If your child is born with magic, they will have the potential to become a great mage.”

“A great mage…”

Letia nodded, placed her hand on Aella’s head, and transferred all her remaining magic power to her.

“Ugh! Cough! Cough! Ugh!”

“Letia!”

“Leave now. I don’t want you to witness my final moments.”

“Letia…”

“Ella.”

As Kael approached and embraced her, Aella turned to Letia, who smiled faintly.

“Someday… in a distant future, I hope we meet again as good friends.”

“Ah, Letia…”

Leaving Letia’s faint smile behind, Aella climbed into the carriage heading to the Hormons estate.

“Ella, it’ll be difficult to return to the palace until it’s restored.”

“Yes…”

“If anything happens, I’ll come running immediately, so don’t worry.”

“Kael…”

Aella held onto Kael’s sleeve, and he responded with a smile.

“Please… make sure Letia’s passing is as painless as possible. I beg you.”

Kael cupped Aella’s tear-streaked cheeks, kissed her right temple, and nodded.

“I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you, Kael… Sob! Kael!”

As Aella clung to Kael’s neck, he patted her back and silently vowed never to let his beloved wife experience such pain again.

Kael stood silently in place until the carriage carrying Aella disappeared from sight. Then, with a cold expression, he approached Letia Maneos, the sinner who had committed mass sl*ughter.

“Letia Maneos.”

“Haha, was my surname Maneos? It’s been so long since I heard it, I almost forgot.”

“By the emperor’s decree, I will carry out your execution here and now.”

“Wasn’t it supposed to be carried out at the execution grounds?”

Letia’s eyes widened in surprise as Kael stood before her with his sword.

“The emperor ordered me to carry it out quietly.”

“Haha… Haha. How tearfully considerate. I thought the emperor despised me.”

“If you had targeted the Crown Prince or Her Highness, your execution might have been carried out elsewhere. Like the wretched woman and Count Bluanz who caused my wife and unborn child’s deaths.”

“I see… I should be even more grateful to the Duchess of Hormons.”

Letia chuckled softly and knelt on her own. Kael raised his sword and asked one last question.

“The emperor has also decreed that you be buried in the place of your choosing.”

“Well, if he were here, I’d bow to him. Tell the emperor that even in death, his kindness has slightly eased my resentment toward him.”

Kael nodded silently and glanced back at the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

“Your Highnesses, please return to the western palace. Stay there.”

“I’ll take Elena there and I’ll help with whatever you need afterward.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

After the royal couple left, Kael turned to Letia, who was gazing up at the clear sky.

“It’s a perfect day to die.”

“…”

“I loved looking at clear skies like this. How much I wished and hoped to laugh and chat freely with the people I loved under such skies…”

Kael bit his lip as he saw tears welling in Letia’s eyes.

“Well, well. A man shouldn’t cry so easily.”

“Be quiet.”

“Haha, you and your wife are a perfect match. Truly a well-suited pair.”

“…”

“Be happy. Love each other deeply.”

“I will. Now, tell me where you wish to be buried.”

“Ramios…”

“…”

“I want to be buried where he is. Or just scatter my ashes over his grave. Even in death, I want to be with him.”

Kael nodded silently and raised his sword high.

“Oh, tell the Duchess this for me.”

“…”

“Thank you for respecting me and helping me find salvation.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her.”

“Thank you, Duke.”

“Farewell, Lady Saint.”

Kael closed his eyes as he swung his sword, ending Letia’s life.

Drip.

“Ha…”

Wiping the blood splattered on his face and body, Kael murmured softly.

“I miss Aella so much… but what can I do?”

Kael lifted his head and gazed at the sky Letia had seen in her final moments.

“Captain!”

As the knights rushed over, Kael turned to them and spoke firmly.

“Burn the sinner’s remains. Scatter the ashes quietly over Ramios’s grave. Do not speak of this to anyone. If anyone leaks this information, I will consider them ready to die by my hand.”

Kael’s chilling words made the knights tremble as they nodded vigorously.

—

The palace, which had been destroyed and burned down, was under restoration for a week. Aella hadn’t seen her husband, Kael, who was overseeing the reconstruction, for five days.

Every morning, Aella sighed softly as she looked at the empty space beside her. But today, she seemed unusually cheerful. Kina, who was brushing her hair, asked,

“Did you have a good dream?”

“Yes, a very good dream.”

“What kind of dream?”

“That’s… a secret.”

“That’s unfair!”

“Sorry, Kina.”

Aella smiled brightly at Kina, who pouted, and closed her eyes.

In her dream, Letia appeared. Beside her was an ordinary but incredibly kind-looking man who had his arm around Letia’s shoulder.

“Thank you for saving Letia, Duchess.”

“Where are you two going?”

“I’m going to hell, and Ramios is going to the heavenly realm.”

“No, Letia. I’ll go with you.”

“What?! Only sinners go to hell!”

“I couldn’t protect you in life. So even in death, I’ll protect you. I prayed to the celestial god to let me be reborn on the same day as you after paying for my sins, no matter where we go. He told me to do as I wish. So I’ll protect you, even in hell. I love you, Letia.”

“Ah, Ramios…”

Letia shed tears of joy in her lover’s arms. As Aella woke from the dream, a smile spread across her face.

“Madam! About the villainess… I mean, Lady Saint. The nobles who opposed her private execution have gone silent.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! His Highness warned that any family who dared to mention the empire’s worst villainess again would face consequences. Oh! And the ladies who treated Her Highness as an outsider begged for forgiveness in front of the royal couple yesterday! The rumors are already…”

Listening to Kina’s chatter, Aella nodded quietly and gazed up at the clear sky.

‘Peace has finally arrived.’