Chapter 72: Western Fantasy Romance (XIV)

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Chapter 72: Western Fantasy Romance (XIV)

Servius bound Miao Lichen’s body with the dark magic he knew better than anything else. For a demon, it was the simplest of feats. Yet he exercised meticulous care, ensuring that not even the slightest trace of his darkness would harm him. The restraint existed for one purpose alone: to keep Aesop from pushing him away, forcing him to remain quietly within his embrace. Had Aesop been merely a subordinate, or simply a possession, Servius would never have done something like this. Nor would the thought have ever crossed his mind.

As the Demon King, he had countless subordinates beneath him. When had he ever cared about any of them? Even the attendants who remained constantly at his side were kept only because they suited his preferences. As for possessions… in the Demon Realm, a possession was little different from a plaything. They existed to offer up their bodies whenever the Demon King wished to vent his frustrations. They would enter the palace with joyful anticipation, only to leave carried out, scarcely able to move. Their sole purpose was to personally experience what the Demon Realm called the Eighteen Great Torments.

Demons had never been known for mercy. Their innate craving for bloodshed and slaughter was woven into their very nature. Relieving one’s mood in such a manner was, to them, perfectly ordinary.

“The Laws? Servius, just because you can wield all of your power on the Continent of Koder doesn’t mean you can stand against the Laws. It only means the humans who summoned you went to extraordinary lengths. Right now, you’re still maintaining the state of a summoned being. If we were both descending in our divine forms, there wouldn’t be much difference between our strength.” Sathalia’s gaze swept over the arm wrapped possessively around Aesop’s waist, his fingers tightening unconsciously. The smile on his lips only grew brighter, carrying an intensity hot enough to scorch.

“If that were all, I wouldn’t be arrogant enough to claim I’d broken the Laws.” Only then did Servius relax his hold on Aesop slightly. A faint radiance of light gathered around his fingertips. A flicker of unconcealed pride crossed his black eyes. No achievement had ever filled him with greater satisfaction than this. Everything had been given to him by Aersop. The one who had brought a glimmer of light into a life that had once consisted of nothing but emptiness and endless boredom was also the one standing before him now.

At last, Sathalia could no longer maintain his smile. The emotions in his eyes shifted again and again before the unmistakable shock could no longer be concealed. Since ancient times, every ancient god had governed a single divine authority. That was the order established by the Laws. What would happen if one came to possess another’s power had never been known. If Servius could harbor the power of light within a body that embodied absolute darkness, then didn’t that also mean he could contain other powers as well? If so, did the ancient Laws, in which every god was confined to a single divine authority, still have any reason to exist?

“Aesop Leslie.” Miao Lichen nodded. Among the four people in the room, he seemed to have the least right to speak. Whether it was the Demon King, the Divine King, or the Elf King, each was an ancient god destined to stand at the very pinnacle of existence. He was nothing more than a human. Yet he was a human whom the Demon King regarded differently. That alone was enough to ensure that no one could overlook him.

His response drew a faint smile to Servius’s lips. The red glow in his eyes flickered before completely replacing the black. Black hair and crimson eyes: this was a demon’s true appearance, and the true form of Servius Joy. By introducing himself once again, he had chosen to become acquainted with Aesop anew. Aesop had not rejected him because he was the Demon King. Even if he did not like him, it was certainly not hatred.

“As expected of you, Servius. You’ve even managed to break the very order established by the Laws.” Caelir’s face showed not the slightest hint of surprise. Instead, his smile became even more genuine. His gaze shifted between Aesop and Servius, and he had already pieced together a rough guess at the truth. In reality, the one who was truly impossible to predict was not Servius, but Aesop. Though he was only a human, he had shattered far too many taboos.

Perhaps Sathalia and Servius had yet to understand their own feelings toward Aesop, but Caelir was different. Had it not been for the decades he had lived after his reincarnation, perhaps he would not have understood either. But now, he was not only Caelir Andreas. He was also Caelric Gerald, the carefree playboy who had wandered through countless romances without ever becoming attached.

The confrontation between the two gods, who had always stood in opposition to one another, suddenly seemed almost childish. They resembled two male beasts constantly trying to display their strength before a mate, each determined to prove himself the superior one. So, who would ultimately emerge victorious?

Caelir shifted his gaze to Sathalia’s face. The traces of shock and calculation hidden in his expression did not escape him. It seemed the outcome had already been decided. Sathalia did possess the light element that Aesop favored. That was undoubtedly his advantage.

But feelings between two people could not be decided by elemental affinity alone. Aesop was not someone who could accept incomplete emotions. It was evident from the way he conducted himself. In some ways, he was an even greater perfectionist than the gods he had come to know. If Aesop chose to trust someone, he trusted them completely, without reservation. What he offered others was wholeness, and he demanded the same in return. Outwardly, Aesop appeared calm and rational, yet in certain matters, his resolve was so absolute that it was astonishing.

∇ Capture Target Caelir Andreas Favorability: 65.

All of this was merely his speculation. As for the final outcome, who could possibly know it in advance? Perhaps not even the Laws themselves could foresee it before the very end.

“Hm.” Servius accepted the praise without the slightest trace of modesty. Although the achievement had not been his alone, there was no reason for anyone else to know that. The memories he shared with Aesop belonged to the two of them alone. No one else would be allowed to glimpse even the smallest part of them.

“Aesop, tell me your choice. Will you choose the power of darkness and forsake the light?” Sathalia’s voice suddenly grew lower. He looked up at the person almost entirely enclosed within Servius’s embrace. His sky-blue eyes were devoid of emotion, like a bottomless abyss that tempted others to lose themselves within it. “Tell me your true answer. Whatever your choice may be, I shall absolve you of all guilt.”

Miao Lichen narrowed his eyes slightly and adjusted his posture. His slender fingers carried surprising strength as he pried Servius’s hands away before taking a seat in the empty chair beside them. Turning his head, he met Sathalia’s gaze with unmistakable seriousness in his eyes.

“Your Majesty, the Divine King, even you cannot completely cast aside the darkness within yourself, so why insist that I give you an answer? My faith lies in the power of light, yet the Light itself has not completely rejected Servius. If the Holy Church cannot tolerate me because of that, then I have no objection to relinquishing the position of Pope. It seems the Pope serves as your envoy, but that does not necessarily mean he is an envoy of the light.”

∇ Capture Target Servius Joy Favorability: 85.

“Aesop Leslie is the Pope acknowledged by the followers of the Holy Church throughout the Kedor Continent. Without a legitimate reason, he cannot simply be removed from his position.” Minea pushed open the door and walked inside, paying no attention to the surprised looks cast her way by the gods. The martial arts of the East were far beyond the understanding of those in this world. “Besides, even if you did that, it would very likely chill the hearts of countless believers.”

“What right do you have to speak to us, human?” Sathalia seemed to relax somewhat after Minea entered the room. “As an ordinary human? Or…” A faint smile tugged at his lips. “…as Caelir Andreas’s fiancée?” He had never intended to force Aesop. In that brief moment, he had simply wanted him to make a choice. Whether it was himself or Servius, all either of them wanted was an answer. Compared to Servius, he had spent far more time with Aesop, yet the outcome had turned out nothing like he had imagined.

Regret? Perhaps not. He was the Divine King. How could a god like him harbor such an emotion? Even if he did, it could never be because of a human. At most, he merely wished to make up for the impulsive action he had taken without sufficient thought. Though he and Servius had always found each other intolerable, they could never truly become irreconcilable enemies. Just as dawn and dusk always existed between day and night, if light and darkness were to stand in absolute opposition, every race in existence would suffer a catastrophe.

In truth, the answer had existed all along. One could deceive oneself for only so long. In the end, the bitter fruit could only be tasted by the one who had sown it.

“Of course I could never be Lord Caelir Andreas’s fiancée. Lord Caelir is a lofty god, while I am nothing more than a human. How could I ever be worthy of him?” Minea smiled faintly before continuing, “However… I am Aesop Gerald’s fiancée. Since my fiancé is directly involved in this matter, how could I, as his fiancée, remain nothing more than a bystander?” She placed a stack of letters on the table before them. In an instant, silence filled the room. The only one whose expression remained unchanged was Caelir Andreas.

As the Elf King, no matter how many times he reincarnated, it was impossible for him to completely rid himself of his elven bloodline. It was rare for him to be born even as a half-elf. Yet both the King and Queen of the Mante Empire were pure humans. The truth behind the matter became obvious with even the slightest thought. Aesop was the true prince of the Mante royal family. As for Caelric, he had merely been a child who happened to appear at the very moment the prince disappeared.

The royal family had never lacked tragedies, especially the untimely deaths of princes. Although disappearances were rare, they were by no means unheard of. In most cases, a missing prince was presumed dead. Aesop had been one of the fortunate few. Rescued by the previous Pope of the Holy Church, he had been carefully raised and educated. The authority he now possessed far surpassed that of any prince of the Mante Empire.

“Where did you find all of these?” Miao Lichen did not bother opening the letters. Or rather, this was something he had already known. Both Miao Lichen and Aesop had learned the truth long ago. When he became the Holy Son of the Holy Church, he had already discovered his true identity. He had simply never considered acknowledging it. To Aesop, familial affection could never compare to the significance the Holy Church held in his heart. It was not that he did not long for family, only that… it had never been what mattered most to him.

“It no longer matters where I obtained them, does it? Aesop, even if you have no desire to become the Empire’s heir, please don’t allow the Empire’s bloodline to remain lost outside the royal family forever.” Minea spoke with a trace of respect, though temptation colored her every word. Her eyes seemed capable of speaking for themselves, shy and alluring at once. “

“The Mante Empire? Actually…” ‘It should no longer exist.’ Servius turned and glanced at Minea. The killing intent in his red eyes sent a chill through her heart, yet she did not lower her head in the slightest. Shu Guyun had never bowed her head to anyone. So what if they were the gods of this world? One day, she would place them all beneath her feet.

A cold aura once again spread throughout the room. This time, however, it was more than coldness. It was killing intent. Earn the jealousy of a god, and you may receive a curse disguised as a blessing. Earn the jealousy of a demon, and what awaits you can only be the purest killing intent.

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