"I don't believe in your made-up prophecy," I said in response to his proclamation, "and you haven't answered my question—why did you come to my kingdom?"
"The Seven Apostles sentence the prince of Anthropos to imprisonment in Lethe for allying with the devil."
"I won't kneel and accept this blasphemy and these made-up accusations against me," I said as I got up from the throne.
I looked toward the nobles my father trusted the most, all with their heads down, hiding behind Holnor. My father had raised snakes all this time; I was glad he wasn't not here to see his beloved nobles behave this way.
"You are lowly, an ignorant human who wants to defy the orders of the Apostles; you are either stupid or brave," said Holnor as he pulled his sword.
At that moment, a creaking sound made everyone stare at the door. A beautiful lady wearing a red dress walked in, and the fragrance of her perfume entered everyone's noses. The elegant way she carried herself dazzled the men's hearts. Even Holnor failed to keep his cool.
Her red lips made the men dream of a good time, and her thick, luscious body moved in rhythm with the drums of their hearts. Her behind and back moved in sync, and with every step she took, saliva dripped down from the mouths of the men. Indeed, a Goddess in human form had arrived.
The woman spoke in a seductive tone.
"Husband, what is happening here?"
Before I could respond, Holnor appeared in front of the woman.
"They didn't lie to me; you are truly a masterpiece," said the lord as he drooled over her.
"Angelica, come here," I said.
She moved toward Reth, but Holnor grabbed her and whispered something. Her demeanor went from disgusted to happy as she elistened.
She continued her walk toward me and soon arrived beside me.
"Husband, who is that man?" said Angelica, biting her lips.
"He's Holnor, the Apostle of Death."
"What is he doing here?"
I began to explain the whole story to her, and a moment later, she turned on him.
"How dare you denounce my husband?" she demanded, anger across her face.
Holnor didn't dispute it. He closed his eyes and whispered,
"She has agreed with my proposal."
Angelica faced me and hugged me, then started to cry.
The nobles were taken aback by seeing their Goddess cry for the first time, and some even shed tears. She never showed this side of herself to the public.
"Angelica, why are you crying all of a sudden?"
"I'm sorry, husband, I have to do this."
After she spoke, my chest started to burn, and flames made of a chain entered my body. The chains stretched the limits of my heart, and dark energy began to take hold of me. Then my body began to shake, and the strength I had built up for many years started to fade.
I heard the sound of clapping.
"Well done, my lady," said Gallimore in a cheerful tone.
I tried to release my strength, but somehow it backfired and caused me to fall to the ground.
"Angelica, what did you do to me?"
She tried to answer but was interrupted by Holnor.
"Prince, you're going through something called imprisonment by the chains of death. The moment the chains entered your body, the life energy was cut off."
"Angelica, why would you side with them? I have given you everything—love, wealth, nobility. I was to make you a queen after I ascended to the throne, but instead, you stabbed me from behind."
I looked at the woman I loved standing above me, smiling, watching me suffer.
"Sorry, husband—Lord Holnor promised me something I've wanted since birth."
"What can he offer you that I can't?"
"Immortality," replied Angelica as her smile grew larger.
"That's impossible. Gods don't let mortals become immortals, and no one has ever received immortality in this world, not even the Apostles," I said as my nose started to bleed.
"You are wrong about that, Prince—I have received the blessing of Lord Holnor, and I have become immortal not long ago," said Gallimore.
My body began to deteriorate, and my consciousness faded into darkness, but a weak voice escaped from my mouth.
"I don't want to hear your filthy voices anymore, and I promise you all I will get my revenge sooner or later," I said as my eyes closed.
"Finally, he's gone. I hate acting like a proper wife to that ugly bastard," said Angelica as she kicked the dead body of her husband.
"Lord Holnor, the plan succeeded smoothly, but the prince won't be able to return, right?" asked Gallimore.
"The place he's going to is impossible to escape from, and it's not a place a human soul can survive," said Holnor.
"What do you mean by a human soul can't survive in that place?" Angelica asked.
"There's no food, and nonhuman individuals are locked in there, and they love the taste of human flesh," the lord explained.
Meanwhile, in a dark cave in an unknown location, a
demon wakes up from a nap.
This delicious and intoxicating smell couldn't be—I'd never heard of a human being locked up in here. I would have to investigate. Maybe today would be my lucky day, and I'd get to eat human meat after thousands of years.
The Guardian was probably sleeping right now. I walked beside the river until I reached the end of the stream, and there lay a beautiful human boy.
I was never attracted to humans before, but this boy was my type, and I changed my mind. He looked too helpful to eat. Humans wake up, I knew that. I tried to wake him up, but he didn't wake. Then I began to shake him until his body moved.
I woke up to a demon rubbing my butt and his ugly face smiling at me.
"How dare you touch me, you filthy demon? Get away from me," I said harshly.
"Lovely, you are a feisty one, but I have become more attracted to you now," said the demon.
"Demon, where am I?"
"You're in Lethe, the Internal Prison, but you're human. Can I ask you something?"
I didn't know what this demon would ask, but I hoped he didn't want to eat me; my power was still locked away.
"Demon, what do you want to ask me?"
"Would you like to become my woman?"