Chapter 611: Afterall, We Are Family, Right?
Ashe cradled Princess Sidonie's head on her chest, as the latter panted for breath.
Both of them were currently inside the Thousand Beast Domain because the princess' sin was acting up again. Unfortunately, there was no news of William and where he had gone.
No matter how much the two called out to him, no reply came back to them. It didn't take long for the two young ladies to realize that something might have happened to William during his climb inside the tower.
Left with no choice, Ashe took the role of absorbing Princess Sidonie's surging Divinity into her body. Ever since William had gone to the tower, the Half-Elf had designated his Incubus Job Class to Ashe as a countermeasure, just in case he wasn't around when Princess Sidonie's Divinity went out of control.
Naturally, this Job Class changed into the Succubus Job Class when Ashe took on her Mermaid Form. However, since this was an incomplete Job Class, William and Ashe didn't grow any horns, tails, or wings on their bodies.
Even so, the power they wielded was enough to use the basic function of the Incubus and Succubus Job Classes without fail.
As the power of Lust was absorbed by the gem on Ashe's chest, Sidonie's breathing became smoother, but her face was still pale.
After an hour, the princess finally regained full control of her body.
"Thank you, Ashe," Princess Sidonie said weakly. "I'm glad you were here to take care of me."
"There's no need to thank me," Ashe replied. "I can't possibly turn a blind eye when you are clearly suffering."
Ashe sighed internally as she calmed the power that she had absorbed. The power of a Divinity wasn't easy to control. Only William, who had the aid of the System, could easily store this power inside his body as a sort of battery for future use.
Ashe was different. She was a mermaid, and was a complete novice when it came to dealing with these kinds of things. Her forte lay in spirit control, and the power of Lust was not an easy power she could tame from the get go.
Both of them were covered in sweat, so they decided to take a bath together. After they were done, they returned to the bedroom.
Princess Sidonie knew that Ashe was having trouble in dealing with the power that she had absorbed, so she decided to lend her a hand.
Ashe didn't resist, because she had been with the princess everytime they made love with William. Because of this, the barrier between the two of them had already crumbled. This was something that the Half-Elf had encouraged, because he preferred to make love with the two beautiful girls at the same time.
Soon, the two ladies rolled on the bed, as Princess Sidonie helped Ashe find relief. This was
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the only thing she could do to ensure that her friend would not be overwhelmed by the power of Lust.
—–
Meanwhile, back in the Tower of Babylon…
Chiffon opened her eyes and found herself in a very familiar room. This was a place that she had been to several years ago.
A place that filled her with dread.
Suddenly the door in the room opened up, and a handsome boy with green hair entered. There was a devilish grin on his face, which made Chiffon unconsciously shudder. Truth be told, the pink-haired girl was very afraid of this person.
She wished more than anything else that she wouldn't get the opportunity to see him again.
"What's wrong, little sister?" the green-haired boy asked. His blood-red eyes stared at Chiffon with ridicule. "Are you hungry? Don't worry, I will take you to a place where you can eat your fill."
Chiffon unconsciously stepped back as she shook her head. "N-No. I'm not hungry."
The green-haired boy paused for a minute before laughing.
"Little sister, how can you not be hungry?" the green-haired boy asked in a teasing tone. "You haven't eaten anything in two days. You don't have to lie to me. As your big brother, it is my duty to ensure that you eat until you are full.
"N-No. I'm not really hungry. Big Brother Felix, you don't have to take me anywhere."
"Oh? Are you sure you're not hungry?"
"I'm not hungry."
As if mocking her attempt at lying, a gurgling sound resounded inside the room. Felix laughed once again as Chiffon's stomach growled in hunger.
"Let's go." Felix grabbed her hand, not carrying whether she wanted to go with him or not. "Time for you to eat."
Felix was Chiffon's half-brother. They were born from different mothers, and had the same father.
The pink-haired girl also had several other brothers and sisters. Some were older than her, some were younger than her. However, all of them shared the same attitude when it came to Chiffon.
All of them treated her like trash.
Felix dragged Chiffon to the forest that was just outside their manor. It was a villa that their family used for lodging during hunting season. Naturally, the forest was nearby, so that they didn't need to travel far in order to hunt their prey.
After half an hour, the two arrived at a small clearing inside the forest.
There, over a dozen boys and girls chatted happily.
"I brought her with me," Felix announced as he pushed Chiffon forward. "She's very hungry. I hope that all of you will help our sister eat as much as she can. After all, we are all family, right?"
The boys and girls laughed and voiced their agreement.
Chiffon clenched her fist as she lowered her head.
'Why? Why is this happening?!' Chiffon panicked internally. 'Just a minute ago, I was with Big Brother Wi…'
Chiffon paused. The name she was about to say was stuck at the tip of her tongue. She tried to recall her Big Brother's name, but whenever she did, only a blurry image appeared inside her head.
All she could remember was the color of his hair and eyes. However, even those two things were starting to become blurry as well.
"What's wrong?" Felix inquired as he once again pushed Chiffon's body.
Because of the sudden push, Chiffon fell down on the ground.
Everyone around her laughed when they saw the scene in front of their eyes. Their laughter drowned out the memory that Chiffon was trying so hard to hold unto. A memory that she didn't want to let go, no matter what.
"Everyone, our sister is very hungry," Felix raised his hand with a wicked grin. "Come on. Let's shower Chiffon with our love."
"Alright!"
"I've prepared for this day."
"Heh! I even went to the small village nearby to help our sister get something to eat."
"Oh? How kind of you. I only found some rotting food in the kitchen."
As if the floodgates had been opened, Chiffon's brothers and sisters opened their storage rings and showered her with an assortment of trash that they had gathered over the past two days.
Rotten eggs, fishbones, dead mice, insects, bones, pieces of flesh, animal droppings that they found in the forest, and many other things both disgusting and mundane.
The pink-haired girl was covered in filth from head to foot, but this didn't cause her despair. The one thing she was worried about was the fleeting memory that was slowly, and surely, slipping out of her grasp.
Chapter 612: The Future Belongs To Me
An old woman looked up at what seemed to be a big red bubble floating on the sky.
Inside that bubble, two teenagers floated. The old woman had a nasty smile on her face as she observed the color of the red crystal that hovered above Chiffon's heart.
Right now, a small glow could be seen at its center. This was the proof that Chiffon's Heart Devil was slowly taking hold of her heart. Once the entire crystal was filled with a radiant glow, it then would start to crack.
This meant that the person's heart had lost to their Heart Devil and was now ready for the final phase. The Guardian that governed the 51st Floor liked to eat hearts. He especially liked the hearts of innocent people because they had a very rich and overpowering taste.
However, the Guardian had discovered a much better way to make the taste of people's hearts extra special. Once they had lost to their Heart Devil, the Guardian would grant that person's deepest desire and satisfy that person's wish.
That way, their already delicious hearts would become richer, and would give him more power once he consumed them.
They had already known that Chiffon was a holder of a powerful Divinity. Although they didn't know what this Divinity was, they really weren't too bothered about it. She was not the first one that was born with this priceless treasure.
There had been many others who had succumbed to the Heart Demons and ended up in the Guardian's hands. Their powers had long become part of his body.
"Just one more Divinity and his Excellency will be able to break through the laws that bind him to this tower," the old woman said softly. "You should be honored, Child. Your heart will give birth to a God that will rule this world. Worry not, before you draw your last breath, your deepest desire will be granted. Isn't my Lord benevolent?"
The old woman chuckled before setting her eyes on William who was floating right beside Chiffon.
"Well, this boy is not bad," the old woman muttered. "I guess, I can ask his Excellency to bestow you to me as a reward for serving him for the past hundred years."
The old woman grinned showing her yellowish teeth.
"All the men here have turned into those disgusting Yara-ma-yha-whos and cockatrices. It has been so many years since I saw a decent looking young man, you will have to satisfy me for now until we are able to leave the tower."
The two teenagers were unaware of what was happening in their surroundings. Their consciousnesses were currently trapped within the second trial of the 51st Floor. Truthfully, the reason
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why no one had been able to clear the Devil's Floor was due to the Guardian.
As the God that ruled over the floor, no one was his match. This allowed him to manipulate the laws according to his wishes and make the trial very difficult to clear. Even if someone were to clear the trial, they would still need his approval to proceed to the next floor.
This was why no one had been able to succeed. The Guardian of the 51st Floor had done the taboo and ate the hearts of the players that had stepped onto his floor.
Supposedly, Guardians shouldn't actively participate in the trials of their respective floors. However, the administrator of the floor was an exception because he was a very malevolent being.
The moment he became the Sovereign of the Devil's Floor, the result had already been set in stone.
Up above the sky, two eyes were looking fondly at the pink-haired girl, whose heart was screaming in fear, pain, and anxiety. The glow of the red-crystal was becoming stronger by the minute, but the Guardian knew that it would still take anywhere from three days to a week before the heart he desired was finally ready.
He had already waited for over a thousand years, he could afford to wait a few more days. All he wanted to do was to sink his teeth into Chiffon's heart that contained a piece of Divinity.
For the past thousand years, he had already collected twenty-three Divinities. Each of them gave him enormous power. Now that another Divinity was presented to him, he was certain that once he left the tower, no one would be his match!
As for the girl's companion, he hadn't sensed anything from his body. For him, William was just an ordinary Half-Elf. Even the power he showed earlier wasn't anything special.
His servant had already requested that the Half-Elf be given to her. Since that was the case, the Guardian readily agreed and promised to give the red-headed teenager to her as a reward.
Why should he care about a mere Half-Elf? The only thing he cared about was the adorable, pink-haired girl, whom he had set his eyes on from the very start.
—–
A day passed, and Prince Jason woke up inside his room.
His injury had already been healed, and there were no other side effects of the poison inside his body.
He walked towards the balcony of his room and gazed upon the sunrise in the distance.
Today was the last day of the quarter finals. If he won his fight today, he would proceed to the semi-finals, which would only be a step away from realizing his goal.
He caressed the bracelet on his right hand. This was the artifact that was given to him by the Oracle. It was his Trump Card in the tournament. If possible, he didn't want to use it and leave it as a secret weapon when he stepped into the finals.
However, his last battle made him realize that he couldn't underestimate his opponents. If not for the fact that the Oracle was also in the Grand Arena, he would have perished under the hands of the deadly poison from the Demonic Continent.
"It doesn't matter who I face," Prince Jason muttered. "I will be the Champion of this tournament."
A sneer appeared on his face when he remembered the red-headed teenager who had suddenly disappeared from the academy. Prince Jason had long wanted to have a one on one battle with William to show everyone that he wasn't anything special.
In his mind, the Half-Elf only won the war due to the Undead Army.
He was only strong because he had an ability that allowed him to jump ranks and become as powerful as a Saint.
Prince Jason believed that now that they were on equal footing, he would be able to prove that he was a better warrior. He would be able to prove that he was a better man.
Someone that others should look up to with fear and respect.
That he was the person that deserved to be surrounded by riches and beauties, and the only person who had the qualification to pin down the seductive Princess from the Southern Continent on his bed. He vowed that after he won the tournament, he would stake his claim and make his cousin his bride.
"It's your fault for running away, Half-Elf," Prince Jason smiled. He then raised his right hand as if trying to grab the sun that was rising in the East. "The future belongs to me!"
Chapter 613: Humans Are Truly Despicable
When the sun shone at its Zenith, the Grand Coliseum of the Kraetor Empire opened its doors.
Tens of thousands of people took their seats as they waited with bated breath for the end of the Quarter-Finals. This will be the last hurdle before the Semi-Finals. The gambling houses were in full swing as they accepted the bets of those who wished to try their luck in the tournament.
They looked at the finalists in each bracket and weighed the pros and cons of their decisions. In the end, all of the remaining contestants were said to be the strongest among the young generation, and it was hard for anyone to make a decision.
Naturally, the Kraetor Empire was a bit biased when it came to their own Prince. Right now, all the bets were placed in favor of Prince Jason, while a few individuals decided to pin their hopes on the beautiful elf, Pearl McLean.
—–
Bracket A
— Prince Jason
— Pearl McLean
Bracket B
— Kenneth Xin Ashleigh
— Eleazar Blackthorn
Bracket C
— Ephemera Fortuna
— Silvanus Rahl
Bracket D
— Lilith Lynn
— Luther Luna
—–
Prince Jason stepped on the arena and raised his fist. The cheer of the Kraetorians resounded like thunder as they gave their full support to the remaining representative of their Empire.
Luna entered the arena with a confident smile on her face. Even though she wasn't the crowd favorite, none of that mattered to her. Her goal in coming to the Kraetor Empire was to force William to free her sister.
It was quite unfortunate that the Half-Elf was nowhere to be seen, so her initial plan was thrown out of the window. However, she still intended to win the tournament. The Silvermoon Continent wanted to regain their face on the world stage. As an Elf, it was her duty to bring glory to her race.
She could always ask the Kraetor Emperor to use his influence to force William to release her sister. This way, her trip to the Human Empire wouldn't be in vain.
The referee glanced at both combatants and nodded his head.
"The two of you already know the rules," the referee said. "Are both of you ready?"
Prince Jason raised his hand in a gesture to pause the start of the match.
"Why don't we make this fight more interesting?" Prince Jason commented with a smile. "How about the two of us have a bet. If I win you will b–"
"There's no need," Pearl interrupted Prince Jason's words with her own. "I'm not interested in your bet because you don't have the power, or the authority to grant me my request."
The smile on Prince Jason's face stiffened when he heard the beautiful Elf's statement.
"You're questioning my power and authority in my own Empire?" Prince Jason asked with a sneer. "How bold of you. Well then, why don't you tell me what you want and I'll tell you whether
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I can grant it or not."
Pearl returned Prince Jason's sneer before answering his question.
"William Von Ainsworth took my sister captive," Pearl replied. "Do you have the power and authority to give her back her freedom?"
Prince Jason used all of his willpower to keep the smile on his face. He was aware that William had taken several Elves with him back in the Southern Continent. His relationship with William was like oil and water. The mere thought of asking the Half-Elf for a favor was enough to make his skin crawl.
"Well, can you do it?" Pearl took a step forward. Her voice was filled with ridicule and contempt.
Prince Jason nodded, "Of course I can. I am the Prince of this Empire. There are very few things that I cannot do."
Prince Jason couldn't afford to lose face in front of his people. He had to act bold and confident because he would definitely lose face if he backed down. Even though he was sure that William wouldn't release Pearl's sister if he was the one to talk to him, he still gave Pearl a positive answer.
He would just worry about the Half-Elf once he returned to the Empire. For now, it was more important to show the Emperor that he wasn't afraid of his love rival.
The corner of Emperor Leonidas' lips rose. Sometimes, it was important to learn the art of bluffing because it could give you the advantage in a negotiation.
Unfortunately, Pearl didn't bite and only shook her head helplessly.
'A man who is lusting over the fiance of another man cannot be trusted,' Pearl thought as she summoned her bow. 'Humans are truly despicable.'
Seeing that the Elf had no intention of accepting his bet, Prince Jason summoned his sword and prepared for battle.
The referee glanced at the two fighters before raising his hand.
"Fight!"
Both combatants immediately reinforced their bodies using their auras and spells.
Just like she did during the battle against Prince Maximilian, Pearl jumped around the arena while showering Prince Jason with a hail of arrows.
The Prince of the Kraetor Empire calmly deflected and dodged her attacks as she closed the distance between them.
Prince Maximilian who was watching the battle along with the other Princes and Princesses, frowned. This was the same style that Pearl had used against him, and his power of clairvoyance watched her each and every move.
In Prince Jason's vision, the two fighters in the arena had clashed several times, before Pearl unleashed her Trump Card that was enough to destroy half of the arena. This attack was also the reason why Prince Maximilian decided to surrender.
As he watched the battle unfold, the scene that he was dreading came into fruition. Pearl had unleashed a powerful attack, leaving no place for Prince Jason to escape.
Prince Maximilian increased the power of his clairvoyance, but the result astounded him. He couldn't see past the point when Pearl had unleashed her attack.
No matter how hard he tried, the Prince wasn't able to see the outcome of the battle. It was as if there was some kind of power that was blocking his ability to see the future.
Originally, Prince Jason could only use this ability for things that were going to happen to him. But, if he paid a price, he would also be able to see the future of others, albeit for a short period of time.
'This is my limit,' Prince Maximilian sighed as he stopped the use of his ability. Blood seeped at the corner of his lips, but he quickly wiped it with his handkerchief.
"What's wrong, cousin?" Princess Vanessa asked. "Are you not feeling well?"
Prince Maximilian patted her hand to assure her that he was alright. He didn't dare open his mouth because he could still taste the blood. If his cousin saw this, she might start to panic, so he decided to just act as if nothing had happened and focused on the battle that was currently happening in the arena.
Princess Vanessa frowned, but didn't say anything else. She once again returned her gaze to the arena where her beloved was having an intense battle against the beautiful elf who was hopping, and flying around the arena like a pesky grasshopper.
A few seconds later, the scene that Prince Maximilian had seen using his ability came to pass.
Pearl jumped high up in the air as the arrow on her bow glowed brightly.
"Air that flies freely in the world, eradicate those who stand in your way!" Pearl shouted as she released the arrow in her hand.
"Aero Annihilation!"
Chapter 614: I Will Set You Free
A powerful blast of air descended from the skies.
Prince Jason's sixth sense screamed at him to dodge it at all cost. However, no matter where he went, he would still be within the range of the attack.
The Prince knew that now was a moment of life and death, so he decided to activate the bracelet on his wrist.
A powerful explosion shook the arena. A cloud of dust rose up in the air, preventing everyone from seeing the outcome of Pearl's powerful attack. The Emperors, Kings, and Patriarch's, who were at their respective seats, narrowed their eyes.
Empress Andraste shook her head before speaking out her thoughts.
"Maybe we should have added in the rules that these kinds of artifacts must not be allowed in the tournament," Empress Andraste said. "This is considered cheating."
The other rulers nodded their heads in agreement before glancing at the Emperor who hosted the event.
Empress Leonidas' face remained calm as he gazed down at the arena. "We can always add this to the rule later. Right now, it is too late to change anything."
Empress Andrasted nodded her head. She was one of the people that had drafted the rules of the tournament. None of them had anticipated the use of such artifacts, so it wasn't included in the rule book.
The other Sovereigns exchanged glances at each other, but there was nothing they could do about it. It was a loophole that they didn't foresee. As the host of the tournament, Emperor Leonidas had taken a hands off policy in the drafting of the rules. This meant that he was innocent and the current circumstance couldn't be blamed on him.
The Demon General, Zagarl, snorted to show his stand on the matter. Deep down, he was disappointed because Prince Jason didn't die. Now that the Prince had activated his Trump Card, the outcome of the match was set in stone.
A powerful aura dispersed the dust cloud from the arena. Just like Prince Maximilian had predicted, half of the arena was destroyed. But, there was one thing he wasn't able to predict.
Standing at the destroyed part of the arena was Prince Jason. He was wearing crimson colored full-plate armor that was strong enough to withstand Pearl's devastating attack.
"Despicable Human Prince!" Pearl's face contorted in rage. "So this is why you wanted to have a bet with me. Compared to that brat named William, you're nothing but a piece of trash!"
Prince Jason was feeling a surge of power inside his body and decided to enjoy the pleasurable feeling. However, his opponent had spoken something he didn't like and it soured his mood. What he hated the most was to be
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compared to William.
For him, the Half-Elf was a thorn in his side that wouldn't disappear no matter how hard he tried to pull it out. Now that he was being called a piece of trash, he no longer planned to show any mercy to the beautiful Elf whom he planned to humiliate in front of everyone.
Prince Jason took a step forward, and instantly appeared two meters away from Pearl. The beautiful elf gritted her teeth as she attempted to jump backwards.
It was quite unfortunate that the Prince's hand was able to grab her arm first, preventing her from jumping away.
With a loud cracking sound, the bones on Pearl's arm broke. The Elf bit her lip to prevent herself from screaming out loud.
Behind the crimson helmet covering his face, Prince Jason was sneering.
"You b*tch, I'll make sure that you will regret comparing me to that Half-Elf bastard!" Prince Jason pulled back his arm with the intention of punching Pearl's stomach to make her kneel in front of him.
However, before he could execute his plan, someone grabbed his hand, preventing him from punching the Elven beauty.
"That's enough, Your Highness," Evexius said with a smile. "This round goes to you."
Prince Jason didn't know why Evexius stopped him from teaching the Elven girl a lesson. However, the look that the Grand Archmage of the Kraetor Empire was giving him made him feel that something was terribly wrong.
Because of this, he decided to play along to better understand the situation.
The Prince glanced up to where the Emperor of the Kraetor Empire was seated. He wanted to know why someone interfered in the middle of his match.
Emperor Leonidas stared down at him. His expression was calm as if there was nothing in the world that could move him. But, this same expression was enough to tell Prince Jason that he could no longer do anything to his opponent, whose arm was now currently being treated by the medics of the Kraetor Empire.
"Let's go, Your Highness," Evexius commented. "The other matches still need to be held. We are hogging the spotlight right now."
Prince Jason snorted as he turned around to walk towards the exit of the arena. The crimson armor that covered his body receded, and once again turned into a bracelet that hung on his right wrist.
"The winner of this battle is Prince Jason!" The referee announced.
Although the audience was confused on what happened inside the arena, they still applauded Prince Jason for winning and proceeding to the Semifinal Rounds. Only the elite warriors were aware of what had transpired, and they felt that the Prince had won unfairly.
Even so, they kept mum about it. It was not their place to scold the Prince for using an underhanded trick to win the tournament. They just pitied the Elven beauty who was being escorted outside the arena.
Pearl saw Kenneth standing not far from her, and decided to walk in his direction. She passed by him, but before she did, she said something that only the silver-haired teenage boy could hear.
"I'll leave the rest to you," Pearl said as she passed Kenneth. "Take the win for our race. Use whatever means necessary to accomplish our goal."
Kenneth didn't give her any answer. Instead, he walked towards the arena because it was his turn to fight next.
Pearl glanced at his retreating back with complicated feelings before heading towards the resting area. Although she lost, she planned to watch the tournament until the end.
Kenneth was the only remaining candidate of the Elven Race. Originally, she wanted to become the champion of the tournament. It was quite unfortunate that her goal was crushed by the Prince who shamelessly used an artifact to drastically increase his defenses, and boost his rank to the peak of the Mortal Realm.
Pearl was frustrated, but she understood that she couldn't make any waves within the Kraetor Empire. The only thing she could do was wait.
Wait for Kenneth to win, and wait for the son of the Saintess to return. While Pearl was pondering about these things, a soft but firm voice reached her sensitive ears.
"Don't worry. I will win."
Kenneth stepped inside the arena with a determined look on his face. He vowed that he would break Princess Sidonie's engagement with William, and he would carry it out without fail.
'Don't worry, Will,' Kenneth thought as he unsheathed the shortsword from his scabbard. 'I will set you free.'
Chapter 615: A Past That Was Left Behind
Chiffon dragged her weary body to a small house near the villa. Her clothes were all dirty, and her body felt wet and sticky.
Just as she crossed the living room, a light cough reached her ears.
"Chiffon, you are back," a small, and beautiful lady with pink hair said as she walked towards Chiffon. Her eyes looked over at her daughter, and her heart ached on what she saw. "Let's go to the bathroom first. I haven't taken a bath as well, let's bathe together."
Another cough escaped the lady's lips after finishing her sentence. Clearly, she wasn't feeling well, but seeing her daughter in that state hurt her more than her sickness.
"Mama," Chiffon reached out and hugged her mother. A few seconds later, she started sobbing. It was as if she was venting all of her grievances to the one person that truly cared for her.
April, Chiffon's mother, hugged her back.
She didn't care that her daughter was dirty.
She didn't care that her daughter stunk.
What she cared about was that her beloved child was hurting and, as her mother, she would stay by her side regardless of her current state.
After a few minutes, Chiffon finally regained her calm. She allowed herself to be taken to the bathroom, and be cleaned up by her mother.
April used a small bucket to pour water on her daughter's head. After that, she used soap and water to clean her from head to foot.
She would cough from time to time while doing this, but she didn't care. After ensuring that she had properly cleaned every nook and carry of Chiffon's body, she washed her with water.
"Mama, let me help you, too," Chiffon offered.
April nodded. "You can wash my back. I can handle the rest."
"Un!" Chiffon held the soap firmly in her hand and helped her mother clean her back.
The two spent a good amount of time in the bathroom, before they emerged wearing bath towels on their bodies.
Chiffon hummed as her mother helped dry her hair using a hand towel.
"You're going to be twelve soon, Chiffon," April said. "A few more years and you will be old enough to marry. I wish I could see that day."
After saying these words, April had a coughing fit
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that alarmed Chiffon.
The pink-haired girl immediately helped rub her mother's back in order to help ease her discomfort.
When April's cough subsided, Chiffon sat beside her. She was still worried about her mother, but the latter just gave her a hug and kissed her forehead.
"I'm fine, don't worry about me," April assured her.
Chiffon was still worried about her mother, but since April said that she was fine, she decided to believe her.
"Mama, what do you mean old enough to marry? What is marry?" Chiffon asked.
April lightly tapped her forehead because she had forgotten that Chiffon was still too young to understand what marriage means. In the end, she decided to explain this to her properly, instead of leaving it to her Half-Brothers, and Half-Sisters, whose only aim was to make Chiffon suffer.
"Marriage is a ceremony where you say your vows to someone you love. Once this is done, both of you will be partners for life."
April sighed as she looked in the distance. It was as if she was reminiscing about a memory of the past. A past where she thought that she had found her true love. A love that would make her the happiest dwarf in the world.
"I hope that you will find someone who will truly love you," April said as she patted Chiffon's head. "Someone who will never leave your side in times of happiness as well as hardship."
Chiffon vaguely understood what April was trying to say. However, she was still too young to fully comprehend it.
"Mama, did Papa and you marry?" Chiffon inquired.
April's body stiffened before she once again had a coughing fit. Chiffon hurriedly patted her mother's back once more to help ease her suffering.
After a few minutes, April sighed and hugged Chiffon close to her.
"Your father and I didn't marry," April replied. "He… he chose not to marry me because of political reasons. You don't have to worry about this. Even if I didn't marry your father, I am very happy to have given birth to you. For me, you are my treasure. My one and only baby in this world."
April tightened her hug, which made Chiffon feel warm and happy inside. She couldn't see her mother often because April was considered an outcast. Earlier, Chiffon had to beg the guard stationed on the door of the house to allow her to see her mother.
Out of disgust, the guard allowed her inside just so her stench would go away.
Chiffon still didn't understand why she couldn't live with her mother, but April said that she was already happy if Chiffon visited her from time to time.
The pink-haired little girl stayed with her mother till the next day. In truth, she didn't want to return to the villa because she was afraid that she would get bullied again by her half brother and sisters.
Her father had many wives, and all of them treated Chiffon with scorn. Just like her mother, Chiffon was treated as an outcast. A freak of nature that had a disgusting Divinity that allowed her to eat anything.
The pink-haired girl's father turned a blind eye to the harassment that Chiffon and her mother suffered at the hands of his wives, sons, and daughters. If there had been any love between April and him in the past, that love had long disappeared without a trace.
All that was left was disappointment and regret.
Disappointment because April didn't bear him a son.
Regret because April couldn't give birth to another child because of her condition.
In her father's eyes, they were merely baggage from the past.
A past that he had long left behind.
Chapter 616: A Mother's Final Request [Part 1]
A group of beautiful women chatted in the garden located at the side of the villa. They were the other wives of Chiffon's father, and they were talking about random things in the Demonic Continent.
After a while, they saw Chiffon walking back to the villa from the small house where her mother was housed.
One of the ladies clicked her tongue in disgust, "I still don't understand why our husband still keeps that woman around. He should just toss her to the desert and let her fend for herself."
The other ladies around her chuckled and nodded their heads in agreement. All of them were rivals, but Chiffon's mother was a thorn that they had long wanted to get rid of these past few years.
April was their husband's first lover. If he married her, she would have become the main wife and first among all of them. Fortunately, the Demonic Council opposed his idea, so Chiffon's mother didn't gain a noble title.
All of them were very happy with this set-up, but deep inside, they still felt worried that their husband would once again rekindle the love that he had for April and make her one of his legal wives.
The ladies exchanged a knowing glance as a plan formed inside their heads.
Luciel, their husband, and Chiffon's father, was currently out on a hunting trip along with his subordinates. The only ones in the villa were their guards. If they were to make a move on April, now was the perfect opportunity to do so.
However, they needed a valid excuse to do it. Although they didn't say it out loud, they were afraid that Luciel would get angry if they made a move on April, while he was away.
Luciel's first legally married wife, Natasha, narrowed her eyes. She was the daughter of one of the Dukes in the Demon Continent who supported Luciel's reign. Because of this, her authority was the highest among his wives, and everyone followed her orders without fail.
"Our husband won't be back for three more days," Natasha commented. "If any of you can come up with a good plan about how to deal with April, I am willing to lend an ear. Naturally, all of you are required to participate once the plan is set in motion."
"Of course, Big Sister. We will give you our full support."
"As long as we can make that April suffer, I am willing to cooperate."
The other ladies voiced their agreement. Although all of them didn't get along well, they were united in their hatred for April. They still thought that having a dwarf as one of their husband's lovers was a stain in their reputation.
"I thought of a good plan," one of the ladies said with a smile. "We will be able to punish both mother and daughter at the same time."
"Oh? Let us hear it then!"
"Go on. Don't leave us hanging."
Natasha lightly brushed her long, light-green hair with her hands, before making a gesture for her compatriot to tell them her plan. If it was really as good as she claimed it to be then they would definitely act on it
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without fail.
While the ladies were talking, there was someone who heard their conversation from above their heads.
William's consciousness had somehow merged with Chiffon's consciousness.
He had seen how Chiffon was treated by her half brother and sisters.
He had seen April and how much she loved her daughter.
He had heard how Chiffon's step mothers came up with a plan to make the mother and daughter pair suffer.
William gnashed his teeth in anger and his hands balled into fists. However, he was powerless to do anything.
It was as if he was watching a movie as a spectator. No matter what he did, nothing happened. He couldn't contact Optimus, he couldn't use his skills, and he couldn't talk to Chiffon. After several tries, William gave up and observed Chiffon's childhood.
William made sure to remember the names of Chiffon's father and stepmothers. He vowed that when he visited the Demonic Continent, he would give all of them a piece of his mind.
The next day, Chiffon was dragged by her half-siblings to the garden to play dodgeball. Of course, this wasn't an ordinary game because they were using a special artifact that Natasha had secretly lent to her son, Felix.
The children were split into two teams, and the game began as Felix threw the ball at Chiffon's team, and eliminated them one by one.
Of course, they didn't aim for Chiffon at the beginning. They saved her for last because the children had already been told secretly by their mothers about the plan that they had come up with a day ago.
Finally, only Chiffon was left on her team because everyone had been eliminated.
Felix grinned and threw the ball towards Chiffon in a casual manner. The ball flew very slowly, so Chiffon decided to catch it.
When Chiffon caught the ball, a cry of pain escaped her lips because the ball suddenly became very hot. It was as if she had caught a big lump of coal that had just recently begun burning in a fireplace.
Chiffon immediately let go of the ball. She then tearfully inspected her hands in order to see the damage she had taken, but to her surprise, her hand was perfectly fine. Aside from the pain she was feeling, there were no visible injuries that could be seen anywhere.
"What's wrong?" Felix asked. "It's your team's turn to hit us. What are you standing there around for? Hurry up and go to your position!"
Chiffon almost jumped up in fright because of Felix's yell. She hurriedly went to the spot that was reserved for her and waited for the game to begin.
The siblings exchanged a glance at each other and sniggered. It was now time for the second phase of their plan.
The game began and Felix's team deftly dodged the balls that were thrown at them. Every time it was Chiffon's turn to throw the ball, she would feel a searing pain in her hands. This caused her to throw the ball haphazardly which made her siblings burst out in laughter.
The ladies who were watching them from afar chuckled among themselves because they fully knew what was happening to Chiffon.
In the end, Felix's team was eliminated and it was now their turn to throw the ball at Chiffon's team. Just like always, they saved Chiffon for last.
Felix sneered as he threw the ball at Chiffon. This time, he didn't hold anything back and threw the ball with all of his might.
Chiffon was about to dodge to the side when suddenly, the speed of the ball increased. It then hit her squarely on the chest, which sent her flying a few meters in the air. Felix had activated the special ability of the artifact that increased its speed and made the ball twenty times heavier.
Everything happened so fast that Chiffon had no idea what happened. The pain in her chest made it hard for her to breathe. Several of her ribs had been broken, so every time she drew breath, she would feel a stinging pain that made breathing difficult for her.
Blood seeped at the corner of her lips, and tears came out of her eyes. It was at this moment when a scream was heard in the distance.
April had witnessed Chiffon getting hit by the ball and was shocked at what happened next. As a fighter, she realized that the ball was not an ordinary ball, but an artifact that could also be used as a weapon. This realization filled her with anger as she ran towards her daughter to check her condition.
"M-Mama," Chiffon cried out weakly. She was in great pain, and wished for her mother to make the pain go away.
April ran towards her darling daughter with tears in her eyes. She was feeling murderous right now, and had the strong urge to kill Felix with her bare hands. However, she knew that the guards who were watching by her side would prevent her from doing that.
Since that was the case, she rushed towards her daughter who was currently in pain. April would do everything in her power to save Chiffon, even if the price she had to pay was her own life.
Chapter 617: A Mother's Final Request [Part 2]
"I'm here," April held Chiffon's hand as she channeled her power towards her daughter's body.
April had dual abilities. She could control the Earth Element as well as Spiritual Power. She harnessed the power of nature and used it to heal Chiffon's injuries.
She rarely used this power because this was not her specialty. However, after seeing how much her daughter was suffering, April decided to heal her injuries with utmost care.
As she used her powers, the miasma that had remained dormant inside her body resurfaced. This was the reason why she was ill all the time. Her strength was slowly being sapped away by the miasma, and all she could do was to hold it at bay.
After seeing Chiffon's state, April ignored her own hardship and used her power to heal her daughter, allowing the miasma to rampage inside her body.
Chiffon's injuries were slowly recovering, and yet April's own injuries were getting worse.
Natasha saw this scene and laughed internally. She knew that April was barely keeping the miasma in her body at bay. If she were to use her powers again, there would be no turning back. This was the plan that they had concocted, so that they wouldn't be blamed if anything happened to her.
Black blood spilled at the corner of April's lips as she endured the pain in her body.
Chiffon was not aware that her mother was currently suffering. Right now, the pink-haired little girl was being cradled by the Spirit of Nature that specialized in healing.
It was easy to mend broken bones, and flesh, but treating miasma wasn't something that Healing Magic could cure. Only powerful Oracles could use the power of Restoration to drive the miasma out of a person's body.
Unfortunately, the Demonic Continent didn't have an Oracle that sided with Lucien. All of them rejected his request to cure April many years ago. What Lucien didn't know was that Natasha was responsible for this rejection.
She couldn't allow April to regain her health and threaten her position as Lucien's first wife. Fortunately for her, the most powerful of the Oracles was part of her family's faction. The other Oracles belonged to the factions of Luciel's other wives.
None of them wanted to see April's rise, so they all united together to strangle her chance of survival.
After the healing ended, April spat a mouthful of black blood. Several black marks appeared on her skin, and they wiggled like little snakes that were crawling all over her body.
April gritted her teeth as she endured the miasma that was tearing her body apart. Chiffon's injuries were now fully healed. She was about to thank her mother when she noticed that April's expressions were very pale.
Also the black lines that were appearing on her body were slowly increasing.
Alarmed by what was happening, Chiffon clung to April and cried. April gathered all of her willpower and forcefully suppressed the miasma inside her body.
Several minutes passed and the black lines on April's body disappeared. However, her complexion was as pale as a candle. Chiffon supported her body and took her back to the house where April stayed.
"Mama, we're here, you're going to be fine," Chiffon said while sobbing.
April was too weak to say anything. Instead she just squeezed her daughter's hand firmly to show that she was fine.
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"Mama, I read books in the library and found out about what marriage meant," Chiffon said. For some reason, something was telling her that she needed to keep her mother awake at all cost. She remembered what her mother mentioned in passing, so she used this topic to talk to her.
April only smiled and weakly nodded her head.
"I'm still too young to marry, so Mama needs to watch over me and pick my future husband," Chiffon said. "Help me find someone better than Papa. Someone who will not leave me alone and toss me to the side."
A tear escaped April's lips as she squeezed Chiffon's hand. She could feel her life force slipping away from her body, and knew that her time had finally come. She looked at her pitiful daughter and felt her heart ache, not from the pain of the miasma, but the pain of leaving her behind to fend for herself.
"Mama, how many grandchildren do you like?" Chiffon asked. She was too young to realize that her mother was already at death's door. However, her instinct was telling her that she had to keep talking. She had to keep her mother awake at all costs.
"Two is good," April forced herself to reply to her daughter's inquiry.
"Okay! I will have two children."
"I can't wait to meet them."
April wasn't able to stop the tears from falling. As her life was about to reach its end, she prayed. She prayed to any God that could hear her to have pity on her beloved daughter.
William who was watching beside them felt his heart breaking. Somehow, he could hear April's prayer that came from her heart.
"Chiffon…"
"Mama?"
"I love you."
"Un! I love you too, Mama!"
April then turned her head to the side.
"Take care of her," April said. "Please, take care of my daughter."
William didn't know if this was just a coincidence, but April was facing him. You could even say that April was looking straight at him. It was as if she could see William's soul.
"I… I will take care of her," William replied with uncertainty. "I promise."
"Thank you." April smiled before she closed her eyes.
William and Chiffon felt a gentle breeze pass through them.
Suddenly, the black lines on April's body resurfaced. They covered her entire body until all of her turned pitch black.
"Mama?" Chiffon felt the grip of her mother's hand slacken and immediately realized that something wasn't right. "Mama, what's wrong?"
The pink-haired girl looked at the black lady who was lying on the bed. Chiffon shook her mother lightly, but April no longer reacted. Only the smile on her face remained. Perhaps it was due to William's assurance, or perhaps it was her last attempt to assure her daughter that everything was going to be fine.
She remained smiling, until the end.
It was at this moment when the door of the room suddenly opened.
Natasha and her cohorts entered with gloating faces. They had sensed April's passing, but they still decided to take a better look to ensure that their rival was indeed dead.
After seeing the black, dead, Dwarf on the bed, Natasha sneered and even spat on her body.
"Good riddance!" Natasha said with contempt. "Guards, take Chiffon away and lock her up in her room. I will deal with this dead body myself!"
Chiffon, who was suddenly grabbed on both arms, panicked.
"Let me go! My mother is not dead!" Chiffon cried out. "She's just sleeping! She even said that she wanted to see her grandchildren!"
Natasha ignored her and went towards the bed. She then kicked April's body, causing the deceased Dwarf to fall off from the bed.
"Noooo! What are you doing?!" Chiffon shouted in anger. "Mama! Stop kicking Mama!"
Natasha and Luciel's other wives kept on kicking April's body, as if they were venting all the frustration they had held back all these years.
"Stop it!" William roared in anger. "Do you not have any respect towards the dead?!"
William even attempted to kick the ladies, but his attacks just passed through them. Although he knew that it was useless, his anger didn't allow him to sit idly.
"Nooooooooo! Mama!" Chiffon shouted.
She struggled and struggled, but the guards held her firmly in their grasp. A few minutes later, Chiffon stopped struggling as she lost consciousness. She wasn't able to take what Natasha and her cohorts were doing to her mother, all she knew was that, at that point in time, her anger reached its limit and her world descended into darkness.
In the real world, the glow inside the crystal that was floating above Chiffon's chest increased. Her Heart Devil was slowly taking hold of her heart and body.
The old woman who was observing her and William chuckled.
"A few more days, and this little girl's heart will reach its limit," the old woman said with a devilish smile on her wrinkled face. "She will be the final sacrifice that we need to gain our freedom. Finally, we can leave this wretched place."
Up above the heavens, a sinister chuckle was heard. The Guardian of the floor agreed with his subordinate. It was only a matter of days before his thousand-years of waiting would meet its end.
As long as he succeeded in absorbing Chiffon's heart and Divinity, no one would be able to stand in his way.
Chapter 618: Justice Always Wins
Eleazar's demonic head fell on the arena amidst the cheering of the crowd.
The representative from the Demonic Continent had crossed many people because of his unmerciful display during the tournament. All the opponents he faced in battle were killed, which made the family and friends of the contestants out for his blood.
Unlike his previous battles, Kenneth didn't have an easy time because Eleazar was indeed a very powerful fighter. As a representative of the demon race that was bred for slaughter, the elf had no choice but to end the match as soon as possible.
Kenneth didn't allow Eleazar to use his dirty tricks and other underhanded methods. The crowds applauded the elf for killing the Demon whom they wished to kill with their own hands.
Zagarl looked unperturbed even when the last candidate from the Demon Continent died. This demeanor made the rulers of the Central Continent frown. They had long noticed the seeming indifferent attitude of the Demonic General in regards to the young prodigy of the Demon Race.
It was as if they were just sending cannon fodders, instead of prodigies to participate in the Tournament of Champions.
Even Emperor Leonidas thought that something was wrong, but there was no way to pry any answers from Zagarl. As the right hand man of the Demon Lord, he was not someone that was easy to deal with.
After Kenneth's Victory, two of the main divisions finally had their semifinalists.
—–
Bracket A
– Jason Hal Kraetor
Bracket B
– Kenneth Xin Ashleigh
—–
After a ten-minute break, the fighters of Bracket C walked towards their battling stage.
Ephemera Fortuna stood tall at the center of the arena. She was one of the crowd favorites that hailed from the Gunnar Federation.
The Gunnar Federation was composed of several kingdoms that had united under one banner, which gave birth to the only Federation in the world of Hestia.
Her birth country was the Kingdom of Edelweiss. It was a kingdom known to foster Magic Swordsmen who specialized in both swordplay and various types of magic.
Her opponent, Sylvanus Rah, hailed from the Dwarven Empire known as the Halle Empire. Among the various Empires in the Central Continent, no one could beat them when it came to craftsmanship.
Weapons, armor, artifacts, accessories, and other miscellaneous items that came from the Halle Empire were hot commodities in the Central Continent. No one dared to attack them because the dwarves were notorious for their advanced military weaponry.
They had made entire mountains their fortresses, and their ferocity in battle was recognized by all the races that shared their borders.
Sylvanus raised a giant hammer that was at least twice the size of his body. With just a glance, one could tell that it was a very deadly weapon that could crush boulders with a single strike.
Some of the audience hoped that the beauty from the Gunner Federation wouldn't suffer too much at the hands of the dwarf who had a confident smile on his face.
"Girl, why don't you surrender now?" Sylvanus asked. "I'm not confident that I will be able to hold back once I start swinging my hammer."
Ephemera smiled at the dwarf who was showing concern for her.
"Thank you for the offer, but I have to pass," Ephemera replied. "Feel free to swing your hammer as much as you like. Even if I die, my family or my people will not find any trouble for you."
Sylvanus sighed and nodded his head. Since his offer was rejected then there was no other choice but to fight.
Ephemera pulled out
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the Rapier from her scabbard. The thin golden blade was quite eye-catching. Those who didn't have an eye for weapons would think that the beautiful lady's weapon was just for show. However, those who were veterans in the battlefield could tell that this blade had already claimed countless lives.
It was not a sword for special ceremonies, but a true sword meant for killing.
Sylvanus' expression became serious when he saw Ephemera's sword. In the previous matches, she only used an ordinary rapier as her weapon. For her to take out her soul-bound weapon meant that she was taking this fight seriously.
The judge glanced at both participants and raised his hand.
"Battle Start!" the referee shouted before retreating outside of the arena.
Sylvanus slammed his hammer on the ground, and something unexpected happened. The tiles under his feet rose up in the air and transformed into an Earth Dragon that was over ten meters long.
"Gaia Force!" Sylvanus roared.
The Earth Dragon opened its mouth and released a concentrated ball of Earth Energy.
The referee made several hand seals and five barriers surrounding the arena appeared simultaneously. He had estimated that this particular attack could be blown out of proportion, and might endanger the audience's lives.
Although several protective measures were set in place, they didn't want to take any chances and opted for the safest option.
Ephemera stood straight like a sword as the Energy Blast that looked like a miniature sun descended upon her.
"Exterminegra Imperfi!" Ephemera shouted as she slashed forward.
The golden blade shone brightly. A few moments later, a giant sword that was over six-meters long sliced the Earth Dragon's attack in half.
A powerful explosion resounded within the arena as the barriers took the brunt of the attack.
Ephemera's long purple hair fluttered in the breeze, and her light-red eyes glowed in power. She had a determined look on her face, which made her beauty shine even more.
Sylvanus smirked as he slammed the ground with his hammer for the second time. Just like what happened earlier, another Earth Dragon formed above the dwarven prodigy.
"Gaia Tempest!" Sylvanus ordered.
The two Earth Dragons floated high above the arena before unleashing two Dragon Breaths that were imbued with Earth Spikes.
"Deflectundis Angelegra," Ephemera calmly chanted as she took a defensive position. The Giant Golden Sword transformed into a four-layered, golden shield that was over three meters tall.
The collision between the dragon breaths and the shield caused another powerful explosion.
The ground under Ephemera's feet was crushed as she withstood the might of Sylvanus' Earth Dragons. Half a minute later, she skidded a few meters away from where she stood.
The Dragon Breath of two Earth Dragons was not something that any ordinary sword mage could block. Even though these beasts were created by Sylvanus' ability, their firepower was not in any way inferior to real Earth Dragons.
A smile appeared on Ephemera's face as she held her ground from the powerful attack. Flashes of golden light appeared all over her body as she activated her Virtue.
"Right is right even if everyone is against it," Ephemera said softly. "Wrong is wrong even if everyone is for it."
Two golden wings sprouted behind her back, and the shield in her hand grew in size.
"I will fight for what I believe in," Ephemera roared. "This is my justice!"
With a powerful flap of her wings, Ephemera flew towards Sylvanus with the golden shield in front of her. Seeing that his opponent intended to bash him with her shield, the dwarven warrior pulled back his hammer and prepared for one mighty swing.
"Earth Smash!" Sylvanus swung with all of his might.
A resounding ringing sound echoed across the arena as the giant hammer and the golden shield met. It was as if a giant bell had been struck, causing it to emit a ringing sound that rang unimpeded.
"This is a battle worthy of the Semifinal round," Empress Andraste commented as the corner of her lips curled up into a smile.
The rulers also nodded their heads in agreement.
A brief moment later, a loud cracking sound spread across the Grand Coliseum. The barriers that were holding back the chaotic powers within the arena were starting to break.
Emperor Leonidas raised his scepter at the exact moment the barriers broke. Fortunately, the Emperor had already erected several other barriers that protected the audience from the aftershock of the powerful collision between two strong fighters.
"Extermiite Gargantinius!"
A giant golden sword slashed the two Earth Dragons hovering in the air in half, before descending towards the ground.
Not long after, a loud grunt was heard. A figure flew out of the arena, hitting the barrier in place.
Sylvanus coughed a mouthful of blood before his body slid down towards the ground. His armor was in tatters, and he was seriously injured. Fortunately, he would live to see another day as the Clerics of the Kraetor Empire rushed in his direction.
Ephemera flicked her rapier to the side before sheathing it back to its scabbard. Her clothes were a bit dirty, but aside from that, she was fine.
The crowds cheered for the victor without waiting for the referee's announcement. The latter shook his head helplessly, but he still raised his hand to do his job.
"The Winner of this match is Ephemera Fortuna!" the referee declared. "She will now proceed to the Semi-Finals!"
The purple-haired beauty gave a curtsy to the audience before leaving the arena.
On the way to the resting area, she saw Lilith with a smirk on her face.
"So, Justice has come to the Central Continent," Lilith said in a casual manner. "Where are the rest of your compatriots?"
"That's none of your business, you sinful lady," Ephemera replied as she walked past her. "I'll wait for you in the finals."
"Confident aren't we? I suppose I will meet you there, but only if you win your next match."
"Of course I will win. Justice always wins."
Chapter 619: It's Up To You Whether To Believe Me Or Not
Lilith didn't reply to the arrogant lady's words. Instead she chuckled as if what Ephemera said was the biggest joke of the year.
The Amazon Princess walked towards the arena with a spring in her step. Ephemera's battle had fanned the flames of rivalry in her blood, and she was very eager to show everyone what she was capable of.
Kenneth sighed internally. "Looks like winning this tournament isn't going to be easy."
His gaze landed on Ephemera for a brief moment before landing on Lily's sun-kissed body. He already knew that the two ladies were powerful, but both of them were still keeping their trump cards hidden.
Kenneth understood that he had to go all out if he wanted to win. However, by doing so, it would expose a few things that he wanted to keep hidden.
"Fortunately, Will isn't here," Kenneth muttered.
Of all people, he didn't want William to see him going all out. Since the Half-Elf was not around, he could fight to his heart's content without worrying about the consequences.
'I will win,' Kenneth declared in his heart. 'Not only will I win, I will also complete the promise I made to my Master back at the Silvermoon Continent.'
As the silver-haired teenager made a vow in his heart. Princess Sidonie and Ian observed Lilith closely.
"Are you sure?" Ian asked.
"Yes," Princess Sidonie replied.
The Princess of Freesia was one of the Seven Deadly Sins. They had the inborn talent to sense the presence of other sins in their immediate vicinity.
"That girl carries a Sin," Princess Sidonie stated. "A very troublesome Sin."
Ian snorted from the side. "All the Sins are troublesome. I don't know if it's my good or bad luck to be surrounded by ticking bombs that could explode at any moment."
Princess Sidonie smiled sweetly. She also agreed with Ian. All the sins were troublesome. Even she didn't think that she would get the chance to meet the members of her faction so soon after arriving in the Central Continent.
< Fortunately, Darling isn't here. We don't have to worry about him being sniffed out by that troublesome b*tch! >
Princess Sidonie nodded. The Amazon Princess was a troublesome character. If William was here, he would definitely be in danger. After all, the Amazons were always in the lookout for strong individuals to mate with them.
Since Lilith was the Princess of the Amazon Race, her
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standards were very high. Princess Sidonie and Morgana thanked their lucky stars that William was currently inside the Tower of Babylon.
They even wished that William would stay there until the Amazon Delegation had left the Kraetor Empire. That was the only way to prevent Lilith and him from meeting each other.
Empress Andraste who was seated not far from Emperor Leonidas took the initiative to ask her acquaintance a question. Her informers had come out empty handed these past few days that she had spent in the Kraetor Empire. Because of this, she thought that Emperor Leonidas was purposely hiding someone from him.
It was not only the Empress of the Amazon Race that came empty handed. What happened on the Southern Continent might have been kept confidential from the masses, but the rulers were quite aware of what had transpired during the period of time when the Southern Continent was closed off from the rest of the world.
They had come to the Kraetor Empire with the intention of scouting the Half-Elf that was born between the union of the Dungeon Conqueror and Saintess of the World Tree.
"Emperor Leonidas, I believe that there is a red-headed teenager that is currently residing in your domain," Empress Andraste said with a smile. "I believe his name is William. If possible, I'd like to meet him."
Emperor Leonidas glanced at his acquaintance with a calm expression. "William? Are you talking about the fiance of my granddaughter?"
"Yes. Where is he?"
"He's not here."
Empress Andraste frowned. She thought that Emperor Leonidas would pretend that he didn't know about William's existence. The Amazon Empress was prepared to hear her peer's excuses, but instead of lying, the Emperor answered her without hiding anything.
"Where is he?" Empress Andraste asked. "I am very interested in the boy. If possible, I want to invite him to my Empire for a vacation."
The rulers who heard Empress Andraste's words cursed her internally.
Invite him to your Empire for a vacation?
More like you were planning to invite him in order to participate in an orgy!
All of them had known the Amazon Empress for a long time. They knew that she would not bat an eye to drug, drag, and incapacitate any promising men that she could take back to her Empire in order to mate with her Amazon warriors.
"William? He's busy clearing the 51st Floor of the Tower of Babylon," Emperor Leonidas replied.
Empress Andraste, Zagarl, and the other rulers of the Central Continent all snorted in disdain.
Clearing the 51st Floor of the Tower of Babylon?
What a joke!
If it was that easy to clear the Devil's Floor, all of them would have cleared it long ago.
"You should make a better excuse next time," Empress Andraste snapped at the old bastard. "Stop making things up and just spill the beans. Where is the boy?"
Emperor Leonidas smirked as he looked at the annoyed Amazon Empress.
"I already said that he is clearing the 51st Floor," Emperor Leonidas answered. "It's up to you whether to believe it or not."
Emperor Leonidas knew that even if he explained, none of his peers would believe him. All of them had long given up climbing the tower, so the Rulers' reactions were understandable.
Unfortunately, he was telling the truth.
Even he wanted to know what is currently happening to the boy. Just like everyone else, he didn't believe that William could conquer the 51st Floor.
All of them had failed, so how could a teenager, who had just come of age, possibly be able to do what they couldn't accomplish?
Emperor Leonidas shifted his attention back to the arena. It was no use thinking about things that were outside of his control.
Whether William would be able to return or not was up to the Gods. it was not his place to question the things that were going inside Aamon's head.
Chapter 620: Chiffon's Heart Devil
"Worthless thing!" Chiffon's father, Luciel, kicked the little girl until she slammed into the wall.
Chiffon fell on the ground, unconscious. Blood flowed out of her mouth and dyed the floor red.
"Husband, you should just get rid of that girl," Natasha said. "If you like, you can just give her to one of your generals as a plaything. She's still young, but she still has a pretty face. Give her a few years and she will serve well as a bed warmer to one of your loyal men. I'm sure tha–"
A resounding slap echoed across the room. Natasha wasn't able to finish her words before she, too, slammed into the wall.
"Do you think I don't know that it is you who schemed behind April's back?" Luciel took a step forward. "Did you not think that I would find out? Or were you confident that because you have the backing of your family, I would not lay my hands on you?"
Luciel sneered as he stomped on Natasha's hand, breaking all of its bones.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Natasha screamed, and this screamed made all of Luciel's other wives back away in fear.
"Mother!" Felix shouted. Just as he was about to come to her aid, a pair of blood-shot eyes froze him in his place.
"You want to save her?" Luciel sneered. "Go on. Come. I dare you to save her."
Felix felt all the hair on his body stood on end. His survival instinct was telling him that if he dared to take a step forward, his life would come to an end. His pants became wet as he lost control of his body functions.
Such was the fright he received from his own father who was not looking at him as a son, but a mongrel that he could kill any time he pleased.
Luciel waved his hand and Felix was pulled towards him. He then grabbed the boy's neck and raised him in the air.
The boy struggled, for he was unable to breath. Seeing that Luciel was serious about killing her son, Natasha begged and pleaded for forgiveness.
If she only knew that Luciel's feelings for April were this strong, she wouldn't have schemed against Chiffon's mother, causing her to die.
The pink-haired girl who was lying on the ground opened her eyes and came upon this scene. This was the first time that she saw her father this angry.
Chiffon's injuries were slowly starting to regenerate. Although it wasn't as fast as the regeneration ability of Hydras, Mountain Trolls, and Trollhounds, it was still good enough to help her recover from the injury that she had received earlier.
When April sacrificed her life to heal Chiffon's injuries, she used all of her powers to imbue her body with a regeneration ability. If her life was in great danger, this regeneration ability would activate, healing her injuries at a faster rate.
Luciel glanced down and noticed Chiffon was already awake. It was then when an idea came to his head. He released his hold on Felix's body allowing the boy to drop to the ground.
The eldest among his sons gasped for air, and Natasha hurried to his side, protecting him with her body.
"Forgive me," Natasha said. "I am willing to compensate for my wrongdoings. Just say the word, I will ask my family to surrender half of our wealth to you!"
Luciel ignored her and grabbed her hair, making Natasha scream in pain. He then pried Felix out of her grasp and tossed the young boy aside.
"Only one of you will get to live today," Luciel declared. He then looked at his son who was looking back at him in fear and sneered. "Boy, do you want to live?"
"I do!" Felix replied. He was afraid that if he didn't reply right away, his father would crush his neck, ending his fifteen years of existence.
Luciel then threw Natasha in front of his son with indifference.
"Kill her," Luciel ordered. "I will only give you fifteen heartbeats to do it. If you still haven't killed her by then, I will kill you."
Felix looked at his mother with a complicated expression. Natasha looked back at her son in tears. She understood
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that Luciel wasn't joking. One of them would die today, and if it was not her, it would be none other than her son.
"You monster!" Natasha summoned all of her strength and attacked Luciel with everything she had.
Rather than having her own son kill her, she would rather die by Luciel's hand. She was still his mother, how could she possibly allow Felix to bear the burden of killing his own mother?
Luciel snorted, but he didn't move from where he stood. Natasha's dagger drew an arc in the air with the intention to cut off her husband's head. However, before her dagger could even make contact, a sword blade pierced right through her chest.
Natasha stared at the blade on her chest in disbelief before looking at her husband's face who was looking at her with contempt.
She didn't need to turn around to know the identity of the person who stabbed her in the back. How could she possibly not know?
Bitter tears streamed down the side of her face as she fell on the ground.
"F-Father, I did what you told me," Felix stuttered. "I killed Mother. This is what you want, right?"
Luciel gave his son a brief nod, "Good. You did well, Felix."
Felix wanted to smile, but his face distorted in pain as he looked at his dying mother. Natasha didn't know how brutal her husband was because she had never seen that side of him. However, Felix did.
He had been with his father on a few expeditions and fully understood what kind of man he was. If he really hesitated to kill his mother, his father would not only kill her, but kill him as well.
That is the character of the Demon who stood above all of the others. The one that ruled the Demonic Continent.
The one and only Demon Lord, Luciel Hal Gremory.
"She's still alive," Luciel frowned. "Finish her."
"… Yes," Felix replied. He didn't want his mother to suffer, so this time, he imbued his blade with magic power and stabbed her chest.
Natasha didn't resist as she stared at her son. As the last vestige of her life seeped away from her body, she regretted everything she did.
She was Luciel's Main Wife.
The Lady of their household.
Her position had already been secure, so why did she have to bother with a dying woman? Even if she hadn't schemed against April, the dwarf would, at most, have only lived another two to three years. She died with her eyes open, filled with regret and unwillingness.
Felix sobbed as he kneeled beside his mother. He pressed his palm over her eyes and closed them. This was the last thing he could do for his birth mother.
The other women who were holding their children close shivered in fear. They had also participated in April's demise. If Luciel were to really investigate the matter, they would also be punished for being her accomplice.
Luciel looked down at the dead woman under his feet. Without any respect for the dead, he kicked Natasha's corpse towards Chiffon.
"Eat," Luciel ordered.
Chiffon looked angrily at the dead woman who had killed her mother. Even though Natasha was already dead, her anger didn't decrease. Instead, it had increased. The pink-haired-girl angrily bit the corpse's hand.
She devoured it like a wild animal who feasted on the prey that it had caught. Natasha's arm followed next. After that it was her head. Chiffon devoured her with anger. Her eyes glowed in hatred as the tears in her eyes flowed like rain.
William watched this scene while gnashing his teeth.
Right now, he was only an observer. He was powerless to do anything because he knew that this event had already transpired. It was a memory that Chiffon had locked deep inside her heart.
It was quite unfortunate that the Heart Devil was making these painful memories rise to the surface, in order to break Chiffon's willpower.
In the outside world, the floating crystal hovering above Chiffon's chest increased its radiance. It was vastly different from William's, whose crystal had remained dormant.
Although the old woman and the Guardian of the 51st Floor found this strange, they didn't think too much about it. Their target was Chiffon, so regardless of what happened to William's Heart Devil, neither of them cared.
After Chiffon finished eating Natasha, Luciel walked towards her and picked her up like a puppy. He then carried her daughter towards the house where April used to stay.
Coincidentally, Luciel arrived half a day after April died. His wives panicked when he arrived, so they didn't have the time to dispose of her remains. They just left April on the floor, and locked the door of her room. They hoped that Luciel wouldn't bother to look for her, so they kept things as it is.
What they didn't know was that Luciel was in possession of April's Life crystal. The moment she died, the Demon Lord rushed back from his hunt. Although he had left her alone for so many years, she was still, after all, the first woman he loved.
It was impossible not to feel anything after the first love of his life had died.
"Eat her," Luciel ordered as he dropped Chiffon beside her mother's blackened corpse. "She can't be buried in the Demonic Continent because her body will corrupt the land. Eat her, so that her remains will not be harmed by anyone ever again."
Chiffon looked at her beloved mother. She kneeled on the floor and hugged the corpse. A moment later, her sad cries permeated inside the room.
Luciel became irritated and threatened her that if she didn't eat April's body, he would have her corpse chopped to pieces and thrown in the sea to feed the fishes.
Because of this threat, Chiffon decided to do as he ordered. But, she didn't devour April like she did to Natasha.
Chiffon opened her lips and sucked Natasha's body inside her mouth. She didn't chew, and just swallowed her mother's whole body.
This was one of Chiffon's saddest memories, and the Devil that was slowly corrupting her heart laughed out loud.
It fed on her despair, anguish, sadness, loneliness, and fears.
The moment Chiffon finished devouring her mother, the scenery around her changed.
She found herself in a familiar place, staring at a red-haired teenager who was standing in the center of a crowd. Chiffon's eyes became a bit dull, as part of her memories were taken away.
The little girl had a feeling that she knew who the young man was, but no matter how much she searched her memories, she just couldn't remember his name.
In the outside world, a cracking sound was heard.
A small crack appeared in the red crystal that hovered above Chiffon's chest. It was the sign that her heart would soon reach its limit.
And when it does, her consciousness, and all of her memories, would also be erased completely.