Chapter 218
‘So, in the memory of the man I love, my existence… all the moments we shared, being erased… that was the third atonement for Herix, wasn’t it?’
Still, her heart pounded uncontrollably. So, Novnie tightly grasped the orb she hadn’t entrusted to the imperial family.
‘As long as this is here, no human can ever call me down.’
The fingertips clutching the orb turned white.
After a moment, Herix, who had clearly looked in this direction, slowly turned his head. Novnie felt both relieved and a little disappointed by that.
‘It wasn’t me he was looking at. That greeting… right, there must have been a rat or a bug on the wall.’
Her chest ached. She felt as if tears were about to come, but she held them back. She didn’t want to miss seeing Herix because of her tears.
Time passed quickly.
Since that day, there had been no more moments where Herix’s gaze met hers. Novnie didn’t even need to blink; she kept watching him all the while.
He had truly grown well. After being brought out by Arnold, Herix had spent decent enough time, despite Arnold’s bloody ascent to the throne and his concern that Herix’s execution would spark unrest.
He had killed dragons and fought in wars, yet strangely, the curse of the beast didn’t seem to affect him.
“Did I set him free…?”
Instead, Herix, in front of Arnold, pretended to be completely dominated and used magic to transform into a fox. Just like Herix, who had regressed knowing everything.
‘Is he just that perceptive, or…?’
The hypothesis she had once considered crept back into her mind, but Novnie deliberately pushed it aside.
‘Right, I’m probably overthinking it.’
Suppressing the hope rising in her chest, Novnie continued to watch Herix’s life unfold.
In the end, Herix delivered god’s justice to Arnold. He removed Arnold from the throne based on all the crimes he had committed, the abuse, and the tyranny.
— Long live Emperor Herix Glacian Questiago!
— Our new Emperor, long live!
The man who had been called a ruler of terror, a tyrant of violence, a demon king, and other such titles, was now completely cleansed of those infamous labels and proudly called a ‘hero’.
Herix truly was a great ruler. He had taken his painful childhood and turned it into a lesson, caring for the weakest and lowest. His natural kindness and gentleness had ceased to be a vulnerability and instead had become his greatest weapon.
And today, it was Herix’s twentieth birthday.
— Congratulations, Your Majesty.
— How lonely you must have been to reach this day. The world, the universe, God will bless Your Majesty.
He still celebrated his birthday in summer, and true to that, the weather was scorching hot, as if the day itself was blessing his birth.
“Congratulations, truly, congratulations.”
Indeed, as the god Novnie herself celebrated, how could there be any dark clouds on this day? Novnie, alongside the animals, clumsily made a cake and celebrated Herix.
— I’m so happy that everyone dear to me is here.
Under the blessings and congratulations of all, Herix enjoyed his birthday, smiling like a warm spring day.
‘It’s the first time…’
Watching Herix smile at someone other than herself felt strange, but not unpleasant. It was only a bit disappointing.
‘I wish I could be close by, to see it, and celebrate with him…’
But that was something she had to endure for Herix’s sake. If she truly cared for him, she had to stay as she was.
‘Maybe I should sleep.’
She longed to witness Herix’s end, but the thought of him loving another woman, having children, made her uneasy, even though she tried to convince herself that it was the right thing.
Novnie held the orb that she had been clutching all along, she took a heavy step, only to regret it a little as she made her way back to the lake.
— It’s okay to stop watching now.
Herix’s voice echoed. It was clearly meant for someone else.
But why?
— Or are you still punishing me?
Why did it feel like he was speaking directly to her? Novnie slowly turned her head.
There it was.
— But look. I’m ready to wait, no matter what punishment you give me.
Herix’s face filled the wide surface of the water. His face was staring directly at her, and what he raised with his eyes was…
— When you gave me the dreadful order to hurt you… you should have known that you would be bound to me too.
It was a canvas. The angle at which Herix had always painted while turning his back, seemingly knowing the angle Novnie was viewing from.
— Ivonne.
Herix, truly, had never forgotten Ivonne, that much was clear.
“That’s impossible…”
There was no way he could have captured such a vivid, smiling image of Ivonne on a massive canvas, if he hadn’t remembered her!
— You didn’t forget that you made me a transcendent, did you?
Herix smiled brightly. It wasn’t as though she hadn’t thought of it before—it would be a lie to say she hadn’t. But she thought it had been put away.
‘The past has all been changed…’
Thud—
The orb she had been holding dropped. Though there was no steep slope, it rolled like it was being drawn to someone’s heart, disappearing beneath the water.
“Ah!”
Novnie gasped, covering her mouth as the orb fell into the water, creating a large ripple that spread gently across the lake’s surface.
— I got it.
Herix raised Novnie’s orb and smiled brighter than ever. She knew exactly what the desire in his violet eyes meant.
Ah, how terribly greedy humans could be.
Herix made his wish. Novnie’s body glowed brightly. A similar smile appeared on both of their faces.
It was the prelude to the descent.
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