[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 305

When we stepped out of the hidden space, what greeted us was the large town where the Four Heavens Clan resided.

We had exited from the same place we’d entered, but there was a difference.

It was as if time had rewound, or the world had reset itself.

The chaos wrought by Gu Hwan and the fake Eve had completely vanished without a trace.

Naturally, no one here recognized us.

To the people of this world, we were little more than outsiders.

Though we already knew that, Lispa’s expression darkened.

“Nothing has changed.”

“Wasn’t it never supposed to change in the first place?”

“True. It’s a shame, but… what has already happened, what has already passed, cannot be changed.”

In this world, the girl So Wuryeong fell prey to the schemes of the human scum Gu Hwan, and, unable to fulfill her curse, her true form was revealed before all.

That incident shook the Four Heavens Clan to their core.

Lispa didn’t particularly feel any attachment toward them.

But from her perspective, the idea of an innocent person suffering was simply unbearable.

“Let’s go.”

She was about to leave this world behind to avoid further entanglement—

“W–Wait!”

Someone descended toward us swiftly.

It was a fairly high-level body technique, one we knew well.

“What is it?”

Though she had a beautiful appearance, we knew the truth—that it was nothing but the mask of Infinity.

What baffled us was why So Wuryeong of the Four Heavens Clan had stopped us.

“Uh…”

She seemed unable to speak easily.

Watching her hesitate, Lispa’s expression grew darker still.

Perhaps the weight of being unable to offer salvation had thrown her into deeper gloom.

There was no benefit in lingering.

We weren’t in any better mood either.

All that remained was pity.

When So Wuryeong continued to fidget silently, I turned away.

“Thank you!”

That was when it happened.

Lispa froze, spinning back with wide eyes to look at So Wuryeong.

“I… I don’t know why, but… the moment I saw you, my body just moved on its own. I don’t know the reason…”

Despite the reset of the memory world, she had done something she otherwise never would have.

It was a startling reality, and I fell deep into thought.

[It appears that the vast transcendent powers clashing together caused a temporary error.]

Don’t ruin the moment.

Even if it was just chance, that’s enough.

“And… I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“I… don’t know. I just felt I had to say it. Maybe it sounds strange.”

“No. It’s fine.”

With that, we left.

Behind us, So Wuryeong’s voice echoed faintly once more.

“Huh? Why am I here?”

It was only a fleeting error, one swiftly corrected.

A miracle, perhaps… Well, if you didn’t overthink it, the word had a nice ring.

“You’re not going to help her this time?”

“No need. This is enough.”

Lispa and I didn’t exchange another word until we exited the memory space.

* * *

We had no idea how much time had passed inside.

In truth, it hadn’t been all that long.

It had taken longer than expected, but since hardly any time passed in reality, it didn’t matter.

Lispa did not return immediately to the Holy Kingdom but followed me instead.

“You’re not going back?”

“No. I need to look into Eve more closely.”

That was what she said, but… something about her aura was off.

“I’ll make this clear: I have only Luna. Don’t waste your time.”

“Did I say otherwise? Fine, do as you please.”

Wow.

This woman didn’t make sense at all.

Truly a new breed of human being.

Still, the complicated feelings she gave me were blown away the moment we returned to the Duchy of Cascadia.

“What’s with all this commotion?”

“Young master! There was an attack last night!”

I froze.

“What?”

The duchy was protected by multiple layers of defensive magic.

The wards were intact, yet there had been an attack?

“The cultists used some kind of item.”

Melissa appeared next, wearing a frustrated scowl as she approached—then froze, eyes widening at the sight of Lispa.

“Lispa Elde Remielia? Why are you here…”

“It’s been a while, Melissa. I’m working with him for the time being.”

She smiled gracefully.

Melissa let out a short sigh.

“So. What happened? Did you stop them?”

“No. They came to reclaim that staff you brought back. But they ran into Arsha, and got pulped.”

Arsha herself likely hadn’t lifted a finger.

The problem was that the beings guarding her weren’t ordinary in the slightest.

“Any survivors?”

“Just one. We’ve locked him in the dungeon—we’re on the way to interrogate him now.”

There was nothing more to discuss.

Melissa and I headed straight for the underground cells.

“I’ll go see Luna.”

“Don’t say anything unnecessary.” The rightful source is novel[f]ire.net

“Heh.”

All I could hope was that the two archangels didn’t end up yanking each other’s hair.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

* * *

The cultist in the cell was already a wreck.

They said he’d been caught by the King of Prohibition.

He was the type who had willingly carved a contract seal into himself to please Arsha.

There was no way such a fanatic would tolerate a threat to her.

“Ha… damn it. It’s all over now.”

He muttered the moment he saw me.

“You people just love to stir up hornet’s nests.”

“…That staff is worth it.”

“What, planning to mass-produce soldiers with it?”

He said nothing.

“I’m not here for complicated answers. You targeted Cascadia and endangered Arsha’s life. That crossed the line.”

“Damn it! We had no intention of harming your people!”

“Oh? And yet you didn’t?”

“…”

“Go on ahead. The rest will follow you soon enough.”

Slash!

With those words, I cut his throat.

He didn’t even resist before collapsing dead.

“Leon?!”

Melissa cried out in shock, but fell silent at what followed.

“Arise.”

The corpse twitched, then a ghostly essence rose, taking shape.

“An undead…”

“He should retain most of his memories. Makes interrogation easier.”

“…You could do this all along?”

“Usually, death erases too much. I don’t prefer this method. But it isn’t impossible.”

In the past, we could never figure out the cultists’ true purpose.

But now, a clearer picture emerged.

Fanatics, pouring everything into acquiring hidden, overwhelming power.

Never mind how many died in the process.

Their scale made it difficult to wipe them out entirely…

But it seemed the time had come to truly crush them.

* * *

“What?”

“Long time no see.”

Luna, munching fruit while gazing out the window, blinked in surprise at the unexpected visitor.

“Where have you been running off to, not answering calls?”

Lispa asked.

Luna paused before replying flatly.

“Searching for a gift for Leon.”

“And? Did you find one?”

“Didn’t like it. Scrapped it.”

At her nonchalant answer, Lispa activated the Eve crystal she’d received from Leon.

“Here. Keep this safe.”

“…Eve?”

Luna whispered, eyes widening.

“It’s Eve. I thought you should know what happened.”

Luna’s hand trembled as she gently stroked the crystal holding Eve.

“Sorry it’s not Adam.”

“…No. Truly… thank you.”

Tears welled in Luna’s eyes.

“Thank you… I thought I’d never see her again…”

Lispa felt a pang of guilt watching her cry so openly.

But there were things that had to be said.

“Anyway. To continue the story…”

She recounted everything that had happened in the memory space.

“The Tree of Sephirot… Damn those outer gods, coveting what should never be touched.”

The tale went on, and when it was finished—

Luna rose to her feet, slipping on her black gauntlet, the Hand of Fury.

“Lispa Elde Remielia. You damn woman, coveting what should never be touched.”

“I almost let it slide. But I can’t. My chest burns every time I see it.”

“You dare flirt with Leon, my man?”

“Your fiancé is amazing.”

Her crude choice of words was unthinkable from a former archangel—but Luna’s patience finally snapped.

In an instant, she grabbed Lispa by the hair and hurled her out the window.

But Lispa had once been an archangel herself.

She landed gracefully, lyre in hand.

“From this day on, you and I are finished. I will never share the same sky with a woman who lusts after another’s man.”

“You know what? I never told Leon this—but I stole a fragment of the Tree of Sephirot’s power. Know why?”

“…”

She didn’t elaborate, but it was clear it had to do with Leon.

“Maybe not now, but someday, he’ll need my help. He can’t rely only on a lovesick fool. There’s a reason people value friends.”

“In the human world, taking your friend’s lover means you’re no friend at all.”

“Humans live a hundred years at most. Of course they think that way. But how long do you and Leon think you’ll live? And you want to hoard him to yourself for all that time?”

Their very mindsets clashed.

Luna narrowed her eyes at the former colleague who had grown so reckless.

Leon may have caused this mess unknowingly, but until now no one had shown him gratitude—let alone affection—like this.

As for Lispa’s crude words, well, she had always spoken that way.

Nothing new.

Power surged in her hand, her voice ringing with mystical resonance.

A sight appeared behind Lispa Elde—ten faint discs forming the Tree of Sephirot itself.

A power she could never wield, even as an archangel.

[Translator - Night]

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