Chapter 120
When a human soul enters the cycle of reincarnation, only the pure core remains. Whether it follows the path of punishment, rest, or rebirth, it ceases to be the William or Leo she knew. It becomes an entirely different being.
So it was an unavoidable choice.
Even if others wouldn’t understand, at least William and Leo seemed like they would recognize Raphaella, even if her appearance changed. It was strange, but she had that belief. That’s why she wanted to keep herself alive.
“To think I’d have expectations of humans… well, live long enough and you’ll see. Maybe Bléhel wasn’t entirely wrong when he said I’ve changed.”
Her mind was tangled, yet Raphaella’s face remained calm, as always.
Bléhel frowned and snapped irritably.
“You’re holding out quite well. Just let yourself be consumed by my fog. I’ve prepared something especially fun for you.”
“Been a while since someone clings like this. Take it easy~ Let’s enjoy this slowly.”
“Hmph. Even in this situation, you’re so shameless.”
As Bléhel stretched both hands out, the black fog surrounding Raphaella thickened. The visibility worsened, making it impossible for William to be seen clearly, so it was uncertain if he had escaped safely.
When she last checked, only about 30% of his hair remained, so if she held out a few more minutes, the two men would reach safety.
Exactly according to her “only keep the two of them safe” plan.
Raphaella, drenched in sweat so much that her back was soaked, spoke as if nothing were happening.
“I came today prepared to die… just once. But you know, Bléhel, you know my personality, right?”
“Crazy, you mean? Or an unmanageable, reckless fighter even the gods can’t handle?”
“This is real. It’s funny hearing you, who’s even more twisted than me, say that.”
“Artists are a little crazy! That’s supposed to be proof that they’re doing real art.”
“Oh my. Who fed that nonsense to a crazy woman? Who? That guy must have been a fraud. Didn’t he steal your money?”
“……”
Raphaella noticed Bléhel’s silence as an affirmation and laughed heartily.
“My goodness. Someone even tried to cheat the princess of the demon world. That guy was something else. You didn’t just let him live quietly. What did you do?”
“Hmph. Unlucky. Don’t pry into that! You’ve always been oblivious, haven’t you?”
Even as the black fog’s pressure intensified, Raphaella chuckled and deliberately prolonged the conversation.
“That poor bastard couldn’t have died peacefully. Being a self-proclaimed artist, I wonder if he died ‘artistically.’”
“Really curious?”
“A little.”
“Ugh. You’re insufferable.”
At that moment, Bléhel began shifting the position of the black fog. Parts of the mist that had surrounded Raphaella completely broke apart, as if pieces of bread were torn away.
“!”
Raphaella instinctively realized that Bléhel had noticed William and Leo’s movements. She tried to look toward William, but the fog blocked her view completely.
However, she could infer the two’s location from Bléhel’s muttering.
“These fools! How dare they enter there?! Into my sacred workshop!”
Just as Raphaella had hoped, William and Leo had found Bléhel’s castle. Perhaps they triggered some barrier or device as they entered, alerting Bléhel.
Bléhel was ready to send a mass of black fog straight at his own castle.
At that moment, Raphaella had only one choice.
She gathered every last bit of her carefully conserved divine power, compressing it tightly into a dense, spherical core. Sharp groans escaped through her teeth, but she maintained focus.
Then she released it all at once.
The golden energy dome, which had been small under the black fog’s pressure, erupted like an explosion, swallowing the surrounding darkness and radiating brilliant light. The golden energy collided with the black fog, causing bursts of sparks.
Bléhel reflexively raised his arms to shield his eyes and shouted.
“What, what is—!”
“Where are you looking? You’re facing me.”
“Damn it! You…!”
“You’ve been cursing nonstop from earlier, haven’t you?”
It was a spectacle, like the climax of fireworks lighting up the night sky—an extravagant show to hold Bléhel’s gaze.
Having grabbed his eyes, it was time to seize his ears.
“Hey, you! Do you think I haven’t been holding back my curses? I tried to go easy on you, but you keep losing your mind! Don’t push my patience. Damn it… ah, that feels good.”
Raphaella felt an exhilarating release. Knowing William and Leo had safely reached the castle, she no longer needed to placate Bléhel. She could now fully unleash the temperament she had restrained.
“Damn it. I can’t die alone. Better bring along at least one perverted corpse collector—it’d make me feel better.”
“Trapped in human flesh, and you dare say that!”
“Hey, read a book. Your lines sound no different than those hillbilly bandits. Tsk. And you’re trapped too, idiot.”
“Shut up!!!”
Her teasing intensified Bléhel’s murderous aura. The pressure of the dark, evil energy felt like needles piercing her skin.
Despite the suffocating black aura, Raphaella smirked and prepared for her final leap.
She straightened from her crouch, took a step back with her hind leg bent slightly at the knee, positioning herself perfectly to leap at Bléhel.
“AAARGH! Annoying!!!”
Unable to contain himself, Bléhel tore at his hair and wildly dispersed the black fog in a frenzy.
Thud—!
Raphaella launched off a tree stump, reaching the exact spot she wanted thanks to her perfect preparation.
She seized the crazed Bléhel in a crushing embrace, interlocking her hands behind his back so he could not push her away. At the same time, she drove her sharpened golden divine power deep into his chest—a final burst of strength she had saved for this moment.
Raphaella’s strike pierced through Bléhel’s heart, reaching the very core of his soul.
“Gah… guh…!”
Blood spurted from Bléhel’s black lips as he froze in shock. His eyes widened, bloodshot with disbelief.
“This can’t be… Gah… impossible…”
“You should have been executed then, not given a trial. My mistake was thinking you might learn restraint if imprisoned.”
Raphaella had regretted sparing Bléhel after learning why the place was called the “Forest of Loss.” Even imprisoned, he continued dismembering humans.
Raphaella was no goddess inclined toward mercy or pity for humans, but she could not ignore the harming of young lives.
Once, she nearly destroyed an entire city because a lord was capturing children as slaves to amass wealth. She had razed the lord’s castle and even the black market streets where the children were traded.
She didn’t know why she refrained from harming young creatures—human, animal, or even demons. Sometimes she even moved them to safety, though she grumbled at the inconvenience.
So when Bléhel, obsessed with puppet magic, kidnapped pregnant women and used newborns as offerings, Raphaella lost all reason.
Giving him a trial because of memories of a brief encounter had been a grave mistake. She finally corrected that error.
“Farewell, Bléhel.”
Having expended all her strength, Raphaella felt dizzy. Her interlocked hands weakened, releasing her grip as she began to fall. Bléhel, however, caught her. With blood foaming at his mouth, he cursed with a hoarse voice.
“Gah… you’ll die too! I’ll show you the worst, and you’ll die utterly powerless and miserable! I curse you!”
His final, frenzied outburst, though he had consumed the demon-world fruit, left him with some remaining energy. The surrounding dark, evil energy surged toward her.
Raphaella was instantly swallowed by the black fog, like meat tossed among a pack of crocodiles.
“Ha ha ha! cough…”
Bléhel laughed even while vomiting blood as he watched Raphaella being sucked into the impenetrable darkness.
Soon, the laughter echoing through the forest ceased. Bléhel’s pupils went blank. His hands and feet gradually turned into gray ash and scattered in the wind.
Yet, even with Bléhel dead and his body gone, the massive fog that had swallowed Raphaella remained.
Inside that black sphere, no presence could be sensed.
Only silence.
