CHAPTER 164……………………………………………
I snapped at the words of the First High Priestess.
After making me suffer so much, she says I can only use that crucial power once?
‘That’s not fair…!’
『But it can’t be helped.』
The First sighed irritably in my ear.
『You can endure because you’re a demon, but every time I use my true power, something will go wrong.』
‘I don’t care! That’s why—!’
『If you die in that body this time, there won’t be a second chance.』
…!
Her words made me bite my lip.
If I had died back in old Caron, maybe it wouldn’t matter.
But now, living as Elysion, I was far too happy to summon the courage to die again.
And what if, this time, I die… and the real Elysion returns to this body…?
My blood ran cold.
I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the important thoughts at hand.
‘But you managed to fix Armene’s soul just fine, didn’t you? Why can’t you do that now?’
『I can only possess female bodies, and it was possible only because it was the capital temple.』
Ugh…
『That place was where twelve High Priestesses, including myself, lived. The divine power is overflowing there.』
It felt like reaching a dead end.
The borders of Halkion were closed.
Even riding Eos, it would take time to reach the capital Aiolos.
‘There’s no way I could bring Kallion to the capital temple in this situation.’
At that moment, Ares and Kallion began leaving the arena.
Amidst the noisy crowd murmuring,
“Elysion?!”
“Princess!”
I ran after them, ignoring my father and Lete’s calls to stop.
My heart froze as I ran toward the participants’ waiting room.
‘I didn’t want this.’
I had been certain Ares would win.
So I thought I could cheer freely and wholeheartedly.
And once everything was over, we could prepare for the next, even more exciting event together.
‘Then why…?’
The waiting room was already steeped in gloom.
Those who had been eliminated wandered awkwardly, giving me hurried greetings.
Then they slipped out silently.
Everyone, except for Ares, who kept his head down and arms crossed…
‘What do I do?’
Though we had spent some time apart, we had mostly stayed together in Persen Palace.
And I had never seen Ares so gloomy in all that time.
‘Not even when he apologized to me for the magic surge did he look like this…’
I reached toward Ares’ wrist, whispering,
“Ares… Ares, are you alright…!”
Thwack!
Before I could even finish my words of concern,
Ares violently shook my hand off.
His gaze was terrifyingly dark and heavy.
Yet he looked shocked at having pushed me away, as if he had swung a sword at me himself.
“…Ah.”
“Uh…”
“I apologize, Your Highness.”
Ares immediately straightened and bowed.
But from his expression, I could tell.
“No injuries—”
“None.”
Now, Ares was in the most shattered state of pride I had ever seen.
“Please allow me to withdraw.”
Her words were cold and clipped, and I bit my lip.
‘Pride is important to you even now?’
More than my worry for him?
Seeing him nearly get seriously hurt in the arena had made my heart plummet.
But…
What good is scolding someone who keeps their mouth shut like that?
“…Alright, if you’re fine, then withdraw. Ismenios.”
“Thank you.”
Ares’ response remained rigid to the end.
And without meeting my eyes even once, he left.
‘Ares… I’ll remember this.’
Right now… yeah.
I had hoped he would win, so imagine how he must feel.
But.
“…Kallion, why did you do that?”
We weren’t alone in the room; it wasn’t just Ares and me.
Kallion had been watching us silently from the corner, arms crossed.
“You said you weren’t interested in the position of the Kore Knights.”
“Yes, I did.”
“When I said I liked Ares, you… just went along with it…”
Hadn’t he said everything was fine?
Even if Ares and I became something special, Kallion seemed completely unbothered.
I desperately looked up at Kallion’s face.
Those beautiful blue eyes were still the same I had always known.
“Did you deceive me?”
Then maybe this wasn’t Talos’ “brainwashing.”
‘Or at least, if Kallion had his own intentions…’
It hurt like someone was stabbing my heart with an awl.
“I’m sorry for hurting you, Shion.”
“….”
“But this was the best I could do.”
“What…?”
“You would have seen me as a child forever. No matter how long I waited, it didn’t seem possible.”
My shoulders jerked involuntarily.
It was the first time Kallion had spoken to me like that.
And also the first time I saw him smiling with such a triumphant, teasing look.
“I ruined Ares’ glory. But it was him who rejected your hand.”
“Your way of thinking is because of Talos.”
“Huh?”
Kallion tilted his head with a small smile.
I clenched my fists, glaring at him.
“Teasing me because you enjoyed ruining Ares…! That’s not like you!”
“Is it? How am I usually?”
“You would’ve stepped on me like a fly! At least not like this—!”
Kallion reached out and brushed my hair with his hand.
His cold fingers touched me, and I almost stepped back without realizing it.
“I’ve always wanted to do this, Shion.”
Now I saw.
In those blue eyes I always thought were beautiful, a flicker of yellow appeared.
“I wanted to ruin the bond between you and Ares.”
“….”
“I’m sorry, my love.”
My heart froze utterly.
‘His soul really…’
The cracks in his soul from the “brainwashing” were spreading.
If left like this, he might become a puppet like I had seen with Armene in the past.
‘Or worse, commit even more terrible acts.’
I had to fix Kallion.
But to repair such a deep crack, I would ultimately have to abandon my original goal.
“….”
At that moment, I couldn’t make a decision.
But things changed rapidly afterward.
The moment I left the waiting room, I learned that Ares had already left.
Without a word, without any contact.
Ares had thought this year would be the most meaningful of his life.
He had graduated top of his academy.
He had won the heart of the girl he loved.
If things went well, he could even secure the position of commander early.
Then without a doubt, he would end the year by being at Shion’s side.
But in the match, he had suffered a near defeat.
And he had to return home with the heavy burden of being a failure.
Seeing Phobos in person after a long time…
He looked extremely ill.
“…I didn’t think it would come to nothing.”
His hollow voice hurt twice as much.
Ares could not bring himself to argue and lowered his head.
“….”
This wasn’t simply about Kallion, a rival, trying to defeat him.
‘The Ismenios family has been shamed because of me.’
People were already whispering about his older brother’s health.
Phobos pressed his brows quietly.
He was too weak from pain to show anger loudly.
‘This autumn’s coming-of-age ceremony would have been the perfect time to inherit the duchy.’
But the current situation was the worst.
A demon prince, worse than even a human of hostage origins?
How much would the nobles of Tartarus mock him?
But.
“There’s still a chance to make up for it, Ares.”
“…Brother?”
“I mean, a chance to reclaim your honor after the humiliation in front of Prince Alcyone.”
Phobos still stared sharply at Ares.
Being closest to the northern border, he received this news first.
“The royal family of Akidalia has fallen.”
“…!”
“Soon, the war will begin at the northern border.”
“Which means—”
“You will fight alongside the dukedom’s knights as well.”
