Chapter 421 - No Regrets

"Am I right, Goddess of Fate— or should I say grandmother, Goddess of Avarice and Fortune?"

With her words, Dolya and Gin exchanged looks of surprise. No one— not even the other deities knew that the Goddess of Fate was the same entity as the Goddess of Fortune and Avarice except for the brothers and Kresnik.  

Well, Fanya knew about it too. 

Still, even if Gin knew about it, he had thought that after Czernobog was expelled from the Celestial Plane, Perun had sealed her other part. But it seemed since Rod had a hand in the conspiracy, the king's power didn't work on her. He now understood the reason why his father asked him to have Dolya descend and to roam the mortal plane. 

It was all so she could set up their fates without attracting attention. 

Dolya cleared her throat, her eyes scrutinizing Alinea who stared back at her. Even if she didn't have to hide her true self and pretend to be a gentle lady, she still felt awkward as she was aware that she had a blood debt to her own grandchild. 

This was something that Alinea was also aware of. After all, she was the greatest victim in all of this. She was the one who had died over and over again, carrying the name Harbinger of Catastrophe in each of her incarnation. But there was no longer hatred in her eyes. There was only resignation. 

"Yes, I am your grandmother," Dolya said, her eyes now downcast. 

Regardless that she stood by her husband's side in his wish to free the King of Heaven from his gilded cage, it was a fact that it had caused misery to many in so many years, especially the child in front of her. 

Silence hung in the room again as the granddaughter continued to stare at her grandmother with her hands balled into fists on her sides. Then, she turned away to look at her unconscious father again and spoke. 

"Do you regret it?" she asked Dolya who stiffened. 

The Goddess of Fate looked up at her granddaughter in surprise. But then her eyes clouded over for several seconds before they cleared again, her face had on a serene expression. 

"No," she replied with determination. 

Her body language told everyone clearly that regardless of what punishment might befall her, she would never regret her actions. It even meant that if she were given another chance, she would do exactly the same thing she had done. This was the kind of resolve Dolya had. 

"No matter how idiotic and unnecessary you might think what we did— regardless that you might disagree with our actions, to Czernobog and me, we were prepared to be hated just to free your father from his shackles."Dolya's voice came out clear as her eyes. "Of course, we will never begrudge you even if you hate us for what happened to you. You have… You have the right to be angry. After I send your father and mother to the cycle, you are free to punish me however you wish."

For a while, Gin, Ivan, and Fredek looked worried that Ali might go berserk and attack Dolya. But then the princess sighed heavily.

"What's the point? Even before you descended, you already knew what your punishment would be, isn't it?"Alinea countered with a knowing look and Dolya was once again surprised before nodding. 

Czernobog and Dolya would die just as Perun would die to be reborn as mortals. Whether they regain their memories and powers would be entirely up to them. Nobody could ȧssist or interfere with them directly. 

However, Perun would be connected with Shitara again as it would be Dolya's last task. As for the couple, Dolya and Czernobog, they would go through life on their own. Whether they met or not again would be entirely up to fate that the goddess would not be able to control anymore. 

"Yes,"Dolya answered with a smile, but her eyes had already filled with tears. 

All the others turned away, pretending not to see her cry and she surreptitiously wiped her tears away. Alinea, on the other hand, walked over to her father and placed her head against his ċhėst as she wrapped her arms around him. Taking this as a cue, Gin signaled for everyone to leave the room. 

Alone with her father, Alinea let the tears she had been keeping within her out. It would be hypocritical of her to say that she was not livid. 

Of course, she was. 

But, in spite of the anger, she could also understand Dolya and Czernobog. Everything was for her father. With this, the untainted one who was bound by Rod's law was finally free. 

Just like her…

"Father, I still quite don't believe that someone was able to outsmart you," she told her unconscious father as she smiled and cried at the same time. 

In the thousands of years Perun, Stribog, Kresnik, and her, Alinea had been looking for ways to defeat her "curse" they had never thought that things would end up like the way it did. The King of Heaven was highly intelligent. But it seemed the Black God knew just how intelligent his brother was and used it against him. 

"My uncle— I mean my grandfather is smarter than you this time…"

Urgh…

"Father, our family tree is so messed up," she commented light heartedly as more tears fell as she closed her eyes and her arms tightened on her father. 

"Ali…" a whisper sounded as she felt a warm hand on her head and she froze. 

Her eyes flew open as she raised her head to look at where the whisper came from. "Father!"

Perun still looked pale but his amethyst orbs were clear as he looked at her. He attempted to smile, but flinched as if in pain. He lifted his hand, the same one he used to touch her hair and she took it in her hand and placed it against her cheek. 

"Ali… father is sorry…"