CH 135

“Bellatrix!”

I shouted as I approached the barrier. Kyle frowned as if telling me to stop coming, but I didn’t.

‘Let’s try it together.’

And I conveyed my will to Kyle with the shape of my mouth. I could see his eyebrows twitching.

[The God of Lies, Bellatrix, is close to extinction.]

I put my hand on the barrier. Then the barrier caused a big wave.

“Ugh…”

Although I exerted all my strength to the extreme, it wasn’t easy to counter the direct power of a God.

“Shit.”

Kyle, pushed back by the wave, straightened his sword again. And beckoning me to step back, he scattered countless swords at the slightly disturbed barrier.

They made small holes in the barrier, but were soon blocked again. It was a wave emitted by a God almost incarnating through Camilla, preparing for extinction. And although I was chosen by all the Gods, I had a limit because I was human.

[The Gods are concerned about your safety.]

[The God of Justice, Hetuse, asks if you are really going to proceed as planned.]

I nodded. Even if the process is difficult, it’s best to go to the standard.

Clang! Clang!

Without a break, bundles of sword skills pierced the barrier.

With an attack like that of a Sword Master, one fort could be demolished. However, the power of the god was so strong that it could not be compared to the fortress.

‘I have to approach first…!’

I even thought about scratching the holy power and pouring it into the barrier. But doing so increases the risk. I could have fainted before reaching Camilla.

It was a time when I was struggling with an unexpected difficulty called the barrier.

Footsteps were heard from behind.

‘Who is it?’

Paladins and ordinary people couldn’t approach it, the energy was strong and the wind was strong.

But his steps were normal, as if they weren’t disturbed by anything. It wasn’t until he passed me that I realized who he was.

“Cass…?”

Black hair was fluttering.

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, pauses in surprise.]

[The God of Benevolence, Oman, is astonished.]

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, stops growling.]

[The God of Justice, Hetuse, is in tears.]

The reaction of the Gods was unusual.

Cass didn’t look back at me.

‘It’s… not Cass?’

It was definitely his figure, yet for some reason it was a thought that crossed my mind.

Cass approached the barrier with his slow, leisurely steps. Kyle was still flying his sword in the barrier, yet the attack wasn’t working properly.

Cass slowly raised his hand to the barrier. At that moment, a huge storm suddenly blew up again. Although I couldn’t see well, I seemed to see Cass’ eyes brighten for a moment. And a loud explosion was heard.

“Cough…”

“Ugh.”

Pushed by the strong recoil, Kyle was pushed back.

Reihausd managed to hold my shoulders and support me as I stumbled.

After a while, I saw that the front that was blocked by the barrier was opened.

Cass stood still. And he looked back at me slowly.

‘Who are you?’

It’s not something humans can do. Even I couldn’t break through the barrier. For a moment, something passed through my mind.

‘No way… Someone else is in Cass’ body right now…?’

I stared blankly at Cass and clenched my fists.

I saw him smiling broadly. But the most important thing right now was what I was facing right away. Kyuu, who had been blown away by the wind earlier, rushed over and rode on my lap, body, then landed on my shoulder.

Without hesitation, I ran forward. And shouted at Kyle and Reihausd.

“Cover me!”

Kyle furrowed his eyebrows at my unexpected move, but he still gladly jumped out.

Around Camilla’s body, countless monsters began to spread out.

Shhhㅡ!

Kyle’s sword skill turned the monsters into ashes, and Reihausd’s holy sword wiped them out. The necklace Rita had given me dangled around my neck.

“Camilla!”

Camilla was looking at me with her twinkling green eyes shining. And the moment she stretched out her hand as the black energy overflowed, I shouted to Kyuu.

“Please, Kyuu!”

“Kyuuuuuu!”

I heard sparks splashing from my shoulder, and it was directed towards Camilla.

Boom! Sizzle, crack, crack.

With a roar, electricity as strong as a bomb hit Camilla’s body again.

“Cough…!”

Camilla’s eyebrows went up.

‘It’s a success!’

A little time was enough. To get close to Camilla.

I grabbed her by the neck with both hands. The electricity went up and my body tingled, but I couldn’t let go of her neck.

In front of my eyes, Camilla’s evil green eyes were facing mine.

“Saintess!”

“Ariel!”

Reihausd and Kyle’s voices came from behind.

Camilla, who was grabbed by me, lifted the edge of her lips.

I said looking at Camilla.

“Look into my eyes.”

Then she spoke in a cracked voice like a witch.

“Why do you have rotten eyes that are about to burn?”

I smiled as I watched the depths of Camilla’s green pupils sway like mud pits.

“I didn’t say anything to you.”

“What?”

Necromantic black magic manifested in the necklace. And at that moment, a chat window popped up.

[The God of Death, Kairos, uses Response on you.]

[The God of Art, Mond, uses Response on you.]

[The God of Love, Odyssey, uses Response on you.]

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, uses Response on you.]

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, uses Response on you.]

[The God of Justice, Hetuse, uses Response on you.]

[The God of Benevolence, Oman, uses Response on you.]

[You attempt to talk to the God of Lies, Bellatrix.]

***

At a table in the garden where a warm breeze blew, a shining being with lime-colored hair braided was sitting on a chair and drinking tea leisurely.

Looking at the garden of bright flowers, she snapped her finger and the wind blew her petals all over the place.

Watching the feast of petals and dancing butterflies, she put a faint smile on her lips.

‘However…’

Taking one sip of tea, she put the cup down and rested her chin on her hand.

‘What am I doing here?’

She didn’t remember very well. Why she was here and whom she was waiting for.

‘Who called me?’

It seems that she heard someone calling her own name anxiously a few times from somewhere.

Suddenly remembering that the situation was a bit strange, she looked behind. However, she can only see the distant fields behind her.

It was when she tilted her head and looked in front of her again.

“…!”

Someone was sitting in front of her.

A young woman in a black dress had green hair.

“…Human?”

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows and said coldly.

“How dare a human be in front of me?”

Humans couldn’t directly deal with the Gods.

Humans in the Palace of Death are exceptions because they are only spirit bodies, but even if they are dead, it’s rude for a human to dare to stand in front of a God without permission.

The green-haired, brown-eyed woman looked to be in her twenties.

She was staring at Bellatrix with sad eyes. A rugged necklace hung around her neck… … .

“…Huh?”

Observing her silently sitting on their first meeting, Bellatrix narrowed her brows.

Behind the human woman’s back, something familiar and nostalgic is felt.

‘Is she the girl named Ariel who is blessed by other Gods? No, she has a different face from that girl, though?’

After a while, Rita, who had been staring at her silently in front of Bellatrix, opened her mouth with difficulty.

“…I’m greeting you for the first time, Mother.”

And at that moment, from the necklace around the woman’s neck, was felt a pulse echoed through the atmosphere.

Dingㅡ

Bellatrix asked, furrowing her brows.

“Who are you…? Did you bring me here?”

Drip, drip, drip, drip.

“No. I came to where Mother is.”

“What did you say?”

The ticking of the clock was heard. It creaks as if going backwards.

“I came to tell you that the woman you think is Camilla isn’t her. I always longed for Mother to come out of the veil of lies you were trapped in.”

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows at Rita’s words, knowing that she didn’t have much time.

“Humans’ lies are so flimsy that it fills my spirits. I don’t even feel sympathy anymore.”

She once loved humans. And she tried to start a family like humans. Thinking about it now, it was ridiculous.

Still, it wasn’t that she got nothing. Because she acquired the lovely soul, Camilla, through the union with that human.

And Bellatrix was willing to give everything for Camilla.

Now she’s tired of living more eternal years. She thought that it would be worthwhile if she could leave the poor heir with glorious strength and new life.

“Mother, you say. Did you come here thinking that Camilla is a lie and that you can deceive me, the God of Lies, by saying that you are Camilla?”

At that, Rita nodded her head.

“I remember.”

Bellatrix snorted.

“The trembling that Mother suffered in your heart when Father, Izar, betrayed Mother. And Raid, the culprit behind everything that manipulated Izar…”

Bellatrix paused for a second, raising her eyebrows in anger.

“I was going to listen to you talk more, but I can’t.”

Izar, how long has it been since she heard that name?

“The moment the evil god, Raid, tricked you…”

“You better keep your mouth shut. You are, at least, a servant of a human woman.”

She must have heard about Izar and brought it up at random.

A strong wind blew around Bellatrix, and Rita’s long hair blew in the wind.

Bellatrix glared at Rita, grinning.

“Souls who have bought the wrath of the Gods won’t rest in peace even in Salerium.”

“Mother…”

But Rita continued her words, not caring about the sadness in her young eyes.

“The seven Gods want to help Mother.”

And for an instant, Rita’s eyes lit up with blue eyes. It was a fleeting moment when Bellatrix’s wind stopped.