Chapter 183: Once Again (2)
“Az…”
[Uck.]
Before Hades could even finish calling his name, a heavy moan burst out of Gaionia’s mouth.
Hades turned to see him right away, surprised.
‘What’s going on?’
A sleek sword was piercing straight through Gaionia’s heart.
Hades couldn’t help but be surprised, he thought it wouldn’t be pierced so easily.
The sword through Gaionia’s heart twisted within his chest once before getting out.
The person who had pierced through a god’s heart in one strike was…
“Abel.”
The one who appeared in front of him as Gaionia slowly twisted around was none other than Abel.
Abel backed away about five steps hastily, Gaionia did not spare him for a moment and swung his hand.
Sharp blades of fire made in thin air were aimed straight at Abel as they flew.
“Abel!” Hades shouted hastily.
Pshh-!
However, Gaionia’s attack, which should have scorched Abel right away was extinguished before reaching him.
‘Nullification?’
No, that’s what he thought, but it wasn’t it. It looked like Gaionia had cancelled his attack himself.
Why?
Hades could see the reason why right away.
Aisha was standing before Abel, shielding him…
It seemed that she was close by and ran in to cover Abel.
Even from the distance, Hades could clearly see Aisha’s face, fear in her eyes even as she looked straight at Gaionia.
[Even if they betray me and break my heart, I have no intention of putting them in pain]
Looking at the fact he cancelled the attack he activated against Abel without any hesitation the moment Aisha stepped in, worried that she might get hurt…
It was not hard to assume. Hades shook his head.
‘He is terribly twisted, seriously.’
He was a being who could accept a single hair on his children getting hurt, yet how could he not see that the ‘punishment’ he has given his children is what made them suffer the most?
Whatever it was, Gaionia’s thoughts were something Hades would never be able to understand as a human with his standards.
“It’s been a while, Father.”
Hades turned to look to his side right away, hearing a familiar voice wrapping around his ears.
It was Michael, standing by Hades with a smile on his face.
Holding the trembling Deborah in his arms, he had the most wholesome smile on his face unbecoming of this situation.
In some sense. he was such a consistent man, or so Hades thought.
[Ignis.]
Gaionia looked at Michael, turning only his head slightly.
“Have you been well? By how healthy you look, you seem very well.”
[…]
“It’s unfortunate what happened to your heart.”
Gaionia’s chest was pierced through by Abel’s attack. Something was constantly leaking out of it.
It was similar to the aura that could be seen when Roxa visualized mana that was released. No, it wasn’t just similar, it was definitely Gaionia’s mana.
Because his heart, which was the source of his infinite mana, has been pierced… that must be his ‘power’ leaking out.
“Ah, don’t be mistaken. I meant to say that it’s unfortunate your heart didn’t get pierced by ‘the one who does not believe in god.’ You would have died on the spot if that happened,” Michael said, smacking his lips as if it’s a shame.
[Ignis.]
“I do not want to be called by that filthy name you’ve put on me anymore. Your Grace, I would appreciate it if you could cut down his snout first.”
He requested as he turned to look at Hades standing beside him.
Hades stood listening silently, then gave a nod.
“Will do.”
“Thank you,” Michael replied, beaming. Then he added looking a little troubled, “But how could you make your move without any back up like this? You made such a reckless move even when the duchess must have asked to go together…”
“What did you come for? What help could you be?”
“What, is that really a word coming from someone who couldn’t even leave a mark on Gaionia?”
“Shut it. How did you get in here?”
“What do you mean how? We came through teleportation since the reincarnation door was still open. We have two wind elementalists, see.”
“Shoot, is he going to let anyone in without a limit? How long is he going to keep it open?”
“It’s closed now. In other words, we cannot get out of here without accomplishing either of two things. Kill, or be killed.”
Michael’s sharp eyes were aimed at Gaionia.
He now had his back against Michael and Hades, facing Aisha.
Michael spoke in a lowered voice.
“Since you fought him now, you must have felt it too. That weapon cannot leave a single mark on Gaionia. he could only be wounded by ‘the weapon of one who does not believe in god’ like that sword the childe just pierced Gaionia’s heart with.”
“What?” Surprised, Hades looked down at the sword in his hand.
What Abel was holding was the sword of Santcria, the gift from Aisha long ago. He never thought that that was the weapon that could attack Gaionia.
It was his mistake to translate the part that mentioned the weapon of the one who does not believe in god as straightforwardly the weapon in his hands.
“I was a fool.”
“Yes, indeed. I will blame you for how foolishly you jumped into this mess without some investigation in advance. For now, we need to drain Gaionia out of his energy. Since there is a hole in his source of mana, he won’t be able to use his power unlimitedly anymore.”
“…”
“And I’m sure you have realized, but there is a vital weakness to Gaionia. Though it was something I only became certain of while coming here.”
He could vaguely understand Michael’s words. Hades quietly stared at Gaionia’s back.
“As outrageous as it might sound …”
After so much time has passed, facing the ‘child’ he made and loved. Gaionia’s back looked quite lonesome.
“…he is laughably forgiving when it comes to his three children.”
***
When was the last time he saw Genus?
Facing his child after the amount of time passed enough for him to forget, Gaionia suddenly felt a burning bitterness in his heart.
He could not know the reason why. Was it because his heart was pierced, or was it because unknown emotion was torturing him in waves…?
[Why are you crying?]
Gaionia’s hand rose slowly, passing by to wipe at the tear running down Aisha’s sheek.
“Father.”
[Yes, child.]
“I… am in the wrong.”
[…]
“Back then, back then I lied. Back then… I could not think of anything else apart from my wish to save the child.”
Recalling the past, Gaionia’s eyes closed slowly.
When he opened his eyes again, Aisha was still crying.
Gaionia spoke with an expression like he couldn’t understand.
[How is that your fault?]
“No, it is my fault. This child has no sin.”
Why,
Why does his foolish children all say they are with no sin?
[Gaionia, aren’t you sad? Sad about your fate… how you couldn’t help but love those foolish children who are ready to throw away everything for the sake of his lover, or her child?]
Gaionia recalled a magical beast with a split tipped tongue, in the shape of a beautiful woman.
Somnifer…
Now it was merely a lowly being who had earned his hatred and became horribly deformed.
[Even after experiencing what happened with Ignis, you still believe in your children. Would they even have the slightest of gratitude for the boundless love you pour out for them?]
[The life, mana and endless vitality you gave them all have no meaning to them. They are is nothing but disposables they can throw away at any moment. Would you like to have a bet with me?]
Gaionia was fully aware of what the meager magical beast was thinking.
Sweet poison. It would have been fine to just ignore what he heard and let it slip away…
Making Genus’ child sick was a type of test.
Gaionia hoped at least Genus be rational, unlike Ignis,
He expected her to prioritize herself in any situation.
[My dear child Genus. Do you want to save your offspring? Will you do so if you could sacrifice the body given to you by Gaionia?]
But like a joke, Genus nodded without hesitation at the mere whisper of some lowly creation.
[Do not make a sound even if you are in pain. Cut off your arm with your own hand and brew it for ten days and nights, and feed that to your child. Then your child will recover like nothing had happened.]
On the tenth day, Gaionia visited Genus who had cut off her own arm and asked.
[What happened to your arm? I will find what has put you in pain and make it struggle in the fires of hell forever.]
Genus was visibly scared and reported lies, unaware that Gaionia already knew everything.
Genus was scared enough to make up an absurd lie that a magical beast she had met in the forest had taken her arm, worried that Gaionia’s enraged breath may reach her child.
[How could they be so foolish? What is a lover and a child for them, that they go such lengths to even hurt themselves…]
[And what about Genus’ child? Since his own life would be more important, in the end he will pretend to be oblivious chew on his mother’s flesh and swallow it.]
He hoped he wouldn’t. He hoped that at least Genus’ child was a soul that knows gratefulness for the love she showed for him.
Gaionia visited the child without Genus knowing and told him.
[Are you in pain? Then eat it up, as if you are oblivious. If you are okay with even a cure made of your mother’s flesh and blood, that is.]
Even as he struggled in pain, he was stirred by Gaionia’s words.
Looking at the agonized face of the child, Gaionia had his hopes. Maybe, he thought.
[How much can you love your mother, who can willingly cut off her arm for your sake?]
[At least your mother would never try to leave pain by taking your blood.]
[Can you do the same?]
Gaionia watched him in silence.
The child, struggling in pain.
The child, who could not bear it anymore and drank up the thing that was presented to him as he pretended to be oblivious.
[Such… shallow beings.]
Gaionia could not understand Genus.
Though himself thought that he could even give away his own life for her sake, he could not accept that she sacrificed herself for the sake of her child.
Since it wasn’t a cure to begin with, Genus’ child could not last. On the contrary, the child evoked Gaionia’s wrath and struggled in extreme pain.
[Father! Please…]
“Father, please…”
In that short reminiscence, the faces of the howling Genus and Aisha overlapped.
“Please, forgive me, now…”
[It’s not your…]
Swoop-!
As Gaionia was reaching out to Aisha’s tearful face, a heavy sword cut through and smacked down between them.
Aisha stepped backward in surprise and Hades was there to stand before her.
He spoke as he looked straight at Gaionia.
“It’s not your fault, it’s the fault of your child who has saddened you…is that what you were about to say?”
[…]
“What. It looks like you are surprised that I took your words right out of your mouth.”
Hades took the sword from Abel’s hand as he stood behind, tilting his chin up arrogantly as he turned it around here and there to take a look.
“Then I guess it should be my son, not my wife who should be begging you for mercy.”
Hades’ face with the mild smile about it stiffened coldly in an instant.
He raised his sword straight and muttered coldly.
“But I told my son not to bow to just anyone. So, no.”