abcnovels
Chapter 230: Ashes (5)
Chapter 230: Ashes (5)
Chapter 230: Ashes (5)
It was such a bizarre scene that it was impossible to comprehend.
Even though they were walking towards the enemy’s camp without holding any weapons, why did the enemy soldiers they encountered didn't even point their spears or swords toward them?
That's why Lizzy stopped trying to understand what she couldn't understand and just focused on the means she had.
But no matter how hard she tried, the anxiety that flooded her body just forced her to clutch the plush toy harder.
“Lizzy.”
“……”
“Even though my life was stained with sin, I don’t think I regret it even a bit.”
However, if he were to choose one regret and lingering attachment in that life,
“It was when I chose to not kill you that day.”
Even if it meant that he had to reveal some of the blemishes that were hidden,He should have been more greedy and stubborn.
However, by doing so he would not be able to realize his wish to become a good husband to his wives,
To be a respectable younger brother to his older brother,
And to become a proud pillar of the Imperial Family.
If he wanted to take one more step, he would probably feel like he was unfairly treated.
Now that Lee Seo-jin’s and Ferzen's egos had already blended into one, he was clearly someone who was different from both of them.
Therefore, the reason he did not kill Lizzy on that day was perhaps a part of his childish and hypocritical argument about why he had to bear the karma that the previous owner of the body bore.
Needless to say, she was someone who had her entire life, her house, and her family completely ruined.
It's not that he didn't understand himself on that day, he dared to believe that she would not bring harm to him and tried to read his own happiness into it.
But if there was one thing he had overlooked that day, it was the fact that Ferzen Von Schweig Louerg was a character who had always used the misfortune of others as a candle to read the book called His Own Happiness.
He couldn't help but wonder why he had made that choice that day even though he could not light a candle as well as read the book called Happiness.
......Did the saying go like ‘Don’t steal a candle to read a Bible’?
While recalling a phrase from Lee Seo-jin’s memory that vaguely remained, Ferzen stopped in the middle of the snowy field.
Even though he did not know what a Bible was, he was at least able to easily understand what the saying meant.
It should mean that someone should not satisfy their greed or great cause if it meant doing something that would pollute their conscience.
But if that was the only way to live and that was the only way that was given,
Should he heed the voice of his conscience which pleaded to him at every turn and read happiness that was shrouded in darkness?
That’s right, he wouldn't have killed Ciel Midford and gotten his hands on Euphemia if he had made up her mind to do so in the first place.
Rustle-!!
Soon, Ferzen touched his altar and looked down at Lizzy who was in his arms.
Woong-!!
Then, the gate of the Underworld opened above the snowy field. Beyond it, they could vaguely see the scenery of the Underworld...…
Creak-!!
Between the narrow gap between the two opening doors, a very large cotton ball wriggled out.
Crumble-!!
Of course, the enemy's camp that was located in the area where the cotton ball was located was instantly torn to pieces.
Before long, the cotton ball unraveled, revealing its 108 snake-like heads, and began to roam around the snowy field.
Because the tremor it caused was so strong to the point it could be felt just by standing still, the members of the detached unit who were waiting in a distant place immediately took action and crossed the area in a straight line.
As soon as Ferzen realized that and felt that the presence of people that he had been feeling disappeared completely, he quietly placed Lizzy, who was in his arms, onto the snowy field.
“Lizzy, I have killed your family.”
“……”
“I also destroyed your House.”
“…… ”
“On top of that, I ruined your life.”
Without turning his eyes away from that fact.
With the appearance of a complete villain.
“I will kill you now.”
“……”
“I guess our story will end here.”
Ferzen pulled the sword that Prince Raymond had given to him and aimed the tip towards Lizzy.
This was the only means he knew.
There was no other method aside from this.
I……
Even if it meant stealing a candle, he would still read his happiness.
* * * * *
As the chilling and well-maintained tip of the sword was pointed at her, Lizzy, who had been looking at it, raised her head and looked into Ferzen's crimson eyes.
"Do you think you'll be able to handle it when the obsessive-compulsive disorder that you've been dealing with for the last 25 years turned against you?"
“Probably not.”
He would cut open his own stomach and see what was inside with his two eyes.
“Yet, you still pointed the tip of that sword at me. Can I take it as a sign that you want to take a reckless gamble?”
Even though she was about to be killed, Lizzy was not afraid at all and continued to talk normally to Ferzen.
On the other hand, Ferzen just heard what she said and answered her while sporting a grave expression.
“Do you think I am gambling right now?”
“……”
“Lizzy. You're really slow to notice. Even if that cursed doll is connected to you...… In reality, there is no connection.”
“What are you……”
“Didn’t I show it to you on our way through the snowy field?”
“……”
“The ability of monsters has no effect on me.”
As if willing to prove it to her, Ferzen extended the tip of the sword and used it to pierced Lizzy's left shoulder.
Drop-!!
Without a doubt, she would feel pain so intense to the point her body temperature would get hot...…
“……”
However, without letting out a single scream, Lizzy just looked at the blood stains that beautifully colored the pure white snow field.
"Ah……”
When Ferzen removed his robe and showed her the exact same location where she was wounded, Lizzy realized that what he had said was not a lie.
Stab-!!
Slice-!!
Even though the sword that was stuck in her shoulder was twisted to the left, further digging into the open wound,
The slightest trace of scar did not appear on his skin.
Stab-!!
Immediately after, he thrusted the sword into her right shoulder as if to achieve the correct symmetry, making Lizzy fall down to the pure white snow field with her arms hanging down while looking quietly at Ferzen.
Pour-!!
Even though the fierce snowstorm disturbed her vision, her surroundings which were colored like red autumn leaves kept her blurry vision focused.
“Ha…… Hahaha……”
Just what kind of preparations had he made?
As much as it was unthinkable to think so, Lizzy burst out laughing at the ridiculous reality of him being able to be unaffected by the monsters’ ability that targeted him.
No matter how stubbornly and high she climbed the wall,
As if this cruel world was unwilling to show what was beyond it, built even higher walls.
Just what in the world is the person called Ferzen?
Did this world revolve around him in an unreasonable way?
“……”
And when Ferzen looked at Lizzy, who hadn't reacted at all after being pushed to this point, he was convinced that she no longer had any means to threaten him.
Then, thinking that the only thing left to do was to sever the knot of this long evil relationship, Ferzen mercilessly raised the sword high.
Then, as if mourning her impending death, her bright red blood becomes darker, coloring the pure white snow field like a blooming licorice.
At this point, hadn't she done everything she could?
Lizzy tried to accept her own death calmly. After all, as she had done this much, she would at least have no shame when she reunited with her brothers in the Underworld.
However, the sight of Ferzen holding the sword high made the sight of her brother, Cesar, whose head was cut off by the guillotine that day come to her mind...…
As expected, Lizzy did not want to face that kind of death.
But she no longer had any means left.
After all, she had used all of her goods. Forget about making a deal, she could not even open the gate of the Underworld
Ah……
No,
The moment her thoughts reached that point, Lizzy realized that she had one way left. With a great effort, she twisted her whole body to the side to avoid the sword that was coming at her from above.
Slice-!!
As the sword struck the innocent snow, Ferzen lazily chased after Lizzy who was crawling away as fast as she could.
Are you trying to prolong that miserable life of yours even for just a few seconds?
What made her move was her tenacious will to live.
If not that, was it simply a survival instinct that was engraved in the deepest part of an animal called a human?
……what kind of thoughts spurred her into doing something like that?
Squeeze-!!
As if to laugh at her struggle that he was able to stop in only three steps, Ferzen placed his foot on her slender waist.
He then raised her sword once again while his eyes focused on Lizzy's neck.
Woong-!!
However, while she was desperately crawling, Lizzy took out her altar and opened the door to her Underworld without the slightest hesitation.
Flinch-!!
As a result, the snow that was piled up on the ground mixed with the snowstorm and kicked up like thick dust. Thanks to that, Ferzen had to remove his foot which was trampling her back.
“……”
When the baptism of snow that had covered their surroundings slowly subsided, Ferzen could see Lizzy looking at him while breathing slightly in front of the opened gate of the Underworld.
“I am sure you have no goods left.”
“……You know it too, don’t you? Goods are not the only price a warlock can offer when making a deal with the Underworld.”
“At most, it will only be a monster that resides on the first floor. Do you think I will die if you call a monster from the first floor by sacrificing your lives?”
“I guess not.”
Even if there wasn’t a monster rampaging through this snowy field right now.
He could easily deal with monsters from the first floor of the Underworld with the bodies of the previous Head of the Brutein or the Ernes Empire's notorious witch—Isabel.
But that wasn't what she was aiming for in the first place.
The moment someone sacrificed their lives when making a deal with the Underworld, their soul, and body would become the property of the monster who agreed to the deal.
What it meant was that they would no longer belong to this world.
To be precise, it was something that could not be interfered with any longer.
Since she already knew about his obsessive-compulsive disorder, she could see how it could be used against him.
No, she had realized it when the snow that had briefly disturbed her vision had completely dissipated.
Because she didn’t hide her intentions but rather wanted him to ‘recognize’ it……
Pour-!!
After all, when the gate of the Underworld opened, and from the moment he left her side, she used the dagger that she hid in her chest pocket to cut her left ear off.
However, as if he didn't notice it, he continued the conversation calmly and brought the monster from the third floor, which gave her goosebumps, that he had already summoned to their location.
Kuaang-!!
However, the deal that had already been struck was the law of the Underworld.
Just like the reason for objects to fall was gravity.
And everything that existed in the world lies within the flow of time,
No matter how powerful it was, it was impossible to twist it.
“Lizzy—!”
The reason you were rushing towards me with an ugly distorted expression on your face was without a doubt,
Because you also know that it is a law that even monsters that live on the Third Floor of the Underworld cannot break.
But even after that desperate action,
As well as your struggle to extend the sword you were holding,
You could no longer harm her body as it was no longer a property of this world.
The only being who could twist that law of the Underworld was the God who rules the Underworld himself.
So, you, who are nothing but a human being, would not be able to receive the favoritism of this world anymore.
“Can you overcome the terrible challenge of asymmetry that can never be fixed?”
This was the only curse that a woman who had lost her family, her house, and her life could engrave on you.
And if it was possible for him to overcome it arbitrarily...…
“I will let you enjoy the happiness that was built through my family and my house misfortune to your heart's content.”
Lizzie smiled as she dropped her left ear that she had cut off and her left eye which she left out of the deal into the white snow.
It was an asymmetry that could never be fixed. Her greatest wish was to hear and see the struggle and scream he made as he tried to overcome the curse that she carved into him in the afterlife.
When he first ‘recognized’ that her symmetry was off, the only way he could take to shake off the curse she gave him was by ‘forgetting’.
But there was no monster with such abilities in the Underworld.
In the past 25 years of his life, her existence probably occupied the largest proportion of his mind.
Would he be able to completely erase it from his memory?
Probably not.
“Ferzen.”
Just as I will never forget the times you engraved on me.
"You…… You will never be able to forget me.”
As soon as she finished those words,
The monster that came from the opened gate of the Underworld swallowed Lizzy's body and soul and descended on the pure white snow field.
Crunch-!!
Immediately, the monster from the third floor that Ferzen had summoned brought out one of its heads and bit it off in one go. However, there was no inflection point.
The monsters of the Underworld were beings that did not have a body to begin with.
The body which was given to them when they descended into the world was nothing more than a medium that was given to them for a while in order to enable them to exercise their power.
If he tried to destroy it, Lizzy's body and soul, which were sacrificed as compensation, would never be able to return.
“……”
All that remained were her ears and her purple eyes that were buried underneath the pure white snow.
No, that was not all.
Step-!!
The elite troops under Gremory had also arrived and greeted Ferzen from beyond the /genesisforsaken