Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Episode 23.
"...Wait a moment. I'll give it to you."
Arhan reached his hand toward the half-demon Sertia's face.
But he couldn't touch her. As a spirit, he couldn't physically interact with anything in the mortal world.
This meant the entire trial was reality itself.
Because Arhan's divine authority wasn't the power to construct illusions, but the ability to carve out and seal fragments of spacetime from reality.
He had used this one-time divine authority—requiring his life as collateral—for his lover. Just before death, he had frozen time in this place and separated the space.
Thus, for the half-demon Sertia, two hundred years had passed without a single moment flowing.
Arhan's hand passed right through Sertia without ever touching her.
She looked at him with sorrowful eyes.
"...So you really died."
"You lived."
"No. Without you, my life means nothing."
Aiden already knew what would happen next. He turned his head away, unwilling to watch.
Thunk. The sound of cold steel piercing soft flesh.
"S-Sertia!"
As Arhan screamed in horror, cracks split the sky. The space itself shattered like glass, and when Aiden opened his eyes again, they had been transported back to Arhan's palace.
Sertia's divine form flickered faintly atop the crimson carpet.
Countless demons Aiden had slaughtered wailed in unison from the underground prison.
This was the relic's power. As long as its master Arhan remained unvanished, all souls who died within the divine authority would forever belong to the ruins.
"I'll share every fate with you."
Knowing this, Sertia had taken her own life.
If they're both spirits now, they can probably touch and embrace each other all they want. Aiden roughly understood her reasoning at that level and moved on. He didn't want to think deeper.
Seeing Sertia plunge the dagger into her own throat in the original story had left him utterly hollow.
That same shock was creeping up on him now.
"I wanted to give you a human life..."
Aiden approached Arhan, who stood dumbfounded in shock.
"Just be honest and happy, then hand over the indulgence."
Arhan's face twisted as he glared at Aiden. But he couldn't bring himself to get angry—Aiden was his benefactor.
The one who had brought him the moment he'd longed for. No matter how arrogant a hero Arhan was, he had at least that much conscience.
He simply let out a hollow laugh.
"Happy, you say. You've never loved anyone."
The word "love" stirred up memories Aiden had buried. Exactly one year ago—a moment filled with nothing but regret.
Self-loathing and vengeance briefly hardened Aiden's expression.
With a subtle smile, Arhan took out a parchment from his robe and handed it to Aiden.
"So you have loved. But it's already turned to hatred, gnawing at your heart."
"Maybe."
Aiden didn't bother denying it. Taking the parchment, he looked at Deril and Sian.
Sian was hugging her knees, biting back tears with her arms wrapped around herself.
She didn't want to show her scales and couldn't shed tears. Having witnessed Deril and Aiden's desperate struggle firsthand, expressing her own tragedy felt like a sin.
She stifled her sobs.
Aiden was unskilled at comforting or embracing others' hearts.
But he could solve the fundamental problem. The rest was up to them or Deril.
"I can cleanse the black blood flowing in your veins. So don't grieve."
Aiden unfolded the indulgence. Only then did Sian understand Kadak's words: "No matter what happens, follow the one chosen by Elohimderk. Even to the ruins. Understood?" Her master had already known she was a half-demon. Yet he'd taken her in. Her brother had shouldered the burden alone, and the paladin—who hated demons more than anyone—had shown mercy beyond measure.
"Sister Sistina and Priest Vandel too..."
Aiden nodded slowly. Sian could no longer hold back her tears.
Who would embrace a half-breed like this? They were filthy, ugly creatures no one would want near them.
Beings less dignified than livestock—that's what half-demons were.
Her emotions surged until her chest ached. Was she even worthy of such excessive grace? How could she ever repay the love they'd shown her and the paladin's blessing?
The debt felt like a chasm too deep to fill in a lifetime.
Sian couldn't think of any way to repay them. She could only bow her head deeply, repeating apologies and thanks.
Aiden wondered what to say, but nothing came to mind. He simply crouched to her level and patted her back.
"My lord, thank ye."
Deril also approached and knelt.
"Don't you start too. It's uncomfortable."
"I ain't some beast who can't tell gratitude from debt. Not even this kneelin' is enough. Please let me repay ye bit by bit."
Aiden's expression grew slightly complicated. Because he hadn't saved them purely out of altruism.
He wanted to quickly resolve the awkward situation. Unfolding the parchment, he began reading:
"'Vacheksar declares: The sins of ancestors pass to descendants, thus the later generations...' Tch. Enough."
Aiden didn't even finish one sentence before closing the parchment.
"Get the gist. Somehow, your sins are forgiven, so you qualify."
Deril chuckled.
The Aiden he'd seen was quite different from public perception.
A noble hero devoted to God?
It felt slightly off. He'd never once seen Aiden pray.
Unless others were watching, Aiden never even mentioned the word "god."
While other paladins invoked the divine in every sentence, Aiden didn't.
Sometimes he even said things bordering on blasphemy. Like now.
Aiden handed the dagger and parchment to Deril.
"Leave a blood seal at the bottom."
Deril nicked his finger with the dagger. Pressing the bloody print onto the parchment, he passed it to Sian.
"Do as Deril did."
Sian took it with trembling hands. Deril gently stroked his sister's hair.
"Surely ye ain't scared of a little blood, eh? Haha."
Sian slowly shook her head.
"Then go on."
She clenched her eyes shut and cut her fingertip.
After pressing her blood seal, she returned the parchment to Aiden.
"That concludes the procedure."
Simultaneously, the parchment emitted a radiant light. Strange characters crawled out, coiling around the siblings.
The brilliant glow burned away their black blood. Pain surged through their veins, twisting their expressions.
But the pain meant nothing. The freedom and liberation they'd longed for—they could now proudly call themselves human.
When the light finally faded, even Deril's eyes were red.
"The Church has officially pardoned you, with me as witness. I'll testify to your innocence. You're human now. Congratulations."
The reality they'd yearned for had arrived. Deril bowed deeply, as if hiding his face.
Behind them, the half-demon Sertia applauded with a smile.
"Congratulations, truly."
Aiden stepped toward the sobbing siblings.
"Get up now."
Only Deril's ragged breathing answered. After a brief silence, he finally looked up—his expression deadly serious.
"My lord, I ain't learned much, so I don't rightly know the will o' the gods. But I know exactly who I owe this debt to."
Deril clenched his fists as if steeling himself. Then he knelt on one knee and looked up at Aiden.
"This Deril offers his life and death to my lord."
He presented the dagger with both hands.
"Please accept it."
Paladins held the authority to knight individuals—provided they were worthy candidates.
After a moment's thought, Aiden accepted Deril's dagger.
"I'll just hold onto it. A commoner couldn't possibly meet the standards for knighthood. Even if I approved, the Church would reject it."
Deril grinned as he stood.
"My lord, by yer standards, I'm surely lackin'. But d'ye know what? I'm only eighteen. Been called a genius more times than I can count. Anyway, just watch. Ye'll acknowledge me someday."
"Fine. Work hard."
Aiden nodded, then looked at Sian.
The scales that had marred her skin were now gone.
"Sian, don't think of this as debt. I repaid you. Live for yourself."
Wiping her tears, Sian hesitantly spoke.
"...M-Master said I'd become an archmage. I-I'm not bragging! And Sister Sistina said I'd grow into a beauty. Sorry. I just... um..."
"True enough. But I meant you should live as you wish. You'll be respected wherever you go. If you want, I'll write a recommendation for the Imperial Magical Academy. Hone your talents there."
With Sian's talent and a paladin's recommendation, admission would be no issue—commoner or not.
Sian shook her head cautiously.
"Master said I'd have nothing to learn there..."
If Archmage Kadak said so, Sian's talent likely surpassed Aiden's imagination.
Of course, Aiden knew nothing of magic and couldn't judge its veracity.
He simply nodded.
"Fine. If you ever need anything, just ask."
With that, he approached Arhan.
"Give me the remaining relics."
"Hmph. Anyone would think I'm holding them for you."
"Not entirely wrong."
"Ha! You're so brazen it leaves me speechless."
Though visibly reluctant, Arhan had no choice. Aiden had passed the trial.
Clicking his tongue, he flicked his fingers.
A massive spear and a jeweled case materialized midair and dropped with a thud.
"The Holy Spear Gargantua. Forged from the White Beast King's rib. A 4.5-meter folding spear that extends infinitely based on your consecrated divine power—an anti-army weapon. I once extended it to 38 meters—"
Though Gargantua was indeed an extraordinary relic, the real treasure lay in that jeweled case.
Ignoring Arhan, Aiden slowly opened the case.
A smooth egg rested on crimson silk.
Aiden swallowed nervously.
"The seal breaks when it resonates with the trial's victor. It should hatch immediately."
Aiden knew this well.
This egg was why players repeatedly reset their accounts.
A unicorn—a one-horned beast that purifies demonic energy.
Or a pegasus—a celestial steed that flies through heavens.
One of the two would emerge, though Aiden already knew which he wanted. Of course, he'd accept whichever appeared.
He reached out.
The egg erupted in dazzling light.
Deril had never seen such an expression on Aiden's face before.