IYAMD 115

IYAMD 115

The fact that his life was nothing more than an experiment was deeply shocking. It felt as though every day he had lived until now was being denied. The truth the Archduke had spoken of was this?

The goddess, as the Archduke had warned, said that he had been nothing more than her puppet all along.

Marsilia, covering his face with his hands, let out a hollow laugh. His shoulders sagged as he chuckled weakly. The goddess, watching him silently, sighed.

“I have never denied your existence, my son. Your life should be respected as it is. I only saw potential in you, but I did not decide the path you would take. My son, you have lived as you wished, in your own way, haven’t you?”

“That’s not something someone who cleverly cornered me should say.” Marsilia sighed deeply and wiped his face.

“Will you deliver a prophecy? Shouldn’t you at least announce that you’re leaving this world?”

If the goddess withdrew her power and gave a prophecy, Marsilia would no longer be able to preserve his life. He had been completely forsaken by her, the emperor.

Isn’t it laughable? After struggling all this time, this was the end? The goddess gently spoke as if to comfort Marsilia.

“Why would I need to give a prophecy? I am speaking to you, my apostle and my son.”

Marsilia could no longer hear her words.

“Do as you wish. I no longer want to think about anything. You’re going to do as you want anyway, right? My opinion doesn’t matter.”

Marsilia said what he wanted to say and stood up. He no longer wanted to stay here, nor did he wish to continue looking at the goddess with the face of his mother.

However, there was one more thing, a matter he had momentarily forgotten in his shock.

Suppressing the anger in his chest, Marsilia asked the goddess, “Is there a way to lift Exion’s curse?”

The goddess shook her head with a sigh.

“Such a karma is not easy for even a god like me to bear. But there is one thing I can tell you. Your partner and you will no longer need divine power. So, don’t doubt him and trust him.”

Marsilia now completely let go of any remaining hope. He spoke flatly to the goddess.

“Please send me back now. To where my partner is waiting.”

He wanted to leave this place and clear his thoughts. Perhaps he even felt he should start over with his life.

The goddess lowered her gaze slightly before raising her eyes again. Marsilia, noticing the expression on her face, found it to be one that his mother used to make when troubled, and he swallowed a sigh.

“You have already completed thousands of days of prayer for me. You performed more than enough rituals to prove yourself to me. Remember that. And don’t forget this: I loved you in my own way, my child.”

Slowly, his vision blurred. As he closed his eyes in dizziness, he heard the goddess’s voice faintly.

“It was a joy to see your face again. Farewell, my son.”

Marsilia did not open his eyes. Even after realizing that he had returned to his original place, he didn’t want to open them.

Jaha witnessed the moment when the man, surrounded by light, rose. A huge pillar of light grew from his body, stretching towards the sky, and the light soon touched the clouds.

The man’s eyes, which had been closed, opened blankly at the same time, and his body lifted slightly.

Jaha, seeing his fully dilated pupils, moved his trembling legs [stolen content]to approach him. However, he couldn’t touch his body. He was afraid that, just like when he had a Qi deviation, his hand might harm the man.

The divine power flowing from the man didn’t stop and continued to swirl around him. It was probably safe now. He would wait. Jaha bit his lip, trying to calm his trembling heart.

Jaha gazed at the golden hair and unmoving eyes in the flow of divine power, waiting anxiously for any movement from him, hoping he would come to his senses and call for him.

After quite some time, the divine power that had reached the clouds began to lower slowly, eventually forming a sphere around his body. Soon after, the man, who had not been breathing, exhaled heavily.

As he fell from the air, Jaha caught him in his arms. Holding the trembling man’s face against his forehead, Jaha softly called his name.

“ Marsilia.”

After calling his name three or four times, light appeared in his blank eyes. However, that light soon turned into round droplets that fell endlessly like rain, towards the ground.

“Mar?”

At Jaha’s call, Marsilia twisted his face like a child. As he embraced Jaha’s shoulders, his large body trembled.

“Why are you like this?”

Though Jaha wanted to rub his back, he couldn’t move his hands since he was holding the man with both arms.

In a hurry, he returned to the lakeside, placed him on the ground, and finally held him as he cried.

Tears streamed from Marsilia’s face without sound. The hot tears from his cheeks spread across Jaha’s face, dripping down his chin like candle wax.

“Mar, Mar.”

Jaha held the crying man and repeatedly called his name.

“Look at me, Mar. Please, look at me.”

Jaha desperately blinked his sore eyes while holding the man’s body, who was crying endlessly.

“Don’t cry, Mar. Please.”

Who made this man cry like a child? Jaha thought of only one answer and glared ​Read on​at the star-filled sky.

Then suddenly, a commotion was felt. Without hesitation, Jaha picked up the still crying man. It seemed that people were gathering due to the divine power, so they had to leave. He couldn’t let anyone see the Emperor in such a state.

Jaha rushed through the darkness and returned to Marsilia’s bedroom. He placed him on the bed and inspected his wet face. Marsilia had stopped crying, but his eyes were still blurry.

He crawled up onto the bed and patted the empty space beside him, as if inviting Jaha to sit. Looking at the silent man, Jaha smiled softly, pulled the blanket back, and slid into the bed beside him.

Marsilia shifted his large frame and curled up against Jaha, pulling the blanket up to his neck, closing his eyes.

Jaha didn’t speak to him, allowing him to sleep. Instead, he gently patted the hunched shoulders, spending time quietly.

Marsilia didn’t move all night, whether he was truly asleep or pretending to sleep. Jaha pretended not to notice the slight trembling of his closed eyelids and quietly caressed his cheek.

Jaha wasn’t anxious, believing that once Marsilia had collected himself, he would talk to him. He only felt sorrow. Seeing the man, once so firm and mature, in such a fragile and pitiful state, made his heart ache.

He never wanted to see him cry again. Jaha sighed quietly, recalling faint memories that rose from the darkness.

“Don’t cry. Please. It’s driving me crazy.”

He remembered Marsilia’s voice whispering to him to not cry. Now, Jaha understood his feelings.

At dawn, when Jaha woke up after a brief nap, he looked around. Contrary to his worry, Marsilia was sitting right beside him. He ran his hand across his face and looked up at him.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, did you?”

Jaha grabbed his cheek and pulled him close, kissing the tear-streaked, swollen face.

It had been a long time since such a simple greeting felt so unfamiliar.

“I’m hungry.”

Marsilia suddenly spoke, and the two hurriedly got up. They called a servant, washed up, held hands, and headed to the dining room.

Marsilia was silent throughout the meal. Occasionally, when their eyes met, he gave a small smile, but ​unauthorized copy​for the most part, he was withdrawn. Jaha, not knowing what was on his mind, quietly waited for him to open up.

When they were almost done with the meal, Marsilia finally spoke.

“I have a lot to talk about, but I haven’t organized my thoughts yet. I need to call Serez and discuss some things, would you join me then?”

“I will.”

Jaha smiled quietly at his consideration. At least it seemed he hadn’t forgotten about their promise.

Marsilia sat with Serez and Jaha in his office. Where should he begin with yesterday’s conversation? After thinking about it all night, his mind still felt muddled, as if everything was a chaotic mess.

It seemed that the commotion from yesterday had reached Serez’s ears, as he was waiting with an unusually dry throat for Marsilia to speak.

After much thought, Marsilia let out a sigh and began to explain.

“I received a prophecy that the goddess’s power will soon run out. There isn’t much time left until her power disappears completely. It could be two generations, at most. Or it could be gone by the next generation.”

Marsilia’s quiet explanation was interrupted by Serez’s sigh. Marsilia, stolen contentgrateful that he didn’t interrupt, continued.

“There’s no guarantee that the monsters will disappear, so we need to prepare to survive with human strength. I’ll train new talent, focusing on combat magic. And… we need to urgently cultivate the knights as well. I’ll intensify their training. Of course, I’ll also be more proactive in recruiting new talent.”

Marsilia decided not to speak about the personal matters the goddess had caused. He resolved to tell Jaha separately when his heart had settled down.

There was no time to waste blaming the goddess and crying like a fool. It wouldn’t be surprising if the divine power disappeared at any moment, and preparing for the complete loss of the goddess’s power couldn’t wait any longer. The question was which was more important, and that was hard to decide.

However, Marsilia didn’t forget his position as the Emperor of this Empire. Even if he was became emperor by someone’s manipulation, he had been taught to fulfill his duties for life. So, he chose the most important task first. It wasn’t the time to melt away in sorrow or suppress his anger. Marsilia calmly discussed his plans with Serez.

He could do this because of the look in the eyes of the man beside him. Because of the voice that had been whispering to him since yesterday.

As long as he was by his side, it would be okay. Marsilia believed this and decided to find the path he needed to follow on his own.