Chapter 239
A dying scream echoed through the air.
Adela collapsed to the floor, separated by an unreachable pane of glass.
She didn’t want to see it.
But she couldn’t look away.
“Han Siha!”
She called his name, over and over, until her voice was hoarse and only a faint breath escaped her lips.
This was pure torment, a cruel display of overwhelming power.
Adela watched as Han Siha fell, shattered, and was torn apart right before her eyes.
At first, she was furious at Abaddon.
But that anger soon gave way to despair.
Adela knelt at the edge of the barrier, begging for it to break.
She wished Abaddon would just take the cubes and be done with it.
No matter what he did with them, it didn’t matter anymore.
But even as she screamed at the top of her lungs, Abaddon didn’t leave that room.
He intended to break Han Siha’s spirit while he still had life in his eyes.
To unbind the cubes, he had to crush Han Siha’s will.
All Adela could do was watch, helpless, unable to do anything. Not a single thing.
Adela wiped her tear-streaked face with her sleeve.
Her sanity had long since frayed.
Once more, she slammed her fists against the barrier, crying out in anguish.
“Aaaahhhh!”
It was a fate she couldn’t escape, like a moth drawn to a flame.
Adela hated how desperate she looked but couldn’t bring herself to stop.
Thud.
Adela struck the glass with all her strength.
She wanted to shatter the barrier that trapped Han Siha.
She wanted to bring Abaddon to his knees.
“Please… just this once….”
Thud.
Thud.
With each desperate strike, she poured every ounce of her magic into her efforts.
Thud.
Thud.
The pain was excruciating, her bones felt like they were shattering.
It was the price she paid for burning through her magic recklessly.
But the barrier didn’t budge.
She knew it was futile, but she gritted her teeth and pushed herself up once more.
Then, a mocking voice cut through the silence.
“You know, that barrier won’t break just because you keep hitting it.”
Abaddon finally emerged from the room, looking at her with amusement.
Adela turned her pale face towards him.
Abaddon, drenched in blood that wasn’t his own, shrugged casually.
Adela’s eyes were filled with hatred, knowing exactly whose blood stained his body.
“You bastard…”
“Weren’t you just begging me to spare him not too long ago? Change your mind already?”
“….”
Adela clenched her trembling hands behind her back.
Just facing Abaddon terrified her.
But she couldn’t show that fear.
She stared at him with her bloodshot eyes, refusing to back down.
“I offered you a simple deal. Have Han Siha release the cubes, tell me where they are, and I’ll let you both live.”
“…Lies.”
She didn’t believe him.
Adela gritted her teeth, forcing out the words.
“You… you’ll just kill him anyway.”
There was no reason for Abaddon to keep Han Siha alive.
Even if he had no personal vendetta, sparing him would only leave a threat in the future.
Knowing that, Adela couldn’t trust a single word Abaddon said.
“You won’t let him live, not Han Siha!”
Adela’s voice was filled with despair.
She knew there was no way out.
She knew Han Siha was going to die.
She knew that handing over the cubes was the only rational choice.
But she couldn’t bear it.
“Why should I… give them to you?”
Adela glared at Abaddon, her voice trembling.
“If we’re going to die anyway, why should I make it easy for you? Why should I do anything that benefits you? What did you want so badly that you went this far? Why… why… do I have to…”
Tears streamed down Adela’s cheeks.
“Why do I have to watch him die…?”
“Maybe dying would be better.”
Abaddon sneered at her, his voice cold.
“You still don’t get it, do you? Did you not see clearly from where you were standing?”
Abaddon seized Adela’s wrist.
She instinctively tried to pull away, but he was too strong.
He dragged her through the barrier she had so desperately tried to break, throwing her into the room with Han Siha.
“See for yourself.”
* * *
A warm touch reached me.
Like someone gently stroking my hair.
A distant, comforting sensation in the midst of all the pain.
It roused me from my fog of agony.
Slowly, I forced my heavy eyelids open.
“Han Siha… why… are you like this….”
Plop.
Tears that weren’t mine fell onto my cheeks.
I leaned my head back against the wall, gasping for breath.
“Haa… haa….”
Through my blurred vision, the face I had thought was a hallucination came into focus.
Adela’s swollen eyes stared down at me, her face twisted in grief.
I didn’t want her to see me like this.
“This… isn’t right….”
Ugh.
I swallowed hard, meeting Adela’s gaze.
Her eyes were filled with a sense of profound loss.
And beyond her, I could hear Basilus, bound and struggling, crying out in despair.
“Uwooo….”
He was howling in pain, blaming himself for failing to protect his tamer.
Adela gently stroked my hair and spoke in a shaky voice.
“The others… they’re waiting for us.”
I told them not to come.
I knew we couldn’t fight Abaddon, knew that if anyone died here, it should be just the two of us.
That’s why I tried to keep them away.
But Adela couldn’t bring herself to say any of that.
“We can still win this. Even if we have to hand over the cubes… we can just fight again and win… so let’s… let’s just give them up.”
Abaddon had been right.
Seeing me up close had broken her resolve.
Seeing me barely clinging to consciousness, unable to even keep my eyes open, was too much for her.
Adela pleaded, unable to bear it.
“Please, just tell him…”
Her voice shook with desperation, but I slowly shook my head.
“Don’t trust him. He won’t… let me live.”
I struggled to form the words, my lips barely moving.
Thud.
I shook off Adela’s hand, which was gripping mine tightly.
It was practically my last will as the person in charge.
Abaddon wouldn’t leave this place, even to keep me bound.
That it wasn’t too late for you.
So, please.
“It’s an order. Run away.”
* * *
Adela didn’t move an inch.
She just stared at me with empty eyes.
I didn’t expect her to listen, but she really doesn’t listen at all.
I chuckled bitterly and muttered.
“I said it was an order. Is it just nonsense because I’m the heir of a ruined estate?”
“Why… Why are you so selfish?”
A tearful voice questioned me.
“What am I supposed to do?”
Clear tears fell from Adela’s eyes.
I couldn’t wipe them away with my hands like this.
All I could do was silently watch Adela as she struggled to speak.
“I can’t trust anything. You’re the only thing I can trust here… No, I don’t need the Cube or anything!”
Adela glared at me, gritting her teeth.
“I told you not to trust that person. I told you that even if you get the Cube, he’ll definitely kill you, didn’t I?”
“…”
“And yet. I’m clinging to that slim possibility. That person might show a little mercy and keep you alive… That ridiculous possibility. Because this is all I can do.”
“Adela, absolutely not.”
“I… I don’t care if the world collapses. I just need you.”
“Adela! Adela…!”
Adela suddenly stood up.
I struggled and called out her name.
“Adela!”
It’s madness.
Betting the world on such an absurd possibility.
How insane can that be?
Even knowing this, Adela took out a Cube from her subspace bag.
It was something I had entrusted to her, fearing Abaddon might snatch it.
The Void Cube burned brightly, shining as if it were on fire.
Seeing the Cube, Abaddon’s eyes flashed with interest.
Adela held the Cube in her trembling hand and spoke.
“The other one is hidden somewhere only I know. If Han Siha releases the binding, I’ll return it. Keep your promise.”
Abaddon snatched the Cube with a sly smile.
Then, he shook it in front of me.
“You heard that?”
He spat out the words in a cold, commanding tone.
“Release the binding.”
“Unfortunately, that wasn’t part of any agreement with me… Ugh!”
“So goddamn talkative.”
Thud—.
Abaddon spewed curses and kicked me hard.
His kick, imbued with magical power, barely registered on my already broken body.
Instead, it was Adela whose face turned ghostly pale.
“What are you doing! You promised!”
Adela tried to stop Abaddon, grabbing onto him.
Abaddon grabbed her and threw her to the ground with no effort.
With a displeased look, he spoke in a chilling voice.
“There are two Cubes left. Judging by how you hid one, you never intended to cooperate with me.”
“What… What are you talking about?”
“If things go south, I might just kill both of you and go find the remaining Cube.”
With his staff pointed at Adela’s head, Abaddon slowly approached me.
“Consider this a warning. This is your last chance. Release the binding.”
Abaddon commanded as he pressed down hard on my bound hands.
Crack.
As my bones screamed in agony, I struggled desperately to break free from Abaddon’s grip.
“Ugh… Ugh….”
I had resolved to die, but I wanted to live.
“Aaaagh!”
Even knowing that the moment I released the binding, that staff would crush my skull.
Even then, the sweet temptation was enough to make me waver.
I wanted to live.
“Damn it.”
It’s not fair.
I wasn’t fighting for some grand, noble cause.
I was just struggling to live a little longer.
I only wished this shitty world with its predestined bleak ending wouldn’t collapse.
Something trickled down my cheek.
“Hah… Hah….”
I glared at him with bloodshot eyes, breathing heavily.
They say when you’re on the verge of death, your life flashes before your eyes like a lantern show.
But in my past life, and in this one too.
It seems I’m not a particularly sentimental person when facing death.
Not a single flashback crossed my mind.
Instead, a final possibility surfaced.
I twisted my body and looked up at Abaddon.
“Now that I think about it… I don’t want to die like this…”
‘What, do you think you’re the King of Kobolds or something?’
What I once thought was just a coincidence.
I know the potential of my abilities.
Even within this barrier that completely suppresses magic, I was born with the power to communicate without it.
Approaching death, I can feel it.
Those who squirm on the ground, empathizing with my pain.
Those who are crying, hoping for my survival.
The indescribable feeling I had when I first pulled the kobolds from the underground swept over my entire body.
They would want me to live.
They would want to save me.
And more desperately than back then, my words carried power now.
“Help me.”
At my plea, Basilus perked up his ears.
Crack.
My bones screamed again, but I staggered and slowly stood up.
“It’s not too late….”
They’re coming closer.
Even if Abaddon can’t feel it, I know.
They’re coming to help me.
Because,
I coughed up blood and spoke with great difficulty.
“I am your King….”
“And your God.”
“And your master.”
So….
“Save me.”
As I gritted my teeth and uttered my final words.
The ground began to quake.
Boom.
Boom.
The barrier that seemed like it would never break started to shake.
The entire underground chamber began to tremble as if it were about to collapse.
Boom.
“Ack!”
Adela knocked Abaddon’s hand away in shock.
Even Abaddon, who had been gripping his staff, had shock written all over his face.
“What… What is that?”
I slowly raised my head.
“…”
Countless black dots filled the underground cavern, advancing toward us.