Chapter 42: That Which Cannot Be Inherited (8)

To reverse a body corrupted by miasma, an equivalent sacrifice must be made.

Selene’s words struck deeply into the Hero’s heart.

After the events at the fortress, I vowed to defeat the Demon Lord without anyone’s sacrifice.

Yet, if saving Sera requires a sacrifice, what could I possibly do? No matter how much I pondered, there was no answer.

Even though she had little time left, Selene was one of the Five Heroes who gave everything to save this world in the past.

To demand another sacrifice from someone like her felt unbearably cruel.

“…And yet, I said nothing.”

The wedding ceremony was fast approaching.

A queen cannot idly waste time.

Watching Selene leave, the Hero couldn’t hide his guilt.

It was wrong. I had vowed not to sacrifice anyone.

And yet, Selene volunteering herself brought me a sense of relief.

That was how much Sera’s existence had grown within me.

Saint Sera was nothing less than a savior to Hero Kim Su-hyun.

Pathetic.

In the end, I was just a selfish human.

Wasn’t I the useless Hero Sera had spoken of? That thought crossed my mind.

“Princess and Hero, please step forward to the altar.”

The palace was bustling with people.

Amidst them, Selene presided over the wedding ceremony.

The ceremony was to mix the Hero’s blood, chosen by the gods, with the blood of the Dragonkin, cursed by the gods, to neutralize it.

It was a solemn event, proceeding in complete silence without idle chatter.

It was only natural.

Though warm within, Selene outwardly exuded the majesty befitting a queen.

There wasn’t a soul foolish enough to act disrespectfully before one of the Heroes of 300 years ago.

“Let’s go.”

“Alright…”

With the Hero’s signal, Laura carefully walked to the altar.

Despite being bound by a contract, the two beautiful figures appeared like a pair of fated lovers.

Step by cautious step, Laura walked carefully, her long dress dragging on the ground.

Her flushed face drew the eyes of all gathered in the hall.

Before long, the two reached the altar.

“Whatever trials come, you two shall be one. Never forget this.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Understood.”

Without hesitation, the two answered in unison.

Selene gazed at them with satisfaction.

Three hundred years ago, the Hero’s tale had ended in tragedy.

As befitting one chosen by the gods, he was upright and righteous, never retreating, even when corrupted by miasma.

In the end, he relinquished all his power and memories of this world to return to his original one.

The Saint had secretly loved that Hero, and Selene, who had supported them both, could only feel regret.

So, for the newly summoned Hero, she wanted to ensure happiness.

Alongside her mission to reclaim the Dragonkin’s original form through divine forgiveness, her heart had been captured by the Hero and the Saint.

“Well then. Today, here in Ederne, you two have proven worthy of sharing blood.”

At Selene’s gesture, Fran carefully approached, carrying a white vessel.

The sickly queen had entrusted most of the potions and spells to Fran, who, for today, bore a rare serious expression as she stood before the Hero.

The Hero received the vessel and stared at the crimson liquid within, glancing briefly at Laura.

Her horns and fangs had grown larger than when they were in the capital.

Ancestor Regression awakened the Dragon’s blood and caused loss of rationality, reminding him painfully that there wasn’t much time left.

“Please, accept it.”

Drinking this potion would conclude their business in Ederne.

The Hero’s party would survive, but Selene would not.

That knowledge gave him pause, but there was no turning back.

Taking a sip, he emptied the vessel.

The world seemed to shift, something familiar yet alien stirring within him.

“Finally drank it, didn’t you?” Fran whispered quietly to the Hero.

“Fran! How dare you speak so disrespectfully!”

Ignoring Selene’s admonishment, Fran continued with a condescending gaze.

“That potion strengthens the Enchanted Eyes. But since you haven’t used them properly in so long, a little adjustment was necessary.”

“Stop. Do not take another step. If you defy my command…”

Selene raised her staff, embedded with a black crystal, and aimed it at Fran.

Though no mana was felt, there was no doubt in her voice.

Should Fran show any suspicious intent, a dozen spells would activate immediately.

But that warning also betrayed Selene’s lingering affection.

“Your Majesty, you should’ve acted without warning. Why treat others’ lives so preciously while disregarding your own? Ku-huhut. Surprised? But this is all the Hero’s fault, isn’t it? That selfish desire to sacrifice others! If not for that, none of this would have happened.”

The potion hadn’t been consumed by the Hero alone. Laura, too, was unwell.

Whether Selene could stop Fran or whether Fran could kill Laura first—there was no need to deliberate.

“What is your goal? Who are you working with? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten your duty.”

“Ku-huhut, of course not. How could I lie before Your Majesty? To reclaim the glory of the Dragonkin—that is our mission.”

Never had Selene suspected Fran might be plotting such a thing.

Their ultimate goals were the same: to reclaim the grandeur of the Dragonkin.

Fran’s words were not lies, only their methods differed.

“God does not intervene in this world anymore.

Disappointed by the three races they created—Elves, Dragons, and Humans—they abandoned us.

Even if we help the Hero and Saint, the Dragonkin will never be forgiven.”

Fran’s words, as countless soldiers appeared, were chilling.

“Your Majesty, you don’t need to sacrifice yourself. No more should we serve humans. Because divine punishment? It can be overcome!”

With those words, Fran began to transform.

Her blue scales gleamed like ice, and her massive wings whipped up icy winds.

She had become a dragon, the masterpiece among all creations, towering above all other beings.

“Curses and blessings are fundamentally the same. Dark magic is our only salvation. Ku-huhut! Ahahaha! To regain this form, the joy is indescribable! This is what we have always desired!”

Fran was able to converse without issue, perfectly controlling her transformed body.

The reason so many Dragonkin soldiers sided with Fran was clear.

If returning to their original dragon forms didn’t require divine forgiveness, then there was no reason to assist humans either.

“Ow, that stings a little.”

Fran laughed for a while after casting a silence spell on Selene.

But her laughter ceased when she felt something scrape against her body.

Her scales, tougher than any metal, were supposed to be impenetrable.

Realizing that it was a sword that had struck her, Fran turned her gaze toward the Hero.

Though barely able to maintain his composure, the Hero had somehow risen to his feet and drawn his sword.

“Haa, haa… Tell me, what’s your goal?”

“Hmm, are you really asking because you don’t know? I’m sure I mentioned it—your Enchanted Eyes have been strengthened.”

“You…”

“It’s fine. I’m not like you, who assumes everyone else’s sacrifice is natural. I don’t intend to kill you all. I just think it wouldn’t hurt for you to surrender to your instincts for a bit.”

From the moment the potion was consumed, the Hero’s Enchanted Eyes began emanating a power stronger than ever.

Fran smiled mischievously as she reminded him of this.

She didn’t intend to kill the Hero’s party—just to ensure he lost control over his eyes completely.

As Diana had suggested, it was unclear if the Hero, who couldn’t properly handle the Enchanted Eyes, could bear their full power.

It felt like toying with a lab rat, a game Fran found utterly delightful.

“Oh, stay still, would you?”

Fran extended a claw to scratch Laura’s cheek.

A thin trickle of blood ran down her pale skin. Natalia, who had been inching closer with her sword drawn, gritted her teeth in frustration at being unable to act.

With Laura held hostage, there was nothing Natalia could do. Both Laura and the Hero were precious comrades.

“Dark magic… Why ally yourself with the demons?”

“Hmm? I haven’t allied with any demons. I don’t even know any.”

“Then why are you doing this?”

“Ku-huhut. Imagine a baby without the strength to protect itself playing with a sharp knife. No responsible adult would stand by and let that happen, right? It’s the same thing. A superior race like the Dragons should govern humans—it’s salvation.”

“Nonsense…”

“Whether it’s nonsense or not, you’ll find out soon enough. I’ll become the new queen of Ederne, restructure the army, and wage war against humanity. Until then, you’ll all stay locked up here.”

Clang—

In the dim, lightless space, a sound drew everyone’s attention.

The noise seemed to pull all focus toward it.

“What’s this…?”

“Yeah, I get it. You’re not on the same side. But honestly, neither of you is worth much from my perspective.”

The source of the sound was none other than Sera.

She had appeared, breathing heavily, carrying a basket full of bottles of holy water blessed with sacred energy.

“Is that you, Sera? Did you enjoy last night? Thanks to the Hero’s Enchanted Eyes, things went so smoothly—”

“If there is no sin, it shall not burn. But if it does, it marks heresy. Fear not, for those anointed by the divine shall prevail!”

Sera’s voice cut Fran off sharply.

Whatever schemes Fran was plotting, strengthening the Enchanted Eyes was unacceptable.

A few soldiers tried to stop Sera, but she had already flung the holy water.

The sacred flames erupted, burning anything tainted with miasma.

For Fran, who had dabbled in dark magic under Diana’s tutelage, the holy fire was a critical weakness.

“Argh… This is too much… Sister…”

Fran writhed in agony, her body consumed by the flames.

Seeing Fran’s pain, Sera, alarmed, quickly extinguished the flames.

“Damn… That was unbearably hot.”

Sera’s fingertips were scorched. Experiencing the pain firsthand, she instinctively suppressed her sacred energy.

In hindsight, it was inevitable.

The miasma sealed within her body meant that igniting the sacred flames was akin to a self-immolating attack.

For someone unaware of her body’s nature, the situation seemed incomprehensible.

“Sera! Your hands…!”

This girl had no fear of death, it seemed. Watching Sera ignite the flames without hesitation, the Hero felt deeply unsettled.

What if Fran had lost her mind completely? She could have incinerated herself along with the miasma and the Demon Lord’s power.

Sera’s unyielding kindness had prevented the worst outcome.

But once this incident was resolved, the aftermath was all too predictable.

“Ku-huhut. Your Majesty, Saint—while you’re busy worrying about me, shouldn’t you be more concerned about yourselves?”

“…What?”

“Sister, haven’t you forgotten something? The spell isn’t finished yet…”

Perhaps it was the memory of their prior encounter.

Though she had risked everything with her sacred flames, Sera extinguished them quickly after seeing Fran in pain.

Smiling at the memory, Fran completed her spell.

Now that she had regained her draconic form, fear was no longer an issue.

Yet, the holy flames had been a severe threat, one she hadn’t expected.

She had hoped the Hero would corrupt and break Sera for her.

But this life-risking act of defiance wasn’t something she had anticipated.

“Until Diana finishes her work, stay here and play along, Sister Sera.”

“No!”

As Sera was pulled into the dark void, the Hero grabbed her hand, refusing to let go.

Together, they vanished completely into the shadowy space.

Watching them disappear, Fran smiled quietly.