Chapter 117

Laontel was asking Ser for help. She cried desperately as she held the necklace Ser had given her.

Laontel finally contacted Ser after a long time.

From Laontel’s words, Ser could more or less guess what had happened.

Phillip used the distorted power to spread a disease in the Imperial Palace. Many people lost their lives while he kept Ser in the dark and completely hid her presence.

Laontel didn’t forget her.

It was Phillip, not Laontel, who did those things.

Ser slumped to the ground, unable to overcome her shock.

“Why did you come out here, Ser?”

Suddenly, she heard a man’s voice.

She turned around and saw Phillip. He was back.

“Phillip, did you…did you kill the Crown Prince?”

Phillip stiffened up when Ser asked that question.

“How did you know?”

“Phillip…”

“Did you lie when you said you gave me everything? Did you hide some of your powers behind my back?”

 

Even though his bad deeds had been revealed, Phillip still didn’t ask for forgiveness.

Rather, he questioned Ser about her powers.

Ser pulled up her sleeves to reveal her arm.

“Phillip look at this.”

“What’s that?”

“I was punished because of you.”

At that moment, Phillip turned pale.

“If there was such a thing, you should’ve said it earlier!”

Is he worried about me?

Even in the midst of this situation, Ser still had such a thought.

But her expectations were soon shattered.

“Will that happen to me too?”

“…Don’t worry. This punishment is only given to me.”

“I see.”

Phillip sighed.

Ser couldn’t find any sense of anxiety or apology towards her.

She realized Phillip’s true nature.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t let him go.

When the Emperor and Rakshul died, Phillip took Ser back to the capital city.

He didn’t abandon her even though she was ill. For that alone, Ser was very grateful.

When Ser returned, she apologized to Laontel.

“Sorry Laon. I’m sorry. I didn’t know what happened to Rakshul. I’m sorry. It’s my fault…”

She made excuses because she was afraid Laontel would hate her if she knew the truth.

“I’m sorry Laon. I’m so sorry. Do you hate me? You hate me, don’t you? I’m sure you do. I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t hate you. I’m glad you’re back.”

Laontel gave her a hug.

‘She probably doesn’t know what’s happening.’

Phillip ascended the throne and kept Ser out of everyone’s sight.

Ser’s body was covered in black soot.

However, Phillip didn’t say anything about her.

The one Phillip actually liked was Laontel. He had only used Ser to gain the power of light.

Upon learning the fact, Ser told Laontel the truth. She even said that Rakshul’s death was her fault.

Nevertheless, Laontel sided with her.

It was only then that Ser realized.

Laontel was the only one who had been sincere to her.

Phillip had used her from the start to finish.

He approached her and asked her to marry him just to take her powers.

He even killed innocent people including Rakshul just to have Laontel and become the Emperor.

Phillip was evil. Actually, Ser had known it for a long time. She had felt it before, but she couldn’t just stop loving Phillip.

However, it was already too late to stop Phillip. Laontel had been locked up in the Empress’ Palace.

Soon, Ser would die in return for the sins Phillip had committed.

But Phillip only focused on Laontel and didn’t even spare a glance for her.

The only way Ser could survive was if she abandoned her human body, regained her powers and punished Phillip for his sins.

But Ser hesitated.

Even after all of that, she wasn’t ready to let go of Phillip.

Yet, when Phillip tried to force Laontel to marry him, she couldn’t stand it.

Was it because of their friendship that she tried to protect Laontel?

Or was it mere jealousy?

Ser couldn’t even tell why.

She went to find Laontel in the Empress’ Palace.

Laontel gladly returned the blessing of light she received from Ser.

Far from thinking about curing Ser’ wounds, Phillip was actually hoping that Ser would die soon.

Laontel was her only friend.

She was her friend from the beginning and she was the only one whom Ser could trust.

“She’s my only friend, Laon.”

I will get rid of Phillip and save Laontel. Ser headed towards Phillip right away.

She gathered all the strength that she received.

No matter how much Phillip learned about the powers, he couldn’t match up to a goddess’ skills.

As soon as Ser tried to kill him, Phillip shouted.

“I love you!”

“……”

The sudden confession made her hesitate.

“Ser, I love you. I was so powerless compared to you, a goddess. That’s why I did it. I made a mistake, but I wanted you to be proud of me. So please don’t be angry.”

Phillip begged while holding Ser’s hands.

Ser foolishly believed Phillip’s words again.

And at that moment, a sharp sword pierced her stomach.

***

Phillip tried to kill Ser. He stabbed her and tried to burn her alive.

But Ser couldn’t even attack him.

Phillip was strong, but the goddess was even stronger. She was very surprised at that time.

‘Phillip tried to kill me. There was no hesitation when he put the sword to my stomach.’

As Ser struggled to attack, Phillip looked down at her with a contemptuous gaze.

The black spots on Ser’s body disappeared when she attacked Phillip, but she was left with burn scars now.

“You’re hideous now. So it’s better for you to just die!”

Phillip shouted as he pushed the sword into her stomach yet again.

“Die! Die now! You monster!”

“……”

“Even if you don’t die, I can seal you. I’ll make you live in the darkness forever! You’ll be gone forever!”

Phillip offered her as a sacrifice to his citizens. He took away Ser’s powers and sealed her in the valley of chaos.

Ser was stuck in that place, alone and powerless.

At this rate, Phillip would completely suck her powers dry.

Just before Ser was put to death, she sent her last remaining powers to Laontel.

“Laon, save me. Save me!”

Sealed in the door of darkness, Ser asked Laontel for help everyday.

She was in constant pain, confined to that small space surrounded by a blazing fire.

But Laontel didn’t save her.

Ser looked at the world through the power of light that she gave to Laontel.

But she couldn’t see Laontel.

Did Phillip do this?

She thought he did it. Just like back then, when he blocked her from the outside world.

‘I have to get out of here somehow.’

Ser gathered her remaining powers and left a message on Phillip’s children as she pondered over how to do it.

Even though he was a cold-hearted man, he would surely have a soft spot for his own children.

He would unseal Ser so that she could erase the sentences on his child’s body.

[I am the goddess of light. I was deceived by Phillip. I was deprived of my powers and confined in the valley of chaos. He has committed numerous sins. He used the power of light to kill countless people.]

But Phillip’s actions were beyond her expectations.

When he was in danger of being found out, he mercilessly killed his own children.

‘What should I do now?’

She hesitated. Even if she left another message, Phillip would kill the child again.

She couldn’t sacrifice an innocent child.

‘But it’s Phillip’s son! He killed me! It was Phillip who locked me and Laon! He even killed his own children! Why do I need to hesitate? Why should I feel guilty? Phillip needs to be stopped!’

Ser kept leaving the messages on Phillip’s children’s bodies.

Did he see the message?

One day, Laontel finally reached out to her.

“Ser, where are you? I’ll come over to you. Where are you now?”

Laontel said she would come and save her.

Ser had high expectations of her.

But Laontel lied.

Laontel didn’t come to save her after all.

Serphania had been abandoned by everyone now.

“Laon! Laon, where are you? Laon…?”

Ser liked Laontel.

As her only friend, she called Laontel by her nickname, Laon.

But now she hated Laon for monopolizing Phillip’s heart and never called her by her nickname again.

“Laontel! Laontel, please save me!”

Over the years, Ser started to call her Laontel instead.

Ser hated Laontel. She resented Laontel for not saving her.

Still, Laontel was all she had now.

Stuck in the endless darkness with burning flames surrounding her on all sides, Ser never stopped calling out Laontel’s name.

The power of light that Ser gave to Laontel and Phillip had now been passed down to the descendants of Bellacian family and the heir to the curse.

Ser tried to reach them. But the descendant’s powers were too weak to even hear Ser’s voice.

It was the same with the heir to the curse.

Perhaps because of the pain, they couldn’t even hear Ser’s voice.

Ser felt guilty and distressed when she saw them dying in pain. But as time went by, only her resentment and hatred remained.

‘Does it hurt? But I’ve experienced even worse pain! I can’t even die. Don’t whine and cry! It’s disgusting!’

She had to fight all by herself. Even though she managed to open a bit of a gap on the door of darkness, Phillip’s descendant once again sealed her inside.

‘I’m going to kill them. I’m going to destroy everything! I will destroy everything Phillip has, including his empire!’

For a thousand years, Ser’s heart was filled with anger and disappointment.

Then one day, Laontel appeared.

“Laon! It’s me, I’m here!”

Laontel, my friend came here.

My only friend.

The moment Ser felt her presence, a thousand years worth of resentment suddenly vanished.

But no matter how much she shouted, Laontel couldn’t hear Ser.

“Laontel, listen to me. Laontel!”