Chapter 210: [210] The Saintess Can’t Believe Her Eyes; Who Are You?!
Chapter 210: The Saintess Can't Believe Her Eyes; Who Are You?!
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"How I returned is a long story," I announced, standing straight with my sword dug into the ground, my hands resting at its hilt. "What's important is that I am here now. And all otherworldly enemies will meet their end by my blade."
My Sage's presence was humming in the air throughout this speech, these mortals could feel the genuineness of my promise on a spiritual level.
The crowd before me was massive, stretching as far as the eye could see. Thousands of people from a myriad of races had gathered in the grand city center of Thalindra. Their faces were a mix of awe, hope, and sentiment. They had read the news article, heard the whispers, and now saw the return of the legend with their own eyes.
The Legendary Hero Seriphoth, me, stood before them on a platform with a holy sword at hand. The martial arts technique, Shades of a Thousand Face, helped me change my hair and eye colors. I was also adorned with clothes I hadn't worn in a million years.
Behind me stood Elara and Sieran, their presence was a silent support to my words. They too listened to my words with unyielding faith.
"I know these times have been hard," I continued, my voice steady and clear. Even amid the needless music my shy Icon played in the sky, my voice was loud. "I know you have faced despair and darkness. The demons have spread chaos, bought by the outer gods, they have sought to claim our world as their own. However, for months, you did not falter. You did not bend. You did not break." I took in a deep breath, smiling at the crowd. "I thank you for holding on for so long. Worry not any further, for I'll take the baggage from here on out."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. Their eyes, filled with a mix of hope and fear that even I would fail, were glued to me. They needed this, a beacon of light in the overwhelming darkness, but it seemed these words alone weren't enough.
"When I fought the Demon King centuries ago, I did it not for glory, but for peace. I did it for all of you." I let out a burst of Qi, calculated precisely for both civilians and fighters; they all felt on the verge of collapsing, they could feel the depth of my power for a brief moment. "And now, once more, I take up my sword to defend this world. The goddesses have bought friends from afar, and with their help, we will drive these invaders back to the abyss from whence they came."
I could feel the resolve in the crowd strengthening now, their spirits lifting with every word. Feeling my presence, the weight of my soul, they could believe in me better. They believed in the legend that had returned to save them once again.
"Forests have become deserts, and deserts have hollowed out in the last few months. But know this," I said, my voice rising. My aura darkened with killing intent, and this time it wasn't even a show, it was true rage. "The blood of our enemies will be water to the fields, and the cries of their defeat will echo in the halls of their forsaken gods. We will reclaim our world, and we will do it together. For Thalindra… for Pangeal!"
A thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd, their voices a roar of pride and defiance. How could they let themselves be swept in by some stupid invaders? Now that their Hero was back, who would stop their salvation? The sound echoed through the city, reverberating off the walls and reaching the heavens.
I raised my sword high, symbolizing our collective strength, as it let out a brilliant dark light illuminating the entire city.
…..
The echoes of the cheers began to fade in the background as Elara, Sieran, and I made our way back to the castle. Getting off the carriage after passing the castle gate, we saw a group of dwarves already at work, reconstructing the parts of the castle that had been destroyed during our battle last night.
Their efficiency and skill were remarkable, with a great portion of the damage being repaired at an impressive pace. The modern dwarves' Construction Magic was quite impressive, as it derived from their Ancestor, Thorin Stoneforge, my old friend. He has passed away out of old age, dwarves typically live around 350 years.
At least he should be in Valhalla. I noted with a sensation of happiness. Barolt, on the other hand, was in heaven. As a Demi-God, he could choose to be anywhere, so he often traveled from heaven to Valhalla, and even to hell, depending on his mood. That's what my Goddess told me, which hadn't surprised me one bit, knowing him.
In front of the door of the castle, I stopped for a moment, the two women beside me stopped as well.
"I should reach out to the three groups now," I said, breaking the silence. "It's about time we perform the final act. Sieran, can you prepare two Light Message Orbs?"
"Two? Aren't there three groups?" Sieran asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Ah, yes, but," I looked away from her and gazed at the sky, pointing with my chin. "One of the groups is already here, so there is no need to notify them."
Hundreds of kilometers away, my Jade Perception caught on the presence of a magnificent flying serpent. Along with Quetzalcoatl, I could feel a long-unseen familiar presence too.
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[Third Person Point of View]
Saintess Seraphina whistled atop the dragon's back as they neared Thalindra. The large city looked to be in a much better state than the other cities around the world. Understandably so, when the strongest mortal resided here.
However, even so, today seemed to be a good day for Thalindra. It was decorated as if to welcome an Emperor, however the person they were welcoming was far more important than a mere Emperor.
"We're here," Quetzalcoatl's loud voice declared, her wings slowing down its flaps, as the wind caused the city to tremble. A lot of people were staring at the sky in awe and fear, but none seemed to be as scared as one should be.
When the Hero was in the city, what was there to fear?
"I'll be going down first," Saintess Seraphina said, jumping off from the dragon's back. "I'll calm the crowd, and you guys will get to enter right afterward."
The Saintess fell from hundreds of meters in the sky, landing before the city gate with an immense thud. The ground below her exploded, creating a crater, and when the dust cleared, she appeared unharmed, dusting off her robes.
"T-the Saintess!" The guards who were holding their spears forward shouted in shock, quickly lowering their weapons. "O' Saintess, is that d-dragon friendly?!"
Seraphina could understand their shock. It was a fucking dragon, after all, and not a type anyone in this world had seen before. Built like an eastern dragon, it had wings and colorful rainbow feathers. It looked as divine as it looked scary.
"A Dragon Goddess," Seraphina said, "that is what she is. She's a friend our Goddess has bought from another world. Be sure not to be disrespectful, treat her like how you would our own goddess."
"I-incredible!" The guards were stunned. If anyone else said to treat a person how they would treat their Goddess, they'd be burnt at the stake, but since the Saintess was the one speaking, they had no choice but to believe and obey.
"W-what world is she from?"
"Yes, is she the same as the outer gods…?"
"Now, now," the Saintess scowled and clapped her hands. Wind blasted from her hands, sending some of the guards flying by that simple gesture. "Don't say things that'll be considered disrespectful. Open the gates, and inform the castle that I'm here with important guests. Tell that bitch Elara to come and greet us herself."
The guards flinched hearing their duchess be titled as 'bitch' but didn't dare point it out. After all, despite being the Goddess' envoy, Saintess Seraphina was well known for her foul mouth. No other Saintess had shown such flaws in their personalities, and yet she was the Saintess with the strongest connection to the Goddess. It was truly a miraculous mystery.
"Ah, unfortunately," someone dared to speak, all eyes turned to the gate that slowly opened. A white-haired maid walked through, and the glares quickly shifted away from her. It was Anoria, maid of Elara. "Lady Elara can't come here. Because he's not in the city right now."
"What?" Seraphina was surprised. She rubbed the back of her head, "How?"
Anoria smiled, her next words surprising Seraphina even further. "She finally decided to step onto the battlefield, Lady Sieran took her to the frontlines a few hours ago. Her spear must be clearing a hundred demon heads per second as we speak. She'll only return after she deals with the Outer God of the South Pole."
"W-what?!" Seraphina was happy that her old friend was finally moving against the demons, but it also got her worried. "She'll end up dead if she fights the Demon God on her own! Even if Sieran is there"
"Ah, you'll be joining her tomorrow on the battlefield," Anoria said, "so she wouldn't be alone."
"Why tomorrow? Why not right now?" The ones in the sky had waited enough as they began to drop one by one. Quetzalcoatl also dropped, letting out a laugh as she spoke, "I would love to go fight some phoenix now."
"You must be Lady Quetzalcoatl," the maid bowed. "You've returned from a busy journey, that's why my lord decides it's okay to take a short break. In the meantime, I'm sure Lady Seraphina will love to meet him."
"...." Seraphina calmed down. She was about to complain but she calmed down.
There was only one person Anoria would call 'my lord'. It was him. Seraphina hated the fact that she was the first person to know of his arrival and was the last one to meet him.
Turns out, she wasn't the only one. Just like how she was dying to see his face, he was waiting for her too. That's why he let those two go ahead, and yet stayed back himself.
"Lead us in," Seraphina said, her expression faltering as she gulped. She wasn't sure what she was expecting because Galaxara's divine voice had warned her to brace herself for any surprises.
…..
Anoria led the group through the bustling streets of Thalindra. The city was alive with energy, the air buzzing with a mixture of hope and excitement. There was life in people's eyes, a rare sight in the current world.
Citizens lined the streets, their eyes wide with wonder as they watched the group pass by. Children pointed and whispered to each other, while adults bowed their heads in respect. However, their attention was somewhere else, their heads looking upward. Pictures of the Hero hung in the air, and a hologram of his earlier speech floated above, his voice echoing through the streets.
"Damn," Quetzalcoatl said as she watched his hologram, "he looks quite different thanks to his hair. He looks like some English Noble."
"It's a good speech," Shoko smiled. "It's filled with hope."
"...." Only Mem looked at it with a frown. It's almost as if he has multiple personalities, at this point. Was his personality this different in each of his lives?
The two imperial kids watched in awe at the speech. They hadn't even felt such an intense sense of hope when Jasmine the Hero reincarnated as their younger sibling, after all the Goddess was defeated by the outer gods by then, so how could the old hero change anything?
However, this time… something felt different. His words felt resolute.
Saintess Seraphina's heart raced as she walked, her eyes darting to the images of the Hero. She could hardly believe it. The man she had spent decades with, the man that this world had revered for centuries, the man whose legend had inspired countless generations, was… truly back.
She gulped, her nerves and excitement intertwining. She barely noticed the curious and admiring gazes of the people around her, so focused was she on what lay ahead.
After walking for a while, they were finally near the castle. The guards opened the castle gate, and they stepped inside. That's when Mem-Cho spoke up, breaking the silence, "Nice place, got a different vibe than the Elven Forest. But where is Aqua?" she asked, her eyes scanning the grand structure before them.
Anoria glanced at her from the corner of her eye, a curious look hidden. "If you're talking about my lord, he is in the main castle," she nudged her chin forward at the grand castle ahead, built like a whole city block. "However, you cannot meet him now. He specified to only meet the Saintess, so please understand and the rest of you follow me to the side castle."
"Oh..." Memmy's expression faltered upon hearing this, her disappointment palpable. "I was looking forward to seeing him. Oh well," she let out a heavy breath with a strange look in her eyes.
Seraphina didn't miss that reaction. She hadn't confirmed anything with these ladies, but all the allies that had come seemed to be women. Could that be a coincidence? Or were all of them... his new lovers?
Seraphina wouldn't care much, she was the least jealous among them four. She had always been fine being one of his girls for the night. But before that, before she was his lover, she was his fellow starving friend in the slums. It was harsh times, but to her it was nostalgic times. The history books didn't talk about this.
Unlike his friendship with the princess, where they met once every few months, Seraphina and he shared the same pillow to sleep. Along with her unusual view of relationships and soul, thanks to her powers, she considered him much closer to her heart than a normal husband could ever be.
Still, she was curious what type of person that man had become to make love with both a Dragon Goddess and a Devil woman, as well as two sisters together.
"...Since he wants to see me, I'll be heading in then. See you guys later," Seraphina decided it was a waste of time to ponder over baseless implications when she could just go and meet him.
She nodded to the others and watched Anoria lead them to the side castle. She made her way to the main castle. The interior was a blend of opulence and practicality, with maids bustling about, attending to their duties. The maids looked surprised at her presence but not overly.
Were they expecting her?
They nodded respectfully as Seraphina passed, while a few dwarves worked diligently on repairs. "Hey, you," she asked one of the maids, "where's the lord?"
"Ah, the master's bedroom, my lady," the maid bowed and said.
She left the first floor and climbed the stairs. There were a lot of stairs, and she had to climb quite a few floors. Her heart pounded as she walked through the familiar halls, memories flooding back with each step. She hadn't come here in quite a while.
Once she was on the higher floor, she made her way toward the master's bedroom. The hallways were dimly lit, red walls adorned with paintings and pictures greeting her as she walked. At the end of the hallway, the door to the bedroom was open, light spilling out into the hallway.
Seraphina's steps slowed as she approached the doorway. Her breath hitched, and she knew if she had a working heart, it would be pounding out of her chest. She stopped before the open door, her eyes trembling with anticipation and anxiety.
Slowly, she took a peek.
Inside, a man with long black hair stood, his shirt already off, revealing a chiseled torso that seemed almost sculpted from marble. That was new, he always kept his hair short back in the day. But she was prepared for that surprise, she had seen it on his hologram.
His skin glistened slightly under the dim light, powerful muscles rippling with every small movement. He appeared to be in the midst of changing his clothes, unaware of her presence, as he slowly teleported his coat with a touch of his hand.
Her eyes trembled.
The sight of him, so familiar yet so different, made her unresponsive heart clench. He didn't look the same, but she could see some resemblances. After all, he was from a new life, with a new appearance.
From talking to the Goddess beforehand, she knew he had blonde hair and blue eyes in his current life, so he must be using some magic to change his hair and eyes right now. It was understandable why he didn't look the same as the Seriphoth she remembered. Since the Goddess, Sieran, and even Elara had confirmed his identity, there was no doubt this was him.
Yet, her senses screamed.
"You..." she began, her voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and simmering… anger. She stepped into the room, her eyes narrowing as she took in his appearance, every detail of his form igniting memories and emotions she had buried deep within.
The man turned to face her, blinking slightly. "Ah, Seraphina?" Those eyes, a striking, mesmerizing purple, seemed to pierce through her very soul. They glinted with happiness, "I was waiting for you."
The world somehow sang their song.
Yet, her heart didn't rhyme with it.
"You..." she repeated, her voice growing louder, more enraged, each word laced with the doubt and betrayal that surged within her. Divinity exploded out of her body, translucent wings forming behind her. "Who the fuck are you?!"
Her voice echoed through the room, filled with a raw intensity that made the very air around them seem to crackle with tension.
Who was this imposter, standing there with the face and form of the man she had loved and lost?! A man with a heart darker than the Demon King's, that couldn't be her husband!
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