Chương 220: [45.3] Alora's POV: The Price for Forgiveness
I opened my eyes and found that I was in the same spot as before. There were no signs that anyone had ever visited me.
It was all in my imagination.
I bit down on my lip which was already cracked and bleeding. As I went to sit up, I felt a sharp pain shoot through my body.
"Ah."
My arms and legs felt numb, but a painful tingling sensation remained. I bit down on my lip forcibly.
This pain is nothing.
I forced myself to stand up and had to drag my own legs to do so.
I leaned against a tree breathing heavily until the sensation slowly left.
My gaze stared into the distance where another temple remained.
I forced myself forward, "I need to end this war quickly."
It took me months to burn down the rest of the temples and kill all those hateful priests and priestesses.
Finally, the war reached its peak and only one temple remained.
It stood in the middle of the Holy Light's land. Even though the Holy Goddess abandoned this land long ago, the priests and priestesses still occupied it and used it to further their own power and influence on the people.
My blade dragged on the ground as I climbed the temple steps. A fire encompassing the entire city raged behind me, illuminating the blood that covered me.
Hidden under the blood were unnatural black veins branching out from the curse mark on my chest.
A gurgling sound came from the back of my throat as my eyes were attached to the phantom of Zephyr who strolled in front of me.
He held no features and was only a shadow in my imagination.
Every day my stomach grew larger and this phantom became more prevalent.
I managed to make it to the main atrium before I collapsed onto my knees.
I whispered, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
The phantom stopped and slowly turned to face me. It was the first time I heard his voice, "Do you really want to apologize that badly?"
My eyes watered, "I… I do… More than anything…"
He hummed, "If you want to apologize that badly… Then just go ahead and die."
My eyes widened as a ripping pain tore through my body. I let out a blood-curdling scream and fell to my back.
It felt as though my skin was being cut and torn open.
The veins on my skin bulged as a black liquid spread across, burning and poisoning me as it traveled.
I scratched my nails into the brick floor as I tried to conquer the overbearing agony.
It was a pain I'd never felt before.
I was so occupied in my own state, I didn't even notice someone had walked into the building.
His cruel voice cut through my gasps, "Aw, my poor dear Alora. You tried so hard but look at you. You protected demons only to receive a curse from them."
I unintentionally let out a scream as the curse dug deeper into my body.
I…
I want to kill him…
This…
This is torture.
He's beside me, yet I can't even raise my hand to slap him.
The man with reddish blonde hair and eyes devoid of empathy bent down beside me. He snickered, "Now you are dying all alone with no one by your side…"
I felt a cold sensation spread across my body as the pain abruptly stopped.
My chest grew heavier as my breathing grew more labored.
My vision was starting to turn hazy.
My…
My child…
He picked up the crying baby and wrapped her in a pure white robe, "Oh, but don't worry. I will take care of your little princess. A descendant of Alora is a Holy thing after all. I will be able to unite the entire continent and rule over them with her help... It's a pity she has demon blood, but at least she looks like you."
I desperately tried to sit up to see the child.
But my limbs were numb and unusable.
I had no energy left.
I couldn't even turn my head to see.
My vision turned dark before I even knew what my child looked like.
I hope…
I hope she takes after her father.
I felt my last exhale leave my body.
Tears streamed down my face as I floated through the dark abyss.
"Zephyr…"
"Mother-in-law…"
"I'm sorry…"
"I'm so sorry…"
"Please… Please forgive me…"
As I cried out, no one heard my pleas.
I was completely alone.
That was until…
Hands reached out to catch me.
When I looked to see who it was, I noticed a woman with long thick brown hair that cascaded down her back. Her thick eyelashes trembled as she stared at me with compassionate brown eyes. There was a white scar on her cheek that contrasted against her umber skin.
In her embrace, I had never felt more loved.
Her voice was soft, "What's wrong, child?"
My voice trembled, "I… I just want to apologize… I… I didn't mean to… I really didn't…"
Her gaze softened as she rubbed my shoulders to soothe me, "Would you have done anything differently if you could go back?"
I nodded without hesitation, "I would! I would be a kind and gentle girl! I wouldn't let my anger get the best of me… I wouldn't… I wouldn't let them get hurt."
Her lips curled into a charming smile, "Child… You have the scent of death. Aren't you aware of the sins you carry?"
I paused.
My sins...
My sins are limitless.
I stared off blankly into space, "Those crimes… I can't atone for them."
She let out a laugh, "Of course you can. It's never too late to change."
"Change?" I looked at her with a pained expression, "I'm already dead. I can't change."
She remained smiling, "If you could go back to life, what would you do?"
I met her gaze with my own, "The thing I want to do, I could never do. Zephyr and my mother-in-law are dead. I can't gain forgiveness from those already dead and gone."
"Oh? But they aren't dead."
I looked at her completely shocked, "W-What?"
She nodded softly, "Zephyr remains. He is merely trapped… As for the one you call Mother-in-law… She is a child of chaos. She exists constantly, but she also doesn't exist at all."
I furrowed my brow, "What do you mean?"
Her eyes narrowed as her lips curled into a smile, "I mean that their paths will cross again, and yours can too… If you wish it."
My eyes widened, "I wish that more than anything!!!"
"And if there was a cost? Would you pay it?"
"...I would do anything to atone for my sins."
She let out a soft sigh, "When I was your age, I desperately wanted to bring back the dead. In my first life, I watched as everyone died in a war that none of us were a part of. I sought out a new life to stop all war and suffering. I wanted no more grief… No more loss…"
"Did you get it?"
She smiled with a bittersweet look but did not answer.
Instead, she changed the subject, "I have a soft spot for those like you. Hands drenched in blood, but willing to be redeemed."
As her hands clamped my shoulder, I felt a strange sensation vibrating in my body.
She smiled to encourage me, "I will allow you to have a second chance and meet your friends again… Don't let me regret it."
My eyes widened, "Y-You will?"
She nodded, then her expression turned grave, "But there will be a hefty price to pay. Are you prepared for it?"
I nodded quickly, "I am! I will do anything to see them again!"
Her expression turned sweet, "Good luck child."
As she pushed me down into the abyss, I heard her whisper one last thing.
"Oh, and when you see my friend, can you tell her to stop playing with swords before she gets hurt?"
The strange hole swallowed me up before I could respond.
When I reopened my eyes, I was back in the body of a baby. This child looked nothing as I had before.
That was the only solace I took.
But where is Zephyr?
In the end, I had no choice but to seek out a deal with…
Her.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
Nekoru
Nekoru Yeah, spoiler alert: Zephyr never died.
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