Chapter 91 The End of Childhood - Four (IV)


    "...Indeed, there is some disagreement among us, because some have suggested that you can be won over, giving Hydral an additional pact head and us an extra helping hand." Wendigo stared at Seraphina: "But I, we believe, there is no need for that. Those people are also troublesome, so we acted first, and that''s why... I''ve been lurking in your vige for so long, just waiting for you to return." "An additional pact head for Hydral does not mean an additional helping hand, but rather... an added element of instability." "Moreover," the man paused and said emotionlessly, "you are not worth it."


    You are not worth it. Those who, like me, are oppressed, who wish to annihte those damned nobles, even to overthrow the empire, who should stand with me, yet they say this.


    "Compared to Hydral, you are nothing, Marlowe. We have studied your talent, and it is indeed worth boasting about, but that''s all... If we go back ten years, we could find someone with the same talent as you, or even stronger." Wendigo dered, "Rather than your intrinsic value, I believe it is more meaningful to keep Hydral in the least threatening state."


    I…have no value.


    My enemies, my peers. My peers say that I am not worth it and boast about my enemies. They say that my value lies only in making my enemies... less threatening.


    Heh heh... heh heh heh... ha ha ha ha... Wendigo watched Seraphina''s expression crumble further, her sanity nearingplete copse, and frowned slightly: "I didn''t give you time to hesitate... I thought that after exining Hydral''s calctions for you, you wouldn''t have any lingering feelings for him, but it seems I need to be quicker."


    Haha, he even thinks I still have feelings for Hydral — Seraphina''s frenzied thoughts came to a halt at this moment.


    Because, in Wendigo''s hand, which was almostrger than a human head, a person appeared out of thin air. Her name was Rhiannon, Seraphina''s best friend.


    "Hey, how did I... Ah! Seraphina, you''re here—" Snap. His fingers twisted, and the girl''s face with a delighted smile drooped to one side with a crisp sound.


    "One," Wendigo said emotionlessly, "ten seconds, if you don''tmit suicide immediately, then it''s the next one." A shrill scream exploded in the dark night. Seraphina, nowpletely mad, punched Wendigo and was then pped by him, flying more than ten meters away.


    "You have eight seconds, seven seconds—" "F*cking Beast! I''ll kill you!" The raging Seraphina charged at Wendigo, the terrifying aura surrounding her causing him to raise his eyebrows slightly, but he quickly returned to his usual expression.


    "Just like this, it''s still not enough." He pped Seraphina away again and said, "The area within fifty meters has been set up with the most perfect domain to block allmunication and surveince."


    "And I don''t kill you because I have to maintain reverence for both Ansel and melle, the two generations of Hydral. I can''t be sure if Ansel has tampered with you, so the safest way to let you die is to make youmit suicide — time''s up."


    In Wendigo''s hand, another person appeared, this time Seraphina''s other friend Kavan. He hadn''t reacted yet, hadn''t even looked at Seraphina, when his neck was snapped.


    "Do you still want to make futile efforts?" Wendigo looked down at Seraphina, who kept attacking him but couldn''t cause any damage, not even breaking his clothes, "Seven seconds left until the next one." "Wait... no, don''t!" With her palm bones shattered and her hands covered in blood, Seraphina screamed in terror: "Don''t! I''ll die, I''ll die! Don''t!"


    "Very well." Wendigo nodded in satisfaction: "I''ll watch you from a distance. Don''t try to run, don''t try to notify Hydral. If you make any move, I''ll risk offending Hydral and kill everyone in the vige."


    Wendigo vanished, leaving behind Seraphina, slumped and broken-boned. Her friends'' face bore no pain, only the lingering joy of finally finding her.


    Seraphina no longer screamed, no longer cried. She gazed upon her friends'' lifeless forms, convulsing withughter—sharp, disjointed, frenzied, and ultimately… silent.


    Ah, I finally realized, I am nothing. I am nothing, without Hydral, without Ansel, I am nothing. I could only watch as he killed Rhiannon and Kavan, then obey hismand to kill myself. In doing so, in asking my to suicide, he would ughter the entire vige, to render Ansel harmless.


    My worth amounts to this alone.


    I am nothing.


    In this moment, Seraphina finallyprehended.


    "Hee hee... this is... what you wanted…" Seraphina mumbled, tugging at her cheek as drool trickled from the corner of her mouth. "So, this is what you wanted, Ansel, hee hee hee... hahaha..."


    Seraphina finally grasped why Hydral had trampled her dignity and life. — That devil needed not an ignorant, naive puppet, a loyal hound oblivious to its manipted existence and delighting in it.


    He required someone who, despite knowing their life had been shattered and their dignity and worth reduced to rubble, despite their rage and hatred, under love''s merciless ughter and reality''s mockingughter… would recognize their weakness, worthlessness, and futility.


    And then, be a willing, self-sacrificing wraith.


    A puppet eager to kill itself.


    For at this moment, when Seraphina had already died, the self-harming wolf understood one thing: — Everyone in this world denied her worth. Those she wished to help denied her worth, those she loved denied her worth, and even… those who should have been her kindred spirits, walking the same path, denied her worth.


    Yet, only that man she loathed to the bone, who had told her countless times: "I have faith in your talent and strength."


    In this desperate, ludicrous, and absurd final moment, Seraphina grasped this truth. That devil, whom she hated and loved deeply.


    Even as he sought to erase herself and kill her soul, had never, not for a moment… denied her existence''s meaning and worth.


    Seraphina drew the dagger from her waist and aimed it at her heart.


    I''m sorry, Ansel, I''m sorry... I seem to have understood... toote. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If I had known, I would have be your puppet, even if nothing remained of me, even if I abandoned my dignity and self. You would still... care, respect, and acknowledge me, right? I''m sorry, I can''t be your puppet, I have to die like this. It seems... not so bad. Because I... I don''t want to be your puppet, do I have to be like that to stay by your side? If I die like this, I won''t have to worry, agonize, or suffer for such things, and I won''t have to hate you anymore.


    Her hand gripping the dagger trembled. The epiphany born from endless despair, the yearning ignited by this revtion, rendered the girl unable to kill herself without hesitation. But in death... she would lose even the qualification to be a puppet. Ansel, would you grieve for me? Ansel, am I truly... worth that much?


    "Ansel..." The dying girl, in this moment, yearned for a response that should never have existed. With tears streaming down her face, she pressed the dagger''s tip to her heart:


    "Don''t... don''t give up on me."


    And so, in this instant— A darkness deeper than the ckest night poured forth from the doorway. It was a pure amalgamation of all things and an transcendent entity epassing allws and phenomena. It was the abyss.


    The monster at the edge of the abyss cast a nce upon the mortal realm. And thus, Ansel of Hydral stepped forth from the abyssal gateway, descending upon the world of man.


    "I heard you, my dear Seraphina." The devil crouched down, gently wiping away her tears. "And so, I havee to fulfill my promise."


    *