Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 152
Despite the excruciating pain from the whip lashing across his back, Sage’s thoughts became clearer.
He managed to continue speaking. Everything had fallen apart. Many had died by his hand, and he had become a monster.
A king meant to protect his country had destroyed it. How could he have the right to live? Sage clenched his teeth.
Forcing his body to stay put despite the instinct to flee, Sage looked back at the castle. With his enhanced vision, he spotted Ramiel standing on the wall.
‘Ramiel.’
Sage’s once pure and beautiful girl.
But now, there was no trace of her former self. She, too, had fallen into corruption.
‘At this point…’
Sage, barely holding himself up, launched his body into the air. Allen desperately tried to block him, but Sage, indifferent to his deteriorating body, hurtled towards the castle wall.
Ramiel stood on the wall, watching the battle unfold below. Sage was cornered, surrounded by the king and the holy knights, unable to exert his full power.
“Even if he was once a king…”
It was pitiful. She had hoped he would at least deal with some of the wretched ones.
Shaking her head, Ramiel turned away. She had no intention of staying on a battlefield with no hope.
The goddess had told her to retreat if things became too dangerous, and she intended to follow that advice.
“Lady Ramiel.”
The knight who had been guarding Ramiel called out to her with a pale face.
“What!”
She turned, annoyed by his human frailty, only to come face to face with a familiar figure.
“Sage?”
“Ramiel.”
Tears of blood flowed even more from Sage’s reddened eyes. His half-burned body smoked, reeking of decay.
Instinctively, she tried to back away, but Sage approached her and wrapped his arms around her.
“W-What are you doing?”
Ramiel, flustered, tried to push him away, but the difference in strength was overwhelming.
“Let’s go together.”
“Get away!”
Desperately, she called upon the power granted by the goddess, but it was already too late.
In the sky above, a massive force coalesced into a spear. The ice spear, infused with divine power, glowed brightly.
“Get off! What are you doing? Get him off me!”
Ramiel shouted at the knight, but he couldn’t move. Only fear consumed him.
In the next moment, the ice spear pierced through both of them. Divine power entered their wounded bodies, causing them to convulse.
“Ramiel, I loved you.”
Sage whispered his final confession in a low voice.
“No, no, I didn’t!”
Ramiel bit her lip, struggling to break free from Sage’s embrace. But by then, her body was already in ruins.
“Goddess, please.”
She tried to use divine power to heal her body, but it was futile.
“Move… Hurry.”
She gestured to the knight, who finally snapped out of his daze and grabbed her. He quickly began descending the castle wall with her in tow.
‘As long as I reach the goddess, this will be nothing.’
As Ramiel moved further away from the wall, the sky suddenly lit up brightly. It was Ilene, performing yet another miracle.
Sage, on the verge of death, finally turned to ash.
‘Next time…’
Ramiel, watching him fall, lost consciousness with a promise for the future.
* * *
Almost all of the ghouls had been taken care of.
As their numbers dwindled, a few ghouls fled into the castle to hide, but the holy knights swiftly tracked them down and eliminated them.
The townspeople, who had been hiding, finally opened their doors and peeked out. Realizing that the battle had ended, they erupted in cheers.
“Ahhh!”
Adlen, who had been fighting near the castle wall, collapsed onto the ground. She had overexerted herself while protecting Eugene, who had been firing arrows, and now her strength was completely drained.
She didn’t even have the energy to lift a finger, let alone shield her eyes.
At that moment, the door of a nearby house creaked open—the same house Adlen and Eugene had been protecting. She had caught a glimpse of a small child through the window earlier.
The small child rushed out of the door and stood beside Adlen, looking down at her.
Would the child cry upon seeing her red eyes? Adlen wondered, but the reaction she received was completely unexpected.
“Thank you!”
The child loudly expressed gratitude. The child’s parents, who followed behind, awkwardly bowed their heads.
“Thank you for protecting us.”
“You saved our lives.”
Had she ever received such heartfelt thanks from ordinary people before?
With wide eyes, Adlen looked at them, and then suddenly burst into laughter.
Her body was exhausted, but it had been a fulfilling day.
